What's He saying? I don't know, but I have theories. Most generally, it seems the number three in some sense reflects the nature of God, in that He exists eternally in three distinct persons who are nevertheless of one being or substance. The Trinity is a mystery that can't be fully grasped by finite human minds, and there's no adequate analogy we can devise to illustrate Him. But it seems to me that the nature of the number three, while not illustrating the Trinity, correlates with God's triune nature in peculiar ways. First, the nature of a third: it is an endlessly repeating number (.3333...) in which each digit calls attention to the nature of the whole from which it came. Each of the three parts is an endless string of "threeness", if you will. To be clear, the Father, Son, and Spirit are not "parts" of God; the one essence of God is not divided between the three persons. But the correlation between thirds and the nature of the Trinity lies in their infinity: at no point could the decimal end or change to a two or four and still be a third; and in their reflection of the whole: just as the Father, Son, and Spirit eternally glorify each other, so each of these thirds endlessly "glorifies" the "threeness" of the whole.
Of course, this only works in base ten, and that we use base ten is only due to the fact that we "happen" to have ten fingers and ten toes. Perhaps, but interesting things also happen in other bases: 1/3 in binary, which would be expressed 1/11, equals .010101...; in base 3, .1; in base 4, .11111... (link shows 1/4+1/16+1/64+1/256+1/1024, which are the base ten equivalents of the first five decimal places in base four); in base 5, .131313...; in base 6, .2; in base 7, .22222...; in base 8, .252525...; in base 9, .3. A question that I'm curious to investigate is whether there is any integer n less than 10 such that 1/n in any base yields a value of .nnnnnn.... I'm thinking there's not, but I'm not sure. My brain is starting to hurt. All of this makes me want to study number theory, but only a little. And I'm glad that we all have ten fingers.
More specifically, it seems that God has spoken through the conspicuous appearance of threes to alert me to His providential guidance of my life. In my post summarizing the odd numeric occurrences, I forgot to mention how clearly I was reminded of this the day after my accident in September. When my friend Noreen had a very serious accident in June, I mentioned the comfort for riding on dangerous roads I find in the truth expressed in the Heidelberg Catechism:
1. Q. What is your only comfort in life and death?A. That I, with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ; who with his precious blood has fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, wherefore by his Holy Spirit he also assures me of eternal life, and makes me heartily willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him.
It was no small comfort to me on Sunday, September 11, when we read this confession of faith as I was still stiff and sore from the previous day's wreck. I believed that truth in June, but in September I saw it. And it seemed clear that my frustrations that culminated in the accident were a pattern of providence calling me to focus on other things, particularly whether my interest in theology and biblical studies was to become a vocation again rather than just a hobby.
Until now I've not written about another theme that's been intertwined with the conspicuous numbers. What I didn't say before about my contract negotiation with Paul over pancakes was that I was distracted the whole time we talked by insights I wanted to share from the Old Testament. I couldn't stop talking about Elisha and Isaac as types of Jesus; the fact that he was buying me a bike was relatively boring news. About six months later, I returned to the same IHOP and sat across from Dick Belcher of RTS to learn about doctoral studies at Westminster Theological Seminary. During our conversation, into the restaurant walked Denis Regan, who in November 2007 bought a Litespeed from the bike shop and turned that job from a temporary stop gap into a potential career. I went back to the same IHOP Thursday October 13, 33 days after my accident, where Paul and I again discussed the things of the Lord after a brilliant lecture from Kirk Irwin on the nature of beauty, which concluded with the suggestion that beauty is the intersection of truth, goodness, mystery, and timing. Fast forward to November 10, when I was facing a decision about which direction to go: bike shop long term, or theology and biblical studies. Through a peculiar combination of illustrative events at work and an epiphany of freedom from the fear of regret, I decided to intentionally head toward theology. I wrote out the reasons in an email in case I should forget, and sent it to myself. A half hour later, the next email into my box was from Associate Pastor Mel Wines asking if I'd like to teach an adult Sunday School class. I've not taught since I finished teaching at WCCS four and a half years ago, and frankly haven't wanted to, but it seemed too clear an open door not to walk through it. I wrote him back and said I'd like to teach. The next day was 11/11/11; I was 33 years, 3 months, 3 days old, and again talking the things of God with saint Paul. After sharing some thoughts on 2 Corinthians 3:18 with him, he said "When you said that, it was like Jesus was saying it to my soul." I'm not Jesus, but took the well-timed encouraging word as an affirmation that maybe God has given me grace for pondering on and communicating His truth.
