Thirteen: The Number of Separation?

Biblical numerology studies have pointed out the negative associations of the number 13.  The first time the number is used in the AV text is Gen. 14:4 , and the context is rebellion.  In Deut. 13:13 we read of men of Belial; and, on the opposite end of the canon, we meet the antichrist in Rev. 13, the ultimate rebel. In reviewing Acts 13 recently, however, I noticed vs. 2, where the Holy Ghost said, "Separate me Barnabas and Saul..."  This reminded me of Ex. 13:2, where the firstborn is sanctified (separated), and Gen. 13:9, where Abram and Lot separate.  So I looked at every book with a 13th chapter, and for the most part found some type of separation therein.  Check it out for yourself.  Some noteworthy examples:

Lev. 13.  Separate the lepers (v.4, etc.)
Num. 13.  Spies are separated to view the land
Deut. 13.  Note the separation in v. 13!
Josh. 13.  Tribes separate
Judg. 13.  Birth of Samson, a separated Nazirite
1 Sam. 13.  Saul separates the people

Also, there are thirteen references to sanctification (setting apart) in Paul's epistles!

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You might also do this with every book that contains a chapter 5.  In that study, I found a reference to death of some sort.  I don't take the position that 5 is the number of grace, though there may be some association (Rom. 5--grace; "Five bleeding wounds he bears..." etc.).  Even if there is, it's nowhere near as strong as the connection of five and death (Gen. 5:5; death, dying, devil, Satan, slain, sword...all five letters). 

A final one I'm working on is the number 12, i.e. looking at each chapter 12 in scripture for signs of Israel.  Gen. 12, Ex. 12, 1 Sam. 12, 1 Chr. 12, Is. 12, Dan. 12, Zech. 12, Mt. 12 - Acts 12, 1 Cor. 12 - 2 Cor. 12, Heb. 12, and Rev. 12 all have material dealing with Israel, and that's just skimming (haven't looked at every chapter 12 yet). 

"Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite."  Ps. 147:5

Thoughts on Cain and Lamech

When Adam falls, God curses the ground for his sake (Gen. 3:17).  Nonetheless, Adam and his family are able to till the ground and get bread out of it (3:19, 4:2).  After Cain murders Abel, however, he is cursed from the earth, so that it will no longer produce for him (4:11-12).  He and his progeny turn out to be city dwellers or nomads (4:20), just as God said. 

Note, however, the mercy and grace that Cain, a vile murderer, receives from God.   As for mercy, he does not get his just deserts (death), which he knows, by conscience that he deserves (4:14--"everyone that findeth me shall slay me").  Cain receives grace in v. 15: (1) extra vengeance if anyone should slay him; and (2) a mark on him that will prevent men from slaying him.  So he not only doesn't get what he deserves, but also gets some things he doesn't deserve.  So it's true that grace runs all through the Bible (e.g. Gen. 6:8; Rev. 22:21), but God asks men to do different things in the dispensations to be saved.  A few more examples of grace toward Cain: (1) he finds a wife; (2) God gives him a son; and (3) his progeny survive all the way up until the flood.  True, all of his progeny perish in the flood, but the fact that Cain has any progeny is an example of God's grace. 

Now a few thoughts on Lamech.  These are from my study this morning, and not intended to be comprehensive. 

Note how the word of God is passed down orally before Elihu (Job) and Moses (Gen.-Deut.) write the first scriptures.  In Gen. 4:24, Lamech quotes what God said to Cain ("If Cain be avenged sevenfold...").  He perverts it, though--"If" casts doubt on what God said, and "truly" magnifies what he says (which is a lie).  His name is the same as Noah's father (Gen. 5:28-31), and notice how some of Cain's progeny have the same names (including "-el" = "God") as Seth's (Enoch--4:17-18, 5:18; Methusael--4:18; 5:21; Lamech--4:18, 5:28).  Maybe they were trying to appear religious by having the same names as the Sethites! 

Devolution is shown in his bigamy (Cain was monogamous, as far as we know--4:17), and his boasting of his killing (4:23).  Cain may have killed Abel, but he didn't boast about it.  In fact, he probably tried to hide it from Adam and Eve, unless God approaches him immediately in Gen. 4:9 to enquire as to Abel's whereabouts.  Cain may have said the same thing to his parents that he did to God, "I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?" (Gen. 4:10).  Lamech's hideous pride shows up again in 4:24, where he boasts that retribution against him will be 11 times worse than that God promised to Cain, which is blasphemous nonsense.  Man truly has "corruptible seed" (1 Peter 1:23).

