Bible's Symbolism #23 = God With Us; "where 2 or 3 are gathered, I am in their midst"

Theme for 23 - "God is with Us" - For example:

in Matthew 18:20 it declares "where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst."

Number 23 is broadly about things being together, but it is very often related to scripture telling us God is with us. The evidence for the theme for 23 is one of the strongest number evidences seen.

The best evidence is the 23,000th verse of the Bible telling us in the last days people will seek out the Jews because God is with them.

Incredibally, every 1000th verse of the Bible has very special meaning associated with the number. The 23,000th verse helps us understand the symbolic meaning for number 23. We confirm our understanding of the 1000 verse symbolism through a preponderance of other numeric evidences that also confirm the same meaning.

• Zechariah 8:23 "...ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you." 

 

Other scriptual evidences that reveal this God with you theme for #23 are;

• The 23rdPsalm -- the Lord is our shepherd - v4 I fear no evil, for You are with me;..;  
• Matthew 1:23 ...THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, "GOD WITH US."; 

See any bible passages that have the numbers 2 and 3 in the text. Also watch any verses with chapter or verse numbering of 23 - especially verses with both chapter and verse 23 (23:23). Verses about two or three people such as "where two or three believers are", God is in the midst -

• Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst."
• Ecc 4:12 And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three is not quickly torn apart.
• Matt 20:30 ("23") And two blind men sitting by the road, hearing that Jesus was passing by, cried out, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!" (ref 20:30=23, and the 23823rd Bible verse) (Two blind men with Jesus in their midst)
• 2Kin 9:32 Then he lifted up his face to the window and said, "Who is on my side? Who?" And two or three officials looked down at him. (Interesting this is the 322nd chapter and is verse 32. In Gematria the orders of numbers is not important)
• Amo 4:8 "So two or three cities would stagger to another city to drink water, But would not be satisfied; Yet you have not returned to Me," declares the LORD. 

 

Verses with like chapter and verse (23:23) 

• Exodus 23:23 "For My angel will go before you..." and 
• Jerimiah 23:23 "Am I a God who is near," declares the LORD, "And not a God far off?"
• Acts 23:23 ..."...Get two hundred soldiers ready by the third hour of the night" 
• 1Sam 23:23 ..learn about all the hiding places where he hides himself and return to me with certainty, and I will go with you;

 

For those who like the even more curious examples look at

• The 23233rd Bible verse: Matt 4:23 Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom
• Malachi 3:2 which is the 23123rd verse and the 33rd verse (two threes) of Malachi, and whose text speaks directly of Jesus return "But who can endure the day of His coming?". 
• 23 and "NOT with JESUS"? Mrk 14:30 And Jesus *said to him, "Truly I say to you, that this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you yourself will deny Me three times."  (see also Mark 14:72, 14:30)
• Speaking in tongues (God with them?) - 1Cor 14:27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret;
• 2Cor 13:1 This is the third time I am coming to you. EVERY FACT IS TO BE CONFIRMED BY THE TESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES.
• Luke 11:23 "He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters. (notice this verse #23 speaks of Jesus and two others)
• Matt 4:22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him. -- (Interesting this is the 23232nd Bible verse in the 933rd chapter [33=2 3s]).

When you run across the number 23 in scripture be watching for this important theme. Also consider this theme for the number 32 which is directly related to 23.

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WANT TO READ MORE?

• The Bible's thirty-one 1000 verse transitions sections - Bible number symbolism
• Symbolism for #24 about The Day of the LORD - The 24,000th Bible verse

The Myan end of the world date of 2012 - Is 2012 in the Bible?

How can we find 2012 in the Bible?
This page has been put together because there is such interest in the year 2012 in the world that it seems right to look into God's number pattern to examine what comparisons we might find between God's patterns and this interesting date. Although I have my own opinions about what the Bible might be saying about 2012, the facts presented here are for the reader to draw their own conclusions on. Although I am personally convinced that God's numbers often line up with historical dates, I cannot be sure when this occurs, and if so, what does any apparent relationship mean. My book is about patterns found in the Bible and I suggest that it is the patterns shown by the numbers that most often lead us to understanding.

While reviewing these examples of 2012 in the Bible, look for patterns in related numbers and what overall themes you observe. In the example below of 20 verses having a chapter and verse reference of 2012 you will find a pattern of common themes throughout these verses. All like referenced verses appear to have some common theme running through them but it is not always easy to discern exactly what it is. As is seen in the 15:17 verse example shown below, it is not unusual to find number combinations, that when put together, seem to have relationship with historical dates. Again, you be your own judge as to how verse examples presented here might relate to 2012.

Other Worldly Numbers in the Bible (911, 1517)
As other evidence that seems to show how biblical text might be related to historical dates consider the following examples possibly related to historical events of 911 and of Martin Luther posting the 95 thesis in 1517.

911 Punishment to Nations
911 is a verse of warning about the end. Eleven is associated with warning and numbers along with eleven give some indication of what the warning is about. Nine is a number related to persevering until the end and about events leading up to the end so 911 would theoretically be a number of warning about the end to come. Daniel 9:11 is my favorite 911 verse as it is also the 22,000th verse in the Bible. 22,000 is a one of a kind number of Jesus so these two numbers lining up might have something important to say. If you examine Daniel chapter nine it is about the nation of Israel and how they have sinned against God. Daniel 9:11 seems the key verse to this chapter.

Dan 9:11 "Indeed all Israel has transgressed Your law and turned aside, not obeying Your voice; so the curse has been poured out on us, along with the oath which is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against Him.

If you examine the Bible other 9:11 verses as well as other 911 related numbers you will clearly see a theme of punishment of nations among related verses.

1517 Posting a Notice of Bondservice
I've documented this in other places so I will briefly summarize this potential association between the year 1517 and the verse reference at Deuteronomy 15:17. It was in 1517 that Martin Luther posted the 95 Thesis on the church door and it happens that Deuteronomy 15:17 says that a servant who has become free but desires to remain and become a willing and voluntary bondservant must declare this decision by taking an awl and piericing his ear to the door.

Deu 15:17 then you shall take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also you shall do likewise to your maidservant.



We are not quite certain exactly what this means but the original language suggests that the ear may have something to do with posting a notice so we can clearly see the relationship of the act done by Martin Luther to declare he will only submit himself to God as directly comparible to the instructions in Deuteronomy 15:17. You can decide for yourself if you believe this is intended or coincidental.

The 20:12 Like Referenced Bible verses found in 20 Books
It is interesting that there are 20 verses in the Bible with a chapter and verse reference of 20:12. The number 2012 begins and ends with 2 and numerical patterns in the Bible reveal that the number resulting from putting the first and last digits of any number together has meaning. This helps us see 2012 seems also related the number 22 whose theme is of Jesus the Suffering Servant. The Jesus who; came to earth to tell us about God's plan; the one who suffered and died on the cross; who was resurrected; and who will one day return to take those who trust in him to their promised inheritence. Note the different ways you can see these aspects of Jesus in the twenty chapter 20 verse 12 verses. These seem strongly to include references to the return of the Lord and to judgment he promised to carry out when he returns. The 20th and last of these verses at Revelation 20:12 seems particularly related as it specifically refers to the Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord is most often related to the number 24 and it is also interesting that 20 times 12 = 240, a factor of 24 (see reference to Matthew 24:42 which is the 24,000th verse).

1--Gen 20:12 "Besides, she actually is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife; (the church)


2--Exo 20:12 "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.


3--Lev 20:12 'If there is a man who lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death; they have committed incest, their bloodguiltiness is upon them.


4--Num 20:12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you have not believed Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them."


5--Deu 20:12 "However, if it does not make peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it.


6--Judg 20:12 Then the tribes of Israel sent men through the entire tribe of Benjamin, saying, "What is this wickedness that has taken place among you?


7--1Sam 20:12 Then Jonathan said to David, "The LORD, the God of Israel, be witness! When I have sounded out my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there is good feeling toward David, shall I not then send to you and make it known to you?


8--2Sam 20:12 ...when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa from the highway into the field and threw a garment over him when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still.


9--1Kin 20:12 ...he said to his servants, "Station yourselves." So they stationed themselves against the city.


10--2Kin 20:12 At that time Berodach-baladan a son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick.


11--2Chr 20:12 "O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You."


12--Job 20:12 "Though evil is sweet in his mouth And he hides it under his tongue,


13--Prov 20:12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye, The LORD has made both of them.


14--Jer 20:12 Yet, O LORD of hosts, You who test the righteous, Who see the mind and the heart; Let me see Your vengeance on them; For to You I have set forth my cause.


15--Eze 20:12 "Also I gave them My sabbaths to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.


16--Matt 20:12 saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.'


17--Luke 20:12 "And he proceeded to send a third; and this one also they wounded and cast out.


18--John 20:12 and she *saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. (Jesus had risen)


19--Act 20:12 They took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted.


20--Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.

Check out our new video trailer for The Bible's Redemption plan...

I know... IMPOSSIBLE! You be the Judge...Is there a newly found pattern in the Bible left by God? Did you know John chapter 3, home of John 3:16 the keyverse of Christianity, is the 1000th chapter of the Bible and Josephus said 1000 is God's number of perfection--Coincidence? Were you aware Psalm 117 is the exact middle chapter of the Bible and it's only two verses point to the division of Old and New Testaments? Psalms 22 is the 500th chapter of the Bible with Jesus speaking directly from the cross where he delivered us from sin and the Bible's number 500/50 are symbolic of the year of Jubilee where every 50th year all debts are forgiven—Coincidence? Check out Revelation 14:4 (144) containing the Bible's description for the 144,000 witnesses. Surprised? This new pattern is not a code but a pattern left by God to help us better understand his word.

Astounding...Psalm 117 divinely ties together the Old and New Testament

In an earlier post I explained how Psalm 117 is the middle chapter of the Bible in terms of it's number of chapters and it is very unique in that this chapter contains just two verses. The exact middle of 1189 Bible chapters is the shortest and only one with just two verses.  It cannot be coincidence this unique chapter is found in the middle of the Bible--I concluded it must be an indication for us to realize the Bible is divinely numbered and ordered.  Years later, it absolutely astounded me when I realized the cross book numbers of these two lone verses of this middle chapter corresponded directly to the numbers associated with the last chapter of the Old Testament and the first chapter of the New Testament. The chapter that splits Bible chapters into two equal parts also points to the division of Old and New Testaments.

Psalm 117 verse 1 is the 1,929th verse of the book of Psalm and Malachi chapter 4 is the 929th chapter of the Old Testament. Psalm 117 verse 2 is the 1,930th verse of Psalm and Matthew chapter 1 is the 930th Bible chapter and the first chapter of the New Testament. So not only is Psalm 117 a unique two verse chapter positioned precisely in the middle of the Bible but it is also a chapter whose verses divinely link the Old Testament and New Testament into a single volume of God's Word. An amazing evidence of the DNA like numbering perfection of the Bible and that the Jesus of the New Testament is the same messiah told about throughout every book of the Old Testament.

Why does God hide things in his word...

Prov 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

 Of course, God wants everyone to know who he is and that he loves them but love requires we have an option to love and cannot be forced. If God wanted to make absolutely sure we knew he was there can you imagine his options. One I might think of is that he would write in the sky for everyone to see "tomorrow there will be an earthquake at 9am - God". The next day he might write "Told you so, believe in me or I will send another".  Of course, this would not convince everyone, but you get the idea. If God wanted us to know for sure he absolutely existed he could arrange that. What God wants is for us to find out about him, what he has done and is doing for us and the future he has planned for us. God wants us to find him and love him of our own free will. Everything that is needed to do this is in his word but he has not written it such that it would force us to love him. Instead, it is written with the special things hidden for those seeking him.

So although there are amazing mysteries and teachings in the Bible God has written his word in such a way that the reader is not necessarily compelled to believe them. His word designed in some ways not to be understood by those that are not truly seeking to find God in them. Those who meditate on God's word will reap the rewards. Jesus preserves the best teachings for his disciples and then it is his disciple's work to teach others thus making new disciples.

Mrk 4:34 and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples.

