Biblical Encoding

Rev. Ralph D. Koehler, DD

Copyright 2007 by Ralph D. Koehler with all rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the author. ISBN: TBD (soft-cover) ISBN: TBD (electronic) This book is printed on acid free paper.

Table of Contents
Table of Contents................................................................................ 3 List of Tables ...................................................................................... 4 Preface................................................................................................ 5 Biblical Encoding................................................................................ 6 Prophetic Words are Encoded in the Biblical Text........................... 8 Examples of Biblical Encoding ..................................................... 14 The Name of Jesus is Encoded in the Old Testament ..................... 16 Hebrew Numbers .......................................................................... 20 Numerical Patterns Encoded in the Biblical Text........................... 24 Topical References............................................................................ 27 Biblical Encoding.......................................................................... 27 General References and Resources ................................................ 28 INDEX ............................................................................................. 30

List of Tables
Table 1: Expert Opinions on Biblical Encoding..................................11 Table 2: Examples of Prophetic Biblical Encoding.............................15 Table 3: Yeshua Encoded in Scriptures ..............................................17 Table 4: Godly Words Encoded in Isaiah ...........................................18 Table 5: Godly Words Encoded in Exodus.........................................19 Table 6: Hebrew Numerals.................................................................21 Table 7: The Hebrew Aleph-bet .........................................................23 Table 8: Multiples of Seven by Design...............................................25

Preface
Several years ago, a middle-aged colleague excitedly entered my office expressing his enthusiasm for (what was to him) a new discovery. With a sense of thrilling animation, he explained to me how he had recently read a book on the subject of biblical encoding and that the results appeared to be scientifically factual and accurate. Knowing that I was a Christian, he wanted to share his newly found knowledge. My associate had been born and raised in an (old school) eastern European country where he had been indoctrinated, from his youth upward, in communist atheistic dogma. As a trained scientist with an advanced degree; then living and working in America, he was an avowed agnostic concerning the things of God and spirituality. For him, his new perception of the factual existence of biblical encoding served as a confirmation for the reality of Divine inspiration. He was clearly delighted! It was a life-changing discovery for him. Being a mathematician, he was able to personally read and understand the significance of the statistical findings on biblical encoding, and found the data to be fully plausible and compelling. For most Christians, the literal surface meaning of the words of the Lord Jesus Christ are fully inspiring: e.g., Love one another, as I have loved you (John 15:12). Thank God that the Lord continues to draw people by His Spirit through His word (see John 6:44)! Evidently however, for some people, the pull of scientific information is a key component of their persona. It may be, as in the case of my colleague, that the prospect of biblical encoding may serve as a catalyst for a revelation of Jesus Christ; leading to so great and precious salvation! Oh Lord Jesus Christ, may Thy will be done. Amen. Given that some (perhaps technically-oriented) people may benefit from discovering and understanding biblical encoding, Ive prepared a synopsis of readings on the subject. May this information prove to be helpful! 5

Biblical Encoding
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: But the honour of kings is to search out a matter. (Proverb 25:2) The ancient Biblical text apparently contains encoded information including prophetic words, the name of Yeshua (or Jehovah-Savior), and biblically significant numerical patterns. On the surface, the biblical text reads as descriptive and coherent prose. However, detailed analysis of the alphabetic characters reveals an underlying level of complex encoding that is not readily discernable at the surface level. The following sections describe the types of encoded information that have been discovered along with specific examples. This encoding provides suggestive evidence for the accurate transmission of the Christian Bible. Evidently, it was God's intention to encode the Bible in order to enable confirmation of the accurate recording and preservation of his word. The Lord Jesus Christ said, "For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled" (Matthew 5:18). The Lord Jesus Christ referred to the precise accuracy of the recording of God's word by noting the preservation of even jots and tittles or small manuscript markings. Consistent with Jesus' indications, the encoding of the biblical text seems to confirm the accuracy of the recording, preservation, and transmission of alphabetic characters within the Bibles text. Biblical encoding is similar to the concept of data validation in the context of electrical message transmissions. In computer science, techniques are used to verify the integrity or accuracy of data transmitted from one computer to another. Such functions as parity checking or check-sums for electrical transmission are routinely used. In a similar sense, the Bible has been transmitted through many generations and centuries. Hence, the existence of biblical encoding is 6

