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O Jerusalem, Jerusalem
Chapter 30 in the Book of Deuteronomy is usually considered to be a late addition. After the fearsome warnings directed at a nation disloyal to God in Chapter 29, Chapter 30 speaks of the benevolence God will show to those who repent. The great Torah scholar of the 13th century, Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman (Ramban) notes that the promises of Chapter 30 have not yet been fulfilled; they will come about in the Messianic era. The emphasis is on restoration; the Hebrew word for return (שוב) Strongs H7725, is used in seven different ways. The chapter emphasizes the choice that must be made, between good and evil, life or death. The key term is "life", which occurs six times within the chapter. Moses denounces those who turn away and will not hear, but promises the kingdom to those who choose life.
"I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:" Deu 30:18-19
"I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:" Deu 30:18-19
The restoration of the modern state of Israel in 1948 has set the scene for the Messianic era spoken of by Ramban, and the reunification of Jerusalem (for the first time since the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE) after the Six Day War in 1967 has heightened expectations that the prophecy of Moses will shortly come to pass.
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The word "Jerusalem" is not mentioned in the Torah; it's first appearance is in Jos 10:1 when Adonizedek was king. But in the entire Tanakh it appears in 623 verses.
- the term "righteous judgement" (צדק משפט) has a gematria value of 623
In the time to come, the Book of Revelation states that 144,000 servants of God will be sealed; the number made up of 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes including Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Mannasseh, Simeon, Levi Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin. Having the seal of God on their foreheads, these elect will then escape the period of Great Tribulation preceding the return of the Messiah. It appears from this that the author of the Book of Revelation (St. John the Divine) was referencing the dozenal (base 12) number system, rather than the more familiar decimal (base 10) system. The following gematria study will adopt this duodecimal approach.
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- the Hebrew word for "life" (חי), so integral to Deuteronomy Chapter 30, is translated as "life" 144 times in the Bible (H2416)
- the word "Jerusalem" occurs 144 times in the New Testament (KJV)
- 144 = 100 in dozenal
The 144 mentions of "Jerusalem" in the New Testament occur in 141 verses. There are three verses where the word appears twice. Two of these are in words spoken by Jesus:
"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
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!" Luke 13:34
- in both of these verses, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem has a numerical value of 1728
- 1728 = 12 x 144 = 12³ = 1000 in dozenal
- the totient (φ) of 1728 = 576 = 4 x 144 = 400 in dozenal
- chapter and verse gives (23 x 37) + (13 x 34) = 1293
This number points to a verse in the Bible which supports Ramban's messianic interpretation of Chapter 30 in the Book of Deuteronomy:
"They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this." Psa 22:31
יבאו ויגידו צדקתו לעם נולד כי עשה
375 30 90 140 600 39 19 = 1293
יבאו ויגידו צדקתו לעם נולד כי עשה
375 30 90 140 600 39 19 = 1293
The remaining verse with a twofold reference to Jerusalem occurs in the Book of Acts:
"Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey" Acts 1:12
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- Acts 1:12 is verse number 26936 in the Bible
- φ(26936) = 10368 = 72 x 144 = 6000 in dozenal
The Passion of The Christ
The Sermon on the Mount (Mat 5-7) is a collection of teachings by Jesus at the beginning of his ministry, shortly after being baptized in water by John the Baptist.
It's interesting that the two verses mentioning O Jerusalem, Jerusalem pointed to the 22nd Psalm, and not just that there are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. Psalm 22 commences with the words:
"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?" Psa 22:1
- the Hebrew word water מים (mayim, meaning "water") Strongs H4325 has a gematria value of 90 = 76 in dozenal
- 90 x 76 = 6840
- φ(6840) = 1728 ("O Jerusalem, Jerusalem")
It's interesting that the two verses mentioning O Jerusalem, Jerusalem pointed to the 22nd Psalm, and not just that there are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. Psalm 22 commences with the words:
"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?" Psa 22:1
"And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Mar 15:34
The term "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (ελωι ελωι λαμμα σαβαχθανι) has a numerical value of 2676.
