View Full Version : Sign of the covenants
There are so far 2 signs of covenant which God made with men in the OT. One is Rainbow which is the sign of covenant made between God and Noah, the other is Circumcision which is the sign of covenant made between God and Abraham. I have understood perfectly why God used Rainbow as a sign of covenant between God and Noah and its relations with the 7 days of creation, the number 7 and the number 8. Please see:
http://www.biblewheel.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1369
But I have some difficulty in understanding why God used Circumcision in males as a sign of covenant between God and Abraham. Why circumcision and why not other things? What so special about circumcision? Is there any relationships that we can associate with circumcision and God's covenant with Abraham? What did it signify? I have checked on circumcision in wiki but I am not able to find any significant relationships except perhaps that circumcision in males made them cleaner and less prone to sexually transmitted diseases. It may also be a rite to make boys into "masculine males" or adulthood:
I saw from another website in wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumcision_in_the_Bible :
"Uncircumcised" is used synonymously with tame (unclean) for heathen (Isa 52:1). The word 'arel' (uncircumcised) is also employed for "unclean" (Lev. 26:41, "their uncircumcised hearts".
Based on the above websites which seems to suggest that circumcision in males is related to cleanliness and hygiene, turning "innocent boys" to "mature men", I believe that God used circumcision as a sign of covenant with Abraham to signify that when they accept God, they present themselves as clean and pure in the eyes of the Lord; from "innocent boys" to God's people. Circumcision therefore probably means that they have remove their old evil ways of life (the foreskin) and have made themselves clean and presentable to God. In return, God will make Abraham the father of many nations and their descendants and those who were with Abraham, numerous as the sands of the sea and grant the land of Canaan as their everlasting possession.
Genesis 17:3 Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, 4 "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. 5 No longer will you be called Abram [b] ; your name will be Abraham, [c] for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God."
9 Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. 10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. 13 Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant."
Does anyone have further insight?
Here is another website about Circumcision covenant. This time from a Jewish rabbi:
http://judaism.about.com/library/3_askrabbi_o/bl_simmons_circumcisionsign.htm :
In Kabbalistic terms, the foreskin symbolizes a barrier which prevents growth. For example, when the Torah speaks about getting close to God, it calls upon us to "remove the Orlah, the foreskin of your heart" (Deut. 10:16).
When Abraham circumcised himself at age 99, God added the letter "heh" to his name. "Heh" is part of God's own name, signifying that through Bris Milah, the human being adds a dimension of spirituality to the physical body.
It is a foundation of Judaism that we are to control our animal desires and direct them into spiritual pursuits. Nowhere does a person have more potential for expressing "barbaric" behavior than in the sex drive. That's why the Bris is done on this specific organ. If we bring holiness into our life there, then all other areas will follow.
Another aspect of circumcision is that it is integral to Jewish identity.
Many Blessings.
I have heard and studied that the common way of cutting a covenant in ancient cultures such as found in the Middle East was to cut in half an animal, or animals, and to lay the cut pieces on the ground in such a way that both parties could pass through, and between the cut pieces.
Once they both passed from one side to another, the pieces were then torched so that the pieces were assimilated in the fire, and when the embers died, and the smoke cleared, there remained no visible pieces or parts remained. Supposedly, this symbolized that the pieces represented two individuals before being fully comsumed by the fire, and, then, after the fire, the two became one in the flame.
In Genesis 15, God was the only one that passed between the cut pieces that Abram laid out. When God descended as a flaming furnance, and passed through the cut pieces, they were fully burned up. Abram did not pass through at that time.
Later, after Abram had joined with Hagar in a vain attempt to help God in the realization of the promised son, God commanded Abram to complete the covenant ratification. It was at that time that circumcision became the visible sign for Abram (newly named Abraham), and his descendants.
Joel
EndtimesDeut32/70AD
12-27-2009, 05:59 PM
Just a quick reply for now;
Just as the rainbow covenant was a sign to go along with that covenant; I think the circumcision was a sign to go along with another covenant or promise.
I think Abraham was given at least 2 separate distinct over-riding covenants.
One was that Abraham (not Nimrod) and his example of justification by faith would be the carrier of the everlasting covenant of mercy, and that the same spiritual "seed" of Abraham and righteousness by faith/hearing/doing would be spread to individuals of all nations, and also carry the blessing/cursing promise. (Gen 12:3ff).