similar to a modern day check-sum process in that it may serve to validate the accurate transmission of the Bible. This encoding could not have been a man-made phenomenon, simply because it is too complex. The complexity of the biblical encoding is so sophisticated that it certainly could not have happened by random chance. Nor alternatively, could men have contrived and deliberately created such complex encoding. This assertion is addressed in more detail below.
In the sixth part of the sixth millennium, the gates of supernal knowledge will open above along with the wellsprings of secular wisdom below. This will begin the process whereby the world will prepare to enter the seventh, Sabbath, millennium, as man makes preparations on the sixth day of the week to enter the Day of Rest, when the sun is about to set (Zohar, Bereshit (Genesis), via Satinover p. 190). Among the three Torahs in use worldwide among the Jews the Ashkenazi (in northern and eastern European countries), Sephardi (in Latin European and some North African countries), and Yemenite (in Muslim countries) there are only 9 letter-level variations total in the entire 300,000-letter text in other words, a variation of .002 percent. The dispersions of these three groups go back at least to the Romans and most likely further, since before the destruction of Jerusalem Jewish communities existed around the Mediterranean Basin (Satinover p. 51). Different versions of the Torah may therefore be looked at in another way. The BHS (Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensis) text mentioned by Mr. Chapman and used by non-Jewish Hebraists is not identical to the traditional Jewish (Koren) text used by Jews the world over. (Footnote: The Koren edition of the Masoretic text incorporates the best understanding of the Jewish scholarly tradition of textual transmission.) There are some 130-plus differences between them in the entire Five Books of Moses not all that much on a proportional basis, but still significant. The Jewish sages contend that, over the millennia, they have done an unusually good job of preserving the text. They do not claim perfection, however. In fact, an ongoing record of known and suspected errors has been incorporated directly into the text itself. The act of preserving the Torah has always been, for them, not merely a scholarly endeavor, but a sacred one.

That being said, 130-plus differences, is not a huge number. Knowing that it requires roughly 77 deletions to erase the Bible Code entirely, one would hypothesize that it should be present in the BHS text but not so robustly as in the Koren. That is precisely what the later results have shown (Satinover p. 212).

Prophetic Words are Encoded in the Biblical Text

Within the ancient biblical text, prophetic words appear to be encoded. Many of these prophetic words would have been naturally unknown to the authors of the original manuscripts. Therefore, there existence provides further evidence for Divine and prophetic inspiration. The type of encoding that has been discovered for these prophetic words involves Equidistant Spaced Letters (ESLs), both forward and backward. This technique requires that the spelling of a particular encoded word must appear at equally spaced intervals of characters within the original text. This type of encoding is straightforward to identify especially with the help of computer technology, but has proven to be practically impossible for men to create on a significant scale within meaningful prose. Further, this type and extent of encoding has not been found in any other Hebrew or English text that has been examined. These encoding characteristics are simple to find (with the help of computers), but seemingly impossible for men to create or produce. As such, they are wonderfully consistent with God's intentions to confirm his word to men.
The earliest explicit use of a second layer of meaning (known in cryptology as plaintext) deliberately embedded in a text that reads properly on the surface (called ciphertext) seems to have been the ancient Israelites. At least that is where the earliest written references are found. They occur, for example, in Jeremiah 25:26 and 51:42, where the peculiar word Sheshach is openly substituted for Babylon. How is Sheshach taken! And the praise of the whole earth seized! How is Babylon become an astonishment among the nations! This is an example of a letter-substitution code called atbash (ATBaSh) in which the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, aleph, is replaced by the last, tav; the second, bet, is replaced by the second-to-last, shin, and so on. Kabbalistic sages of the Middle Ages referred to this substitution as

the permutation of letters. [Related footnote: An echo of this Jewish cryptography practice may be found in the synoptic Gospels, applied parabolically to individuals: e.g., And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last (Luke 13:30) (Satinover p. 90).

The rediscovery of biblical encoding in the Old Testament was first documented in the fourteenth century by Rabbi Rabbeynu Bachayah. His book was found and reviewed prior to World War II by Rabbi Michael Dov Weissmandel. Rabbi Weissmandel was a Rabbi in Prague, Czechoslovakia. As one of his findings, Weissmandel noticed that the word, Torah, was spelled at fifty letter intervals beginning in the books of Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Students of Rabbi Weissmandel and others continued to manually search the Scriptures and to find encoded words for many years following. Rabbi Weissmandels work was published by his students in a limited-edition text that included references to his code work before World War II. The book is entitled, Torat Hemed (Yeshiva Mt. Kesko, 1958). One of his students, Rabbi Azriel Tauber noted that Weissmandel, in the pre-computer era, wrote out the entire Torah on index cards, with 100 letters on each card, ten rows of ten letters each, and then looked for words spelled out at equidistant intervals.
The claim that codes existed in the Torah lay at the very heart of kabbalah, the ancient Jewish tradition. Out of this tradition, as we have seen, developed the art of cryptology, and as a crucial element of cryptologys further development there emerged mathematical statistics. In time, success in the making and breaking of codes became a life-anddeath matter for nations and by the twentieth century, for the entire world: Such pressures force-bred the development of computers. With all these elements in place, it became possible for the first time ever to reexamine the ancient mystery. Before Eliyahu Rips work on the Aaron phenomenon, no code had ever been approached in that way nor could have been (Satinover p. 119).

