God and Mathematics
Math emerged from God’s intellect and was given to us for a specific reason. We must teach our kids and youngsters arithmetic from a Christian perspective so that they can utilize it as God intended. However, finding God in math is not always easy. We prefer to conceive of arithmetic as a neutral topic open to debate. It’s easy to dismiss arithmetic as immoral or as nothing more than facts and figures. We think everyone can agree on math regardless of faith or background. But that’s only partially accurate. Christians must be aware of and able to defend their ideas on the history and purpose of mathematics. We must provide ourselves and our children with the knowledge to tackle questions like, “Did God create math?” Alternatively, “What does the Bible say about math?”
The simple answer is yes. In Logos Bible Software (if available), you can find an expanded answer in Colossians 1:16: “For He created all things, visible and invisible, in heaven and on earth…all things were made through Him and for Him.” Like everything else God made, math is included in the term “all.” Math may be traced back to the book of Genesis when God counted the days of Creation. Math was not invented or created by man. To apply and utilize God’s Creation of arithmetic, man has made symbols, numbers, and equations. Math is a complicated, rational, consistent system that a flawless, all-knowing God could only create. Math necessitates order, which God created. “He permits us to describe His order using equations that always give the same result,” one mathematician said.
What Is the Connection Between God and Mathematics?
Second, arithmetic facilitates our relationship with God by incorporating logic and order into our daily lives. Third, math allows us to resolve issues and obstacles that arise daily. It is used to manage our finances, pay bills, follow recipes, conduct business, and make home repairs and improvements.
Math may also be used to thank God for His faithfulness. We can trust arithmetic because our reliable, all-powerful God holds our cosmos together (Colossians 1:17Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)). He assures that the addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division concepts always provide noticeable results. We know that because God is flawless and created everything perfectly, He always makes arithmetic function correctly.
We should consider why God created arithmetic and how it benefits our relationship with Him if we believe He did.
First and foremost, God created math to glorify Himself, just as He created the universe and everything in it, including you and me. Math reveals God’s sovereignty, infinity, and faultless knowledge. We can’t help but respect the Creator who made math to be dependably steady and trustworthy. Math may help us solve issues, construct things, conquer difficulties, and organize our finances in a way that honors God.
The Bible Words About Math?
It surprises you that the Bible contains over 150 allusions to arithmetic. In addition, the Old and New Testaments cover the fundamentals of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
· Addition
The addition concept is not limited to just adding integers together. For example, in 2 Peter 1:5-7, God commands Christians. Open Logos Bible Software (if available) to combine or add virtues. We are to “additionally add to your faith virtue, virtue [additionally] knowledge, knowledge [additionally] self-control, self-control [additionally] perseverance, perseverance [additionally] godliness, godliness [additionally] brotherly kindness, and brotherly kindness [additionally] love.”
· Subtraction
Judges 7 has a startling yet striking illustration of subtraction in the Bible. First, God appointed Gideon to save Israel from their foes, the Midianites. The Midianite army had 135,000 troops, but Gideon could only muster 32,000 to battle. Then God told Gideon that he had too many men in his army and told everyone to fight to return home. As a result, only 10,000 Israelis remained after the departure of 22,000 Israelis. Even with that drastically reduced force, God told Gideon that he still had too many soldiers. Next, Gideon ordered everyone to drink from a stream, but only those who licked the water off their hands were permitted to stay.
· Multiplication
One of Jesus’ greatest miracles on earth involves multiplication. In Matthew 14:13-21 (if accessible in Logos Bible Software), Jesus multiplied five little loaves of food and two small fish to feed 5,000 men. Jesus provided 15,000-20,000 people, including women and children, with one boy’s paltry lunch!
· Division
God gave the prophet Ezekiel 47 specific directions for dividing the land of Israel equitably among the people. “This is the limit by which you must divide the land for inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel,” he instructed Ezekiel in verse 13. Numbers 34 contains additional references to land division.