Jesus always talked in parables to crowds and explained his parables to his disciples. Disciples followed Jesus, sat at his feet to listen, obeyed him and consider Jesus their master. These are the people who learn the mysteries of God.

Luke 10:22 "All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him."

So why are so many teachings in the Bible hidden just below the surface of the text?  Because that is one of the ways God keeps truths from the insincere and preserves the depths of his word for his followers--his disciples. But the secrets are even further hidden and to be discovered to those who search and investigate God's word. Those who desire to know God. Notice below how God came to Daniel after Daniel sought out God...

Dan 10:12 Then he said to me, "Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words.

I explain this to people who sometimes try to understand some of what I present by just taking a quick simple look at the scriptures. I've found that it is usually only after more than an hour of deep study of scriptures that the greatest insights are encountered. Deep understanding of God's word is not only preserved for his disciples but only for the times when his disciples are truly seeking to know him. Dig intently into the study of God's word and prepared to be amazed.

The 70 year/70 weeks prophecy found in the 770th chapter - Jerimiah 25

It is such an impossible human thought that the Bible's chapter and verse references can somehow be tied perfectly to the text, that we have a difficult time accepting such a possibility is real. The Bibles verses about the 70 weeks prophecy from Jerimiah 25 demonstrate the preciseness of God's Word and are strong evidence that, like books and the text of scripture are inspired, so also are God assigned book, chapter and verse numbers.

--Note that one of the things that further validates this evidence for inspired numbers is that it is located in one of the very most important Bible prophecies. Coincidences in numbers can be found, but to find such a strong set of relating numbers in one of the most well read parts of the Bible seems good evidence God intended for us to find these numbers. They not only validate and help interpret scripture, but also serve to glorify God and his precious word. (see also Daniel 9:24-25 for related 70 weeks prophecy text.)

Jerimiah 25 is the 770th chapter of the Bible and the entire chapter is centered around the famous 70 week prophecy. Verses 11 and 12 specifically mention the 70 weeks. This number/text association is compelling enough but there are several other numbers associated with these verses that confirm how the Bible's inspired verse references line up perfectly with the text.

Jer 25:11-12 'This whole land will be a desolation and a horror, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years. v12 'Then it will be when seventy years are completed I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation,' declares the LORD, 'for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans; and I will make it an everlasting desolation.(NASB)

Evidence for verse text/verse reference relationships:

• 70 weeks prophecy--Most compelling is that the 770th chapter of the Bible just happens to be specificaly about the well known 70 weeks prophecy
• 21/777 Sanctification--Jerimiah is the 21st **full Old Testament book (21=7+7+7=777) and contains the 777th Bible chapter (Jerimiah 32) regarding how God will never abandon Israel and will one day restore them. Jerimiah being the 21st book and thus generally associated with number seven also supports association with the 70 week prophecy.
• 24 Day of the Lord--Jerimiah is also the 24th **traditional Old Testament book number and 24 is a number for coming judgment as in the Day of the Lord (Matt 24). This being the 24th book supports the judgment both to Israel and the nations found prophsied in the book. Note that Daniel 9:24 also specifically mentions the 70 week prophecy. Another relationship to 24.
• 11-Warnings--11 is a number for warnings and verse eleven warns of Israels impending horror so the number of this verse appropriately connects with the text.
• 12-Judgment--12 is a number for judgment and verse twelve tells of how God will punish Babylon--again, the verse number lines up with the theme of the text.
• Chapter 25--In Hebrew and Greek gematria digits are added together to make meaningful numbers so it is likely no coincidence the digits of chapter number 25 add up to 7 in this 770th chapter about the 70 weeks. The level of the number's perfection is beyond imagination and here we see evidence that every number associates with the text in one way or the other. Also supporting the importance of chapter 25 is the reference to the 70 weeks in Daniel 9:25.
• 599th verse--Verse 11 is the 599th verse of Jerimiah and 99 is most often found associated with major events and endings such as the Rapture before Jesus returns to judge. Verse 11 speaks of 70 years of captivity which in this case is leading to a desolation coming at the end of the captivity thus the association with 99. Daniel chapter 9 about the 70 weeks also demonstrates a relationship to number nine.
• 600th verse--Verse 12 is the 600th (100x6) verse of Jerimiah and numbers on hundreds and thousands boundaries are associated with major events; the beginning of a new time; or new series of events. Number six is about sin, repentence and consequences of sin so 6x100 or 600 is appropriately assigned this verse as it speaks of the punishment of Babylon for their iniquity.

There are other interesting numbers for these verses that are a bit more difficult to explain but the above associations with the text of these verses reveal how precisely God has structured and preserved the Bible such that numbers and text fit together in a perfect way that allows us to validate, interpret, cross reference and understand God's Ten part plan of redemption.  --- more related information at http://www.amazingword.com/

**There are two valid numerical counts of Bible Books which both appear God intended. The traditional 66 count we all are well aware of and a 57 count. The 57 count is simply arrived at by counting all split books such as 1/2Kings and 1/2Corinthians as a single book. Number usage patterns show the 57 count used more often for positive type number references and the 66 count for negative references.

EVIDENCE #1: Bible Discovery will challenge your mind--Psalms 117

What do you think about coincidences? Here's some evidence for the supernatural God authorship of the Bible. Curiously, I rarely get an answer to this question...it is usually avoided because it puzzles people. They can't believe it is coincidence but they also can't believe what it implys if it is not coincidence...

Psalms 117 is the shortest and only two verse chapter in the Bible. It is also the 595th and exact middle chapter of the Bible.

Do you believe this is coincidence?


Psalms 117...
v1 Praise the LORD, all nations; Laud Him, all peoples!
v2 For His lovingkindness is great toward us, And the truth of the LORD is everlasting. Praise the LORD!

How did this very special two verse chapter find itself to the very special centerpoint position of all Bible chapters? If you think this is coincidence, are you sure? If no, then the only other answer is that God supernaturally placed it at this location. If you are like most others, this is a real brain twister because it presents evidence for what we believe is not possible.

One of thousands of pieces of evidence for supernatural inspiration and perfection/inerrancy of God's Word--The Bible

Imagine-if this is not coincidence:

• God really did write the Bible- precisely, not a general inspiration


• **The Bible has all the correct books and chapters and seemingly in the right order.