Beginning in 1988, Jewish mathematicians and computer experts including Doron Witztum, Yoav Rosenberg, and Eliyahu Rips, conducted a detailed study of the encoded words facilitated by computer technology. Eli Rips is Associate Professor of Mathematics at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and Doron Witztum and Yoav Rosenberg did this research at the Jerusalem College of Technology. In August 1994, their results were published in the journal of Statistical 9

Science (Vol. 9 No. 3 p. 429-38) under the title, Equidistant Letter Sequences in the Book of Genesis. This is one of the worlds most scholarly journals in the statistical sciences. The abstract of the paper reads as follows.
It has been noted that when the Book of Genesis is written as twodimensional arrays, equidistant letter sequences spelling words with related meanings often appear in close proximity. Quantitative tools for measuring this phenomenon are developed. Randomization analysis shows that the effect is significant at the level of 0.00002 [or one chance in 62,500 attempts].

Within this experiment, the names of thirty-two famous Jewish men are found to appear at ELS intervals within the Book of Genesis. Moreover, their respective cities of birth are also found at ELS intervals in close proximity to the names. In addition, the dates of birth or death of the men are also found at ELS intervals in close proximity to the respective names. The probability of all this related data appearing at ELS intervals in close proximity within coherent text is shown to be highly statistically significant. The names of the Jewish sages were extracted from the respected, Encyclopedia of Great Men in Israel. Selection was based on those men who had biographies ranging in length from one and a half to three columns of text. This scholarly paper and its results have undergone the most rigorous academic and scientific scrutiny. Before inclusion in the journal, three peer reviews were conducted on the paper. Additionally, Dr. Shlomo Z. Havlin, an independent scholar of Bar-Ilan University, decided upon the final list of names and their exact spelling. His list was used in the final experiment. Further, Persi Diaconis of Harvard designed the mathematical randomization tests. Also, Harold Gans, the statistician, independently validated the tests and findings. As such, analysis by multiple independent scholars has confirmed the statistical significance of biblical encoding. Additionally in October 1995, Dr. Jeffrey Sannovers article concerning mathematical probabilities associated with biblical encoding was published in Bible Review magazine. This and related research has prompted serious scientific investigation into the biblical codes. The following table provides expert opinions relevant to the statistical merits of biblical encoding. 10

Table 1: Expert Opinions on Biblical Encoding

Person / Office / Year Robert E. Kass, Carnegie-Mellon University, 1994 Kass was the editor for the Statistical Science journal that published the Rips-Witztum-Rosenberg article. He stated in his prefatory remarks, Our referees were baffled: their prior beliefs made them think the Book of Genesis could not possibly contain meaningful references to modern-day individuals, yet when the authors carried out additional analysis and checks the effect persisted. David Kazhdan, Harvard mathematics professor, 1994 It does appear that the Bible was encoded 3000 years ago with information about future events. Ive seen the results. There are no scientific grounds to challenge it. I think it is real (Drosnin p. 39). The phenomenon is real; what it means is up to the individual (via Satinover p. 8). I. Piatetski-Shapiro, Yale mathematics professor, 1994 I believe the code is real. I saw the results, and they were quite surprising. Predictions of the future, of Hitler, and the Holocaust There is no way within the known laws of mathematics to explain seeing the future. Newtonian physics is too simple to explain a set of predictions this complex and detailed. Quantum physics is also not enough. What were talking about here is some intelligence that stands outside I think that is the only answer: that God exists (Drosnin p. 41). Harold Gans, Former statistician for the NSA, 1996 We conclude that these results provide corroboration of the results reported by Witzum, Rips, and Rosenberg. Gans later stated, At first, I was 100% skeptical. I thought this was all just silly. I set out to disprove the code, and ended up proving it (Drosnin p. 24).