A final thought from Gen. 4:26.  Possible cross-references for "call upon the name of the LORD" are Ps. 50:15, Joel 2:32, and Rom. 10:13.  The context every time is for deliverance, although men do call on him in prayer (1 Cor. 1:2, e.g.).  Remember at this time, men apparently have weapons (Tubal-cain's output; cf. Goliath's brass and iron in 1 Sam. 17:5-7), and Cain's seed likely attacked Seth's, and prompted them to call upon the LORD for deliverance.  Another possibility is the appearance of the angelic sons of God at this point (Gen. 6:2), and all the trouble that ensued (6:11).  Thank God that he hearkens to those who call upon him with pure hearts (2 Tim. 2:22).

I love to study the first chapters of Genesis, which are so terse but so full of truth.  The first 11 chapters of Genesis cover the first 2000 years of history!  O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep (Ps. 92:5).

Things on Paul's Mind before Death

A close inspection of Paul's "swan song" in 2 Timothy shows at least four things occupying Paul's mind before his impending death.

1.  The judgment seat of Christ:  1:12 (against that day), 1:18 (in that day); 2:12 (we shall reign with him); 4:8 (crown of righteousness...in that day), 4:16 (laid to their charge).  

2.  Eternal security:  1:12, 2:13, 4:18

3.  Apostasy; opposition to the truth:  1:16; 2:16-18; 3:8-9; 4:1-4, 10, 14, 16

4.  Suffering for the Lord:  1:8, 12; 2:3, 9, 12; 3:10, 12; 4:5

The present realities of apostasy, opposition, and suffering are balanced with the prospects of eternal security and rewards at the judgment seat of Christ (Rom. 8:18, 2 Cor. 4:17, etc.).  Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

The Return of Barnabas?

Upon reading the account of Paul and Barnabas' separation in Acts 15:36-41, one would think that Barnabas was through with apostolic ministry. Cyprus was, after all, his home (Acts 4:36), and possibly John Mark's, since they were kin (Col. 4:10).  Reading through 1 Cor. 9, however, I was struck by a sudden reference to Barnabas therein (v. 6).  The way the passage is worded, it's clear that the Corinthians knew who Barnabas was.  Perhaps he joined Paul there at some point in Acts 18:1-8, or between Acts 17:31 and 18:1, and ministered to the Corinthians, which seems to be the tenor of the passage.  If that is the case, then Paul and Barnabas are reunited, though there's no further record of Barnabas in Acts.  To me, it would be wonderful if Barnabas and John Mark both got a second shot at the ministry.  It looks like both of them may have, especially John Mark (Col. 4:10, 2 Tim. 4:11).  God being the God of the second chance, and third, and the fourth...I wouldn't be surprised at all.

1 Peter 5:10-11  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.  To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.  Amen.

Calling Evil Good in the USA (and Everywhere Else)

The word "gay" appears one time in the AV 1611 (James 2:3), and it's defined in James 2:2 by cross reference (gay clothing = goodly apparel).  With a built-in dictionary like that, who needs to know Greek?  So gay = goodly.  But in the USA, "gay" is applied to something God refers to as abominable (Lev. 18:22; 20:13).  Calling the evil good in the USA...and everywhere else.

Isaiah 5:20  Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil...  

The Believer's Three Trips to Heaven

If you are truly saved, you know that at death your soul will go to heaven (2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23). 

Likewise, at the rapture, both the dead in Christ and living saints will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thes. 4:13-18), and then taken to heaven where they will appear before the judgment seat of Christ (Rom. 14:10-12; 2 Cor. 5:10).

But did you know about your third trip to heaven?  It's actually the first one every believer makes.  You see, when you trust Christ, your spirit is joined to the Lord in heavenly places (1 Cor. 6:17, Eph. 2:6, Phil. 3:20).  When Paul says in Phil. 3:20 that "our conversation is in heaven," he is saying that we live there, in the spirit.  Hence his exhortation to "Set [our] affection on things above, and not on things on the earth" (Col. 3:2), since that's where your spirit is "seated," though it's in your body as well (James 2:26).  So great salvation!       

Ten Things Ahead for Israel

Many re-'s, per below. 

