Grace Fellowship Churchwww.gracedoctrine.org

Guest speaker - Deacon

Stephen Rickard

Sunday

October 14,2007

Proverbs 25:2

“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.”

NATURE OF TIME

Throughout history scientists have all presumed that time is linearand absolute. The frequent use of “time lines” illustrate this. The leftend represents the beginning, andthe right end represents the end.

Therefore when we look at eternity,we tend to look at a line of infinitelength. From infinity on the left toinfinity on the right.

When we think of God we assume He is someone with lots of time.

Thanks to Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, we understand that we live in (at least) four dimensions. Three spatial dimensions of height, length & width, but also the physical dimension of time.

God is not someone with lots of time.He exists in eternity, outside of time& space.

Isaiah 43:13 a Even from eternity I am He,

Time is finite.Man is finite.The sum of all finite does not = infinite.

Eternity is infinite & God too is infinite. He has the technology to create usso He certainly has the technology to get a message to us from His dimension.

The Bible is a collection of 66 books written over thousands of years with some 40 different authors. Our study will demonstrate that the Bible is not just a story (as some will have you believe),But it is that Message System fromoutside our time domain. From our creator.

How does He authenticate His message to us? How does He assure us that the message is really from Him and not a fraud?

The Bible repeatedly authenticates Itself and it’s Uniqueness by describing historical events before they happen.

Recently, we completed a study about the Second Advent of our Lordand Savior Jesus Christ and the raptureof the Church. We saw over 60 O.T. prophecies written thousands of years before Jesus fulfilled each one perfectly.(History written in advance)Another way, is to demonstrate that the source of the message is from outside of our time domain.

God declares, “I alone know the end from the beginning”

Matthew 1:1-17 is a genealogy from Abraham to Jesus.•1st Book of the new Testament •Written by a Jew, about a Jew, to the Jews•Present Jesus as the Messiah King, The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, The Son of David• Uses more quotes from the O.T. than any other book in the N.T.

Matthew starts with a genealogy (veryimportant to a Jew). Starts with Abraham to David and runsfrom David to Messiah (Jesus).Matthew was a record keeper and dealt with Jesus’ credentials & prophecies that lay down His role, presence & authority.Key phrase, “That it might be fulfilled”.Concludes with the resurrection.

GENEALOGY

• Total number of words divisible by 7

• Total number of letters divisible by 7

GENEALOGY

• Total # of words / 7• Total # of letters / 7• Total # of vowels / 7• Total # of consonants / 7• Total # of words beginning with vowels / 7• Total # of words beginning with consonants / 7• Total # of words that occur in more than one form / 7• Total # of words occurring in only one form / 7• Total # of nouns / 7• Total # of words that are not nouns / 7

•Total # of names / 7•Total # of generations / 7•Total # of nouns that are not names• Etc.• Etc.

The probability of this occurring by random chance is an astronomicallylarge calculation. We have listed 14 different examples. All / 7

For each example listed, there are6 chances of failing and only one for success. For 2 such features atthe same time there is only a 1 in 7 x 7 (49) chance of success. For each additional feature required, the odds pile up rather quickly.

7x7=497x7x7=3437x7x7x7=2,4017x7x7x7x7=16,8077x7x7x7x7x7=117,6497x7x7x7x7x7x7=823,5437x7x7x7x7x7x7x7=5,764,8017x7x7x7x7x7x7x7x7=40,353,6077x7x7x7x7x7x7x7x7x7=282,475,228

Any probability with a number greaterthan 50 million to one is considered impossible by scientific standards.

We listed 14 features and using only 10 we reach a number greater than282 million to one.

This is what scientists call Internal textual evidence of design / integrateddesign of text.

#7 is Prominent in the text of the Bible•The Sabbath•7 Priests of Jericho•7 years for Solomon to build the Temple•7 Trumpets in Rev.•7 Bowls•7 Lamps of the menorah•7 Churches• ETC.

The number 7 in scripture represents spiritual perfection.Why does He use 7 so predominately?

We could argue that the number 7 appears to be one of God’s markers, His signature or His seal of authentication?

Other discoveries of the intricacy of design.

The number of vocabulary words ina text is different from the total wordsused.

Matthew 1:1-17 there are 72 Greekvocabulary words used.

56 nouns (7x8)56 times the word THE is used7 forms of the word THE28 words begin with vowels (7x4)21 words begin with consonants (7x3)266 letters (7x38)140 vowels (7x20)126 consonants (7x18)35 occur more than once (7x5)14 occur only one time (7x2)

42 occur in one form (7x6)7 occur in more than one form42 are nouns (7X6)7 are not nouns35 are proper nouns (7x5)63 times they are used (7x9)28 males mentioned (7x4)56 times they occur (7x8)7 compound nounsEtc.

GAMATRIAGamatria is the study of language where letters are used to represent numbers. Where a number value is assigned to each letter of the alphabet.i.e. a=1, b=2, c=3……..Hebrew & Greek have this characteristic not common to other languages.

Interesting the languages of the Old & New

Testaments. Coincidence??

The 72 vocabulary words in Greekin Matthew 1:1-17 totals a numericvalue of 42,364.

When you divide 42,364 by 7 you get exactly 6052

There are 90 forms of words with a numeric value of 54,075. Divided by7 you get exactly 7,725.

One more dimension in Matthew

42 Greek words appear in Matthewbut not in any other book of the N.T.(7x6)These 42 words contain 126 letters. (7x18)

The same is true in Mark, Luke, John,James, Peter, Jude & the books writtenby Paul.

The purpose of this study was to useone of countless examples to illustratethe complexity of the written word. The multidimensional complexity of this message system from our creator,Who exists outside of our time dimension and is infinite. To give us confidence in what we believe.

Conclusion:

There is no possible way the examples we have looked at could happen by random chance. It is obviously the result of deliberate design.

How can we know with confidence thatour God will reveal His plan for us?

God has provided proof to those who seek Him through fulfilling scripture.

He also authenticates His word by the demonstration of His integrated message system woven throughoutthe bible text that could only comefrom a Supernatural origin far beyondhuman capability.

We believe in the word of God by faith.

Faith is complete trust in someone orsomething.

It can also mean belief in Something for which there is no proof…. however;

I believe God has provided the diligentseeker of Him the proof.

Prov 8:17 I love those who love meand those who diligently seek me willfind me.Eccl 7:25 I direct my mind to know, toinvestigate and to seek wisdom and anExplanation. Mat 7:7 Ask and it will be given to you,seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened.Col 3:1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ keep seeking the things above, where Christ is seatedat the right hand of God.

We can have complete faith(trust) in God’s word. We can have confidence in what we believe.

We can provide thought provokinginformation when confronted withthe argument that the Bible is not from the hand of God.

Proverbs 25:2

“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.”

Grace Fellowship Church

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Tape # 07S-040

The Handprint of God in Genealogy Concerning the Number 7

Guest Speaker – Deacon Stephen Rickard

Matt 1:1-17; Prov 25:2

James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2007