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Robert J. Aumann, Hebrew University mathematics professor, 1996 The Bible code is simply a fact The science is impeccable. Rips results are wildly significant, beyond anything usually seen in science. Ive read his material thoroughly, and the results are straightforward and clear. Statistically it is far beyond what is normally required. The most stringent standard ever applied is 1 in a 1000. Rips results are significant at least at the level of 1 in a 100,000. You just dont see results like that in ordinary scientific experiments. Its very important to treat this like any other scientific experiment very cold, very methodical, you test it, and you look at the results. As far as I can see, the Bible code is simply a fact There has been nothing like it in all the hundreds of years of science (Drosnin p. 43). Eli Rips, Hebrew University mathematics professor, circa 1996 [The Bible code] is certainly many more levels deep, but we do not yet have a powerful enough mathematical model to reach it. It is probably less like a crossword puzzle, and more like a hologram. We are only looking at two-dimensional arrays, and we probably should be looking in at least three dimensions, but we dont know how to I cant even imagine how it could be done, how anyone could have done it. It is a mind beyond our imagination But even what we do know how to find, we can probably never finish decoding. Even on that level, the information is probably infinite [Rips also stated,] Obviously, if one were to search for enough examples in another book, one would finally find some related words that do meet, that appear in the same place. This would be expected by random chance. But only in the Bible code is there consistent, coherent information. And no one has found in War and Peace or Crime and Punishment the accurate prediction of an assassination a year before it happened, or the correct date of a war three weeks in advance. No one: has found anything like that in any other book, in any translation, or in any original Hebrew text, except the Bible (Drosnin p. 45-6, 193). Genius of Vilna, c. eighteenth century All that was, is, and will be unto the end of time is included in the Torah, the first five books of the Bible. And not merely in a general sense, but including the details of every person individually, and the most minute details of everything that happened to him from the day of 12

his birth until his death; likewise of every kind of animal and beast and living things that exist, and of herbage, and of all that grows or is inert (Introduction to the Sifra Ditzniut via Satinover p. 2, 309: see also The Jewish Mind, by Abraham Rabinowitz, Hillel Press, 1978, p. 3334).
The Jewish Talmuds Zohar predicted that on a certain calendar date the future Rome would suffer the tumbling of three high buildings, or strongholds, and that this will be the triggering process, which will lead to the coming of the Messiah. It said: that this tumbling would occur on the twenty-fifth day of the Hebrew sixth month, the month known as Elul. But in the year 2001, the twenty-fifth day of Elul was September thirteenth, and not September eleventh. On 11 September 2001, the twin towers fell in New York City [prophetically, modern Rome]. On the same day, a forty-seven-floor building: which was part of the twin towers complex, crashed [or tumbled] to the ground also. Writing in the eighteenth century (1700s), the Genius of Vilna stated that the Zohar text, which described the devastation in Rome of the three buildings on the twenty-fifth of Elul was off by two (02) days the Zohar was then corrected so that the most correct version (Sifra dTsniutha) reads, the devastation will occur on the twenty-third of Elul which was September eleventh [9/11] The name of Vilna Gaon Elijah Solomon Zalmon (1720-1797), the greatest sage of the eighteenth century, the world famous commentator of Torah and Talmud, made Vilnius famous as Lithuanian Jerusalem. His powerful intellect and erudition: caused Vilnius to become a spiritual center of the Jews that was known all over the world. As has often been the case with the great leaders of the Jews ever since the Roman exile, the Gaon was a child prodigy in Talmud, having memorized every one of its millions of words. But he was equally accomplished in mathematics. Furthermore, he was a rationalist par excellence: and implacably hostile to unrestrained mystical enthusiasm of every sort (Satinover p. 2).

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Isaac Newton, Cambridge University, 1642 1727 Newton regarded the universe as a cryptogram set by the Almighty. He wrote, I do not know what I may appear to the world, but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy, playing on the seashore and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother or prettier seashell than ordinary, while the great ocean or truth lay all undiscovered before me (Bible Code Digest, March 2002 p. 5). Albert Einstein, Princeton professor The distinction: between past, present, and future is only an illusion, however persistent (The Quotable Einstein, Princeton University Press, 1996, p. 61). &&&&&&&

Examples of Biblical Encoding

Specific examples of encoded prophetic words include the Torah, Eden, Aaron, Sadat, and the ancestors of King David to name a few. In some cases these words appear multiple times. Remarkably, several words concerning the Holocaust are encoded in the books of Deuteronomy and Numbers. Encoded words include Hitler, Auschwitz, Holocaust, Germany, Crematorium; for my sons, The Holocaust, Plagues, Eichmann, Mein Kampf, King of the Nazis, Genocide, and The Fuhrer. Several other examples of biblical encoding have been discovered and documented. Dr. Jeffrey and Rabbi Rambsel provide specific information in the referenced books. These references include the specific details of the encoded word, Hebrew letters, ELS intervals, and starting Scripture verse and letter. In addition, Drosnins book, The Bible Code, provides several illustrations that provide vivid examples of the encoded words and their relative proximities. The following table provides a summary of selected prophetically encoded words.

