Category Archives: Numbers

Includes Hebrew & Greek alphabets/numerology

A deep insight from Hebrew: ‘God’s Signature’

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This extract from my post of 18 June 2014 Holy Treasure of ‘The Open Door’ sets the scene for where science and scripture may meet in mathematics, which we shall cover next.:

God's Signature - coverThis year I’m dipping into an easy-to-read primer on Hebrew by Steve Maltz, God’s Signature, and any reference by me simply cannot do it justice. Steve’s explanations of the language’s essential contribution to the creation and meaning of scripture are just like being with a tour guide who drops gems of insights as we meander around famous sights. Starting from the premise that the Bible is God’s word to us, Steve promises to answer questions of who wrote it, how manuscript evidence can be traced, how errors are detected and who decided what material to put in the Bible, but first explains the important difference between the Hebrew and Greek mindsets.

That difference arises from the origins of the Hebrew language lying in pictographic symbols of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet, of which each symbol conveyed a defined visual meaning. From this developed the Phoenician-Old Hebrew form of geometrical shapes for those symbols, which eventually led to Biblical Hebrew letters.

To illustrate this concept Steve shows those alphabets’ characters for ‘shepherd’. Next he asks, why did God use Hebrew? In answering he shows those stages for the Hebrew for “word”, davar, which is composed of three consonants only – dvr – as shown below. Note the inclusion and use of dalet:

God's Signature - page 9Interesting? Surely an understatement!

The symbolical characters give such an obvious yet revelatory insight when we recall the Gospel according to John opens by describing Jesus as “The Word of God”, then tells of His coming into the world and the unique privilege He brought to those who would receive Him – the right to become children of God (verse 12).

Therefore, Jesus is the pathway, or entrance, into God’s mind, exactly as He states in John 14:6 above. (See original post for more on this concept.)

Of particular interest for our purposes is Steve’s examination of dalet itself:

God's Signature - page 32

The author goes on to state the root verb as dlh, or dala, meaning that which hangs down, or the idea of letting down or drawing up, as with a bucket in a well. Thus, for this comes the word for bucket, dly or daliy.  It seems so mundane but the beauty of Hebrew is it can have a spiritual application, for which Steve quotes Psalm 30:1 and Proverbs 20:5 use of dalah, viz:

I will exalt you, O LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths.

The purposes of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.

Also, Psalm 141:3 has a vivid way of using dalet to describe a mouth as “door of my lips” – Set a guard over my mouth O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.

daletAnd in Jeremiah 36:23, dalet is used for ‘columns’ in “four columns of the scroll”. In other words, as columns hang off a central spine or side of a manuscript, Steve points out that “the word dalet has been used for the simple reason we have something (the “columns”) hanging”.

Hence, the clear sense that there is a doorway of opportunity for us to go through this year. Have you sensed, or even seen it?

It’s time for serious disciples of the Lord, to approach the threshold and enter and break through into what He has for us.

Advice/Cautionary Note

Let’s reconsider some special points Jesus gave His disciples as ‘one who teaches with authority’, unlike religious leaders, from his extensive instruction known as ‘The Sermon on the Mount’ (Matthew chapters 5 to 7):

“Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

“For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened…

…seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteous and all these things shall be added to you…

“I did not come to destroy (what’s written in the Law or the Prophets) but to fulfill…For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees you will by no means enter the Kingdom of Heaven…

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad the way that leads to destruction…Not everyone who says to me “Lord, Lord” shall enter the Kingdom, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven…

“Therefore, whoever hears and does these sayings of Mine is like a wise man who built his house on the rock: and when the rains, floods and winds came upon it, it did not fall, for it was founded upon the rock…”

“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” (John 14:23 NKJV emphases added)

 Amen

Further reading:

[Images from God’s Signature courtesy Terra Nova Publications International Ltd. Steve’s book is available from his website sppublishing.com as well as from Amazon. Be blessed]

Number 7 and My Journey into Freedom

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This blog post is more like ‘which came first, the chicken or the egg?’  The above title may be back to front because it began as My Journey To Freedom and Number 7. I trust you too will be encouraged by my explanation of that conundrum.

Here’s what happened.:

A friend who organises social breakfasts asked me to tell my story about becoming a Christian. I guess she’d dipped into it on this blog – yet that’s only a brief bit. But how can I deliver the whole lot in speech and not as script? On top of that, when editing my original account I found nostalgia took me down a ‘rabbit hole’ and wasted time.

