I can’t get into this without first acknowledging Michael S. Schneider’s wonderful book A Beginner’s Guide to Constructing the Universe.

Schneider takes the reader on an interesting voyage through numbers starting at 1 and proceeding through subsequent numbers.

While many interesting connections are formed and it becomes apparent that all of reality is profoundly and beautifully connected, I’d like to offer my own journey through number using a Latter-day Saint theological lens.

I believe that God’s plan of salvation and the basic structure of everything God needs to create and govern the universe can be expressed starting with the numbers 1 through 10 and moving beyond; so let’s go.

(I built a helpful tool called ldssymbols.com that you can feel free to use in your studies.)

One

Geometrically, the number one does not exist within our three-dimensional world. A single point has no height, width, or depth, yet it exists. It is the seed of all potential, the origin from which every form and dimension emerges.

One can represent intelligence, the most basic element of existence. It is awareness itself, the eternal, uncreated essence that cannot be divided or destroyed. Intelligence is not made; it simply is.

Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be. All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence.

D&C 93: 29-30

The sphere often symbolizes one, for like intelligence it has no beginning or end.

It is complete, self-contained, and whole. In this sense, one is the symbol of God, the eternal source of all truth and light, and of each intelligence that exists within Him.

…for I rule in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath, in all wisdom and prudence, over all the intelligences thine eyes have seen from the beginning; I came down in the beginning in the midst of all the intelligences thou hast seen.

Abraham 3:21

One, therefore, is the eternal “I Am,” the awareness that makes all other things possible. It is the center, the foundation, the still point around which all creation revolves.

Two

If one can represent pure existence, two introduces relationship.

With two, there is separation, reflection, and interaction. It is the beginning of creation, for only when there is another can there be communication, harmony, and contrast.

One and two are considered the parents of numbers, not really numbers themselves. And they give birth to the digits three through nine, in other words, trinity to the trinity of trinities. And with that and zero you can create – everything.

Michael Schneider, Oral Interview, via YouTube

From the binary of 1 and 0 in the realm of computing, infinite numbers unfold, each capable of building entire digital worlds that mirror reality itself. In this way, the act of coding becomes a faint echo of divine creation.

Genesis, too, begins with a binary: light and darkness. From that primal division, all forms of life and matter emerge as further division results in creation.

• Light from the darkness.
• Waters from the waters.
• Water from the earth.
• Plants from the earth.
• Day from night.
• Animals from the sea and land.
• Woman from man.

Geometrically, two points form a line, the first expression of connection. When the energy between them vibrates, it creates rhythm and resonance.

Drop two stones into water and the ripples meet, forming the almond-shaped vesica piscis, a symbol seen in the eyes, the mouth, and even the shape of the human voice box. It is the shape of portals, of gateways between realms which light or intelligence moves.

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

Genesis 1:3

Two gives intelligence the power to express itself, to communicate with other intelligences. It introduces vibration, creation, and covenant.

[The vesica piscis] is thus associated with the number 2 and the principle of complimentary opposition (creation), polar opposition, and the law of witnesses. This shape resembles the openings in the human body, including the eye, a doorway for light…In an LDS temple context, the ordinances of the temple may bridge the 2 worlds symbolized by the vesica pisces, that of the living and the dead.

Val Brinkerhoff, “The Day Star: Reading Sacred Architecture” (Book 2), 67

Through sound and light, through resonance and relationship, energy flows from one being to another.

There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

1 Kings 8:9

In this sense, two can represent the Word, the moment when stillness becomes sound, when thought becomes expression, and when divine unity begins to create and connect.

Three

Connecting three points allows for the creation of two dimensions. The triangle is the strongest shape and also the most basic shape possible in two dimensions.

Three is an unfolding of the One to a condition where it can be known – unity becomes recognizable.

Carl Jung, “A Psychological Approach to the Trinity,” Psychology and Religion, CW, Vol. XI, 180

What else might have strength and exist in one dimension while influencing another? Why not: “law”?

