Biblical Capacities

 

Article:

BIBLICAL CAPACITIES and the NUMBER THREE

 

The numbers related to Biblical capacities are the numbers that Yahweh used to number His temples. This article is about the numbers God used to determine the portions and measurement of containers  in the Bible relating to His offerings that He commanded.  For example, God used various containers to number or  measure out portions of His offerings that were acceptable to Him. 

For example,  in Ezekiel 45:10-11, God established measurement of the containers. God told the  prophet:

"10 Ye shall have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath.
11 The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, that the bath may contain the tenth part of an homer, and the ephah the tenth part of an homer: the measure thereof shall be after the homer."


The Ephah was a container to measure dry items like wheat

The Bath was a container to measure liquid quantities like oil

Both measure were to be based on the Homer


Ezekiel 45:13-14, is an example where God specified the use of the ephah and the bath in a sacrifice.


"13 This is the oblation that ye shall offer; the sixth part of an ephah of an homer of wheat, and ye shall give the sixth part of an ephah of an homer of barley:
14 Concerning the ordinance of oil, the bath of oil, ye shall offer the tenth part of a bath out of the cor, which is an homer of ten baths; for ten baths are an homer:"


Liquid Measure Examples

#

Measure

 =

Amount

Standard Measure

Biblical Examples

12

logs

=

1

Hin

Leviticus 14:10

6

Hins

=

1

Bath

1

Bath

=

1/10

Homer

1

Homer (cor)

=

10

Baths

Ezekiel 45:10-14

 

Dry Measure Examples

#

Measure

 =

Amount

Standard Measure

Biblical Examples

1

Omer

=

1/10

Ephah

Exodus 16:36

1

Ephah

=

10

Omers

1

Ephah

=

1/10

Homer (cor) (cor)

Ezekiel 45:10-11

1

Homer

=

10

Ephahs


   Sacrifices                                                                            

God used the number three to design the framework for many of His sacrifices that He commanded in Israel. God commanded that is burnt offerings were to consist of three parts. The three parts of the burnt offering are listed below:

Animal Sacrifice

Meat (grain Offering

Drin Offering:.

 


Animal Sacrifices (Three types of Animals of the Herds)

In the Bible, God specified three types of animals of the herd that were to be sacrificed:

.

1. Lamb

2. Ram

3. Bullock

Again, each animal sacrifice was to be accompanied by its meat and drink offerings.  Below are some examples of the  liquid and dry measurements related to various offerings that God called for.

 

In Numbers 15:1:12, God specified the various offerings that were to accompany each animal sacrifice

 

Lamb


"
4 Then shall he that offereth his offering unto the LORD bring a meat offering of a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of oil.
5 And the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering shalt thou prepare with the burnt offering or sacrifice, for one lamb.

 

Ram


6 Or for a ram, thou shalt prepare for a meat offering two tenth deals of flour mingled with the third part of an hin of oil.
7 And for a drink offering thou shalt offer the third part of an hin of wine, for a sweet savour unto the LORD.
8 And when thou preparest a bullock for a burnt offering, or for a sacrifice in performing a vow, or peace offerings unto the LORD:

 

Bullock


9 Then shall he bring with a bullock a meat offering of three tenth deals of flour mingled with half an hin of oil.
10 And thou shalt bring for a drink offering half an hin of wine, for an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
11 Thus shall it be done for one bullock, or for one ram, or for a lamb, or a kid.

12 According to the number that ye shall prepare, so shall ye do to every one according to their number."

These were instructions dictated to Israel by God - in these instructions He specified the numbers that were to be used in burnt offerings made to Him. These numbers were important and had to be obeyed if the sacrifice was to be acceptable to Him.

These are the general instructions for all offerings that were to be offered in Israel. God measured these offerings designing them numerically.

Note how God used the first three numbers that He created to design  aspects of the Burnt Offerings.

Grain Offering Numbers Summary

God used 3 measurements for the meat or grain offerings  to accompany the animal sacrifices using the ephah:

 

1/10 of fine flour for a lamb

2/10 of fine flour for a ram

3/10 of fine flour for a bullock

 

God designed His offerings to consist of three parts. The following is an example of how He used the first three numbers  He made to design portions for this type of offering (1,2,3).

 

Drink Offering Numbers Summary

 God also used three measurements of the hin for the drink offerings:

 

1/4 of a hin for a lamb

1/3rd of a hin for a ram

1/2 of a hin for a bullock

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The three numbers are in sequence (4,3,2)

.

These numbers are all apart of a numbering system that Yahweh used to number His sanctuaries that He instructed Israel to build. Note that there are 3 of everything - The number 3 is the 3rd prime - a number that Yahweh has used extensively to number His great events.

In the scripture above, the measuring container for the meat offering is not specified. However, it is specified another part of the bible.  In this scripture  God specified the ephah as a container for the measuring of the flour used in the meat offerings.

The Daily sacrifice -Another Ephah and Hin Example


Numbers 28:1-7 

"1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season.
3 And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the LORD; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering."

4 The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even;
5 And a tenth part of an ephah of flour for a meat offering, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil."

Again,  the ephah was the measurement used to measure the meat (grain) offering. Again only a tenth of an ephah was used for the meat offering for a lamb. This is consistent with God's instructions in Numbers 15:1-12.

 

Summary of the Number Three in Burnt Offerings

The burnt offerings consisted of:

3 offerings from

3 types of animals of the herd and

3 numbers were used to determine the portions for the meat offering for the

3 animals and

3 numbers were used to determine the portions for the drink offering for the

3 animals of the herd that were acceptable to Him as sacrifices

 

These numbers are important in understanding how God numbered His:

 

Temple offerings

Construction of His temples

 Sacred items of His temples

Biblical Events relating to His temples such as the time and ministry of Christ

 

These and more  are highlighted in the book "Yahweh's Temple Numbers"

 

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