The second promise was later in Gen 17:7 he is told that the fulfillment of the 'seed' to accomplish the covenant of Mercy would also be in Abraham's generations.
As for me, behold, my covenant [is] with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. This [is] my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
Then, in this following context he confirms that the promise would come through Sarah, not Ishmael.
The covenant of circumcision was a sign of the genealogical promise which was/is fulfilled in Christ. I think it was also a sign of the promise to bring Abraham and his descendants back to the land after 400 yrs in Egypt. They had not kept the circumcision while in Egypt, but performed it before crossing the Jordan and entering the land of the mosaic covenant (the law of the flesh). They realized that God could keep his promises.
There is a contrast of circumcision of the flesh with circumcision of the heart. The flesh represents cleaning the outer cup through attempted adherence to law while circumcision of the heart represents a change of heart, freedom and approval (justification) through faith in God's incarnation. Many religious groups still seek life by circumcision the the flesh; i.e. changing the outer cup.
There is a difference of the covenant of mercy and blessing to all nations, peoples of the earth in Gen 12 through being given faith 'like' Abraham, (this time though to believe in the Creators incarnation and Word in the form of Christ) and the added promise that the covenant would be fulfilled through Abraham AND in his generations; i.e. (geneology). When the genealogical fulfillment came, the token of circumcision ceased as confirmed by the apostles. Paul and Peter both argue that neither circumcision nor non circumcision was profitable. I think that which was spoken to Abraham in Syria and in Gen 12; may have also been a contrasting statement against the previous human efforts or satanic trickery of Nimrod.
The mosaic law was added as an additional conditional 'national' covenant with forecasting types and shadows to further confirm the true fulfillment of the seed of Mercy promised to Adam/Eve representing all mankind and 'all nations'. The tokens and signs of the mosaic covenant was the times and seasons, from passover through the fall feasts, which were fulfilled in the fulfillment and establishment of the covenant of Mercy (AKA "new" covenant when contrasted against the Mosaic Covenant) during the first century.
No wonder it was called the 'fullness of time'.... and 'the end of all things". The culmination and fulfillment of the Covenant of Mercy, Abrahamic Covenant, Genealogical Covenant (circumcison); Mosaic Covenant.. and likely others all converged and fulfilled during the first century. It is the power and certainty of the fulfillment of all those covenants that empowers those who believe on His name (John 1:12,13) in the present personal, internal (yet associated) kingdom of God.
It is the the reality of the fulfillment and ending of these historical covenants as well as the fullness of the indwelling of the Spirit that support and establish the power of the kingdom of God in it's individual present and completed form, rather than look to a future time as the dispies do.
What a tragedy has occurred to individuals, the world; to Americas Christians; and especially to believers through the doctrines of Scofield, Christian Zionism and prior similar doctrines. And yet this season of mans and church history and life is part of His permissive will for us to combat; both internally and personally and outwardly in our testimonies and teachings.
Barry Goldwater quotes:
Now those who seek absolute power, even though they seek it to do what they regard as good, are simply demanding the right to enforce their own version of heaven on earth, and let me remind you they are the very ones who always create the most hellish tyranny.
http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quotes_by/barry+goldwater
Basically, in a one paragraph summary. I think that the token or sign covenant of circumcision was associated with the promise of the 'seed' to come in the genealogical generations of Abraham/Sarah and also to the promise that after 400 yrs of captivity in Egypt, God would bring Abraham descendants back to the land where they were, so they could fulfill the purposes of the genealogy (bringing in the seed). Thus the sign of circumcision also became associated with the law until the fulfillment of both the genealogy and the Mosaic law.
Great joel,
I am expanding your post regarding Genesis 15 for further study on the ancient culture in the Middle East of cutting animal into 2 but I have yet to be fully convinced of its connection to circumcision. However it did mentioned about God's covenant with Abram and giving him the land as a possession:
Genesis 15 : 7 He also said to him, "I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it."
8 But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?"
9 So the LORD said to him, "Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon."
10 Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. 11 Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.
12 As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. 13 Then the LORD said to him, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. 14 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. 15 You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age. 16 In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure."
17 When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. 18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river [d] of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates- 19 the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites."
God Blessings to you.
I think I have found the reason why God used Circumcision (of all things :D) as a sign for the covenant between God and Abram.
