The Word for today:
Psalm 119:81-128
Psalm 119:81-128
Psalm 119 is the biggest chapter in the Bible, weighing in at 176 verses.
Q. Do you know why there are 176 verses?
A. Because 22 x 8 = 176, that's why.
Q. Say what?
A. Because 22 x 8 = 176, that's why.
Q. Say what?
There are 176 verses because Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem. It is divided into 22 sections, corresponding to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
The eight verses of each section begin with the same letter. For example, each of the first eight verses begin with Alef, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Then each of the next eight verses begin with Bet (1), the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet. And so the poem continues through its 22 stanzas of 8 lines each.
Q. So if '22' stands for the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet, what does '8' stand for?
A. The number '8' in Scripture seems to be the number of resurrection. It was on the eighth day that Jesus came back from the dead. He was dead on the seventh day, the sabbath; and the eighth day, the first day of the new week, he was resurrected.
A. The number '8' in Scripture seems to be the number of resurrection. It was on the eighth day that Jesus came back from the dead. He was dead on the seventh day, the sabbath; and the eighth day, the first day of the new week, he was resurrected.
We know from the New Testament that Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega--the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, in which the New Testament is written:
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." (Revelation 22:13)
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." (Revelation 22:13)
The equivalent statement in Hebrew would be:
"I am the Alef and the Tav, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." (1)
"I am the Alef and the Tav, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." (1)
The 22 x 8 pattern indicates that Jesus--the Alef and the Tav--is the fulfillment of the Word of God times 8--to infinity and beyond!
His life and death fulfilled every letter of God's Law--right down to the dot over every 'i' and the cross through every 't':
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished." (Matthew 5:17-18)
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished." (Matthew 5:17-18)
Resurrected, he will continue to fulfill God's Word forever:
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. (Matthew 24:35)
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. (Matthew 24:35)
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(1) Variant spellings of Alef, Bet, and Tav are Aleph, Beth, and Taw.
(1) Variant spellings of Alef, Bet, and Tav are Aleph, Beth, and Taw.
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