ERM - Palmoni Book Report by Ella Rose Mast
Report by Ella Rose Mast
PALMONI or, THE NUMERALS OF SCRIPTURE
A Proof of Inspiration - A Free Inquiry
By M. MAHAN, D.D.,
He created Wisdom, and saw her, and numbered her, and poured her upon all His works. Why else is, He styled PALMONI (Dan. Vii, 13), which is rendered in the margin of our English Bibles, The Numberer of Secrets, or the Wonderful Numberer! ------Bibliotheca Biblica, iv, p.8.
PALMONI -----------Book Report ----by E.R.M.
This is an old work in our time schedule, but did not think it would be understood at the time Jeanette typed the book for us. But at this time then lets take another look at this subject.
PALMONI --or the numerals of scripture ---by M. Mahan, D.D. This book was entered according to an act of Congress, in the year 1863. by D. Appleton and Co.
Our author calls his work a 'free inquiry', or trying to find a connection between the application of Mystic numbers as a key to Sacred dates.
Our author tells us that the Bible is a collection of ancient documents. It contains a Chronology which has not been drawn out very well or presented honestly in most cases. There has been plenty of attempts to amend the Chronology of the Bible.
(We have read the works of Col. Totten, and his outline of Chronology written in the late 1890's and early 1900, but not too many authors have explained this reason for such a listing, as the explanation and the place of the numbers contained in scriptures.)
Our author seems to think there is evidence of a super natural design in the numerals of scripture. We also believe this and also we believe that symbols play a great part in your understanding of those scriptures. Dr. Swift also told us that the chronology of the years in the scriptures are off about 1500 years. Our author does not list the reason for this, except he wonders why the Jews would do this? Ha. Dr. Swift, on the other hand, would inform this author and tell us also the Jews would take these many years out of the Old Testament chronology of the Kings, so that they would be able to claim that Jesus was not the Messiah for He came not on the right date.
Our author says that (quote) all nature is a mystery, if there are sermons in stone, and books in running brooks (remember in the Book report of "In Search for the White God,” this found high up in the Andes mountains of today). If that be the case surely then we may expect to find, even in the arithmetic of scriptures more things than are dreamed of in our philosophy. (Unquote)
Our author was not an identity as such but he offered some interesting ideas. He lists the epochs of events which he calls divine judgments as being 6 judgments and 6 days. He lists them as -------
Number l---the expulsion from Eden with its mercy toward (Adam) man, and its severity to the Tempter. This day has no chronological limits for we do not have any way of measuring the time that Adam and Eve spent in the Garden.
Now we understand that Adam and Eve were in the garden a very short time. And we also understand that "TIME" started for the Adamic Race as Adam and Eve were put out of the Garden.
Number 2---in our authors understanding for the end of this second time frame was the time of the flood, and this was in the upper Tarium Basin. In this time span the wicked were destroyed and the righteous saved by water.
The ending of that time frame brought Noah into the "Time picture" of the Bible, as well as the promise as the Rainbow held in the clouds.
Number 3---is pictured as the fiery overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah where at this time the righteous are saved by 'Fire'. And at this time then Abraham came on the scene.
Number 4---according to our author brought the judgment on Pharaoh and then Moses steps into the leadership picture.
Number 5--is the destruction of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, which resulted in the captivity in Babylon of the last of the House of Israel. Our author then views this as the end of the Mosaic era and the sunrise of the Prophets.
Number 6---In the final desolation of the Temple with the abolishing of the Levitical worship the author suggest this is the deliverance of the Church from Judaism. And is termed the morning of the 'Day of the Son of Man.'
Our author describes these 6 epochs further by saying that the first day is the creation of light, as tho in symbolism this is the separation of Light from Darkness which would carry over into World affairs.
The Second day sees the firmament as separation of the Waters. And you remember that waters are symbolic of people. Thus, the second day drew the line between the Sons of God and the children of men. (We would say the Children of Darkness and the Children of LIGHT.) But you will notice that there is no blessing pronounced upon the Second Day.
The third day the dry land appears and life in its lower orders also appears.
The fourth day brings forth more life, as the Waters bring forth abundantly. After all the fish in the waters did not all die during the great flood of Genesis 1:1-2. Our author seems to think of this period as meaning signs of a higher life is emerging. (We read this as a literal re-emerging of the earth after the destruction of the "World that Was.")
The sixth Day brings the great beasts back upon the land and the heathen Empires are now BROUGHT INTO CONTACT WITH THE TRUE Religion. Thus, these six epochs are described as six days of preparation.
Our author describes 'the old world that was' as a type of Judaism, or a time of false religion.
Speaking of numbers, the time of Noah was 120 and that is 3-times 40 which is a significant number of Scriptures. 40 years in the wilderness, 40 years of Samuel. And in this time cycle then Israel rejected the heavenly rule for an earthly king. Then 40 years of Apostasy before the fall of Jerusalem.
The 5th day is described as the time of the Judges and of the Kings, there are 6 servitudes and 12 Judges.
Sampson was a great type of the resurrection and the 12th in a series. St. Paul the Apostle sums up this period of (Acts 13:21) as follows:--40 years of Samuel and Saul. Thus undoubtedly then allows 60 years for Joshua and the Elders who outlived Joshua.
