Audio Download

Spiritual Significance of Numbers – Nine, The Number of God’s Judgment

[Study Aired February 1, 2026]

Before we examine the scriptures which demonstrate the spiritual significance of the number nine, we must keep in mind how expedient, how central and essential the Lord’s judgments are to accomplish and to finish His creation “in the image of Him who created him.” That ‘image’ began to be created in Eden, but its completion comes only through the Lord’s judgments:

Isa 26:8  Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Col 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him:

Those who “learn righteousness” through the Lord’s “judgments… in the earth” are being made in the image of Him who created him” in “this present time” (Rom 8:18). 

It is of utmost importance to know that the scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are written in languages which do not express tenses in the same way English expresses the three past, present, and future tenses.

This is what my search engine tells me about how Biblical Hebrew expresses tenses:

“Biblical Hebrew does not have past, present, and future tenses in the same way that English or Modern Hebrew do. Instead, it operates on an aspect-based system, distinguishing between completed actions (Perfect) and incomplete or ongoing actions (Imperfect).

• “Perfect (often translated as past tense) indicates a completed action but can also refer to present or future events, especially in prophetic contexts (known as the prophetic perfect).
• “Imperfect (often translated as future tense) describes an incomplete or ongoing action and can also express habitual, conditional, or modal meanings (e.g., “he might kill”).

“There is no distinct present tense verb form in Biblical Hebrew.  Instead, participles (e.g., kotév – “writing”) are used to express ongoing or habitual actions, similar to English “-ing” forms.

“While English tenses are time-based, Hebrew aspect focuses on the nature of the action—whether it is finished or not.  Temporal meaning (past, present, future) is determined by context, syntax, and discourse markers, not by the verb form alone.

Thus, the traditional classification of past, present, and future tenses does not fully capture the function of Hebrew verbs. As noted in scholarly sources, this is a common misinterpretation that arises from forcing Hebrew into English grammatical categories.” (End Quote)

Since over two thirds of all verbs in the Old Testament are in the qal stem, it behooves us and it is expedient that we understand how this verb form expresses the mind of God.

Here again is what my search tells me about the Old Testament qal stem:

Qal stem is the simplest and most basic verbal stem (or binyan) in Biblical Hebrew, serving as the foundational form from which other verb stems are derived.  The term “Qal” (קַל) means “light” or “simple,” reflecting its role as the unmarked, straightforward expression of action or state. It is the most frequently occurring verb form in the Hebrew Bible, making up over two-thirds of all verbal occurrences.

The Qal stem expresses active voice actions without added nuances such as causation, intensity, or reflexivity—unlike other stems like Piel (intensive), Hiphil (causative), or Niphal (passive).  It encompasses all major conjugations: perfect (completed action, e.g., kātāl – “he killed”), imperfect (ongoing or future action, e.g., yikhtēv – “he will write”), imperative (command), infinitive, and participles.

As the standard dictionary form, verbs are typically listed in the Qal Perfect 3rd masculine singular (e.g., kātāl from the root K-T-B, “write”).  It is essential for accurate translation and interpretation, especially in narrative, poetry, and theological texts, where foundational actions like bārā (“he created”) and šāma (“he heard”) appear in Qal.” (End Quote, Emphasis is the author’s, not mine)

If I had been the author, I would have emboldened that entire last sentence:

“It is essential for accurate translation and interpretation, especially in narrative, poetry, and theological texts, where foundational actions like bārā (“he created”) and šāma (“he heard”) appear in Qal.” (End Quote)

If we fail to take all of this into account, or if we simply do not know this Truth, then we will end up thinking just as the great harlot and all of her daughters, that our original parents were the finished product when nothing could possibly be further from the truth. Christ Himself tells us in the very first ‘beatitude’:

Mat 5:3  Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Add to this these words which are also inspired by the very same “holy spirit of God” (Eph 4:30):

1Co 15:50  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood [Adam and Eve] cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

Adam and Eve were created “in the hand of the potter… of the dust of the earth… corruptible flesh and blood” (Jer 18:4). “The sum of [God’s] Word” (Psa 119:160) reveals that our calling was “in Christ before the world began.”

