“In the bible, six is traditionally a number of incompleteness, failure, imperfection. God creates the world in seven days, so seven is the number of fullness, completion, perfection; but six is short of perfection.”
Actually, the bible says that God created the world is six days. On the seventh day he rested.
I know that seven is traditionally a godly number, and six short of it, but I’m curious whether the story of creation is really the root of that symbolism.
I think the verse you’re looking for is this one:
First, Zeku, welcome to the Straight Dope Message Boards, we’re glad to have youw with us. It’s helpful to other readers if you provide a link to the Staff Report when you first start a thread: saves searching time. In this case: What’s up with 666, the number of the beast?
No biggie, you’ll know for next time.
Second, to address you comment:
The symbolism of seven being a “good” number primarily emerges from the bible. It’s primarily but not only the creation story. Directly, for instance, Joseph predicts seven years of plenty and seven years of famine; the Nile is turned to blood for seven days; and so forth. Indirectly, there are seven words in the first sentence of the bible (in Hebrew): In-the-beginning God created [direct object indicator] the-heavens and the-earth.
The mystics argued that, on the seventh day, God rested and so “created” the sabbath: hence, creation was not complete on the sixth day. We also have Genesis 2:2: “On the seventh day God finished the work that He had been doing…” Remember that the mystics were not looking at the plain words of the text. They were looking for hidden, deeper meanings. Thus, the work of creation was finished on the seventh day and so seven is the number of completion.
And, of course, there are the seven planets (Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn).
I know this is a little off subject…
…but, my problem is with the interpretation/ implementation of the numerological methodology.
The numbers in 6.6.06 jump right out at you, but the year is 2006 which, depending on your numerology handbook, resolves to 8.
If you use the year 1969 you can come up with a 6 (6 + 9 = 15; 1 + 5 = 6) or a 7 (1 + 9 + 6 + 9 = 25; 2 + 5 = 7.)
Regardless of the symbolism, we have no way of knowing which methodology is “right.” Not to mention that we don’t even know which numbers to put into the equation! Do we include the hour of the day, the minute?
Why do you assume that 666 refers to a date (against any sort of reading of the text) in the first place? And even if it did refer to a date, why would it be a date in the European calendar, rather than the Hebrew one?
I try to avoid assumptions, but I assume you’re referring to my post.
If so:
Yes, and it’s Gematria.
regards,
widdlye
Many of these comments and cites are already covered in the Staff Report itself: What’s up with 666?