“A BUNCH OF FIVES”
“But God led the people about through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea; and the people went up HARNESSED (by FIVE in a rank) out of the land of Egypt.” – Exodus 13:18
“Your wives, your little ones and your cattle shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren ARMED (marshalled by FIVE), all the mighty men of valour, and help them.” – Joshua 1:14
In both the verses quoted above the same Hebrew word ‘chamush’ is translated “harnessed” (Exodus 13:18) and “armed” (Joshua 1:14).
‘Chamush’ (Strongs Concordance 2571) which is variously translated as harnessed, armed (AV), in martial array (NASV) and in readiness for battle (Farrar Fenton), is actually derived from the Hebrew word for five (5) – see also by five in a rank; marshalled by five (in the Margin AV)
With reference to the title of this article, most people are familiar with the expression “a bunch of fives” which is a slang term for a clenched fist – a hand prepared for action which may be either offensive or defensive, as the situation demands. Scripture records how the Lord has used/is presently using/will use “bunches of fives” both defensively in the deliverance and protection of His People, Israel, and offensively in the judgement of nations and the destruction of systems in opposition to His People and His Purposes.
There is also, the Law of the First Mention in the Scriptures, which means that the number five (5) elsewhere in the Bible will now be specifically associated with Israel – and this fact is further confirmed and established by the required “double-witness” of Exodus 13:18 and Joshua 1:14.
Numbers in the Bible
In the Bible, numbers are not used casually but have, each, their own spiritual meaning and significance. There are many examples of this in the Scriptures.
For instance, the number 40 is associated with probation or testing as in the case of the nation of Israel who were tried and tested by the Lord for 40 years during the exodus before entering the Promised Land and, also in the case of Jesus, Himself, who was tried and tempted by the Devil after fasting for 40 days in the desert.
The number 9, because of its peculiar mathematical characteristics, is said to represent “Divine Judgement” e.g.
9×8=72(7+2=9);
9×37=423(4+2+3=9);
9×536=4824(4+8+2+4=18(1+8=9)
There is no escape from the number 9 nor will there be from Divine Judgement which it portrays numerically.
The Number Five (5)
The number five (5) generally indicates Grace or Favour but to really understand its significance and the association with Israel, we need, first of all, to understand the meaning of the number four (4).
Four (4) is the number of Material Completeness, the World, Creation etc:-
4 Elements – Earth, Air, Fire, Water
4 Dimensions – Length, Breadth, Height, Time
4 Seasons – Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter
4 Types of Soil – Wayside, Stony Ground, Thorny Ground, Good Soil (Matthew 13: 1-9)
4 Cardinal Directions – North, South, East, West
4 Kinds of Flesh – Flesh of Men, of Beasts, of Fishes, of Birds (1 Corinthians 15:39)
Four (4) is also the number of Man, when viewed in relation to the rest of Creation, of which he forms a part and represents Man’s Weakness, Helplessness, and Vanity.
Five = Four Plus One (4+1=5)
The “Plus One” (+1) is significant of Divine Strength, Empowerment or an Anointing added to and made Perfect in that Weakness, of Omnipotence combined with the Impotence of earth, of Divine Favour (Grace), uninfluenced and invincible.
Israel came out of Egypt “five in a rank” – the point is that they went up in Perfect Weakness –Helpless and Defenceless (4) – yet were Invincible through the Presence of the Lord (+1) in their midst. (cf the Miracles of the Red Sea Crossing and the food supply of Manna and Quails.)
Spiritual Significance
The spiritual significance of the number five (5) and its importance in the deliverance and preservation of Israel and in the destruction of the Lord’s and Israel’s enemies again features in the well-known story of David and Goliath.
1 Samuel 17:40 – “And he took his staff in his hand and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.”
Why mention the number of stones? Why not just say “some”? Why five and not six or seven?
The five (5) smooth stones chosen by David, when he went to meet the giant enemy of Israel, were significant of his own Perfect Weakness (not relying on himself or his own skill, characterized by 4) but supplemented by a Divine Anointing or Strength (+1) to achieve the required result: (4+1=5).
In other words, David was anointed and thus He was stronger in this weakness than in all the armour of Saul.