Only then did I do what I should have done at the outset – ask myself what I wanted to say. I’d put the cart before the horse! I now jotted the main points and was surprised to find there’s 7. Now that’s encouraging for it suggests everything’s ok. Nina thought so too when I did a test run with her. Now please note, we’re not the sort of folk who look for meaning, symbolism and significance in things, although we appreciate the possibility.

[Readers of long standing may note my interest in coincidences arises after events, not in expectant anticipation or forecasting future connections. My discernment of links in ‘God-incidents’ possibly arises from my training in scientific observation and analysis as a disinterested participant. It’s claimed ‘fact is stranger than fiction’, which is why I’ve always tended to steer away from novels. Furthermore, after laying down my ‘old self’ after rebirth in Christ I’ve also avoided my past interests.]

HAH! Upon finalising my Tuesday’s talk I now find its crib-notes done as l a r g e print total 7 pages! What else! What other quantity should I have expected?

In the Bible number 7 is symbolic of divine perfection, and I believe this is understood in other cultures too. Time is measured in units of 7 days – the calendar week. Genesis, the Book of Creation, states everything was created in 7 days with the last being when God was satisfied and rested upon completing His work of creation.

If the concept of a weekly cycle is applied to that of the year then 1/7th equates to 52 days and a ‘design purpose’ for the year’s seventh 1/7th could be that of resting before another cycle starts. That had been in mind in Pause 4 thought when musing about having unexpectedly arrived at the close of a personal cycle. So, it made sense to take a more relaxed pace over August and September and await any changes.

PRINCIPLE OF 7 AND MY JOURNEY

Now, a few weeks later, ‘7’ has got my attention once again and so I take notice and new notions drop into mind like inspired potions infused from ‘above’. As my task is to talk about my past, it is as though a door has opened for me to see and walk through in my spirit. Whilst writing, I recollect the Hebrew date for this ‘new year’ not only signifies an open door but is also shaped like a 7; although as the 4th letter of Hebrew alphabet it denotes No. 4. (Not mentioned in The door to a ‘new season’.)

My first thoughts were:

  • 7 years are said to complete a growth cycle, as in ‘Seven ages of man/woman’.
  • so it’s appropriate to consider seven’s multiples, 14, 21, 28, etc, as cyclic too.
  • major changes or significant events happened on or around the 7th, 14th & 21st anniversaries of my Christian walk.
  • my personal life took hugely significant changes of direction at each 3 x 7 years, ie. every 21 years and around my birthdays. Number 3 denotes completion and unity.

These notions were confirmed last night when I learned the 7th letter of the Hebrew alphabet is Zayin (pronounced ZAH-yeen) and then read John Parson’s comment,

Since Zayin represents both the number 7 and a sword, it is not surprising that it is used to divide or ‘cut up’ time into units of sevens (The Letter Zayin, emphasis added)

Perhaps you’d like to check all this yourself and see if it may apply to you too?  Only a couple of days after realising the significance of those aspects I heard a contact-lady at our online US-church mention a couple of major traumas in her family life. I noticed they were seven years apart. (She’s since confirmed having had personal insights on this – thank you W.)

In addition to the above link, more information may be found on Biblical Numerology at Christianity.About.com. and on the Biblical Meaning of the Number Seven at The Bible Wheel.

So which came first, my journey or several number 7s? Of course, objectively I noticed all the events before, during and since gaining my freedom. Recognising they’re linked inextricably with number 7, then I must conclude the spiritual principle was the active and persistent power orchestrating those events, as in the scale of 7 musical notes.

Thus, 7 came, and comes, first.

Should you wish to continue reading about my journey into freedom, please click here  for its first ‘leg’ or installment.

INFO – installments of original (2013):
  1. No 7 and my journey into freedom
  2. “You shouldn’t be at our school!”
  3. Searching for truth leads me into captivity
  4. The last day of my life came ‘like a thief in the night’
  5. Rescued from Satan by The Lord of Hosts
  6. The real Truth delivers me from captivity
  7. Confirmations of the reality of my visionary encounter

[Images courtesy of Stoon at Freedigitalphotos.net and Melissa at Definingwords.com]

2/12, 1st Sunday in Advent 2012

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WHAT A DAY, WHAT A DATE!  And what a story; whether it be past, present or future version, each strand links into the grand theme. As some say, history is His story. So today’s post is more an illustrated short, but true, story.