The first book of Kings 6:1, reasons that the number 7 is the well known type of rest. And that the number 60 implies imperfection or expectancy.
The 42 months are explained as the time of Bar Cochbas 'the son of a star', who for 3 1/2 years raged furiously against the Christians. This after 70 A.D. when the Temple was destroyed.
40 years are also described as 40 years of provocation, deliverance and rest, enlarged dominion, and also humiliation or servitude. All of these years however are connected with the whole House of Israel. The number 65 years is also another symbol of Judah, and Israel.
In this instance then we have no right to judge the Bible by our modern standards. And to say that this or that thing should have been so and so. God's ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts as our thoughts. In everything therefore, that relates to God, whether in His Word, or in His Works-----or business is simply to inquire for the facts. We are to find out what is not what in our impatience we think it ought to be. However, no careful reader of the Bible can fail to have been struck or perhaps puzzled by the geography and the Ethnography of that sacred book.
The New Testament does not enlarge the then known size to the earth. Those people ---Israelites --called Jews in translation, who came together out of 'every nation under Heaven' had actually come from only that known area of civilization at that time. But this left out the bulk of Asia, almost all of Africa, the larger portion of Europe and the whole of America and Australia, to say nothing of the islands scattered over the Sea.
The Ethnography of the Bible, thus in Genesis 10, only accounts for the origin of the nations which spread out over that small part of the earth, just described. Thus "The whole earth' in Scripture is not always for a literal interpretation.”
Not realizing the truth of identity, our author finally loses his way, thinking of Evolution he says of Daniel 7: ---"They come up out of the Sea, and as at first as great beasts, but afterwards, humanized, being made to stand upon their feet as a man, and a man's heart given to them, they begin to march in ranks in the ever onward of human progress, until they have a part in the Divine book of Remembrance. And not till then, are the secular times made to synchronize with the Sacred 'Times and seasons'. Before that moment comes, the world in the eye of the Scriptures is but 'earth and sea, with the earth alone as being sacred. The Sea being a mixed mass of people living confusedly, without history, and without a name. (Unquote)
We would say that our author missed the beginning of Chapter 5:1, which says that this is the Book of the generations (race) of Adam.
However our author does believe that even in that mass of people there is a divine power working. He thus refers to the 'Living Creatures', the Lion, the Bear, the Leopard of Greek culture and the Roman beast with their laws and arms. Being a little mixed up as we believe, he then says that each of these (living creatures) are in turn brought into contact with the Light of the True religion, and from then on has its record in sacred Chronology. He still lost in understanding thinks this is surely only theory nothing more. But he does believe that the history of the human race Is a large and deep subject. And in reference to its chronology as to many other matters, there is room for much inquiry and for honest differences of opinions. Our author then thinks that History being only a modern thing, for even the Egyptians have no early history worthy of name (whereas we believe he has missed so much that truly is available for an open mind.) Thus he cannot understand why the Septuagint translators, whom he calls Jews, would change the chronology of the early days so as to be 1500 years difference as we have spoken of before?
One thing we did find to help us is that to find a correct date, it must be easily divided by the sacred numbers of scriptures such as Numbers 6-8-13-42-7.
6 is the number of imperfection---the human number. It is the number of man as destitute of God--without his spirit. 8--Resurrection is the great fact that is significant by the number 8. It is also associated with regeneration, renewal and the beginning of a New Era or Order. 8 is the dominical number, for everywhere it has to do with our LORD Jesus Christ. When written in threes, as 888, it is the numerical value of the name of Jesus in the Greek.
13--altho widely viewed as ill omen, actually 13 is the U.S. number. It is in combination with eight as signifies atonement. Thus the two numbers eight and 13 are like two threads of gold and crimson which run through the whole of Divine Revelation, continually crossing and recrossing each other.
42---this number is identified with Antichrist (Rev. 11:2). Another number associated with the Antichrist is 1260 (30 times 42). Its factors are six and seven (six times seven= 42. indicating a connection between man and the Spirit of God, between Christ and Antichrist. Being a multiple of seven, it might suggest spiritual perfection, but in Scriptural usage, this number is dominated by its association with six the number of man without the Spirit of God.) Thus, 42 becomes significant of the working out of man's opposition to God himself. The background of the common phrase about everything being at 'sixes and sevens' becomes obvious, and in this context, 42 is the number of confusion. It is also the number of 'Treading down'. (Taken from Bullinger’s book of numbers). Also, we would suggest the reference also to the 42nd President of the United States.
This number seven is the first natural division of time. For on the 7th day God rested from his work of creation. 7 is then the number of spiritual perfection. The multiples of the Divine number occupy so large a place in the Written Word of God with a rhythm and symmetry no man could contrive, that they constitute incontrovertible proof of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit over shadowing the preparation of the scriptures. (II Peter 1:20-21). The number 7 is stamped on the 'times and the seasons' of the Scriptures in such a manner that it marks the spiritual perfection of the Divine prophecies. It is also fourth in the series of prime indivisible numbers. It is also the number of Adam as we understand it.
