Properties of the number 36

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Symbolism

• According to R. Allendy, it is the ratio of the individual Karma, 6, to the organization of the Universe, 30, and the cosmic solidarity which results from it in the natural cycles.

• Number of the initiation, J. Boehme associates it with the "angelic world" because it is the sum of the eight firsts numbers. In the other words, it is the number of the sky.

• Represent the devil or Satan, as well as the evil which it personifies.

Bible

• The Revelation of John contains 36 visions.

• The three series of twelve cups offered for the dedication of the altar. (Nb 7,84)

General

• There would have been 36 antipopes in the history of the Catholic Church. Others sources speak rather about 37 or 39.

• According to visions of Ann-Catherine Emmerich, during the crucifixion of Jesus, executioners sink the four nails of 36 knocks of hammer.

• It is the number of years after the crucifixion of the Jesus-Christ where saint Paul was put to death.

• The Bible, Protestant edition, contain on the whole 66 books and one estimates that was written by 36 different authors who were kings, farmers, mechanics, scientists, lawyers, generals, fishermen, pastors, priests, collector of tax, doctor or others.

• In the Apocalypse of Moses, relating the life of Adam and Eve, one tells after that they had been expelled of the Paradise, Adam and Eve chose to make penitence so that God has pity them. They had suited that Eve would remain 36 days in the water of the Tiger in silence and that Adam would pass 40 days immersed in the Jordan while fasting.

• Age which had Buddha Gautama when he discovered himself in one of his ecstasies.

• Mahomet was 36 years old when was rebuilt the "Kaabah" (sanctuary of Mecca) which had been burnt partly. It is him that posed the black stone.

• The Law written in The Roller of the Temple of the writings of the library of Qumran specified that the king had to have a committee of 36 members (12 princes, 12 priests and 12 levites) sitting with him for the judgement and the instruction.

• Some astrologers admit cycles of 36 years to the end of which the various planetary influences be combine in a similar manner.

• According to the Gnostic Basilide, the intermediate world between the hypercosmic Archetype and our earth (the real link of the cosmic solidarity) had 36 floors governed each one by an "Archonte".

• According to Maspero, it is one of the astronomical coordinates of Lo-Yang, the old imperial capital (that is to say sixty twelve divided by two) the other being fifty four.

• According to Diodore of Sicily, Sesostris divided Egypt into 36 Provinces.

• The historians have noticed that some particular events were repeated in the history by multiple of 36 years, such floods of Paris in 1658, 1802 and 1910.

• It is at the age of 36 years old that saint Joseph would have taken for wife the Virgin Mary, according to Edgar Cayce.

• The gnostic Egyptians considered as so much divine powers the 36 decans of the astrological Zodiac; a decan being the space which covers the sun in ten days.

• The Chinese astrology counts 36 beneficial stars and 72 malefic stars, their sum gives the sacred number 108.

• The magic square using the thirty six first numbers is associated with the sun and has for sum 111.

• It is the number of the Great Quaternary of the pythagoricians, obtained by the sum of the first four odd numbers, 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 = 16, and the first four even numbers, 2 + 4 + 6 + 8 = 20. Also: 36 = 13 + 23 + 33.

• The sum of numbers 1 to 36 gives 666, the number of the Beast in the Revelation.

Gematria

• The numerical values of Hebrew words AEL meaning tent or tabernacle, AIKE meaning "how?", ALE meaning to curse, BDL meaning to separate, ELA meaning to remove, and VIDVI meaning confession, gives each one 36.

Occurrence

• The number 36 is used 2 times in the Bible.

• The word beast is used 36 times in the Revelation, the name of Satan, 36 times in the NT and the word faith, 36 times in the OT. The word fall is used 36 times in the Bible. In the NRSV, the word devil is used 36 times, and the word Satan, 36 times in the NT.

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Last modification: December 19, 1998

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