FRIDAY MORNING MANNA
March 27, 2015
Nathaniel Fajardo
Biblical Numerology: NUMBER THREE – Part l
And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4: 12, K.J.V.
The prophet Daniel refers to Jesus Christ only once as “the one saint” (margin, Palmoni). In a literal translation of the first part of the verse 13 of Daniel chapter 8, just before introducing the 2300-day prophecy in verse 14, F. C. Gilbert, a converted Jew, in his book, Practical Lessons for the Church Today (1902, 1914), pp. 606-608, says:
“The Hebrew word, Palmoni, is a contracted word. It contains the elements of two Hebrew words. One isPele, and the other Man-na. The Hebrew word, Pele, means wonderful. See Isaiah 9: 6. The word Man-na, means numbered. See Daniel 5: 25, 26. So this contracted word Palmoni, literally means Wonderful Numberer. This Wonderful Numberer is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. See Isaiah 9: 6.”
Certain numbers in the Bible, according to Dr. James Strong, L.L.D., S.T.D., are symbolic of the following:
ONE—unity, Deut. 6: 4; Matt. 19: 6.
TWO—(a) unity, Gen. 1: 27 and (b) division, 1 Kings 8: 21; Matt 7: 13, 14.
THREE—(a) the Trinity, Matt. 28: 19; 2 Cor. 13: 14 (b) resurrection, Hosea 6: 1, 2;
Matt. 12: 40; Luke 13: 32. (c) completion, 1 Cor. 13: 3. (d) testing, Judges 7: 16.
FOUR—(a) completion, Matt. 13: 4-8, 18-23; John 4: 35.
FIVE—incompletion, Matt 25: 15-20.
SIX –man’s testing, Gen. 1: 27, 31; Rev. 13: 18.
SEVEN – (a) completion, Exo. 20: 10 (b) fulfillment, Joshua 6: 4 (c) perfection, Rev. 1: 4. EIGHTH—new beginning, Eze. 43: 27; 1 Pet. 3: 20.
TEN – completion, 1 Cor. 6: 9, 10.
TENTH—God’s part, Gen. 14: 20; Malachi 3: 10.
TWELVE—God’s purpose, John 11: 9; Rev. 21: 12-1.
FORTY—(a) testing, Jonah 3: 4; Matt. 4: 2 (b) judgment, Num. 14: 33; Ps. 95: 10. SEVENTY—God’s completed purpose, Jer. 25: 11; Dan. 9: 24. – Universal Subject Guide to the Bible, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.
There are more significant Biblical numbers to the ones cited above, the greater importance found in the details of each that help the truth searcher obtain a fuller knowledge of who Jesus is, the plan of redemption and the true nature of the great controversy between Christ and Satan and their respective agencies on earth. Each one will be discussed, as time and space allow in these series. Unless otherwise specified, all Scripture verses are from the King James Version, also known as the Authorized Version.
The Trinity of the Godhead
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost [Spirit]: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth, the Spirit, and the water and the blood: and these three agree in one. 1 John 5: 7, 8.
We continue with what I think is the most important of all these numbers—Number Three—the Trinity of the Godhead—one of the fundamental doctrines of the Holy Scriptures that has long been the object of the venomous attacks of that “old serpent the Devil, the chief opponent of God.
Louis F. Were, the late Australian evangelist and prolific author says of the number three (emphasis added, including those in brackets):
“The Godhead [Col. 1: 91, 13-18; 2: 9, 10] is a Trinity, and therefore the Scripture constantly employs the number three—not only in the many instances where such us is plainly stated, but also intricately woven into the very warp and woof of the words and structure of the Holy Writ.
In the Apocalypse (where the principles of interpretation for the whole of the Scriptures are found), Jehovah is mentioned three times in relation to the three divisions of time: ‘the Lord which is, and which was, and which is to come.’ Rev. 1: 4, 8; 4: 8. The word Jehovah signifies God’s continual existence: ‘The I AM’ of the future. ‘Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever.’ Heb. 13: 8.