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"My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?" Psa 42:2
צמאה נפשי לאלהים לאל חי מתי אבוא ואראה פני אלהים
86 140 213 10 450 18 61 116 440 136 = 1670
צמאה נפשי לאלהים לאל חי מתי אבוא ואראה פני אלהים
86 140 213 10 450 18 61 116 440 136 = 1670
"After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst" Jn 19:28
In the Book of Revelation, John of Patmos wrote:
"They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat." Rev 7:16
In this verse, the word διψησουσιν ("thirst")) has a numerical value of 1652, which is also the gematria value of the first verse of the fourth weekly portion of the Torah reading cycle (Gen 18:1).
- the numerical value of Jn 19:28 = 8876 = 5178 in dozenal
- 5778 - 5178 = 600
- 600 in dozenal = 864 = the numerical value of ιερουσαλημ ("Jerusalem") Strongs G2419
In the Book of Revelation, John of Patmos wrote:
"They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat." Rev 7:16
In this verse, the word διψησουσιν ("thirst")) has a numerical value of 1652, which is also the gematria value of the first verse of the fourth weekly portion of the Torah reading cycle (Gen 18:1).
This portion is called Vayera ("and he appeared") in which the LORD appeared to Abraham in the form of three angels. Abraham ran towards them, and urged them to tarry awhile, saying "Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched" (Gen 18:4).
- Gen 18:4 has a gematria value of 2401 = 7⁴
- 2401 = 1481 in dozenal
- φ(1481) = 1480
- 1480 is the numerical value of Χριστος (Christos, meaning "Christ")
- Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, (יקח נא מעט מים) has a gematria value of 378
- 378 = 276 in dozenal, the number of souls saved from the shipwreck (Acts 27:37)
It must be noted that all the souls on board the ship were ultimately saved (Acts 27:44), an outcome available to all who heed the Deuteronomist's advice and therefore choose life. |
- Acts 27:37 gives 27 x 37 = 999
- 9 x 9 x 9 = 729
- 729 = 3⁶ = 1000 in base 9
The nod to base 9 from the Book of Acts is no accident. Jesus' plaintif cry Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? was uttered at the ninth hour (Luke 15:34), which will prove increasingly significant as we investigate Jesus' association with his forerunner, John the Baptist. Also note that the dozenal and decimal number bases count identically up to nine, from which point they diverge.
Pi By The Dozenal
The first occurrence of 144 in pi begins at position 1638 after the decimal point:
- 1 x 6 x 3 x 8 = 144 = 100 in dozenal
- 1638 = 2220 in base 9
- 2220 = the numerical value of Ιωαννης βαπτιστης ("John the Baptist")
- pi = 3.1848 in dozenal (download a free dozenal calculator here)
"And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen." Psa 72:19
וברוך שם כבודו לעולם וימלא כבודו את כל הארץ אמן ואמן
97 91 296 50 401 38 87 176 38 340 234 = 1848
- Psa 72:19 gives 72 x 19 = 1368
- 1 x 3 x 6 x 8 = 144 = 100 in dozenal
- φ(1368) = 432 = 3 x 144 = 300 in dozenal
The numbers 1638 and 1368 are numerical anagrams, of which another member is 3168.
- the numerical value of κυριος Ιησους Χριστος ("Lord Jesus Christ") is 3168
- 3168 = 22 x 144 = 1A00 in dozenal
- the numerical value of Ιησους Χριστος ("Jesus Christ") is 2368
- 2368 = 1454 in dozenal
"Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!" Psa 81:13
לו עמי שמע לי ישראל בדרכי יהלכו
71 236 541 40 410 120 36 = 1454
"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
Here the words gathered and gathereth are from the word root επισυναγω (episunago) meaning to gather together. This word is pronounced {ep-ee-soon-ag'-o} with the emphasis soon.
- επισυναγω ("to gather together") Strongs G1996 has a numerical value of 1454 (Psa 81:13)
"And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Rev 22:12
- Rev 22:12 gives 22 x 12 = 1A0 in dozenal.
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