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Table 2: Examples of Prophetic Biblical Encoding

Topic - Encoded Word List 1. Regarding Israel and the PLO - Arafat, PLO, treaty, peace, Yitzchak, Shimon, Peres. 2. Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabins Assassination - Yitzchak Rabin, will be murdered, Yigal Amir (assassin), Israel, 5682 (year of Rabins birth), 5756 (year of Rabins death). 3. The Gulf War - Saddam, and also in Iraq, America, George Bush, Schwarzkopf, the Missile will terrify, Russian, Scud-B, the third of Shevat, CNN, Peter, Arnet. 4. The Oklahoma City Bombing - Oklahoma, terror, Murrah Building, desolated, death, His name is Timothy, McVeigh, Day 19, on the ninth hour, in the morning. 5. The Captivity of Toledano - the captivity of Toledano, first sergeant, border police, Lod, assassins - Atun, Abu Katish, Isa. 6. The Hebron Massacre - Cave of the Patriarchs, Baruch, Goldstein, revenge, year 5689 = 1929 (the year of the massacre), Al Fatah. &&&&&&&

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As mentioned above Equally Spaced Letter (ESL) encoding has not been found in text outside the Bible. Dr. Grant Jeffrey wrote, "Despite the surface similarity of the two texts to the normal reader, the researchers could not detect word pairs in the Samaritan Pentateuch or any other Hebrew text outside the Bible" (Jeffrey p. 215). Jeffrey continued, "In fact, the exhaustive analysis reveals that no other Hebrew text outside the Old Testament contains these mysterious codes, not even the Hebrew apocryphal books written during the hundred years before the birth of Christ" (Jeffrey p. 215). This fact about the apocryphal books provides interesting evidence for the wisdom of not including the apocrypha in the Christian canon.

The Name of Jesus is Encoded in the Old Testament

The name of Yeshua is found encoded in the Old Testament text in many scriptural passages. This encoding is also based upon the technique of Equally Spaced Letters (ESLs). The Hebrew name, Yeshua, (which may be interpreted, Jehovah my salvation) is translated as Jesus in English. Significantly, the name of Yeshua appears encoded in several Old Testament passages that are prophetic about the Messiah. Alternatively, research indicates that no other name of any other historical personality is repeatedly found in the messianic verses. Therefore, it is apparent that this encoding may be intended to serve as a confirmation that Yeshua would come and represent the fulfillment of these prophetic Scriptures. Selected examples are provided in the following table.

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Table 3: Yeshua Encoded in Scriptures

Scripture Genesis 1:1 Genesis 1:14 Genesis 3:20,21 Genesis 4:9 Genesis 24:16 Genesis 28:13 Numbers 13:33 2 Chronicles 19:11 Proverb 30:4 Isaiah 53:10 Isaiah 61:1,2 Isaiah 61:10 Jeremiah 30:10 Prophetic Context God created Seasons or appointments Covering for sin Your brother's blood Going to the well Ladder to Heaven In our eyes Friend of God Who has gone up Suffering Saviour Messiah's ministry Righteous Bridegroom I will save &&&&&&& The above information was excerpted from Yacov Rambsel's book, YESHUA. Rabbi Rambsel provides many examples of this special encoding of the name, Yeshua. In his book, Rambsel provides detailed descriptions of the specific textual locations and patterns of encoding for each example presented. He also identifies the numerical value or gematria of the ESL counts for the encoded words. The gematria provide further insights into the meanings of the encoded words. Furthermore, the gematria suggest the Godly inspiration of the biblical encoding. Rambsel wrote, "These insights should convince the most ardent of skeptics that the Word of God is Divinely Inspired and gematrically (or numerically) arranged to reflect His Glory and Truth" (Rambsel p. 13). As a further confirmation, extensive biblical encoding has been found in Isaiah Chapter 53, which was written over seven hundred years before the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah Chapter 53 provides a prophetic description of the suffering and crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ. In fulfillment of this prophecy, the New Testament Gospels record the actual suffering and crucifixion of the Lord of glory. 17 Encoded Statement Yeshua is able Yeshua He [Yeshua] will save Messiah the Truth Yeshua The Torah Sanctuary LORD Yeshua The Great Shepherd Yeshua the Gift Yeshua is My Name I [Yeshua] will save Messiah [Yeshua] Yeshua

The encoded words found originating in Isaiah Chapter 53 correlate directly to the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, and they provide an awe-inspiring and godly confirmation of these prophetic and messianic Scriptures. A list of the encoded words is provided in the following table.

