Let Bible Numbers Guide Your Understanding - Psalm 99 & 100

God's number symbolism always form the same consistent patterns in scripture...

Rather than try to explain the Bible's number patterns (Redemption Pattern) in this post, I'll give an example that shows the concept. To begin, note that every series of numbers represents a progressive pattern of moving forward in a list or series of events. For these examples we will examine the progressive pattern of symbolism for #99, #100 and #101.

#99 is always about last things before the end of some list or series of events; #100 is about the last or final things in list or series of events; and number 101 represents the beginning of the next series of things or events. #99, #100 and #101 follow a very similar symbolism to numbers 9, 10 and 11 except that #99, #100 and #101 are more intense in their meanings. I'll use a theme seen in Psalm chapters 99 through 101 to show this.

#99 Things or just before the end - Psalm 99 At the gate to heaven...ready to enter

Imagine the Lord's return -- the earth shaking, people trembling at the realization of the presence of The Lord Jesus Christ. Now imagine that God has come to redeem his people Israel and somehow at that time many of them now realize he is their messiah and redeemer and they run to the foot of God's Mountain to worship him and give him praise. v6 "They called upon the LORD and he answered them." In the last verse of the chapter appropriately with verse reference 99:9 it closes with God's people at his Holy Hill exalting the LORD. So in this chapter the Lord has returned and his people come to worship him...what do you think is next?....see chapter 100 which is the conclusion of a path that leads to becoming one of God's chosen people. Below is Psalm 99 with some evidences of this situation highlighted.

Psa 99:1 The LORD reigns, let the peoples tremble; He is enthroned above the cherubim, let the earth shake!

Psa 99:2 The LORD is great in Zion, And He is exalted above all the peoples.

Psa 99:3 Let them praise Your great and awesome name; Holy is He.

Psa 99:4 The strength of the King loves justice; You have established equity; You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.

Psa 99:5 Exalt the LORD our God And worship at His footstool; Holy is He.

Psa 99:6 Moses and Aaron were among His priests, And Samuel was among those who called on His name; They called upon the LORD and He answered them.

Psa 99:7 He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud; They kept His testimonies And the statute that He gave them.

Psa 99:8 O LORD our God, You answered them; You were a forgiving God to them, And yet an avenger of their evil deeds.

Psa 99:9 Exalt the LORD our God And worship at His holy hill, For holy is the LORD our God.

#100 The end or last things -- Psalm 100 God's faithful people of Israel being invited into God's Kingdom...

Picking up from chapter #99 where the people have recognized the LORD Jesus is God and have come to his Holy Hill -- God's people are now ready to enter into his kingdom. Here in chapter #100 which is symbolic of final things, we find God's people truly acknowledging Jesus is God and they are the sheep of his pasture. In this short five verse chapter the LORD invites his people into his kingdom. They are now saved.

This 100th chapter ends this long journey to be with God, but a new series of events is about to take place in the 101st chapter. #101 like #1 is symbolic of a new series of events. It is as if chapter 100 is the close of one novel of the Bible and we are now ready to see what happens next. See chapter #101...

Psa 100:1 Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.

Psa 100:2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing.

Psa 100:3 Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Psa 100:4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.

Psa 100:5 For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.

 #101 & #1 a new series of events begin -- The Beginning of Life as God's saved people

In the 101st chapter of Psalms, the saved faithful people now begin a new life in a new way. They are changed and now will serve the Lord Jesus. Look at a few of the highlighted verses that show this change.

Psa 101:1 I will sing of lovingkindness and justice, To You, O LORD, I will sing praises.

Psa 101:2 I will give heed to the blameless way. When will You come to me? I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart.

Psa 101:3 I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not fasten its grip on me.

Psa 101:4 A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will know no evil.

Psa 101:5 Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; No one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart will I endure.

Psa 101:6 My eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; He who walks in a blameless way is the one who will minister to me.

Psa 101:7 He who practices deceit shall not dwell within my house; He who speaks falsehood shall not maintain his position before me.

Psa 101:8 Every morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land, So as to cut off from the city of the LORD all those who do iniquity.

The Progressive symbolism in God's numbering...
 I realize the examples I've explained regarding Psalms 99, 100 and 101 are not compelling proof of the progressive symbolism of God's numbering, but I hope they do explain the concept I work to communicate. You can see evidences of this same number symbolism wherever you find these numbers in the scriptures. to observe this for yourself, watch chapters 9, 10 and 11 of any book and look for the chapter themes somehow relating to; last things before an end; the end of something; and then the begin of some new aspect of the text.

God's supernatural numbering is not just interesting -- they are a guide to understanding the scriptures.