The Significance of numbers in the Bible ( Part 2)

Number Two – 2   

   

• Two is unity plus another, thus we have a difference or a contrast between the one and the other. 

• Two is the first number by which we can divide another, in all of its uses this fundamental idea of division or difference shows through. 

• The first time that the word Two is used in the bible is in relation to this theme of division. 

“And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day”                                                                                                                Genesis 1:4-5

• When it comes to the course of human affairs, the difference may be for good or for bad. The second might be for comfort or help. 

9Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

10For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

11Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?                                                                     Ecclesiastes 4:9-11

• However it might be in opposition, enmity or oppression. Unfortunately when humans are involved the second is more likely the case.

22And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. 

23And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and Two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.               Genesis 25:22-23             

• Here we have Rebekah pregnant with Jacob and Esau who struggled from within the womb and all through their lives. 
• Here we have a prime example of not only Two who are in opposition to each other but also a contrast. 

• The Bible often seeks to teach us by showing us a contrast between a bad example and a good one. 

• Esau was the oldest and thus should have inherited the birthright of the promises given to Abraham and Isaac. 

• However he valued them so little that he sold them to Jacob for a pot of stew. When Esau was forty years old he took Two wives of the Hittites which were a grief of mind or a bitterness of Spirit to Isaac and Rebekah                                                    Genesis 26:35 

• Jacob on the other hand valued the birthright so highly that he even resorted to deception and guile to win them. Also he worked for 14 years to attain the wife of his parents (and his own) choosing.

The use of number Two to contrast one from other is evident in many other instances

 Jeremiah 24:1  The LORD shewed me, and, behold, Two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the LORD, after that

Luke 16:13  No servant can serve Two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and money. 

Luke 15:11  And he said, A certain man had Two sons:

 Luke 6: 48  Two builders

Luke 18:10   Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

Luke 17:34  I tell you, in that night there shall be Two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

Luke 17:35   Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Luke 17:36  Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Can Two walk together, except they be agreed? Amos 3:3 

James 1:8  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Two in agreement becomes double sure and strong

 John 8:17  It is also written in your law, that the testimony of Two men is true.

Matthew 18:19  Again I say unto you, That if Two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

Luke 2:24  And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or Two young pigeons.

John 20:12  And seeth Two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

Luke 9:32  But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the Two men that stood with him.

Acts 1:10  And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, Two men stood by them in white apparel;

Luke 10:1  After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them Two and Two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

Hebrews 6:18  That by Two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us

Luke 22:38  And they said, Lord, behold, here are Two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.

Genesis 7:9  There went in Two and Two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.

Genesis 27:9  Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence Two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth

The Old and New Testaments.

• The most obvious example of the number featuring in the Bible must surely be the to testaments into which it is divided. 
• The Old Testament gives us the law and shows us by example that humans failed to live up to the law and Gods perfect standards again and again. 
• Thus the main effect of the law was to show us the sinful nature mankind. 
• In contrast the New Testament, shows us the eternal and never-failing nature of Gods love for us. 
• It ushers in the New contract between God and us, where we now live by the Spirit of the law and not the letter of the law. 
• The main effect of the New Testament is to freely give us that which we could not earn by ourselves, eternal life and a restored relationship with God.
• Thus the Old Testament brings us to sin and death while the New shows us grace and life

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF NUMBERS IN THE BIBLE (part 1)

Number One – 1

• One clearly represents unity, primacy, the first, the best, the only, it has no divisors, no factors, no components, it is universal, whole and complete. 

• One is independent of all other numbers, is the source of all other numbers. 

       In this sense it represents God as the beginning and the end, the prime impulse, the source of creation. 

• One usually represents God, His sovereign rule, His omnipotence, His supremacy, His unique character.   
• One excludes all differences for there is no second with which it can either harmonize or conflict.  
• Thus One can also represent harmony, unity or peace but because of its reference to God it also means harmony, unity or peace with God. 

• The first of the Ten Commandments is:

                             Thou shalt have no other gods before me.                           Exodus 20:3

• Here in the first, of the ten great commandments of the Old Testament, we are told to put God first.   

      Jesus said that the first and greatest of the commandments was to love God.

           ³⁷Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and  with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. ³⁸This is the first and great commandment.

Matthew 22:37-38

• Thus in both the Old Testament and the New, we are commanded to place God in the number one position in our lives. 
• In the two testaments we have one unity of message and purpose. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said:

                       But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things  shall be added unto you.

Matthew 6:33

• Here we see that all the things we need and many of the things we want (that are good for us) will follow from the first and greatest principle. 
• Put God first, obey and good things will follow. This was also a promise in the Old Testament.
  

