The Eightfold Path
In biblical numerics and gematria, the number eight is particularly associated with Jesus Christ. Those who study biblical numerics say that a number is most representative of an idea when it is given in triplicate form (most notoriously in Revelation 13:18, where the number of the beast is given as 666). Here we will see that when we turn our attention to the three most natural ways of expressing the number 8 in triplicate form—by repetition of digits (888), multiplication (8 x 8 x 8) or addition (8 + 8 + 8)—we are lead through a fairytale land populated with an array of glittering geometric objects, all of which reflect the face of our Lord in their various structural properties.
The Dominical Number
E. H. Bullinger called eight the Dominical number, meaning the number representing Jesus Christ. In his great work on numerics and gematria, Number In Scripture, he shows that 8 is the number associated with resurrection, new beginnings and those who are obedient to God’s will—and a factor of the numerical values of the Greek words for ‘Jesus’ (Ihsous), ‘Christ’ (Christos) and ‘Lord’ (Kurios) in the New Testament . The most striking is Ihsous itself.
Straight away we see that the Greek word for Jesus is appropriately the repunit 888—a row of three repeated eights. It is also worth mentioning that the ordinal value of the English word ‘Immanuel’ (NIV spelling) is 88.
This apparently meaningful relationship between Jesus Christ and the number eight is strengthened when we look at a geometric object featured in other pages on this site, the cube of eight.
As you saw above, the numbers 88 and 888 are numerical values for the English word ‘Immanuel’ and the Greek word Ihsous The visual semblance between the two numbers is reflected in the number of units constituting the volume and each face of the cube of 8.
The cube of 8 has a volume of 512 units, with each face showing 64 units.
512 ..................................= 8 x 8 x 8
64....................................= 8 x 8.....
A study of the properties of cube 512 reveals still deeper connections with gematria. The number of units comprising the outer shell of cube 512 is 296 (these surrounding an inner cube of 216 units). This number is a factor of 888, 1480 and 2368, the standard values of Ihsous, Christos and Ihsous Christos.
We find further evidence that these numerical values have been designed with cube 512 in mind, when we project the cube onto a surface along one of its diagonals, to create its 2D diagonal projection: hexagon 169. Note that this is the 8th member of the centred hexagon series.
Using the iterative procedure described in A Flurry of Snowflakes, triangle 253 can be taken two steps towards the Koch Snowflake. The first step creates hexagon 169; the second step creates snowflake 151, the ordinal value of ‘Jesus Christ’ and ‘Holy Spirit’ . This figure sits comfortably inside hexagon 169 as shown below.
Jesus Christ (o) = 151
Holy Spirit (o) ...= 151
Snowflake 151, which is also the first step of the Creation Snowflake, contains the seed figure for the Creation Snowflake, hexagram 37, shown above. This important figure is the next signpost on our journey.
The number 888, numerical value of the Greek word for Jesus, is a multiple of 37, the other factor being 24. Both numbers are found in hexagram 37, as 24 is the number of units forming its outline, as shown below.
24 x 37 ......= 888
These are the reduced the reduced values of ‘Holy’ and Spirit’. 24 is also the reduced value of ‘Word’ and 37 the reduced value of ‘the Lord’.
Holy (r) ...= 24
Spirit (r) ...= 37
Word (r) ...= 24
The Lord (r) = 37
We complete our numerico-geometric travels by looking at other shapes featuring the number 24, which is of course 8 + 8 + 8 .
The number 24 is not figurate in itself. However, as we see above, it can be represented in the structural properties of important geometric figures. As well as being the outline of hexagram 37, 24 units also form the outline of hexagon 61 and square 49. First we will look at the hexagon, featuring its outline of 24 units and largest internal hexagon of 37 units.
61 is the reduced value of the third person of the Holy Trinity.
Holy Spirit (r) = 61
Moreover, the number of units in the outline and hexagon, 24 and 37, are the separate reduced values of the two words.
