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Ezekiel Saw A Wheel
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The prophet Ezekiel was given a view into the heavenly realms which is disclosed in the first and tenth chapters of the book of Ezekiel, using imagery similar to that found in the book of Revelation. Ezekiel's account of a "Holy Chariot" is considered to be the highest level of mystical teaching in Judaism. The wheels depict divine motion in all four directions. They are based on the image of the cart that carried the Ark of the Covenant from Philistia to Jerusalem (I Sam 6:7-8), and the rings that held the poles by which the Levites carried the Ark (Exo 25:12-15).
Unbeknownst to Ezekiel, the wheel vision also carried a reference to the famously irrational number pi, calculated to a degree of accuracy unimaginable at that time. |
Amiens Cathedral (1218-1269) Quatrefoil 13 Upper - Ezekiel's vision of a wheel rotating within another wheel (Eze 1:15-16)
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The wagon wheel travels 3.14159, or pi times it's diameter to complete one revolution. In Ezekiel's time (620-522 BC) pi had long been used to calculate the area of a circle. The Rhind Papyrus (ca.1650 BC) gives us insight into the mathematics of ancient Egypt. The Egyptians calculated the area of a circle by a formula that gave the approximate value of 3.1605 for pi.
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That formula, based on an octagon, was expressed as 4*(8/9)² or 256/81.
- 8/9 = 0.888...
- the numerical value of Ιησους ("Jesus") = 888
- the words "Jesus" and "Christ" appear together in 256 Bible verses (KJV)
- the phrase "Lord Jesus Christ" appears in 81 Bible verses (KJV)
BBC Radio: A History of the World in 100 Objects: The Rhind Mathematical Papyrus
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These days, the accuracy of pi has been calculated to 10 trillion digits. Such accuracy is hardly necessary - using pi accurate to only 39 decimal places would allow one to compute the circumference of the entire universe to the accuracy of less than the diameter of a hydrogen atom.
When looking at the first 1000 digits of pi, something unexpected happens. Starting from the 762nd digit after the decimal point, the randomness of the numbers suddenly gives way to a sequence of nines - six of them - 999999. This is the only string of six consecutive numbers within the first 100,000 digits of pi. The next string of six consecutive numbers also happen to be nines, commencing from the 193,034th digit after the decimal point. Could these be signs? What are the nines trying to teach us? "The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes." Psa 119:64 חסדך יהוה מלאה הארץ חקיך למדני 134 138 296 76 26 92 = 762
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Pi = 3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419716939937510
58209749445923078164062862089986280348253421170679 82148086513282306647093844609550582231725359408128 48111745028410270193852110555964462294895493038196 44288109756659334461284756482337867831652712019091 45648566923460348610454326648213393607260249141273 72458700660631558817488152092096282925409171536436 78925903600113305305488204665213841469519415116094 33057270365759591953092186117381932611793105118548 07446237996274956735188575272489122793818301194912 98336733624406566430860213949463952247371907021798 60943702770539217176293176752384674818467669405132 00056812714526356082778577134275778960917363717872 14684409012249534301465495853710507922796892589235 42019956112129021960864034418159813629774771309960 51870721134999999837297804995105973173281609631859 50244594553469083026425223082533446850352619311881 71010003137838752886587533208381420617177669147303 59825349042875546873115956286388235378759375195778 18577805321712268066130019278766111959092164201989 |
The Hebrew word for "signs" is אות (owth), which is used for the first time in the first chapter of the book of Genesis:
"And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:" Gen 1:14
"Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?" Eze 12:22
בן אדם מה המשל הזה לכם על אדמת ישראל לאמר יארכו הימים ואבד כל חזון
71 50 13 105 237 271 541 445 100 90 17 375 45 45 52 = 2457
"And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:" Gen 1:14
- אות ("signs") has a gematria value of 407
- 999999 = 407 x 2457
- "...for a sign and for a wonder..." (לאות ולמופת) has a gematria value of 999 (Deu 28:4)
"Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?" Eze 12:22
בן אדם מה המשל הזה לכם על אדמת ישראל לאמר יארכו הימים ואבד כל חזון
71 50 13 105 237 271 541 445 100 90 17 375 45 45 52 = 2457
Proverb here refers to a common saying among the people. This verse was Ezekiel's response to those who claim, in essence, that he is a false prophet, and that his visions will not be fulfilled (at least not in this generation). Ezekiel attacks the real false prophets, who proclaim false messages of peace and security, in open defiance of the words of the LORD expressed by Moses (Deut 18:15-22). Jeremiah also railed against these false prophets (Jer 23:9-40). Compare the above verse from Ezekiel with this similar accusation from the book of Jeremiah:
"They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you." Jer 23:17
It comforts people to believe that prophecies not immediately fulfilled thus lose their potency. We can avoid personal accountability by referring to the precedents - haven't evil people continued to prosper in open defiance of those pesky prophets? In the words of the Preacher, the son of David:
"Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:" Ecc 8:11-12
The prophet Amos warned against this ephemeral prosperity, false sense of security and detachment from biblical prophecy:
"Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink. The Lord GOD hath sworn by his holiness, that, lo, the days shall come upon you, that he will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks ." Amos 4:1-2
If the words of Ezekiel, Jeremiah and Amos are not sufficiently clear, allow Zephaniah to dispel any doubt about their meaning:
"And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil. Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof. The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly." Zep 1:12-14
- the words "false" and "prophets" appear together in 9 Bible verses (KJV)
The authors of the New Testament were in total agreement with the prophets - earthly riches are a trap and a snare. And the real false prophets are not those predicting an approaching apocalypse, but those assuring that all is well, and the prophets warnings no longer apply.
