Numerology In The Bible

Word of the Post
Today's word is: triskaidekaphobia
/tris*kahy*dek*uh*foh"bee*uh/
noun
A morbid fear of the number 13.
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I often wonder if I am making any difference in this world. I try to educate whenever possible. I like to joke with people, but I know when it is the time to be serious. I have made an effort to show mercy whenever the opportunity arrives. Sometimes I wonder if anyone really notices.

Throughout my life, I have met many highly educated people. Each had a different background, a different goal in life. But not many have stopped to ponder small things with me.

On Wednesday this week, the 11th of April, 2007, I was granted a compliment from one of those educated people. Mr. James O. Baird, III (Professor of Evidences of Christianity at Oklahoma Christian University's Bible College, Doctor of Theology from Oxford), was talking to DH. "I like the way your wife thinks." I am sure it was a small thing to him, but it was an honor I did not expect. It humbles me to think that I have spoken so well, thought so much, to be considered thoughtful by such an educated man.

You see, we had been in our Wednesday night Bible study class, and we were talking about King David. The only man to be called "after God's own heart". We were considering what this meant, because of the many bad episodes in David's life. We found that the good really did offset the bad. David was willing to repent for his many sins. He always knew when he had gone too far, and God honored him for it.

We then moved to the New Testament, and the descriptions of Jesus. This starts with the three promises made to Abraham. 1. You will have the land. 2. You will be a great nation. 3. Your seed will be a blessing to all the nations. For his obedience, God gave David another promise: 4. Your Seed (Jesus) will be on the throne FOREVER.

In Matthew 1:17, the generations are counted. From Abraham to David, fourteen generations. From David to Babylonian captivity, fourteen generations. From Captivity to Jesus, fourteen generations. Add all those generations up, you get 42. Which, if you will recall with me, is The Answer for everything. (To really get this, you must read or see the movie of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy)

On Sunday, previous to this, we had been studying the Revelation of John chapter 11. This is full of numbers that seem strange at first, but consider with me further.
Rev. 11:2 - 42 months.
Rev. 11:3 - 1260 days (equal to 42 months).
Rev. 11:9 - three and a half days (42 months is 3 1/2 years, I think this may be related).
Rev. 12:6 - foretelling the birth of the Christ, mother nourished for 1260 days (again 42 months).

Now, I don't claim to know the mind of God. I don't think that it is coincidence that I was shown both of these things in such close proximity. This seems to be a poetic statement. Jim said on Wednesday that Matthew was figuratively beating people over the head with this significant number, because this is the number to show the earthly descent of Jesus from David. This is the one you are looking for, here is the proof!

I spoke to Jim after the class, and pointed out the similarities in Revelation and Matthew, and how the two lessons connected. He was astonished that he had not noticed, as he was the one who prepared both lessons.

Numbers are important. Record keeping and math and finance, and even computer technology, all rely on numbers. Patterns or sums of numbers. Those numbers are part of God's plan. I think He put them in the Bible for us to notice. It is no accident. This universe has a plan, a Creator. He is the perfect 3 in 1, gave us to the count of 42, and sent us the 1 who would take us home. If you count Matthias, Jesus had 13 apostles. He even defeated the 666. Now watch, the stairway to Heaven will have 13 steps. Wouldn't that be funny?

And they say numerology is a bunch of bunk!