Holy (r) ...= 24
Spirit (r) ...= 37
Again the titles ‘Word’ and ‘the Lord’ are represented here.
Word (r) ...= 24
The Lord (r) = 37
As before, when we multiply 37 by 24 units, we obtain 888, the numerical value for Jesus in Greek. Therefore hexagon 61 represents Divinity just as fully as hexagon 37. In its six-sidedness it is also related to the Creation Snowflake.
Next we look at a square of 49 units, 49 being the ordinal value of the title ‘Lord’
Lord (o) = 49
This is illustrated below, showing the outline of 24 units and its largest internal square, having 25 units.
By subtracting units from square 49 we can obtain two more geometric figures: diamond 25 and octagon 37, as illustrated below.
The three numbers 24 (outline), 25 (diamond or internal square) and 37 (octagon) can be multiplied in pairs to produce three numbers, all related to Jesus Christ through English and Greek gematria!
24 x 37 ...................= 888
25 x 37 ...................= 925
24 x 25 ...................= 600
The correlations between the numerical properties of the above figures and the numerical values of so many names of God cannot be a coincidence—a far more reasonable explanation is intelligent design. These unlikely correlations between word, number and shape are designed to catch our eye and turn our attention towards their—and our—Creator.
Finally, travel-weary but by now a little wiser, we catch sight of three magnificent peaks, which mark our journey’s end. All of the peaks have a base of 24 units (remember, 24 is 8 + 8 + 8) and all are triangular in form.
Triangle 300, Tetrahedron 2600 and Square Pyramid 4900
The geometric figure that most represents the Godhead is the triangle, whose three sides represent each person of the Holy Trinity. The two most triangular three-dimensional objects are the tetrahedron, which, with four triangular sides, is the triangle’s 3D equivalent, and the square pyramid, having four triangular sides and a square base.
The 24th members of the triangle, tetrahedron and square pyramid series are triangle 300, tetrahedron 2600 and square pyramid 4900. Here we find another fantastic confluence of numbers related to the Trinity through gematria and geometry. I have tabulated the phenomenon below.
It should be borne in mind that multiples of 100 seldom occur in these geometric series—for instance, of the first one hundred members of the series of triangular numbers (from 1 to 5050), only the number 300 is a multiple of 100. Consequently, it is incredibly rare for three members of different geometric series sharing the same order number to simultaneously be multiples of 100. Moreover, there are three shapes all of which share the same structural property of triangularity—even the order number of 24 can be partitioned into three eights. Therefore this is a unique confluence of related numbers.
It would seem that the written word has been engineered in conscious awareness of this numerico-geometric coincidence to present us with a symbolic triangle of meaningful concepts.
The three figures concerned are illustrated below, along with the gematria each figure encapsulates.
Traversing the eightfold path has taken us into the high country of gematria, where, our journey finally over, we can now rest and contemplate the snowy peaks of eternal truth.
Bill Downie 28/1/08
1. This is representative of the fact that Christ carried out the work of atonement. In the Old Testament, the number associated with divinity is 13. For instance, the Hebrew word transliterated as Yahweh (the Lord) has a numerical value of 26, or 13 x 2. 13 is associated with love, but also with man’s rebellion and apostasy.
2. 169 is the ordinal value of ‘The Virgin Mary’. Hexagon 169 is the precursor for snowflake 151 (ordinal value of ‘Jesus Christ’ and ‘Holy Spirit’) and so in a sense could be said to ‘give birth’ to it. I think it quite possible, therefore, that the numerio-geometric connection between these three names is by design.
3. The first 24 words of the NIV are richly encoded with important numbers. See The Signature Of Christ. The cube of 8, 512, and the square of 8, 64, are algebraically related to thrice 8, 24, as 8 is the only solution to the following equation:
Therefore 8 is the only number to have this property, which links its cube and square to the square of its triple. This would be a mere curiosity if it were not for the fact that all these numbers are related to each other through the gematria of Jesus Christ.