Laws are not visible, but they exist and they form the structure of reality that we experience. Here are some examples:

Natural Laws

• Gravity: unseen, yet it orders galaxies and keeps your feet on the ground.
• Magnetism: you can’t see the field, but it moves iron and powers compasses.
• Electricity: invisible current, visible sparks and light.
• Thermodynamics: heat flow and energy balance. Never seen, only experienced through temperature and motion.
• Aerodynamics: you can’t see lift or drag, yet planes rise and glide on their terms.
• Sound waves: invisible pressure patterns that stir emotion and move matter.

Moral or Spiritual Laws

• Law of Consequence (or Justice): actions echo back; kindness breeds peace, deceit brings decay.
• Law of Faith or Belief: unseen conviction alters behavior, which changes results.
• Law of Love or Charity: unseen, yet it dissolves fear and transforms relationships.
• Law of Sacrifice: giving up something lesser opens space for something greater.
• Law of Obedience: alignment with divine or natural order brings harmony and power.

Conceptual or Social Laws

• Law of Economics: supply and demand aren’t visible, but their pull shapes nations.
• Law of Influence: unseen persuasion shifts cultures, fashions, and beliefs.
• Law of Momentum (psychological): what you start continues unless acted upon by resistance.

The Godhead is made of three, as are presidencies, and branches of divinely inspired governments.

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

1 John 5:7-8

Without law there is chaos and we look out and behold a universe that is in many ways chaotic yet perfectly balanced, organized, and capable of producing and sustaining intelligent life.

We often see progression occurring in patterns of three, especially in temples.

Most every LDS temple utilizes 3 in some form, normally in their 3-part progression through both sacred space (3 ascending rooms) and through sacred time (past, present and future). And last, when temples are dedicated Saints repeat the sacred Hosana Shout 3 times, sealing the ordinance, as first seen in the modern era at the Kirtland Temple.

Val Brinkerhoff, “The Day Star: Reading Sacred Architecture” (Book 2), 67

We can also see that God’s laws allow man to receive peace and joy. The very process of creation as described in the book of Genesis, Moses, and especially the Book of Abraham, show a world coming into existence as the commands of a supreme intelligence are obeyed.

And the Gods watched those things which they had ordered until they obeyed.

Abraham 4:18

Four

When we arrive at the number four, something extraordinary happens. Geometry steps from the plane into space.

Three points define a surface, but four points define a volume. With four, we gain the first form that can exist in three dimensions, the tetrahedron. It is the beginning of structure, stability, and tangible reality.

In this way, four can represent mortality, the realm of time, matter, and experience.

When we cross a vertical with a horizontal…a tangible, measurable entity come into existence…The principle can be transferred symbolically to the crossing of any contraries such as the crossing of male and female which gives birth to an individual being…or the crossing of matter and spirit which gives birth to life itself. So the crossing is an action-principle which the square perfectly represents …So the square came to represent the earth…

Robert Lawlor, “Sacred Geometry Philosophy and Practice, 24

It is here that the abstract laws and intelligences of heaven find embodiment.

The physical world is a place of testing, growth, and opposition, where divine laws meet dust and spirit joins flesh.

We see this pattern throughout creation:

• Four cardinal directions: north, south, east, and west, define orientation in space.
• Four elements: earth, air, fire, and water, were ancient symbols of all material existence.
• Four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter, give rhythm and renewal to mortal life.
• Four faces of the living creatures in Ezekiel’s vision (lion, ox, man, eagle) represent the fullness of created life.
• Four gospels testify of the mortal ministry of Christ, grounding divine truth in human history.

Mortality is where intelligence, communication, and law (the first three principles) take form and consequence. It is the crucible where eternal beings experience change, the only place where growth and opposition coexist.

In scripture, this world is often described as the four corners of the earth, the four winds of heaven, and the fourth day of creation, the day when God appointed the sun, moon, and stars “for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.”

“And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.”

Revelation 7:1

This was the moment when time itself was organized, a distinctly mortal dimension.

