John the Baptist - Barren Jewish Women

Believe in the Gospel of John; Part 10:

God’s Gift of Life - John the Baptist:

We’ve covered the first 14 occasions the word “pisteu’o,” translated “believe” is used in John; seven in the 1st and 2nd chapters and seven in the record of Jesus’ dialog with Nicodemus in the 3rd chapter. Today we come to its 15th appearance, that being in John 3:3636 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

where we find the only record of it being spoken by John the Baptist: “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (The first “believe” in this verse is the Greek “pisteu’o” we are studying, the second word translated “believeth not” is a different Greek word meaning just that.) The first 3 Gospels record John the Baptist calling for Israel to repent from their sins and be baptized, however it is not until here in the Gospel of John where we find a record of John the Baptist uttering the word believe. This of course is by design of the Holy Spirit to fit the purpose of the Apostle John’s Gospel as stated in the opening statement about John the Baptist’s mission: “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.” John 1:6 & 76 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

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John the Baptist is an example of God’s sovereignty. Hundreds of years before his birth, the Word of God inspired the prophet Malachi to prophesy in what is now the last book of the Old Testament about John the Baptist’s coming and mission in life, Luke 7:2727 This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

& . Jesus Himself is recorded as saying “... Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist ...” Luke 7:2828 For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

. John lived an extremely austere life in the desert, Matthew 3:44 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

; Mark 1:66 And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;

; Luke 1:8080 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

. He was kinsman to the Man Jesus Christ, possibly his cousin in the flesh, and was born approximately 1 ¼ to 1 ½ years before Jesus, Luke 1:35 & 3635 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

. John’s mother was Elizabeth who had been barren, his father the Priest Zecharias, both who were well past childbearing age when John was born, Luke 1:5 - 375 THERE was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,

9 According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.

22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.

23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,

25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.

26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

. John only lived a little over 30 years; faithfully performing the singular mission God gave him. He ended up in prison where he was beheaded for no legal reason because of a wicked woman and a despotic ruler.

The Bible record indicates John the Baptist was the 5th Jewish man born to previously barren women. In each case God sent Word to the parent/s prior to conception describing the promised son’s mission in life. The fact there are 5 such cases mentioned is significant because five* is the number for grace in the Bible and it was by God’s grace that these women had the son they longed for.

1. Isaac, born to Sarah and Abraham, Genesis 11:3030 But Sarai was barren; she had no child.

; 17:19,

2. Joseph, born to Rachael and Jacob, Genesis 30:11 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.

, 2 & 22,

3. Samson, born to the un-named wife of Manoah, Judges 13:2 - 252 And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.

3 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.

4 Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:

5 For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

6 Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name:

7 But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.

8 Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.

9 And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her husband was not with her.

10 And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day.

11 And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I am.

12 And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto him?

13 And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware.

14 She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I commanded her let her observe.

15 And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee.

16 And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD.

17 And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour?

18 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?

19 So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wonderously; and Manoah and his wife looked on.

20 For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.

21 But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD.

22 And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.

23 But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.

24 And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.

25 And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

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4. Samuel, born to Hannah and Elkanah, 1 Samuel 1:1 - 201 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:

2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.

4 And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:

5 But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb.

6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.

7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.

8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?

9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.

10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.

11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth.

13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.

14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.

15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.

16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.

17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.

19 And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.

20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.

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5. John the Baptist, born to Elizabeth and Zecharias, Luke 1:24 & 2524 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,

25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.

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(Other examples of God’s sovereign power over life recorded in the Bible; the barren Shunammite Woman who Elisha prayed over and subsequently conceived a son, 2 Kings 4:1616 And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.

-17; the incident when God closed the wombs of the wife and servants of Abimalek because Abraham had lied to him about Sarah being his sister. God subsequently opened their wombs after Abraham told Abimalek the truth, Genesis 20; King Saul’s daughter Michal is an interesting case. She became David’s first wife but had no children; hers being the only story of infertility in the Bible not ending with a miracle child. She remained barren but this was in keeping with God’s purpose for it was because Michal had no children that no descendant of Saul ever regained the throne of Israel, 1 Samuel 19; 2 Samuel 6:2323 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.