• The Old and New Testaments are two parts of one inseparable volume. Otherwise this verse will not be found in the middle position.
  

For more information see..

Book: The Bible’s Redemption Pattern and Numeric Map.

Website: http://www.amazingword.com/

** Using the King James Bible and like structured decendent Bibles -- having 31,102 verses, 66 books, and 1189 chapters.

In 1899 Dr. Ivan Panin a Harvard Graduate writes about the Perfection of the Bible

Taken from Chapter two of my book, The Bible's Redemption Pattern and Numeric Map.

Discovery at AmazingWord.com

Dr. Ivan Panin (1855-1942) did more for the study of Bible “numerics” than any one else. Panin was born in Russia, and as a young man became involved in plots to overthrow the Czar. As were so many of the angry, young dissidents in that culture, Panin was an agnostic. Because of his ties to the dissidents, Panin was exiled from Russia. After studying in Germany for several years Panin moved to the United States. He graduated from Harvard, and after spending some time as a lecturer on literary criticism, his life took a dramatic turn. As he read, for the first time, the Gospel of John, in Greek, he noticed what seemed to be a strange inconsistency. The original text read, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with the God and the Word was God.” That wording includes one extra the. Panin was intrigued.

When the Holy Spirit inspired the men who wrote the Bible’s many books He didn’t give them a new language; they wrote in the common language of their era (Hebrew for the Old Testament and Greek for the New Testament). However, neither of these languages had a separate number system, so Panin, who by this time had become a Christian, assigned numeric values to the letters of each of these languages. These numeric values formed the basis of Bible “Numerics,” which he and other scholars then used to decipher the meaning behind the Bible’s numerical patterns.

In 1899, in answer to letters to the editor from a prominent agnostic in The New York Sun who had called the book of Mark a forgery, Panin wrote the following letter that describes an amazing structure of sevens behind every word in the New Testament Gospels -- Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. If you were to prove his work for yourself you would discover a perfection in the text beyond human understanding. He not only points out a pattern of sevens in the book of Matthew but shows how the same impossible pattern of sevens is in Mark, Luke and John. So back in 1899, Ivan Panin showed it could have only been God who authored these books. This discovery then proves God actively wrote the scriptures through Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. There is no reason to believe he left the rest of the Bible to the human frailities of authors of other books. Here's Panin's explanation of the pattern of sevens he found thus refuting any claim to human authorship or forgery of any Bible book.


SIR:- In today’s SUN Mr. W.R.L. calls for a “champion of orthodoxy” to “step into the arena of the SUN,” and give him some facts:

1. The first 17 verses of the New Testament contain the genealogy of Christ. It consists of two main parts: Verses 1-11 cover the period from Abraham, the father of the chosen people, to the Captivity, when they ceased as an independent people. Verses 12-17 cover the period from the Captivity to the promised Deliverer, the Christ.
Let us examine the first part of this genealogy.

Its vocabulary has 49 words, or 7 x 7. This number is itself seven (Feature 1) sevens (Feature 2), and the sum of its factors is 2 sevens (Feature 3). Of these 49 words 28, or 4 sevens, begin with a vowel; and 21, or 3 sevens, begin with a consonant (Feature 4).

Again: These 49 words of the vocabulary have 266 letters, or 7 x 2 x 19; this number is itself 38 sevens (Feature 5), and the sum of its factors is 28, or 4 sevens (Feature 6), while the sum of its figures is 14, or 2 sevens (Feature 7). Of these 266 letters, moreover, 140, or 20 sevens, are vowels, and 126, or 18 sevens, are consonants (Feature 8).

That is to say: Just as the number of words in the vocabulary is a multiple of seven, so is the number of its letters a multiple of seven; just as the sum of its factors of the number of the words is a multiple of seven, so is the sum of the factors of the number of their letters a multiple of seven. And just as the number of words is divided between vowel words and consonant words by seven, so is their number of letters divided between vowels and consonants by sevens.

Again: Of these 49 words 35, or 5 sevens, occur more than once in the passage: and 14, or 2 sevens, occur but once (Feature 9); seven occur in more than one form, and 42, or 6 sevens, occur in only one form (Feature 10). And among the parts of speech the 49 words are thus divided: 42, or 6 sevens, are nouns, 7 are not nouns (Feature 11). Of the nouns, 35, or 5 sevens, are Proper names, seven are common nouns (Feature 12). Of the Proper names 28 are male ancestors of the Christ, and seven are not (Feature 13). Moreover, these 49 words are distributed alphabetically thus. Words under “alpha – epsilon” are 21 in number, or 3 sevens; “stigma – iota” 14, or 2 sevens; “lamda – upsilon” also 14. No other groups of sevens stopping at the end of a letter are made by these 49 words, the groups of sevens stop with these letters and no others. But the letters, alpha, epsilon, stigma, iota, lambda, upsilon, are letters 1, 5, 6, 10, 12, 22 of the Greek alphabet, and the sum of these number (called their Place Values) is 56, or 8 sevens (Feature 14). This enumeration of the numeric phenomena of these 11 verses does not begin to be exhaustive, but enough has been shown to make it clear that this part of the genealogy is constructed on an elaborate design of sevens.

Let us now turn to the genealogy as a whole. I will not weary your readers with recounting all the numeric phenomena thereof: Pages alone would exhaust them. I will point out only one feature. The New Testament is written in Greek. The Greeks had no separate symbols for expressing numbers, corresponding to our Arabic figures, but used instead the letters of their alphabet: just as the Hebrews, in whose tongue the Old Testament is written, made use for the same purpose of theirs. Accordingly, the 24 Greek letters stand for the following numbers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900.

Every Greek word is thus a sum in arithmetic obtained by adding the numbers for which its letters stand, or their numeric values. Now the vocabulary to the entire genealogy has 72 words. If we write its numeric value over each of these 72 words and add them, we get for their sum 42,364, or 6,052 sevens, distributed into the following alphabetical groups only: alpha - beta have 9,821 or 1,403 sevens; gamma - delta, 1,904 or 272 sevens; epsilon - stigma, 3,703 or 529 sevens; theta - rho, 19,264 or 2,752 sevens; sigma - chi, 7,672 or 1,096 sevens. But the numeric value of the 10 letters used for making these groups is 931 or 7 x 7 x 19, a multiple not only of seven but of seven sevens.

