Since writing about the meaning of the number one in the Bible, I’ve since learnt more about it that may prompt me to go back and write more. For now, as we have a look at the number two, an important thing to keep in mind is the primary meaning of the number one, self-existence.
That’s why God’s number is one. He is the self-existent one. No other number exists without one. That leads us to the meaning of two: two is the number for witness/verification. Here goes the reasoning/proof for that.
Gen 1:6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
A key concept for the creative acts on day two is that of the firmament and the separating of waters from waters. A separation if you please but a congruency at the same time. They are both water, the same in makeup, but they are in different locations. This might not seem to link closely to witness and verification, but now overlay that with the words of Jesus:
John 8:16-18 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.
Jesus as the God-man, is on the earth telling the people, I bear witness of myself, and my Father (He that is in heaven) bears witness with me, thus fulfilling the Law that requires the testimony of two men to be taken as true.
Now on that, we must also look at a powerful principle that is established in the Law of God regarding two. Judgement couldn’t take place at the mouth of just one witness. There had to be at least two. See Deu 17:6, 19:15. This was then confirmed in the New Testament in Mat 18:16, 2Co 13:1, and 1Ti 5:19.
If we follow the logic of the number one being a self-existent/sacred number, then two’s meaning become that which verifies the existence of one, for one on its own has none else to know it exists, while two cannot exist without one and therefore ‘bears witness’ of the existence of one.
The idea of the bearing witness was considered a serious matter to the extent that it is part of the Ten Commandments as the ninth Commandment, Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. There was a significant penalty for bearing false witness: whatever the penalty was for the accused, if one bore false witness to try and cause that to happen, he was to receive the same judgement. There is an express command given that no pity was to be given either. Read Deu 19:15-21 for the full take.
While in Genesis, day two perhaps doesn’t give the clearest picture straight away, when one looks back, I believe you can see a pattern emerging.
Just as there was water above and below to bear witness of all that was to come, so will you see the number two occur in that context time and again. Whether it’s codified in the Law of God, the proof of Moses’ calling and authenticity (Exo 4:1-9, yes, there’s actually three things here, however there’s a primary two with a third finality which does not remove from two’s meaning but instead points to the meaning of three which will be covered soon), the two anointed ones who stand before the Lord in Zec 4:11-14, the voice from Heaven and the Spirit descending on Christ, the constant references to the Law & Prophets in regards to Christ cumulating in the Mount of Transfiguration where Christ is flanked by Moses and Elijah, and finally, the two witnesses who prophesy in Revelations 11:3-8.
There’s no doubt more examples, but these should suffice to give credence to what two represents in the Bible.
Notes:
– All references are using KJV
– Jesus’ statement of being witness of himself is profound when one considers that Jesus Christ is the Father in the flesh. It points to the all-encompassing nature of God. He is self-existent, and the next in line to verify His existence is himself in expression: the Word of God.
– There is an idea of exponential growth/power connected with two which we see illustrated in Deu 32:30. As we add more to each number, there is a corresponding exponential growth.
– Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. This verse bears mentioning in full here for the beauty that it entails. There is one other idea connected to that of two which I haven’t spoken of, and that is unity. Just as the water is the same in heaven and earth, so should earth and heaven be congruent as in the Lord’s prayer – thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven. The very idea of witnesses leads to the idea of unity – a unity of what was witnessed. For unity to occur, there must be at least two parties. Perhaps one day I will get the chance to explore that more. Suffice to say, there is a strong connection between 2 and 1.
Talking Bible 