Thus, four may represent embodiment, material experience, and temporal order, the place where spirit meets structure and eternal potential meets the test of reality. It is the divine classroom of mortality, the foundation upon which the rest of God’s plan unfolds.

Five

With the number five, creation takes on breath and motion. Four gave us the structure of the physical world, but five fills that structure with life.

It is the number of animation, growth, and regeneration, the moment when spirit enters matter and matter becomes a living soul.

5 is the number of life in scripture and in nature.

Val Brinkerhoff, “The Day Star: Reading Sacred Architecture” (Book 1), 172

Geometrically, five reveals itself in the pentagon and pentagram, forms that open the door to the golden ratio, a divine proportion written into creation itself.

We see this pattern everywhere: in the symmetry of flowers, the spiral of shells, the branching of trees, the orbit of planets, and the human body.

Take a pentagon with 5 equal sides and connect all the points to form a 5-pointed star. The ratios of the lengths of the resulting line segments are all based on phi. [Φ]

Five and Phi; http://www.goldennumber.net/five-phi/ accessed 12/10/2012

Humanity bears the imprint of five. We are five-pointed beings, two arms, two legs, and a head, endowed with five senses and a fivefold pattern that expresses our divine design. In this way, the number five can represent the union of spirit and body, the embodiment of intelligence.

In this world of embodiment, we also become a reflection of the greater cosmos. The human body is a microcosmos, a small universe governed by the same divine order that shapes the stars. The same ratios that govern galaxies appear within the design of the hand, the proportions of the face, and even the structure of our DNA. Within each of us is a living echo of creation itself.

MIC’ROCOSM, n. [Gr. small, and world.] Literally, the little world; but used for man, supposed to be an epitome of the universe or great world.

Noah Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language (1828).

In the creation story, this corresponds to the time when God filled the seas and skies with life. It was the moment when movement began, when stillness turned to song and motion.

The fifth day brought the living into being, symbolizing the entrance of vitality and awareness into creation.

Five is also the number of grace and redemption. It reminds us that the mortal body is not a prison but a sacred vessel through which eternal growth is made possible.

Christ’s five wounds marked the union of mortality and divinity, the moment when fallen flesh became the means of infinite life.

In the temple of creation, five stands at the threshold between heaven and earth. It teaches that life is not static but ever unfolding, guided by a divine pattern that links the dust of the earth with the light of eternity.

It is the breath within the form, the living harmony of matter and spirit, the pulse of creation itself.

Six

Where five reveals the pattern of life within us, six expands that pattern outward into the macrocosmos, the great body of creation itself. If five is the heartbeat of the living soul, six is the rhythm of the universe.

…six is the symbol of the physical and material universe…

Rabbi Shimshon R Hirsch as quoted in: Water, Pure and Simple: The infinite wisdom of an extraordinary molecule By Paolo Consigli, M. D. Author

Geometrically, six unfolds through the hexagon and the Star of David pattern that emerges when circles of equal size interlock around a central one. It is the geometry of snowflakes, honeycombs, and crystals, where countless individual parts fit together with perfect unity.

Six can represent harmony, balance, and order in motion.

The hexagon demonstrates how heaven and earth interconnect. It is composed of two interwoven triangles, one pointing upward, the other downward, showing the meeting of divine and mortal, spirit and matter.

It is the covenant of creation, where what is above reflects what is below.

Six is found throughout the fabric of the universe. Bees construct their hives in hexagons because it is the most efficient form for filling space.

Hexagons contain a message that efficient structure, function, and order are occuring. But these three separate words represent a unity; the qualities they name are always integrated, never separate, and must exist simultaneously or not at all…

Michael S. Schneider, A Beginner’s Guide to Constructing the Universe, 179

Carbon, the element that gives structure to all living things, arranges itself in hexagonal lattices. Snow crystals form from water molecules that freeze into sixfold symmetry.

The same pattern that governs stars and galaxies governs the smallest forms of matter.

In the creation story, the sixth day brought forth humankind, the image of God placed within creation. Here the microcosmos and macrocosmos meet.

