Faith Matters

In this episode we uncover some of the darkest angles of deception from a biblical perspective. Ironically, the title in the past tense suggests you are probably a victim already, or possibly know someone who has fallen for it (Revelation 12:9). The sobering experience is exactly why the scriptures warn; “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure.” (1 Corinthians 10:12-13) —NKJV.

The deceiver doesn’t take time off because he doesn’t want victims to find that “way of escape.” That is about to change with the detective clues in the pages of your Bible.

Please note: Unless otherwise stated all scripture references in this article are quoted from the New King James Version (NKJV).

How?

Immediately most people think financial when referring to scams. But scammers manifest in many different ways and use multiple techniques to persuade anyone. People succumb to scams for a variety of reasons, including: Lack of awareness. The Bible synonymously points to “lack of knowledge”, and “rejection of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6).

Nearly 2500 years ago the prophet Daniel foresaw the apex of the information age we live in today (Daniel 12:4). On average, most people who fall victim to common scam techniques at least have some experience with technology. The excuse of ignorance increasingly weighs much less than rejection. Some people are naturally resistant to change —they prefer the status quo for as long as it takes. You have to pry someone out of their comfort zone before administering the change pill, which comes at a cost.

Those who embrace technology effortlessly can also become easy target for clickbait web links. It does exactly what it says on the tin —Some people fall for phishing attacks because they are quick to click eye-catching links when perusing through the emails they receive. Some users get their systems compromised for failure to follow basic data safety and security instructions laid out by their service providers.

Overconfidence, is another reason why some people fall into familiar scams. Just when you thought you are smarter than the scammer on the line, they get in by the guard of humility you just let down. So often we reflect at the series of warning signs we have missed only when it is too late. Make no mistake, the adversary has no problem keeping your mind convoluted (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12).

Then, there is social engineering and cognitive biases. A quick Google search describes scammers using social engineering tactics to create “a facade of trustworthiness and make it difficult to distinguish between genuine and fraudulent offers.” That is how the world’s first family fell (Genesis 3:1-6).

This is a politically volatile climate which evolved hyperbolically and became a tiger no one can control. I am not sure if we can afford to remain apolitical at this moment in time. I remember during that highly charged campaign period leading up to the 2024 U.S Presidential elections, social media pundits colloquially used the term ‘gaslighting’ —They meant ubiquitous political manipulation powered by the main stream media (aka, MSM) —Potential voters being told constantly that they cannot be trusted by the choices they intend to make. Or, that ‘your eyes are lying to you; there is nothing to see here . . . you need protection from yourself, and I (the gaslighter) am your best hope.’

Who?

The Bible provides a clear explanation about the origins of deception, why we are the target, and most importantly, how to prevail.

In Genesis 3:13 the woman (Eve) in her defence following violation of God’s dietary restrictions told the LORD God, that “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” The Hebrew root word used to describe the deception inflicted on Eve is nasha’ (נשא), with a numerical value of 351, reducing to (3+5+1=9).

Not only every Hebrew letter has this duality of meaning and purpose; but it is also alphanumerical. In the Tanakh/Tanach (Chistian Old Testament Bible), the fourth book is called “Numbers” with 36 chapters. Three plus six equals nine. We are frequently going to crunch through some interesting numbers here to help us get that extra bit on context. “God encoded His Word with layers of meaning so that those who seek Him can find treasures of wisdom, hope, and redemption.” (Hananya Naftali —The Secrets of The Bible).

Tet (ט), is the ninth Hebrew letter in the Alef Bet (alphabet). Numerical value of nine. Pictographic meaning of a basket, good/evil, snake (serpent), surround (coil), twist.

The deceiver from the familiar story of Genesis 3:13 is identified by the Hebrew noun nachash נחש. Definition: serpent, snake, or image (of serpent); to lead astray that is (mentally) to delude or (morally) to seduce, to beguile, to deceive (Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Definitions—Webster Concordance).