There is thus no such thing as chance in God's World. No such thing as Confusion. Everything is numbered, everything is in its place, everything comes up in its own time and place. Indeed to the common eye the stars are scattered loosely over the expanse of heaven. But science brings order out of Confusion. We were told thousands of years ago by the Bible that God telleth the number of the stars and calleth them all by their names. The Bible also tells us that our steps are numbered, our days are numbered, even the hairs of our head are numbered. That the righteous are numbered to life, while the wicked are numbered to the sword. In short there is nothing without number save only 'His understanding', or when the Psalmist declare 'there is no number.'
There is a peculiar propriety in the question the author placed on the title page of this book. Why else is He styled ---Palmoni---by the Prophet Daniel? The numerical value of the word Palmoni has a numbered value of 80-30-40-6-50 and 10, or 216 which is the three times, three times, three multiplied by eight, a most significant combination. Thus in our English Bible translation we read that Certain Saint, but in the margin we see him listed as the Numberer of Secrets, or the Wonderful numberer, as if Palmoni were a compound in which is retained the name of Wonderful, a name of Christ as well as Counselor. (Daniel 9:13)
Thus we see that our author and we also repeat that God is a wonderful numberer. And the sacred Chronology is full of symmetry beauty, and significance even in its numerals. Thus as you gain more knowledge then as the Christian history era comes to be written, by real men of real science, and faith, its periods and dates and sequences of events may fall into an order as striking, as beautiful and harmonious as that which seems to pervade the Hebrew chronology.
Thus whether the sacred chronology be a record of Common times still it is a record of God's time. Thus, it bears upon it the marks of the super natural. It goes far then to prove the inspiration and Divine authority of the Scriptures in general.
(Over the years then since this book was written we have gained more knowledge, and for this we are grateful. We have the book of numbers by Bullinger. We also know that 7-40-12 are numbers that may serve as some indication of a hidden analogy of numbers. According to the Judean-Hebrew divisions there are 5 books of the law, 8 of the Prophets, and 9 of the Jagiographa. These answer to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. There are 5 double letters in the Hebrew, so there are 5 double books, namely 2 of Samuel, 2 of Kings, 2 of Chronicles, 2 of Ezras, that we call Ezra, and Nehemiah, and 2 of Jeremias. There is thus some mystery in these sounds, which form all words, connected with the character of the Word. Thus it goes until we are convinced that numbers play an important part in the understanding of the sacred scriptures.)
He has weighed the world in the balance, and carefully measured the Times, with a measure, and carefully counted the hours, and He will not move or disturb them, until the prescribed measure is reached. (II Esdras 4:36-37)
Nothing therefore is left to chance for the prophet Isaiah extols the magnitude and perfection of the Work of Almighty YAHWEH, the creator and Master Builder, who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand. And meted out the heavens with a span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance.
Thru His Prophets, then YAHWEH alludes to chronological time cycles which are calculated in hours, days, weeks, months and years, in order that the wise among his people may acquire an understanding of the specific timing governing the outworking of the Divine plan and purpose in relation to the past, present, and coming events. Further more each number must be correctly elevated in order to disclose the full meaning of the hour, the days, weeks, month or year measures involved.
There is special significance in the fact that the 'glorious being'---called 'that certain Saint by Daniel’ is more accurately named PALMONI, WHO IS THIS Numberer of Secrets, or the Wonderful Numberer. He revealed to Daniel in a vision, the information that the Sanctuary would be cleansed at the end of the 2300 day-years of Daniel 8:13-14.
Notice in your King James Version for this name PALMONI. Daniel had this vision while in captivity in old Babylon as a young man. As Daniel wondered and pondered about this vision. And then he was told that this vision was for the time of the end. And YAHWEH told His Angels to make it plain to Daniel --this meaning of his vision. And this was to be for the last end of the indignation for that 'time' appointed--"The end shall be.” (Daniel 8:19)
Then the scripture describes this latter time of the kingdom of darkness when the aggressors are come to their fullness. For at that time a king (or a person acting like a king) shall stand up. But his power will not be by his own power. (There will be those behind him who will furnish the power.) But he shall magnify himself in his heart and by PEACE shall destroy not only the mighty but the Holy people as well. He will stand up against the Prince of Peace (YAHSHUA) but he shall be broken without hand.
But Daniel was told that he was to shut up this vision for it is for the latter day, and would be a lot of days from those days in captivity in old Babylon.
Thus the events marked out by charted time measures proclaim the fact that the culmination of the language of numbers proclaims this fact--- that the culminating scenes of the Great Drama of the Ages draws nearer. The turmoil among people bringing about 'distress of nations' as foretold by Luke 21:25. Amid the advance of nuclear capability and weaponry, possessed by aggressive alliances, all testify to the shortness of time, (Matthew 24:22) before the climax erupts to startle an unprepared world. (Luke 21:35) Then also the constant strife in the old Holy Land, where the ultimate issue is finally to be decided, and which will end with the defeat of the foes of the righteous, preparatory to ushering in the New Order of the Ages. (And notice I did not say the New World Order.)
