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14: The Importance of Numbers in the Bible

6/13/2019

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The number fourteen, the atomic number of silicon; what else do we associate with the number? It is the number of days in a fortnight (two weeks); there are fourteen pounds in a stone; Edward Elgar wrote fourteen Enigma Variations; a woodlouse has fourteen legs; there are fourteen lines in a sonnet; and in golf, a player can have no more than fourteen clubs in their bag. Piano Sonata No. 14by Beethoven is one of his most famous, more commonly known as Moonlight Sonata. Only fourteen overseas territories remain of the remnants of the British Empire: Akrotiri and Dhekelia; Anguilla; Bermuda; British Antarctic; British Indian Ocean; British Virgin Islands; Cayman Islands; Falkland Islands; Gibraltar; Montserrat; Oeno Islands; Saint Helena; the Sandwich Islands; and the Caicos Islands. 
 
The founder of Mormonism, Joseph Smith Jr., was fourteen when he had his first vision. The Egyptian god Osiris was supposedly torn into fourteen pieces by his brother Set. In Catholicism, there are Fourteen Holy Helpers, saints who are believed to be particularly effective against various diseases (Saints Acacius, Barbara, Blaise, Christopher, Cyriacus, Catherine of Alexandria, Denis, Erasmus of Formiae, Eustace, George, Giles, Margaret of Antioch, Pantaleon and Vitus). 
 
In the Bible, the number fourteen takes its importance from being a multiple of seven, which, if you remember, represents perfection. It also has its own significance, for instance, in Matthew one, the Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah is split into three sets of fourteen generations: Thus there were fourteengenerations in all from Abraham to David, fourteenfrom David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteenfrom the exile to the Messiah. (Matthew 1:17, NIV) 
 
It is said there are twenty-two appearances of the number fourteen in scripture and the term “fourteenth” appears twenty-four times. Here are some examples:
 
  • Exodus 12:6 (NIV): Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight.
  • Exodus 12:18 (NIV): In the first month you are to eat bread made without yeast, from the evening of the fourteenth day until the evening of the twenty-first day.
  • Esther 9:15 (NIV): The Jews in Susa came together on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they put to death in Susa three hundred men, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.
  • Ezekiel 40:1 (NIV): In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the fall of the city—on that very day the hand of the Lord was on me and he took me there.
  • Ezekiel 40:48b (NIV): The width of the entrance was fourteen cubits and its projecting walls werethree cubits wide on either side.
  • Acts 27:27 (NIV): On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land.
  • 1 Kings 6:65 (NIV): So Solomon observed the festival at that time, and all Israel with him—a vast assembly, people from Lebo Hamath to the Wadi of Egypt. They celebrated it before the Lord our God for seven days and seven days more, fourteen days in all.
  • 2 Chronicles 30:25 (NIV): They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed and consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the temple of the Lord.
  • Genesis 31:41 (NIV): It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times.
  • Joshua 15: 33:36 (NIV): In the western foothills: Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam, Jarmuth, Adullam, Sokoh, Azekah, Shaaraim, Adithaim and Gederah (or Gederothaim)--fourteen towns and their villages.
  • Joshua 18:21-28 (NIV): The tribe of Benjamin, according to its clans, had the following towns … fourteen towns and their villages. This was the inheritance of Benjamin for its clans.
  • 2 Kings 18:13 (NIV): In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.
  • 1 Chronicles 25:5 (NIV): All these were sons of Heman the king’s seer. They were given him through the promises of God to exalt him. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.
  • Genesis 14:5 (NIV): In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim …
 
In the Book of Proverbs, the expression “fear of the Lord” (or similar) occurs fourteen times:
  • Proverbs 1:7 (NIV): The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,but foolsdespise wisdom and instruction.
  • Proverbs 1:29 (NIV): since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord.
  • Proverbs 2:5 (NIV): then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.
  • Proverbs 8:13 (NIV): To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behaviour and perverse speech.
  • Proverbs 9:10 (NIV): The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
  • Proverbs 10:27 (NIV): The fear of the Lord adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.
  • Proverbs 14:26 (NIV): Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge.
  • Proverbs 14:27 (NIV): The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death.
  • Proverbs 15:16 (NIV): Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil.
  • Proverbs 15:33 (NIV): Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord, and humility comes before honour.
  • Proverbs 16:6 (NIV): Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided.
  • Proverbs 19:23 (NIV): The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.
  • Proverbs 22:4 (NIV): Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honour and life.
  • Proverbs 23:17 (NIV): Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.
 
It is believed that Jesus Christ was crucified on the fourteenth day of the first month in AD 30. This is because it happened at Passover, which begins on the 15thday of that month. The crucifixion took place the day before, which is also the same day that the Passover Lamb is sacrificed. 
 
