Philologos
Bible Prophecy Research
Title: The Number 42
Submitted by: research-bpr@philologos.org
Date: May, 1998
URL: http://philologos.org/bpr/files/n002.htm
The Number 42
"And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months." - Revelation 13:5
"This number--here designedly used by the Holy Spirit, rather than three and one-half years or twelve hundred and sixty days--is a very significant one. Its factors are 6 and 7, which stand for man and completeness. It is man in his fallen condition, here the Man of Sin, fully manifested. Forty-two stands for intensified apostasy. Thus Numbers 33 gives the various stopping places of unbelieving Israel in the wilderness as forty-two in number. Judges 12:6 tells us that the number of the apostate Ephraimites which fell before the Gileadites were forty-two thousand. See also 2 Kings 2:24 and 10:14."
(The Antichrist, Arthur W. Pink)
"And he [Elisha] went up from thence unto Beth-el: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them."--2 Kings 2:23,24
FORTY-TWO
is a number connected with Antichrist. An important part of his career is to last for 42 months (Rev 11:2, 13:5), and thus this number is fixed upon him. Another number of Antichrist is 1260, and this is 30x42.
Its factors are six and seven (6x7=42), and this shows a connection between man and the Spirit of God, and between Christ and Antichrist:
Forty-two stages of Israel's wanderings mark their conflict with the will of God. Forty-two young men mocked the ascension of Elijah to Elisha, 2 Kings 2:23,24.
Being a multiple of seven, it might be supposed that it would be connected with spiritual perfection. But it is the product of six times seven. Six, therefore, being the number of Man, and of man's opposition to God, forty-two becomes significant of the working out of man's opposition to God.
There may be something more in the common phrase about things being all "sixes and sevens." They are so, indeed, when man is mixed up with the things of God, and when religious "flesh" engages in spiritual things.
IN GEMATRIA
it is a factor in the number of Nimrod's name, which is 294, or 42x7. It will be often found as a factor in the Antichristian names. See under the number Thirteen.
It does not often appear as a separate number, but when it is thus seen as a factor of another number, it always imparts its significance to it.
(Number in Scripture, E.W. Bullinger)
The 42nd President of the United States is William Jefferson Clinton.
See also:
The Number Seven
The Number Six
The Number 666
Time Intervals