In the ancient world, the symbolic meaning of the number 17 was highly spiritual and represented love and peace - or sin and evil. If you fail to make the right decisions, as seen in number 16, you will continue to encounter obstacles.
In Hebrew, the seventeen is the number of sin. Pythagoreans also said the seventeen is when “The Devil triumphs over God.” The Devil is the six and God is the eight.
Sin means to be without a positive quality in an aspect of your consciousness or personality. It could be a limiting belief that holds you back, an attitude that ruins your relationships or negative opinions about something that makes you feel moody. These are just a few examples.
The Sufi alchemist, Jabir ibn Hayyan wrote everything in the world is the 17, the law of equilibrium. This also relates to the 17th card of the Tarot Deck – The Star – which represents resurrection, rebirth after death. It is not by coincidence that Osiris raises from the dead on the 17th day of the month of Athyr in Egyptian mythology.
Both the Christian and Muslim religions emphasise this point too. In Exodus, the Ten Commandments are explained in 17 verses. The Ten Commandments of course are the laws man must obey in his attributions towards God and his fellow men.
The symbolic meaning of the number 17 also features significantly in the New Testament, although its true meaning is hidden in the depths of the ocean – quite literally in fact. When the apostles could not catch any fish, Jesus suggests they cast the net on the right side of the boat. They did and caught 153 fish.
This makes more sense when you consider the number 17 is associated with the zodiacal sign of Capricorn, the goat. In Greek mythology, the God Pan was half goat representing the instinctive impulses of man.
The basic instincts of man is survival; emotional survival as well as physical. This is why we can find it hard not to give in to cravings. Survival is controlled by the ego and the ego only responds to programs in the subconscious.
In Matthew 25:33, it is written: "Sheep on the right..goats on the left".
Sheep are traditionally known to follow one another without thinking for themselves. If the lead sheep walked over the edge of a cliff, the rest would follow. That actually happened in 2005. 1500 sheep in Turkey walked over the edge of the cliff. 400 sheep died.
In Islamic tradition, initiates use 17 words in their daily prayer and seventeen liturgical gestures. Chapter 17 verse 1 states “Most glorified is the One who summoned His servant (Muhammad) during the night…He is the Hearer and the Seer.
In Shi’ite mysticism, seventeen was the number of dead bought back to life, an idea the ancient Greeks also believed. Essentially, the myth refers to resurrection.
And so we find the same pattern repeating. Therefore, consider this. The 17 is the power of 1 and 7, new beginnings and divine power.
I explain the esoteric meaning of the 17 and how you can use the appearance of numbers to your advantage in the Number Symbolism Guide.
When you understand the meaning of numbers, you have a powerful tool you can use to make decisions with confidence, develop your personal qualities and improve your relationships.
Significantly, 17 reduces to eight in gematria. This system was initially used by the ancient Babylonians and in alchemical traditions who state the eight is to where “knowledge of the Great Secret is attained.”