Regathering (Dt. 30:1-5)
Returning (Dt. 30:8)
Resurrection (Dan. 12:2)
Regeneration (Mt. 19:28) [national, vs. individual in this age (Tit. 3:5)]
Redemption (Lk. 21:28)
Restoration (Acts 1:6)
Repentance (Acts 3:19)
Refreshing (Acts 3:19)
Restitution (Acts 3:21)
Reformation (Heb. 9:10)

Eternal Priesthood of Levites

Revival service tonight referenced 1 Chron. 15:2:

Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever. 

Notice last phrase--to minister unto him for ever. 

Other references on this:  Ex. 40:15; Num. 25:13; Is. 66:21-24; Jer. 33:17-22.

The Jews will be around for ever.  Satan  will not be able to destroy them in this age or in the great tribulation (Rev. 12:13-17), and they will be preserved through the millenial kingdom right on into eternity!  "But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end" (for ever; cf. Eph. 3:21). 

Remember the Past, or Forget It?

Paul tells us to do both, depending on the context (emphasis mine below).

Eph. 2:11-13.  Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in this world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometime were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 

Phil. 3:13-14.  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  [I think that the direct reference is to Phil. 3:7, "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ."]

So, in one sense we should forget our past life, and in another we should remember it.  A good example is Joseph in Gen. 41:51, "And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house."  Obviously he had't forgot these things entirely, else he wouldn't have mentioned them.  The point was that he wasn't letting them hinder him in the present, with God's help.  The same is true of Paul: he hadn't totally forgot his past (Phil. 3:4-6), but he was pressing forward in his knowledge of Christ and not clinging to his previous righteousness.  In Eph. 2:11-12 we're emphatically told to remember some things from the past, which are actually negative, to accentuate something positive in the present (v. 13).  So there is a place for remembeing the past, as long as it edifies and doesn't hinder us in the present.    

Paul's Prayers (Continued)

If Psalms is the prayer book of Israel in the Old Testament (and probably the great tribulation and kingdom age), then I would assert that the Pauline epistles are the prayer books of the church age.  As I mentioned in my previous post ("Paul's Prayers for the Lost"), we should follow Paul's example in prayer by praying for the things he prayed for (e.g. Rom. 15:5-6; 2 Cor. 12:7; Gal. 4:19; Eph. 3:14-21; Phil. 1:9-11; Col. 1:9-11;  1 Thes. 5:23-24; 2 Thes. 2:16-17; 1 Tim. 2:1-4; 2 Tim. 2:7; Phile. 4-6, etc.).  The foregoing references are specific prayers, but remember that any expression of the will of God for believers in Paul's epistles could be turned into prayer.  For example, where Paul is beseeching the Corinthians for unity, you could beseech the Lord for unity in a church, churches, or the entire body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:25; Eph. 6:18).  A popular bumper sticker says, "Think globally, act locally."  This could apply to the body of Christ as well.  Think globally--pray for all saints; support missions--and act locally...in your church, hometown, and sphere of influence.    

Paul's Prayers for the Lost

The apostle Paul is the pattern for all believers in this age (1 Cor. 4:17, 11:1; Phil. 3:17, 4:9; 1 Thes. 4:1; 1 Tim. 1:16; 2 Tim. 2:7, etc.).  Therefore, we should pay close attention to each aspect of his life, e.g. his prayers.  What Paul prays for is what we should be praying for, and, arguably, what Christ is praying for us above (Rom. 8:34), where the prayers are for believers. 

Paul does pray for the lost as well (Rom. 10:1, 1 Tim. 2:1-4).  He prays for lost Jews to be saved in Rom. 10:1 and for saved Jews ("the Israel of God") in Gal. 6:16 (mercy and peace on them).  Note that both of these passages were written during the Acts period, when Israel had special gospel privileges under Paul's ministry (Rom. 1:16).  So it may not be incumbent on us to pray for the Jews today in distinction from other men (1 Tim. 2:1-4), since their special privileges have passed, but these passages do show that Paul prayed for the lost, and so should we. 

Welcome to My Blog

Greetings, friends and enquirers.  The posts on this blog will be from my personal Bible study (AV 1611), sermon notes, and anything else that I think will be edifying (Eph. 4:29).  I welcome your comments and...corrections (2 Tim. 3:16).  May the Lord richly bless you as you study his word.

D. M. Jared
Atlanta, Georgia