Not only is the time divided into three—the past, present, and future—but space is also divided into three planes—above, our plane of existence, and below. As in time and space it is the central, or second division and plane in which we live, so the Second Person of the Godhead, Jesus Christ, incarnate Deity, visiblycontacted our time and mortal plane. ‘The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld His glory as of the only begotten of the Father.’) John 1: 14. ‘That which was from the beginning. . which we haveseen with our own eyes . . . .and our hands have handled of the Word of life.’ John 1: 1-3, K.J.V.
In the plan of redemption, Jesus is the visible manifestation of the Deity to man, and because of this the New Testament reveals the principle that the literal interpretations of the Scriptures are applicable when and where His literal presence is manifested: (1) In the days of [ancient] Israel (2) in heaven now (3) in the eternal kingdom on earth [after the millennium, in the earth made new, Isa.65: 17-25; 66: 22, 23; Rev. 21: 1-27.] Wherever Jesus is, there will be found the literal, the real, the tangible.” – “The Certainty of the Third Angel’s Message,” p. 26. First Impressions, 776 Bluff View, Berrien Springs, MI 49103, U.S.A, 1979.
NOTE: This 346-paged book, “The Certainty of the Third Angel’s Message” is another book I strongly recommend to all serious students of Bible prophecy, regardless of denominational affiliation. It is indispensable to a clearer understanding of the principle of type-antitype, literal-spiritual, repetition-and-enlargement, apotelesmatic principle of interpreting the prophecies, which also clearly exposes the serious errors of hyperliteralism that underwrites Preterism and Futurism, the latter the foundation of Dispensationalism upon which the Rapture and the seven-year pretribulation eschatologies—both brainchilds of the Spanish Jesuit priests, Alcasar and Ribera, are based upon.
How important are the three angels’ messages? Who are tasked to bring them to the attention of the world before probation closes?
“In a special sense Seventh-day Adventists have been set in the world as watchmen and light bearers. To them has been entrusted the last warning for a perishing world. On them is shining wonderful light from the word of God. They have been a work of the most solemn import—the proclamation of the first, second, and third angels’ messages [Rev. 14: 6-12]. There is no other work of so great an importance. They are to allow nothing else to absorb their attention.
The most solemn truths ever entrusted to mortals have been given us to proclaim to the world. The proclamation of these truths is to be our work. The world is to be warned, and God’s people are to be true to the trust committed to them. They are not to engage in speculation, neither are they to enter into business enterprises with unbelievers; for this would hinder them in their God-given work.
Christ says of His people: ‘Ye are the light of the world.’ Matthew 5:14. It is not a small matter that the counsels and plans of God have been so clearly opened to us. It is a wonderful privilege to be able to understand the will of God as revealed in the sure word of prophecy [2 Pet. 1:19]. This places on us a heavy responsibility. God expects us to impart to others the knowledge that He has given us. It is His purpose that
Divine and human instrumentalities shall unite in the proclamation of the warning messages.
So far as his opportunities extend, everyone who has received the light of truth is under the same responsibility as was the prophet of Israel to whom came the word: ‘Son of man, I have set thee a watchmanunto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at My mouth and warn them from Me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that the wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.” Eze. 33: 7-19.
Are we to wait until the fulfillment of the prophecies of the end before we say anything concerning them? Of what value will our words be then? Shall we wait until God’s judgments fall upon the transgressor before we tell him how to avoid them? Where is our faith in the word of God? Must we see things foretold come to pass before we believe what He has said? In clear, distinct rays light has come to us, showing us that the [antitypical] great day of the Lord [Zeph. 1: 14-18; 21-3] is near at hand, ‘even at the doors.’ [Matt. 24: 33.] Let us read and understand before it is too late.” – E.G. White, Testimonies, Vol. 9, p. 19.
“Christ is coming the second time, with power unto salvation. To prepare human beings for this event, He has sent the first, second, and third angels’ messages. These angels represent those who receive the truth, and with power open the gospel to the world.” – Ibid, 7BC 978-979/ Letter 79, 1900. (To be continued next week.)