Why Does God Permit Evil?

We read in Genesis 1:31: "God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good." But everything is certainly not "very good" today. What happened to change the situation? Why did God permit evil to get a start in the world and develop to the extent that it has? And why doesn’t He put a stop to all this madness?

1. A Basic Foundation of Faith and Trust

                            Evil is a reality. "God is love" is a reality. How can we find harmony in these two statements? To believe in God, one must have faith that He is loving and wise, and providing all things for man’s ultimate good. God, whose character is supreme love, would not have permitted 6,000 years of evil to reign over His creation without an ultimately useful purpose and grand outcome. It would truly be a horrible thought that a God who claims to be love would create billions to live on earth in sorrow, only to send them to a future of eternal torment. We know that God is just and good, and hates evil of every kind. "Thou are not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee..." Psa. 5:4

                         To understand why God permits evil, we must first realize the difference between permitting and causing. God has permitted man to have a temporary experience with evil, so that all will come to know firsthand the contrast between living righteously, or selfishly in disobedience. And, by faith we trust that God would not permit this experience with evil to last forever. 

 2. Satan, His Lie, Disobedience and Death

                                 The cause of evil is sin—not only personal sin, but inherited sin. "Dying, thou shalt die" was our inheritance from father Adam. Gen. 2:17 Fellowship with God having been cut off, man’s distressed mind affected his physical health, and soon disease permeated the perfect organism.

                                Man lost his dominion over himself and his dominion over nature. Yes, the calamities in nature are the result of disobedience, as well. God said, "Cursed is the ground for thy sake." Gen. 3:17 Man must endure an unfriendly earth as part of the penalty for disobedience.

                              God purposely made the test upon Adam simple, plainly stating; "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." Gen. 2:16-17 If it had been a difficult thing the Lord required of him, Adam might have been excused, because obedience would have been beyond his capabilities. No, Adam was simply forbidden to eat of the fruit of only one of the many trees of the garden.
                       Here, Satan found an opportunity to carry out his prideful scheme. He had concluded that if he could convince mother Eve that God was withholding something beautiful from her, he could slowly win the confidence of the first couple. Eventually, Satan thought the whole dominion of earth would be his. Little did he know that his lie, "Ye shall not surely die," would plunge the entire human race into a spiral of mental, moral and physical disease, and finally, death. Satan did gain the fruitage of his pride! Paul titles him "the god of this world." 2 Cor. 4:4 Yet, Satan’s rebellion has cost him not only the lives of all who have ever lived, but his own life. Embodied in the curse to Adam and Eve, is the curse to Satan that one day, the seed of the woman will cast a fatal blow to the serpent’s head, and he will surely die. Gen. 3:15; Rev. 20:10&14

3.Experience the Best Teacher

                                        Beside intuition, observation, and information, the only other way to learn is by experience. Why did Eve believe Satan, when God said plainly, "Thou shalt surely die"? Because of Eve’s innocent inexperience, she was childlike and naive, and was easily deceived when the crafty Adversary said to eat the forbidden fruit for it would make her wise.
                   Thus, without the benefit which we now have of experience, Eve believed the first lie, and Adam, in turn, knowingly disobeyed his Creator. The death penalty was enforced, Adam began to die, and all his descendants have been born dying ever since. "...as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Rom. 5:12

            Soon, by benefit of experience, mankind will have learned to hate evil and to desire obedience and its resultant rewards. "This sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith." Eccl. 1:13 Experience has truly been the best teacher.

4. Man’s Right to Choose

                   God could have prevented sin from entering the world by programming man to be blindly obedient. But man would be no better than a robot, without true happiness. No, he was created in God’s image with the ability to love and obey by choice. Because of the vivid lessons provided by the cruel consequences of disobedience, man is learning why obedience to God is the most beneficial option. Man will choose to love and respect his fellow man and environment. More importantly, he will render to God the love, respect and obedience He desires and deserves.

