FRIDAY MORNING MANNA
May 8, 2015
Nathaniel Fajardo
Biblical Numerology: NUMBER THREE – Part VII
THE THREE PERSONS OF THE GODHEAD (Page 6)
The late Australian evangelist and eminent Bible scholar, Louis F. Were, authored the book The Certainty of the Third Angel’s Message (among others), which I strongly recommend to all serious students of prophecy–not merely as a must-read but as one of your major reference book for interpreting prophecy correctly. Undoubtedly, I have been enlightened by this Scripturally-comprehensive and scholarly work; it certainly has “clarified the issues, creates order in a confusing number of different prophetic portrayals, and installs new confidence in God’s absolute providence. But above all, L.F. Were exalts Christ Jesus as the center of all Scripture and inspires the soul with new hope and enthusiasm to meet the world’s Redeemer.”
After The Great Controversy by E.G. White, comes L. F. Were’s delightful and insightful expositions on prophetic principles both of symbols and numbers, where he methodically unveils and proves its true interpretation in contrast to the Preteristic and Futuristic brainchilds of the two Spanish Jesuit priests, Alcasar and Ribera, respectively, which were launched to counteract the godly Protestant Reformers’s work and revelation of who undoubtedly is “the man of sin”—the Antichrist of prophecy.
Hans K. LaRondelle, Ph.D., Professor of Theology, Andrews University wrote in its back page: “An indispensable tool for all students of biblical prophecies who seek a deeper understanding and assurance of God’s plan for our planet in rebellion.”
We are assured that many more examples could be given aside from those cited below of the TRIPLE APPLICATION of the Scriptures, as employed throughout the Bible. Briefly summarized (emphasis mine):
“This triple application, which arises out of the nature of the Trinity, simplifies the understanding of the Scriptures as it causes all things to automatically fall into their proper places. That which was literal in relation to national Israel centered in literal Jerusalem is given its ‘double,’ or spiritual application in relation to Christ’s spiritual kingdom of grace centered in spiritual Jerusalem, the [true] church; and its triple application—which is literal—in relation to New Jerusalem. The same pictures are spiritually applied before the second advent.
“The millennium is the dividing line between the spiritual application of this dispensation [or period] and the future literal application. This is clearly taught in the Revelation and in the Spirit of Prophecy. That which is literal after the millennium has a spiritual application before the millennium. We need to apply this principle to understand the Scriptural teaching concerning Armageddon, before and after the millennium.” – pp. 311- 313. The following are examples of
[table caption=”” width=”580″ colwidth=”193|193|193″ colalign=”left|left|left|left|right”]
NATIONAL ISRAEL , SPIRITUAL ISRAEL, NEW WORLD
“Literal kingdom, Visible King, City, Temple, Sacrifice, altars,”,”Spiritual kingdom, Luke 17: 20, 21, margin; 1 Pet. 2: 5, 9;1 Cor. 10: 3, 4; Col. 1:13; AA 30, 28, 39; GC 347, 348; DA 506; Heb. 4: 16; 8:1; Zech. 6:13, etc. “,”Literal, Visible Kingdom. Rev. 21, 22, etc.”
“Holy Nation, Exo. 19: 5, 6”, “Holy Nation. 1 Pet. 2: 9; Zeph. 2: 1; Matt. 21: 43” , “Holy Nation. Isa. 26: 2;51: 4, 7; 66: 222, 23.”
“Kingdom of Priests. Exo. 19: 5, 6. “, “Kingdom of Priests. 1 Pet. 2: 5, 9; Rev. 1: 6; 4: 4; 5: 10.”,”Kingdom of Priests. Rev. 20: 4; 3: 21.”
“A Peculiar Treasure. Exo. 19:5, 6.”,”A Peculiar Treasure. 1 Pet. 2:9″,”A Special Treasure. Malachi 3: 17, margin.”
God’s People. Hosea 1: 9-10;, God’s People. 1 Pet. 2: 9.Rom. 9: 6-8., God’s People. Rev. 1: 3.
A Holy People. Deut. 7: 6., “A Holy People. 1 Pet. 1: 15,16.” , A Holy People. Rev. 20: 6; 22: 11.
A People of Inheritance. Deut. 4: 20, A People of Inheritance. Eph. 1: 18., Eternal Inheritance. Heb. 9: 15.
Israel’s Shepherd. Jer. 31: 10., Israel’s Shepherd. John 10: 11., Israel’s Shepherd. Rev. 7: 17.