Let Mr. W.R.L. try to write some 300 words intelligently like this genealogy, and reproduce some numeric phenomena of like designs. If he does it in 6 months, he will indeed be a wonder. Let us assume that Matthew accomplished this feat in one month.

2. The second part of this chapter, verses 18-25, relates the birth of the Christ. It consists of 161 words, or 23 sevens; occurring in 105 forms, or 15 sevens, with a vocabulary of 77 words or 11 sevens. Joseph is spoken to here by an angel. Accordingly, of the 77 words the angel uses 28 or 4 sevens; of the 105 forms he uses 35 or 5 sevens; the numeric value of the vocabulary is 52,605 or 7,515 sevens; of the forms, 65,429 or 9,347 sevens. This enumeration only begins as it were barely to scratch the surface of the numerics of this passage. But what is specially noteworthy here is the fact that the angel’s speech has also a scheme of sevens making it a kind of ring within a ring, a wheel within a wheel. If Mr. L. can write a similar passage of 161 words with the same scheme of sevens alone (though there are several others here) in some three years, he would have accomplished a still greater wonder. Let us assume that Matthew accomplished this feat in only 6 months.

3. The second chapter of Matthew tells of the childhood of the Christ. Its vocabulary has 161 words, or 23 sevens, with 896 letters, or 128 sevens, and 238 forms, or 34 sevens; the numeric value of the vocabulary is 123,529 or 17, 647 sevens; of the forms, 166,985 or 23, 885 sevens; and so on through pages of enumeration. This chapter has at least four logical divisions, and each division shows alone the same phenomena found in the chapter as a whole. Thus the first six verses have a vocabulary of 56 words, or 8 sevens, etc. There are some speeches here: Herod speaks, the Magi speak, the angel speaks. But so pronounced are numeric phenomena here, that though there are as it were numerous rings within rings, and wheels within wheels, each is perfect in itself through forming all the while only part of the rest.

If Mr. L. can write a chapter like this as naturally as Matthew writes, but containing in some 500 words so many intertwined yet harmonious numeric features, in say the rest of his days—whatever his age now, or the one to which he is to attain: if he thus accomplished it at all, it will indeed be marvel of marvels. Let us assume that Matthew accomplished this feat in only 3 years.

4. There is not, however, a single paragraph of the scores in Matthew that is not constructed in exactly the same manner. Only with each additional paragraph the difficulty of constructing it increases not in arithmatical, but in geometrical progression. For he contrives to write his paragraphs so as to develop constantly fixed numeric relations to what goes before and after. Thus in his last chapter he contrives to use just 7 words not used by him before. It would thus be easy to show that Mr. L. would require some centuries to write a book like Matthew's. How long it took Matthew the writer does not know. But how he contrived to do it between the Crucifixion, AD 30 (and his Gospel could not have been written earlier), and the destruction of Jerusalem, AD 70 (and the Gospel could not have been written later), let Mr. L. and his like-minded explain.

Anyhow, Matthew did it, and we thus have a miracle—an unheard or literary, mathematical artist, unequaled, hardly even conceivable. This is the first fact for Mr. L. to contemplate.

A second fact is yet more important: In his very first section, the genealogy discussed above, the words found nowhere else in the New Testament occur 42 times, 7 x 6; and have 126 letters, 7 x 6 x 3, each number a multiple not only of seven, but of 6 sevens, to name only two of the many numeric features of these words. But how did Matthew know, when designing this scheme for these words (whose sole characteristic is that they are found nowhere else in the New Testament) that they would not be found in the other 26 books? That they would not be used by the other 7 New Testament writers? Unless we assume the impossible hypothesis that he had an agreement with them to that effect, he must have had the rest of the New Testament before him when he wrote his book. The Gospel of Matthew, then, was written last.

5. It so happens, however, that the Gospel of Mark shows the very same phenomena. Thus the very passage called so triumphantly in today's SUN a “forgery,” the Last Twelve Verses of Mark, presents among some sixty features of sevens the following phenomena: It has 175 words, or 25 sevens, a vocabulary of 98 words, or 2 sevens of sevens, with 553 letters, or 79 sevens; 133 forms, or 19 sevens, and so on to the minutest detail. Mark then, is another miracle, another unparalled literary genius. And in the same way in which it was shown that Matthew wrote last it is also shown that Mark, too, wrote last. Thus to take an example from this very passage: It has just one word found nowhere else in the New Testament, theta, alpha, nu, alpha, sigma, iota, upsilon, omicron, sigma, deadly. This fact is signaled by no less than seven features of sevens, thus: its numeric value is 581 or 83 sevens, with the sum of its figures 14, or 2 sevens, of which the letters 3, 5, 7, 9 from the beginning of the word have 490, or 7 x 7 x 5 x 2: a multiple of seven sevens, with the sum of its factors 21, or 3 sevens. In the vocabulary it is preceded by 42 words: 7 x 6; in the passage itself by 126 words, or 7 x 6 x 3, both numbers multiples not only of seven, but of 6 sevens. We have thus established before us this third fact for Mr. L. to contemplate: Matthew surely wrote after Mark, and Mark just as surely wrote after Matthew.

6. It happens, however, to be a fourth fact that Luke presents the same phenomena as Matthew and Mark, and so does John, and James, and Peter, and Jude, and Paul. And we have thus no longer two great unheard-of mathematical literati, but eight of them and each wrote after the other.

7. And not only this: As Luke and Peter wrote each 2 books, John 5, and Paul 14, it can in the same way be shown that each of the 27 New Testament books was written last. In fact, not a page of the over 500 in Wescott and Hort’s Greek edition (which the writer has used throughout) but it can be demonstrated thus to have been written last.

The phenomena are there and there is no human way of explaining them. Eight men cannot each write last, 27 books, some 500 pages, cannot each be written last. But let’s assume that one Mind directed the whole, and the problem is solved simply enough: by this Verbal Inspiration—of every jot and tittle of the New Testament.