5. God Knows the End From the Beginning

                   Because God is love, He will not always permit evil to reign over man. Knowing Adam would disobey, God lovingly planned for man’s redemption. Jesus was the lamb "slain before the foundation of the world." 1 Peter 1:19-20 God’s gift of salvation was the greatest demonstration of fatherly suffering in history–watching His only begotten Son suffer the agony of being vilified and crucified. Is there any doubt what great love God has for the human race? "God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Rom. 5:8

                   Yes, God’s plans include a merciful escape from our suffering and death: "As by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all unto justification of life." Rom. 5:18 Just as Adam willingly forfeited his right to live in perfection, Christ willingly gave up his perfection to pay the penalty for Adam’s sin. This corresponding price guarantees every descendant of Adam a resurrection and a fresh opportunity to live his life in righteousness. "As in Adam ALL die, even so in Christ shall ALL be made alive." 1Cor. 15:22

6.Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done on Earth

                    The prophecy of Hosea 13:14 will soon be completely fulfilled, "I will ransom them from the power of the grave." Isaiah confirms this saying, "And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." Isa. 35:10 God’s Kingdom to come on earth, with Christ as King, will bring to mankind a time of restoration and renewal. Satan will be restrained during this thousand year Kingdom, and righteousness will be the rule rather than the exception. Isa. 32:17; Rev. 20:2 This will be the first real chance for man to know their loving Creator under ideal circumstances. Everyone will then have a fresh start in life; a new life. If obedient, they will live forever, and having learned by experience the truth that "the wages of sin is death," they will want no more of sin but will gladly follow righteousness. Rom. 6:23

7.Those Who Choose Righteousness Now

                 Only a few in this present evil world escape the corruption that is in the world now. 2 Pet. 1:4 Jesus called these his "little flock," and Paul called them "the Church." They have not only received the invitation to the "high calling of God in Christ Jesus," but they have answered this call. Phil. 3:14 This small company of Jesus’ followers who choose to live righteously now are counted worthy to share in Christ’s sufferings and are rewarded to sit with Christ on his throne. "Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake." Phil. 1:29
              The scriptures are clear that the suffering of the little flock of Christ will be rewarded: "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him;" "Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life;" and "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection... they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." 2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 2:10 & 20:6

8.The Everlasting Lessons

                 If there is, then, a "first resurrection," by implication there must be a second resurrection of the dead. This is the purpose for which Christ and his Church reign a thousand years–to bring the resurrected world of mankind up the highway of holiness to perfection. "...when thy judgements are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness." Isa. 26:9; 35:8

                  Oh, what a marvelous God we have! "In our affliction He is afflicted" (suffers). God’s "compassions fail not!" Lam. 3:23 This is our assurance that His chastenings are rehabilitative so that His "beloved" wayward children might be restored to the bosom of His favor. Yes, God chastens to heal!
                The permission of evil will have been a useless torment unless man is given an opportunity to use his experience to make positive choices. To return to the days of one’s youth is to begin again! All the troubles and tribulations of the past, instead of being worse than useless torments, will be valuable guides. Death is not the irrevocable end of human existence; it is the final experience of an everlasting lesson.
9. Future Prospects:
                                  "The Desire of All Nations" - Haggai 2:7
                       All people in every nation desire a benevolent and stable government with wise and just laws. But, where on earth can we find true justice and liberty for all? Ironically, the desire for these qualities has actually resulted in countries going to war for the sake of peace. We know the Scriptures speak that one day, under God’s Kingdom, there will indeed be peace, harmony, and liberty for all. But, we cry, "How long, O Lord?"
"I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come..." Haggai 2:7 What is meant by the phrase "shake all nations"? When a new building is being constructed on a sight where an old, condemned building exists, the contractor must tear down the old first. God, through His faithful Son Jesus, is shaking the old order to usher in this righteous Kingdom for which we pray: "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as in heaven." Matt. 6:10 God is clearing the way for this glorious prospect. "Nevertheless, we, according to His promise, look for a new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." 2 Pet. 3:13
                   It is not only a universal human longing, but God, too, desires life, health, peace, and joy for all. 1Tim. 2:4 Think of the memory that never fails, of the judgment that never errs, of the wisdom that plans for eternity without the possibility of failure, and of the power and skill which can harness even every opposing element and make them all work together for the accomplishment of His grand designs. Think of one whose eye never sleeps, whose ear is ever open, and who is ever aware of all the necessities, and active in all the interests of His broad domains.
               Now, close your eyes to the scenes of misery and sorrow that yet prevail on account of sin, and picture before your mind the glory of the perfect earth. Not a stain of sin mars the harmony and peace of a perfect society; not a bitter thought, not an unkind look or word; love, welling up from every heart, meets a kindred response in every other heart. There, sickness shall be no more; not even the fear of death. Think of all the pictures of health and beauty that you have ever seen, and know that perfect humanity will be of still surpassing loveliness. Mental and moral perfection will stamp every radiant countenance. Such will earth’s society be; and all tears will be wiped away, when thus the resurrection work is complete.
                  Many believe the book of Revelation is filled with fearful foreboding, but, the preceding is the theme of its concluding chapters. "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." Rev. 21:4-5