2Ti 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

Tit 1:2  In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that if we were given a “holy calling… in Christ Jesus before the world began” then it was predetermined that Adam would transgress the Lord’s commandment and Christ would die for the sins of the world before Adam and Eve were created… “before the world began.” That being so, it is equally obvious that Adam and Eve were never intended to be the finished product of the Lord’s ongoing creation.

That is just how important it is to understand that “in the image of God created He them” is in the Hebrew qal stem and should read ‘in the image of God creating is He them.’ The Concordant version gets Genesis 1:7 right:

Gen 1:27 And creating is the Elohim humanity in His image. In the image of the Elohim He creates it. Male and female He creates them.

Compare this proper translation to the King James Version:

Gen 1:27  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

The qal stem requires an ‘-ing’ ending for proper translation of the Hebrew verb, H1254: ‘bara’, to create], but the King James translates this Hebrew verb with an ‘ed’ participle making it appear as if “the first man Adam” were the finished product, “in the image of Him who created him”, when we are plainly told it is not finished and that in this form mankind “cannot inherit the kingdom of God.”

1Co 15:44  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
1Co 15:46  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
1Co 15:47  The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
1Co 15:48  As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
1Co 15:49  And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
1Co 15:50  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

It is “incorruption… the image of the heavenly… they that are heavenly… the second man… that which is spiritual… the last Adam… raised a spiritual body” which is the finished product which was so from “before the world began.”

All of this is essential knowledge if we are to gain a deeper understanding of the spiritual significance of the number nine.

Now before we begin to determine the spiritual significance of the number nine, let’s look at how New Testament Greek tenses compare to Old Testament Hebrew tenses.

“Present Tense: Indicates ongoing, continuous, or habitual action, often reflecting a lifestyle or repeated behavior. It can describe action happening now (e.g., “I am baptizing” or “they are going out”).

“Aorist Tense: Represents a simple, punctiliar action viewed as a single event or point in time, without emphasis on duration or progress. It is often likened to a snapshot and is used for completed actions in the past, but can also indicate future or present action in non-indicative moods.

“Perfect Tense: Denotes a completed action in the past with ongoing or present results. The emphasis is on the current state resulting from a past event (e.g., “it is finished” — a completed act with continuing effect).

“Imperfect Tense: Describes continuous or repeated action in the past, often with a sense of duration or habituality (e.g., “they were asking questions” or “he was watching”).

“Future Tense: Indicates a simple, single future event, not necessarily involving ongoing action. It emphasizes the fact of future occurrence rather than its duration.

“Pluperfect Tense: Refers to a completed action in the past that occurred before another past action, with results that were already established. It is rare in the New Testament (only 82 occurrences).

“Key Insight: In New Testament Greek, tense primarily conveys kind of action (aktionsart), not just time. While time (past, present, future) is secondary and mainly relevant in the indicative mood, the aspect of the action — whether continuous, punctiliar, or resulting — is the central focus.” (End Quote, emphasis is authors)

Again, if I were the author of these words explaining New Testament Greek tenses, I would have emboldened the entire last paragraph:

“Key Insight: In New Testament Greek, tense primarily conveys kind of action (aktionsart), not just time. While time (past, present, future) is secondary and mainly relevant in the indicative mood, the aspect of the action — whether continuous, punctiliar, or resulting — is the central focus.” (End Quote, emphasis is authors)

Notice that in the Greek also every tense, except the future tense, expresses present, “ongoing… action” which continues into the future. As we just read:

“While time (past, present, future) is secondary and mainly relevant in the indicative mood, the aspect of the action — whether continuous, punctiliar, or resulting — is the central focus.” (End Quote)

Just as the qal stem dominates Hebrew verbs the aorist tense dominates Greek verbs. Here is the extent to which that dominance extends:

“The aorist tense (including both the first and second aorist tenses) accounts for over 41% of all verbs in the New Testament.

