upWORDS Exodus 3:14-15 The Language of PI

Language.  We are always talking about WORDS, let's talk about languages.

Yesterday we read out of Acts 2, how the Spirit's coming was able to diversify tongues so that the disciples could speak (or the hearers could hear) in the language of "every nation".  It was made clear, the Spirit not only empowered them to speak in a language foreign to them, but He gave them "utterance" or "to plainly communicate, declare" the message of the gospel of Christ to "devout men."  Here these men came to Jerusalem from all over the world to celebrate the giving of the Law, and here Peter tells them they were the ultimate lawbreakers, that devout men crucified the Messiah.  But all these things must be...Just like Jesus told His disciples throughout His ministry and the two on the road to Emmaus...

We tied this reverse of language back to Babel in Genesis 11 where the people were of one language and one mind, set against God such that "nothing would be withheld from them." And the pursuit they chose?  A waterproof tower to reach the heavens to protect against a worldwide flood.  So there He confused their language (note, families could still speak together, maybe even tribes) and therefore ensured the fulfillment of His command to go forth and multiply and fill the earth.  Acts 2 was restoration of Genesis 11, so that His message might by the power of the Holy Spirit go out to every tongue, every tribe, every nation.

In Psalms 19, we find that the very Creation, in specific the "heavens" declare in a plain language that goes out to all the earth such that no place does not hear it and comprehend it.  And then He gave the scriptures, the written WORD of God. It's "perfect converting the soul."  What is it the scripture says converts the soul?  Not the language of the heavens, the Word of scripture.  Wow. Universal language, revealed truth, plainly communicated (see Romans 1:16-21).

Ok, so let's get to our upWORD.   

upWORDs are to have us look up, to see the Only Wise God, to Him only be Majesty, Glory, Dominion, and Power both now and forever, Amen (Jude 24-25).  Today, it's PI day, so let's look at the language of PI. (note the post time exactly)

PI:  3.14159... it is the number defined as the ratio between the circumference of a circle and its diameter. It is one of five infinitely complex and simple numbers known to man:

0 - nothing
1 - unity, or everything (They Might Be Giants fans love the song, "There's Only One Everything")
e - the natural number (discussion for another day)

i - imaginary number (square root of -1, yep, another day)

π  - pi.  

So what is so significant about pi?  Why is it so interesting to those who believe in a Creator God?  Well, let's look at a couple things.

First.  A circle.  

A perfect circle means that it is a polygon (multi-sided figure with equal size sides) with an infinite number of infinitesimal (very very very small) sides.  Approaching an infinite number of sides, π  then goes on forever, no repeating pattern.  Any number that is not whole and has decimal places that goes on forever is an "irrational" number.  1/3 is 0.3333_ repeating.  But 'e' and  π go on without repeating.  In short, to make a perfect circle you need a perfectly imperfect number...

π shows up all over math and physics, not just circles. Anything to do with repeating patterns (like waves), infinite series, even statistics.  If you take two numbers of any size,  it's been proven the odds that they don't have common factors is π /6. Freaky.  

Einstein, Newton, gravitation, electricity and magnetism, quantum mechanics, and the expansion (or collapse) of the universe, all relate to  π .  (I won't bore you with the equations.) In the words of one mathematician "Pi, circles, e, and the Pythagorean Theorem are best friends forever." 

π is FREAKY, MAN!

 Some peculiar things about pi the number.

• The first 144 digits of pi add up to 666. (the number of a man is "calculated" 666 Rev 13:8)
• the quadrillionth digit (1,000,000,000,000th) is 0. Really? why that exact digit?
• Pi is a ratio, but it's been proven to be irrational, which means it can't be a true ratio...
• According to number theory:
  
  • Any numerical notation of pi is either an approximation or an abbreviation.
• Since pi can not be expressed in numbers, pi is not a number.
• Because pi is not a number, the circumference and the diameter of a circle can not be numbers simultaneously.
• The qualities of a circle are in that regard not unlike speed and location of a quantum particle, which can also not be simultaneously known. (sorry, lost you on that one)
• The circle is impervious to a numerical approach and it stands as a symbol for scientific insufficiency.