Another connection to Easter is the fourteen Stations of the Cross, which is a popular devotion in many churches, although not the URC. They are as follows:
  1. Jesus is condemned to death.
  2. Jesus carried the cross.
  3. Jesus falls for the first time.
  4. Jesus meets his mother, Mary.
  5. Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the cross.
  6. Veronica (a woman of Jerusalem) wipes the face of Jesus. 
  7. Jesus falls for the second time.
  8. Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem.
  9. Jesus falls for the third time.
  10. Jesus is stripped of His clothes.
  11. Jesus is nailed to the cross.
  12. Jesus dies on the cross.
  13. Jesus is taken down from the cross.
  14. Jesus is placed in the tomb.
 
When I began my research for the importance of the number fourteen in the Bible, I was not expecting to find much. I guess I have been proved wrong. 
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13: The Importance of Numbers in the Bible

6/11/2019

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Unlucky thirteen or lucky, depending on how you look at it. The number thirteen is the sixth prime number but the first compound number in Germanic languages (English, German, Dutch, Afrikaans, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic). This means it is a number whose name is made up of two stems, i.e. three (thir) and teen. Although numbers eleven and twelve have two digits, their names are unique to them.
 
So, why is the number thirteen considered to be unlucky? The fear of the number thirteen is called Triskaidekaphobia and those who suffer from it will go to great lengths to avoid anything named or labelled with the number: Friday 13th, thirteen people sat around a table, the thirteenth floor of a building etc. 
 
There are a number of theories as to why the number thirteen became associated with bad luck. The most common is that there were thirteen people around the table at Jesus’ Last Supper (more on that later); however, I have discovered some other ideas. On Friday 13thOctober 1307, many people were tortured and killed when King Philip IV of France ordered the arrest of the Knights Templar. Whenever a year contained a thirteenth full moon as opposed to the usual twelve, it caused problems for the monks in charge of the calendar. This also upset the regular arrangement of church festivals. 
 
In ancient cultures, the number thirteen represented women because it corresponded to the number of menstrual cycles in a year (13 x 28 = 364). At that time, menstruation was considered evil and, therefore, the number thirteen was also considered evil. 
 
Another theory, and possibly the oldest reference to thirteen being unlucky is in the Babylonian Code of Hammurabi (1780 BC), in which the thirteenth law is said to be omitted. This, however, may have been something that was added years or even centuries later because it is now believed the original manuscripts contained no numbers.
 
On the other hand, if you are in Italy, the number thirteen is very lucky. The Italian phrase fare tredici(“to do 13”) means to hit the jackpot. 
 
There are thirteen ranks in each suit in a standard pack of playing cards. A baker’s dozen means thirteen rather than twelve. The United States of America was originally formed of thirteen states. Age thirteen is when a child becomes an adolescent and, in Judaism, thirteen is the age a boy matures and becomes Bar Mitzvah.
 
In the Bible, the number thirteen is thought to symbolically represent rebellion and lawlessness. Theologians have taken a handful of examples from scripture to develop this theory:
  • Genesis 10 lists the generations stemming from the sons of Noah. The thirteenth in Ham’s line was Nimrod, a hunter who was “before the Lord” (Genesis 10:9), which means he believed he was better than God.
  • The Valley of Himmon, where people worshipped the pagan god Molech, is mentioned thirteen times throughout the Bible. 
  • In Revelation, the dragon is used thirteen times as a symbol for Satan.
  • For six days straight, soldiers marched around the city of Jericho. On the seventh, they marched around it seven times. 6 + 7 = 13
  • There are thirteen famines mentioned in the Bible.
    • Genesis 12:10
    • Genesis 26:1
    • Genesis 41:54
    • Ruth 1:1
    • 2 Samuel 21:1
    • 1 Kings 18:1
    • 2 Kings 4:38
    • 2 Kings 7:4
    • 2 Kings 25:3
    • Nehemiah 5:3
    • Jeremiah 14:1
    • Luke 15:14
    • Acts 11:28
  • In Mark 7:20-23, Jesus mentioned thirteen things that defile a person:
    • Evil thoughts
    • Sexual immorality
    • Theft
    • Murder
    • Adultery
    • Greed
    • Malice
    • Deceit
    • Lewdness
    • Envy
    • Slander
    • Arrogance
    • Folly
 
As well as being a reason the number thirteen is believed to be unlucky, one of the biggest reasons the number is considered a symbol of rebellion and lawlessness is because there were thirteen people around the table, including Christ, at the Last Supper. The event is recorded in all four Gospels:
  • “When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve.” (Matthew 26:20, NIV)
  • “When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve.” (Mark 14:17, NIV)
  •  “When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table.” (Luke 22:14, NIV)
  • “The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.” (John 13:2, NIV)
As you can see in the verse from John, Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus, leading up to his death on the Cross. He is considered to be the thirteenth person at the table because he was the first to leave, thus twelve remained. 
 
