Five: The number pertaining to our physical bodies

The number four is the first of the physical numbers. Continuing the progression, the number five adds yet another dimension. Whereas the number four represents the entire world of physical creation, the number five represents the result of the physical world acting on the individual. It symbolizes the body, the senses, injury, and temptation. It also has a tie to nature and to overcoming physical constraints.

Everyone who has read much of the bible has noticed the more common numbers like three and seven. Even if you did not realize the symbolic meaning within them, you would have to notice the repetition of their occurrences. But do you remember the number five occurring in the bible? Perhaps you remember that Jesus had five wounds on the cross, or that one of his most famous miracles was the feeding of the 5000 (5 + 0 + 0 + 0 = 5). Or perhaps not - five is not one of the more commonly used numbers in the bible. Yet, it is in the study of the less common numbers, such as the number five, that you see the true miracle of the numeric code of the bible.

The number five occurs explicitly in the bible often enough to discern its meaning without question. Even if it did not, there are many other references to the number five. For example, each person has five fingers and five senses. There is also the Law, which represents a bridge between God's realm in heaven and the physical life of man. As you saw previously, the Law is composed of 613 (6 + 1 + 3 = 10, 1 + 0 = 1) commandments, or mitzvot. Amazingly, the 613 mitzvot are made up of 248 (2 + 4 + 8 = 14, 1 + 4 = 5) positive commandments and 365 (3 + 6 + 5 = 14, 1 + 4 = 5) negative commandments. 248 at the time was believed to be the number of bones and significant organs in the human body, and 365 corresponds to the number of days in a year.

Summarized from Cracking The Bible’s Numeric Code by Dr. R.J. Gannaway.