Biblical Numerology

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 Could someone please explain to me the Catholic view on numbers in the bible; are we meant to interpret them in a certain way, and if so, do certain numbers hold a special significance? 
   The reason I ask this question is because I've been diagnosed with severe OCD. Being a devout Catholic, my OCD generally ties back to my faith. For example, since 3 and 7 are generally considered to be very significant numbers in the Bible (the Holy Trinity, Jesus rising after three days,etc.), I have to do things a certain number of times,  sometimes over a period of a certain number of days in order to satisfy the OCD. It sounds highly irrational, I know, but it has gotten to the point where it greatly interferes in my day to day life. I find myself constantly counting everything I do; down to the number of steps I take, and even the number of times I have thought a certain thought, to avoid a "bad number", like 6.
 
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I try not to be obsessive about it, but I also try to avoid the number 6.

For example, when I’m pumping gas, if the total ends in 6, I pump a bit more.

Or if I buy something and the total ends in 6, I get something else.

If I look at a clock and the time ends in 6, I consider it a call to prayer.

If numbers or times end in 3 or 7, it usually makes me very happy. I feel as though God is smiling on me.

I guess that’s pretty irrational. But people aren’t always rational.

I wonder if it would be possible to replace your compulsion to count something, with prayer. For example, rather than counting your steps, say a certain number of prayers until you arrive at your destination. Prayer beads may also help you.

Shop for catholic prayer beads
 
I often end my eBay bids with 73 cents or 77 cents. I’m not really looking at it as a good luck charm but I like to bid odd amounts and those seem like the nicest numbers to pick.

I don’t let myself worry about “bad” numbers. If Jesus is with me, a number can’t hurt me.
 
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One must be careful here.

Some numbers are symbolic in the Sacred Scriptures, as are some names.

However, to focus too much with numbers is not something we ought to do in the Faith. It leads down strange paths of “divination” (trying to obtain hidden truth by examining things such as numbers). Divination is against the First Commandment, can be a sin, and can lead into spiritual unrest.

But in your situation as you describe it, I would worry more about scrupulosity. You may be worrying too much about the numbers in the Bible.
 
Trying to divine God’s will, or extract secret messages via crunching biblical numbers is superstition. However, the numbers 3, 7, 12 and 40 occur repeatedly in the scriptures. 7, of course, being the traditional number of completion. Thus, the “666” fellow is the personification of incompletion. Other than that, they are numbers.
 
I have a problem with numbers too that sort of tie back to my faith, I know it’s irrational but I can’t help it or my anxiety goes crazy.
 
There are some numbers that are repeatedly found in the Bible, such as “forty days and forty nights”, seven (the days of the week, also the seven weeks to Pentecost and the seven-branched candlestick) or the twelve tribes of Israel (connected with the twelve months of the year and, in the NT, with the twelve disciples). All these, obviously, need to be understood in their original Jewish context.

However, if you’re talking about numerology, “gematria,” the so-called “Bible Code” and so on, none of these are needed for a Christian understanding of the Bible. If you’re curious to find out about them, feel free – there’s no harm in it, they’re not satanic or unlucky or anything like that. But you’ll just be playing a game, like solving a crossword puzzle.
 
Be careful. I have a friend who thinks he uncovered some quantum theory and he’s shown me the math, it’s all over my head, but I think he used to be a nuclear physicist. But I don’t know about that (Ps he has a fundraiser on YouCaring, the fundraising website, under Richard Crandall about space exploration. He actually used the money to live because he can’t work for various physical issues).
I think that’s being a tad off.
Instead, numbers probably shouldn’t be paid too much attention to except for what they truly signify in Scripture.
 
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