π in the Bible

So let's look at some verse.  Start with Exodus 3:14-15.  After all, π is  3.1415. Exodus 3 is Moses and the burning bush. Moses asks, "who shall I say is sending me?"  The Almighty speaks from the bush "tell them I AM THAT I AM."  The infinite name.  In verse 15 He goes on to say "this is My name established forever."  Interesting that this passage occurs in 3:14-15.  Coincidence?  Maybe.  Then John 3:14-15.  Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up and draw all men unto Himself.  That those who believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  (You'll have to look up the story of the bronze serpent to get all that He just said there.)  Wow.

Another interesting thing.  A lot of hubub over the centuries exist about 1 Kings 7:23, which says the circular basin is 10 cubits in diameter and 30 cubits in circumference.  A lot of argument about whether the Bible is wrong because the ratio of the two should be pi, and in this case equals 3, not 3.14159...  One response said this:

What is pi?
Mathematician: Pi is the number expressing the relationship between the circumference of a circle and its diameter.
Physicist: Pi is 3.1415927 plus or minus 0.000000005.
Engineer: Pi is about 3.

What do you think?

Somewhere I read that our search and conundrum with π (and the irrationally infinite) goes back to the garden: the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.  Both were part of the first of creation, which some say was absolutely perfect.  Of the Tree one Adam could freely eat, of the other he was forbidden to eat, lest by death he would die.  Sin by definition is not measuring up, anything less than perfection.  Adam, we, I, chose the missing, the just less than perfect.  So the Perfect had to give Himself to die that by death He might overcome death by imperfection.

More importantly, as this is an upWORD, what does this bizarre, complexly simple, profoundly amazing little number tell us about our Infinitely Delightful Brilliant Lord?

Pi, circles, e, and the pythagorean theorem are all best friends forever.

Reference https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/whats-the-significance-of-pi.263423/

Pi, circles, e, and the pythagorean theorem are all best friends forever.

Reference https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/whats-the-significance-of-pi.263423/

afterWORD Matthew 7 PART 2 Narrow Gate and Way

Let's start it right this time:
Consider the following literal and cultural context in your thinking about this set of verses, by imagining what the use of these words and the images they might have sparked in the hearers of Jesus in that time and place.  These thoughts are not intended to say that this is absolutely what He meant. Rather meditate on the words in hopes the richer connotations might expound on the history and setting of His sermon and expand your joy in Christ.


Last time we talked about genealogy in context of what some historians describe about the first century and OT Jewish culture and its influence on the hearing of the passage on the tree and its fruit "after its own kind."  Today is entirely literal.  It involves a couple words in the English language--narrow, broad/wide--but in the original language it is four words.  In Matthew 7:13-14 it talks of a narrow gate and narrow way that leads to life and a wide gate and broad way that leads to destruction.  Let's consider these six words.

gate.  Construct in your head the picture of a gate, something on this side leading to the gate, a path or road on the other side. Only don't think of a picket or chain link fence gate like today.  Rather the opening is really the gate, not necessarily just a piece of swinging wood or metal.  It is an opening in a boundary.  Think of the gate of a sheepfold, which may merely be an opening in a foot or two thick stone wall (and the shepherd standing in the gap is the "gate") or even the gates of a walled city like Jericho with 40 ft thick walls. 

wide is the gate.  The original word would conjure a gently sloping wide open field. Spread out and flat. Doesn't sound like much of a boundary, and it would take an incredible hinge if it were chain link or wood.
broad is the way.  spacious, broad.  That does not mean just that it's a wide open field but there's plenty of room to walk and no one pushing against you going the other direction (you'll see in a second).  You can also envision the space in front of you, not really any way to mark your progress walking across a field or a desert (again, you'll see in a second).
"Indeed the safest road to hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts." - C. S. Lewis The Screwtape Letters

narrow (strait) is the gate.  narrow because of obstacles around it (think Straits of Magellan).  The root word this is based on means suffering.  The original language gives an image of an opening so tight that you would have to suffer to squeeeeeze through it, leaving behind anything you carry because it's so tight, and even then it is still painful to pass through. 
narrow is the way. narrow because of a crowd. Literally the word means groaning, affliction, suffering, tribulation, a throng.  It's not that there isn't a wide path, it's that there's difficulty walking forward through all the people pressing against you opposing your progress.  Every step forward is a burden.  Imagine a NY city street, you could get carried the opposite way.  Only, they aren't just traveling in a different direction, they are troubling your progress.  Progress is an important aspect of this word "narrow".

