In some of our messages we have mentioned an unusual discovery concerning characteristics of the Hebrew text of the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament. We have received many letters requesting clarification of this, so we've taken the liberty of including this brief review. I'm indebted to my dear friend, Gerry Schroeder, a nuclear physicist in Jerusalem, for this little jewel.
The first five books of the Bible (the Books of Moses) are known as the Torah, (Remember, Hebrew goes from right to left; in this article we'll transliterate these four letters as "TORH.")
In the Hebrew of Genesis, if you take the first "T", then count 49 letters, the next letter (the 50th) is "O"; the next 50th is "R"; and then the next 50th is "H". In other words, after the first "T", in 50 letter increments, we find the letters spelling Torah (TORaH). (See Figure 1.)
In the Book of Exodus, we also encounter a similar result. What a coincidence! (The rabbis insist that Coincidences is not a kosher word!)
It doesn't seem to work with the third Book of Moses, Leviticus. But stay tuned.
In the fourth book of the Torah, the Book of Numbers, we discover this 49-letter interval works with HROT," that is, TORH backwards. (See Figure 2.) A similar 49-letter interval also appears in the fifth book of the Torah, the Book of Deuteronomy.
However, in the middle book, the Book of Leviticus, it doesn't seem to work either way. But it does work for YHWH, the sacred name of God ("Yahweh or Jehovah," translated "Lord" in the King James Version), if you count in seven letter increments. (See Figure 3.)
Here is the overview:
Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy TORH TORH YHWH HROT HROT ---> ---> <--- <---
It appears that the Torah (TORH) always points toward the Name of God.
This may be just another hint that there is much more hidden in the structure of the text itself than we have ever dreamed. Clearly, there is much more to this than first meets the eye of the casual observer.
The use of seven with the name of God shouldn't surprise us, with sabbaths of days, weeks, months, and years, and the many other heptadic structures throughout the Bible.[1] But why the intervals of 49?
The square of seven is 49. But is there more to it than this? [2]
Leviticus 23:15 instructs us to count 49 days from Passover and then to celebrate the Feast of Weeks on the next, the 50th, day. The Feast of Weeks commemorates the giving of the Torah (the "law") on Mount Sinai.
Our inquiry is just beginning.
We know that the Feasts of Moses are not only commemorative; they are also prophetic.[3] (Review our Briefing Package, The Feasts of Israel, highlighted on page 22.)
John the Baptist first introduced Jesus publicly as the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world." That's a very Jewish label! Jesus is, of course, "our Passover" Lamb.[4] And it was on Passover that this feast was fulfilled when Jesus was crucified as an offering on our behalf.
On the morning after the Sabbath after Passover, is the Feast of First Fruits.[5] It was on this very morning that the empty tomb was discovered. He, indeed, is the "first fruits"[6] of "the harvest."
It is also widely recognized that the Feast of Weeks (also known as the Feast of Pentecost, "50") is predictive of the Church. It was during this feast that the "Church" was born.[7]
Since this feast points to the Church, it is interesting that the Feast of Weeks involves the only use unleavened bread in the Levitical observances. Leaven is always an idiom for sin: leaven corrupts by puffing up. Even in the New Testament, Jesus and Paul both refer to leaven twice as an idiomatic application for sin.[8]
Since the Feast of Pentecost is associated with the Gentile "Church," this is telling us something.
Furthermore, this feast may not yet be completely fulfilled.
There are three groups of people with respect to the judgement of the flood:
a) Those that perished in the flood;
b) Those that were preserved through the flood: Noah, his three sons, and their four wives; and
c) Those that were removed before the flood: Enoch, who was "raptured" or translated.[9]
Is there a pattern here? "As the days of Noah were, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be."
It is provocative that there is also a rabbinical tradition that Enoch was both born and "raptured" on the 6th of Sivan, the Feast of Weeks. Perhaps the coming judgment of the earth will follow the same pattern and Enoch will turn out to be a foreshadowing (a "type") of the Church! [10]
Let's watch and see.
Remember, the Feast of Weeks is associated with the harvest. It is in celebration of this feast that the Book of Ruth is traditionally read. Study this charming little book, especially from a prophetic perspective, and you'll be blessed out of your socks! (Or should I say out of your shoes?" Check it out.)[11]
In Summary
It is interesting that even in the hidden structure Of the Biblical text itself there are hints and evidence of careful and skillful design.
We are dealing with 66 books, penned by 40 authors over thousands of years, yet they are demonstrably the result of precise, supernatural engineering. Every detail, every letter, even the place names, are all there by deliberate design. Even the parts of the letters, Jesus said, are significant.[12]
Would you expect anything less from the "Word of God?"
But if that is so, then what a fantastic opportunity we have! What other treasures has He hidden there for our learning? What a fabulous "hobby" to study, explore, and discover!
Isn't God great? And He is anxious for us to be involved in what He is doing!
More details on the above material
Bibliography:
McCormack, R.,
The Heptadic Structure of Scripture,
Marshall Brothers Ltd., London, 1923.
Missler, Chuck,
The Feasts of Israel,
Koinonia House, 1993.
Schroeder, Gerald L., PhD,
Genesis and the Big Bang,
Bantam Books, New York, 1990.
Notes:
1. See McCormack, Bibliography
2. Gematria is the study of the numerical value of the letters.
The "law of the square" will be explored in subsequent articles.
3. Matt. 5:17,18; Rom. 15:4; Col. 2:16,17
4. John 1:36; 1 Cor 5:7
5. Lev. 23:10,11
6. 1 Cor.15:20-23
7. Acts 2
8. Matt. 16:6; Luke 12:1; 1 Cor 5:6-8; Gal 5:7-9
9. Genesis 5:24.
10. See Feasts of Israel on page 22.
11. Son our study "Romance of Redemption",
a propbetic view of the Book of Ruth, on page 27 & 30
12. Matt. 5:17,18.
Overview on numerical features in different scriptures
Answering Islam Home Page