In western churches Sunday 2nd December 2012 marks the beginning of Advent – the weeks of expectant preparation leading into celebrating Jesus Christ’s birth in ancient Bethlehem. For too many weeks, however, shops have displayed the tacky commercial side of the season.

So it is interesting to note Wikipedia’s entry on Advent, and I was especially surprised upon its emphasis being not upon Jesus’ birth, but upon His return, viz.:

Latin adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, commonly used in reference to the Second Coming of Christ. For Christians, the season of Advent anticipates the coming of Christ from two different perspectives. The season offers the opportunity to share in the ancient longing for the coming of the Messiah, and to be alert for his Second Coming. The theme of readings and teachings during Advent is often to prepare for the Second Coming while commemorating the First Coming of Christ at Christmas. With the view of directing the thoughts of Christians to the first coming of Jesus Christ as savior and to his second coming as judge, special readings are prescribed for each of the four Sundays in Advent….

Readers familiar with my personal story may recall Advent’s significance in this blog’s raison d’etre (details at close of this post).  And once again I’m astonished by something relevant, and which I hope will be an encouragement to readers seeking God or already walking with Him. So let your imagination follow me in what happened…

Last Sunday

‘On a roll’ getting off to church I realised I wasn’t carrying my hefty New King James study Bible so, approaching our front door, I grabbed my old New International Version Insight Bible. After scraping thick frost off the car’s windows I drove off. It’s an easy 22 miles via the 1-year old Hindhead Tunnel, and bursting through into brilliant sunlight brought splendid views over the Surrey hills.

Tunnel - Surrey side

A mother and baby were picked up en-route and, arriving later than usual at a school cafe outside Godalming, there was time for a quick coffee before the service started at Well Church International. The young chap on guitar leads those gathered in worship of the Living God. As everyone focuses upon Jesus, however, “John 13” pops into mind. So I pick up my Insight Bible from the table and check it out, trying not to distract others.

My old, floppy paperback Bible is well-worn, some verses covered in yellow highlighter and marginalia jottings on teachers’ remarks, and my own thoughts, as seen below…

“John 13-14Is there something specifically for me to read in John13, Lord?”  The headers therein are ‘Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet’, ‘Jesus Predicts His Betrayal’, ‘Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial’. Nothing stood out other than verse 13, “A new command I give you: Love one another….By this all men will know you are my disciples” Then it leads into chapter 14 where Jesus tells them not to be troubled about what’s going to happen, that He’s going to, “Father’s house…to prepare a place for you. I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the place to where I am going…”

Thomas butts in, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way there?” Jesus answered him with that well-known personal attestation,

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you really knew Me, you would know My Father as well. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.” (John 14:6-7)

I notice my annotation in red made during a conference 7 years ago, then ponder if any of this may be of signficance – and what that may be!

John 14 notePutting my Bible down I get back into worship – only to pick it up minutes later to focus upon those verses. A few minutes later young Danny motors straight into a new song about the door into heaven – and my jaw drops. I’ve just read that in my jottings!

Seven years ago a teacher said verse 14:6 means, “I am the doorway into Father’s throne-room; I open heaven” (see note in red in image to left). A couple of minutes later I go to the front and read this scripture and refer to my explanatory note to encourage everyone.

Mmmm very interesting, especially in view of what had happened only last week.

Later, sitting at the table and completing our offering envelope I question myself about the date. “Yesterday was Nina’s annual spiritual birthday party, that is 1st Dec so it’s 2nd”, I thought. THEN, the moment I start writing ‘2/12…’ I’m hit by that number. [For her birthday card I’d wanted to quote the opening lines of Psalm 91 and took out an old NIV of hers only to find she’d annotated it’s start with ‘God our protector’. So I used those words for her card. As evident from these two events, it’s clear that He knows our jottings!]

I’d had occasion to discover ‘212’ again just before writing about this blog’s anniversary, as here.  Last December I’d been impressed with the possible connection of a house number with the new year of 2012.  After all, it’s just any old house, any old number. Yet between then and now a tiny thought had made me wonder if it may be something to do with an actual date in 2012. Then I completely forgot all about that!  Until now, that is.

But that was nothing to what was to follow…

Our minister Lindi Masters had returned home to South Africa for Christmas but not without printing December’s diary sheet. Copies of this were on each table and I’d not had chance to see it until after our visiting German pastor’s message.  After he finished I took the sheet and turning over was stunned!

