01-1. The Number of the Church
By now you are probably wondering about the title of this series of short articles. What does the number 333 mean?
The study of the meaning of numbers in scripture is called Biblical Numerics or Biblical Numerology. This study is intrinsic to theology and history of the Bible because of the language it was written in, Hebrew and Greek. These two languages share the aspect of using letters for words and also a system for counting. The spiritual meaning for numbers that continuously show up in scripture, intentionally put there by Yahweh, can be discerned.
There are few who have not heard of the biblical number 666 which is the number of the end-time "beast" (Revelation 13:18). In the Bible, 6 is the number of imperfection and also the number of man. 666 is an "unholy trinity" of Satan, the Antichrist and the Beast (amongst other things).
Few realise that that number of Yahshua in the Greek (Iesous) is 888. Generally in the Bible, the number 8 represents the resurrection.
But what of 333? In the Bible, 3 is the number of Divine Perfection and the number of the Godhead (the Trinity) as well as representing the necessary dimensions of substance (length, breadth and height).
The number 333 was given in vision many times to the founder, Lev-Tsiyon, and is a representation of the New Covenant Church of God. Added together, we obtain the number 9, which biblically is the number of Judgment. As Theocracy is very much a part of judgment, this is an appropriate number for the Church.
This number is not, however, one dimensional, and represents many different things on different planes. As I have said, 3 is the number of the Triune God (Yahweh, Yahshua and Hochma). There are three Priesthood Orders in the Church of God (Apostles, Elders and Deacons). There were three presiding apostles in the New Testament Church (Peter, James and John). Paul describes three resurrections of the Just which he likens to the Sun, the Moon and the Stars in their brilliance. On the Mount of Transfiguration Yahshua (Jesus), Moshe (Moses) and Eliyah (Elijah) appeared before the three presiding apostles, representing Salvation, the Law and the Prophets. Noah had three sons from which all the families of the earth have descended - the Shemites (Semites), Japhethites and Hamites. Jacob had three principal sons - Judah (from whom the Messiah descended), Reuben (the deposed firstborn son) and Joseph (the replacement firstborn son). Three angels visited Abraham before destroying the homosexual cities of Sodom and Gemorah. Egypt was plunged into darkness for three days for rebellion and Yahshua (Jesus) was in the tomb for three days and nights, as was Jonah in the belly of the whale, etc. You will find hundreds of symbolic meanings for the number 3 in the Bible but all basically represent perfection or completeness.
Though the New Covenant Church of God is neither perfect nor complete (and probably never will be in this life), it is to this perfection that it has been called. The New Covenant Church of God subscribes to no watered-down Gospel, will not compromise with the world, and is unswervingly faithful to the biblical revelation. We do not believe in half-measures. As individuals and as a Church we believe in going on to perfection in God's grace, seeking a manifestation of the Kingdom of God on the earth in the form of 12 Firstborn Communities (and many more proto-Firstborn Communities), whilst having our ultimate hopes formly established on the heavenly world that is yet to come. Whilst aspiring to high ideals, we are both realists and pragmatists.
The number 333 is therefore a symbol of what we represent, and even though we may as yet not represent it perfectly, it is where our eyes are focussed. The ultimate 333 is, as we have seen, the Godhead, and it is therefore to the Godhead that we naturally look to the sourse of all that we desire. All glory and honour to Yahweh-Elohim, the Lord our God, through His Son Yahshua (Jesus)!
