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1. Isn't numerology forbidden by the Bible?
2. Isn't fortune-telling forbidden by the Bible?

Numerology is most certainly forbidden by the Bible. However, the Bible Codes have absolutely nothing to do with numerology. People very often get confused with this. There is a very clear reason why. Webster's Dictionary defines Numerology as "the study of the occult significance of numbers". Numerology is connected with divination and fortune telling, and is forbidden in Deuteronomy chapter 18. With the Bible Codes, there is no "occult significance" of numbers. The actual number that is the skip distance (or 'interval') for a particular word has no importance to the code, or to anything. There is no occult significance to that number. As long as the distance between each letter of the encoded word is the same, (as long as there is an equal interval, or an ELS), it doesn't matter what that interval is. Could be 2, could be 7, could be 40, could be anything. It doesn't matter. The significance or meaning of the code has nothing to do with the number of it's interval. We display that number so people can verify our info to search for the codes themselves. Either a word is spelled out in equal intervals, or it is not. The actual interval, doesn't matter. True, the lower the interval, the more significant the code usually, but this has nothing to do with the occult significance of numbers.

Don't confuse that with when we say something like, "the word 'Hitler' was found encoded at the same interval as the word holocaust'". That also is not numerology. As long as it is the same interval, whatever the actual number is has no significance. If we were to say, "the word 'Hitler was found encoded at an interval of 15, and the word 'holocaust' was found encoded also at an interval of 15," that is not numerology. The number "15" has no importance, the important thing, is that the two intervals are the same. If the two intervals were any other number, it would have the same affect. As long as they are the same. If it were numerology, the actual number would be important. The bottom line is, the actual number of the interval has absolutely no importance, much less any "occult significance".

Fortune-telling is definitely forbidden by the Bible. It is a form of witchcraft and forbidden in Deuteronomy chapter 18, among other places. However, using the codes to predict a future event isn't fortune-telling, although it can be.

The researcher must be careful when dealing with codes about the future. It is up to the researcher whether he or she is fortune telling or not. Let's use the code about the Y2k Bug as an example. We are not fortune-telling, or prophesying. It is merely a guess, a guess that probably was right. If we were to prophesy, we would say, "Y2k is going to result in...", rather, what we are doing with this code is guessing to see if the Bible prophesys about this event. That's the key. The Bible is doing the prophesying, not us. All we are doing is checking to see if the Bible prophesys about this, and we found that it probably does. We are very careful about what we say, and we don't try to interpret what the codes say. And technically, if it was an important prophecy, God would have included it in the surface text. So it's still up for debate if the Bible prophesys about the event. We have no intention of stealing glory from God, but rather giving glory to God.

There is a way a researcher can be fortune-telling, or false prophesying. Many times, a researcher will find a significant code about a future event, and then they'll find a date nearby. The date could very easily be there by chance, but the researcher will say, "On such and such date, such and such WILL happen." That researcher is prophesying from his or her own wisdom and is therefore a false prophet, whether they are a Christian or not. Nearly all expert researchers agree that the Bible Codes were not designed to warn us, or tell us of future events. Yes, you can find codes about future events, but you can never be sure about when or where the event will happen, because that usually depends on one single word that could be there by chance.

There are several verses that could refer to the codes, but we can't be sure of any of them. One of the most commonly mentioned is Proverbs chapter 25, verse 2.

"It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory [honor] of kings is to search out a matter." (NKJV)

By concealing a "matter" (the Bible Codes as an example), when those codes are uncovered, God gets the glory. This is why it says "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter." By we uncovering the codes, we are showing that God concealed them, and giving glory to Him for doing so. This verse may refer to a number of different things, not just the Bible Codes.
Another common verse is Luke 12:2 (which is similar to Matthew 10:26)

"For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known." (KJV)

As is the case with each and every one of these verses, there cannot be any degree of certainty that these are referring to the codes. In fact, we believe that they are referring to many different things, and the codes could be one of them. Looking at this verse opens up a realm of possibilities for the Bible Codes.
Another possible verse is Daniel 12:9

"And he said, 'Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end'." (KJV)

On the Trinity Broadcasting Network's "Praise the Lord" show, Grant Jeffrey reported that he had found the words "Computer," and "Code" (among others) encoded across and through Daniel 12:9. If you read the context of that verse, you can tell that the angel is referring to what he said before. However, this verse could also refer to the codes (much like "double prophecies" throughout the OT). It is also interesting to note that the Hebrew word for "words" is the same Hebrew word that was translated "matter" in Proverbs 25:2 (shown above).
Another possible verse is Psalm 139:16

"Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." (NIV)

This is what many researches use as possible evidence for the idea that there is a detailed code about everybody in the Bible. This may be true, but it is very difficult to prove.

There are many other verses that are "could be's". While it can't be made obvious that the Bible refers to the Bible Codes, it's not fair to say that it does not.