Our author called this a 'free inquiry' because it deals with an open question, being conducted without any prejudices which might disturb, but without any appeal to authority, whether of the early church or the modern one. As it is there is not uniformity, but harmony and consistency, a thing more beautiful in itself, and a surer mark of design.
Thus looking back at our list of symmetrical periods, one would ask: --why are there 12 of the Judah terms? ---Because "12" is the natural number and national number, and the Judah Kingdom was the center of national unity there at the last in the old Holy land.
You then ask why then does the Israel or Ephraim terms then go always by 6's. For ‘sixes’ are mentioned as the number of preparation, for Israel had its share in the grand work of preparing the way for the LORD, and the Israel Kingdom did not have the same part to play as did the Judah Kingdom. The Ephraim (Israel) part of the picture is the story of the whole Abrahamic or Arphaxad cycle. Why then do the 70's and thousands overlap so that they make a sort of image of three in one? This is only because these 70's and thousands are figures of the reign of Christ. Why then does the 20's appear 9 times, for nine is the number of Judgment, but also the number of Abraham's 'time of expectancy’? The answer is found in spiritual meanings, in spiritual factors such as 8-5-13-6 and the like.
Why then are the 70 weeks of Daniel introduced by a 7 when actually the number of years included by these overlapping seventies is 147 or 7-times 7-times 3, and is emphasized by prominent epochs in 7 places. The propriety of the number is obvious on a moment's reflection. (We would also remind you that the number 7 pertains to Adam and then to Israel.) Further more the 70's and thousands make a kind of 3 in 1. There is something of this in the same arrangement of the four hundred and eighties. Two of those periods --the 480 of I Kings 6:1, the preparing for Solomon's Temple, and the mystic 12-40's preparatory to the true Living Temple (the Christ). There is another era typical of this and that is between Noah's birth and the 120 years of suspended judgment preparatory to the building of the Ark.
The Ark itself was 3 stories high, and the Temple was in three parts, and the Living Temple, in the name of the sacred 3. Thus the 12 forties, which made up the 480, go by 3's. There is 3 of provocation, 3 of humiliation, or defeat, 3 of deliverance, 3 of the extended Empire. In fact each kind of probation is perfected in the sacred 3's. Thus, the 3's were prominent in the Ark and in Solomon's Temple. For there were 3 chambers round about, and the 'molten sea' containing 3000 baths, is compassed by a line of 30 cubits, on which were 300 knops. Then there were the 12 oxen, with 3 looking toward the South, and 3 looking toward the North, 3 looking toward the west, and 3 looking toward the east. This is the precise order by the way in which the Gospel of the Sacred 3's went from Jerusalem. There is no other connection in scriptures in which the 4 corners of the world are mentioned in this order. A fact that gives additional significance toward the north----Samaria, Damascus and Antioch. Next toward the west of Caesaria, Cyprus, Corinth, Rome and toward the south of Alexandria, and Egypt. Finally toward the east of Mesopotamia, Persia and India. Thus in many ways this number 3 is connected with the Temple as intimate as with the Ark.
In the Chronology, the mystic terms of 40 and 65 also occur 3 times. First out of the connection with Seth, who lived 105 years and then men (Adamites) began to call on the name of the LORD. In the other cases Israel and Judah were purged of adulterers so that afterwards, after the captivity, they then bore a steadfast witness to the unity of the God head. This was the era of a new calling on the Name of the LORD.
As you can see there are many instances of arrangements leading to rest, and probation in its 4 forms, as typified by the 40's of the preparation of the Ark of the Temple. This leads to the 'glory and domination' as in the Millenniums, all are associated with the sacred 3, and the frequency of their recurrence in a marked or determined way seems to be regulated by that significant number. So much then for the general harmony and consistency of the Mystic numbers and the Chronology.
There is thus a nice graduation in several terms, such as the Abrahamic cycle, which dates from the birth of Shem--the Israel-Judah from the covenant with Abraham, and the Jerusalem era from the Exodus. There was a wide range of Patriarchal faith; then the special 'call' of the Covenant, and lastly the well-defined worship of the '4-square-city.'
In fact the Abrahamic cycle begins in the old world before the flood (of Noah's time). And that of Israel-Judah reaches back to Abraham. And that of Jerusalem began long before Jerusalem was the Sacred city. In fact the earlier disposition fore shadows the later, and the later takes the earlier into itself. This is shown in the 65 times 40, or 2,600 years which begins with Arphaxad and rolls onto the final disposition.
There was a well-known tradition among the Jews as well as among the Christians of the early church, that the Messiah was to come at the end of the 6th millennium, and that his reign was to endure just one thousands years. The notion is eluded too in the Epistle of Barnabas.
God finished His work in 6 days, so in 6000 years the Lord is bringing things to a close, for one day with the LORD is as a thousand years. Thus in accordance with St. Barnabas who speaks of the 8th day as the beginning of the other world, the Jews thus expected the Christ to come precisely at the end of 6000 years. And as the Hebrew Chronology extended to the time as when Messiah would come then this was formed as 4000 years. The Jews would then be able to say that the coming of this ONE called Jesus was not the one promised because the 'time was not right.'