In the Brit-Hakhadasha (Christian New Testament Bible), the deceiver is chillingly described as, “the great dragon…, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world.” (Revelation 12:9)

In the Gospel of John chapter eight, Yeshua (Jesus) describes Satan’s character as follows: “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” (v.44)

Even though there is no truth in Satan, he has exceptional recognition of ‘the truth’ that lives outside of him.

Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”

—Genesis 3:1

Ironically, adding a question mark (?) to a straightforward directive is what Satan did to twist Eve’s perception of truth, and precipitate a chain of events that led man (Hebrew adam אדם) to the fall!

The Hebrew root word for ‘truth’ is emeth (אמת), with a numerical value of 441, reducing to (4+4+1=9). Nine is exactly the same number aligned with the deception nasha’ (נשא) that got man into trouble in Genesis 3:13. Simultaneously, the Hebrew for man, adam (אדם) incorporates both male and female (Genesis 1:27). It has a numerical value of 45, also reducing to (4+5=9). We will revisit that duality of good/evil unfolding sometime later.

Why?

Thus far, we know the identity of the perpetrator and some of the key technics deployed in the tradecraft of deception. It is now time to study and understand why we, the people, are the target. Consider this solemn alert:

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

—1 Peter 5:8

I know; there are quite a few metaphorical variables here. Picture some ‘devil walking about like a roaring lion . . .’ One of the greatest ploys the gaslighter has ever pulled on God’s people is plausible deniability —making victims believe that the mythical devil doesn’t exist; ‘there is nothing to see here . . .’

Scientists say the “atom” is the basic building block of matter, which is actually made up of many far smaller (subatomic) particles. Not only that, we are told the atom is vastly dominated by empty space, and solidity is only possible by the multitudes of those unstable electrically charged ions inside. They are invisible to the naked eye, yet their impact on life is irrefutable! It is a sobering reality of two worlds in coexistence; with the invisible realm understanding a lot more about the physical realm we live in than the other way around.

In Genesis, we are told God created man (adam אדם) in His image (likeness) and gave them dominion over everything in all the earth He created. “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it…’” (vv.26-28).

Man’s privileged status in the physical realm from the foundations of the world is the primary reason why we also became the principal target of the adversary. The other reason is revenge.

So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. . . Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”

—Revelation 12:9-12

For the scope of this article, we are not going to dig deeper into the reasons why Satan and his angelic accomplices were evicted from God’s presence in heaven (Ezekiel 28:11-19; Isaiah 14:3-17).

Because the Devil is incapable of a direct confrontation with the Almighty, he takes it out on the softer target, God’s image invested in His people on earth. That is exactly why scriptures encourage us to be equipped and ready. The adversary is real, and we have been warned about his capabilities. But we also know he cannot ‘devour’ at will —he relies on the potential victim’s pliability, and ignorance of what the scripture say is ‘true’ and tested. Deception does not travel perpendicular to the truth —the gaslighter operates in parallel to the truth (Genesis 3:1,4,5,7; Matthew 4:3,6).

Defence Strategy

How do you fight against someone, or something you have been told does not even exist? Well, it is written;

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

—Ephesians 6:12 (New American Standard Bible —NAS)

It isn’t about science fiction cosmic adventures. The unseen realm is a reality and wields enormous influence in the physical world where we live. Trivializing the situation is a very dangerous game to play. The adversary exploits our misconception of this reality to violate our rights. Satan, a derivative of the Hebrew root, satan שׂטן is a ‘role’. Definition: to attack, accuse; (be an) adversary; to be or act as an adversary, resist, oppose (Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Definitions).

Satan accomplishes his task by the ‘book’. He is a legalist who inverts the truth, then drags those who fall for it to court. The conflict does not happen on the physical battlefield. The prosecuting attorney must present ‘evidence’ first (Revelation 12:10). That sounds like a conspiracy theory. But that is a debate for another day. All we know is that God is a ‘Just Judge’ (Deuteronomy 32:4), and we are not without help:

But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth;

—Isaiah 11:4

It is easy to win the battle against deception when we grasp the protocol in the unseen realm first. Because the spirit realm operates at a lightning-fast pace, it is almost impossible to stop the inevitable in the natural once the verdict has been rendered. But even in the middle of God’s judgment, He promises help (Matthew 11:28; Luke 18:7-8; Isaiah 33:22; 43:1-3).

