Formulating Rules
God’s Numbers
Two numbers are associated with God. One or both of these numbers, or multiples of these numbers should be in any of the patterns we are looking for in the Bible.
- 7: God hallowed the seventh day (Genesis 2:3). He decreed the seventh year as a rest year and liberty for slaves (Exodus 23:11; Deuteronomy 15:12). And God has seven spirits (Revelation 4:5).
- 13: The gematria value of God’s name (יהוה) is 26 (2 x 13).
Since numbers are infinite, it is possible to find almost anything. Any search must be restricted to a definite goal. This study will concern itself only with numbers 7, 13, and multiples of the two. (The only other number of minor interest is 23. Twenty-three represents humanity. There are 23 chromosome pairs in the average human.)
The Rules
Just by looking at the two verses below makes it obvious rules can be developed from Revelation 1:8. Trying to formulate rules from Exodus 34:6-7 would quickly end in confusion.
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. (Revelation 1:8 KJV)
the lord passed before him, and proclaimed,the lord, the lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, (7) keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.(Exodus 34:6-7 KVJ)
| Phrase | Explanation | Numeric Rule Derived | Rule Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| I am | First person singular present tense. The present is lived by going through it. | Add up the letter values. | 1 |
| (Second way of going through the present.) | Count the number of letters. | 2 | |
| Alpha | First (beginning) letter of the Greek alphabet. | Add up the first letter of each word (or verse, or chapter). | 3 |
| Omega | Last (ending) letter of the Greek alphabet. | Add up the last letter of each word (or verse, or chapter). | 4 |
| Alpha and Omega | The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. | Add up the first and last letters of each word (verse or chapter). | 5 |
| is, was, is to come | The phrase visually takes a segment out of a line to create intermittent points in time. | Add up every other letter (those in odd positions, and even positions). | 6 |
| Almighty | (This is not a number rule.) | Ideally, the text should be about God or related to Him. |
These six rules are the most clear and easily derived from the text of Revelation 1:8. However, many other rules are possible. Aside from the ending of Revelation 1:8, the list of God’s attributes are of complementary opposites. They are mutually exclusive, and yet together they describe the whole providing symmetry. We can quickly think up other rules based on complementary opposites.
- Odd and even valued words/letters/verses.
- Every other verse (odd/even positions).
- Every other word (odd/even positions).
- Verses with an odd/even number of words.
- Verses with an odd/even number of letters.
- Words with an odd/even number of letters.
- Highest and lowest (applied to verses/words/letters).
- Inside and outside (more on this later).
- Alphabetically first/last.
Since these are not as obvious from the text of Revelation 1:8, they are not definite rules, but used only after a biblical passage fulfills the six rules above.
Non-Numeric Rules
- The original language is used, not a translation. No translation can be as direct or exact as the original. Some terms or ideas would require essays to explain properly.
- Vowels and punctuation are ignored.
- Texts must be of complete thoughts/sentences. (It must make sense!)
- Extensive segments of text must contain a clear overall theme.