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." Mat 7:15
"But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets." Luk 6:24-26
Ezekiel followed up his disdain of false prophecy with the following unambiguous words:
"Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision. For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel. For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD." Eze 12:23-25
"Ezekiel Saw The Wheel" by the aptly named The Charioteers.
Amen, And Amen
The sequence of 999999 starting from the 762nd decimal place of pi recalls the word "Amen" which in Greek isopsephia has a value of 99.
The word "amen" means truly (when it appears at the beginning of a discourse), so be it or most significantly "may it be fulfilled". It was transliterated from the Hebrew into the Greek of the New Testament, then into Latin and into English and many other languages, so that it is practically universal and has become the most famous of all Hebrew words. It's Hebrew spelling is aleph - mem - nun (אמן) which has a gematria value of 91.
The word "amen" means truly (when it appears at the beginning of a discourse), so be it or most significantly "may it be fulfilled". It was transliterated from the Hebrew into the Greek of the New Testament, then into Latin and into English and many other languages, so that it is practically universal and has become the most famous of all Hebrew words. It's Hebrew spelling is aleph - mem - nun (אמן) which has a gematria value of 91.
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In Hebrew, amen (Strong's H0543) comes from the root aman (Strong's H0539), which means "believe".
"And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen." Psa 72:19
"Grace be with you all. Amen." [Written to the Hebrews from Italy, by Timothy.] Heb 13:25
η χαρις μετα παντων υμων αμην προς εβραιους εγραφη απο της ιταλιας δια τιμοθεου
8 911 346 1281 1290 99 450 788 617 151 508 552 15 904 = 7920
There should be no prizes for guessing which is the last word in the Bible:
"He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." Rev 22:20-21
- the word "amen" (H543) appears in 22 verses in the Old Testament (the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet)
- the word "amen" appears in 72 of the Bible's 31,102 verses
- 31,102 / 72 = 432 (3 significant figures) = 4 x 108
- "aman" (H539) has 108 occurrences in the Bible
"And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen." Psa 72:19
- the mean diameter of the "whole earth" = 7920 miles
"Grace be with you all. Amen." [Written to the Hebrews from Italy, by Timothy.] Heb 13:25
η χαρις μετα παντων υμων αμην προς εβραιους εγραφη απο της ιταλιας δια τιμοθεου
8 911 346 1281 1290 99 450 788 617 151 508 552 15 904 = 7920
There should be no prizes for guessing which is the last word in the Bible:
"He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." Rev 22:20-21
- 7920 x 4 = 31680
- "Lord Jesus Christ" (κυριος Ιησους Χριστος) has a numerical value of 3168
The KJV translates Strong's G281 as amen (51 times) and verily (101 times).
"Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep." John 10:7
ειπεν ουν παλιν αυτοις ο ιησους αμην αμην λεγω υμιν οτι εγω ειμι η θυρα των προβατων
150 520 171 981 70 888 99 99 838 500 380 808 65 8 510 1150 1403 = 8640
"Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep." John 10:7
ειπεν ουν παλιν αυτοις ο ιησους αμην αμην λεγω υμιν οτι εγω ειμι η θυρα των προβατων
150 520 171 981 70 888 99 99 838 500 380 808 65 8 510 1150 1403 = 8640
- the phrase "Verily, verily, I say unto you" (αμην αμην λεγω υμιν) has a numerical value of 1536
- the totient of 1536 = 512
- the numerical value of Ιησους ("Jesus") = 888
- 8 x 8 x 8 = 512
"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness." John 3:11
- John 3:11 gives 3 x 11 = 33
- the Hebrew word for "verily" (אבל), has a gematria value of 33 and has 11 occurrences in the Bible (Strong's H61)
The Olivet Prophecy
In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus stated that following a period of great tribulation, his second coming would be imminent. This prophecy has been the subject of intense speculation ever since, particularly in relation to the timing of events. In the Synoptic Gospels, there are four verses in which Jesus stated that the fulfillment of this prophecy would be in this generation:
"Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation." Mat 23:36
"Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." Mat 24:34
"Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done." Mar 13:30
"Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled." Luk 21:32
Some interpreters believe that Jesus in the Olivet Discourse used this apocalyptic language symbolically, as had many Jewish prophets before him. Others insist the discourse should be read literally, and therein lies the misunderstanding. Idealism, preterism, futurism historicism; how could things get so complicated? Christian apologist and author C. S. Lewis went so far as to call these "the most embarrassing verses in the Bible". Casting aside any attempt at a literal interpretation, let us proceed with caution:
"Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation." Mat 23:36
"Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." Mat 24:34
"Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done." Mar 13:30
"Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled." Luk 21:32
Some interpreters believe that Jesus in the Olivet Discourse used this apocalyptic language symbolically, as had many Jewish prophets before him. Others insist the discourse should be read literally, and therein lies the misunderstanding. Idealism, preterism, futurism historicism; how could things get so complicated? Christian apologist and author C. S. Lewis went so far as to call these "the most embarrassing verses in the Bible". Casting aside any attempt at a literal interpretation, let us proceed with caution:
- the Greek word for generation (γενεα) has a numerical value of 64 (Strong's G1074)
- Strong's G1074 has 42 occurrences in the Bible
- there were 42 generations from Abraham unto Christ (Mat 1:17)
- Strong's G1074 is translated as generation 37 times
- 64 x 37 = 2368 = the numerical value of Ιησους Χριστος ("Jesus Christ")
- Mat 23:36, Mat 24:34, Mark 13:30 and Luke 21:32 gives (23 x 36) + (24 x 34) + (13 x 30) + ( 21 x 32 ) = 2706
"There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit." Ecc 4:16
אין קץ לכל העם לכל אשר היה לפניהם גם האחרונים לא ישמחו בו כי גם זה הבל ורעיון רוח
214 342 37 12 43 30 8 364 31 320 43 215 20 501 80 115 80 190 61 = 2706
- Ecc 4:16 gives 4 x 16 = 64
In the Complete Jewish Bible "they also that come after" (האחרונים) is translated as "the last ones" (Strong's H314), which Rashi interpreted as the Generation of Dispersion.
- "they also that come after" (האחרונים) has a gematria value of 320 = 5 x 64
- the totient of 320 = 128 = 2 x 64
"There is no end of all the people" was interpreted by Rashi as they were fruitful and multiplied too much. He could scarcely have imagined the population explosion subsequent to his lifetime (1040-1105). The growth of world population makes an interesting comparison with a logarithmic graph depicting the increasing accuracy of pi for the same period.
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Never mind trying to interpret the Olivet prophecy literally, surely we are the last ones -- the generation which shall not pass till all these things are fulfilled. The Dispersion ended in 1948 (5708 on the Hebrew calendar), when the state of Israel was established in Eretz Yisrael. If a generation indeed be threescore years and ten, that generation does not pass until the year 5778.
"The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away." Psa 90:10
The Hebrew word translated in the KJV as "cut off" (Strong's H1468) is גוז (guwz), meaning to "pass over, pass away". As does the book of Ecclesiastes, Psalm 90 (a prayer of Moses, who was born in the year 2368, (the numerical value of "Jesus Christ") contrasts God's eternity with human beings' transience and fragility.
Leaving aside the string of nines, there are only three four-digit numbers that each appear three times within the first 1,000 digits of pi. Those numbers are 5778, 2019 and 8253. The year 5778 on the Hebrew calendar corresponds with 2017-2018 on the Gregorian calendar. 2019 is the year after that. Remarkably, 8253 references a further warning from the Bible against the terrible consequences of believing false prophets:
"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of." 2 Pet 2:1-2
The first three occurrences of 5778 in pi occur at positions 632, 947 and 953.
"And he made the mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half was the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof." Exo 37:6
ויעש כפרת זהב טהור אמתים וחצי ארכה ואמה וחצי רחבה
215 144 52 226 114 491 220 14 700 386 = 2532
The dimensions of the mercy seat (2.5 cubits x 1.5 cubits) is based on the same ratio as the numerical values of "Christ" and "Jesus".
The mercy seat was originally commanded of Moses by God (Exodus 25:17-22) and placed above the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark and the Mercy Seat were carried by the Israelites throughout their forty-year sojourn in the desert. When Israel settled in the Promised Land, and Solomon’s Temple was built in Jerusalem, the Ark and the Mercy Seat were placed in the Holy of Holies in the Temple. Two cherubims of gold were on either end of the mercy seat. (Exo 37:7-8)
"The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved." Psa 99:1
The first three occurrences of 8253 in pi occur at positions 88, 828 and 903.