Humanity stands at the center, bridging the living earth and the heavens, capable of both observing and participating in the divine order.

Six also carries the sense of completion and labor, the fullness of work before rest. God created the world in six days and then sanctified the seventh. It reminds us that creation is a divine act of order, a process of bringing harmony to chaos.

MAC’ROCOSM, n. [Gr. great, and world.] The great world; the universe, or the visible system of worlds; opposed to microcosm, or the world of man.

The number 6 describes the physical dimension of things. The six directions (above, below, east, west, south, north) mark the boundaries of the three-dimensional network of reality…The number six also figures in the formation of the physical structures that issue from the encounter between water and carbon… Every physical object can be described through the six directions of space, whereas seven is the object’s essence, it’s relation to the whole. Nature, symbolized by the six days required to create it, evolves under the influence of seven, the spiritual ideal of the seventh day. And beyond six and seven lie the creative sythesis and ideal harmony of the physical and the spiritual, represented by eight.

Paolo Consigli, M. D., Water, Pure and Simple: The Infinite Wisdom of an Extraordinary Molecule

The number six teaches that all of creation is one vast temple, every atom and galaxy joined in a living geometry that points back to its Creator.

It is the structure of harmony that underlies the cosmos, the pattern of unity expressed through infinite diversity.

Seven

With the number seven, creation turns inward and reveals its mystery. Six gave us the structure of the cosmos, the pattern of divine order expressed in the visible universe.

Seven opens a doorway into the unseen. It can represent revelation, completion, and sanctification, the moment when creation pauses and consciousness awakens to what lies beyond form.

“…six is the symbol of the physical and material universe, while seven embodies the creative freedom of the spiritual aspect of nature”.

Rabbi Shimshon R Hirsch as quoted in: Water, Pure and Simple: The infinite wisdom of an extraordinary molecule. By Paolo Consigli, M. D. Author

Geometrically, the seven-sided figure, the heptagon, resists perfect construction with simple tools.

Unlike the square or hexagon, it cannot be drawn with exactness using only compass and straightedge. This imperfection is itself a message.

Seven is not the geometry of balance, but of mystery. It belongs to the realm of the sacred, to cycles that exceed our control and understanding.

…7, 9 and 11 are considered numbers of mystery. They cannot be constructed…with a compass and straightedge. They’re mysteries, they’re here but they’re not here. Like 7, the rainbow, it’s here, the seven colors of the rainbow are there, but nobody can grab it. Seven is always about things you can’t grab, can’t hold on to, the seven notes of the musical scale…same with 9 and 11.

Michael Schneider, Oral Interview, via YouTube 

In scripture, seven marks the pattern of divine completeness. The creation week ends in the seventh day, when God rests and blesses the work of His hands.

Hundreds of scriptures point to 7 in association with the concepts of full, satisfied, or complete, most in connection with spiritual perfection, accomplished in a complete time period involving 7 day, 7 weeks, or 7 dispensations.

Val Brinkerhoff, “The Day Star: Reading Sacred Architecture” (Book 2), 68

The menorah bears seven lamps, each symbolizing light and revelation. Ancient Israel observed seven festivals in the sacred year, and the Jubilee came after seven cycles of seven years. The Book of Revelation unfolds in sevens: seven churches, seals, trumpets, and angels, each revealing a new layer of divine purpose.

Seven is the number of the veil, the boundary between the visible and the eternal. It is through this number that humanity begins to perceive what is hidden, to hear the still, small voice beyond the noise of creation. It can represent the cycle of life, the rhythm of time, and the invitation to enter rest, renewal, and communion with God.

In the temple pattern of existence, seven is the step beyond labor into sanctification.

It is where knowledge becomes understanding, and obedience becomes holiness. Just as the Sabbath day is set apart from the others, so too is the soul that enters into covenant rest, no longer striving against creation but moving in harmony with it.

It is the quiet heartbeat of eternity echoing through time, reminding all creation that beneath order lies purpose, and beyond mystery lies communion with the divine.

Eight

Eight signifies renewal, mediation, and rebirth. It is the bridge between the square of earth and the circle of heaven.