There are not many instances when the number thirteen is actually written in scripture, in fact, I have only been able to find two:
  • 1 Kings 7:1 (NIV): It took Solomon thirteen years, however, to complete the construction of his palace.
  • Genesis 17:25 (NIV): and his son Ishmael was thirteen.
 
There may well be other occasions the number thirteen is mentioned; let me know if you find any. For now, I leave you with my final Bible related fact about the number thirteen: the longest name of a book is Thessalonians, which is thirteen letters long. 
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12: The Importance of Numbers in the Bible

6/9/2019

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Did you know the number twelve is the largest number in the English language to have only one syllable? I have found lots of other facts about the number, for example, it is the smallest number that can be divided by exactly six numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 12). Before the metric system was introduced, the world used to divide weights and measurements by twelve, for instance, there are 12 inches to a foot. This is called the duodecimal system and has not yet been completely eradicated from society; we still buy eggs by the dozen or half dozen.
 
A twelve-sided shape is called a dodecagon. Dodeca-is the Greek pronoun meaning twelve and duodeca-is the Latin equivalent. Regular cubes have twelve edges and a three-dimensional shape with twelve sides is called a dodecahedron. 
 
There are twelve months of the year and usually twelve full moons. It takes twelve Earth years for Jupiter to travel a full circle around the sun. There are twelve hours in a half-day and manual clocks are numbered from one to twelve. There are twelve signs of the zodiac, both Western and Chinese. 
Twelve is the atomic number of magnesium. The human body has twelve cranial nerves. The duodenum is the name for the first part of the small intestine, which measures approximately twelve inches long (30 cm). 
 
In music, there are twelve major and minor keys (not counting enharmonic). In art, there are twelve basic hues on a colour wheel: three primary colours (red, yellow, blue), three secondary colours (orange, purple, green) and six tertiary colours (yellow-orange, chartreuse green, blue-green, azure, violet, rose). 
 
In myth and legend, there are the twelve labours of Hercules and twelve knights of the roundtable. The Norse god Odin has twelve sons. There are twelve days of Christmas.
 
In the Bible, it is thought the number twelve is used 187 times, 22 of which appear in Revelation. It is generally believed that twelve is a perfect number and symbolises God’s power and authority. One of the most notable instances of the number twelve is the Twelve Apostles: Peter, Andrew, James (son of Zebedee), John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, James (son of Alpheus), Thomas, Simon, Jude Thaddeus and Judas Iscariot (later replaced by Matthias).
 
In the Old Testament, Ishmael, the first son of Abraham, has twelve sons who become twelve tribal rulers (Genesis 25:16). More importantly, however, are Jacob’s twelve sons, who are the forefathers of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. A good way to remember their names in birth order is the mnemonic “Repentant Sinners Love Jesus. Do Not Give Animals In Zoos Jelly Beans.”
  • Reuben (Repentant)
  • Simeon (Sinners)
  • Levi (Love)
  • Judah (Jesus)
  • Dan (Do)
  • Naphtali (Not)
  • Gad (Give)
  • Asher (Animals)
  • Issachar (In)
  • Zebulun (Zoos)
  • Joseph (Jelly)
  • Benjamin (Beans)
 
As mentioned above, the number twelve is significant in the Book of Revelation. According to Revelation 7, twelve thousand from each tribe of Israel will receive salvation. This is a total of 144,000 men. Later, in Revelation 14, it is said the same amount will be taken from the earth in order to serve and follow the Lamb wherever he goes. 
 
In Revelation 12, a woman “clothed with the sun” wears a crown of twelve stars on her head. In Revelation 21, there is a description of the new Holy City of Jerusalem. It has a high wall with twelve pearl gates. Each gate is inscribed with the twelve tribes of Israel and guarded by twelve angels. The walls of the city have twelve foundations and on these are the names of the twelve apostles of the lamb. The walls are 144 cubits thick, which is the sum of 12 x 12. 
 