Invisible is the first thing faith has in common with deception. But faith is the primary tool we need to mount a successful defense (Ephesians 6:16). It is faith in God’s enduring promises that can save the day when you have exhausted all other means of resistance against the devil’s relentless assault (1 Peter 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:21; 1 Corinthians 15:57).

The Apostle Paul, in the letter to the Ephesians, listed six more prerequisites to build what he called “The Whole Armor of God,” including: ‘truth, righteousness,’ willingness to testify, or to share the good news about ‘the gospel of peace, the helmet of salvation’ (be sober, be vigilant), ‘the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; and praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints (intercession).’ (Ephesians 6:10-20)

Even though humans live in the physical realm, we are embodied spirits equipped with access to the spirit realm by means of prayer (Hebrews 12:22-24).

For though we walk in the flesh [as mortal men], we are not carrying on our [spiritual] warfare according to the flesh and using the weapons of man. The weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ, being ready to punish every act of disobedience, when your own obedience [as a church] is complete.

—2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (Amplified Bible —AMP).

Nothing frustrates Satan’s efforts like the lethal combination of embracing the Truth, Knowledge of God, and Obedience to the Word of God.

Knowledge About God vs. Knowledge of God

The Hebrew rendering of knowledge comes from the root, Yada (ידע). Definition: to know, to perceive and see, find out and discern, be acquainted with, to make oneself known, reveal oneself…; (Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Definitions).

Yeshua (Jesus) told His disciples that, “No one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” (Matthew 11:27). His followers wrestled with the mystery until Yeshua made that bold declaration; “I and My Father are one.” (John 10:30). That claim didn’t go down well with His audience in Judea who accused him of “blasphemy” and began to threaten his life (vv.31-39).

Among the sceptics were distinguished teachers of the law, scholars and scribes who were probably familiar with the sacred Shema— “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one…” (Deuteronomy 6:5).

Up until the last moment of His earthly ministry, Yeshua used every opportunity of privacy with His disciples teaching, and revealing to them who scriptures say He is and His relationship with the ‘Father’.

“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him. . . He who has seen Me has seen the Father;”

—John 14:7,9

In that chapter fourteen alone of John’s Gospel the references to “My Father” or “the Father” appear 25 times in 31 verses. Perhaps Verse 6 is one of the most memorable among Messianic believers. Yeshua told Thomas, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Messiah Yeshua also prayed for his followers to move beyond rituals and intellectual accumulation of knowledge about God, to a revelation of intimacy with God.

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.”

—John 17:20-23

That oneness, unity in purpose of knowing God, and serving Him intimately is what the Apostle Paul seeks to highlight in 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (AMP) as worth fighting for. Unfortunately, alongside plausible deniability, a watertight alibi, comical characterization, gaslighting, etc., ‘divisiveness’ is another of Satan’s most potent tools against God’s people.

Statistics from 2021/22 by the Pew Research Centre and The International Bulletin of Mission Research estimate over 46,000 faith groups around the world, all of which identify as “Christian” —a cataclysmic contrast with where Yeshua left his church (Matthew 16:18; Acts 1:14).

I was shocked one evening during a corporate Bible study, hearing the speaker saying, “Even Jesus’ prayer of unity for the church remain unanswered!” You guessed correctly, the subject of the session was, “Unanswered Prayer.” We were all reading from the ‘official’ New International Version (NIV). I am still waiting for clarification whether this promise from John 14:14 was incorrectly credited to Yeshua (Jesus):” You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

His Name

The last book of the Brit-Hakhadasha (Christian New Testament Bible) is introduced as the Revelation of Messiah Yeshua to show His ‘servants’ (the church) things that must happen very soon (Revelation 1:1). Prophetically, that penultimate period of awaiting His return (3:11; 22:7; 22:12; 22:20) is generally known as the ‘Last Days, or End of Days’ (Acharit-HaYamim אחרית הימים).

