I kept up with my BIOY readings throughout the week, though unfortunately was unable to access the internet to look at the blog. If I find the time, I will try and do a little catch up of this weeks BIOY posts on my blog, formed from the comments.
Today I've had a look at the comments on the blog, which are sadly few, and there are few questions posed. So I'll just do a little post for today...
Is there significance in the number 12? (e.g. 12 sons = 12 tribes, 12 apostles etc.)
Some people on the blog have suggested:
12 is a perfect number, signifying perfection of government, or of governmental perfection. It is found as a multiple in all that has to do with rule. The sun which “rules” the day, and the moon and stars which “govern” the night, do so by their passage through the twelve signs of the Zodiac which completes the great circle of the heavens of 360 (12 x 30) degrees or divisions, and thus govern the year.
Note - this is not saying that the zodiac/astrology people refer to nowadays is good!
12 is the product of 3 (the perfectly Divine and heavenly number) and 4 (the earthly, the number of what is material and organic).
Another thing I found interesting:
In the Matthew passage for today, it includes Jesus talking about the Lord of the Harvest, and how there are not enough harvest workers - referring to people going out and healing, preaching to and getting to know the people and bringing the word of God to them. I really like how this passage puts it. I also quite liked part of a comment someone put on the blog:
How many times do we sit there praying “Lord, send someone to help” when He is answering “Off you go then…”?!
Finally, I thought I'd repost something someone commented on the BIOY blog - the very well known Footprints poem:
Footprints in the Sand
One night I dreamed a dream.
I was walking along the beach with my Lord. Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to me and one to my Lord.
When the last scene of my life shot before me I looked back at the footprints in the sand. There was only one set of footprints. I realized that this was at the lowest and saddest times of my life. This always bothered me and I questioned the Lord about my dilemma.
“Lord, You told me when I decided to follow You, You would walk and talk with me all the way. But I’m aware that during the most troublesome times of my life there is only one set of footprints. I just don’t understand why, when I need You most, You leave me.”
He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you, never, ever, during your trials and testings. When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried you.”
----------------------------------------------------------
Transferred comments:
12 is definitely the product of 3 and 4. With you there :) I think there's definitely significance in the number 12, if by this we mean that 12 is deliberately used in the Bible in lots of places for a good reason. I don't personally think that 12 is mystically, eternally a significant number. (In the same way, I think, it is reasonable to say "a murder mystery writer who has 13 guests sit down to dinner and one of them is killed is using 13 as an 'unlucky' number" without thinking that 13 is mystically somehow deadly. The number is symbolic in the text without needing to be symbolic in the universe.)
" How many times do we sit there praying "Lord, send someone to help" when He is answering "Off you go then..."?! "
Definitely liked this!
Posted by: Jingle Bella
I liked the whole 3x4=12 and 3+4=7, and both are significant in the bible thing. I don't necessarily believe in some mystical meaning, but I think it's an interesting exlanation :).
Posted by: Hazelnut
No comments:
Post a Comment