Go back to that picture. A gate, on the incoming side incredible obstacles leading to a painfully tight fit through a potentially thick boundary.  Come out on the other side to meet a way pressed through a throng, a tumult of people, progress is difficult and groaning with persecution.

way that leads to life. This word "way" is little but packs a punch. It means the physical road, the route or directions, the distance, the act of traveling that road, and even the progress along the route being traveled.  All in one little word.  In English we think some of this too but not all at the same time.  The way to the store, I'm on my way (or for you texters, OMW), show me the way, which way, along the way, ONE WAY, WRONG WAY...way too much information?  It's the route to take, the road you walk to get there, and the progress you've made to your destination...sometimes all at once.  Chew on this, we'll come back to it.

It's a sermon:
So why mention this suffering strait gate only found through the obstacles that comes out headlong into the groaning suffering throng way leading to life?

Immediately before v12.  Therefore, all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. 

These are the blessednesses...I have come to fulfill the Law and the Prophets.  These are the true demands of the Law.  Therefore, be the salt. Do all things whatsoever to all the throng that cause groaning, bless those who persecute you, pray for those who spitefully use you...for this is the Law and the Prophets...that leads to life. And there are few who find it (the gate, the way, the life).

Immediate after v15ff.  ...this is the Law and the Prophets...beware of FALSE prophets--ravenous wolves in sheep's clothing.  You have heard by them of old the Law says this, but I say otherwise.  True conversion is a gate amid obstacles.  The true road to life is strait, suffering, through the throng (not with it). And consider those who tell you almost the truth but not quite, the false, the imposter, as the persecutors.  It's not just those who hate the gospel to stand against you in the throng as you pursue faith. It's also those who make it hard to pursue through false teachings, slowing you down, relaxing your pursuit, steering you out of the truth into the high grass where it's harder to walk and see the steps of those who have gone before.  But your job in faith is doing ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER to all men (even those in the throng working against you) as you believe they should do to you--that's the REAL Law and the Prophets!

Is Jesus saying this is the blessednesses (Matt 5) and the true demands of the Law?  Does v12 ring true with Matt 5?  Does true and false ring true with Matt 6?  Is He saying suffering what it takes to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God even if persecuted for righteousness sake is the way to true life?  He is the author (Matt 7:24), and He comes to fulfill the Law and the Prophets (Matt 5).

Want an application?  Well, this is as close as I can get:
1. who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame...I AM the WAY, the Truth, and the LIFE. (Alpha and Omega, the source and the destination, the seed and the exceeding great reward).  No man comes to the Father but by ME.  He is the suffering gate amid obstacles, the groaning way against the throng, and the Life awaiting. 

2. What good father who's son asked for bread would give him a stone.  You want blessing? It's not comfort and relaxation.  That is not true blessing. Poor in spirit, persecuted for righteousness sake, the narrow way--that is true blessing because it gives us Him more perfectly and closely.  for so persecuted they the prophets of old. 

Every NT writer talks of this:
Acts 9:15-16, Rom 8:15-19, 2 Cor 1: 5, Phil 1:29, Heb 2:10;11:25, James 5:10, I Pet 2:20ff, Rev 2:8-11

3. the light of the body is the eye.  Did you know that if your printer is without black ink, it won't print color pictures correctly?  that's just good advice.  But keep in mind "secret" in the sermon is not the same as darkness.  How you see black and white (truths) changes how you receive colorful joy.  James tells us that persecution is not working against us but actually is evidence God is working for us, to perfect our faith and bring us joy.  James 1:2-4.  What you see is what you get.  So now, for the joy set before you, despise the shame, take up your cross and follow the author and finisher of your faith who was made perfect through suffering

One Sermon.
Part 1 and Part 2 of this afterWORD come together in John 8, starting in verse 31 and really going to the end of the chapter. "then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him... "

If you have a few minutes this week, consider the text yesterday with the Jewish culture as you read John 8, looking for the words "seed" and "My word in you" and "father" and "fruit" and "come from".  And then think on today's words in the original language as you read "continue" "life" "free" "keep". 

afterWORD Matthew 7 PART 1 Genealogy

Life Truths Family,
I labored a long time over this week's study of Matthew 7. I am still laboring and worry that the lesson was too much, or uneven. Maybe you got that clue when we finished the small group and introductory discussion with 10 minutes left in class...