Yeshua promised “The Faithful Church” through the letter He instructed John to write; “I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it;” The reward is for keeping “My word, and have not denied My name…” (Revelation 3:8).

Also, the church is commanded to “Hold fast what you have… (the truth), that no one may take your crown” (v.11).

I spent many hours analyzing the next segment and the scales gradually fell off. I have also prayed the same prayer Paul prayed for the church in Ephesus: “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened” (Ephesians 1:17-18).

He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.

—Revelation 3:12

So, what is that “new name” Messiah Yeshua has prepared for His overcoming church? The anticipation is palpable—I can feel it too. But before we get there, let us pause a little on the following poetic words of encouragement.

God gets glory from concealing things; kings get glory from investigating things.

—Proverbs 25:2, 28, 3 (Complete Jewish Bible —CJB)

“Things which are hidden belong to Adonai our God. But the things that have been revealed belong to us and our children forever, so that we can observe all the words of this Torah (law)”.

—Deuteronomy 29:28 (CJB)

“‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’”

—Jeremiah 33:3 (NAS)

Like they say, ‘without further ado,’ let us get into it: ‘Call to me’ simply means ‘pray.’ God’s promise to ‘answer’ prayer has no expiry date. The next time you hear someone ‘teach’ about the subject of ‘unanswered prayer,’ check context and evaluate their claims with what God’s Word says is “true.”

To those who walk according to God’s ways He promised, “It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear.” (Isaia 65:24). And to those who walk according to another way, “You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask. And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures.” (James 4:2-3 —Berean Standard Bible)

God’s enduring love for His people throughout generations is tried and tested; the Father is more than willing to reveal even the deepest secrets on His heart to those whose desire is to draw close to Him intimately.

When God sees us, He does not see what the adversary wants to portray—instead, the Father sees a reflection of His image invested in His people right from the foundations of the world. Man’s tragic fall in Genesis 3, followed by the devastating judgment, has since been addressed by what Yeshua accomplished on the cross (Hebrews 9:15; 12:24). When we put our trust in Yeshua who knows ‘the way,’ the legal impediment through the doorway to the Father’s estate no longer applies (Genesis 3:23-24; Hebrews 4:15-16; Revelation 3:8).

In Ecclesiastes 1:9-10, we are told, “there is nothing new under the sun… It has already been in ancient times before us.” —In other words, everything we have been experiencing so far is a dress rehearsal… We are on a pilgrimage. But before the last ship leaves port, Yeshua identified the need for that special guest tag—His own “new name.”

The numerical value of that phrase “My new name” (Shemi Chadash שמי החדש) equals 667. Six hundred and sixty-seven is the number of “the sons of Adonikam” registered in Nehemiah 7:18. They were among the exiles who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon.

We are not drawing any conclusions yet on Adonikam; but the number 677 is the same numerical value of Yeshua’s statement, “Your Word is Truth” (דברך אמת) during prayer for His church in John 17:17. It reduces to (6+6+7=19)

The nineteenth Hebrew letter kuf/quf (ק) has a pictographic meaning of the sun on the horizon (sunrise or sundown), symbolizing “where the light is concentrated at this point, while the rest of the sky is dark” (—minimannamoments.com); imitation (of God or enemy). The numerical value of kuf equals 100, which reduces to (1+0+0=1). Yeshua said He is the First (1), and the Last (22). The “Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God.” (Revelation 3:14, NKJV)

Adonikam (אדניקם), recorded in Nehemiah 7:18, was one of the heads of the fathers’ houses who returned with Ezra. Some rabbis teach that Adonikam means, “my Lord has issued a decree.” In this context, the “decree” is prophetically aligned with the Persian king Cyrus authorizing Jewish exiles in Babylon to return to Jerusalem and build the Second Temple (Ezra 1). Others remotely associate this with the “Law” because (6+6+7=19); where (1+9=10) points to the Ten Commandments given on two stone tablets in Exodus 20. Is honouring God’s commandments what Yeshua meant when appraising and rewarding His “Faithful Church” in Revelation 3:8, 10, 11; 12:17?