I said in my last post on these issues that I wanted to reflect on some texts I was reminded of by the seemingly symbolic connection of my accident with my vocation(s). I haven't done much more thinking on them, but what I see going on in this year is what I see going on in the lives of so many biblical characters: God meets them in terms of their deep identity, reflected in their vocations or names (or both), humbles them, even punishes or breaks them, so that they walk away wounded but transformed. This happened to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Paul, and ultimately Jesus, to whom they all point. My favorite example apart from Jesus is Jacob, when he wrestled with the angel.
Wow. After reading that I realize that I'm still saying "tell me your name" trying to figure everything out, when I need to start walking. I also feel like I have a new limp; I don't have the boldness nor the desire I used to in cycling, but it seems the sun is rising on me. What the new day will bring remains to be seen.
Until now I've not written about another theme that's been intertwined with the conspicuous numbers. What I didn't say before about my contract negotiation with Paul over pancakes was that I was distracted the whole time we talked by insights I wanted to share from the Old Testament. I couldn't stop talking about Elisha and Isaac as types of Jesus; the fact that he was buying me a bike was relatively boring news. About six months later, I returned to the same IHOP and sat across from Dick Belcher of RTS to learn about doctoral studies at Westminster Theological Seminary. During our conversation, into the restaurant walked Denis Regan, who in November 2007 bought a Litespeed from the bike shop and turned that job from a temporary stop gap into a potential career. I went back to the same IHOP Thursday October 13, 33 days after my accident, where Paul and I again discussed the things of the Lord after a brilliant lecture from Kirk Irwin on the nature of beauty, which concluded with the suggestion that beauty is the intersection of truth, goodness, mystery, and timing. Fast forward to November 10, when I was facing a decision about which direction to go: bike shop long term, or theology and biblical studies. Through a peculiar combination of illustrative events at work and an epiphany of freedom from the fear of regret, I decided to intentionally head toward theology. I wrote out the reasons in an email in case I should forget, and sent it to myself. A half hour later, the next email into my box was from Associate Pastor Mel Wines asking if I'd like to teach an adult Sunday School class. I've not taught since I finished teaching at WCCS four and a half years ago, and frankly haven't wanted to, but it seemed too clear an open door not to walk through it. I wrote him back and said I'd like to teach. The next day was 11/11/11; I was 33 years, 3 months, 3 days old, and again talking the things of God with saint Paul. After sharing some thoughts on 2 Corinthians 3:18 with him, he said "When you said that, it was like Jesus was saying it to my soul." I'm not Jesus, but took the well-timed encouraging word as an affirmation that maybe God has given me grace for pondering on and communicating His truth.
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:10-11)This past Sunday I started teaching. I'm actually really excited about it, at least in part because the class is flowing out of the typological insights I've been pondering all year. I've organized the class around three themes, based on statements from the Nicene creed:
1. "only begotten Son...before all worlds": types of Christ's SonshipI'm also reading volume 11 of the works of Jonathan Edwards with some friends, Typological Writings. I didn't realize it until Ben Carver told me last month, but Edwards thought a lot of the things I've been thinking almost three centuries ago. I'm also wanting to turn some of the ideas I've had into something publishable; maybe a magazine article, maybe a book, and hopefully a journal article. So far, those are the only concrete things I'm pursuing, but I think it's time to start looking at PhD programs. My only hesitation on that is what I really want to study. My B.A. and M.A. are biblical studies, but my recent interests seem to be more along the lines of natural, spiritual, or even mystical theology. If I had my choice, I'd probably become a monk and pursue a life of reclusive contemplation, and maybe do some gardening, pancake making, and writing, but I'm kinda Protestant, so I don't think that'll work.
2. "light of light": types of Christ as light
3. "for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven...": types of Christ's salvific work
I said in my last post on these issues that I wanted to reflect on some texts I was reminded of by the seemingly symbolic connection of my accident with my vocation(s). I haven't done much more thinking on them, but what I see going on in this year is what I see going on in the lives of so many biblical characters: God meets them in terms of their deep identity, reflected in their vocations or names (or both), humbles them, even punishes or breaks them, so that they walk away wounded but transformed. This happened to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Paul, and ultimately Jesus, to whom they all point. My favorite example apart from Jesus is Jacob, when he wrestled with the angel.
The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob's hip on the sinew of the thigh. (Genesis 32:22-32)
Wow. After reading that I realize that I'm still saying "tell me your name" trying to figure everything out, when I need to start walking. I also feel like I have a new limp; I don't have the boldness nor the desire I used to in cycling, but it seems the sun is rising on me. What the new day will bring remains to be seen.
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