Israel’s Salvation. Isa. 45: 17., Israel’s Salvation. Heb. 5: 9; 9: 15., Israel’s Salvation. Rev. 19: 1.
“God’s Tabernacle Among Israel. Lev. 26: 11″,”God’s Tabernacle Among Israel. John 1: 14.”, “God’s Tabernacle Among Israel Rev. 21; 3; Eze. 37: 26-28.”
“Seven Lamps in the Literal Temple. Exo. 25: 31-37”, “Seven Lamps in the Spiritual Temple–the Church. Rev. 1:12, 13, 20; 2: 1. “, “Seven Lamps Burning in the Heavenly Temple. Rev. 4: 5.”
“Literal Priests Wore ‘Fine Linen’ Called ‘Holy Garments.’ Lev. 6:10; 16: 4,32; Eze. 44: 17, 18.”,”Spiritual Priests Now Wear Spiritual ‘Holy Garments’ Isa. 61: 10; Rev. 3: 4, 5, 18; 6: 11, etc. “,” In Heaven, the Saints Wear ‘White Robes.’ Rev. 4: 4; 7: 9, 13, etc.”
God Walked Among Them. Lev. 26: 12. , God Walks Among His People. 2 Cor. 6: 16-18., God Dwells With His People. Rev. 21: 3.
Christ Married to His People. Isa. 54: 5; Jer. 3: 14; Hos 2: 19; Jer. 6: 2; 31: 32., Christ Married to the Church. Eph. 5: 23-33; 2 Cor. 11: 2; James 4: 4; Rom. 7: 1-4; Rev. 12 (Christ’s bride); MH 356., Christ Married to theNew Jerusalem. Rev.21: 9; 19:7-9; Matt. 25:10; Luke 12: 36.
“Christ Reigned in Jerusalem. 1 Chron. 29: 3; Zech. 8: 3; Ps. 132:13; 43: 2; Matt. 5: 35; Zech. 2: 5, 10, 11; Joel 3: 21;”, “Christ reigns in the Church. Eph. 2: 20-22; 1 Cor. 3: 16; 2 Cor. 6: 16; John 14: 16-23; AA 11, 12.”, “Christ will Reign in New Jerusalem. Rev. 22: 1, 3. 16-23;”
“Literal Gathering to Jerusalem–for their Festivals, etc.” , “Spiritual Gathering to Jerusalem-the Church. Isa. 11: 11, 11; PK 375, 376; EW 74, 75; 6T 133; 7T 172; 9T 51; Isa. 60: 3, 4, 6, 7, 9; PK 375; AA 595; Rev. 18: 4.”,”Literal Gathering to the New Jerusalem. Rev. 21: 24-27; 22: 14;Isa. 66: 22, 23.”
“Literal Zion. Ps. 50:2; 2: 6.”, “Spiritual Zion–the Church. Joel 2: 32; Rom. 10: 13; Isa. 28: 16; 1 Pet. 2: 6-8; Isa. 59: 20; Rom. 11: 26; Ps. 2: 6.”, “Eternal Zion. Rev. 14:1; Ps. 2: 6.”
“Enemies Literally Gathered Against Israel. Isa. 8; 7, 8; 36: 1, 2, 37; 54: 15, 17; Eze. 38, 39; Zech. 12: 3, 9; 14: 1, 2.” ,”Enemies Spiritually Gather Against the Church. Isa. 54: 15, 17; Rev. 14: 20; 16: 14-16; 17: 14; 19: 19; Zech. 12: 3, 9; 14: 1, 2; Eze. 38, 39; Joel 3, etc.”, “Enemies Literally Gather Against the Saved within the New Jerusalem. Rev. 20: 8,9.”
[/table]
Man did notevolve as the theory of evolution vainly tries to assert. In the beginning God created both male and female in His own image and likeness. But after the fall, man became so progressively evil and the earth so corrupted that God cleansed the whole earth with the Flood. Only three great races sprang forth from the post-flood fathers—the three sons of Noah. Gen. 9: 20-25. “To re-people the -desolate earth, which the flood had so lately swept from its moral corruption, God had preserved but one family, the household of Noah, to whom He had declared {Gen. 7: 1 quoted].
Yet in the three sons of Noah was speedily developed the same great distinction seen in the world before the flood. In Shem, Ham, and Japheth, who were to be the founders of the [fallen] human race, was foreshadowed the character of their posterity. Noah, speaking by divine inspiration, foretold the history of the three great races to spring from these fathers of mankind.” Patriarchs & Prophets, p. 117.
(To be continued next week).