There is more… In Ezra 2:13, Adonikam is registered with a family of 666 members. I know, ‘six hundred and sixty-six’ tops the list on the conspiracy theorists’ script. That is the same suspect number attributed to the beast of Revelation 13:18. In Greek, it is “the number of man.” The Apostle Paul spotlights that in 2 Corinthians 11:14, where he describes Satan (the beast) as disguising himself as “an angel of light.”

We know the opposite side of light is darkness. That reminds me of the characteristics of the 19th Hebrew letter kuf/quf (ק) —Pictographic meaning: sun on the horizon (sunrise or sundown), where the light is concentrated at a certain point, while the other side is dark.

I am not into conspiracy theories, yet somehow, I just couldn’t get over something about the last part of the name Adonikam אדניקם. So, I looked it up: קֻם/קוּם (qum); to rise up or stand; to arise (hostile sense); to “get up!” (Joshua 7:10,13). Other figurative applications include: be dim, enemy (Lexicon: Strong’s H6965 – qûm).

Like many things Hebrew, there is always a duality dilemma to contend with lurking somewhere. But once you have been to Proverbs 25:2 and Jeremiah 33:2, nothing can stop you from trying to solve the puzzle. And that brings us to the second definition of Adonikam: “my lord arose” or “lord of rising.” From אָדוֹן (adon, lord) and קוּם (qum, to rise up). Many would innocently associate that with ‘Adonai our God.’ But there are many counterfeit ‘lords’ or ‘masters’ out there who demand a degree of worship and admiration. The margin of error leading to idolatry is very slim (Deuteronomy 17:3).

In the Tanakh, the Lord God constantly rebukes ancient Israel for pagan worship of the host of heaven; particularly, the sun god Baal and Asherah (Zephaniah 1:4-5; 2 Kings 17:13-18).

Is that some sort of indictment on Adonikam (אדניקם)? Not until we’ve examined all the evidence. All I can say for now is that the discrepancy between Nehemiah’s 667 and Ezra’s 666 record of Adonikamites is no error; the scribe simply excluded the ‘clan chief’ in the preliminary tallying. Four chapters later, Ezra reports a secondary surge of Adonikam’s clan returning with the second wave of exiles totaling 63 males, including his three sons—Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah (Ezra 8:13).

Do you see what I see…? The detail of 63 males reduces to (6+3=9); the same numerical value we saw earlier referring to ‘truth’ is emeth (אמת), and man, adam (אדם).

And what do the names of Adonikam’s three sons have in common? They all have a reference to God: Eliphelet (אליפלט) means “God of deliverance,” Jeiel (יעיאל) means “God sweeps away,” and Shemaiah (שמעיה) means “Jah has heard.”

I believe there is far much more to that than identity or tradition—it is a ‘sign’ of affection and worship. It is their way of expressing intimacy with the LORD, God the Father, who cares about every detail of His people’s lives.

Everyone who is called by My name, And whom I have created for My glory, Whom I have formed, even whom I have made.”

—Isaiah 43:7 (NAS)

So, what is His “Name?”

To wrap this up, let us return to Yeshua’s promise to His ‘Faithful Church” in Revelation 3:12 — “He who overcomes . . ., I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, . . . And I will write on him My new name.”

The key word here is “write.” If we go by the law of first mentioned, ‘write’ (inscribe, engrave; to register) kathab כתב appears over 200 times in the Tanakh (OT). The majority of the first occurrences refer to God Himself writing the Ten Commandments on the a pair of stone tablets (Deuteronomy 10:1-2), and later instructing Moses and the priests to write down His laws for the people (Exodus 17:14; 34:1; 34:27).

The word of God is not static. As infant Israel continued to grow, the Lord’s emphasis on the concept of ‘write’ and ‘teach’ shifted to a whole new meaning:

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. . . You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:6, 8-9; 11:18-20).

The escalation here is steadily moving from outside influence to learning by revelation.

My son, keep my words
And treasure my commandments within you [so they are readily available to guide you].
Keep my commandments and live,
And keep my teaching and law as the apple of your eye.
Bind them [securely] on your fingers;
Write them on the tablet of your heart.

—Proverbs 7:1-3 (AMP).

The Jewish First Church Apostle Paul demonstrated that everything true about the Brit-Hakhadasha (Christian NT Bible) can be verified from the Tanakh (OT). And everything new about the NT is subject to “Test all things…” (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21).

Nearly 650 years before Paul came on the scene, the Lord inspired the OT prophet Jeremiah to record His plans concerning these times (Acharit-HaYamim אחרית הימים).

“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

—Jeremiah 31:31-34

Just in that excerpt alone, the Lord repeats the phrase “I will” six times alongside “My law,” “My covenant,” and “My people.” This follows an intense period of frustration with false prophets, teachers, and shepherds (pastors) accused of ignoring the Lord’s counsel and causing the sheep (God’s people) to err (Jeremiah 23:13, 32).

Despite the Lord’s persistent plea and warning of impending judgment, the errant prophets failed to turn. They had switched allegiance elsewhere irredeemably. — “Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart, who try to make My people forget My name by their dreams which everyone tells his neighbor, as their fathers forgot My name for Baal.” (Jeremiah 23:26-27)

Against that background, God decided to change strategy: First, the Lord would deliver His sheep from deception and shepherd them Himself. Second, the Lord would betroth His people, legally decouple them from their deceptive oppressor, and become their everlasting protection (Ezekiel 34:11-12, 17; John 10:14-16, 26-30).

“It shall come about in that day,” says the LORD,
“That you will call Me Ishi (my husband)
And will no longer call Me Baali (my Baal).
“For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth,
So that they will no longer be mentioned or remembered by their names.

—Hosea 2:16-17 (AMP)

In Hosea chapter two alone, the phrase “in that day” appears three times. The Hebrew preposition there is vaiyom (ביום). It has a numerical value of 58, reducing to 13.

The other hint of interest is from Isaiah saying:

Therefore, My people shall know My name; therefore on that day I am the one who is speaking, ‘Here I am.’”

—56:2 (NAS)

“In” indicates a period of time, while “on” more precisely describes dates and days of the week. For example, “in 2028” and “on Monday”. Both Hosea and Isaiah were pointing towards “things which must shortly take place” (Revelation 1:1). It is a period of time generally known as the ‘Last Days’ or ‘End of Days’ (Acharit-HaYamim אחרית הימים). Numerical value equals 724, which also reduces to 13, matching vaiyom (ביום).

Other versions say, “my people will know my name”; where both “shall” and “will” express intent and determination of the verb “to know”, Hebrew root word yada (ידע). In this context, the chemistry goes beyond acknowledgement of acquaintance; it is a marriage relationship with “the Lamb”, which is also Yeshua’s Messianic title (Revelation 21:9).

In a perfect marriage relationship, the adversary will have to go through the husband to harm his wife and children. Even so, there are some exceptions. But with God, it goes beyond that; because it is all about His own image at stake (Zechariah 2:8; Isaiah 43:3-4; John 3:16).

The Hebrew ishi אישי (my husband/master) has a numerical value of 321, reducing to (3+2+1=6). Why is that a big deal? In Genesis (B’resheet) chapter one, God concluded His creation work on day six. “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.” (v.31). God declared that man (adam אדם) represents His own image, after God’s likeness (v.26). The numerical value of adam אדם is 45, reducing to (4+5=9).

To unmask the adversary, we are commanded to “calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.” That reduces to (6+6+6=18). Eighteenth Hebrew letter is tsade/tzaddik (צ) with a numerical value of 90. Ninety reduces to (9+0=9), the same number of the Hebrew word, emet אמת (Truth). Yeshua said He is “the way, the truth and the life.” (John 14:6). Satan is preoccupied by inverting ‘truth’ to false; flipping 9 over the head and convince his audience that it is 6 (Isaiah 5:20).

There is absolutely nothing wrong with numbers until Satan chooses to use any of them for nefarious purposes. “Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast…” (Revelation 13:18).