Let’s look at some examples of the number twelve in the other books of the Bible. As you will no doubt see, many of these allude to the Twelve Tribes of Israel established in Genesis. 
  • Leviticus 24:5 (NIV): Take the finest flour and bake twelve loaves of bread, using two-tenths of an ephah for each loaf.
  • John 6:3 (NIV): So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
  • Jeremiah 52:20 (NIV): The bronze from the two pillars, the Sea and the twelve bronze bulls under it, and the movable stands, which King Solomon had made for the temple of the Lord, was more than could be weighed.
  • 1 Chronicles 6:63 (NIV): The descendants of Merari, clan by clan, were allotted twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.
  • Numbers 7:86 (NIV): The twelve gold dishes filled with incense weighed ten shekels each, according to the sanctuary shekel. Altogether, the gold dishes weighed a hundred and twenty shekels.
  • John 11:9 (NIV): Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light.”
  • Ezra 8:35 (NIV): Then the exiles who had returned from captivity sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven male lambs and, as a sin offering, twelve male goats. All this was a burnt offering to the Lord.
  • Joshua 3:12 (NIV): Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.
  • Daniel 4:19 (NIV): Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon …
  • Acts 7:8 (NIV): Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him eight days after his birth. Later Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.
  • Exodus 24:4 (NIV): Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said. He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel.
  • Numbers 17:2 (NIV): Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Write the name of each man on his staff.
  • Numbers 7:84 (NIV): These were the offerings of the Israelite leaders for the dedication of the altar when it was anointed: twelve silver plates, twelve silver sprinkling bowls and twelve gold dishes.
  • Numbers 33:9 (NIV): They left Marah and went to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there.
  • Luke 22:30 (NIV): … so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
  • 1 Kings 4:7 (NIV): Solomon had twelve district governors over all Israel, who supplied provisions for the king and the royal household.
  • 1 Kings 10:22 (NIV): Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom.
  • 1 Kings 11:30 (NIV): … and Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces.
  • 1 Kings 18:31 (NIV): Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.”
  • Matthew 26:53 (NIV): Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
  • Matthew 19:28 (NIV): Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
 
There are twelve patriarchs from and including Noah’s son Shem up to and including Jacob:
  1. Shem
  2. Arphaxad
  3. Salah
  4. Heber
  5. Peleg
  6. Reu
  7. Serug
  8. Nahor
  9. Terah
  10. Abraham
  11. Isaac
  12. Jacob 
 
Finally, my last instance of the number twelve to mention is that the first recording of Jesus’ words in scripture occurs when he was only twelve years old. “When Jesus was twelve years old, they went to the festival as usual.” (Luke 2:42, GNT)
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Sloths and what we can learn from them

6/7/2019

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A President of Trinovante (formerly the Women's Guild, Romford), it is my honour provided them with two talks a year. My most recent talk explored the life of a sloth and the benefits their lifestyle could have for us humans. We covered basic facts about sloths, such as they eat, sleep and give birth whilst hanging upside down. They have more neck bones than any other animal, enabling them to turn their head 270 degrees. There are six species of sloth and they are found in South and Central America. All sloths have three toes, even though two types are called two-toed sloths. They eat the leaves of the cecropia tree; it can take up to one month to digest one leaf! They spend 90 per cent of their time motionless; go to the toilet once every two to three weeks; give birth to one baby at a time; have an average lifespan of twenty-five years; have been on the planet for a least 64 million years. 

So, what can we learn from such an animal that was once described in an encyclopedia of sciences in 1749 as the "lowest form of existence"? 

Be laid back. Sloths really only have four things to think about: sleep, food, reproduction and toilet. So, perhaps we should declutter our lives, prioritise and concentrate on what is important.

Slow down. Sloths move at most four metres a minute.  Living in trees, they take great care to test the branch before they grab onto it to ensure it can take their weight. They are fully aware of their circumstances, they enjoy the moment and they focus on one thing at a time, as could we: learning to relax, breath efficiently, and acknowledge every move that we make. 

Go green. Sloths only need 160 calories a day and they eat low energy leaves. They spend time in nature and, therefore, perhaps we should also eat more greens and appreciate our surroundings: walk in a park or a forest and wonder at the beauty of nature, or slow down wherever we are and observe the goings on around us. Sloths enjoy the occasional hibiscus flower and so, we too should remember to give ourselves a treat every now and then.

Sloths have very little ears and have poor hearing. As a consequence, they do not flinch at sudden noises and keep on persisting with whatever task they are pursuing. Likewise, we should not take notice of nasty comments from other people, but keep persevering with our ambitions. A touch of selective hearing will not do us harm.

Sloths are born with a smile and are a picture of serenity. We, therefore, could practice smiling more and enjoy life as it comes. 

Sloths live upside down. Perhaps if we have problems, we should totally change our perspective. Just as sloths can move their heads 270 degrees, we could look at our difficulties from different angles and reframe the situation.

Sloths stay cool. They are excellent swimmers. They know what makes them happy. We ought to ensure we have a list of things we can always refer to that make us happy, too. 

A downside of a slow digestion process is sloths suffer from trapped wind. They turn this negative to a positive, however, because it helps them keep afloat in water. Therefore, we too should try to turn a negative into a positive. Can we even redefine what success means to us?

Sloths enjoy their own company. They enjoy nature. They opt out. They do not feel that they should socialise all the time. We too can embrace solitude, using the time for deeper thinking, concentration and learning to like ourselves. They tend not to stick their noses in other sloths' business; a lesson for us, perhaps!