There remains only to be added that by precisely the same kind of evidence the Hebrew Old Testament is proved to be equally inspired. This the very first verse of Genesis has seven words, 28 letters, or 4 sevens: to name only two out of the dozens of numeric features of this one verse of only seven words.


So after reading this, can you imagine there is a God defined pattern in the construction of the BIble and that Biblical numerics line up and confirm the pattern. God is far beyond awesome.

Symbolism for #25 suggests Dec 25th is God ordained Christmas Date

These days it seems the world has been convinced by skeptics that the birth of Jesus could not have occurred on December 25th. One reason for this conclusion is that a census would never be conducted in the dead of winter. I won't argue the date of Jesus birth but do contend December 25th is the proper, and maybe even God ordained date, for celebrating the coming of the Messiah. Across the scriptures number 25 is found associated with physical appearances of Jesus the redeemer or Jesus type individuals on earth. I suspect that at one time we may have celebrated the comming of the Lord on December 25 and this celebration then somehow evolved to a thinking it was about the actual birth of Jesus. The remainder of this article gives evidence and descriptions about biblical text that demonstrate the symbolism for the number 25.

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Biblical number symbolism patterns reveal number 25 is about the appearances of Jesus (the kinsman redeemer) who comes to earth to redeem his people who are captive. After reading the passages it would appear they show a pattern where Lucifer was originally given the rights by God to the earth and all it contains but he abused them and abandoned and killed the people God loved. So God sent a kinsman redeemer to redeem the property of which price was the Death of Jesus on the Cross. The theme for 25 often is revealed in the scriptures as it directly relates to the physical appearance of Jesus on earth to redeem the abandoned. We see 25 not only related to what we commonly refer to as the first and second coming of Jesus but also to previous appearances in the Old Testament such as God's visit with Moses on Mt. Siani—25 would suggest it was Jesus who met with Moses.

The strong relationship of the number 25 with Jesus the Kinsman redeemer's coming to redeem his father's property suggests that maybe Christmas being on the 25th of December is a God chosen yearly event. It may not imply Jesus is born on the 25th but certainly can imply Christmas is the time when we celebrate the coming of the Kinsman redeemer into the world. 

The strongest Redemption Pattern number associated with #25 is the 25,000th and surrounding verses of the Bible where Jesus is presented at the temple—his first appearance as the consolidation of Israel. Luke 2:26 is the 25,000th verse which identifies Jesus as the "Lord's Christ". 

To see it in context, below are the 24,999th-25,006th verses that speak of Jesus appearance at the temple. Notice how verse 25 speaks of the coming appearance of the Messiah and in the 26th and 25,000th verse the Messiah appears. All these verses are strong evidence for the themes found constantly related in the scriptures with number 25.

Luke 2:25-32 And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
v26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
v27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law,
v28 then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,
v29 "Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word;
v30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation,
v31 Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
v32 A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, And the glory of Your people Israel."

 Chapter Evidence for 25 – (Bible has 17 chapter 25s)
Bible chapter numbers are related to a major themes found in their text. As we can see in the examples I've analyzed below, having an idea of a theme for a numbers helps guide our understanding of the text. I think many will be surprised at the consistency of the theme of the appearance of the Kinsman redeemer found in these chapters. Individual studies of Bible chapters often misses the overall intended chapter theme but when you examine like numbered chapters together the common theme is more easily seen. Below I've described how I think the text in these chapters fits the pattern or directly relates to the role and appearance of the Kinsman redeemer.

Genesis 25 – As the firstborn Esau had the birthrights of his father Isaac property's but despised these birthrights (v34) and thus was abandoning the property which was Legally his. In a similar way that a kinsman redeemer purchases the rights to a widow whose husband is no longer alive, Jacob redeemed these birthrights with the price of some bread and red bean stew (body and blood of Christ). Gen 25:33 And Jacob said, "First swear to me"; so he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob.

Exodus 25 -- God (Jesus) gives instructions to Moses for preparing the Arc and the Mercy Seat for Jesus Return --Exo 25:22 "There I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat…I will speak to you about all that I will give you…

Leviticus 25 -- God (Jesus) speaks to Moses at Mt. Sinai instructing him on the year of restoration (Jubilee) 25:25 speaks of the Kinsman Redeemer which we know is a pattern of Jesus return - Lev 25:25 'If a fellow countryman of yours becomes so poor he has to sell part of his property, then his nearest kinsman is to come and buy back what his relative has sold.

Numbers 25 - God declares all the leaders of the people are to be hung before the sun God of Moab because they have turned away from him, but then a Medianite man and women were brought to the sight of Moses and the congregation and were pierced through together and killed stopping the plague that killed 24,000 (24=the day of the Lord). So the killing of this man and woman stopped the plagued and saved (redeemed) the leaders of Israel -- Num 25:8 and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and pierced both of them through, the man of Israel and the woman, through the body. So the plague on the sons of Israel was checked.

Deuteronomy 25 --The rules of redemption for the Kinsman Redeemer over a widow -- Deu 25:5 "When brothers live together and one of them dies...Her husband's brother shall go in to her and take her to himself as wife and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her.

1Samuel 25 – Evil Nabal ignored King David's requests and David's set out with 400 men to take Vengeance on him and his people. But Nabal's wife Abigail when out to meet David and fell at his feet offering him gifts she had brought on her donkey to save (redeem) the people from David's wrath. -- 1Sam 25:32 Then David said to Abigail, "Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me—Abigail's actions saved the people and turned away David's wrath and David later married Abigail.

2Kings 25 – Because God's people had turned away from him Jerusalem had been besieged, leaders killed and treasures taken- God's precious city had become abandoned. After 37 years the King of Babylon came and freed King Jehoiachin from prison, changed his clothes and was restored all the days of his life (redeemed) -- 2Kin 25:27 Now it came about in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah...Evil-merodach king of Babylon...released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison;

1Chronicles 25 – 288 people selected by lot (asking God) to serve and prophesy under the direction of the King and others to give thanks to God (sing) exalt God. – (I'm sure there is a tie to the theme of 25 here somewhere, but it is not apparent to me at this time)

2Chronicles 25—In this chapter we find the negative side of the number 25 as it shows the consequences to those what are turned away from God and the redeemer when Jesus returns. Amaziah King of Judah turned from the Lord and refused his prophets. When the King of Israel came to him for battle, Judah fell and Amaziah was taken prisoner. 2Chr 25:21 So Joash king of Israel went up, and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth-shemesh, which belonged to Judah. Fits the theme of 25 in that when the redeemer came he turned away those that had turned away from God.