Dec 2012 reverseThere, on its reverse, is a copy of the latest news-letter from Paul Keith Davis but abridged to make ‘The Open Door’ its leading sub-header!  AND it just so happens I’d received my own copy of his newsletter only three days earlier – AND during that very night, whilst wide-awake, I’d already been blessed to see the door to which he refers!  As I’d lain awake in bed but eyes closed, I sensed in the middle of darkness an open doorway, but devoid of door, and beyond which was nothing but gentle light. (Click on image to read, and for full content Paul Keith’s newsletter click here.)

No wonder I was utterly stunned in amazement by these three ‘coincidences’ on the ‘open door’!  Is it all a ‘sign and a wonder’?  Bemused, I next recalled that the ‘212’ house number of my childhood home was affixed to the top of the front door. So could the insertion of a zero suggest an open door, or portal, indicating that 212 could become 2o12?  This speaks to me of two kinds of home addresses, one earthly and the other heavenly. I wonder…

Note: the date of my Bible’s note is ‘3.3.5’, which is exactly 7 years 9 months ago, or 93 months ago. Although not into detailed numerical anlysis I can’t but help noting these digits total 12 (9+3=12), and we’re in the 12th month of the 12th year of this century.

All told, an exciting start to Advent. What could it portend?

Further reading:

Blog’s Birthday

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Readers may like to know yesterday marked the first birthday of this blog!

We weren’t sailing off Salcombe, for it’s not a celebratory event – but we did have an enjoyable and relaxing evening at Well Church social party. I went disguised in a black-mop of a wig, and Nina wore a headpiece – a pair of short antlers and Christmas ball ear-rings (photos censored)!

I wish to express my huge gratitude to Nina for her patience on those days when most of the time is spent researching and writing – bless you sweetheart.  My appreciation also goes to the first folk who saw fit to follow my musings: Daniel, Paul, Gillan, Roger and Tony (and for his many contributions) amongst several personal friends who took the plunge after having put up with my earlier emails.  Heartfelt thanks to everyone as you read, whether regularly dipping in here or not.

It wasn’t until a couple of weeks ago that I bothered to find out about the fuller aspects of WordPress’ site statistics and was astonished. As I write, the total number of views is just twenty short of 10,000!  Staggering, I’ve just checked again to make sure it’s right. I never thought anyone would be sufficiently interested to visit this blog – so thank you.

I was also surprised to find that one item posted in January has been a regular top-hit throughout the year and its count is head and shoulders above all others. That posting is A prophetic word for 2012 from Dr Sharon Stone, which I will update with an abridged version of my transcript of what she shared as being from the Lord for 2013. (The words concerning hurricane Sandy were only one part of the whole revelation.)

Readers who appreciate numbers and coincidences may be intrigued by this statistical fact.:

No. of published posts, including 64 uploaded pre-blog emails = 201
No. redundant notes (re. uploading), so withdrawn = 3
No. published static, or menu, pages = 30

Total = 234, but this includes 22 ‘reblogs’ from other people’s blogs

So, my personally authored total = 212

Now, this happens to be a personally significant number, as explained in Part 3 of my personal testimony. That was written last December (2011) and two months Iater my ‘hunch’ was unexpectedly confirmed by an ordinary event. Therefore, I amended that post’s concluding paragraphs as follows:

“These events started in 1989 and culminated in 1995 with its prime confirmation. Yet more was to come!  Sixteen years later upon revisiting this story for the purposes of this blog, I was surprised by a couple more insights that dropped unbidden into mind. One was tantalising: could the street number of my childhood home (212) possibly be significant in pointing toward the coming year? That is, to 2012! 

“Could that notion be true?  Such musing would be confirmed in a fascinating numerical manner at this year’s first Christian conference we were to attend…”

In February 2012 we attended Arise, Frontline Generals conference featuring Patricia King, Sharon Stone and Roberts Liardon. It so happened that, upon parking at the hotel in Torquay where it was being held, I noticed the car’s mileage was showing 212 miles from home to hotel..!!

So that number has now popped up once again – honest, I kid you not!

3 validations point to 2012-13 : part 3 of ‘Death or Destiny?’

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A little time was needed to gain a fuller understanding of that awesome visitation – the absolute holiness of the Lord Jesus Christ in contrast to my personal sinful nature. No wonder I expected to die and was convicted of my sin!

That encounter used two very personal aspects of my life to grab my attention, thereby validating the experience as real, not an imaginary one. Even more amazingly, both validations are directly related to the 1st and 2nd Advents!  Thus, they couldn’t fail to enhance my interest in End-Times and which had been launched a few years years earlier by The Invisible Hand (see herein).