I want to offer two critical texts as a follow up that we didn't have what I felt was sufficient time to cover as they deserve (or were too delicate to go into depth), thinking rushing would do it disservice or even cause more harm than good.  The purpose of these two parts, much like the rest of the lesson, is to illumine the whole sermon on the mount as an actual sermon.  We sit as a congregation for a 20-40 minute sermon. But you can easily talk through Matt 5-7 in much less time.  But if you approach it as a sermon, given in one standing, contiguous session to people in a very different culture, you'll have to understand that culture and that setting on the mount to get the richer bigger picture as well as the richer detailed picture.  And flip the tapestry of scripture around to see the threads on the back, and two of the biggest, most colorful knots in this sermon are these two, but to untie them would take significant time and without understanding their colors might cause us to rush and break the strings rather than follow them to fruition.

So I want to take these two in different emails.  Read or dump as you feel necessary. It may take a few minutes to read it all, but hopefully it will be worth your while.

The first is an expansion of "a tree and its fruit" and the second, the broad vs. the narrow way.

word 1. tree and its fruit: genealogy
core phrase: depart from me workers of iniquity, I never knew you.
competitive phrase: did we not prophesy, cast out demons, perform miracles in Your name?
culture:  all Israel is steeped in the first 5 books, and you'll see at the beginning of Matthew he says "this is the genealogy of Jesus," tying the King to the Davidic kingdom as well as to Abraham and the founding of the faith.  It matters what tree you come from.
core word: genealogy - "generations, birth, history, where it came from." 
context: 
   Gen 2:4 - g of creation (though most English versions translate "generations" or "history" it's same word)
   Gen 5 - g of Adam  6 - g of Noah    10-11, 25, 36, 37 and so on.  We call it a family tree.

In creation, He made animals to produce "after their own kind" (Gen 1:20ff) and it repeats in the description of the ark, animals coming in that then repopulate the earth "after their own kind", the ability to reproduce is a definitive function of creation.  When I learned "evolution" as a theory xx years ago, the definition of "species" back then was "two species that breed would have an offspring that was infertile."  The Bible uses the word "kind" and describes it similarly as ability to procreate. 

In the plants (Gen 1:11ff) He says "yielding seed...and fruit after his kind whose seed is in itself..."

With that context, think again "a tree is known by its fruit" it can only produce seed (in its fruit) after its own kind.  It's not a surface picture of an apple tree bearing an orange. Not at all.  It's about the seed within the fruit, that the tree produces after its kind.  It's not a picture of the fruit but the seed carried by the fruit.  Apple tree seeds can only be carried in an apple.  This would be heavily laid on anyone in the Jewish tradition of the scriptures.  Or anyone with any sense of farming or agriculture or husbandry even today.

One last little tidbit, the word "know" in Jewish culture is a euphemism for you-know-what, as it is written in Gen 4:1 "and Adam KNEW his wife Eve, and she bore a son."  If you go back and read the scriptures where God speaks of the seed, it's not a mere standpoint of descendants in a record book.  Activities had to happen to get those people born, very intimate acts.  So when they said "we did these amazing things in Your name" He says, "you're not my children simply because you claim my name, I never knew you, so you are not of the righteous seed."  Or "your fruit is not after righteous kind."  It's not just a symbol of relationship as in we have friends we know very well. 

Workers of iniquity.  This is profound.  You bore iniquity because the Lord wasn't part of the conception.  Consider the child of the bondwoman and the child of promise.  Both produced mighty nations.  Both were offspring in the human sense from Abraham. But the "seed of faith" was when Abraham believed God, not when he tried to accomplish of his own human effort.  God may have blessed Ishmael, but Isaac was fruit of the tree after its kind that led to Jesus. 