Specifically:

• “The first aorist tense appears in 6,836 instances (23.69% of all verbs).
• “The second aorist tense appears in 5,207 instances (18.04% of all verbs).
• “Together, they total 12,043 occurrences, representing 41.7% of the 28,862 verbs in the Greek New Testament.

“This makes the aorist tense the most frequently used tense in the New Testament, far surpassing other tenses in frequency. (End Quote, Emphasis authors)

The aorist tense, which we learned above signifies a simple statement of fact without regard to any tense and therefore can, depending on “aspect”, and context, refer to any of our three tenses.

With all of this in mind, we are now ready to begin our study of the number nine. We will begin with the unique qualities of this number which apply to none of the other basic numbers 0-8.

Nine, being the last of the digits, signifies the end of all flesh through the judgment of the lake of fire where death and all carnal minds are destroyed. The fact that incorruption comes only through death and corruption is signified by this most unusual number nine.

Nine is the only single-digit number that, when multiplied by any of the other single digit numbers, reduces back to itself reinforcing its spiritual significance as the number which always brings judgment back to each of us and to no one else. Look at this:

2×9=18….1+8=9

3×9=27….2+7=9

4×9=36….3+6=9

5×9=45….4+5=9

6×9=54….5+4=9

7×9=63….6+3=9

8×9=72….7+2=9

9×9=81….8+1=9

Each of those factors, 2-9 multiplied by 9 has a spiritual message concerning the process of our judgment, but that will have to be another study for another time.

Why is it that no other number returns to itself in this manner. The answer spiritually is that no other number signifies the inescapable judgment which must be fulfilled for our corruption to be destroyed and return us back to the Lord who made us but in a new and incorruptible body.

Rev 15:7  And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels [our complete judgment] were fulfilled.

Now we will examine how this number is used in scripture beginning with:

The Old Testament

Nine is 3+6 or the process of maturing the first Adam through judgment. It is 2+7 witness being completed. It is 4+5 the whole of God’s chastening grace. It is 1+8 unity with God coming through the perdition of the eighth beast through whose perdition the new man is being birthed.

Rev 17:11  And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

1Co 15:42  So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
1Co 15:43  It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
1Co 15:44  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

The ages of so many of the pre- flood patriarchs was nine hundred and whatever. No one lived to be one thousand. Methuselah lived the longest, and he lived to be 969 years old. Then the world was judged.

Gen 5:27 And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.

Gen 9:29 And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.

Abraham was 99 when he was circumcised, typifying the beginning  of his judgment:

Gen 17:24 And Abraham [was] ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

King Hoshea of the northern kingdom of Israel was judged and carried away into captivity after nine years of rebellion:

2Ki 17:1 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years.
2Ki 17:2 And he did [that which was] evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as the kings of Israel that were before him.

2Ki 17:6 (a) In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria,

It was in the ninth year of Nebuchadnezzar that he besieged Jerusalem.

2Ki 25:1 And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about.

It was on the ninth day of the fourth month that we are told “the famine prevailed.”

2Ki 25:3 And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land.

Judah and Benjamin judged and purged themselves of their strange wives in the ninth month:

Ezr 10:9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.
Ezr 10:10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel.
Ezr 10:11 Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.
Ezr 10:12 Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.

It was in the ninth month that judgment was pronounced upon Judah.

Jer 36:30 Therefore thus saith the LORD of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.
Jer 36:31 And I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them; but they hearkened not.

It was in the ninth year of Zedekiah that Jerusalem was besieged:

Jer 39:1 In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged it.

It was on the ninth day of the fourth month that the siege was over and the city was taken:

Jer 39:2 And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, the city was broken up.

Ezekiel prophesied of the fall of Jerusalem in the ninth year :

Eze 24:1 Again in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth [day] of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Eze 24:2 Son of man, write thee the name of the day, even of this same day: the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day.

