It is the Glory of the Lord to conceal a thing, and the honor of kings to search out a matter. Pro.25:2
Throughout scripture God has given us visible ways to teach us spiritual reality, this is just a sample of the revelation that unfolds as we come to understand these truths.
Everything God has ever said speaks to us of Jesus Christ His church and His Kingdom.
A type is a fore-shadowing of a future fulfillment demanding an anti-type.
A symbol is material emblem portraying an unfolding a spiritual reality.
A few examples of types are the tabernacles,the temples, the feast, the offerings, the nations, and the old testament nation of Israel.
Once you have the anti-type you never again go back to the type He takes away the first to establish the second. Heb.10:9b
Examples of symbols are wine, rain, bread, oil, fire, wind all to let us know what the Holy Spirit is like and what he is doing.
God also uses numbers because they are absolute.
1 = Unity
2 = Witness
3 = Resurrection
4 = earth
5 = Grace
6 = Man
7 = Divine perfection
8 = New beginning
9 = Completion
10 = Law
11 = Confusion
12 = Authority
13 = rebellion
15 = rest
30 = Maturity
40 = Testing and Trial
50 = Pentecost
70 = Ministry
300 = Deliverance
As you read through the scriptures you will discover the patterns and the laws of interpretation never try to make the scriptures say something they don’t say the Holy Spirit will interpret what he has already said.
Scott Stimson Ministries International