Consider going back through all of scripture and studying the word "seed" (suggest KJV or a Strong's concordance to keep the words straight with the original language).  Also the word "fruit" or "tree"
I will put enmity between your seed and the woman's seed...
story of Tamar... (also in Matthew's genealogy)
tree planted by the river, fruit in its season
a farmer sowed seed, in the night the enemy sowed tares in among the wheat...
some fell by the wayside...among thorns...stony ground...fertile soil...bear fruit.
bear fruit that is meet with repentance
fruit of righteousness
fruit of the Spirit...
you must be born again...born of the flesh is flesh, of the Spirit is Spirit...


Ok, I know I know, too much.  Maybe also TMI.  Well let me at least ask the question, "how does this make the Sermon on the Mount one cohesive sermon?"  Well tie it to the beginning and the end.  Matt 5 --blessed are ye BECAUSE the Lord has done all these things (where faith came from)...so bear fruit after its kind.  I came not to abolish the Law, I wrote it! I'm here to fulfill it in your midst. Our Father, Thy kingdom come. Matt 7 -- He taught as one having authority (He was the author) not as a scribe (someone who studies it or copies it).

Next time, Matthew 7:13-14.

Love you folks!  Thanks for reading this far and letting me blab on and on.

Tim

foreWORD Matthew 1 Good Will

Life Truths Sunday School,
Ever see one of those signs that says "DIP", only they put it right next to the dip and you hit the dip while you're reading the sign?  One comedian once said they should put it after, finding it more valuable as explanation than in warning.  "Whoa, what was that?  OH, the sign says it was a dip!  Ah!"

Anyway, it's 9:27 on Saturday night, and for issues beyond my control but entirely my fault (aka I wrote it two days ago but never hit the send button), here is your "DIP" foreWORD for the morning--you know, 12 hours from now. Well, if nothing else, those who can't be with us can get some fellowship with us on this topic.

We're in Matthew 1 this week and talking of the birth of Christ.  As a foreWORD to the discussion I'd like to jump to Luke.  We know this verse by heart. Pasted below is the Linus version (Charlie Brown Christmas) with the Greek words embedded.  Decide for yourself if you want to have a spotlight and security blanket wrapped around your head while you read it:

Glory δοξα to God θεος in εν the highest υψιστος, and και on επι earth γη peace ειρηνη, good will ευδοκια toward εν men ανθρωπος.

Note highlighted the words "good will".  In Greek, eudokia .  Now look at several other translations of the same verse.  I'll paste a couple below, but to see a much wider array, go to Bible Gateway

ESV

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
HCSB

Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors!

NASB

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

NKJV

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

NIV

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

The original sources of these translations differ, but just looking at the words on the page, which one seems closest to the word choices?  Which makes the most sense from what you know of the Living God? 

Let's not stop there. Let's look at the same word in other verses.  See if a tone starts rising.

Luke 10:21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in Thy sight.

Ephesians 1:5-12 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace; Wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will: That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ.

Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness, and the work of faith with power: That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The good pleasure of His goodness, the good pleasure as an outflow of His work in us to will and to do, the good pleasure of His adoption of us in Christ...seems to me His good pleasure of receiving us who have no ability to save ourselves is evidence of His favor resting on us who are saved that the One who gave Himself to save us might be glorified in our pursuing with all abandon our own good pleasure in Him. 

Maybe another way to ask. Who's favor is it?  His.  Who's good pleasure is it?  yes.  If God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in Him, then His good pleasure in me leads to my good pleasure in Him as all satisfying, and that is more glorifying than the whole heavenly host speaking His praises.  For I am living His praise by pursuing Him as my salvation, rescue, joy, peace, hope, and eternal satisfaction.


Ever wonder why God commanded us to love Him?  Doesn't that seem contradictory?  But it's not.  He commands us to love Him because we wouldn't do it otherwise, in fact we're incapable without Him giving us the ability and demonstrating it by loving us first.  And loving Him is far exceedingly great and more precious than anything else He could give His creation.  Giving us the opportunity to love Him who is perfect in all ways is the message behind the message of sending His Son.  Likewise, enjoying loving Him is the message behind the message of loving Christmas.