Dr. Swift understood why the Jews removed these years from the chronology of the Hebrews so that this number of years would not be right. Dr. Swift proved that this denial of YAHSHUA as Messiah, was for this very purpose of denial. Our author, not understanding who the Jews were and who Israel was, would then wonder why the Jews would do this.
Our author has quite an explanation as to the time of the Antichrist, termed Bac Bachbas, as the project as it were of the 3-1/2 years. But connected with that is the year, which he says that the enemy of the Christ seized on Jerusalem. He refers to several dates even of the time of Muhammadanism. Taken in connection with Ishmael this is very interesting for the 70 sevens are not exhausted till you come to the Christian era. And perhaps will go on even to the "week " of our LORD’s ministry. Thus the people, the day and the city, this fateful number are still very much alive. And what their future may show might be the 'event' alone that shall tell us. For the mystic numbers are the key to Chronology.
Today we know so much more. For the bible is a history of the supernatural. Thus in the numbers of scriptures in the general view of the subject there has been a proof of the design by some to hide the truth of the Chronology and thus do this using the scissors to certain dates. Thus interrupting the 'sure word of God.' In this case, we can only suppose that there is something that certain writers are showing that sustains this fact. Also certain is that there is a super natural element in the Scriptures, of a super natural life pervading its organism. And this is scientifically demonstrated.
Our author then set out to try to uncover one little corner of this vast field of inquiry which was more familiar to the early church than to the Christians of our times. This is a great and fertile field of the symbolism of Scriptures.
The early church, familiar with Wordsworth's New Testament, which showed the strange coincidence's connected with the number 8 then led our author to come to the meaning of number 7. This led also to this curious branch of study which the Early Fathers followed. And as he studied this then he noticed how intimately they are connected, and how admirably the table of Dates fell in with the scheme of days and Epochs and what a light the Sacred numbers then shed on the peculiarities of the Table of Dates.
Thus Dr. Christopher Wordsworth says that the symbolical meaning of numbers in Holy Scripture deserves more study and attention than it has received in recent times. For if all nature is a mystery, if there are sermons in Stone and books in the running brooks, surely we may expect to find even in the arithmetic of scriptures more things than are dreamed of in our philosophy.
Once more our author goes back to these same events of sacred history which might be selected as convenient Epochs, for there are 6 which stand out. 6 which are eminently typical of the last great Epoch, this coming of the 'Son of man' to judge the world. These are all Epochs of Divine Judgment, salvation to all who obey, and destruction to those who disobey.
1. Is termed the expulsion from Eden with its mercy to (Adam) man, and its severity to Lucifer 'the tempter' and the waving of fiery swords of the Cherubim, the close of a Day which has no Chronological limits after the abode in Paradise? Thus, the Day closed being the first of the 8th.
The day of light is prefiguring the day of Resurrection, and in a peculiar sense made by God Himself. For He walked in the garden. This was the Lord's Day in the chronology, and we reckon it as a Zero for we do not understand, or know his beginning.
As you come to the flood of Noah's day then this is the flood in which the wicked are condemned, and the righteous saved as by Water. Then would come the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, and only a few saved as by Fire. This is thus the dawn of Abraham's day and the covenant of Circumcision.
Then comes the judgment upon Pharaoh, the Baptism into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. Thus, the end of the Abrahamic period, and the beginning of the day of Moses. Then comes the destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon's Temple with the captivity in Babylon and the taking of the Chosen people from the sin of idolatry. And the end of the Mosaic era sees the sunrise of the Day of the Prophets. The final desolation of the Temple, with the abolition of Levitical worship and the deliverance of the church from Judaism arrives, and this is the evening of the Prophetic term and the morning of 'the Son of Man'.
Each of these epochs are mere points in sacred history. And one epoch melts so naturally into the next, until there comes Isaac, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, all of which preceded the Messiah. All are like great waves of events coming each with a greater and greater force. And we are thus told to watch for the seventh wave or grand epoch. For it will be the culmination and manifestation, the ridge, the crest, the outgrowth, and upshot of all the good and evil, the happiness and misery of the ages, which have gone before.
In "Primary Charge,” by Bishop Odenheimer, you notice that the first day is the creation of light. Then comes the separation of the light from the darkness. And in history you have the separation of good and of evil in Eden, by the forbidden tree. And on the second day you have the separation of the waters, those above and below where as in Holy scriptures waters are symbolic of people. Thus, in the second day this drew the line between the Sons of God above. And his covenant with the Children of men (or waters below.)
In the Mosaic period there is no blessing pronounced upon the second day, and it is not declared 'good.' With the third day you see the dry land appear with life in its lower types. On the fourth day is the seed time of the nations. See Genesis 10 ----There are lights in the Sacred family. The sun moon and stars come forth as signs of higher life. (Are you following this symbolism?) This author says that the 5th day is marked by an exuberance of higher life. The waters thus bringing forth. Then the 4 great beasts come forth out of the sea and began to line up and breathe on the land. The Heathen Empires are then brought into contact with the True Religion. Hence the higher life, a higher and holier culture the seeding and the spawning must now give place to the nurture of the Beast (world order). Such are these symbols of the 7 days of preparation.
As we add up the chronology of the world before the flood (of Noah's time), then Genesis 5:3-28 and 7:2 tells us that the sum of the period from Adam and Eve out of the Garden to the Flood of Noah's time was 1,656 years.
Our author then tells us hat the world before the flood stands in typical relation to the 'last times' of the preparation for Christ, and the Levitical dispensation. "As in the days of Noah" so shall the coming of the Son of Man be." And upon chronology then comes the destruction of the Jewish nation which took over Israel's place in old Jerusalem.
The writings of the Apostles ---as to the last days, the last times is also referring to the times of the destruction of the Jewish nation. Here in the present time we are slow to appreciate the sense in which these expressions were used. But if you will read the story left by Josephus which marks the siege of Jerusalem, you will understand this. When Tacitus the Roman came his expressions show what this part of history had been his imagination. Daniel used the phrase---the end shall be with a flood, or like a flood. Daniel 9:26-27 ----. This was a time of Godless civilization of confusion and corruption, but also of the preparation of the Ark, that is the Church.
The preparing is like the 8 in the Ark, to the few in the Church as the old Jewish dispensation is swept away. A new order in place of the old. Both periods---the end of that dispensation and now the end of this one are alike.
Now; when God says years, HE undoubtedly knows what a year is, so we do not doubt it or try to change it. We must not do otherwise, but take the inspired writers at their word. The dates of scripture can be determined with accuracy.
The way to ascertain the Bible dates is to merely set them down honestly as they come and add then up. The terms of Patriarchs, and Judges, and Kings of Judah which extend from Adam to Arphaxad, and from him to the beginning of the 70 weeks of Daniel are easy to follow. As you work on the reign of the Kings, it is obvious there are some gaps.
From the flood to the birth of Arphaxad, there are just two years from Arphaxad to the birth of Terah, when Abraham was 75 years of age, or it was just 425 years from the last date to the covenant of Circumcision, the destruction of Sodom and the birth of Isaac. Thus, 425 years in all from the flood of Noah's time or the birth of Arphaxad.
Now; the time of the Children of Israel sojourning in Egypt is stated as being 430 years. This is from the arrival of Jacob in Egypt, or as St. Paul implies (Galatians 3:17) from the covenant which was confirmed with Abraham.
Now; Abraham's father was dead when Abraham entered Canaan land. And there has been arguments as to the time for this. But according to the time of the Apostles, in this number of 430 years, then the Jews say, however, that the Apostle Paul spoke as tho this was not of importance concerning the exact date, yet this is not on the other hand what you would expect from an inspired Apostle. Why, we ask, would the Apostle St. Paul have been so tender of Jewish error when he was always arguing against those errors? And especially when he was talking, not to the Jews, but to his own people--the Children of Faith. Thus we accept the date of 430 years as being correct. It seems that the events related with such solemnity in Genesis 17 and beyond beginning with the Promise and confirmed to Abraham, ending with the birth and circumcision of 'the seed' to whom the promise was related. Adopting this date, then as the starting point we have for our 4th day, then from the Covenant with Abraham to the Exodus from Egypt precisely 430 years.
This fifth day --the Judges and the Kings---there is in this timetable much diversity in the answer as to the 'time; which cannot be made a certainty without the aid of St. Paul? There is a discrepancy here. In fact there is a mysterious blank here in the Chronology.
It seems that the reign of Jehoiakim was interrupted also by the coming of Nebuchadnezzar. Thus, the dates here are hard to obtain. But finally we arrive at the time of Zedekiah's reign and our author then reckons that all things considered the dates in Kings and Chronicles are not to be believed. Thus he selected a middle date because it seemed to synchronize perfectly the 2 lines of Kings. And in his summation he concluded that there are then two terms of 'the 70 weeks of years' or twice 490 from the exodus to the captivity. Thus, goes the argument over dates of scriptures.
Our author, in his comparisons of the days, then on the 6th day comparison, he says that in this time came the destruction of the Temple, which came 20 years after the captivity of 586 B.C.
Then 50 years later came the decree of Cyrus---restoring the captives to their own land, thus bringing the captives back to their own land,---536 B.C. Then 20 years later the temple had been rebuilt and rededicated (Ezra 6:15. But still we see arguments as to the exact dates. And in this time table came the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem---459 B.C.
But not long after the Passion and the Ascension, the Jews began to vex the growing Church. Stephen was the first Martyr. This is commonly place in the year 30 of the Vulgar era. The year 31 is the end of the '70 weeks' of Daniel and probably marked by the conversion of Cornelius and the Gospel preached to the gentiles (nations of Israel). 40 years later this was the last provocation of the Jews for the Temple was destroyed and the Jews were scattered. Then 65 years later---Jerusalem was a second time destroyed by Hadrian, and the circumcised seed of Abraham. And the Jews were forbidden to enter the city anymore. This was because of the action --it is said---of the rebellion of Bar Cochbas, 'the son of a star', the Antichrist of that period who for 3-1/2 years or 42 months had raged furiously against the Christians. These with a few other prominent events, taken from the received chronologies will mark the chief points of 'the time and the seasons', which came to a close.