Table 4: Godly Words Encoded in Isaiah

Descriptions of Jesus: Yeshua Shmi (Yeshua is my name), Messiah, Shiloh, Passover, Lamp of the Lord, His Signature, Bread, Wine, Seed, Water, From the Atonement Lamb, My Prince Ancestry of Jesus: Obed, Jesse, and Joseph Locations of Jesus: From Zion, Galilee, Nazarene, Moriah (site of temple in Jerusalem) Disciples and Followers of Jesus: The Disciples, Peter, Matthew, John, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, James, James, Simon, Thaddaeus, Matthias, Mary, and Mary Enemies of Jesus: Caesar, The evil Roman city, Herod, Caiaphas High Priest, Annas - High Priest, Let Him Be Crucified, His Cross, Pierce. &&&&&&& In the Torah in Exodus Chapter 30, which addresses atonement and holy anointing, several encoded words about the Lord Jesus Christ have also been found. The following table lists these encoded words.

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Table 5: Godly Words Encoded in Exodus

Descriptions of Yeshua: Yeshua, Nazarene, Messiah, Shiloh, Passover, Galilee, and Let Him be crucified. Disciples and Followers of Jesus: Peter, Matthew, John, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, James, Simon, Nathaniel, Judas, Thaddeus, Matthias, Mary, Mary, and Mary. &&&&&&& In view of such amazing findings, Rabbi Rambsel wrote, I believe that the fact that these coded words glorify Jesus Christ as the Son of God is the strong proof that God placed these insights into the ancient scriptural text (Rambsel-2 p. 26).
Yet it appears (according to some experts) that groups of modern-day words are being discovered in close proximity, defying explanation. In fact, the investigators are claiming that just about every significant event in history is embedded somewhere in the codes. They have also worked on the hypothesis that the entire grid system will eventually go threedimensional and the amount of data and hidden codes could almost be infinite. Each person, the time of his or her birth and death, the events in his or her life, acceptance or rejection of Christ could all be in there. Some people even suggest that when God completely pulls the wraps off, the very Bible itself will be the book of life mentioned in Revelation 20:12. Every deed done by every person will be embedded in the coded system (Washburn p. 237).

Continuing from a numerical perspective, we note that the mathematical value of the Hebrew word, Yeshua, is 386. Within the Torah at 386 letter intervals, we find the words, Jesus the Excellency, and truth and wisdom. Moreover, the word Yeshua is found twelve times at 386 letter intervals within the Torah. Of course the number twelve is also significant, since there are twelve tribes of Israel, twelve apostles of Yeshua, twelve gates in the heavenly Jerusalem, and twelve foundations of the holy city. This is a remarkable phenomenon. Another astonishing finding is that the name of Yeshua is found at least twelve times amid the five books of the Torah at seven thousand letter 19

increments, and of course the number seven thousand is indicative of godly completion. Amazing!
In theomatics [an adaptation of gematria], both the words the woman from Revelation 12 and the word wilderness have a numerical value of 1,260, and the text states the woman was in the wilderness 1,260 days (Revelation 12:6 (Washburn p. 212-3).

Hebrew Numbers
Within the Old Testament all numbers are expressed as fully written words including cardinal numbers and ordinal numbers. In addition, ancient non-biblical Hebrew writings commonly present numbers as complete words. However, some ancient Hebrew inscriptions do utilize numerical symbols similar to those used by surrounding nations. The following table provides an enumeration of Hebrew cardinal and ordinal numbers.
Hebrew inscriptions show a variety of systems of [numerical] notation In Hebrew inscriptions, dating from circa 1000 B. C. to circa 400 B. C., at least two methods of numerical annotation are present. The most common, and the one that appears in the earlier inscriptions is that of writing the number out in full [as complete words] The method of using symbols for numbers (such as I, II, III, etc.) does not seem to have been widely used among Hebrews in the earlier periods. This conclusion is, of course, based on a minimal amount of epigraphical evidence All numbers in the Old Testament are written out in full It is interesting to note that in the Dead Sea Scrolls numbers are written out [as full words] just as they are in the Masoretic text (Davis p. 36, 37, 45, 38).

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Table 6: Hebrew Numerals

Cardinal Numbers 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 20. 100. 200. 1000. ehad senayim selosah arbaah hemisah sisah sibah semonah tisah esarah esrim (Fem.) meah (Dual) matayim elep Ordinal Numbers First: Second: Third: Fourth: Fifth: Sixth: Seventh: Eighth: Ninth: Tenth: rison seni selisi rebii hemisi sisi sebii semini tesii esiri

1. Cardinal Numbers: Absolute forms when used with masculine nouns 2. Ordinal Numbers: Masculine forms 3. Hebrew names reflect anglicized spelling.

&&&&&&& Based upon extant evidence, the utilization of alphabetic characters to represent numbers in Hebrew writings appears to have emerged during the second century B.C. Evidently, the Jews continued to write numbers as full words and also optionally made notations using alphabetic characters to represent numbers. Sometimes both methods of representation are included within the same ancient inscriptions, perhaps to emphasize the accuracy of the recorded number (e.g., as an English parallel; seven, (7)).