                    Just as an architect should not be judged by his unfinished work, so God should not be judged by His unfinished work with mankind. Like any contractor, God has an optimum time table for accomplishing His master plan. When the population of humans has filled the capacity of earth, and man has had his fill of the evil consequences of sin, God will provide His Kingdom on earth. Those who died without hearing "the only Name under heaven whereby one might be saved" will come forth to learn and to live. "The inhabitants of the earth will learn righteousness... They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding." Isaiah 26:9; 29:24 "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD." Isaiah 65:25 Praise God that His desire is man’s desire! Soon all mankind will live in perfect harmony, when God’s will is fully done on earth even as it is done in heaven!

                             

Where Was God?

ARE YOU SAVED?

What does it mean to be "saved"? It is easy to use words such as "saved" and "salvation" without regard to the biblical context or some of the overriding qualifications when the entire subject is brought into focus. Anyone may quote a scripture or two, and if it is quoted long and loud enough, it is easy to come away feeling that is all that the Bible has to say. Yet the Bible is a book with many texts that are qualified by other Biblical texts. When there are over a hundred verses on "being saved" and only one or two are used, there is a danger that we may come away with an improper or inadequate view.

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved," is a beautiful text (Acts 16:31). But what does it mean to "believe"? James tells us, "The devils also believe, and tremble" (James 2:19). Are they "saved"?

On this subject we read these words in (Mark 10:17); And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I DO that I may inherit eternal life?"

This is a true story of a man who lived morally, who did not kill, who did not steal, who did not bear false witness, who did not defraud anyone and who honored his father and mother. He was a nobleman who acknowledged Jesus as "Good Master," even kneeling before him. In spite of all his virtues, and they were many, he felt that eternal life was something out of his reach. He felt there was something more that he had to DO. And in Jesus' reply, he did not say, "DO? I have DONE everything for you. There is nothing to do but believe in me. Just say you believe, and you shall have eternal life. Just get DO out of your mind."

But that is not how the story unfolded. The nobleman turned down eternal life because it cost too much. He had great possessions and would not give up the advantages his wealth brought him. With eternal life he might have gained greater riches, for he would have eternity to do so. However, his own selfish interest would not allow him to yield to Jesus' terms. While he had made commendable efforts to keep the Jewish Law, he had not fully met the requirement "thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might" (Deut. 6:5). This was the "one thing" he lacked-a serious lack which would disqualify anyone from eternal life.

The nobleman was a Jew under the Jewish Law arrangement. The law of Israel promised: "Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man DO, he shall live in them: I am the Lord" (Leviticus 18:5). If they could keep the law perfectly they would gain eternal life. However, this was not possible, because of their inherent imperfection. This young man had tried to live by "keeping the Law" but found that something seemed lacking. When reminded of the commandments he said, "Master, all these have I observed from my youth" (Mark 10:20).

Obviously, he had made a noble effort at keeping the Law, but the Great Teacher knew that he failed in one area. Jesus told him, "One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me"

The nobleman was sad when he heard Jesus’ words in (Mark 10:21) telling him what he must DO to inherit eternal life?" Yes, these terms of salvation were hard to hear and we are told that he went away grieved: for he had great possessions. (Mk. 10:22) This is often referred to as the "great refusal" because the nobleman turned down eternal life-it cost too much. How could eternal life cost too much? This is a question we must all seek an answer for.

Dear Christian friends, it is easy to use words such as "saved" and "salvation" without regard to the biblical context or some of the overriding qualifications when the entire subject is brought into focus. Anyone may quote a scripture or two, and if it is quoted long and loud enough, it is easy to come away feeling that is all that the Bible has to say. Yet the Bible is a book with many texts that are qualified by other Biblical texts. When there are over a hundred verses on "being saved" and only one or two are used, there is a danger that we may come away with an improper or inadequate view.

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved," is a beautiful text (Acts 16:31). But what does it mean to "believe"? James tells us, "The devils also believe, and tremble" (James 2:19). Are they "saved"?

This subject "On Being Saved" is of extraordinary concern to every Christian. It is not a topic that can be ignored, avoided or treated lightly. Much of our peace of mind as Christians rests upon a clear understanding of this subject. Yet we find that people may often exhibit greater concern over their financial portfolios than they do about the health of their relationship with Christ. This must not be so with us.

Therefore, if you are one who would like to understand what the Bible clearly teaches on this vital topic of salvation; we invite you to read the on line booklet titled: What Everyone Should Know About Being Saved