The First Advent was the time when Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea about two thousand years ago. Hence, the four weeks leading into Christmas are designated within the church calendar as Advent, and which start the church year.

The Second Advent is coming soon and is expected to commence in Jerusalem.

First Validation

I inwardly ‘knew’ the heavenly visitor was indeed Jesus, and that the impressive action was a foretaste of his promised return, when He will come in all His power and glory.

The event reminded me of my favourite picture in mother’s Missal, or service book of the Roman Mass.  This gave the content of every Sunday service throughout the year with a diagram symbolising the theme for each service.  As a boy keen on astronomy I’d been fascinated by the picture for First Sunday in Advent. This depicted Jesus standing on the clouds over a burning earth in the midst of sun, moon and falling stars, indicative of events before his Second Advent!

The confirmation referred to above came almost as unusually. On a healing retreat years later, a minister told me God would show me something after lunch. Indeed, after lunch a stranger who’d been seated at my table confided that the Lord told her to show me something she greatly treasured.

christinclouds-lrgIt was a photo taken, it was claimed, from an aircraft over a thunderstorm. When developed, the photo bore an image of Jesus Christ, as though standing within clouds. However, the facial features were hazy, not defined. It was exactly like Jesus in my dream for I had  not seen His face.  (I recall dark, hazy clouds at the foot of the image. This one is published by Bible Probe.)

Upon seeing this photo my legs gave way – I couldn’t stand but fell into a nearby chair! My companion said I went so white she thought I was going to faint or fall.

Yet, just how did a stranger know to show me this photo?  I’d not divulged such a personal dream – she simply said, “It’s the Lord’s doing”.

Second Validation

I was puzzled over the closing element of the dream-event, that is:  upon my reaching towards Jesus’ feet to grasp his robe, it turned into the branch of a Christmas tree!  So, when I tugged, a Christmas tree toppled over and its fairy fell off and onto the floor.

Weird?  Not really, because that spot by the window was where the family Christmas tree used to be erected. It was a corner closely associated with Christmas.

As a devout Catholic, my mother had told me about Jesus from an early age. When I painted pictures I would put a blue stripe at the top of outdoor scenes to represent heaven, as children did. But I’d also draw a Christmas tree in heaven as being Jesus.

Why? Not only had I associated all the wonder of Christmas with his birthday but I also heard an actor  on TV mention his name whilst looking at a small fir tree. So in my childish way I took the actor at his word and would draw Jesus as a Christmas tree.  Hence, the dream changed him to match that image.

At its close, therefore, the dream-event signified the time had come to put away not only childish misconceptions but also all false teachings and replace them with absolute truth – the one who is the Truth in person.

Truly, the most fantastic Christmas present ever – one that’s daily an ever-present encouragement and help in every time of need, no matter how dire. Thank you Lord.

These events started in 1989 and culminated in 1995 with its prime confirmation. Yet more was to come!  Sixteen years later upon revisiting this story for the purposes of this blog, I was surprised by a couple more insights that dropped unbidden into mind. One was tantalising: could the street number of my childhood home (212) possibly be significant in pointing toward the coming year? That is, to 2012!  

Could that notion be true?  Such musing would be confirmed in a fascinating numerical manner at 2012’s first Christian conference we were to attend…Upon our arrival at the venue I was curious about distance driven from home. The car’s odometer was ‘212’ miles!

Third Validation (updated Dec 2013)

Once again, timing proves crucial in presenting another objective confirmation!  Again, had I not been writing about the visitation I would have missed the crucial linkage!

Whilst writing instalments of My Journey Into Freedom I inserted a report on something pertinent that happened at that time in the USA. This came as a ‘new revelatory word’ from the Lord to Revd John Kilpatrick and began at 2:22am. This too, is very interesting on two counts. Numerically, because my birthday falls on a 22nd. Orally, because that word is directly relevant to my dream visitation in referring to the angelic host as well as in closing with Luke 21:28, namely:

But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, lift up your heads, because your redemption is at hand.

My mother’s Missal for the First Sunday of Advent is shown below and notice how the scripture on page 69 links into my personal visitation and what pastor John brought.

[Click to enlarge]

1stSundayAdvent

It’s amusing that the number of hits on this blog passed the 212,000 mark within days of the 4th anniversary of its launch on 21st November 2015.

So a huge thank you goes to every subscriber and regular reader, as well as all visitors – Richard

To find out what happened after the encounter read Rescued from Satan by the Lord of Hosts.

Further reading: