Numbers show order, not doctrine.
It is great to see the organization of the Lord with numbers, but when you start building doctrine on numbers, you have made something else. I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t recognize the significance of numbers in Scripture. Even Jesus used them. “As Jonah was three days and three nights…”
But that tells us about something. It doesn’t reveal a doctrine.
I call your attention to this passage.
1 Cor 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Some questions for believers in what this says.
Why is this true? There must be a reason that only a saved person can understand the mind of God. In the economy of God understanding is not dependent on ones education, IQ, or environment. The words God uses are simple words for the most part so why does the Spirit have to be present in a person to reveal their truths? I would like to have your answer to this.
Here is a Bible answer.
Matt 13:1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
4 And when he sowed, some [seeds] fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
This is at the end of the 31/2 year ministry of Jesus Christ. It was at this time he began to speak in parables. This was confusing to his disciples who had been with him for his whole ministry and knew this was something new for the Lord. So they asked the following question:
Mt 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
Here is his answer and you should consider it:
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
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3 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people s heart is waxed gross, and [their] ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with [their] ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16 But blessed [are] your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen [them]; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
So what is the immediate difference between these men and the others? It is their presence and relationship with Jesus, the son of God. He taught them the meaning of the parables, It was hidden as a mystery to the others.
Mark writing of this incident said this:
Mark 4:13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
So the answer is that God must teach the spiritual application of his word. Natural men can study the scriptures and apply human principles of study and even develop systematic studies but they cannot know the truths the scriptures are teaching and in the end must deny simple and plain words to make them work.
