The biblical meaning of the number fifteen has a consistent meaning from Genesis to Revelation of rest. It seems to be representative of our supernatural peace from God right after our salvation in Jesus Christ. Our Savior was introduced in Matthew chapter 1 by the number fourteen ( deliverance ).The meaning of this number fifteen is when our salvation is partially recognized and realized in our spirit. The Bible says in Matthew chapter 11 that we can have rest in Jesus Christ.
Let me give you an analogy. If I am in a car accident and people rush me to the hospital then I went from salvation (being rescued from my vehicle) to resting in the hospital. For all practical purposes I am feeling pretty good. I went from a car accident to rest but I would not want to stay there for the rest of my life.
This is what we see in the numbering system of God because His divine structure is progressive. Sixteen is the number in the Bible that stands for love. Seventeen is the number in the Bible that stands for victory. So as you can see God is moving forward after fourteen ( our salvation ) to fifteen, sixteen and seventeen. Each of these numbers symbolizes different levels of grace in Jesus Christ moving upward in nature.
After our salvation in Jesus Christ (14), fifteen through seventeen seems to be an elevator that goes up and down. People reading this probably have many questions about the statement that I just wrote. Just look at the order. Salvation (14), rest (15), love (16), and victory (17). Some Christians are anxious and fearful or preoccupied with life. They don't even give the Holy Spirit a chance to give them rest or peace (15).
Then there are Christians that surrender to the supernatural peace and rest of God (15). They become resigned to their circumstances and allow the Holy Spirit to work through them.
Then there are Christians that decide and allow God to bring them to the next level which is the love of God (16). Sometimes God will just allow one of His children to experience this without consent. It depends on the situation but I will explain this in more depth as the article progresses.
Then there are some Christians who experience not only the rest of God (15) but also the love of the Holy Spirit flows through their spirit (16). When God requires them to make tough decisions about His will they choose obedience. This rare group has salvation (14),rest (15), love (16) and victory (17) in Jesus Christ.
I have seen instances in my life and other fellow Believers get to having victory (17) in Jesus Christ but then everything falls apart. It is not uncommon for a Believer in Jesus Christ to say something like, "I gave everything and I lost it all." Something really bad happens. At this point we have no rest (15), love (16) or victory (17) in Jesus Christ. In despair we sometimes fall into a depression and have no faith. We are saved (14) but have to start all over again by allowing Jesus Christ to rebuilt our lives. This is why I say the biblical meanings of the numbers 14 through 17 seem to be an elevator going up and down. We can't just snap our fingers and have victory in Jesus Christ.
I think it is interesting that the next number is 18. It is almost as if God is presenting salvation to people (14), rest (15), love (16) and victory (17) in His Son Jesus Christ. If a person rejects Jesus Christ as their personal Savior (14) then ultimately he or she will fall into bondage (18). The divine order of this biblical numbering system from God seems to tell a story.
Notice I said seventeen is the number in the Bible that stands for victory. People have asked me before if I was living a victorious life in Jesus Christ. That is a very broad question. Nobody can attain victory all of the time; however, the Bible does speak of a progression for triumphant living in Jesus Christ. Salvation ( fourteen ), rest ( fifteen ), love ( sixteen ) and victory ( seventeen ).
Like I said some Christians stay at fourteen, fifteen or sixteen. Believe it or not very few Believers attain and maintain true victory in our Savior. Some Christians just simply don't want to progress from their salvation (14) to resting (15) in Jesus Christ. That is what I am here to write about so readers will understand this principle. I do believe that for the most part this boils down to a desire or choice in our will but not in all instances.
Let me just go over some points in the book of Ruth relative to my subject which would be resting in Jesus Christ (15). If we are not resting in the power of the Holy Spirit as Christians we will be anxious and fearful over something. Perhaps Naomi had her problems but she had a heart of gold for Ruth.
Naomi was protective, proactive, wanted the best for her, was constantly thinking to solve solutions but most importantly wanted Ruth to have rest. When she said, "My daughter shall I not seek rest for thee," that was the 15th time that the name Naomi was mentioned in the book of Ruth.
This book is really about an outcast who was troubled and scared. Boaz who is a type of Jesus Christ delivered her and she was able to find rest in her soul. Boaz became her Kinsman redeemer. You may be able to guess how many times Kinsman is written in the book of Ruth-15.
The purpose of Jesus Christ for our lives is that we will find rest in Him (15). The plan of God for us does not stop at peace. The Holy Spirit refines us so that we will move to the next level which is the love of God (16).