The octagon draws on the symbolism of the number eight, emblematic of renewal. Eight-sided forms were felt to mediate between the symbolism of the square, representing earthly existence, and the circle (standing for heaven or eternity).

Jack Tresidder, “Symbols and Their Meanings,” 154

The octagon embodies this passage, a mediating form that carries the eye and the soul from the mortal to the eternal.

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

1 Timothy 2:5

In sacred space, octagons often appear in fonts, towers, and temple details. A baptismal inscription in Milan reads:

Eight-niched soars this temple for sacred rites
Eight corners has its font
Right to build this baptismal hall about the sacred number eight
For here the people are reborn.

Scripture and sacred history echo this pattern of starting again:

• 8 souls were saved by the ark of Noah.
• Israels solemn assemblies were on the 8th day.
• The High Priest of the temple wore 8 different articles of clothing: 1 crown, 2 breastplate, 3 robe, 4 apron, 5 white undergarments, 6 belt, 7 turban, 8 pants.
• Circumcision was done on the 8th day.
• Christ was resurrected on the 8th day.
• The shape of the New Jerusalem, as described in the Book of Revelation, is described as an 8-sided cube.
• The 8th millennium will be the beginning of the new age of our eternity.
• The resurrection of some will be in the 2nd resurrection in the 8th millennium before the final judgment.
• The Brother of Jared built 8 barges.
• Nephi and his family spent 8 years wandering in the wilderness.
• Alma and his people traveled 8 days to escape King Noah and his army.
• The Book of Mormon golden plates had 3 as well as 8 other witnesses and were 8 inches long.
• The Interpreters or Urim and Thummim that Joseph Smith had were 8 inches long and the silver bow was bent into a figure 8 shape.
• In LDS theology, a person must be a minimum of 8 years old to be baptized.
• Many LDS chapels feature 8 lights, 8 pillars (4 on each side of the entrances), octagon-shaped clocks, and other 8-sided architectural motifs.
• LDS temples commonly feature 8-sided motifs.

Eight also points to the Mediator.

“There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”

1 Timothy 2:5

Through Christ the mortal meets the immortal and the fallen rises in hope. In this light, the octagon becomes a living symbol of His work. It gathers the solidity of the square and opens it toward the perfection of the circle.

In the pattern of creation, seven brings sanctified rest, and eight begins the next horizon. It is the first step of a new creation, the sign that endings in God become beginnings.

Eight teaches that covenant leads to rebirth, that water leads to Spirit, and that every faithful finish is the doorway to a higher life.

Nine

Nine is the number of completion, balance, and perfection. It gathers all that has come before and brings it to fulfillment.

Composed of three trinities, the number nine represents the principles of the sacred Triad taken to their utmost expression. Nine was considered thrice sacred and most holy, representing perfection, balance, and order, the supreme superlative.

Michael Schneider, A Beginner’s Guide to Constructing the Universe, 302

In creation, nine stands at the horizon. It is not the end, but the edge where one cycle closes and another begins. The number speaks of both judgment and renewal, of reaping what has been sown. In God’s pattern, the harvest is not punishment but the natural result of divine law.

Nine reveals the balance between justice and mercy, the moment when all things return to their proper place.

Nine also belongs to the realm of mystery. Like seven, it cannot be perfectly constructed with a compass and straightedge. It exists, yet remains elusive. This imperfection by human measure reveals a hidden truth: divine perfection cannot be fully grasped through mortal means. The number nine hints at realities that can only be discerned through revelation.

…7, 9 and 11 are considered numbers of mystery. They cannot be constructed…with a compass and straightedge. They’re mysteries, they’re here but they’re not here. Like 7, the rainbow, it’s here, the seven colors of the rainbow are there, but nobody can grab it. Seven is always about things you can’t grab, can’t hold on to, the seven notes of the musical scale…same with 9 and 11.

Michael Schneider, Oral Interview, via YouTube

In geometry, the nonagon is the nine-sided form. Its symmetry is complex, its beauty subtle and refined.