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There is no epigraphical evidence of the use of the Hebrew alphabet for numerals before the second century B. C. It is the view of this writer that the Jews of the fourth-third centuries B. C. borrowed the idea from the Greeks under whose influence they came with the conquest of Alexander (Davis p. 45).

In ancient Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic writing, alphabetic letters were increasingly used to represent numbers. The numerical system was our familiar decimal system, where the letters of the language alphabet correlate directly to our familiar numerical values. For example, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, aleph (or a), would correspond to the number 1, the second letter, bet (or vet), would correspond to the number 2, and so on. The context of the writing would indicate the intention of the meaning of the letter, being alphabetic or numerical. The following table presents the numerical values correlated with the Hebrew aleph-bet with Sephardic pronunciation.

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Table 7: The Hebrew Aleph-bet

Value 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 200 300 400 Phonetics aleph bet, vet gimmel dalet hey, he vav, waw zayin chet, het tet yod kaf, kap lamed mem nun samek ayin Pey, feh tsadi, sade qof, qop resh, res Shin, sin tav, taw Associated Meaning Beginning, first, teach, Jehovah, thousand House, dwelling place Bridge, camel Pivotal door, elevation, poor Revelation, word, Spirit, wind, covenant Hook, pillars Number of spiritual perfection, sword Life, fear of the Lord, circumcision Good, goodness, humanity Hand, thrust, strength Palm, power to suppress, lift up To learn, teach Water Heir to the throne, faithfulness Endless cycle, support, wedding ring Eye, color, fountain Mouth, here, present Righteous to hunt for insights To surround, great strength, monkey Head, chief, poor man Full cycle, tooth, El Shaddai Sign, mark, more, end, last

1. Hebrew words reflect anglicized spelling.

&&&&&&&

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Numerical Patterns Encoded in the Biblical Text

Studies have been performed upon the Old Testament text, which indicate that encoded numerical patterns exist within the narrative scriptural text. The context was not intended to be numerical, however detailed analysis has revealed the otherwise hidden numerical patterns beneath the surface meaning of the narrative text. These numerical patterns represent biblically significant numbers. Foremost, the number seven and multiples of seven have been found encoded within the scriptural text in hundreds of places. In biblical numerology, the number seven represents Godly completion. The existence of the number seven (or multiples of seven) encoded in hundreds of places within the scriptural text may serve as further confirmation of the inspiration and accurate preservation of the Bible.
The only number which seemed to be clearly used symbolically was the number seven and then only to convey the general idea of fullness or completion. This idea was shown to be a common literary phenomenon in contemporary non-biblical inscriptions (Davis p. 154). [From the Alphabetical Listing of Symbols and Types] SEVEN: Symbol of completeness, perfection, good or evil (Conner p. 167). SEVEN A favorite and often symbolic number among Hebrews: representing a type of abundance and completeness (Boyd p. 256). The whole Word of God is founded upon the number SEVEN. It stands for the SEVENTH day of the Creation Week, and speaks of the Millennial Rest day. It denotes COMPLETENESS and PERFECTION (Vallowe p. 80).

Remarkably, there are significant examples of numerical encoding immediately occurring in the first verse of the Old Testament, Genesis 1:1, and in the first verses of the New Testament, Matthew 1:1-17. This symmetry at the start of each Testament is notable, and may be an affirmation of Godly order. This encoding involves the number seven and also multiples of seven. Again, the number seven symbolically 24

represents completion or Godly perfection. The following table provides a summary of this information.

Table 8: Multiples of Seven by Design

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Letters in Hebrew Number of words (7) Number of letters (28) Number of letters in subject (14) Number of letters in predicate (14) Number of letters in object phrase (14) Number of letters in the heavens (7) Number of letters in the earth (7) Numerical Values of Hebrew Letters - Multiples of Seven First, middle, and last letters (7x19) First and last letters of all words (7x199) First and last letter of first and last word (7x71) First and last letter of all other words (7x129) The word created (7x29) Matthew 1:1-17 Records the genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ Letters in Greek - Multiples of Seven Number of words Number of letters Number of vowels Number of consonants Number of words starting with a vowel Number of words starting with a consonant Number of names Number of male names Number of letters in the three female names (Thamar, Ruth, Mary) Number of compound words Number of nouns 25

Number of words that are not nouns Number of times the most frequent word is used Number of words occurring only once Number of words occurring more than once Number of letters in the only city listed (Babylon) &&&&&&& The deeper this phenomenon of textual encoding is examined, the more compelling becomes Divine inspiration as the most credible explanation for its creation and preservation. Overall, biblical encoding serves as a curious confirmation for the faithful. Amen.
The [Bible ELS] Code points to one thing and to one thing only: the Authorship of the document in which it is found (Dr. Satinover p. 244).

