NUMBER 3 in THE BIBLE: Three, stands for that which is solid, real, substantial, complete, and entire. All things that are specially complete are stamped with this number. Gods attributes are: omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence. There great divisions completing time: past, present, and future. 3 persons, in grammar, express and include all the relationships of mankind. Thought, word, and deed, complete the sum of human capability. Three degrees of comparison complete our knowledge of qualities. The simplest proposition requires three things to complete it; viz.,the subject,thepre dicate, and the copula. Three propositions are necessary to complete the simplest form of argument: the major premise,the minor, and the conclusion. 3kingdoms embrace our ideas of matter; mineral, vegetable, and animal. When we turn to the Scriptures, this completion becomes Divine, and marks Divine completeness or perfection. The significance of3 comes from the fact that it is the first of four perfect numbers: Three denotes divine perfection; Seven denotes spiritual perfection; Ten denotes ordinal perfection; and Twelve denotes governmental perfection. Hence the number points us to what is real, essential, perfect, substantial, complete, and Divine. There is nothing real in man or of man. Everything under the sunand apart from God isvanity.Every man at his best estate is altogether vanity(Psalm 139:5,11, 62:9, 144:4; Ecclesiastes 1:2,4, 2:11,17,26,3:19, 4:4, 11:8, 12:8; Romans 8:20). Three times is the blessing given in Numbers 6:23, 24:-- TheLORD bless thee and keep thee (theFather); TheLORD make His face shine upon thee; and be gracious unto thee (theSon); TheLORD lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace Each of these 3blessings is two-fold, so that there are two members in each, while the name Jehovah occurs three times. This marks the blessing as Divine in its source. No merit drew it forth; grace was its origin and peace was its result. This word fullnessis remarkable, occurring only three times, and in connection with the God head: Ephesians3:19,Thefullness of God. Ephesians 4:13,Thefullness of Christ. Colossians 2:9,Thefullness of the God head. Thefullnesswas manifested visibly in Christ, and is communicated by the Holy Spirit,for it is a fullness of which we receive by His mighty power (John 1:16). This is why Abraham brought 3 measures of mealfor his heavenly guest. This is why three measures of meal formed the great meal offering; because it set forth the perfection of Christs perfect and Divine nature.In Leviticus no particular quantity of meal was prescribed, but in Numbers 15:9, we read, Then shall he bring with the bullock a meal offering of THREE tenth deals of flour. This was the measure for the whole burnt offering, and also for great special occasions such as the New Moon and the New Year, etc. It was also the special measure for the cleansing of the leper (Leviticus 14:10).The poor leper had several gracious blessings beyond others. He alone was favored with the anointing which was given only to the Prophet, Priest, and King! He alone had the priestly consecration. It is sinners who are now singled out from the mass of those who are lost, and dead in trespasses and sins, to be anointed with the Spirit, and made,in Christ, kings and priests unto God. But there is more in thesethree measures of meal.We have them in the parable (Matthew 13:33), pointing to Christ in all the perfection of His person and His work, when He said,Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God.There are different opinions about theleaven,but what is themeal.This is the point on which the interpretation turns. According to the popular interpretation, this pure meal is the corrupt mass of mankind, and the defiling leaven is the pure Gospel of Christ! Was there ever such an exhibition of mans perversity in calling sweet bitter, and bitter sweet? Was there ever such a proof that mans thoughts are contrary to Gods? No! the three measures of meal point us to the perfections of Christ and the purity of His Gospel. And the hidden leaven points us to mans corruption of the Truth. A corruption for which we have to look, not after the third century, but in the first! No leaven could be put into any sacrifice or offering made by fire to the LORD, because in Christ was no sin; therefore, there was to be no leaven. He was, in Himself, a sweet savor to Jehovah. Kculz
Posted on: Wed, 16 Oct 2013 18:56:00 +0000
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