Rather than negating a conclusion built upon the meaning of number 8 in the last post, correcting a maths mistake gives some credence to my conjecture.

In On 800th anniversary of Magna Carta I made a mistake over the passage of time that had elapsed and thank RJ Dawson for correcting me. (He’s author of Real Christianity, the Nature of the Church.)

In fact, this adjustment points us towards a better perspective on man-made laws and the related application of biblical numbers.

[Note: I’m not considering or advocating any unscriptural notions on numbers. Having been deeply involved in New Age I’m well aware of the differences between the Bible’s use of numbers and the claims of numerology.]

That post stated last Monday starts the 8th century since Magna Carta’s declaration in 1215 AD, whereas we’re now in its 9th century. After referring to the Bible’s meaning of number 8 I considered how that may give significance to some recent events.

That count was an elementary error against which I’d quickly checked, yet nevertheless I made the sort of mistake I’ve known about since school. When blogging about cycles it’s often been at the back of my mind. So I’ve given myself a dressing down!  Criticism that it’s simply ‘confirmation bias’ (ie. wanting to see a related result) is understandable. It’s plausible that desiring things to tie neatly together would lead to noticing this 800th anniversary falls at a time of perceived changes in the church and society.

However, it’s more likely the issue arose because this week’s been busily interspersed with three half days’ of travelling, replying to correspondence and some meetings – not conducive to continuity or clarity in lengthy posts. Even so, we learn something even more pertinent through that maths mistake.

Let me explain: the first year of life isn’t completed until 12 months have passed. On the anniversary of baby’s birth (or something’s start) the person/thing is one year old – 1st birthday. So every number has two main uses, as an ‘integer’ or whole number counted in its own right, or else as an ‘ordinal’ having a position in a series (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.).

Thus, as regards the Magna Carta being 800 years old last Monday, its 800th year was from 16th June 2014 to 15th June 2015. Its first century was from 1215 to 1315 and so its 8×100 years or 8th century was 1915 to 2015. So we’re now in its 9th century. It’s the same reason for referring to 2015 as being in 21st and not 20th Century.

In correcting that post two points pop-up to bring a new perspective:

• number 8’s meaning relating to centuries is more clearly demonstrated, and
• the meaning of the newly started 9th 100-year cycle is even more significant!

The previous post has now been tidied and the two original short sections deleted. They are amended to read as follows:

The meaning of 9

Monday 15th June 2015 started the 9th century since the issue in 1215 of Magna Carta. Number ‘9’ appears 7×7 times in the Bible and, being symbolic of divine completeness,  it conveys the meaning of finality and judgement.

During Jesus’ crucifixion ‘darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour’ (Luke 21:44). The Bible Study Site states He died at the 9th hour to make the way of salvation open to everybody. Also, Yom Kippur (Jewish Day of Atonement, in Sept-Oct) is the only one of God’s annual feast days of worship that requires believers to fast for one day. Considered by many Jews to be the holiest of the year, this special day begins at sunset on the 9th day of the seventh Hebrew month Tishri (Lev 23:32).

On the Hebrew Calendar, the total destruction of Jerusalem’s temple began on 9th Ab (July-August). Also on this day, the second temple (ie. Herod’s temple) was burned to the ground by the Romans in 70 AD. It continues to be regarded as a day of tragedy.

Also, according to Galatians 5:22 there are nine fruits of the Holy Spirit, which manifest as positive character traits.

9th cycle of centuries

Thus, the 9th cycle of 100 years is likely to be significant for finality and judgement. As for Britain, the following changes noted in this blog may be preparatory for drawing this Age to a close with the return of Jesus Christ:

• improving spiritual atmosphere noted by visiting Christian leaders,
• many prophetic words of promise delivered/declared over these lands,
• increasing activity of the Holy Spirit within the British Isles.

If, as we believe, the Lord was acting behind the scenes at the general election, we can expect this to continue in the political realm and, hopefully, to bless this nation and its leaders with a real return to righteousness. This doesn’t negate the need to pray such change through to manifestation (Rev Dr Stone’s remarks at #4 of my post refer).

We’d expect this meaning of ‘9’ as ‘finality’ would incorporate the shaking and implicit, consequential exposure prophesied in Hebrews 12:26. As regards man-made laws it’s very pertinent to note that Britain’s judiciary and government offices have been accused of not having clean hands – ie. corruption!

Based upon findings reported by World Justice Project and Transparency International,  The Commentator announced last Saturday in Shame and disgrace: UK 2nd tier nation on law, corruption:

We don’t even make the top 10, despite what we were all brought up to believe, in either the corruption or rule of law indices put out recently by the leading analytical organisations in the world. In some respects, the current reality is truly appalling.

By the close of that 8th century British law introduced a change to marriage contrary to the purpose defined by God.  As the start of the 9th century since Magna Carta may be likened unto ‘as in the Days of Noah and Lot’, as foretold by Jesus, let’s look out for the consequential outcome of this legislative defiance.

According to the above biblical meaning of 9 we have additional grounds upon which to expect the Lord to bring about finality and judgement.

Further observations

The meaning of 8

Biblically ‘8’ signifies a new beginning, as in Genesis with the second week of creation continuing after the Almighty rested for a day, and in the new creation after the Flood with the survival of only 8 persons. There are not a few other significant references to that number – especially Jesus’ name in Greek – as in The Bible Study Site.

8th cycle of centuries: 1915 -2015

History shows how that symbolism of a refreshing, new beginning applies in respect of man-made law to the 8th cycle of 100 years since Magna Carta.

That ‘century’ began on 16th June 1915 at a time when women were not permitted to vote or to stand in elections for parliament in Britain even though our colonies of New Zealand and then Australia already had women’s suffrage since the turn of 19th/20th Century!  Here, the Women’s Social and Political Union, or ‘Suffragettes’ as they were known, was founded in October 1903 by Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst and took a radical, militant approach to their gaining the right to vote because previous debate had failed.

The Great War, however, changed British perceptions of women when the government issued an urgent appeal for women to serve their country by signing up for vital work in agriculture, nursing, industry, especially in munitions factories, by setting up a Register of Women for War Service in March 1915.

This freed up more men for military service and was welcomed by the Suffragettes. Two years later the PM Lloyd George stated a bill to enfranchise women over the ago of 30 years would be introduced and in that June the House of Commons voted by a huge majority to give wives of that age the vote.

We should note that negotiations were also well under way for issuing the Balfour Declaration on 9th November 1917. This gave British support to the establishment of a permanent Jewish national homeland in Palestine after the fall of the Ottoman Empire.

Other Magna Carta centennials

The following centennials from my Pocket Book of Dates & Events by David Herman are noteworthy as regards the English crown and law:

• 1415 – Henry V revives English claim to French throne, invades France and defeats French at Agincourt.
• (1517 Martin Luther issues his 95 Theses challenging Roman Church).
• 1715 – Jacobite rising in Scotland in support of son of James II.
• 1815 – Battle of Waterloo: French army under ex-Emperor Napoleon defeated by allied British, Prussian and Dutch armies. Also this year, Prussian and Austrian monarchies restored, German Confederation established and Kingdom of Netherlands unites Belgium and Holland.

Today marks 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo!