Numbers in the Bible: Lesson 4
Overview
The Numbers Five and Ten: Law, Fullness, and the Cross
While the numbers one and three point us to God, and two and four toward humanity and creation, the numbers five and ten draw our attention to God's law and to the completeness of His revealed Word. Five is anchored in the Pentateuch—the first five books of Moses, where God gave His law to His people. Scripture presents that law in three categories: moral, civil, and ceremonial. The civil law governed Israel as a nation and is no longer in force. The ceremonial law regulated worship, sacrifices, festivals, and dietary purity; it was a shadow pointing forward to Christ, and when the Messiah came, it was fulfilled and set aside (see Colossians 2:16-17). The moral law, summarized in the Ten Commandments, endures—and it was written on the human heart long before it was inscribed on stone, as Paul testifies in Romans 2:14-16.
This distinction matters pastorally. You'll sometimes hear the "shellfish argument"—the claim that because Christians no longer observe certain Old Testament commands, other moral commands must also be obsolete. The answer is to distinguish the three categories: ceremonial and civil laws were time-bound and fulfilled or set aside in Christ, but the moral law abides. That moral law continues to function in three God-given ways: as a mirror that reveals our sin, as a curb that restrains evil, and as a guide that shows the redeemed how to please God. The law is never the means of earning salvation—but for those in Christ, it remains a faithful teacher.
Five also signals fullness. Everything we need to know about God—creation, redemption, sanctification, the promise of Messiah—is contained in the Torah. Even the Psalms were collected into five books, mirroring the five books of the Law: God's Word of command paired with God's people's word of praise. And five ties us directly to the cross. The tabernacle altar was to be five cubits long and five cubits wide, three cubits high Exodus 27:1—a place of sacrifice whose dimensions echo both the Law and the Trinity. Many Christian altars bear five carved crosses, recalling the five wounds of Christ—hands, feet, and side—prophesied in Psalm 22:16-17 and shown to Thomas in John 20:24-29. The animal sacrifices have ceased because the true sacrifice has been offered once for all.
Ten, like five doubled, also speaks of completeness, and is associated with humanity as a whole. Consider the ten lepers in Luke 17:11-19. All ten were cleansed; only one returned to give thanks. This is a vivid picture of objective and subjective justification: Christ has reconciled the whole world to Himself—"It is finished," paid in full—yet the victory is appropriated personally only through faith. Faith is the hand that grasps what grace has already accomplished, and the believing heart keeps returning to Jesus in gratitude. May we be like the one who turned back, basking in the forgiving love of God and living in praise of the Savior who fulfilled the Law for us.
Transcript
Good morning. Let us join in prayer, please. Blessed Father in heaven, you are abundant 2s
in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. We thank you for the 11s
grace and mercy assured us by the redemption of your Son. Have mercy on us for Christ's 19s
sake, and forgive what we have done wrong in what we have left undone. Quiet us with 26s
the knowledge of sins forgiven by faith in Christ, fill our hearts with the joy of adoption 34s
into the family of heaven and bring forth fruit in abundance as we live to the glory of 42s
your name. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen. Well, welcome. Today, as we continue on in our study, 50s
last week, we took a look at the numbers 2 and 4, and we saw how the number 2 is a number that 60s
is associated with creation, with creation. We studied how we are not autonomous. That God did 70s
not create us to be an independent people. And we saw how there is such a strong undertow, 80s
especially in the days in which we live, for us to move into the sense of independence, the sense of 89s
autonomy, in which we live as isolated islands unto ourselves. God never created us to be that way. 99s
God created us to be in relationship with one another and chiefly with him. It's not good for us to 109s
be alone, and so God has joined Himself to us. We studied how only God is one. We are never alone. We 118s
are the two natures of Christ. Remember Jesus is 100% divine, 100% human. He is truly God and truly man. 136s
And we saw how the second member of the Trinity took on flesh. When we come before the Lord, we will 147s
see the Lord in His full humanity when we get to heaven. So when He was incarnated, we celebrate that 155s
at Christmas, we will see Him when we stand before Him. We will see Him through God and through man. So 163s
when that flesh was joined to Him at the incarnation, that is not somehow discarded there after the 172s
resurrection. Remember it was a bodily resurrection. In addition to the number two, we studied the number 180s
four. The number four we see in Scripture symbolically has to do with humans and creation. And it's a 186s
symbolic number for the family. We saw how the earth reflects itself in the number four rivers in 195s
Eden, four corners of the earth in Revelation chapter seven. So numbers one and three belong to God and two 205s
and four belong to creation. Well, let's continue with our multiples here today and let's go to five and 212s
ten. Let's go to five and ten. The number five is a number that is associated with the law. The first five 220s
books of the Old Testament, the Torah, the Torah means law, or sometimes referred to as the Pentateuch, the first five 229s
books, the author is Moses. And that's where we receive the law. Now there are three types of law categories that are given to us in 238s
Scripture. You've got the moral, the civil, and the ceremonial. The moral, the civil, and the ceremonial. The moral law is God's will for his 253s
people for all time. It's chiefly summarized in the ten, the ten commandments. We are all born with that moral law distilled in us. It's what's called natural law. Now we can get into more weeds in 276s
terms of how the conscious can become seared and wrong input. That takes us too far, too far a field into another class. But the moral law is that law which gives us God's will for all time. We have that moral law naturally written in our hearts. 297s
That's why you see, for example, when you look at various cultures across the history of humankind. When you look at the various cultures, you see that there's this incredible uniformity in societies, law codes. In 319s
words, there's something in us that we know it is wrong to murder someone. And so you see that throughout the various societies and the law codes. There's something in us that we know that it is wrong to go into and to take what isn't yours from 336s
someone else. That it's wrong to steal. We see a whole myriad of examples of uniformity in that across the side of lines. And why is that? Because we have that natural law written in our hearts. So the natural law of God, the ten commandments of God was written in the heart long before it was codified. 356s
It was written in the heart of our very first parents. Let me show that where we see that in scripture. Let's go to Romans chapter 2, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and Romans. Romans chapter 2. 381s
And let's look at verse 14, please. So we're making the point of how the number five is a number that can be associated with the law. We see God's law given to us in the first five books of the Old Testament. 405s
In a Romans chapter 2, picking up in verse 14, it gets at this law being written on the heart. When Gentiles who do not possess the law do instinctively what the law requires, these, though not having the law, are a law to themselves. 423s
They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts to which their own conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts will accuse or perhaps excuse them. On the day when according to my gospel, God through Jesus Christ will judge the secret thoughts of, oh, that's the natural law written on the heart of every single person. 447s
Human being ten commandments. It's a good summer. The second is what is called the civil law. The civil law we see rooted in the Old Testament is that which governed the nation of Israel. You see a whole batch of civil laws of what it was that they were to do. And the third category we see is the ceremonial law. 477s
That's what regulated the worship life. It regulated the priesthood, sacrifices, festivals, diets, what made one person clean or unclean. We see that all in the ceremonial law. 502s
The ceremonial law pointed to the Messiah to come. When the Messiah comes, the Lord Jesus Christ, he makes us clean through the fact that he takes our sin upon him. The wrath of God is placed upon the Savior instead of us. 521s
And we are made clean. The Scripture says our sin is cast as far as the east is from the west. We are made as clean. White is the driven snow, clean as the snow. 541s
The ceremonial law pointed to Jesus. When Jesus came, the ceremonial law then is no more. Because it's fulfilled in Jesus. 557s
Let's go to Colossians, the second chapter. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and Romans. First and second Corinthians. Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. Colossians, chapter 2. And we'll pick up in verse 16. 570s
And here the Apostle Paul writes, 593s
therefore, do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons or Sabbaths. These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 597s
So when it comes then to the three categories of the law that we see in the first five books, moral, civil, and ceremonial, we see that the civil law is no longer an effect. That governed Israel in Old Testament times. We see that the ceremonial law is no longer an effect. Why? 620s
Because that was simply given to point to Christ. As the scripture says, Jesus has come. That is no longer an effect. The moral law is that which endures. We see the moral law echoed in the New Testament. 641s
Now, what every Christian I think we'll get in their life is what is called the shellfish argument. The shellfish argument. And remember, apologetics means the defense of the faith. How can we be equipped to defend the faith? And so as Christians, you will hear probably multiple times the shellfish argument. 662s
The shellfish argument goes this way. Because there's a whole lot of things in the Bible that we don't observe anymore. Therefore, this is no longer sinful and then you can fill in the blank. 688s
The argument is made. Do you eat pork? Probably most of us eat pork. You should do that. Did you ever go to red lobster? Did you have a lobster? Bible tells you you shouldn't do that. It says shellfish argument. 709s
Which says, well, because there are those things that are no longer observed. Therefore, this and fill in whatever blank you want. This is no longer sinful. Now, what's the response to the shellfish argument? 728s
Take out your napkin, right? And you write moral, civil, and ceremonial on it. You talk about the meaning of each of these. And then you say, civil law, that government is real Old Testament. We see that's no longer in effect. Why? Because the Bible tells us. 749s
Ceremonial, that govern to people prior to the coming of Messiah, the Messiah of the Lord Jesus Christ has come, that's no longer in effect. Do you want to have a pork chop after church today? Have a pork chop, right? 768s
You want to put a red lobster? Play it on up, right? I mean, there is no law in Scripture anymore. Moral law? That still holds. 782s
And so, when you define these categories, you can show people that you can't take the fact that the civil and ceremonial is no longer observed, even though is in the Bible, and you can't make a case that therefore this now is no longer a sin. You can't do it. 795s
Now, moral law, the moral law has three functions to us. One, it functions as a mirror. In other words, it shows us our sin. Second, it functions as a curb. In other words, God puts up the barriers and says, don't jump the curb here. Don't jump the curb. Here are the boundaries here. Don't jump the curb. 819s
And the third, it functions, the third use, is as a guide. It functions as a guide for the Christian. As the hardest transform, the Spirit takes residents in us. God is at work in that sanctifying process, making us more and more like Christ. How is it that we can please God? Well, the law functions as that God. 845s
It's never, the law is never given, ever, ever to earn salvation. Never, ever given. But the law can function. It does function as a mirror, a curb, and a guide. 869s
Number five, then, is associated with the law. Is that goes back to the first five books of the Old Testament. It's also a number that's associated with completeness, with the fullness of God's Word. 885s
Everything that we need to know about God is contained in the first five books. Everything we need to know about God is contained in the first five books. 909s
In the law, you see the doctrine of creation. You see the doctrine of redemption. You see the doctrine of sanctification. You see the doctrine of redemption. You see the prophecies about the coming Messiah. Everything we need to know about God is really contained in the first five books. 925s
Now, do you get a fuller and more complete picture as you read on? Well, sure. Sure. But the number five is also, not only associated with the law, it's associated with the fullness of God's Word. 948s
When the Psalms were first collected, and they were put together on a single scroll, they were organized into how many little chapters or books? 966s
Can you guess? Five. That's right. I saw some timidity there on some. You were mouling at that, but you were absolutely right. The number five, why is that? 979s
The divisions were somewhat arbitrary, but the fact that the number five was chosen was not arbitrary. The Psalms were divided into five books to mirror the five books of the law. 993s
So God gave us five books of the law, and he also gave us five hymnoles of praise and thanksgiving. Very intentional of why they went and they divided it into five books. 1013s
All right, let's go a little deeper here now. The number five helps to tie Jesus's death and resurrection to the first five books of Moses. 1031s
So when that number five pops up, and you see it associated with the law, when you see it associated in communicating a fullness, completeness, that number five is also instrumental in tying the first five books to the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. 1045s
Let's see where we see that. Let's go to Exodus chapter 27, Exodus chapter 27, and we'll pick up in verse 1. 1067s
Here we see instructions with regard to the tabernacle altar. So Exodus chapter 27, verse 1. 1085s
You shall make the altar of a cashew wood. 1099s
Five qubits long and five qubits wide. The altar shall be square and it shall be three qubits high. 1104s
You shall make horns for it on its four corners. Its horns shall be of one piece with it and you shall overlay it with bronze. 1118s
The word in Hebrew for altar is a derivative of the word sacrifice. We see in the Old Testament, animals were placed upon the altar. 1132s
And what we see here, also, those reference to horns, that's probably were used to tie down the animals on the altar. 1144s
So why is it five? Because the instructions here from God was that it should be five qubits long and five qubits wide. 1157s
Five doubled reminds us of ten, the ten commandments, and five reminds us of the five books of Moses. 1170s
Why do you think that the height was to be three qubits? 1188s
What do you think? Rewind the tape back to the first lesson. 1196s
It's got, yep, Trinity, exactly right, the Trinity. So it goes back number three here. 1203s
So the instructions is it's five, five, it's three qubits high. 1209s
Today, many altars have five crosses that are carved into it. 1215s
You'll have four crosses on the corners of it and then you'll have a cross in the middle of the altar. 1224s
Why is that? Well, the reason goes to, let's take a look at Psalm 22. 1238s
Psalm 22 verses 16 and 17. 1244s
Psalm 22 verses 16 and 17. 1258s
For dogs are all around me, a company of evil doers encircles me. 1270s