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Topical References
And what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, And to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. (Micah 6:8)

Biblical Encoding
1. Davis, Dr. John J. Biblical Numerology: A Basic Study of the Use of Numbers in the Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1968. 2. Drosnin, Michael. The Bible Code. New York, NY: Touchstone by Simon and Schuster, 1997. 3. Jeffrey, Grant Dr. The Signature of God. Toronto, Ontario: Frontier Research Publications, 1996. 4. Jeffrey-2, Grant Dr. The Handwriting of God. Toronto, Ontario: Frontier Research Publications, 1997. 5. Johnston, Robert D. Numbers in the Bible: Gods Design in Biblical Numerology. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1990. 6. Rambsel, Yacov Rabbi. His Name Is Jesus. Toronto, Ontario: Frontier Research Publications, 1997. 7. Rambsel, Yacov Rabbi. YESHUA. Toronto, Ontario: Frontier Research Publications, 1996.

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8. Satinover, Dr. Jeffrey. Cracking the Bible Code: The Real Story of the Stunning Discovery of Hidden Knowledge in the First Five Books of the Bible. New York, NY: Harper-Collins Publishers Inc., 1997. 9. Vallowe, Dr. Ed F. Biblical Mathematics: Keys to Scripture Numerics. Columbia, SC: The Olive Press, 1998. 10. Washburn, Del. The Original Code in the Bible: Using Science and Mathematics to Reveal Gods Fingerprints. New York, NY: Madison Books, 1998.

General References and Resources

1. Authorized King James Version, The Holy Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Word Publishers, 1986. 2. Boyd, J. Boyds Bible Dictionary. Holman Bible Publishers, 1996. 3. Conner, Kevin J. Interpreting the Symbols and Types. Portland, OR: Bible Temple Publishing, 1992. 4. Dake, Feinings. Dake's Annotated Lawrenceville, GA: Dake Bible Sales, 1991. Reference Bible.

5. Dockrey, Karen and Godwin, Johnnie & Phyllis. The Student Bible Dictionary. Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour Publishing, 2000. 6. Ferguson, B., Wright, D., Packer, J. New Dictionary of Theology. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 1988. 7. Scofield, C. The New Scofield Reference Bible. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1967.

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8. Strong, J. The New Strongs Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Atlanta, GA: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995. 9. Webster, Noah 1828. American Dictionary of the English Language. San Francisco, CA: Foundation for American Christian Education, 1996. 10. Wigram. The New Englishmans Hebrew Concordance. Hendrickson Publishers, 1984.

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INDEX
A Andrew, 18, 19 apocrypha, 16 apostles, 19 Aramaic, 22 Ashkenazi, 7 Aumann, 12 B Babylon, 26 Bar-Ilan University, 10 Baruch, 15 Bible, 6, 10, 16, 24, 28, 29 C Caesar, 18 canon, 16 Chronicles, 17 ciphertext, 8 Conner, 24, 28 covenant, 23 D Deuteronomy, 14 Dockrey, 28 Drosnin, 11, 12, 27 E Einstein, 14 epigraphical, 20, 22 30 Exodus, 18, 19 G Galilee, 18, 19 Gans, 10, 11 Genesis, 10, 17, 24, 25 Genius of Vilna, 12 Greek, 22, 25 H Havlin, 10 Hebrew, 8, 14, 16, 19, 22, 23, 25, 29 I Isaiah, 17, 18 J James, 18, 19, 28 Jeremiah, 17 Jesus, 6, 16, 17, 18, 19, 25, 27 John, 18, 19 K kabbalah, 9 Kabbalistic, 8 Kazhdan, 11 Koren, 7 M Mary, 18, 19, 25

Matthew, 6, 18, 19, 24, 25 Matthias, 18, 19 Micah, 27 Michael, 9 N New Testament, 17, 24 Newton, 14 O Old Testament, 9, 16, 24 P Packer, 28 Passover, 18, 19 Pentateuch, 16 Peter, 15, 18, 19 Philip, 18, 19 Piatetski-Shapiro, 11 plaintext, 8 prophecy, 17 Proverb, 17 R Rambsel, 14, 17, 19, 27 Rips, 9, 11, 12 Ruth, 25

S Satinover, 28 Sephardi, 7 Sheshach, 8 Sifra dTsniutha, 13 Simon, 18, 19 Spirit, 23 T Thaddaeus, 18 theomatics, 20 Thomas, 18, 19, 29 Torah, 14, 17, 18, 19 V Vallowe, 28 W Washburn, 20 Y Yemenite, 7 Yeshua, 6, 16, 17, 18, 19 Z Zohar, 13

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