Spiritual significance of the Number THREE

Came across this interesting piece and thought I would share. REMEMBER. TEST EVERY SPIRIT. Look into these things and find the truth in them for yourself. A bit long but worth the read.

“Three is the number associated with the Godhead, for there are "three persons in one God." Three times the Seraphim cry, "Holy, Holy, Holy"--one for each of the three persons in the Trinity (Isa 6:3). The living creatures also in Revelation 4:8.

Three times is the blessing given in Numbers 6:23, 24:--

• "The LORD bless thee and keep thee (the Father);
• The LORD make His face shine upon thee; and be gracious unto thee (the Son);
• The LORD lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace" (the Holy Spirit).

Each of these three blessings is two-fold, so that there are two members in each, while the name Jehovah occurs three times. This marks the blessing as Divine in its source. No merit drew it forth; grace was its origin and peace was its result.

In Genesis 18:2, the same three persons appear to Abraham. Abraham "looked, and, lo, THREE men stood by him." But verse 1 declares that it was "Jehovah appeared unto him." It is remarkable that Abraham addresses them both as one and as three. We read first that "they said," then "he said," and finally, in verses 13 and 17, 20, etc., "And the LORD said." The whole narrative, which begins with the appearance of the LORD, ends (v 33), "And the LORD went His way."

As we have in the number one the sovereignty of the one God; and in two the second person, the Son, the great Deliverer; so in "three" we have the third person, the Holy Spirit, marking and completing "the fulness of the Godhead." This word "fulness" is remarkable, occurring only three times, and in connection with the Three Persons of the Trinity:

• Ephesians 3:19, "The fulness of God.
• Ephesians 4:13, "The fulness of Christ."
• Colossians 2:9, "The fulness of the Godhead."

The "fulness" was manifested visibly in Christ, and is communicated by the Holy Spirit, for it is a fulness of which we receive by His mighty power (John 1:16).

This is why Abraham brought "three measures of meal" for his heavenly guest. This is why "three measures of meal" formed the great meal offering; because it set forth the perfection of Christ's perfect and Divine nature. In Leviticus no particular quantity of meal was prescribed, but in Numbers 15:9, we read, "Then shall he bring with the bullock a meal offering of THREE tenth deals of flour." This was the measure for the whole burnt offering, and also for great special occasions such as the New Moon and the New Year, etc. It was also the special measure for the cleansing of the leper (Lev 14:10). The poor leper had several gracious blessings beyond others. He alone was favoured with the anointing which was given only to the Prophet, Priest, and King! He alone had the priestly consecration. It is sinners who are now singled out from the mass of those who are lost, and dead in trespasses and sins, to be anointed with the Spirit, and made, in Christ, kings and priests unto God.

But there is more in these "three measures of meal." We have them in the parable (Matt 13:33), pointing to Christ in all the perfection of His person and His work, when He said, "Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God." There are different opinions about the "leaven," but what is the "meal." This is the point on which the interpretation turns. According to the popular interpretation, this pure "meal" is the corrupt mass of mankind, and the defiling "leaven" is the pure Gospel of Christ! Was there ever such an exhibition of man's perversity in calling sweet bitter, and bitter sweet? Was there ever such a proof that man's thoughts are contrary to God's? No! the "three measures of meal" point us to the perfections of Christ and the purity of His Gospel. And the hidden "leaven" points us to man's corruption of the Truth. A corruption for which we have to look, not after the third century, but in the first!

No leaven could be put into any sacrifice or offering made by fire to the LORD, because in Christ was no sin; therefore, there was to be no leaven. He was, in Himself, "a sweet savour to Jehovah."

True, in one offering there was leaven. But mark the difference and the lesson. In Leviticus 23 we have a list of the Feasts:--

• 1st. The Passover (v 5), on the 14th day.
• 2nd. The wave-sheaf of first-fruits on the morrow after the Sabbath (v 11), which might be burnt on the altar as a sweet savour (Lev 2:14-16), because unleavened.
• 3rd. Then (50 days after) the oblation of the first-fruits at Pentecost (vv 15-17). This might not be burnt on the altar (Lev 2:12), because it was mixed with leaven!

