"Numbers in Scripture"

 

First a brief outline: One (first--beginning); Two (double meaning-- difference for good or for evil); Three (That which is solid, real, complete, entire, substantial) Four (denotes God's creative works) Five (speaks of God's Grace). I will enlarge the outline later. NUMBER ONE: The number one is mentioned around 1898 times in the Bible. There are 39 Books in the Old Testament and 27 in the New. One out of every five Scriptures contains a number. Every fifth chapter reveals the Grace of God as someone has said. I will begin with the Book of Genesis chapter ONE verse ONE; "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Also the Scripture says in John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." The Word; "The Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah." That is made clear in verse 14, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." Therefore we see that ONE has to do with first, or beginning. ONE also speaks of Perfection and Order. Nothing is right or in order if we do not begin with God first. Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." The believer is to seek first the righteousness that is characteristic of God's Kingdom and then all these things (material things) shall be added to him. Genesis- the first Book (The Beginning) the divine title of Genesis. Genesis--the seed plot of the ONE BIBLE, containing all the other Books in embryo form. Genesis--the beginning of life-- the beginning of creation, Prophecy, Redemption and Salvation. It all began with God. He created all things by  Jesus Christ, God the Son, John 1:3, "All things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made." Col. 1:16 "For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him." There is only ONE Savior, Jesus, the Messiah, and He is the ONE and ONLY way of Salvation. John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, (mankind, all people) that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

ONE is independent of all other numbers, the source of all other numbers. One, the symbol of Unity is seen in its perfection, Father, Son and Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit). They are co-equal in every way. All are Omniscient (All wise), Omnipotent (Almighty) and Omnipresent (ever-present); All have been present everywhere from the beginning, in fact they had no beginning and will certainly have no ending. "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." (Genesis 1:1) The account of creation of all things are given in the First Book, Genesis. God made Adam the first man in His own image, but much of the image of God was lost in the fall when Adam and Eve disobeyed God. They fell from the perfect state in which they were created. They died spiritually and immediately began to die physically the same day they disobeyed God. God took a rib our of the First man, Adam, and made Eve, the First woman. God united them together perfectly as man and wife in Love and Unity. They two became One. This was the perfect uniting together by God in person. Such has never happened since, only the Trinity was present for this Holy Matrimony. This was the First marriage and they were the First family. We are all descendants of Adam and Eve, like it or not, and all have inherited the fallen, sinful, depraved nature from them. Therefore the ONE and Only hope of redemption it to trust in the ONE and Only Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. There is only One Door to Heaven (Jesus) & One Shepherd (Jesus) and One Fold (group), the Body of Christ or the Church, consisting of all true born again believers in Christ. Jesus prayed, "---that they may be One, even as We are ONE. Therefore He prayed for all of His children, those who had trusted Him during His ministry in person on earth, and also for all future believers in Him. Speaking of the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Scripture declares; I John 5:7-8, "For there are three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word (Jesus), and the Holy Ghost: and these three are One. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in One." All are in agreement, and in perfect unity.

There is only ONE MEDIATOR (I Timothy 2:5) "For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus." Jesus said in John 14:6, "----I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." We have access to God the Father only through the Lord Jesus Christ (God the Son). There is only One Body of true born-again believers, the true Church, that was purchased with the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now there are many groups of true believers around the world and we call them churches or local assemblies. No one denomination is the Church. And I might add that there are many churches who say they are the Church, and they are right and all others are false. Lets see what God's Word declares, Acts 20:28, "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood." Paul was addressing the Ephesian Elders then, but it is for us today as well. Notice how many times ONE is mentioned in Ephesians 4:4-6, "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all and in you all." There is the Trinity consisting of  The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, these three are one, therefore ONE LORD. One faith (all believers, true believers have placed the same trust in Christ for salvation). One baptism, this speaks of the spiritual baptism. I Cor. 12:13, "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. This is speaking of spiritual baptism not water baptism. After being saved we should follow the Lord in water baptism because we are saved, not to be saved.

Number ONE: The study of number one is really endless, because it begins with God. Let's go back to Genesis chapter one, verse one. "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." The Hebrew word from which this word, "GOD" is translated is Elohim, pronounced (el-lo-heem). It isn't the most frequently occurring word for the Deity, it nevertheless  probably occurs over 2500 times. Elohim occurs in the first chapter of Genesis thirty two times. Elohim, the plural form, speaks of the Trinity, the infinite personality or the unity of persons in the Godhead, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit) and these three are one as I mentioned in the last message, I John 5:7-8. Therefore One God made known in three persons. Jesus said in Rev. 22:13, "I am ALpha and Omega, the Beginning and the end, the First and the last." The First recorded message of fulfillment of O.T. prophecy in the New Testament is found in Matthew 1:22-23. The First recorded words of our Lord Jesus, Luke 2:49" ----How is it that ye sought Me? wist (know) ye not that I must be about My Father's business?" His first ministerial words, "It is written" 3 times over, "It is written, It is written, It is written", (Matthew 4:1-10). The First prophecy of our Lord, the promised seed is in Gen. 3:15. This is made clear in Galatians 3:19, that the law was added because of transgressions (sins), till the Seed (Christ) should come to whom the promise was made.  Now let's go back to the First question God asked Adam in Genesis 3:9, "where art thou?"  Now let me remind you, God never asks questions for information. He is the All Wise God,  He knows the end from the very beginning. There isn't anything He doesn't know. God wanted Adam to respond to His question. God's call is to all mankind. He knows where everyone is and the condition all are in. Therefore He speaks to man today by way of the Holy Spirit using the Word of God to convict of sin and point out the Only Remedy, the Lord Jesus Christ who is The Way, the Truth, and The Life. And He will forgive, cleanse, save and give eternal life to all who will trust Him. John 3:16. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.