Now for homework, ask yourself, "who has the peace, is it with God or among the people, and what people?"  In the meantime, I hope to see you all Sunday when we'll just scratch the surface on a few more powerful questions:

Does the Bible tell us to celebrate His birth?

Did Jesus start His life on Christmas or before then?

Did Jesus come here to find humility or did He bring it with Him?

See y'all there.  Be blessed.
Tim
PS Remember the gospel of 'sweat'?  Well, the afterWORD this week will be the gospel of the 'blue string' if I can remember to send it.  Maybe someone should remind me.

afterWORD Revelation Blood and Adam

Life Truths faithful servants,
This week we got waaaaay too aggressive in studying Revelation, and for that I apologize.  But I wanted to try to develop a systematic approach for your private reading of this incredible book.  I hope there was some good in what we did, though I recognize several were overwhelmed at how fast and how much we were covering.  Point taken...

But I'd like to hit one point we glossed over, and that's numbers.  As such, this week's afterWORD is dam.  Not like beaver's build. It is the Hebrew word for "blood."  In numerology it is represented by the number 44. 

We were talking about blood moons (full lunar eclipse that is aligned exactly such that red light from the sun bends around the earth and makes the moon look blood red).  Specifically a tetrad, which is four consecutive blood moons.  In this case, we're specifically talking about a tetrad that exactly falls on Jewish feast days.  In just about a month, we'll have the fourth blood moon of the current tetrad falling on feast days, and it's only the fourth to have occurred in the last 500 years (only 10 since 1AD). Even more specifically, in the middle of the four blood moons was a full solar eclipse. 

So the word "dam" means "blood" and numerically equals 44 through a millenial old system equating letters with numbers.  The third of the fourth blood moons occured on 4/4 (Passover) and was the shortest full eclipse expected in the entire 21st century. Guess how long it lasted...yep, 4 minutes 44 seconds.

That's 4/4 4:44 of the "44" moon.  Let's not go down the path of "moon," but suffice to say it's got more to it, too.  Crazy stuff.

The next blood moon occurs September 28th, 2015, also falling on a high day, Sukkot, or Feast of Tabernacles.  It's always interesting to consider blood with the Passover, spreading the blood of the lamb on the doorposts (also having to do with 4).  And of course, the crucifixion that occurred on Passover when Christ the Lamb of God was sacrificed to take away the sin of the world. 

For those who missed, the three previous tetrads of this nature occurred:
1492--Spanish Inquisition, persecution of the Jews (some escape to the Americas with Christopher Columbus on his second voyage)
1948--establishment of the Jewish state
1967--reunification of Jerusalem under Israeli rule for the first time since 70AD.  (6 day war)

Next word.  "A-dam".  Isaiah talks of the Messiah as the second Adam or Son of Man, and rabbinical tradition says the only thing that can save man is "44 plus one" or through blood of a "man" plus one, the Messiah.  "dam" plus "a" or aleph, numerically the first letter of the alphabet, is A-dam.  This is in Isaiah, but we'll recognize it more clearly where Romans 5 describes Jesus as the second Adam, as one man sin entered the world, so through the One Man death might be defeated. 

What is the tie?  Some say that 44 is relevant in that if you put Israel's number of kings (including Absalom unseating David and David returning), you get 44.  Similarly there have been 44 presidents...Some say the 44th president will spell disaster (or "blood") to Israel and 44 plus one will bring Israel's greatest triumph. 

Whatever the case, numbers mean a lot in the scripture.  Here are a couple just to toy with:
Genesis 1

1 There are 7 words

2 There are 28 letters = 7 x 4

3 The sentence divides into 2 equal halves.
The first 3 words contain 14 letters = 7 x 2
The second 3 contain 14 letters = 7 x 2

4 The second half divides into 2 equal halves
“The heavens” contains 7 letters
“And the earth” contains 7 letters

5 The 3 nouns God, heavens, earth have 14 letters = 7 x 2

6 The numeric value of the 3 nouns is 777 = 7 x 111

7 The numeric value of the verb created = 203 = 7 x 29

8 The middle word and the word after it contain 7 letters

9 The middle word and the word before it contain 7 letters

10 The value of the first and last letters of the first half = 42 = 7 x 6

11 The value of the first and last letters of the last half = 91 = 7 x 13

12 The value of the first and last letters of all the words taken together = 1393 = 7 x 199

13 The value of the first and last letters of the first and last words only = 497 = 7 x 71

14 The numeric value of the 1st letter of the first and last words is 7 = 7 x 1

15 The numeric value of the last letters of the 1st and last words = 490 = 7 x 70 = 7 x 7 x 10

So there are 15 features of 7 in a single sentence.