In the antitype of this we see Christ:--

• 1st. Christ our Passover sacrificed for us.
• 2nd. As the wave-sheaf of first-fruits, He was raised from the dead and became the first-fruits of them that slept (1 Cor 15:20), for in Him there was no sin (and hence no leaven).
• 3rd. Then, after fifty days, on the Feast of Pentecost came the oblation of the first-fruits in the descent of the Holy Ghost; for "we are a kind of first-fruits of His creatures" (James 1:18). But His people are not without sin, therefore this oblation had leaven mixed with it. It could not be offered to the LORD as a "sweet savour" (Lev 2:12). It was accepted only because asin-offering was offered with it (Lev 23:18,19), and the Priest waved all together for a wave-offering before the LORD.

This proves that the "leaven" is a type of error, evil, and sin. While the "three measures of meal" with which it was mixed and hidden typified the truth and purity of Christ and His Truth, and not the corrupt mass of mankind amongst whom it was introduced. The popular interpretation reverses the types of the meal and the leaven, and makes the leaven that which is good, and the meal that which is evil. But the great Teacher made no such mistake. "Church doctrine" is not "Bible truth," but it is leavened meal.

The number three, therefore, must be taken as the number of Divine fulness. It signifies and represents the Holy Spirit as taking of the things of Christ and making them real and solid in our experience. It is only by the Spirit that we realise spiritual things. Without Him and His gracious operation, all is surface work: all is what a plane figure is to a solid (John 3:6). He it is who has wrought all our works in us, and by whom alone we can serve or worship (John 4:24).

Hence it is that the Holy of Holies, which was the central and highest place of worship, was a cube.

Hence it is that the third Book in the Bible is Leviticus, the book in which we learn what true worship is. Here we see Jehovah calling His people near unto Himself, prescribing every detail of their worship, leaving nothing to their imagination or their taste, crowning all with the "MUST" of the great rubric of John 4:24. In true worship we see the FATHER seeking these true worshippers (John 4:23); the SON, the one object of all worship; and the Spirit qualifying and enduring the worshippers with the only power in which they can worship. Thus in Genesis we havesovereignty in giving life--the Father, the beginning of all things; in Exodus we have the oppressor and the Deliverer--the Son redeeming His people; while in Leviticus we have the Spirit prescribing, and ordering, and empowering them for Divine worship.

THE FIRST OCCURRENCE

of the number is in Genesis 1:13. "The third day" was the day on which the earth was caused to rise up out of the water, symbolical of that resurrection life which we have in Christ, and in which alone we can worship, or serve, or do any "good works."

Hence three is a number of RESURRECTION, for it was on the third day that Jesus rose again from the dead. This was Divine in operation, and Divine in its prophetic foreshowing in the person of Jonah (Matt 12:39,40; Luke 11:29; Jonah 1:17). It was the third day on which Jesus was "perfected" (Luke 13:32). It was at the third hour He was crucified; and it was for threehours (from the 6th to the 9th) that darkness shrouded the Divine Sufferer and Redeemer. The "loud voice" at the end of those twice three hours, when, "about the ninth hour," He cried, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me" (Matt 27:46), shows completely that nothing of nature, nothing of the light or intelligence of this world, could give help in that hour of darkness. Does not this show us our impotence in the matter? Does it not prove our incapacity to aid in delivering ourselves from our natural condition?

With the light at the ninth hour came the Divine declaration, "It is finished." So divinely finished, completed, and perfected, that now there is no such darkness for those who have died with Christ. Light, uninterrupted light, shines upon all who are risen with Him; uninterrupted sunshine--even "the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." That three hours' darkness, therefore, testifies to our complete ruin, and our complete salvation, and shows that His people are "complete in Him."

While we are speaking of the Divine perfections of Christ, let us note the many marks and seals of this completeness.

"The Spirit, the water, and the blood," are the divinely perfect witness to the grace of God on earth (1 John 5:7).

The three years of His seeking fruit testifies to the completeness of Israel's failure (Luke 13:7).

His three-fold "it is written" shows that the Word of God is the perfection of all ministry (Matt 4).

The Divine testimony concerning Him was complete in the threefold voice from Heaven (Matt 3:17, 17:5; John 12:28).

He raised three persons from the dead.