1 Samuel 17:4-7 lists the six (6) items of Goliath’s armour/weaponry whereas in Ephesians 6:13-18, Paul lists the seven (7) items in the Christian’s armour – and this shows that the item which Goliath lacked was Prayer.
(The number Six (6), too, in the Scriptures, is the number of man in rebellion against and independent from God)
N.B. David only required the one stone (5th) – not any of the four – “My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness” – 2 Corinthians 12:9
New Testament Parallel
This episode about David and Goliath in the Old Testament Scriptures finds its parallel in Matthew 4:1-11 in the account of The Temptations of Christ when David’s Greater Son, the Lord Jesus, has His encounter with Satan, that great enemy, of whom Goliath was the faintest type. David only needed one stone, the fifth, (5th) in his conflict with Goliath and, likewise, it was Deuteronomy, the fifth (5th) book of Moses, that alone formed the one stone, that Jesus used to defeat the Devil. See His replies below:-
“Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” – Deuteronomy 8:3
“Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God” – Deuteronomy 6:13
“Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only shalt thou serve” – Deuteronomy 6:16
So, to summarise:-
David has five stones but uses only one (5th) – these five stones are taken out of the brook (water)
Jesus has the five books of Moses but uses only one Deuteronomy (5th) – the name Moses means “drawn from the water” – Exodus 2:10
New Covenant Israel Organised in Fives (5)
The two opening verses at the introduction of this article – Exodus 13:18 and Joshua 1:14 – clearly demonstrate the importance and spiritual significance of the number five (5) to Israel and how they organized themselves in a military formation of five in a rank in Old Testament times.
It, therefore, should come as no surprise that New Covenant Israel were also organized in fives.
“And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some pastors and teachers;” – Ephesians 4:11
The number five (5), a number peculiar to Israel, shows the Israelitish foundation of the Five-Man Ministry:-
It was Israelitish in Make-up – most of the disciples were of the “light-bearing” tribe of Benjamin (with the exception of Judas) as, too, was Paul.
It was also Israelitish in Outreach:-
“…as My Father hath sent me, even so send I you” – John 20:21
“But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” – Matthew 15:24
Compare the Ministry of the Apostles, as recorded in the Book of Acts and the Epistles which clearly reveal that the church was/is the vehicle or tool for bringing Israel back to God.
Concealed Fives In Scipture
This concept of A Bunch of fives (5) with its special significance in relation to Israel, is stamped throughout the Word of God, particularly in prophetic scripture, but often in a “concealed” manner.
One such instance is the account of the Lord’s healing of the man with the “withered hand” in the synagogue as recorded in Matthew 12:10-13; Mark 3:1-6 and, also Luke 6:6-10 where we learn the additional information that it is the man’s “right hand” which is affected.
This actual episode in the Lord Jesus’ earthly ministry has also a highly prophetic significance, once we understand the Biblical symbolism involved.
The Key:
The man with the “withered hand” represents Israel – in a condition where they are powerless to act or minister. The “withered hand” represents a stunted and restricted ministry which cannot yet reach out properly nor fully function effectively.
(At the time of this miracle, Israel were still undergoing their “Seven Times Punishment” of 2,520 years (Leviticus 26:18,21,28) and were classified by the Lord as Lo-ruhamah (not having obtained mercy) – Hosea 1:6 and Lo-ammi (not my people) – Hosea 1:9.)
“….behold they (Israel) say, Our bones are dried (withered) and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.” – Ezekiel 37:11)
“Right hand was withered” – Luke 6:6 Luke’s account, alone, adds this detail. (The right hand is the hand of special blessing (see Jacob-Israel’s blessing on Ephraim and Manasseh, Joseph’s sons – Genesis 48:13-20;
and also
The Parable of The Sheep and the Goats, where the “sheep (Israel) nations” are placed “on his right hand” – Matthew 25:32,33)
The Sabbath Day is frequently typical of the Millennium in prophecy – the initial 1,000 years of Christ’s reign on earth after His Return – a period of great national restoration and blessing.
“Stretch forth thy hand” symbolizes the restoration of Israel’s five-man ministry as well as Outreach, extending the ministry and blessings to the other nations.
Elijah and the Hand-Shaped Cloud
A second example, featuring another “concealed or hidden” bunch of fives, is found this time in the Old Testament in 1 Kings 18:41-46 – the story of the prophet Elijah praying for rain and the appearance of the little “hand-shaped” cloud. While once again, this was an actual historical event, nevertheless, it also has tremendous prophetic significance once we understand the Biblical symbolism involved.
The Key:
Rain often represents the outpouring of the Spirit of God in Biblical symbolism
Seas often symbolize peoples or nations in the prophetic scriptures
Elijah’s servant looked a total of eight (8) times in all
He saw nothing the first seven times (Seven Times Punishment – Leviticus 26)
He was looking towards the (Mediterranean) sea i.e. westwards
He saw the cloud the eighth (8th) time. (The number 8 speaks of New Beginnings in Scripture)
The little cloud was rising out of the sea (peoples) – to the west – Israel in dispersion in N.W. Europe and the UK (and ultimately the USA/Canada).
The cloud was shaped like a man’s hand (five digits representing the five-man ministry /Elijah Ministry as promised in Malachi 4:5-6)
The above two “bunches of fives” again illustrate the Israelitish origin and basis of the (5) Five-Man Ministry. When the Lord brings spiritual restoration and revival to Israel, then the restored, and spiritually re-energised Five-Man Ministry (the withered hand) can in turn reach out and extend these blessings to the other nations – thus fulfilling the Abrahamic Covenant.
Judgement of Babylon
And now, finally, for probably one of the best-known examples in the Bible of the Lord using a “bunch of fives” in judgement of an opposing system, that of Babylon.
“In the same hour came forth the fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king’s palace;” – Daniel 5:5
Daniel 5 relates the details of Belshazzar’s impious feast in the city of Babylon during which the fingers of a man’s hand (5) appeared and wrote on the palace wall the inscription “Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin” which Daniel interpreted as foretelling God’s judgement on the city and its imminent fall to the invading Medes and Persians.
In a similar manner, the Lord Jesus will use/is using a “bunch of fives” (representing the overcoming Five-Man Ministry) to write the epitaph for Mystery Babylon the Great, sealing its doom and destruction.
This concept of five (as in digits of a hand) harks back to the organization of Israel in fives and illustrates once more the Israelitish origin and basis of this Five-Man Ministry/Elijah Ministry.
The fact, too, that the Scriptural reference, here, happens to be *Daniel 5:5 – chapter five (5) and verse five (5) – is hardly a coincidence, considering the content but again demonstrates that the Lord Jesus is able to retain complete control over every aspect of His Word, even including the division of the text into separate chapters and verses! The level of His attention to detail such as this is truly mind-boggling! What an incredible God!
*(The chapter divisions commonly used today were developed by Stephen Langton, an Archbishop of Canterbury. Langton put the modern chapter divisions into place in around A.D. 1227. The Wycliffe English Bible of 1382 was the first Bible to use this chapter pattern. Since the Wycliffe Bible, nearly all Bible translations have followed Langton’s chapter divisions. The Hebrew Old Testament was divided into verses by a Jewish rabbi by the name of Nathan in A.D. 1448. Robert Estienne, who was also known as Stephanus, was the first to divide the New Testament into standard numbered verses, in 1555. Stephanus essentially used Nathan’s verse divisions for the Old Testament. Since that time, beginning with the Geneva Bible, the chapter and verse divisions employed by Stephanus have been accepted into nearly all the Bible versions.)
Yes, truly, what an amazing God we serve!
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Lord gives the following promise in Leviticus 26:8
“And five of you shall chase an hundred and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight…”
This promise is to Israel – it does not just say ‘five’ but ‘five of you’ (Israel) – that is ’five’ of those whom the Lord Jesus has redeemed, delivered and whom He will strengthen with His own Might.
Five (5) = Four plus One (4+1) – Human weakness depending on Divine strength and blessing to accomplish what God has purposed.
“And he said unto me, My Grace (5) is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9
And now, we should understand, perhaps more fully, why the Apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, writes the following in his first letter to the Corinthians:
“Yet in the church I had rather speak five (5) words with my understanding that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.” – 1 Corinthians 14:19
Amen