What have you been told about the infamous 666? It is really not as advertised. The Hebrew root for “understanding” is biyn בין. Definition: to discern, understand, consider; to perceive, know (with the mind), to observe, mark, give heed to, distinguish; to have discernment, insight, intelligence, be discreet or attentive, consider diligently; to teach, instruct, be prudent, regard (Blue Letter Bible Lexicon: Strong’s H995; Proverbs 1:2-5).

Literally, 666 has nothing to do with your credit card, microchip implants, or tattoos at strategic places. It is not about digital currency or bio-robotics. Here is the contrast:

“Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, . . . and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to “worship” the first beast, . . . And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”

—Revelation 13:11-17

It is all about worship dynamics influencing the natural realm. The couple traditionally exchange rings (mark/sign) at a wedding to symbolize covenant commitment and love. That is usually backed by the symbolic changing of one’s family name after marriage. The choice of who or what you worship determines your identity in the spirit realm (Hosea 2:16, 17, 23; Revelation 3:12). When you commit your heart, mind, and soul to the God, He will write His word on the tablets of your heart (Deuteronomy 6:6-9; 10:1-5; Hebrews 10:16).

Where the Bible mentions receiving a mark or a sign on “their right hand,” it is symbolic of the actions influenced by the content of the heart and the mind—a mark “on their forehead” (Revelation 13:16; 22:4; Galatians 5:19-21).

When Yeshua promised to write “the name of My God” on His Faithful Church, He was talking about the “Word of God,” the “Truth” (John 17:17).

In the “Lord’s Prayer” of John chapter seventeen, Yeshua prayed:

• “I have revealed Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world;” (v.6 —ASV)
• Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, (v.11 —ASV)
• While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name, which You have given Me; (v.12 —ASV)
• And I have made Your name known to them, and will continue to make it known, so that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them [overwhelming their heart], and I [may be] in them.” (v.26 —AMP)

In the Gospel of John, chapter one, we are told; “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God…” (v.1).

We know “the Word” is referring to Yeshua (Jesus): First, Yeshua is quoted praying, “And now You, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world existed.” (John 17:5 —ASV)

Then in Revelation, Yeshua declares: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” (Revelation 22:13)

Earlier, John had just experienced a vision of perhaps the most startling depiction of Yeshua’s return:

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

—Revelation 19:11-13

Scripture always interprets scripture. We are led into error simply by our inability to knock, seek, ask, study, pray, and understand the surface things. The adversary capitalizes on that to lead us deeper into the rabbit hole. “But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.” (Deuteronomy 30:14; John 13:17).

Even during the most challenging of circumstances, there is no change in the integrity of God’s word (Psalm 32; John 17:17).

Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,
“This is the way, walk in it,”
Whenever you turn to the right hand
Or whenever you turn to the left.

—Isaiah 30:21

Yeshua said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

In the Lord’s prayer for His church, Yeshua reminded God, “Your Word is Truth” (John 17:17). Why? It pleases God when we quote the “truth” in His Word back to Him. The Psalmist called that act of worship, “the high praises of God” —rômmâ רוממה. It is so exclusive that it appears only once in the whole Bible (Psalm 149:6 —NKJV).

Allow me to share one more thing that makes the Father’s heart glad: It is that moment when God’s wayward people finally correct their sense of navigation back to the right “way” (Genesis 17:1; Matthew 18:12; James 4:8). Moreover, “The Way” is where Yeshua left His church (Acts 24:14).

It is written that when Yeshua returns, He will lead a delegation of 144,000 saints who chose to stay the course:

Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads . . . These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes . . . Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

—Revelation 14:1,4,12

We will continue in Part Two of this journey by unpacking more prophetic markers connected to the number nine and digesting what emerges from that. Finally, we will revisit the Judeo-Christian roots on which the early church was built. Then, we will see from the Brit Chadashah (New Testament) how fault lines developed between Jewish believers and their Gentile brethren at Hellenistic Antioch of Syria. Finally, we respond to what, according to the NT book of Revelation, is the express need of the hour: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” To ‘turn’ (vv. 2:5,7,16,21-22).