As only the elite in ancient times would have been educated many would not be literate or numerate. Numbers were often used symbolically as well as a measurement.

We opened in worship remembering the dichotomy between a mighty God and a personal saviour.

The universe is created with order and pattern. We thought about how immense our God is and how wonderful it is that such a mighty God is bothered with his creation. Cosmologists believe that there are more stars in the universe than there are grains of sand on the earth. God who created all that, knows us so well he can count the hairs on our heads.

Opening Worship

Oh Lord, Our Lord how majestic is your name in all the earth, when we look at the Heavens and the works of your hands around us  – how is it Father that you care about us?

Infinite – Father

Immeasurable – Intimate

Incalculable – revealed

Omniscient – Saviour

Omnipresent – Personal

Omnipotent – servant

Indivisible – Father, Son and Holy Spirit

Alpha and Omega – First and Last

Understanding the symbolism of some numbers.

The Number One

There can be no doubt as to the significance of this primary number. In all languages it is the symbol of unity. As a cardinal number it denotes unity; as an ordinal it denotes primacy. Unity being indivisible, and not made up of other numbers, is therefore independent of all others, and is the source of all others.

“Hear O Israel the Lord Your God is One”

The number Three

Three or third stands for that which is solid, real, substantial, complete, and entire. All things that are specially complete are stamped with this number three.  Third Space!

 Prefect numbers                           

Three denotes divine perfection;

Seven denotes spiritual perfection;                    

Ten denotes ordinal perfection;

Twelve denotes governmental perfection

 The number seven           7

 The number seven represents perfection and completeness. Days of the week, musical notes in the scale, colours in the rainbow.

The number ten           10

The Ten Commandments contain all that is necessary, and no more than is necessary, both as to their number and their order, while the Lord’s Prayer is complete in ten clauses.

The number twelve          12

Twelve is a perfect number, signifying perfection of government, or of governmental perfection. It is found as a multiple in all that has to do with rule. The sun which “rules” the day, and the moon and stars which “govern” the night (12 hours day, 12 hours night).

Numbers in the park

What followed was an activity which brought out the competitive spirit. We were given a map and a series of numbers to find around the park.  We visited memorial stones, the war memorial, flood measurements, flower beds, duck ponds, pitch and put and other plaques around the park which showed numbers. Each individual digit had to be added up to make a grand total.

Some were the fastest, some talked a lot, some prayed, some helped others, but no-one got the correct answer, but there was a prize for everyone.

Sharing the bread and wine we were reminded of our unity and completeness.

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

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

So we were blessed three times.