The nonagon can represent a higher order of creation, one that appears balanced yet surpasses human comprehension. It mirrors the perfection of divine law, where every motion and element harmonizes with the rest.

Scripture often ties nine to the fruits of completion. Paul speaks of nine fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. Each may represent a refinement of the soul, evidence of the Spirit’s perfecting power within the mortal journey.

Nine is also the number of finality before transformation. Just as gestation brings forth new life in nine months, so the spiritual path brings forth rebirth through divine order.

It is the number of ripened creation, when the seed has matured and the harvest is ready.

In the eternal pattern, nine stands as the summit of mortal progression. It is balance perfected, justice fulfilled, and truth revealed.

Beyond it lies only transcendence, the return to unity, the passage into eternity. Nine teaches that all creation moves toward wholeness, that every law, covenant, and principle finds its fulfillment in divine harmony.

Ten

Ten is the number of divine fulfillment and return. It gathers the lessons of all the previous numbers and completes the cycle of creation.

The number 10 appears to represent perfection (spiritual) and wholeness (physical) often in connection with time…Though 10 occasionally appears alone, it most often is used in multiplying other numbers, to amplify their meaning.

Val Brinkerhoff, “The Day Star: Reading Sacred Architecture” (Book 2), 69-70

The ancients saw ten as the sum of one, two, three, and four: the point, the line, the surface, and the solid. In this way, ten contains all dimensions of being, from the smallest particle of intelligence to the vast expanse of the cosmos.

In the Tetractys, a sacred triangular figure composed of ten points, the ancients visualized the unfolding of the universe. The first point symbolized unity, the second duality, the third harmony, and the fourth manifestation.

Row 1 – The One (Unity)

Point 1:

• Symbolism: The Source, the Monad, pure Being.
• Meaning: All creation begins here. It is the single divine Intelligence, the unmanifest potential, the eternal “I AM.”

Row 2 – The Two (Duality)

Points 2–3:

• Symbolism: Polarity and Relationship.
• Meaning: The One expresses itself in two—light and dark, heaven and earth, male and female, spiritual and material. Creation requires contrast to be perceived.

Row 3 – The Three (Harmony)

Points 4–5–6:

• Symbolism: The Triad, the balance of opposites.
• Meaning: From duality arises harmony and structure. This is the realm of law, order, and divine proportion. It reflects God’s creative intelligence organizing chaos into beauty.

Row 4 – The Four (Manifestation)

Points 7–8–9–10:

• Symbolism: The Tetrad, matter and form.
• Meaning: The pattern of creation solidifies here. The four directions, the four elements, the four corners of the earth—all represent the material world that emerges from spiritual design.

Ten also signifies law and covenant, the structure through which divine order governs existence.

When added together, they equal ten, representing the fullness of creation returning to the One from which it came.

The Ten Commandments form the moral framework of God’s people, expressing in human terms the laws by which heaven and earth are ruled. In these commandments, eternal truth takes on a form that mortal beings can understand and live by.

In the pattern of creation, ten is both an ending and a beginning.

It completes one cycle and immediately begins another, ascending to a higher octave of understanding.

Completeness of order, marking the entire round of anything, is, therefore, the ever-present signification of the number ten. It implies that nothing is wanting; that the number and order are perfect; that the whole cycle is complete.

E. W. Bullinger, “Number in Scripture,” 243

Just as the digits of our number system return to one after ten, creation itself moves in eternal rounds, repeating patterns on greater scales of glory.

Ten can represent perfection in motion, the moment when order, harmony, and intelligence flow together in divine purpose. It is the pattern of the Kingdom of God, where all things are gathered into one.

We see a potential representation of the state of exaltation and unity with God.

It is the fullness of knowledge, power, and love. Just as the circle returns to its starting point, so all creation, after its long journey through intelligence, law, embodiment, life, order, and renewal, finds its home again in the divine.

Ten teaches that all things progress toward wholeness, that the story of creation is not linear but cyclical.

It is the promise that every beginning will one day return to its source, sanctified, completed, and eternal.