Now as we know from the Bible, Abram was childless with Sarai and he slept with Hagar at age 86 who bore him Ishmael (Genesis 16:4).
At age 99, Abram was told that Sarai will be pregnant and he laughed:
Genesis17:15 God also said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her."
17 Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?"
Why did Abram laughed? Did he have sexual dysfunction? What do we expect from a 99 year old man?:winking0071:
I have ckecked on wiki on circumcision and found that circumcision may have an effect on reducing sexual dysfunction:
The American Academy of Pediatrics (1999) stated "A survey of adult males using self-report suggests more varied sexual practice and less sexual dysfunction in circumcised adult men.......Circumcised men reported increased penile sensitivity and enhanced ease of reaching orgasm."[121]
Reports detailing the effect of circumcision on erectile dysfunction have been mixed. Studies have shown that circumcision can result in a statistically significant increase,[122][123] or decrease,[23][124] in erectile dysfunction among circumcised men, while other studies have shown little to no effect.
So circumcision may not only for hygiene reasons and to prevent sexually transmitted diseases but also for sexual dysfunction. Therefore, I believe that circumcision may be God's way of dealing with erectile dysfunction in Abram (if he had). No wonder Abram got himself circumcised at age 99...must be very painful...poor old man :lol:. And no wonder Sarai was able to conceive after that :) at age 90!...poor old lady:lol:.....And thus born Isaac, the father of Israel.
So circumcision is used as a sign covenant to Abram and all that even if one is childless at an old age, he can still conceive. And to become God's people, you have to be pure, healthy and clean and as a rite from "innocent child" to matured God's people. Circumcision is a sign that they are to cut off their old evil (dirty) ways of life and to procreate a nation of pure righteous God's people. And their descendants will be like the sands of the sea and will rule over many nations.
Well, Circumcision anyone?.....
Many Blessings to all.
gregoryfl
12-29-2009, 03:22 AM
Deu 30:6 Yahweh your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your seed, to love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, that you may live.
Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
EndtimesDeut32/70AD
12-29-2009, 05:40 AM
Deu 30:6 Yahweh your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your seed, to love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, that you may live.
When do you think the Deut 30:6 was fulfilled?
Deut 4 & 5 reveal a time that they would realize their 'death' by trying to keep the mosaic covenant.
Do you think the circumcision of the heart began after the ark of the covneant was removed and they were restored (miraculously) to the land? Deut 30:1-4 prophesied the restoration after the captivity. The wise and prudent had to know that the potential for being blessed as a nation by keeping the law was judicially nullified by the absence of the ARk, and yet they were coming back to the land for what?? For the fulfilling of the end of that covenant, but also the continuation of the promise and hope of the covenant of Mercy to which their faith would have been refocused upon.
How many times shall we forgive?, the disciples asked. 70 times? (Shall we forgive Babylon 70 yrs their captivity?) NO, said Jesus 70X7 or 490 yrs of God's forbearance and time extension to mosaic covenant national Israel (and loving forgiveness to Babylon) in order to administer and fulfill the end of the mosaic covenant and fully establish the justification by faith of the Covenant of Mercy. The disciples needed to get on board with the post blessing/cursing of the law spiritual environment. They needed to get on board that national Israel was a decaying and ending entity.
With Jesus being progressively revealed as the Prophet to whom they should hear and listen in order to LIVE..(Duet 18) their hearts would be circumcised (changed). The heart is also circumcised (changed) when one first calls upon and trusts the Person/words of Christ saying ' have mercy on me a sinner'..and recieves a 'yes' answer and the invasion of the Spirit of Peace/adoption of sonship.
When do you think the Deut 30:6 was fulfilled?
Deut 4 & 5 reveal a time that they would realize their 'death' by trying to keep the mosaic covenant.
Do you think the circumcision of the heart began after the ark of the covneant was removed and they were restored (miraculously) to the land? Deut 30:1-4 prophesied the restoration after the captivity. The wise and prudent had to know that the potential for being blessed as a nation by keeping the law was judicially nullified by the absence of the ARk, and yet they were coming back to the land for what?? For the fulfilling of the end of that covenant, but also the continuation of the promise and hope of the covenant of Mercy to which their faith would have been refocused upon.
