Q = 17!
The meaning of the number 17 In the Bible is that of "overcoming the enemy" and "complete victory." God overcame the sins of rebellious humans when he began to flood the earth through rain on the 17th of the second Hebrew month. Noah's ark and its eight passengers rested on the mountains of Ararat on Tishri 17 (the seventh month of the Hebrew sacred calendar).
Jesus Christ gained a complete victory over death and the grave when God resurrected him near sunset on Nisan 17 (Saturday, April 8, 30 A.D.).
In the book of 1Corinthians the thirteenth chapter, the seventeenth mention of the word "love" comes when the apostle Paul states that it is the greatest gift of all (1Corinthians 13:13). God's unending love (John 3:16) is truly victorious over all things. Those who stay faithful to God to the end of their lives will gain the victory over the grave when they are miraculously brought back to life (see 1Corinthians 15).
Daniel 7's beasts have seven heads and ten horns, for a total number of 17. They represent world-ruling powers from Daniel's time to the Second Coming of Jesus. The devil's end-time system (Revelation 13) will have seven heads and ten horns, which totals 17. All mankind will very soon obey and worship the devil and the Beast power. They will war against those who have faith in Jesus and keep the commandments, thus achieving a victory (though short-lived) against God's people (Revelation 13:1 - 8).
True Christians, however, will gain the ultimate victory over God's adversaries when he resurrects them back to life (Revelation 15:2; 20:4). One of the major themes of the Day of Atonement (commonly referred to as Yom Kippur), which occurs in the seventh Hebrew month on the tenth day, is the binding of Satan (see Revelation 20). Thus, 10 plus 7 equals the number 17, which testifies to Christ's perfect overcoming of Satan.
Appearances of the Number Seventeen
No Bible books contain exactly seventeen chapters.
The Old Testament Biblical chapters of Leviticus 1, 3, Joshua 3, 1Samuel 7, 1Chronicles 14, 2Chronicles 1, 3, Ezra 5, Esther 4, 8, Job 23, 42, Psalm 7, 40, 45, 59, 86, 90, Ecclesiastes 8, Song of Solomon 1, 2, Isaiah 21, 34, 54, Jeremiah 12, 28, Ezekiel 4, 5, 25, Hosea 9, Amos 7, Jonah 1, Habakkuk 1, Zechariah 9, 11 and Malachi 2 have 17 verses in the King James Translation.
In the King James New Testament, the chapters Matthew 3, 2Corinthians 2, 2Thessalonians 2, 2Timothy 3, James 4, Revelation 6, 7 and 12 all contain 17 verses.
Rehoboam, son of Solomon and the very first king of Judah after the kingdom split in 930 B.C., reigned for 17 years (930 to 913 B.C.).
The book of James has material from seventeen Old Testament books. The book of 1Corinthians has 17 direct quotations from the Old Testament.
One of the longest names found in the word of God, containing seventeen letters, is Chushanrishathaim (Judges 3:8).
Number 17 and God
In Romans 8:35 the apostle Paul asks a simple question which is "What shall separate us from the love of Christ?" (HBFV). He extends his question a little more by asking if the following seven things could separate us, which are tribulation, persecution, distress, nakedness, famine, the sword or any other danger.
Paul then tells us ten things that cannot get between our God and us. These are life, death, principalities, powers, angels, things present or to come, depth, height or anything created. Thus, we have 7 + 10 = 17, representing a Christian's perfect and eternal standing with God through Christ.
More Info on Biblical Meaning of 17
17 is the seventh prime number. The primes before it are 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, and those immediately after it are 19, 23 and 29.
The city of Ephesus is mentioned 17 times in the King James New Testament. The capital of the Roman Province of Asia, the city boasted the second largest populated area in the known world at the time of the Apostle Paul. Ephesus was evangelized by Paul during his second and third missionary journeys, forming the first Christian church in the metropolis. The Apostle John is believed to have retired to the area after writing Revelation, dying in the city around 100 A.D.
Jehoahaz ruled the Kingdom of Israel from 814 to 798 or 17 official years (16 actual, 2Kings 13:1). He was the first of four generations of sovereigns who were descendants of King Jehu. This dynasty was promised by God to Jehu after he carried out the Eternal's will of destroying the house of King Ahab (2Kings 10:30). Jehu's dynasty ended up being the longest (88 years) of any ruler over the Kingdom of Israel.
Psalm 83, verses 6 to 11, lists seventeen enemies of Israel. Seven of these God destroyed in the past. The other ten foes will soon try to destroy the Israelites and "cut them off from being a nation." The Psalm, written by Davidic priests, beseeches the Eternal to treat Israel's future enemies like those in the past.
The seven enemies of Israel God destroyed in the past are the Midianites, Sisera, Jabin, Oreb, Zeeb, Zebah and Zalmunna. The future confederation prophesied to be against God's chosen are Edom, Ishmaelites, Moab, Hagarenes, Gebal, Ammon, Amalek, Philistines, Tyre and Assyria. This makes for 17 total foes vanquished by the Eternal!
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