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But these are not the only miracle creations of life recorded in God’s Word. God created the first man Adam from the dust of the earth and breathed life into him, Genesis 1:26 & 2726 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

; 2:7. Therefore, counting Adam, this makes John the Baptist the sixth man in the Bible miraculously given life. Six* in the Bible is the number for man, examples being; God made him on the sixth day, Genesis 1:26 - 3126 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

; under Moses Law, man was to work six days a week, Exodus 35:22 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.

; Leviticus 23:33 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.

, etc, etc.

The seventh miracle of life was the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ to the Virgin Mary. Seven* in God’s Word is the number for Spiritual perfection and Jesus Christ was Spiritually perfect in His being. Daniel prophesied (Daniel 9:2525 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

) that Israel’s Messiah would come 483 years after a certain royal decree and Jesus was born exactly as predicted: “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law,” Galations 4:4 & 5a. So, the “fullness of the time” mentioned here is that predicted by the Prophet Daniel.

The 8th miracle of life occurred when God raised Jesus Christ from the dead, Who subsequently ascended into Heaven as the Lord Jesus Christ where He sits on the right hand of God where all has been made subject to Him, 1 Peter 3:2222 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

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Eight* in Scripture is the number for resurrection or regeneration; when the whole earth was covered by the flood, it was Noah “the eighth person,” 2 Peter 2:55 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

, who stepped out on a new earth to commence a new order of things; circumcision was to be performed on the eighth day, Genesis 17:1212 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.

, a foreshadowing of the true circumcision of the heart, Colossians 2:1111 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

; Christ arose on the first day of the week, which is necessarily the eighth day, etc. Our Lord Jesus Christ is like no other; He was the third person of the Trinity of God from eternity past, being the very Word of God, John 1:1 & 21 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

; He came to earth as a Man, John 1:1414 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

where He did what no other man could do, becoming the Author and Finisher of Faith, Hebrews 12:22 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

. And He is now a new Creation, God who was Man, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Because of what He has accomplished, He is the only one able to destroy the enemy of life, which is death itself: “For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.” 1 Corinthians 15:25 - 2825 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.

28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

. (See also Hebrews 2:88 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

& Psalms 8:66 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:

)

But there was another birth of another kind that the risen Lord Jesus Christ bestowed after He ascended into heaven, a birth that has given mankind hope for the past 2000 years or so. For as Jesus was born in the “fullness of time,” the Apostle Paul writes: “And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.” 1 Corinthians 15:88 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

. In the context Paul names those who saw the Lord Jesus Christ subsequent to His resurrection from he dead, 1 Corinthians 15:1 - 71 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

, stating that he himself was born out of due time, the phrase “born out of due time” meaning “an untimely birth.” Paul was ministered to by the Lord Jesus Christ from and in the heavens, Acts 9:44 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

; 2 Corinthians 12:1 - 41 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)

4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

. There was nothing in the Bible prophesying this new life given Saul, later named Paul. And, there was nothing prophesying the Gospel message Paul was given to preach; it had been a mystery (should be translated secret) never before revealed to man, Romans 16:25 & 2625 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

; Ephesians 3:3 - 73 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

. The Gospel entrusted to Paul by the Lord Jesus Christ has gone to and is inclusive of Gentiles as well as Jews. It promises a heavenly hope thus is different from the promise of a Kingdom here on earth to the Nation Israel, which of course will also be fulfilled some day, because God is not lax in any promise He has made.

God had reason for keeping secret the Gospel of Grace He revealed to the Apostle Paul: “Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 1 Corinthians 2:6 - 86 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

. If the princes of this world had known God’s purpose for coming to this earth as the Man Jesus Christ was to die on the cross and thus accomplish His work of redemption for mankind, they would not have crucified Him. And, all of us who have lived during this age of Grace would not have been blessed as Members of Christ’s Body: “And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” Ephesians 1:19 - 2319 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

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(*Reference to the significance of numbers in Scripture taken from E.W. Bullinger’s book “Number in Scripture,” Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, MI.)