The Prophecy of Dante was written by Lord Byron at Ravenna in the year 1819. It's closing words (Canto the Fourth, 150-154) speak of the truthful words of the prophets being ignored in the end times, as they had been in the old times:
"The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away." Psa 90:10
The Hebrew word translated in the KJV as "cut off" (Strong's H1468) is גוז (guwz), meaning to "pass over, pass away". As does the book of Ecclesiastes, Psalm 90 (a prayer of Moses, who was born in the year 2368, (the numerical value of "Jesus Christ") contrasts God's eternity with human beings' transience and fragility.
Leaving aside the string of nines, there are only three four-digit numbers that each appear three times within the first 1,000 digits of pi. Those numbers are 5778, 2019 and 8253. The year 5778 on the Hebrew calendar corresponds with 2017-2018 on the Gregorian calendar. 2019 is the year after that. Remarkably, 8253 references a further warning from the Bible against the terrible consequences of believing false prophets:
"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of." 2 Pet 2:1-2
- 2 Pet 2:2 has a numerical value of 8253
- 2 Pet 2:2 gives 222
- the word "truth" appears in 222 Bible verses
- the Greek word for "truth" (αληθεια) has a numerical value of 64 (Strong's G225)
- Strong's G225 is translated as "truth" in 107 Bible verses
- 5778 is the 107th triangular number
- 8 + 2 + 5 + 3 = 18
- the number 18 separates the second and third occurrences of 5778 in pi (...5778 18 5778...)
- 5778 = the golden ratio raised to the 18th power (φ¹⁸ = 5778)
The first three occurrences of 5778 in pi occur at positions 632, 947 and 953.
- 632 + 947 + 953 = 2532
"And he made the mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half was the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof." Exo 37:6
ויעש כפרת זהב טהור אמתים וחצי ארכה ואמה וחצי רחבה
215 144 52 226 114 491 220 14 700 386 = 2532
- Exo 37:6 gives 37 x 6 = 222
- "of pure gold" (זהב טהור) has a gematria value of 234
- the word "wisdom" appears 234 times in 222 verses in the Bible (KJV)
- the term "mercy seat" appears in 22 Bible verses (KJV)
The dimensions of the mercy seat (2.5 cubits x 1.5 cubits) is based on the same ratio as the numerical values of "Christ" and "Jesus".
- 2.5/1.5 = 1480/888 = 1.666 666 ...
The mercy seat was originally commanded of Moses by God (Exodus 25:17-22) and placed above the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark and the Mercy Seat were carried by the Israelites throughout their forty-year sojourn in the desert. When Israel settled in the Promised Land, and Solomon’s Temple was built in Jerusalem, the Ark and the Mercy Seat were placed in the Holy of Holies in the Temple. Two cherubims of gold were on either end of the mercy seat. (Exo 37:7-8)
"The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved." Psa 99:1
- Psa 99:1 gives 99 x 1 = 99 (Verily and Amen!)
The first three occurrences of 8253 in pi occur at positions 88, 828 and 903.
- 88 + 828 + 903 = 1819
The Prophecy of Dante was written by Lord Byron at Ravenna in the year 1819. It's closing words (Canto the Fourth, 150-154) speak of the truthful words of the prophets being ignored in the end times, as they had been in the old times:
"Beholding with the dark eye of a Seer
The evil days to gifted souls foreshown,
Foretelling them to those who will not hear;
As in the old time, till the hour be come
When Truth shall strike their eyes through many a tear,
And make them own the Prophet in his tomb."
The evil days to gifted souls foreshown,
Foretelling them to those who will not hear;
As in the old time, till the hour be come
When Truth shall strike their eyes through many a tear,
And make them own the Prophet in his tomb."
Earlier in the poem (Canto the First, 61-64), Lord Byron had referenced scripture concerning the futility of the prophet's warnings. Compare:
"Like that Jerusalem which the Almighty He
Wept over, "but thou wouldst not;" as the bird
Gathers its young, I would have gathered thee
Beneath a parent pinion, hadst thou heard My voice"
Wept over, "but thou wouldst not;" as the bird
Gathers its young, I would have gathered thee
Beneath a parent pinion, hadst thou heard My voice"
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" Mat 23:37 (also see Luk 13:34)
With apologies to the original composer, and in the spirit of Kohelet:
Row, row, row your boat,
Gently down the stream.
Verily, verily, verily, verily,
Life is but a dream.
Row Row Row Your Boat, complete with all four seasons (Ecc 3:1)
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