Read Time: 6 minutes

Although this will be the final commentary in this series, the opportunity for the meditational expansion of this Scriptural/creational theme is limitless. The basic doctrinal truths of Scripture offers the exclusive platform from which to view the veiled divine glory, and contemplate how the tiniest to the largest features of creation perfectly project those eternal divine truths and principles expressed in Scripture. Unenlightened humanity has no excuse for ignorant innocence, because that which may be known of our Creator is manifested openly to all.  The invisible things of our Creator can be seen and understood in the things that He has made (Rom 1:19-20). Creation’s testimony is a universal language, testifying every day to the glory of the Creator (Psa 19:1-3). The foolishness of the natural heart, generated thought process of mankind blinds and deafens the unenlightened to these humbling declarations, that only the meek are empowered to see and hear.

The three immortalization events in the divine plan

We previously reviewed how the basic design of our universe perfectly parallels the divinely designed configuration of the Kingdom of God established at Sinai. Now let’s look at the atomic and molecular validations of our Creator’s veiled glory. In a separate commentary we noted that water is Scripturally identified by the word of God, having a testimonial application in all the natural forms of water (seas, clouds, rivers, ice, etc.). The word of God (Scripture) repeatedly presents the three stage progression of the divine plan for harmony (peace) between creation and the Creator. These three stages are the three great events in the divine plan. The first was our Messiah about two divine days ago (two millenniums). The second great immortalization event will be the great cloud of witnesses at the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom Age. The third and final stage is creating peace between all that is physical and all that is spiritual, which will be the final immortalization at the end of the Millennial Kingdom. The last enemy will be destroyed: death will be eliminated (cast into the lake of fire which is the second death …of perishing). These three great stages in the completion of the divine plan are repeatedly presented in Scripture in different formats.

The three holiness stages depicted in the wilderness Tabernacle

Courtyard

Holy Place

Most Holy Place

The three configuration stages of the wilderness encampment

Foursquare political construction of 12 tribes

Foursquare spiritual construction of Levites and priests

Tabernacle

The three Atonement events in the Most Holy on the annual Day of Atonement

The High Priest’s life is saved by the incense to cloud conversion by fire

The bullock sin offering blood is spattered on the Mercy Seat

The goat sin offering blood is spattered on the Mercy Seat

The three great Feast Weeks at the three significant annual harvests

Feast of Unleavened Bread/barley

Feast of Firstfruits/wheat

Feast of Tabernacles/vineyard

There is a long list for this Scriptural pattern, but space limits our pursuit of these topics. However, the potential for expansion offers an opportunity for continuing meditational development on a personal level. These three great stages in the divine plan are expressed in the three part molecular structure of the creational symbol for the word of God. Water’s molecular structure is two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen (H₂O). Hydrogen is the first element on the Periodic Chart of the Elements and oxygen is the eighth. These numeric positions are identified by the number of protons in the nucleus of each atom. The placements and numbers of creational elements are not without divine significance. The fact that hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe as well as being the first element on the chart with a single proton suggests a logical relationship with our Creator. This is similar to the color blue. Blue is the most dominant color in our created environment (sky and water) and is directly identified with Yahweh (Num 15:38-41).

The glory of the number of His Name in the things that have been made

Oxygen has eight protons. This numerical status identifies oxygen with both eternity and our Messiah. Even mathematicians recognize the relationship between 8 and eternity as that digit, placed sideways, is the mathematical symbol for infinity.¹ The eighth millennium in the divine plan is when all mortal life is completely eliminated. Our Creator will be all and in all (1Cor 15:28). Eight is the number of our Messiah. Christ’s six letter Greek name adds up to 888 (Iesous: iota=10, eta=8, sigma=200, omicron=70, upsilon=400 and sigma=200… equaling 888). The triple eights in the name of Jesus is another veiled validation of the three immortalization stages in the divine plan. While 666 is the number of the man of sin (Rev 13:18), 888 is the number of the man of righteousness. This understanding is cemented by the subtle divine identifications of our Messiah’s roles with the number eight. His savior role is seen in the eight people on Noah’s ark. His kingship is inherited from his ancestor David, the eighth son of Jesse. His sacrifice and mediatorship is seen in the eight carcass components of the heaven and earth covenant with Abram (Gen 15). His covenant status is seen in the eight surfaces on the two sets of four stones upon which our Creator wrote the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments. The covenant sealing ritual of circumcision was performed on the eighth day of a baby boy’s life. Christ’s sacrificial status is seen in the ritual law that a sacrificial animal is unacceptable until the eighth day of its life (Lev 22:27).

Oxygen’s numerical status of eight is also directly associated with immortality by Jesus in his comments to Nicodemus. In describing immortalization (being born again) Jesus explains this new nature as becoming like the wind (John 3:8). The only elemental component of wind that sustains life is oxygen. The Greek word for wind is similar to the Hebrew word for wind and air. They are also each used to define the omnipotent power and nature of our Creator: the Holy Spirit (Heb: ruach; Gk: pneuma). Oxygen is the first of the three components that sustains life under the curse of sin and death. An absence of oxygen will result in death within minutes. An absence of water will result in death within days. An absence of bread (solid food) will result in death within, at most, a couple of months. Oxygen, the most significant element sustaining mortal life, is the creation icon for immortal life.

Carbon based mortal life

The creation icon for mortal life is simple to identify. This would be carbon. Every single form of life in our sin-cursed creation is scientifically defined as carbon based life. This understanding is taught to us before we are even teenagers. Appropriately, the atomic number of carbon is six. Six is the Scripturally assigned number for the curse of sin and death, including all its effects. It is not simply the number of mortal man or just the number of sin. It is the number of the curse, including the other effects of that curse such as disease, hard labor, subjugation, and frustration.

The six and eight pattern of Scripture and creation

The status of our Messiah being both the son of man and son and son of God as well as his mediatorship is expressed in his saving name of Jesus where six Greek letters add up to triple eights. This presents exactly the same message projected by the atomic numbers and creational assignments for carbon and oxygen. The six and eight pattern in Christ’s name and creation’s design is confirmed repeatedly in Scripture. The golden ark of the covenant was formed by six separate geometric planes (left, right, front, back, top and bottom) that converge at eight points (corners) formed where three planes meet. The heaven and earth covenant with Abram required two sets of halved carcasses from three, three-year-old, earth-bound animals (heifer, female goat, ram) as well as two whole carcasses of the fowls of the heavens (turtledoves). The six carcass halves representing earth added to the two whole birds of the heavens make a total of eight components, declaring our salvation through the sacrificial man of eights who was of the earth but also of heaven. The six-eight pattern of the name of Jesus is whispered with that still small voice through the stormy winds, earthquakes and raging fires of fleshly perspective both Scripturally and creationally exclusively for those with seeing eyes and hearing ears.

The end and the beginning

It has been our intention over these twelve successive commentaries to provide a foundational platform for witnessing a greater measure of our Creator’s glory. The presentation of these creation/spiritual patterns has been intentionally measured and conservative. There is an ocean of evidence offering discovery at every level of consideration, for the sheer joy of witnessing glimpses of our beloved Creator in the things that have been made. While these commentaries have concluded, our opportunity for expanding the application abounds, to our Creator’s glory. The observations of these patterns comes from the threefold source of a simple high school science education, daily Bible readings and the grateful education of divine truths taught from youth by parents and our Christadelphian community.

In the Service of our King, Jim Dillingham (Granite State, NH)

Notes:

1. This could well be true, although conventionally there are several other explanations.