How many times shall we forgive?, the disciples asked. 70 times? (Shall we forgive Babylon 70 yrs their captivity?) NO, said Jesus 70X7 or 490 yrs of God's forbearance and time extension to mosaic covenant national Israel (and loving forgiveness to Babylon) in order to administer and fulfill the end of the mosaic covenant and fully establish the justification by faith of the Covenant of Mercy. The disciples needed to get on board with the post blessing/cursing of the law spiritual environment. They needed to get on board that national Israel was a decaying and ending entity.
With Jesus being progressively revealed as the Prophet to whom they should hear and listen in order to LIVE..(Duet 18) their hearts would be circumcised (changed). The heart is also circumcised (changed) when one first calls upon and trusts the Person/words of Christ saying ' have mercy on me a sinner'..and recieves a 'yes' answer and the invasion of the Spirit of Peace/adoption of sonship.
Hi Endtimes,
Its very interesting to note that the two places in Scripture where forgiveness is spoken of in terms of 7 x 70 is in Daniel (Spoke 5, cycle 2) and its ATBaSH on the Bible Wheel (http://www.biblewheel.com/intro/intro.asp) Matthew (Spoke 18, cycle 2), making a perfectly symmetrical connection.:)
.
Dan.9:24-25 Seventy weeks (7's) are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
Matt. 18:22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
To find the ATBaSH of Daniel on the Wheel look for the book of Matthew. ATBaSH connections (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atbash) are formed from connecting Hebrew letters in a first/last, second/second to last fashion.
.
http://www.biblewheel.com/intro/images/bw_500.gif
Rose
Paul summarized the issues concerning Abraham in Romans 4, which is an accurate source text for any discussion of covenant/circumcision.
He began the chapter with a profound question; What do we say that Abraham, according to the flesh, found? What did he discover?
It appears that the chapter is divided into two distinct sections, and, I assert that the two sections correspond to the two issues which faced Abraham; the land, and, the promised son.
In the Genesis account, Abram asked God how would he know that he was going to inherit the land?........and God answered with....covenant.
In chapter 17, he was concerned about the posterity, and being the "father" that God had described........and God answered with.....circumcision.
How do these matters affect us in this day? It would be profitable to examine Paul's discussion in Romans 4 to see what he says.
Joel
There is a 3rd sign of covenant and that is the Sabbath which is the sign of the Mosaic covenant:
Exodus 31:12 Then the LORD said to Moses, 13 "Say to the Israelites, 'You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy. [a]
14 " 'Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it must be put to death; whoever does any work on that day must be cut off from his people. 15 For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death. 16 The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. 17 It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained from work and rested.' "
The Sabbath is made so that men could rest from their work and re-energize. It is a holy day dedicated to the worship and remembrance of God.
So here we are, the 3 signs of covenants in the OT. There seems to be a co-relation with all these 3 signs of the covenants:
1. The sign of the Noah covenant is the Rainbow (7 colors) which is associated with the 7 days that God took to create the heavens and the earth. This is co-related to the number 7 and number 8.
2. The sign of the Abrahamic covenant is the Circumcision. This is associated with the conception of Sarah after the circumcision of Abraham giving rise to the birth of Isaac, the father of Israel. This is co-related with the number 8 as circumcision was required to be performed for every baby boy 8 days old (Genesis 17:11).
3. The sign of the Mosaic covenant is the Sabbath which is the 7th day of creation in which God blessed and rested and keep holy. This is co-related with the number 7.
Therefore, we can see the co-relation of the number 7 and the number 8 with the 3 signs of the 3 covenants in the OT.
To go further, there is another sign of covenant in the NT. The covenant of Jesus and the sign is His blood shed for the forgiveness of sins:
Matthew 26:27Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28This is my blood of the[b] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Blood is life "because the life of every creature is in the blood"(Leviticus 17:14).
The sign of the covenant of Jesus is His blood, shed for the forgiveness of sin. This is co-related to number 8 as the gematria of Jesus is 888.
So as you all can see, all the signs of the covenants have the co-relations of number 7 and number 8. Number 7 is associated with perfection (777) and number 8 is associated with Lord Jesus (888).
In fact, all 4 signs of the covenants in the OT and NT seem connected.
Many Blessings to all.
HaShaliach
12-30-2009, 03:35 PM
Great joel,
I am expanding your post regarding Genesis 15 for further study on the ancient culture in the Middle East of cutting animal into 2 but I have yet to be fully convinced of its connection to circumcision. However it did mentioned about God's covenant with Abram and giving him the land as a possession:
Genesis 15 : 7 He also said to him, "I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it."
8 But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?"
9 So the LORD said to him, "Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon."
10 Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. 11 Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.
12 As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. 13 Then the LORD said to him, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. 14 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. 15 You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age. 16 In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure."
17 When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. 18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river [d] of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates- 19 the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites."
God Blessings to you.
Ahh, Gen 15 has everything to do with Covenent. It was a covenent ritual! For a study of covenent ritual in ancient people see Henry Clay Tumball, "the blood Covenent." Almost every book you read about covenent will refer to "the blood Covenent." Not sure if it is still in print or not, I read it when I was a student at ORU, they had a copy in the library.
The circumcision was merely a "sign" of the covenent. The word covenent means "to cut" and was literally the cutting of the foreskin. In NT Paul likens this to the Baptism of the Spirit, when the circumcision of the heart takes place. To my understanding it symbolized cleaness in the OT, but the spiritual reality is for the New Covenent believers. There is much symbology in the location of the cutting. Literally, at the place where the seed is spilled. In the Jewish mind all the descendents are literally in the body (testicles) of the grandparent, thus every natural Jew was present at the original circumcision; every Jew participted in the circumcision. There is a tradition that when men "sware" by the covenent that they would cupp their place of the seed in their palm, thereby swaring to perform the covenent on the risk of the life of their seed. So important is circumcision to the covenent that God almost killed Moses when he "forgot" to perform the ritual; it was defiance against God.
Victor
01-07-2010, 01:21 PM
Hi Endtimes,
Its very interesting to note that the two places in Scripture where forgiveness is spoken of in terms of 7 x 70 is in Daniel (Spoke 5, cycle 2) and its ATBaSH on the Bible Wheel (http://www.biblewheel.com/intro/intro.asp) Matthew (Spoke 18, cycle 2), making a perfectly symmetrical connection.:)
.
Dan.9:24-25 Seventy weeks (7's) are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
Matt. 18:22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
To find the ATBaSH of Daniel on the Wheel look for the book of Matthew. ATBaSH connections (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atbash) are formed from connecting Hebrew letters in a first/last, second/second to last fashion.
.
Isn't that wonderful? I had never noticed that.
70 x 7 relates to Spoke 18 in more than one way. There are Atbash and Albam connections.
Spokes 5 and 18 are Atbash and 70 x 7 is connected to Spoke 5 because 7 x 7 is the basis for Pentecost ("fifty"). See the article Pentecost (http://www.biblewheel.com/wheel/spokes/Heh_Pent.asp).
Spokes 7 and 18 are Albam and 70 x 7 is obviously connected to Spoke 7 via the Number 7! Matthew sits on the Seventh Diameter of the Bible Wheel.
Richard Amiel McGough
01-08-2010, 01:57 PM
Isn't that wonderful? I had never noticed that.
70 x 7 relates to Spoke 18 in more than one way. There are Atbash and Albam connections.
Spokes 5 and 18 are Atbash and 70 x 7 is connected to Spoke 5 because 7 x 7 is the basis for Pentecost ("fifty"). See the article Pentecost (http://www.biblewheel.com/wheel/spokes/Heh_Pent.asp).
Spokes 7 and 18 are Albam and 70 x 7 is obviously connected to Spoke 7 via the Number 7! Matthew sits on the Seventh Diameter of the Bible Wheel.
Excellent insights!
There is another important connection based on the word "tamim" which means perfect. Its value is:
תמים (Tamim, Perfect) = 400 + 40 + 10 + 40 = 490 = 70 x 7.
And when does Tamim first occur in Scripture? It is found in conjunction with the seventh occurrence of the name "Noah"!
Genesis 6:9 (http://biblewheel.com/GR/GR_Database.asp?bnum=1&cnum=6&vnum=9&getverse=Go) These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect (tamim = 70 x 7) in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
Thus we have the symbolic meaning of the Number Seven exemplified in the word "tamim" and the explicit words of Christ concerning perfection of forgiveness. And its debut in Scripture is coordinated with the seventh occurrence of the name Noah.
Richard
Excellent insights!
There is another important connection based on the word "tamim" which means perfect. Its value is:
תמים (Tamim, Perfect) = 400 + 40 + 10 + 40 = 490 = 70 x 7.
And when does Tamim first occur in Scripture? It is found in conjunction with the seventh occurrence of the name "Noah"!
Genesis 6:9 (http://biblewheel.com/GR/GR_Database.asp?bnum=1&cnum=6&vnum=9&getverse=Go) These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect (tamim = 70 x 7) in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
Thus we have the symbolic meaning of the Number Seven exemplified in the word "tamim" and the explicit words of Christ concerning perfection of forgiveness. And its debut in Scripture is coordinated with the seventh occurrence of the name Noah.
Richard
And of course my dear the perfect example of tamim and 70 x 7 is in verse 22 (22nd Hebrew letter TAV) of Matt.18.
Matt.18:22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Perfection, upon perfection...:D
Rose
Victor
01-08-2010, 02:44 PM
Excellent insights!
There is another important connection based on the word "tamim" which means perfect. Its value is:
תמים (Tamim, Perfect) = 400 + 40 + 10 + 40 = 490 = 70 x 7.
And when does Tamim first occur in Scripture? It is found in conjunction with the seventh occurrence of the name "Noah"!
Genesis 6:9 (http://biblewheel.com/GR/GR_Database.asp?bnum=1&cnum=6&vnum=9&getverse=Go) These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect (tamim = 70 x 7) in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
Thus we have the symbolic meaning of the Number Seven exemplified in the word "tamim" and the explicit words of Christ concerning perfection of forgiveness. And its debut in Scripture is coordinated with the seventh occurrence of the name Noah.
Richard
I forgot about that!
Perfection links to Spoke 7 (via the Number 7, number of perfection) and justice links to Spoke 18 (via the 18th Letter Tzaddi and its symbolic meaning of righteousness).
Therefore when the Bible says that Noah was "a just man and perfect," it alludes to two concepts on the Seventh Diameter of the Wheel, which comprises Spokes 7 and 18!
So the theme of "perfection" is part of Spoke 18 by extension. Perfection upon perfection, as Rose said!
Victor
01-08-2010, 03:52 PM
And of course my dear the perfect example of tamim and 70 x 7 is in verse 22 (22nd Hebrew letter TAV) of Matt.18.
Matt.18:22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Perfection, upon perfection...:D
Rose
Thamim is Tav KeyWord, so the apperance of "seventy times seven" (= thamim) in Verse 22 is significant!
Victor
01-08-2010, 03:59 PM
What is chapter 490 (= 70 x 7) of the Bible? Psalm 12.
What do we find there?
Psa 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
This is an important reference to the Number 7 in Scripture right in chapter 70 x 7!
It also reminds me of the most important Bible chapter referring to the seventy years of the desolations of Jerusalem. It is Jeremiah 25, which is Bible chapter 770!
Jer 25:11 And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. 770 = 70 + 700
770 = 70 + (70 x 10)
Know more about the significance of Seven in the article The Number Seven and Scripture (http://www.biblewheel.com/Topics/Seven.asp).
Victor
01-19-2010, 12:07 PM
Thomas Aquinas explained in his Summa Theologiae (http://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/summa.TP_Q66_A7.html) the reason why God's covenant with Abraham was signified by the act of circumcision:
In the Old Law the remedy against original sin was affixed to the member of procreation; because He through Whom original sin was to be removed, was yet to be born of the seed of Abraham, whose faith was signified by circumcision according to Rom 4:11.
So, when the Seed of Abraham came, circumcision was over and done with.
Thanks Victor, well done.
Now I got it! Abraham in the eyes of God was a pure righteous man. God therefore, would make Abraham the father of many nations and his descendants as many the sands of the sea. In other words, God saw in Abraham as a pure, "clean", righteous person and would therefore get his seeds to populate the earth so that righteousness will eventually overwhelmed evil. The circumcision is a sign of this pure, "clean", righteous nature in which God would expect from the descendants of Abraham. This is the sign in which God will give those lands that He mentioned to the descendants of Abraham provided that they maintained that pure, clean righteous nature of Abraham. Circumcision as we know in the modern context is a way to ensure cleanliness of the male sex organ. Circumcision is the reminder of that covenant between God and Abraham, so that if one saw a circumcised penis that reminder of the covenant between God and Abraham will spring to mind.
But poor man Abraham, had his circumcision at age 99. If someone at that age were to voluntarily go for circumcision in the present context, people will think he is crazy. :lol:
Many Blessings.
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