My hands and feet have shriveled. I can count all my bones they stare and gloat over me. 1277s
They divide my clothes among themselves and for my clothing they cast lights, lots. 1287s
What's the prophetic nature of that Psalm? Who's it talking about? 1295s
Talking about the crucifixion, isn't it? The NIV, I like how they translate. 1301s
My hands and feet have shriveled. I like the NIV translation better. 1305s
They have pierced my hands and my feet. 1310s
Pierced my hands and my feet. 1315s
Let's go to John, the 20th chapter. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. 1318s
Verse 24. 1335s
But Thomas, who was called the twin and one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 1339s
So the other disciples told him, we've seen the Lord, but he said to them, 1345s
unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand inside, I will not believe. 1350s
A week later, as disciples were again in the house and Thomas was with them, all the doors were shut. 1362s
Jesus came and stood among them and said, peace be with you. 1368s
Then he said to Thomas, put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. 1372s
Do not doubt but believe. 1377s
Thomas answered him, my Lord and my God. 1380s
Jesus said to him, have you believed? 1384s
Because you have seen me, blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe. 1386s
The five crosses, oftentimes seen on an altar, are a reminder of the five wounds of Christ. 1393s
Hands, feet, sight. 1407s
The number five, tying to the cross and the resurrection. 1411s
The number five, tying to the tabernacle altar on which sacrifices were made, but now no longer sacrifices are made because the ceremonial law is no longer an effect. 1418s
Because that was just a precursor, it just pointed toward, it was a shadow of Messiah to come, the Messiah, the Lord Jesus has come. 1430s
And so we don't have any animal sacrifices, thankfully. 1438s
Because these sacrifice has been made, the Lord Jesus Christ. 1444s
The number five then, ties to the five books of Moses and the law. 1451s
It communicates fullness and it ties to Jesus. 1455s
The number ten is also a number of completeness. 1460s
And the number ten is also associated with a number with regard to humanity. 1468s
We see in Scripture. 1474s
So these numbers keep popping up and you see the usage of it and then you see how it continues to relate and the number ten relates to all of humanity. 1476s
Let's go to the Gospel of Luke, please. 1487s
Matthew, Mark, and then Luke, chapter 17. 1492s
Luke 17, verse 11. 1497s
Luke 17, 11, and we read this. 1510s
On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. 1512s
As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him, keeping their distance. 1518s
They called out saying, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 1522s
When he saw them, he said to them, go and show yourselves to the priests. 1527s
And as they went, they were made clean. 1532s
Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice, he prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. 1535s
And he was a Samaritan. 1546s
Then Jesus asked, we're not ten made clean, but the other nine, where are they? 1549s
Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except his foreigner? 1557s
Then he said to him, get up and go on your way, your faith has made you well. 1562s
Isn't it interesting that God brings into the scene here. 1570s
How many lepers? Ten. 1577s
Remember, there's not a word in Scripture that's wasted. 1580s
Not a word. It's all important. 1584s
And that number ten is important. 1589s
Number ten is a number that communicates completeness. 1592s
How many of the ten were healed? How many of them got mercy? 1598s
All ten, right? How many returned to give thanks? 1602s
One. Now remember, how we have talked about objective and subjective justification in classes past. 1607s
Justification means to be made just as if you never sinned. 1617s
That we are justified through the Lord Jesus Christ. 1621s
The Scripture says, the world has been reconciled unto him. 1624s
When the Lord Jesus Christ said it is finished, paid in full. 1630s
That was the whole world's sin that had been placed upon him. 1634s
Faith appropriates by God's grace unto oneself the victory that has already been won. 1644s
So faith is that hand that grasps by God's grace and doing. 1654s
That hand that appropriates that great victory of the cross. 1660s
All have been redeemed. 1668s
But are all saved? No. 1672s
Because the victory is received through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. 1677s
What faith does is it continues to come back to God for mercy, continues to come back to God. 1685s
And we bask in the graciousness and forgiving love of God. 1695s
It is no accident here that there are ten lepers that are in this account. 1701s
It is not an accident. That is a God intentional communication and use of the number ten. 1707s
Five represents the law, the number of completeness, ten, a number of completeness, five twice, represents all of humanity. 1714s
One in three, God's numbers, two in four, humanity in creation, five in ten, five associated with the law. 1730s
Five and ten associated with fullness and completion. 1743s
Five helping to tie back to the cross and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1749s
Well, next week, 7 and 12 and 40 and 8. 1758s
7 and 12, 40 and 8. 1766s
And I've got a personal favorite number of those four. 1773s
I'll let you know next week. 1778s