Our original author then says that for the convenience of the reader, he has thrown the dates all together into the form of a regular table. And he points out that the year 70 was the turning point in the tide of Jewish affairs. And now Hycanus and Aristobulus were in great rivalry, and this brought the crushing weight of Roman power down on that area. It is interesting that the time of the siege of Jerusalem is the same amount of days as that of the flood in disaster--or 150 days.
Most of the prominent dates in those last days, of Jewish history are marvelously in harmony with Daniel's 'weeks' and serve to emphasize the prophecy in every stage of fulfillment.
Thus in the year 169 B.C. Antiochus Epiphanes, the Assyrian began to rage against the people and the temple of God. (Maccabees 1:4) He defiled the temple by offering swine upon the altar. Then YAHWEH raised up Judas Maccabees, and in 165 B.C. the tyrant was broken. The Temple was cleansed and rededicated, and the walls of the City rebuilt. This is also the date which closes the 42 weeks of Daniel and considering the emphasis laid on this number 42 by the prophets. it is also remarkable that this date is also connected with the date of Bar Cochbas for he began in the 42 century. 151 B.C. marks the beginning of the Asmonaean, or Maccabee Dynasty, which continued to the reign of Herod the Great in 38 B.C. On the death of Herod the probable year of the fulfillment of "out of Egypt have I called my son." (Here I would call your attention to something the old books say, and this is that Herod's son was on the throne when Christ was born. Thus in this time period when we are told that 'the sacrifice and oblation' were caused to cease by the offering of the ONE victim once and for all, was occupied by the ministry of John the Baptist. This would be followed by that of Our LORD and His Apostles. And we see why this confusion of dates if you are not careful to divide and proclaim.
You will now remember this 42 months----or the time of the Antichrist, and this also fits in the 3 1/2 years of trouble thought by many of the ancients to find a more complete exhibition at the end of the present time. This was left to prophecy.
In understanding of dates then understand that the number 40 is a Judah term, 390 is marked as an Israel term or an Ephraim term. The Judah would be no more and now YAHWEH WOULD PUT HIS PEOPLE BACK TOGETHER UNDER ONE HOUSE---the Whole House of Israel. Thus the 70 weeks or the 490 days belong to the history of the Israelites altho the theologians have tried to give them to the Jews.
As the battles raged between the Maccabees and the Jews, then the 42 months fits in this time for Judas Maccabees started and his brothers finished the battle, each gave their life. These were Asmonians-Israelites as was Josephus the author.
Today in our time, the people, the city, the fateful number are all still alive and events are shaping up as our future.
But going back to the table our author produced then the 5th day comes out as another which fits with the 8th or the Octave in the most perfect of harmony, or from the law, the democracy, the promised land, the temple and the Prince of Peace comes the fountain head of the Millenniums which are all marked in their sacred numerals. This is the Epoch of history, for the Antichrist tries to stop all this prophecy, but finally the Grand octave opens, and the harmony of God's days, perfect in the 8 of Resurrection come to pass. Thus the secret of all of this is that the Bible is a living thing.
Now; as to the millenniums--(the 1000 years of Revelation 20:4-5)---the first resurrection. And remember that the first prophecy of the end of the Jewish control also contained in itself the gem of another millennium which shoots out from the first and extends into the events ahead, thus proves itself a part of the millennium of our time. It seems that God in His wisdom has not seen fit to reveal to much about this. (Altho we know so much more today about this.) But the key to that door says our author is in the hands of the events. And now Jerusalem comes also in this period of 1000 yeas----the dwelling of Salem---Peace, and there is also in this word Jerusalem---the trinity (spirit, soul and body of Christ). And here also you find organization of the kingdom with the law not abolished, just fulfilled in Christ. All come before us now at every turn. All are repeated with endless variations, but in proportion beautiful, symmetrical and full of spiritual meaning.
The temple was like the Celestial city ---4 square---- we then can turn backward to Eden, and the Cubic contents of the Temple, or 8000 cubits, which are the thousands of the millennium multiplies by 8 of the Resurrection. Thus no matter where we turn the numbers of scriptures are organically bound together. Biblical chronology is dates and terms then full of spirit and of life. The secret of all of this that the Bible is thus a 'Living thing'. The table thus is full of their connection to numbers 7-8-9-13 and so forth.
Thus what then would you say is the design of the numerals of scripture? Can it be attributed to the ingenuity of man or has this the sure marks of Plenary (full or complete) inspirations? We think it is in all events in accordance with God's ways, as seen in the laws of nature.
For more than 5000 yeas men had seen apples fall from the trees, but nothing occurred to them in their thoughts. Then this came under the gaze of a great child --soul, and what was the results---Eve ate an apple and this grew into a type of the universe.
All knowledge of this subject starts from a premise equally obvious and simple. Is this chance or design? We are led on by steps so easy and natural that we feel almost ashamed of the simplicity of the thing as to say it is unworthy of Divine greatness. But God is Great in small things. His is a simple greatness. He can put more in a mustard seed than man could pack up, in a whole world. The Principal here is that which a child can comprehend, but which man can stumble at. Thus it is a system which grown from human and divine.