A couple more bonus numbers

Eleven

Eleven is the number of transition, revelation, and divine alignment.

It stands just beyond the perfection of ten, reaching toward a higher plane yet not fully arrived. In this way, it can represent the tension between the completed order of creation and the beginning of a new, transcendent cycle.

Ten marks the fullness of divine structure, but eleven steps beyond structure into spiritual expansion.

It is the threshold where humanity begins to glimpse eternity while still standing within time. Where ten is wholeness, eleven is awakening.

In scripture, the number eleven often appears in moments of revelation and transformation. Joseph, the son of Jacob, was the eleventh of twelve brothers, and through his dreams and inspired leadership, he became a mediator of salvation for his family and all Egypt.

While we normally refer to it [11] as a symbol of transition, 11 is also associated with revelation that will help transition us into something new and overdue.

Doug Addison, blog post “A Deeper Look at the Number 11″

His story mirrors the pattern of eleven: illumination emerging after trial, vision revealed after endurance.

Eleven can also symbolize imperfection reaching toward perfection. It stands slightly outside the stability of ten, reminding us that growth requires stretching beyond established boundaries.

This number invites movement, seeking, and progression.

In the temple pattern of the soul, eleven is the space between worlds, between understanding and wisdom, between mortal order and divine glory. It is the point at which the veil begins to thin and light pierces through.

Spiritually, eleven can represent the fusion of dualities into unity at a higher level.

One and one together make eleven, a mirrored reflection of the self and the divine. It is a number of spiritual symmetry, showing that the journey toward God is both outward and inward, as the image of heaven becomes reflected in the heart.

In creation, eleven reminds us that perfection is not the end but the invitation to ascend. It is the moment when order gives way to revelation, when cycles of completion open into infinite possibility.

Eleven teaches that eternity is not static perfection but everlasting progression, the continual unfolding of divine truth into greater light.

Twelve

Twelve is the number of governance, order, and divine administration.

The number twelve holds significant symbolic meaning throughout the Bible, often representing completeness, authority, and divine governance. This symbolism is woven into various narratives and structures within the biblical text, reflecting God’s order and purpose.

“Symbolism of the Number Twelve.” Bible Hub Topical Encyclopedia. Accessed October 6, 2025. https://biblehub.com/topical/s/symbolism_of_the_number_twelve.htm

It can represent the organization of creation under heavenly law and the fullness of God’s authority expressed through His kingdom. Where eleven reached beyond completion toward new revelation, twelve establishes that revelation into stable form.

Twelve is both cosmic and covenantal.

The heavens move by it, and so do the affairs of God’s people. The twelve constellations mark the path of the sun across the sky, and the twelve months complete the circle of the year. In the same way, the Lord’s work on earth is organized through twelve tribes, twelve apostles, and twelve gates into the New Jerusalem.

The number twelve is the divine pattern of structure perfected through purpose.

In scripture, twelve signifies priesthood and stewardship. It brings heaven’s government into the mortal realm. The twelve tribes of Israel carried God’s covenant across generations.

Twelve is a perfect number, signifying perfection of government, or of governmental perfection. It is found as a multiple in all that has to do with rule. The sun which “rules” the day, and the moon and stars which “govern” the night, do so by their passage through the twelve signs of the Zodiac which completes the great circle of the heavens of 360 (12 x 30) degrees or divisions, and thus govern the year. Twelve is the product of 3 (the perfectly Divine and heavenly number) and 4 (the earthly, the number of what is material and organic).

Number in Scripture, E. W. Bullinger

The twelve stones on Aaron’s breastplate symbolized their unity before God. Christ chose twelve apostles to stand as witnesses of His resurrection and to bear His authority throughout the world.

Even in the celestial vision of John, the city of God is built upon twelve foundations and crowned with twelve gates, each named after a tribe or an apostle.

Geometrically, twelve marks the expansion of order into universal harmony.