Sloths sleep 60% of the day, therefore, we must remember sleep is good. 

Sloths take a long time to eat their food. We should eat more slowly and, perhaps, enjoy family time together around a meal table. 

Baby sloths are born knowing how to hug, so they can keep hold of their mother for the first six months of their lives. The skill of hugging is taken into adult life, where they hug trees, even in their sleep. Perhaps we should rediscover the power of the hug. 

From my research, I discovered a few interesting quotes I would like to share with you.
"There is no hurry, we shall get there someday." A. A. Milne
"Slow and steady wins the race." Aesop
"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished." Lao Tzu 
"To do nothing at all is the most difficult thing in the world, the most difficult and the most intellectual." Oscar Wilde
And my favourite quote is by Jiddu Krishnamurti: "If your eyes are blinded with your worries, you cannot see the beauty of the sunset." 

Acknowledgement goes to:
Hazel Stainer, for helping with the research.
McCartney, J (2018) The Little Book of Sloth Philosophy. HarperCollins Publishers
Cooke, L (2018) Life in the Sloth Lane: Slow Down and Smell the Hibiscus. Workman Publishing
Picture
Picture: Keele University 
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11: The Importance of Numbers in the Bible

6/7/2019

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The number eleven is the first repdigit or monodigit, meaning it is the first number to be composed of a recurring digit (1 and 1). It is also the smallest number to be comprised of three syllables in the English language (e-lev-en). 
 
Did you know, if a number is divisible by 11, e.g. 264 = 11 x 24, reversing its digits will result in another multiple of 11, e.g. 462 = 11 x 42? Also, do you know the name of an eleven-sided shape? I didn’t; it can either be called a hendecagon or an undecagon. 
 
What else do we know about the number eleven? Well, obviously there are eleven players on a football team. Eleven is the atomic number of sodium. Apollo 11 was the first manned spacecraft to land on the moon. The eleventh moon of Jupiter is called Himalia. Aquarius is the eleventh sign of the zodiac. The maple leaf on the flag of Canada has eleven points. World War One ended on 11thNovember 1918 at 11 o clock, which is why we hold Remembrance Day on the eleventh day of the eleventh month with a two-minute silence at the eleventh hour.
 
In the Bible, the number eleven is apparently only used 24 times, and the term “eleventh”, 19 times. The number has come to mean the opposite of the number ten, i.e. breaking the law, disorder and judgement. This is in part due to events recorded in Genesis 11 when men disobeyed God by building the Tower of Babel. As we know, God hindered their progress by causing them to speak in different languages, thus confusing them and resulting in chaos.
 
Another instance of disorder and law breaking occurs when Judas Iscariot is disgraced, eventually killing himself, leaving only eleven of Jesus’s apostles remaining. Eventually, Matthias was added to bring the total back up to twelve.
 
Let’s look at a handful of the occasions when the number eleven is mentioned in scripture:
  • Genesis: 37:9 (NIV): Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
  • Deuteronomy 1:2 (NIV): It takes eleven days to go from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea by the Mount Seir road.
  • Matthew 28:16 (NIV): Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.
  • Exodus 26:7-8 (NIV): Make curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle--eleven altogether.All eleven curtains are to be the same size—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide.
 
In the Gospel of John, there are eleven important promises:
  1. John 3:16 (NIV): For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
  2. John 6:54 (NIV): Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.
  3. John 8:12 (NIV): When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
  4. John 8:31-32 (NIV): To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
  5. John 8:36 (NIV): So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
  6. John 12:26 (NIV): Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honour the one who serves me.
  7. John 14:12 (NIV): Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
  8. John 14:15-16 (NIV): If you love me, keep my commands.And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever
  9. John 14:21 (NIV): Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.
  10. John 15:5 (NIV): I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
  11. John 15:14 (NIV): You are my friends if you do what I command.
 
Often, passages from the Old Testament are referred to in Books of the New Testament; however, there are exactly eleven New Testament books that do not have any direct quotes. These are:
  1. Philippians 
  2. Colossians
  3. 1 Thessalonians 
  4. 2 Thessalonians
  5. Titus
  6. Philemon
  7. 1 John
  8. 2 John
  9. 3 John
  10. Jude
  11. Revelation 
 
Some Old Testament quotes are repeated again and again in the New Testament and there are two that are cited eleven times: 
  • Daniel 12:1 (NIV): At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.
  • Isaiah 6:1 (NIV): In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.
 
