The New Year – 2020
This world as we know it, is winding down the 2019th year heading into 2020. The year 2020 reminds of a song I heard back in the 60’s—In the Year 2525 by Zager & Evans—when you have a chance, hear that song—It’s somewhat scary.
The year 2020 intrigues me because I love numbers—I have read the Bible completely seven plus times from cover to cover and each time, the more I read, the more questions arise. God’s Bible to me is a puzzle that must be unlocked, and part of that puzzle is the numbering system in the Bible—God’s work is perfect—100% — no jot nor tittle left—Each word, Each sentence, Each paragraph, Each chapter and Each book have reasons and meanings touching our mind while providing us with lessons in life.
Here’s one for you—Who named all the animals? Adam—Now he must have had an expanded vocabulary. Here is another question—Was Abraham, Issac, and Jacob Jews? Ask your pastor that one—Many pastors preach that they were, but this IS NOT TRUE! These folks were not Jews —Why? Simple, there weren’t any Jews on the earth at that time. They were either Hebrews or Semites—So you may say, “I’m splitting hairs”, but the Bible first introduces the word Jews in 2 Kings 16:6. There was no religion known as Judaism nor a single person of the Jewish ethnicity or faith. As for the word Israelite, this word is first introduced in Numbers 25:14 and Israelites including Moses in Exodus 9:7 according to the New Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.
The question has arisen as to the difference between an Israelite and Jew—I like how Joe Kovac—Shocked by the Bible—makes the analogy—Let’s compare this to the United States today—While it’s fair to say that all legal citizens of Nebraska are Americans, certainly not all Americans are Nebraskans. There are forty-nine other states of which they could be citizens. In the same way, while all Jews were Israelites since they descended from Judah, the son of Israel, not all Israelites were Jews. Israelites belonged to one of several other tribes.
Oops—Back to 2020—Utilizing the numeric works of Mr. Panin, E.W. Bullinger and Ed. F. Vallowe for information on Bible Mathematics, the following authors gave their thoughts on the number 20.
According to Evangelist Ed Vallowe, the number twenty signifies redemption – the number twenty is found 288 times. Silver is a sign for redemption. E.W. Bullinger offers the following—Twenty is the double of ten and may in some cases signify its concentrated meaning. But its significance seems rather to be connected with the fact that it is one short of twenty-one, 21 – 1 = 20; that is to say, if 21 is the three-fold 7, and signifies divine (3) completion as regards spiritual perfection (7), then twenty, being one short of 21, it would signify what Dr. Milo Mahan calls expectancy, and certainly we are not without illustrations in support: See the following…
- Genesis 21: 38, 41
- Judges 4:3
- Judges 25: 20 & Judges 26:31
- 1 Samuel 7:2
- 1 Kings 9:10 & 2 Chronicles 8:1
Each of the above verses feature the words twenty years.
To each and all Christians, the word expectancy comes to mind—Why? Because we await the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and be united with him. Will this be the year when our Lord will come to earth? I don’t know, but I do know that we are seeing signs and wonders in enormous proportions—Our world has become darker and darker with sin and everywhere we turn, the Christian faith is under constant attack.
Satan knows his time is short and he is at work 24 hours a day—But all is not lost—Turn with me to Luke 21:25-28 (NIV) There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.
Here is the hope, the expectancy and the redemption in the above verses and remember as you ring in the first day of 2020 to stand up, lift your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.
May God Bless each of you reading this column and may you Bless God for each and all things. I will begin the next lesson on the commandments in the New Year.
Jeff
