Number Eight is associated
with The Resurrection and Regeneration.
Christ arose on the First day of the week (Sunday), the
beginning of
a new era or order. When the whole earth was covered with water,
(the flood), it was Noah the "eighth person" who stepped out on
to a
new earth, so to speak, to commence a new order of things, (2
Peter
2:5.) "Eight souls" passed through the flood to the new or
regenerated
world, (I Peter 3:20). Circumcision was performed on the eighth
day,
(Gen. 17:12). It was therefore shadowing of the true circumcision
of the
heart "made without hands,"
(Col. 2:11), "In whom also ye are circumcised with the
circumcision made
without hands, in putting off the body of sins of the flesh by
the circumcision
of Christ." And verse 10 says, "And ye are complete in Him,
which is the
head of all principality and power." The circumcision in view
here is not
physical but spiritual, whereby the ruling power of the
believer's 'flesh' or
'sinful nature' is broken by Christ. Therefore we should yield
to the Holy
Spirit and let Him have complete control of our life as much so
as possible
every day. We are to deny self and take up the cross daily and
follow Jesus.
The cross is symbolic of suffering and death. Therefore we need
to be willing
to suffer for the cause of Christ. "Yea, and all that will live
godly in Christ
Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12). Always keep in
mind that
God's grace is sufficient for all of us, all of the time, no
matter what.