Number six, very little of an individual exists within, unless extensive knowledge, being and will has been formed. Until then ones inner authority is just fancy willy-nilly morphing narratives. But then one may be inclined towards solipsism and claim one can never know, that only self exists, and be totally fine with whatever cleverness the inner predator presents as authoritative theories. On the other hand for those in esoteric development there is the picture of advancement on a staircase and those on the step before you provide the way so to speak, to take their previous step, those previous step-takers would naturally become authorities in pertinent matters.
Back on topic, yeah our numerical systems (time, dates, names) are in a sense arbitrary, but then they also have meaning to us and our systems, and as such I imagine the subconscious (collective as well as personal) could be communicating through our perception of the numbers and throw us a hint now and again, nothing fixed or definite, but a 'heads up' here and there.
9 is end of cycle in our base 10 system, and our '2016 cycle' (within grander cycles not dependent on 'time') could well culminate in some further kind of branching of the paths, releasing more destructive behavior from the pathologically inclined as they are cornered in their unrealistic reality creation, unleashing more suffering for most, who are unaware and not prepared.