There are eleven chiefs descended from Esau, the father of the Edomites (Genesis 36:40-43):
  1. Timna
  2. Alvah
  3. Jetheth
  4. Oholibamah
  5. Elah
  6. Pinon
  7. Kenaz
  8. Teman
  9. Mibzar
  10. Magdiel
  11. Iram
 
Now, a final note about the number eleven: some religious fanatics who are obsessed with the rapture and Armageddon believe the number eleven is a sign of the fulfilment of Biblical prophecy, (i.e. the eleventh hour). As you may remember, there was a scare in 2012 when it was pointed out that the Mayan calendar ended after 5126 years, which happened to fall on 21stDecember 2012. Now, we know this did not result in the end of the world but at the time, many prophesied the end was nigh, using the date as evidence: 21/12/2012 = 2+1+1+2+2+0+1+2 = 11. 
 
Those who believe the number eleven signifies the end times claim there is evidence for this in the Bible. There are four books containing a chapter 11, verse 11 that refer to the end of the world:
  • Isaiah 11:11 (NIV): In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush,from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the Mediterranean.
  • Ezekiel 11:11 (NIV): This city will not be a pot for you, nor will you be the meat in it; I will execute judgment on you at the borders of Israel.
  • Daniel 11:11 (NIV): Then the king of the South will march out in a rage and fight against the king of the North, who will raise a large army, but it will be defeated.
  • Revelation 11:11 (NIV): But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them.
 
Complete hogwash or is there some truth is these conspiracies? I’ll let you decide. 
 
I’ll leave you with a more positive instance of the number eleven: Jesus Christ is eleven letters long. 
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10: The Importance of Numbers in the Bible

6/5/2019

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The number ten is the first double-digit number and one of the most important in everyday life. It is the base of the decimal numeral system that we use in modern society as well as the number of fingers we have – which are both great ways of helping us with our sums!  The metric system is based on multiples of ten, for example, 1 cm = 10 mm. 

What else do we know about the number ten? Ten is the sum of the first three prime numbers (2+3+5) as well as the first four positive integers (1+2+3+4). In Roman numerals, the letter X represents the number ten. Ten is the atomic number of neon.
 
A period of ten years is called a decade, decabeing a Greek prefix meaning ten. A shape with ten sides is called a decagon. A decapod is a crustacean with ten legs. A decathlon is an event in athletics combined of ten field and track events. 
 
So, what importance does the number ten have in the Bible? It is believed the number ten appears 242 times and, for some, is designated a perfect number representing law, responsibility and order. One of the most important instances of the number is the Ten Commandments mentioned in Exodus and Deuteronomy, which is why it is considered to denote the law. 
 
There is, of course, another significant list of ten in the Bible. In Exodus 7-12, God sent ten plagues on Egypt to persuade Pharaoh to let his people go:
  • River of Blood(Exodus 7:17-18)
  • Frogs (Exodus 8:1-4)
  • Gnats (Exodus 8:16-17)
  • Flies (Exodus 8:20-23)
  • Plague on Livestock (Exodus 9:1-3)
  • Boils (Exodus 9:8-9)
  • Hail (Exodus 9:13-24)
  • Locusts (Exodus 10:3-6)
  • Darkness (Exodus 10:21-23)
  • Death of Firstborn (Exodus 11:4-6)
 
Instances of the number ten being mentioned include:
  • Deuteronomy 26:12 (NIV): When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied.
  • Matthew 25:1-4 (NIV): At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise.The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them.The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 
  • Revelation 13:1 (NIV): The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.
  • Revelation 17:12 (NIV): The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast.
  • Exodus 12:3 (NIV): Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lambfor his family, one for each household.
  • Luke 17:11-12 (NIV): Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus travelled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosymet him. 
  • Luke 19:12-13 (NIV): He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return.So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’
  • Luke 15:8 (NIV): “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?”
 
I have discovered a number of other facts about the Bible in relation to the number ten that I thought you may find interesting, for instance, in Genesis 1, the words “God said” are written ten times. 
 
Before the great flood recorded in Genesis 6-9, there were ten generations of man, beginning with Adam and ending with Noah. The ten patriarchs were Adam, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech and Noah. Remarkably, the average age of these men was 857 years! 
 
There are many deaths recorded in the Bible but only ten of these deaths were caused by women. The female “murderesses” are as follows:
  1. Jael, who drove a tent peg through the head of Sisera (Judges 4:21)
  2. The woman who dropped a millstone on Abimelech’s head (Judges 9:52-53)
  3. The woman who advised that Sheba’s head be cut off (2 Samuel 20:21-22)
  4. The woman who lay on her infant child (1 Kings 3:19)
  5. Jezebel ordered the deaths of many prophets of God (1 Kings 18:4)
  6. Jezebel also orders Naboth stoned to death (1 Kings 21:9-10)
  7. The starving woman who boiled and ate a child (2 Kings 6:24-29)
  8. Athaliah, who destroyed the whole royal family after finding her son dead (2 Kings 11:1) 
  9. Esther commanded that Haman’s tensons be impaled on poles (Esther 9:13-14)
  10. The daughter of Herodias (Salome) requested the head of John the Baptist (Matthew 14:8) 
 