Job 25—In a response to Job's comments in the previous chapter asking why times of judgment are not kept by God and recognizing that justice will come later as determined by God, Bildad says that no man can ever stand justified before God (in his presence). Although not obvious, the text refers to when Justice will finally come with the redeemer (dominion and fear are with God v2-Other numbers associated with this verse seem to confirm this is a reference to Jesus) in the time when God chooses.– Job 25:3 "Is there any number to His troops? And upon whom does His light not rise?

Psalms 25—The Psalmist sings about how he waits for the Lord return and save him--Psa 25:21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for You. v22 Redeem Israel, O God, Out of all his troubles.

Proverbs 25—Warns of proper actions upon the Lord's Return—Verses 5,6 and 7 all speak of being in the presence of the king. when the King comes not to go out and argue our case with him or his reproach will be on us--Prov 25:6 Do not claim honor in the presence of the king, And do not stand in the place of great men;

Isaiah 25—Isaiah speaks of the future appearance of the Lord--Isa 25:9 And it will be said in that day, "Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation."

Jerimiah 25—Tells of the coming Day of the Lord when Jesus appears from heaven--Jer 25:30 …'The LORD will roar from on high And utter His voice from His holy habitation…

Ezekiel 25—Speaks of the coming Day of the Lord and judgments of God against nations--Eze 25:17 "I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes; and they will know that I am the LORD when I lay My vengeance on them.'"

Matthew 25—Parables speaking of Jesus 2nd Return-- The Ten Virgins that went out to meet the Bridegroom --Matt 25:19 "Now after a long time the master of those slaves *came and *settled accounts with them.

Acts 25—Chief priests and leaders were seeking Pauls condemnation and death and he is brought before Festus and appeals to Rome. Festus finds no fault in him and sends him "up" to Rome thus in this chapter we see a parallel to appearing before a redeemer and being saved and sent up as if unto heaven. Act 25:24-25 …the people of the Jews appealed…loudly declaring that he ought not to live any longer. v25 "But I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death; and since he himself appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.MOST OBVIOUS EXAMPLES
In addition to the chapter theme support for number 25 there are many related textual and verse references supporting the theme as well. Following examples are selected examples. (Don't be surprised when you see a 2:5 verse being counted as 25—I explain how these number references work in my book.Exo 25:1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (Jesus with Moses?)

Lev 25:1 The LORD then spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai, saying, (Jesus with Moses?)

Lev 25:25 'If a fellow countryman of yours becomes so poor he has to sell part of his property, then his nearest kinsman is to come and buy back what his relative has sold.

1Sam 1:25 Then they slaughtered the bull, and brought the boy to Eli. (The boy dedicated to God is brought before the priest)

Eze 1:25 And there came a voice from above the expanse that was over their heads; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings. (events occurring as Jesus returns)

Joel 2:5 With a noise as of chariots They leap on the tops of the mountains,…Like a mighty people arranged for battle. (events occurring as Jesus returns)

Matt 1:25 but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus. (A reference to Jesus, God's Son, physical return to earth).

Matt 2:5 They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: (where will Jesus return?-Bethlehem)

Matt 25:1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. (meeting Jesus upon his return)

Matt 25:2 "Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. (referring to those standing before Jesus—Note that 5*5=25. not a coincidence)

Mrk 1:25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!" (events associated with appearances of Jesus)

Luke 2:5 in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. (A reference to Jesus physical return).

Luke 12:40 "You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect." -- (A reference to Jesusphysical return).

John 5:25 "… an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. -- (A reference to Jesus physical return).

Rev 2:5 '…I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place--unless you repent. (A reference to Jesus, God's Son, physical return to earth).

Evidence for inspired chapter/verse numbers: The 144,000

There's tons of evidence in the Bible that demonstrates God has actually inspired chapter and verse numbers assigned to scripture--a claim we would imagine impossible since history says these were arbitrarily assigned back in the 14-1500s as an aid for us to reference the text. Little were we aware that even though men thought they were doing this, God was silently working to make sure everything in the Bible was being prepared exactly as he intended.

This is just one evidence of 1000s so I'm only presenting it as such and not expecting anyone to believe inspiration of verse references because of this example. But I am presenting it to hopefully get your interest through fun examples.

Note that Revelation 14:3 mentions the 144,000 as the only ones who could learn the song being taught. This sets up the next verse to describe the 144,000 and is the best description of them in the Bible. Note the verse reference:

Rev 14:3 ...no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth. Rev 14:4 These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb.

Did you see the verse reference that is evidence for God inspired chapter and verse reference numbers? Do you think it coincidence the reference is 14:4 (144)? Of course, it could be, but the preponderance of so many evidences like this overwhelm our ability to dismiss this miracle as happenstance.

God is Good. Look at the following additional examples and note how the numbers in the text just happen to line up perfectly with chapter and verse references. Note that in Hebrew numbers, the order of the digits was not important when calculating the number meanings of things--thus 24 is the same as 42 and 26 the same as 62.

Gen 7:2 "You shall take with you of every clean animal by sevens, a male and his female; and of the animals that are not clean two, a male and his female;

2Kin 2:24 When he looked behind him and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two lads of their number.

Dan 9:26 "Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.

The Bible is precise and God inspired for all of it's 31,102 verses and 1189 chapters. Nothing out of order, nothing missing, nothing added and all references have direct symbolic relationship with the text.

My new book The Bible's Redemption Plan and Numeric Map

I have 200 copies printed for my promotional efforts but the official publishing via Xulon will not be complete until April. Keep watching for more details and public reaction to this understandably impossible claim. There is no doubt everything we humanly understand about the Bible says the Redemption Pattern and Numeric map cannot exist...but evidence for it is well documented and too preponderous to dismiss. We will see what the public has to say.

Following is back cover text...

Not a code, but the discovery of an unbelievable pattern in the Bible!