Haggai pronounced Israel unclean in the ninth month.

Hag 2:10 In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying,

Hag 2:14 Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.

Zechariah pronounced judgment in the ninth month:

Zec 7:1 And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chisleu;

Zec 7:13 Therefore it is come to pass, [that] as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts:
Zec 7:14 But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.

New Testament

It is the ninety and nine who refuse to judge themselves.

Luk 15:3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
Luk 15:4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
Luk 15:5 And when he hath found [it], he layeth [it] on his shoulders, rejoicing.
Luk 15:6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together [his] friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
Luk 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner  that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which [believe they] need no repentance.

Nine lepers are judged as ungrateful:

Luk 17:12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
Luk 17:13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
Luk 17:14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
Luk 17:15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
Luk 17:16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
Luk 17:17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
Luk 17:18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?

Darkness covered the land at the death of Christ until the ninth hour.

Mat 27:45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

Christ died at the ninth hour:

Mat 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Prayers were offered at the ninth hour.

Act 3:1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

God visited Cornelius’s house at the ninth hour:

Act 10:3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
Act 10:4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.

The fruit of the spirit is in nine forms to judge the flesh:

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

The gifts of the spirit are also nine to judge schisms in the body:

1Co 12:8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
1Co 12:9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
1Co 12:10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another [divers] kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
1Co 12:11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
1Co 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also [is] Christ.
1Co 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether [we be] Jews or Gentiles, whether [we be] bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
1Co 12:14 For the body is not one member, but many.
1Co 12:15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
1Co 12:16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
1Co 12:17 If the whole body [were] an eye, where [were] the hearing? If the whole [were] hearing, where [were] the smelling?
1Co 12:18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
1Co 12:19 And if they were all one member, where [were] the body?
1Co 12:20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
1Co 12:21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
1Co 12:22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
1Co 12:23 And those [members] of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely [parts] have more abundant comeliness.
1Co 12:24 For our comely [parts] have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that [part] which lacked:
1Co 12:25 That there should be no schism in the body; but [that] the members should have the same care one for another.

Christ came into this world for judgment:

Joh 9:1 And as [Jesus] passed by, he saw a man which was blind from [his] birth.
Joh 9:2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
Joh 9:3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
Joh 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
Joh 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
Joh 9:6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,
Joh 9:7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
Joh 9:8 The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?
Joh 9:9 Some said, This is he: others [said], He is like him: [but] he said, I am [he].
Joh 9:10 Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?
Joh 9:11 He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.
Joh 9:12 Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.
Joh 9:13 They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.
Joh 9:14 And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
Joh 9:15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.
Joh 9:16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
Joh 9:17 They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.
Joh 9:18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.
Joh 9:19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?
Joh 9:20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:
Joh 9:21 But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.
Joh 9:22 These [words] spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
Joh 9:23 Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.
Joh 9:24 Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.
Joh 9:25 He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner [or no], I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.
Joh 9:26 Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?
Joh 9:27 He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear [it] again? will ye also be his disciples?
Joh 9:28 Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples.
Joh 9:29 We know that God spake unto Moses: [as for] this [fellow], we know not from whence he is.
Joh 9:30 The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and [yet] he hath opened mine eyes.
Joh 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
Joh 9:32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.
Joh 9:33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
Joh 9:34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
Joh 9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
Joh 9:36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
Joh 9:37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
Joh 9:38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
Joh 9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
Joh 9:40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
Joh 9:41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

As always, there is a positive application to this number nine. The “fruit of the spirit” has nine manifestations:

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is [1] love, [2] joy, [3] peace, [4] longsuffering, [5] gentleness, [6] goodness, [7] faith,
Gal 5:23  [8] Meekness, [9] temperance: against such there is no law.

Understanding that “it is the Lord which works in [us] both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Php 2:12-13), we will conclude with these two verses:

1Co 11:31  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1Co 11:32  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.