The number 72 appears several times in the Bible and has special significance. There are a few key reasons why the number 72 is important in Scripture:
It represents completeness or perfection
The number 72 is very symbolic, often representing completeness, fullness or perfection. This meaning comes from the fact that 72 is the product of two important biblical numbers:
– 3 – Representing the Trinity or Godhead
– 24 – Representing priesthood, worship or the kingdom of priests
By multiplying 3 and 24, the number 72 encompasses different aspects of spirituality and completeness. We see this in a few examples:
– Moses appointed 72 elders to help lead the Israelites (Numbers 11:16)
– 72 disciples were sent out by Jesus to preach and heal (Luke 10:1)
– In Jewish tradition, the nations of the world were believed to number 72
So the number 72 connotes a complete and perfect number, representing fullness and authority under God’s dominion.
It points to the redemption of humanity
Another key meaning of 72 in the Bible is redemption or salvation. There are 72 generations from Adam to Jesus Christ listed in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus. Going from Adam to Jesus demonstrates God’s entire plan of salvation enacted through Christ:
…
…
| From | To |
|---|---|
| Adam | Seth |
| Seth | Enosh |
| Salathiel | Zerubbabel |
| Zerubbabel | Rhesa |
| Heli | Jesus |
The 72 generations represent the complete time from creation to redemption, fulfilled in Jesus as savior of mankind. This echoes the theme of completeness represented by 72.
It has connections to timekeeping
In the Book of Enoch, an ancient Jewish text, there is an expanded cosmology involving angels called Watchers. These angels are associated with 72 seasons on the earth. This relates to the solar calendar of 72 five-day weeks per year (360 days). So the number 72 has astronomical significance in calculating seasons and calendar dates.
Some scholars link these 72 angelic watchers to the 72 nations mentioned elsewhere in Jewish tradition. So the number 72 unites earthly timekeeping with spiritual completeness.
Significance in the Old Testament
The number 72 appears symbolically in several Old Testament passages:
Moses appoints 72 elders
In the book of Numbers, Moses is feeling overburdened leading the Israelites through the wilderness by himself. God tells Moses to gather 72 elders to help shoulder the burden:
“The Lord said to Moses: ‘Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with you. I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.’” (Numbers 11:16-17)
This story represents the delegation of authority to the 72 elders who can help Moses lead under God’s spirit. The number 72 symbolizes the fullness of authority needed to govern the fledgling Israelite nation.
72 members of the Sanhedrin
The Sanhedrin was an authoritative Jewish council or tribunal in charge of legal and religious matters. Accounts vary, but common tradition holds there were 72 members of the Sanhedrin. As an important ruling body guiding the Jewish nation, having 72 members gave the Sanhedrin an air of completeness and perfection in working out God’s will.
Solomon’s temple contains imagery of 72
When Solomon’s temple was constructed, it contained many ornate decorations involving the number 72:
– 72 pillars on the porch
– 72 silver bases for the pillars
– 72 golden lampstands
The vivid temple imagery using 72 further solidifies it as an important symbolic number of spiritual fullness and completion.
Significance in the New Testament
The number 72 retains its symbolic meaning in the New Testament as well:
Jesus sends out 72 disciples
In Luke 10, Jesus appoints 72 disciples and sends them out to preach and heal:
“After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'” (Luke 10:1-2)
The commissioning of 72 disciples represents a perfect, complete number to accomplish God’s will. Jesus is ensuring the gospel gets spread near and far.
72 generations from Adam to Jesus
As mentioned earlier, Luke’s genealogy of Jesus contains 72 generations between Adam and Jesus:
“The son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.” (Luke 3:38)
This emphasizes Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s redemption plan across the span of history and generations. The number 72 represents entirety from creation to salvation.
Significance in Judaism
Outside the Bible, the number 72 retains symbolism in Jewish tradition:
72 names of God
Kabbalistic texts describe 72 names of God. These 72 names represent the fullness of God’s attributes and divine powers. The names are derived by combining three verses from Exodus: 14:19-21. By inserting the verses together in different ways, 72 names with 72 three-letter combinations are produced.
Moses’ life divided into 72
According to Midrashic teachings, Moses’ life is divided into 72 years, from his birth to his death on Mount Nebo. Again, this use of 72 emphasizes a complete life under God’s providence.
72 languages of human civilization
Based on the Tower of Babel story, Jewish texts referenced 72 root languages that formed the basis of human civilization after God scattered mankind. So again, 72 represents a sort of all-encompassing number.
Conclusion
In summary, the symbolic importance of the number 72 in the Bible and Judaism includes:
– Representing perfection, completeness and fullness as 72 = 3 x 24
– Tying to redemption across 72 generations from Adam to Jesus
– Relating to timekeeping of 72 seasons, weeks and years
– Appearing in imagery of leadership and spiritual authority
– Encompassing all human languages and God’s names
So 72 is clearly an important biblical number, woven throughout Scripture and beyond with themes of completeness, authority and spiritual wholeness in God’s redemptive plan. When we see 72, whether elders, names or languages, it signals a divinely appointed fullness pointing to God’s supremacy and control over all things.