Maybe I can explain it this way. As Christians we can have the peace of God and not have joy but if we have joy then peace would have to be present in our souls. If we have joy then we are going to have peace. It is possible to have peace but not have joy. The reason for this is because love is on a higher level than peace. The proof for this is in the order of the biblical numbering system designed by God Himself.
I think that the primary objective of God for Ruth at that time was peace for her troubled soul. This is why we could count "rest" being stamped with the number 15 in the book of Ruth.
We can pray to God that He will advance us to His love in our hearts. We can not go on our own. That is something divine that takes place in our spirit. This is why some Christians are longing for the rapture. Rest, love and victory will be our common experience in heaven. We won't be going up and down because that is part of our testing on earth.
We might be able to understand this biblical meaning of the number 15 in the Bible by seeing that 3x5=15. Three (resurrection) x five (grace) =15. When we accepted Jesus Christ into our hearts (14) [ the resurrected (3) ] [ grace (5) ] of Jesus Christ now works in and through us in the form of His rest and peace.
If one were to turn this whole principle around that would be 5x3=15. Grace (5) in our Lord's resurrected (3) power = our rest (15) in the presence of The Holy Spirit.
An Unbeliever can not experience the resurrected grace of Jesus Christ working through him or her because Jesus Christ is not living inside the individual. One advantage in accepting the Lord into your heart if you have not already done so is abundant grace that God desires for you that is not available for your spirit right now. When one has Jesus Christ in his or her heart grace is present, ultimately for victorious living.
When people say no to this I really have to wonder if they know what they are rejecting. I personally don't believe anybody truly understands what they are turning their back on because everybody was made to be one with Jesus Christ.
Another observation I made is many people sometimes reject Jesus Christ as their personal Savior in a very innocent way. It is almost as if they are saying, "This is not for me. I am not suppose to do this." They seem to go about their lives and forget about the whole thing.
When Eve ate the apple she thought no harm would come from that piece of fruit. Only bad can come from not allowing God to save you through His Son Jesus Christ.
I am thinking of two evil things that an unsaved person will have to go through and trust me it is not innocent.
After the rapture of the Church the 7 year tribulation will take place and there is no way anybody can prepare for this time period. Twenty one known judgments and seven unknown thunder judgments. If a person reads through Revelation chapters 6 through 19 and comes to the conclusion that there is a way to get ready, please tell me because I would be very curious to know how? Billions of people are going to die. The last book of the Bible (Revelation) is very clear about this manner.
The second thing that I am thinking of is an eternity a part from the love and protection of Jesus Christ. The passages about hell in the Bible are horrible. A person who rejects Jesus Christ as his or her personal Savior goes to this place and never gets out according to the book of Revelation. There is no pardon. Isaiah 66:24, Mark 9:44.
I don't know the horror of what God saved me from but on the other hand I don't understand all the freedoms I have in Jesus Christ.
Let me get back to the good news of what I am talking about because I am trying to explain the hope and wonderful destiny that people have in Jesus Christ through this subject that I am talking about regarding our progressive victory that is available to us as Christians.
The way this number was originally constructed was with a Yod (10) and a Hey (5) = (15). Perfect law (10) + Perfect grace (5) = our rest (15). Jesus said, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." Matthew 5:17. Jesus Christ never broke the law and became our perfect sacrificial atonement on the cross when He died for our sins (10). He gave us His grace when we accepted Him as our personal Savior (5). His perfection (10) + His grace (5) = our rest in Him (15).
Three times in the Old Testament God commanded Israel to rest on the 15th day of the month. The first two times were in Leviticus chapter 23.The third was in Esther chapter 9. The 3rd time God made it very clear that the rest on the 15th day was to be from their enemies.
I could not help but think about the greater principle or truth about our salvation in Jesus Christ and the biblical meaning of the number 15 in our lives. Our enemy was our sin condition. When we got saved, Jesus Christ delivered us from this enemy and gave us rest in Him (15). Our Kinsman Redeemer (Jesus Christ) wants to give us rest in Him because we were saved from our enemy which was our sin condition. When we accepted Jesus Christ into our hearts this condition was saved (14) because the Bible says," Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2nd Corinthians 5:17.
I was just writing about our new creation in Jesus Christ. When God created the world it took Him 7 days. The Bible makes strong emphasis that God rested on the seventh day. Our new creation in Jesus Christ (when we accepted Jesus Christ into our hearts) is represented by the number 8 in the Bible. God's rest in the first creation (7) + our new creation in Jesus Christ (8) = The Holy Spirit resting in our salvation. 7+8=15 (rest).
God desires to give us rest in our spirit. (28)"Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.(29) Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.(30) For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30.
The Apostle Paul said,"(6) Be careful for nothing: but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (7) And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7.
Bob D.
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