This then is truth, the harmony of the scriptures, the marvel of the scriptures is the proof of its inspiration. Certain plays upon words and ciphers seems to smile upon the whole face of the scriptures, so that from Genesis to Revelation the great deep smiles. Even Chronology which is the tally of the 'times calender' are all notched and scored with the words of thousands of years, but suddenly like Aaron’s rod, breaks out into buds and blossoms. Then it becomes next to impossible to not see the finger of God in it. To attribute it to man appears the height of philosophic credulity.
If the number 8, for example, divides equally into dates connected with Resurrection and none other, then where is the limit to all this? If you can take names of characters of scripture and tie them to numbers of scriptures, how far does this apply? The limit of their occurrence is found in the conformity of Divine purpose. There is no question but that they served their purpose in the early church. No man ever studied the bible like those fathers did in the first 6 centuries. And they studied it not as critics, but as lovers. The utterance of St. Paul and the characters like Stephen the first martyr stir our interest in the New Testament. The fall of old Jerusalem under Titus, the Roman, and then the final catastrophe under Hadrian which you have to go outside of the bible into history to find, tells you that you must also rely on history at times for the whole story.
Again apply to this chronology four or five simple numbers, and apart from Chronology you have a new element of life to deal with. These number thus establish a vital connection between the dates of scripture, and its highest poetic heights. The flood lifts up to New Jerusalem, Abraham becomes our teacher in the mystery of what of old was called the trinity. What now we know as the Spirit, soul and body of the savior. Ishmael after a slumber of two millenniums wakes and lives again in the 'Hegira' of Mohammed. The old world seems to rise from the dead. Mahalaleel comes before us as Moses of his age. Enoch testifies against apostasy and schism. And on and on it goes year after year, until we hear some scholars say it does not make any sense at all.
As we dig deeper and deeper into the scriptures we seem to believe that the divine plan was not to make this to plain to all people. He gave us the written word, of such men as the Apostle Paul to stir the minds of His Children in earth. To others it was not supposed to make much sense.
Thus be careful whom you choose to interpret for you. An inquiry into one branch of a subject, unsupported by the results of an inquiry in other branches of the subject, are later under a disadvantage as they seek for the truth.
The Sacred Chronology is then a super natural scheme, it is a divinely inspired record. It is thus a record of the duration of the whole 'time' of man. (And since the story of the Adamic race (Genesis 4:1) then 'time is the life story of Adam man here in earth from the time he left the Garden, until the kingdom is set in place here in earth. Unless we understand this then we cannot make sense of the chronology of scripture.
Men have supposed that the Mosaic chronology only suggests that the world was only a little more than 4000 years old at the coming of the Messiah. Many scholars do not agree with this, and neither do I. We have no right to judge the Bible by our modern standards. For God's ways are not our ways. Our duty is to require as to facts, not to find out what we think-------- a thing ought to be. Do not put words in God's mouth.
The more one studies the bible the less inclined you are to be positive about things. This is a very deep book. The more a person becomes sure they understand it perfectly, the more it is likely they are like children playing in the sand.
Nation became historic as they from the sublime image of the prophet Daniel came up out of the sea (people) at first then described as Beasts (or world orders). Then later they march in ranks ever onward in the book of Remembrance. Thus the sea is the mixed mash of people living confusedly, without a history and without a name. Yet in that sea a divine power is working.
The Living Creatures, the winged Lion, the bear, the leopard, all of these terrible beasts are a part of the overall story. Then Roman law and arms each comes out in its turn and each is contact with the true religion and begins their contact and record in sacred Chronology. By the time of the Septuagint, the chronology had been altered by about 1500 years, and now we know why.
Then you ask:----WHY IS HE STYLED Palmoni by the Prophet Daniel? The name of Palmoni has a numerical value of 80, 30, 40, 6, 50, and 10 or 216 which is 3-times 3-times three multiplied by 8 which is a most significant combination. Thus it is proven that God is the great numberer, that the sacred chronology is full of symmetry, beauty and significance even in its numerals. Not that the Bible is unhistorical, but that it is history of a vast higher kind than anything else that we are accustomed to call by that name. It is the ideal of history. It is whatever common history might be if written from a higher point of view. And from the more perfect knowledge of the work that God maketh.
When the history of the Christian era is written, not by shallow rationalists but men of real science and real faith. Its periods of dates and sequences of events may fall into an order as striking and as beautiful as harmonious as that which seems to pervade the Hebrew Chronology.
We rest upon one conclusion, whether the sacred Chronology be a record of common times or not, it is in all events a record of God’s 'times. It goes far to prove the inspiration, and divine authority of the scriptures in general. Where the Bible speaks, we bow to its implicitly. Where it is silent, we bow also, but in humble expectancy waiting for more light.
Our author gives many dates of Chronology which we read with interest because of his tying them to numbers which is the purpose of this book. I am inclined to think we have a better run down of dates available today, wherein we also believe that numbers plays a great part in our understanding, of the Gospels. We thus also concur that Palmoni is the Great numberer, and when we have a better knowledge of the effect of the numbers, in our understanding of the scriptures we find ourselves more enlightened. As for now, we are happy that as America's number 13 is understood we will see how this country of America is so important in this history of the world.
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