Ten is an amazing number that carries much weight in our daily lives. As our whole system of mathematics operates on a base of 10, we not only emphasize decades, but centuries and millennia. When a person reaches the age of 49, it is really no big deal, but “50” crosses that half-century line into oblivion! Ten begins the most important part of the countdown before a rocket launch and also is the number of perfection given by judges who are grading competitions in sports, like gymnastics and ice skating. In a similar manner, “Ten” is the name given to a popular movie in 1979, based on a rating of the beauty of its star, Bo Derek.
In biblical occurrences, 10 is a perfect number demonstrating a Divine order. Though there are frequent occurrences of that number, the most important reference would be to the commandments of God. When Moses went to the top of Mt. Sinai to receive them, God wrote the commandments on two tablets of stone. While the first four commandments highlight man’s relationship with God, the final six commandments emphasize man’s relationship with man. There is no law in all of human history that matches the righteous law of God.
And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?
Deuteronomy 4:8
The commandments, reflecting the perfect number of 10, are also perfect! If atheists followed the final six commandments dealing with man’s relationship with other men, their lives would be easier, though they would miss entirely the blessing of that perfect life in God, with God and through God. The 10 Commandments do not need an assist!
You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
Deuteronomy 4:2
Another interesting 10 that occurs in the Bible is the number of generations before the Great Flood, offering a countdown of sorts before God destroyed all but eight people. Those generations were Adam, Seth, Enosh, Cainan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech and Noah. At the time of Noah, Satan attempted to pull a fast one on the Lord. Satan’s demonic angels had taken earthly wives (Genesis 6:1-4), contaminating the bloodlines and creating a race of giants. God spared Noah and his family from destruction, as Noah’s bloodline was secure, ensuring that the bloodline of Jesus also remained perfect:
This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.
Genesis 6:9
How interesting that the 10th generation was the final one before the Flood! Ten generations point to completeness of the whole existence of a nation or family in another verse, as well.
3 “An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter the assembly of the LORD; even to the tenth generation none of his descendants shall enter the assembly of the LORD forever, 4 because they did not meet you with bread and water on the road when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you.
Deuteronomy 23:3-4
Additionally, fire came down from heaven 10 times in the Old Testament, with six of those occurring in judgment: In Genesis 19:24, fire falls on Sodom and Gomorrah; in Leviticus 9:24, fire falls on the first offerings; in Leviticus 10:2, fire falls on Nadab and Abihu; in Numbers 11:1, fire falls on the murmurers at Taberah; in Numbers 16:35, fire falls on Korah and his company; in 1 Kings 18:38, fire falls on Elijah's offering at Mt. Carmel; in 2 Kings 1:10, fire falls on Elijah's enemies; in 2 Kings 1:12, fire falls again on Elijah's enemies; in 1 Chronicles 21:26, fire falls on David's sacrifice; and in 2 Chronicles 7:1, fire falls on Solomon's sacrifice.
In the New Testament, there are 10 kingdom parables in the Gospel according to Matthew, seven in Matthew 13 and three in Matthew 22 and 25. The tenth kingdom parable is about 10 virgins. Five of those virgins kept oil in their lamps and were prepared when a call went out that their bridegroom was ready for them. In the Bible, oil is emblematic of the Holy Spirit, and Jesus is the bridegroom, stressing to us all that we should walk in the Spirit, not in the flesh, if we want to be prepared for the return of our Savior! Also symbolic is the number of virgins ready for the Bridegroom: five, which is the number of grace!
While there are many more 10’s in the Bible, we always should remember that it is one of God’s perfect numbers. This is another great day of self-reflection. How do you rate on a scale of 1-10, where walking in the flesh is a 1 and walking in the Spirit is a 10? God is the perfect judge, unlike the Russian judge in the Olympics, who always rated the athletes from other countries much lower than deserved. God certainly rates us higher than deserved. If God gives you a 10, then you are like the five virgins, prepared for the return of Jesus! Check your lamp for oil!
6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
Matthew 25:6-10
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