The inscriptions on the Cross in three languages show the completeness of His rejection by Man.

The perfection of His offices are shown in His being Prophet, Priest, and King, raised up from among His brethren (Deut 177:15, 18:3-5, and 18:15).

The Divine completeness of the Shepherd's care (John 6:39), is seen in His revelations as--

• The "Good Shepherd" in death, John 10:14.
• The "Great Shepherd" in resurrection, Hebrews 13:20.
• The "Chief Shepherd" in glory, 1 Peter 4:5.

His three appearances in Hebrews 9 show that His work will not be divinely perfect and complete until He appears again.

1. He "hath appeared" in the end of the age to "put away sin," and to "bear the sins of many" (Hebrews 9:26,28).
2. "Now to appear in the presence of God for us," He has ascended into Heaven (v 24).
3. He "shall appear" again part from all question of sin for those who look for Him (v 28).

ABRAHAM'S COVENANT

To go back to the Old Testament history we have God's Covenant with Abraham stamped with this number of Divine perfection (Gen 15). It was (like David's, 2 Samuel 7) Divinely "ordered in all things, and sure." God was ONE, i.e., the one party to it; for Abraham, who would willingly have been the other party, was put to sleep, that the Covenant might be unconditional, and "sure to all his seed." The Divine seal is seen in the choice of three animals, each of three years old (the heifer, the she-goat, and the ram). These, together with the two birds (the dove and the pigeon), made five in all, marking it all as a perfect act of free-grace on the part of a sovereign God.

THREE THINGS PREDICATED OF GOD
(in John's Gospel and Epistles)

• "God is love" (1 John 4:8,16). We are therefore to "Walk in love" (Eph 5:2).
• "God is spirit" (John 4:24, RV, margin). We are exhorted to "Walk in the spirit" (Gal 5:16).
• "God is light" (1 John 1:5). We are to "Walk in the light" (Eph 5:8).

"ASK OF ME"

To three people did God give this command:

• To Solomon (1 Kings 3:5).
• To Ahaz (Isa 7:11).
• And to the Messiah (Psa 2:9).

MAN'S THREE GREAT ENEMIES

are "the World, the Flesh, and the Devil":

1. The World is set over against the Father (1 John 2:15,16).
2. The Flesh is set over against the Spirit (Gal 5:17).
3. The Devil is set over against the son (the Living Word, Matthew 4:1, etc, and 1 John 3:8; and the Written Word, John 8:44).

THE THREE-FOLD CORRUPTION OF GOD'S WORD

By taking from, adding to, and altering.

THE THREE-FOLD NATURE OF TEMPTATION (1 John 2:16)

• "The lust of the flesh."
• "The lust of the eyes."
• "The pride of life."

These seen in our first parents when Eve saw (Gen 3:6) that the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was--

• "Good for food,"
• "Pleasant to the eyes,"
• "To be desired to make one wise."

COMPLETENESS OF DIVINE JUDGMENT (Daniel 6:25-28).

• MENE. God hath NUMBERED thy kingdom and finished it.
• TEKEL. Thou art WEIGHED in the balances and found wanting.
• PERES. Thy kingdom is DIVIDED and given to the Medes and Persians.

THE THREE GIFTS OF GRACE:

Faith, Hope, and Love, five times repeated.

THE THREE-FOLD NATURE OF MAN:

Spirit, and Soul, and Body, the man consisting of neither separately, but of the whole three together.

COMPLETENESS OF PEOPLE

• Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
• Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
• Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.
• Saul, David, and Solomon.
• Noah, Daniel, and Job.
• Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
• Peter, James, and John, etc.

THE GREAT FEASTS

·         were three; Unleavened Bread, Weeks, Tabernacles (Deut 16:16).

THE SHEET

·         let down three times to Peter was the fulness of the testimony as to the admission of the Gentiles into the Church (Acts 10:16).

THE OLD TESTAMENT

·         Testimony was complete and perfect in its three-fold division--Law, Prophets, and Psalms (Luke 24:44). The same three divisions mark its character to the present day.

"TWO OR THREE"

·         As three marks completeness and perfection of testimony, so it marks the number of spiritual worshippers; and intimates that true spiritual worshippers would always be few.”

Excerpt by E. W. Bullinger