Those of you who have read the Bible carefully may have noticed that some passages refer to other books that are not part of the Bible. There are several non-canonical books that have been combined into the Biblical Apocrypha or Deuterocanonical books; however, I have found at least ten that have been completely lost. They are as follows:
  1. The Book of the Wars of the Laws (Numbers 21:14)
  2. The Book of Jasher (Joshua 10:13)
  3. The Book of the Acts of Solomon (1 Kings 11:41)
  4. The Book of Nathan the Prophet (1 Chronicles 29:29)
  5. The Book of Gad the Seer (1 Chronicles 29:29)
  6. The Prophecy of Ahijah the Shiloite (2 Chronicles 9:29)
  7. The Visions of Iddo the Seer (2 Chronicles 9:29)
  8. The Book of Shemaiah the Prophet (2 Chronicles 12:15)
  9. The Book of Jehu the Son of Hanani (2 Chronicles 20:34)
  10. The Sayings of Hosai (2 Chronicles 33:19)
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9: The Importance of Numbers in the Bible

6/3/2019

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What do we know about the number nine? A nine-sided shape is a nonagon; in Chinese; it is a good number because it sounds like their word for “long-lasting”; in Norse mythology, the universe is divided into nine worlds; and in Greek mythology there are nine muses: Calliope (epic poetry), Clio (history), Erato (erotic poetry), Euterpe (lyric poetry), Melpomene (tragedy), Polyhymnia (song), Terpsichore (dance), Thalia (comedy) and Urania (astronomy).
 
Many idioms incorporate the number nine, for example:
  • To go the whole nine yards
  • A cat has nine lives
  • To be on cloud nine
  • A stitch in time saves nine
  • Dressed to the nines
 
Why nine has been used in these instances I am not sure but many authors have also adopted the number nine. In Dante’s Divine Comedythere are nine circles of Hell. In J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle Earththere are nine rings of power and, consequently, nine Ringwraiths. In the Lorien Legacieswritten under the pseudonym Pittacus Lore, nine children are sent to Earth from another planet. Also, in A Game of Thrones,there are nine regions of Westeros.
 
In Hinduism, the number nine is said to be complete, perfect and divine, and in Buddhism, there are nine virtues. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, during which Muslims partake in fasting and prayer. In Judaism, the first nine days of the month Av are a period of mourning, leading up to the ninth day, the anniversary of the destruction of both temples in Jerusalem. But what about in Christianity; is there any significance of the number nine?
 
According to the Christian angelic hierarchy, something that is not found in the Bible, there are nine choirs of angels: Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominions, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Archangels and Angels. This was put forward by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite and later explored further by Thomas Aquinas who used passages from the New Testament to help establish these spheres or choirs.
 
The number nine itself is thought to appear in the Bible only 49 times but is believed to symbolise divine completeness and finality. Part of the reason for this is that Christ died at the 9thhour of the day (3pm), assuming that the official start of the day began at 6pm. 
 
Another reason for this definition is the nine fruits of God’s Holy Spirit, which are mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23:
  • Faithfulness
  • Gentleness
  • Goodness
  • Joy
  • Kindness
  • Long-suffering
  • Love
  • Peace
  • Self-control
 
Of the 49 usages of the number nine in the Bible, only a handful is worth mentioning, which may or may not correspond with the divine completeness symbolism.
  • 2 Kings 17:1 (NIV): “In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea son of Elah became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned for nine years.”
  • In Genesis 14, the first battle in the Bible is fought between a group of four kings and a group of five kings, making a total of nine.
  • According to Acts 10, it was at the ninth hour of the day that a centurion called Cornelius had a vision commanding him to contact the apostle Peter. Later, Cornelius was baptised with the Holy Spirit making him the first recorded Gentile to convert to Christianity. 
  • There are nine people recorded as having leprosy in the Old Testament: Moses, Miriam, Naaman, Gehazi, King Azariah and the four lepers mentioned in 2 Kings 7:3.
  • There are nine people recorded as being stoned in the Bible: a Sabbath-breaker (Numbers 15:36), a blasphemer (Leviticus 24:14), Abimelech (Judges 9:53), Achan (Joshua 7:25), Zechariah (2 Chronicles 24:21), Adoram (1 Kings 12:18), Naboth (1 Kings 21:10), Stephen, the first Christian martyr (Acts 7) and the apostle Paul (Acts 14:19). 
 
