Why 153 fish? A message for the last days

Transcript of “Why 153 fish? A message for the last days”

The story of the catch of 153 fish is found in the last chapter of the Gospel of John.

Days after the resurrection, seven apostles of Jesus went fishing on the sea of Galilee. They fished all night and caught nothing (John 21:3).

At daybreak, Jesus appeared on the shore, and at first the apostles didn't recognise that it was Him (John 21:4). “Cast your net on the right side of the boat,” He said … and they obeyed(John 21:6). And they landed 153 large fish (John 21:11).

The Bible doesn't say they caught “about 150 fish”. The Bible is specific. The Bible says they caught 153 large fish (John 21:11). A precise number.

For years people have pondered … why does it say that they caught exactly 153 large fish? It's odd. It doesn't seem to relate to anything in the Bible. But now, God has revealed something … something timely.

There are 1189 chapters in the Bible … 929 chapters in the Old Testament and 260 chapters in the New Testament. Total …1189. It's one book … divided into 1,189 chapters.

This number, 1189 can be expressed as 153 plus 883 plus 153 equals 1189.

153 chapters at the beginning of the Bible … 153 chapters at the end of the Bible. And 883 chapters in between. 883 is a prime number. It is indivisible. Here's something remarkable … 883 is the 153rd prime number. 153 and 153 and the 153rd prime number.

We might think it's simply a numeric curiosity … a random accident. But … the Bible has shone a light on this number … 153. There has to be a reason.

The first 153 chapters of the Bible takes us to the end of the book of Numbers … Numbers!

And the Bible story, at this point, is that a new generation is set to enter the Promised Land. They are on the east side of the Jordan River, opposite Jericho, the lowest place on earth. They have wandered through the desert … and been brought low. It took one day to get them out of Egypt … it has taken 40 years to get Egypt out of them.

The exodus was an actual event. It is recorded in detail because it says something timeless about God's ways … spiritual truth.

God is in the business of humbling people … so we learn to rely on His limitless power.

The end of the first 153 chapters of the Bible is a stage setting. A new generation of God's people are about to enter the Promised Land … Israel has been reduced. Now for His promise.

The last block of 153 chapters in the Bible starts at Acts chapter 19. The stage setting is Ephesus. Ephesus was an important city. The Bible has an entire book, the letter of Ephesians, written to the church at Ephesus. It's about Jesus … and the spiritual blessings we have in Him.

Apollos preached at Ephesus. Apollos was a great speaker, but it seems his focus was repentance (Acts 18:25-26).

Acts chapter 19 is the start of the last block of 153 chapters in the Bible. It's key to what lies ahead. The apostle Paul comes to Ephesus and finds 12 disciples there … believers. Paul asks if they have received the Holy Spirit, and they say they have not even heard there is a Holy Spirit. Paul lays hands on them and they receive the Spirit (Acts 19:1-7).

The chapter continues with accounts of miracles … and the Word of God spreads (Acts 19:10,20). Paul obviously knew it was important for believers to carry the power of God, by the Spirit. And, in these times, it is vital for believers to know this too … and to receive what Jesus offers.

To re-cap … there has to be a reason why, in the last chapter of the last Gospel, this number 153 is highlighted. There has to be a reason why the Bible divides 153 chapters at the start … 153 chapters at the end … and 883, being the 153rd prime number, in between. It is not an accident. And it must be to highlight …at the end of the first block of 153 chapters … the spiritual, and also future significance of a new generation of God's people ready to enter their Promised Land. And, if that's true, then it must be to highlight … at the start of the last block of 153 chapters … the future significance of believers, who have only heard of repentance and faith in Jesus, now coming into the power of the Holy Spirit. Because … the Bible says that in the last days God will pour out His Spirit (Joel 2:28-29). If God says that He will pour out the Spirit in the last days, then He will pour out the Spirit.

And that leaves two questions: Do you believe that these days are significant … that we are coming to the dawn of a new time … and … will you receive what God promises … will you be open to the power of the Spirit?

It is worth noting that on resurrection day, in Jerusalem, Jesus appeared to His disciples and He breathed on them, and He said: “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22). They had the Spirit … but they were weak and spiritually ineffective. Some weeks later, on the day of Pentecost, they were all together in Jerusalem, and the Holy Spirit came on them and they were changed … and empowered (Acts 2). And not long after that they were filled again with the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:31).

There is more to be had in the life of faith. And God has said that He will pour out the Spirit in the last days (Joel 2:28-29).

So, how might a serious believer respond? Jesus said what to do … ASK!

That's worth considering! “… everyone who asks, receives … if a son asks a father for a fish, will he give him a snake? … even the evil know how to give good gifts to their children … how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him." (Luke 11: 9-13).

Ask … and be patient. The prayer is heard. The answer will come, in His timing.

Here is one closing observation … In John chapter 21 … the story of the catch of 153 large fish … there are different Greek words that get translated simply as “fish” in English Bibles. When Jesus calls the apostles ashore there are already fish on a coal fire. The Greek word here is opsarion (ΟΨΑΡΙΟΝ). It is the word for dainty little fish. Then, in obedience to Jesus, the disciples catch 153 large fish. The Greek words here are ichthon megalon (ΙΧΘΥΩΝ ΜΕΓΑΛΩΝ) Ichthon … fish. Megalon … large. "Mega", we often say in English … large.

If the fish are also spiritual symbols of a harvest to come, then there is a contrast on view. There are “dainty little” believers … and there will be “mega” believers … believers with limited faith and power … and believers with much faith and His power.

Every letter in the Greek and Hebrew alphabets has a numeric value … and the value of megalon is 929. That's not an accident.

There are 929 chapters in the Old Testament, and the words for New Testament, or Covenant, are: brit hadasha (חדשה and ברית). Brit (covenant) has a value of 612. Hadasha (new) value 317. 612 plus 317 is 929.

Both the Old Testament, and the New, have a hint, in the numeric structure of the Bible, that they are linked to this word for “large” in the catch of fish. 929 ̴ 929 ̴ and 929. It is not an accident. For those aware of design underlying the original texts of the Bible, this word “large” in the Greek, seems to point to believers who place a high value on the Word of God. It seems that the coming harvest of Spirit-filled believers will be people who live not so much by traditions, as by the truth of the Bible. believers who are “…approved … and who rightly divide the Word of Truth” (2 Tim 2:15).

For those wanting to examine the original Bible texts, with English translation and numeric structure, go to our website: LivingGreekNT.org.