The Bible's Numeric Map reveals God not only inspired the Bible's text, but also divinely numbered every book, chapter, and verse to point to His ten step plan of redemption. An astounding claim we cannot imagine to be true—but it is. Here are a few of thousands of surprising clues revealing the Bible's supernatural organization.

• MIDDLE CHAPTER: Psalm 117 is the shortest and only two-verse chapter: "Praise the LORD, all nations; Laud Him, all peoples!" is divinely located exactly as the center chapter.
  
• THE 1,000th CHAPTER: John 3:16, the keystone verse for Christianity, says, "…for God so loved the world…." God strategically placed it in the Bible's special 1,000th chapter.
  
• THE 24,000th VERSE: Matthew 24:42 "be on the alert…you do not know the day nor the hour…." The verse at the intersection of five different references to number 24. It is the 24,000th verse in the 24th chapter with verse number 42 (24) and chapter and verse text both focus on The "Day" (24 hours) of the Lord.
  
• REDEMPTION PATTERN: The Ten Commandments, Lord's Prayer, Beatitudes—every list and number in the Bible as well as book, chapter and verse numbering—all follow the ten-part redemption pattern. This pattern validates the Bible's perfection, reveals God's redemption plan and guides biblical interpretation.
  

This book reveals themes for numbers and how they clarify our understanding of God's Word. See many examples such as how the Bible's 22 chapters, numbered 22, all contain themes pointing to Jesus. Observe the amazing Numeric Map and Redemption Plan God placed in the Bible you use today. This book guides anyone in discovering the truth of these patterns for themselves and how they are easily put to use.

Bible Study-Chapter Themes-In Plain Sight

In all my 30+ years as a Christian I've never been taught how words found in a chapter can help us find the chapter theme. It seems so clear to me that I find it hard to believe I'm the only one that has seen this...no matter...look how easy it can be to see below the obvious to unearth chapter themes.

Using Colossians 4 as an example - look at my highlights below to see if a chapter theme seems to emerge... One bible I have labels this chapter "Prayer, wisdom and personal greetings" and it is true, these things are there, but every chapter has a message and this title is not much help to understanding it. I think the overall message of this chapter is to share the word and encourage others to do the same. It's about communication, writing, speaking, making contact. I've used the KJV here for copyright issues so you may find in your own translation the message is even more clear.

Watch chapters for content that seems related in any way that would suggest a theme. The Bible communicates more than what we first observe...look deeper for the treasures!

Col 4:1 Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

Col 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

Col 4:3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:

Col 4:4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

Col 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

Col 4:6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Col 4:7 All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:

Col 4:8 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;

Col 4:9 With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.

Col 4:10 Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;)

Col 4:11 And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.

Col 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

Col 4:13 For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

Col 4:14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.

Col 4:15 Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.

Col 4:16 And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.

Col 4:17 And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.

Col 4:18 The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.

Matthew Chapter 6 - Seeking God from our hearts

A theme of Matthew chapter 6 is that we can only receive God's rewards by seeking God and his approval from the secret place in our heart. "Practicing our righteousness" for men to see will not result in the reward we truly need which is to receive the incredible gift Jesus gave as his life for us as payment for sin.

The chapter keeps reminding us those who seek approval and the notice of men will not be rewarded--IE given eternal life but will only receive the rewards men can give. Joshua the 6th book of the Bible is about crossing over the Jordan into the new land and six is symbolic of our finally deciding to accept God's plan of redemption, cross over the "River of Life--Jesus" to the new land. God goes ahead of us but we must make the decision and take the action to cross which involves turning from sin thus making sacrifices and going and fighting battles to remove strongholds of sin in our life. Then we can enter step seven of God's Redemption Plan in which God promises to shepherd us to becoming complete.

Matt 6:6 "But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. (NASB)

The Bible tells us we are judged by what the Holy Spirit reveals about our heart condition. Verse 6:6 uses the word "Secret" which might better be said as "inwardly" or from the heart. The reference to our inner rooms seems a reference such as go to our heart and soul and talk to god from there. The phrase "WHO IS IN SECRET" seems a reference to the Holy Spirit which is there dwelling in us and this presence of God in us will see our actions and thus will reward us (The HS is the part of God in us that speaks/reports to God on our behalf).

WILL REWARD YOU: Strong's defines the word used for reward as to Give something of one’s self to another or to pay off a debt or things promised under oath. Thus, this fits the chapter theme which is about seeking God alone for our reward which as he promised is the eternal life he gives to us as a gift paying off our debt for sin.

Of course, this does not mean not to do good things people can see, but that our reward can only come from an internal heartfelt relationship with God.

The closing verse tells us we need not worry about tomorrow if we do these things, but take care of today which is having a relationship with God. Once we have done that God considers us his children and as a faithful parent will lead us to becoming complete. Thus, no need to worry about tomorrow (IE Eternal Life) if we have taken care of these things today.

Matthew 20:6, 12 - Jews accepting Jesus at the 11th hour

Matthew chapter 20 in the parable of the workers of the vineyard tells how the man that worked all day was paid no more than the man who did not begin serving until the eleventh hour, something most of us would consider unfair. But the story is not about getting paid fairly but rather about those who are called to accept Jesus as their Lord and savior. This parable is about Jews who have in their own minds worked hard for God for so many years and one day finally accept Jesus as contrasted with Jews who may have ignored god altogether and in the last hour before the end - finally come to Jesus. The point is that it was not about the work but about doing what was agreed on and expected. There will be rewards in heaven regarding our fruit which will be fair but as far as salvation goes, that's a basic agreement we either meet or we don't.

Waiting until the last hour will likely cost us in rewards but the important part is that we don't wait until it is too late. Most importantly, we don't get into heaven through effort - those who say to themselves "...I'm not perfect but am a pretty good person..." are definitely in trouble with their eternal status. Nobody is good enough, God only accepts those that accept his terms which are actually very simple--accept Jesus as Lord and savior, then serve him demonstrating your sincerity.

Matt 20:6 "And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day long?' ... v12 saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.'


Of course, the same verses apply to all who have not yet accepted Jesus -- there is still time before the end...


--Matt 25:13 "Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.