My final example of the number nine is the number of groups or individuals that practices sorcery in the Old Testament. It is unlikely this has any connection to divine completeness since sorcery was considered to be pure evil, however, it is interesting nonetheless. 
  • There were conjurors and magicians amongst Egyptian counsellors (Isaiah 19:3-12)
  • Pharaoh called on his sorcerers to confront the miracles of Moses and Aaron (Exodus 7:11 and 8:7)
  • Balaam was a well-known soothsayer (Numbers 22)
  • Jezebel used witchcraft to get her own way (2 Kings 9:22)
  • The city of Nineveh was involved in idolatrous practices (Nahum 3)
  • The Babylonians used magicians, astrologers and sorcerers (Isaiah 47:9-13 and Daniel 2)
  • Belshazzar calls upon astrologers and sorcerers to interpret the handwriting on the wall (Daniel 5:7-15)
  • God tells his people not to be afraid of heaven unlike the attitude pagans have towards their astrologers (Jeremiah 10:2 and Micah 6:6-7)
  • False prophets deceive people into thinking they are speaking for God (Jeremiah 14:14 and Ezekiel 13:6-9) 
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8: The Importance of Numbers in the Bible

6/1/2019

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What do we know about the number eight? An eight-sided shape is an octagon; eight is the atomic number of Oxygen; there are now eight planets in our solar system (sorry Pluto); spiders have eight legs, as does an octopus; there are eight notes in a musical scale (octave); there are eight pawns of each colour in a game of chess; and for the nuclear physicists amongst us, eight is apparently a “magic number”. 
 
In Asian cultures, the number eight is considered lucky because it sounds similar to their word for wealth. The number is taken very seriously in China where a number plate containing the number eight sold for $640,000 in Hong Kong. Also, did you know, the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing was held on 8thAugust (8.8.08) and started at 8 minutes and 8 seconds past 8pm?
 
So, if the number eight is so imperative in the Eastern world, does it hold importance in the Bible? It is believed by some that the number eight represents a new beginning or a new order. In Judaism, the religious rite of brit milah(circumcision) is held eight days after the birth of a baby boy. 
 
Although Pentecost is now celebrated on the seventh Sunday after Easter, it is also the beginning of the eighth week after the spring harvest. Also, the Jewish Festival of the Tabernacles, known as Sukkot, ends on the eighth day, called the Last Great Day. 
 
It is thought that forty different people wrote the Bible and forty is a number composed of five (representing God’s grace) times eight (representing new beginnings), which to some is representative of the promisethat by God’s grace we will be given a chance for a new beginning. 
 
There are not so many instances of the number eight in the Bible compared to the previous numbers I have looked at. The most obvious example I have found is the number of Beatitudes, the eight blessings Jesus spoke of during the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew:
 
³“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
⁵Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
⁶Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
⁷Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
⁸Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
⁹Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
¹¹“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 
¹²Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
(Matthew 5:3-12 NIV)
 
Here are a few more examples of the number eight I have found in the Bible:
  • Judges 12:13-14 (NIV): “After him, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, led Israel. He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. He led Israel for eight years.”
  • 1 Peter 3:20 (NIV): “ to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water …”
  • In the Book of Revelation, the Antichrist is the eighth king.
  • Eight people wrote the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, James, Peter, Jude and Paul.
  • Abraham eventually had eight children: Ishmael, Isaac, Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah.
 
After Jesus’ resurrection, it is recorded that he showed himself alive eight times before ascending to heaven. The first was his appearance to Mary Magdalene in the garden as recorded in Mark 16:9-11 (although the earliest Biblical manuscripts do not contain these verses). This was followed by showing himself to two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24) and then appearing to all the disciples bar one in John 20:19-24. The Apostle Thomas was not at this last meeting; therefore, a week later, Jesus appeared to them once again, casting away Thomas’ doubts about his resurrection (John 20:26-29). The fifth appearance was to over five hundred people, as recorded by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:4-7, which was followed by meeting his disciples in Galilee (Matthew 28:16-17) and at the Sea of Galilee where they caught 153 fish (John 21:1-24). The eighth and final meeting was on the Mount of Olives shortly before Jesus was taken up to heaven, as recorded in Acts 1. 
 
My final reference to the number eight is in relation to gematria, an alphanumeric code of assigning a numerical value to a name, word or phrase based on its letters. Although this practice is now mistrusted, advocates of the theory believe each letter of the Hebrew and Greek alphabet has a specific number attached to it. According to gematria, the value of the Greek word for Jesus, or more specifically “Christ the Redeemer” is 888.
 
What do you think? Is there real significance in the use of the number eight in scripture or is this something we have added later in a desperate attempt to find meaning? 
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    Author

    Rev'd Martin Wheadon
    I have been ordained as a minister since 2001, working on my own and within a team. I was the minister at Gants Hill URC until 30th September 2021. I also have 34 years of banking behind me, during which I enjoyed developing teams and working to deadlines. Pastoral care, preaching, being alongside people and journeying with members of congregations on their spiritual journeys are my delights. 

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