(I'll spare you the primes and triangular numbers).

foreWORD Revelation 12 The Forbidden Chapter

Life Truths family,
Thanks to Jeff for a great discussion of the trumpets.  Boy, this stuff is thick and complex.  You might be like me, spending more time in commentaries than in the scripture. I'll send out a fore WORD in a day or two to help us break out of that in preparation for this coming and next Sundays.  This Sunday the core passage is Rev 12, but we will survey much more of the book and focus on the truth hidden in plain sight, and the surprising inability to see it plainly due to our current, personal, educational, historical, literal, and cultural taints and biases.  May not give you the answers you want, but I hope it will give you the skills you need to pursue the character of God as revealed to the seven churches in this letter.  Next Sunday we'll focus on Rev 19-21 and survey the whole book yet again and discuss the profound aspects of worship replete in its pages.

So if you can read as much of Revelation this week, even more than once, and try not to dive into the imagery but just read it at face value and stay focused in the book, that will help tremendously as we train to study together.

In the meantime, yesterday it came up about the Jews, the 144,000 being sealed, and the emblem of the nation of Israel.  Well, speaking on the context of culture and what you've been taught, did you know that long ago the Rabbis decided to stop teaching a certain chapter of the Bible?  And this systematic elimination of this one chapter, which we know and love in our Christian culture, is a hinge pin in the very fabric of understanding the Messiah.  In the Old Testament, prophets saw primarily the coming of the Messiah as a single event, and even the disciples seemed to not be able to get past it, either, at least not until the resurrection.  But we know that it is two appearances, first the cross, then the conquering.  When Jesus read the scriptures and said "this has come true this day in your hearing" He only read the first half of the verse that spoke of the first coming and not the conquering.

Please take 9 minutes this week and sit and watch this video about the "forbidden chapter of the Bible" and see the profound impact it has on everyday Jews as this young man reads with them from the Hebrew scriptures...and watch them see the Messiah in truth for the first time in their lives.  You can almost feel their hearts burning within like the disciples on the road to Emmaus as he reveals what the scriptures say about the coming of the King.

https://www.facebook.com/MedabrimEnglish/videos/828796167189961/

Love y'all.  Praying for you now.

foreWORD Revelation 5 the ONLY Lamb of God

Worthy is the Lamb, the ONLY Lamb of God who comes to take away the sin of the world!

Listen, watch, and read the words of this scripture song: Acts 10:38-42.



now read v43.


See you Sunday.  Praying for each of you today.

afterWORD Revelation 1 Turning Away

If you haven't seen it yet, suggest you start on the foreWORD for this week: 
http://forewordsandafterwords.blogspot.com/2015/07/foreword-and-afterword-revelation-1.html


afterWORD.  Turning Away.
Revelation 1 introduces the Seven Spirits and the seven churches.  As you review the lesson this week, think on Rom 8:26 
Romans 8:26 (ASV) And in like manner the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered;

Incredibly helpful, just as in Revelation, to know that He walks with us in the Spirit and does not leave us alone, even interceding for us when we don't know what or how to pray. 

But not this starts with "and" so go back a few verses.  The Spirit helps us with groanings in like manner as...

Romans 8:22-25 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For in hope were we saved: but hope that is seen is not hope: for who hopeth for that which he seeth? But if we hope for that which we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

I mentioned Sunday we've put in our dossier to Haiti  for international adoption, finally! I also mentioned there is a little girl in an orphanage there that was born during the time of the earthquake, and as far as we know has known nothing but this orphanage.  She is special needs in ways we still don't understand.  There are caring people there, some that love the Lord and love this child.  

