Teh number 13, which comes immediately after the number 12 on the number line is an incredible number. Modern folklore attributes number 13 to bad luck and all kinds of evil but is there any truth in such symbolisms? In this article, we will investigate number 13 from a Biblical point of view in order to understand what it means in the Bible.
Number 13 symbolizes rebellion, betrayal, and destruction. Nimrod, who represents the 13th Generation from Noah is seen as a hunter who was in rebellion to God. The concept of rebellion is also portrayed in the message of the antichrist which is documented in the 13th chapter of Revelation amongst other verses.
Let’s take a closer look at what the number 13 symbolizes in the Bible.
Rebellion
The first indication that the number 13 symbolizes rebellion is in the book of Genesis 10:9 which talks about a mighty hunter by the name Nimrod. The term “mighty hunter before the lord” indicates that he tried usurping God’s place. Nimrod was the 13th generation in Ham’s line and it is not surprising that he fell into the temptation of rebelling against the God of heaven.
Another demonstration of rebellion can be seen in the appearance of the phrase “valley of Hinnom.” This phrase, alongside any of its relevant variants, appears 13 times in the scriptures. It refers to a valley where evil rites of worship to the god of Molech occurred. Some of these practices were endorsed by King Solomon in a bid to make some of his wives happy and that ultimately led to their widespread adoption in Israel (1 Kings 11:7).
One of the ways Molech was worshiped was by sacrifice of children. The children would be placed on the red-hot arms of the idol and thereby burnt alive. The appearance of the phrase “valley of Hinnom” 13 times signifies the rebellion of Israel against God’s law. God had explicitly said in the law of Moses that they shouldn’t worship any other god apart from Him.
The man of lawlessness
In 2 Thessalonians 2:3, Paul introduces “the man of lawlessness” who would be revealed after the rebellion came. This man of lawlessness would oppose the worship of God and exalt himself to take God’s place. This scripture was referring to the antichrist. It is worth noting that this warning is given in the book that has the longest name in the Bible thanks to its 13-letter name (Thessalonians). The warning of the man of lawlessness can be seen as a figure of speech referring to the emerging new world order. The New World Order is a 13-letter phrase as a symbol of the rebellion and lawlessness of the new system.
Another name for the man of lawlessness is the antichrist (another 13-letter word) and his rise was prophesied in other sections of the Bible – including the gospels. In 1 John 4:18, scripture warns how many antichrists will arise in the last days. Jesus also warned how many false prophets would arise and startle the masses with many signs and wonders in a bid to deceive even the elect.
The initial prophecy about the antichrist is in Genesis 3:15 which talks about how Adam would crush the head of the serpent while the serpent also seeks to bruise his heel. In this scripture, God hints at the war between good and evil and how the antichrist would seek to deceive and harm the church. However, just as Romans 16:20 says, the ultimate victory belongs to the church due t the atoning work of the cross.
In the 13th chapter of the last book of the Bible, John the Revelator expounds on teh prophecy of the man of lawlessness. He starts by portraying him as a beast but then closes the chapter by saying;
This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666. Rev. 13:18
Ultimately, the antichrist, the fallen angels, and all those they succeed in deceiving will be punished by being thrown into the lake of fire. The phrase lake of fire is another 13-word phrase to represent the price they will pay for their lawlessness.
Betrayal
Number 13 also symbolizes betrayal. While sharing the last meal with his disciples before he was betrayed, Jesus identified Judas as his betrayer by quoting from Psalms 41:9 “He that eateth bread with me hath lift up his heel against me.” The name Judas Iscariot is exactly 13 letters which symbolizes him as the betrayer.
The theme of betrayal also goes hand in hand with the man of lawlessness. It started in heaven when the archangel Lucifer betrayed God’s trust and led a revolt which resulted in his banishment from heaven. The prophecies about the antichrist can also be seen as the rise of the betrayer. This is because the antichrist will pretend to be God or God’s prophet while his primary goal will be to betray those who believe him.
Destruction
Destruction is another symbol denoted by the number 13. There are a total of 13 famines that have been recorded in teh Bible (Genesis 12:10, 26:1, 41:54; Ruth 1:1; 2Samuel 21:1; 1Kings 18:1; 2Kings 4:38, 7:4, 25:3; Nehemiah 5:3; Jeremiah 14:1; Luke 15:14 and Acts 11:28). Even though the severity of these 13 famines differ, they all left a trail of destruction.
The conquest of Jericho is another illustration of the relationship between destruction and the number 13. Jericho was the most fortified city in Bible time and it seemed impregnable. When Israel arrived, God gave them a strategy to go around the city every day for 7 days and then do 7 circuits on the 7th day (to make a total of 13 rounds) before blowing the trumpets and shouting. Upon doing this, the walls of Jericho miraculously came tumbling down. The fact that the Israelites went around the city of Jericho a total of 13 times symbolizes the destruction that ensued.
Conclusion
In summary, there might be some merit in the idea of associating the number 13 with bad luck. However, that is not to say that the number stands for bad luck in the Bible. Biblically speaking number 13 symbolizes betrayal, lawlessness, and destruction – which one may argue are all related to bad luck.