The dodecagon, a twelve-sided form, can tile both circle and plane, showing how heavenly order extends infinitely without breaking unity. In nature, twelve governs rhythm and time, the hours of day and night, the signs of the zodiac, and the repeating patterns of the cosmos.

Twelve teaches that the purpose of creation is not only to exist but to be governed in righteousness.

It can represent balance between heaven and earth, unity and diversity, spiritual and temporal. It is the pattern of Zion itself, where all things are organized, sanctified, and united under divine law.

“Twelve” (δώδεκα) symbolizes fullness and completeness, often with humanity in mind, and with special reference to the saints. Twelve is a significant number throughout the Bible. The twelve sons of Israel (Gen 35:22–29) became the twelve tribes of Israel (Gen 49:28), and biblical writers soon employed the number to symbolize the tribes as the people of God (Exod 24:4; Num 1:44; Deut 1:23; Josh 4:1–7). Unlike seven, which can be used for both divine and demonic symbolism, the number twelve is reserved exclusively for the saints. Jean-Pierre Prévost relates, “So the number twelve has become a consecrated number: it is the number of the people of God.”

Prévost, Jean-Pierre. “Numerical Symbolism in the Book of Revelation.” Themelios 12, no. 1 (1986): 41–45. The Gospel Coalition. [link]

In the great ascent of numbers, twelve is the crown of creation’s structure, the establishment of God’s order among His children.

It reminds us that the cosmos is not chaos but covenant, that all intelligence is gathered and governed by divine harmony. Twelve is the kingdom fulfilled, the eternal community perfected, the family of God made whole.

Thirteen

Thirteen is the number of transformation, ascension, and divine unity beyond structure.

Where twelve establishes divine order, thirteen moves beyond it into eternal progression. It is the transition from the governed cosmos to the infinite, where order itself becomes a vessel for new creation.

In scripture and tradition, thirteen often carries the sense of mystery. To the world, it can appear as disruption, the breaking of pattern. Yet in the language of heaven, it can represent the moment when creation transcends its own boundaries and begins a higher cycle.

Twelve is the number of structure, order, and completion, but thirteen transcends it. It represents the movement from the established system into transformation — the birth of a higher cycle.

Michael S. Schneider, A Beginner’s Guide to Constructing the Universe (Harper Perennial, 1994)

It is not rebellion against order, but transformation through it.

There were twelve apostles, yet Christ stood among them as the thirteenth, embodying the presence of God within the circle of divine government. He was not separate from the Twelve but the power that gave them purpose.

In this pattern, thirteen may represent the unity of the divine with the created, the moment when God enters His creation to lift it higher.

The number thirteen appears subtly in sacred symbolism. The twelve tribes of Israel become thirteen when Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, are counted separately, showing how fruitfulness and inheritance expand the covenant beyond its original bounds.

The high priest, entering the Holy of Holies, stood as a thirteenth figure among the twelve tribes, mediating between the people and God.

The meaning of the number thirteen is found when the numbers one and twelve are combined. We have learned that twelve refers to the people of G-d and the number one relates to HaShem; therefore, the number thirteen speaks of a unity between G-d and His people.

“Number Thirteen in Hebrew Numerology.” Love Israel with Baruch Korman. Accessed October 6, 2025. https://loveisrael.org/hebrew-numerology/number-thirteen

Geometrically, thirteen breaks from simple symmetry. It suggests expansion, spiraling motion, and growth that cannot be contained within a single form.

Where twelve repeats in order, thirteen moves forward, carrying creation toward new degrees of glory.

Spiritually, thirteen can represent resurrection and exaltation.

It is the number of divine transformation, where the finite joins the infinite, and mortal order gives way to eternal increase. It is the pattern of the glorified soul, rising beyond structure into communion with God.

Thirteen teaches that divine order is not the end of creation but the foundation for eternal becoming.

It is the ascent beyond the temple, the step into celestial light, the living union of Creator and creation. Through thirteen, all things are renewed and lifted up to dwell in everlasting progression.

What lies beyond?

Infinity. Meaning that continues forever. You’d never run out of ideas to explore but this is a finite article and this should be a good place to get you started.