I don't know if she would understand or remotely grasp the luxury of a home in VA, USA with clean water right out of the tap, lots of fresh and safe food, her own room, toys to play with, doctors and medicine, even vacations at the beach.  Makes me think of CS Lewis describing us as little children who go on making mud pies in the slums unable to picture the offer of a holiday at the sea.  But how could she?  She's lived there her entire life, in an institution with 60+ kids, in an impoverished country riddled with all kinds of troubles. She knows nothing different.  Unless someone reveals it to her.  And what then?  Will she ache for the day we come to take her home?  Or will she have no idea what she's never had and not think much about it?

And what about you?    

So with that perspective, read one of the most misquoted verses in the Bible again:  

Romans 8:27-28 ...and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose.

This is the Spirit which lives in us, a seal of promise for His coming again.  So...how now shall we live?

I know this is a long email, but if you got this far, oh boy!  I hope you kept your spoon (dessert time)! 
Are you seeing this?  Go back to the little girl in Haiti. She can't do things for herself.  She can't pull herself up by her bootstraps (she doesn't even own boots), she can't earn her way out of the orphanage.  She is where she is. It's been a year and a half or more of Robyn and I doing paperwork, two or so years before that when we started getting the call to start the process, plus at least 10 years before that praying for adoption (Robyn much much longer).  And yet, before this little girl was born, before her mom was pregnant, before the earthquake, the Lord was ordaining a family to love her deeply and completely, to do whatever it took however long it took to come for her and take her home to be with us where we are.  And how much more the Father, since before time ever was, has been seeking you and me, who cannot do anything to save ourselves from the mess we are in, and willing to pay so great a price...

Romans 8:29-39 For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren: and whom he foreordained, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things?

Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Even as it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Okay, now read the lyrics of the song:

How Deep the Father's Love for Us

How deep the Father's love for us

How vast beyond all measure

That He should give His only Son

To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss

The Father turns His face away

As wounds which mar the Chosen One

Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon the cross

My sin upon His shoulders

Ashamed to hear my mocking voice

Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that kept Him there

Until it was accomplished

His dying breath has brought me life

I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything

No gifts, no power, no wisdom

But I will boast in Jesus Christ

His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?

I cannot give an answer

But this I know with all my heart

His wounds have paid my ransom 

I really love you peoples.  

Tim

foreWORD Revelation 1 Turning Away

Life Truths family,

I'll warn you I lost control of the keyboard about halfway through...

I have two WORDS this week, the first being a homework assignment in preparation for this coming Sunday.  Normally we do a passage from the book the pastor is preaching from, but this week I’d like to pose a question to discuss.  It fits with the lesson but it requires a lot of thought ahead of time. Can’t spring it on you last minute. Please be prepared to discuss, with references.

1    1.  foreWORD and this week's topic.         

      The song Amy Burchik wonderfully sang yesterday (no idea how she go through that!  I asked her and she said she has to think things like baseball, dirt…  I really believe Stuart Townsend could submit that to a hymnal, it really is that kind of timeless music and lyric.  Lots of great songs on the radio, moving lyrics and music.  But old or new, there is a clear distinction not just in music style but in the thickness of the thought of hymns.

Selah verson (with lyrics):

Spoiler alert!  The topic for this coming week's small groups discussion breakout is the second line of the second stanza:

How great the pain of searing loss

The Father turns His face away

As wounds which mar the Chosen One

Bring many sons to glory

Doubtless most if not all of you have been taught “God turned His face away from Jesus on the cross.”  Is that true?  I offer a reward for anyone who can put the chapter and verse to where the Bible says that.  But let's have this discussion.

Arguments for:

Arguments otherwise:

I want to be clear this isn't about splitting hairs or even having a right or wrong answer, though the process is certainly about gaining better command of scripture.  There is no difference in any of the other lines of the song if you change this line or if you find truth in any viewpoint on the subject of the Father's turning or not turning away.  That's important.  More clearly true is that whether He turned in pain or watched His Son in His most crucial ministry, it does not diminish the Son's glory or the Father's love!  And I believe both perspectives will enrich our lesson in Revelation.

Others say the crucifixion is the physical manifestation of the OT prophecy, the sun (the light who worships the Father, see Psalms 19) was darkened, and the moon (reflection of the Light in the Son, see Col 1) was turned to blood.

Come prepared to discuss.