Listening to a sermon recently inspired me to do more research into something that I found quite interesting so I decided to go ahead and share it with you this week.
Have you ever noticed how often “3’s” are encountered in the Bible?
Scholars are divided on the significance of numbers in Scripture as some belittle it and others stress its importance. In this case with the number “3” I, personally, lean toward the importance of it and find it fascinating how many times it comes up.
There are numerous, way too many to name, passages from Scripture that enumerate the number “3” but I will share with you several that I ran across.
Many of the verses I will reference are from the New Testament and mostly revolve around Jesus’ last days on this earth.
I will give a short description of the Bible story and reference where the verses can be found in case you want to read them and the surrounding passages for more detail.
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Mary, while Jesus was in her womb, visited her cousin Elizabeth and Zechariah and stayed three months. (Luke 1:56)
When Jesus was 12 years old He got left behind in the temple, for three days, when Mary and Joseph headed back home. (Luke 2:41-52)
When Jesus was tested by Satan in the desert, Jesus mentioned three Bible verses to each of Satan’s three attempts at tricking Him. (Matthew 4:1-11)
Jesus took three of His disciples, Peter, James and John, to the mountain where He was transfigured before their eyes. (Matthew 17:1-12)
Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane asking God three times if the cup could pass Him by. (Matthew 26:36-46)
Jesus asked Peter if he loved him three times. (John 21:15-17)
Peter denied knowing Jesus three times. (Luke 22:54-62)
When Jesus died, He, along with two robbers, making it a total of three people, were crucified. (Matthew 27:38)
There were three hours of darkness while Jesus was suffering on the cross. (Mark 15:33)
Jesus was crucified at the third hour. (Mark 15:25)
After Jesus died, it was three days later when He rose from the dead! (Luke 24:8)
After Jesus rose, there were three separate days He appeared to the disciples:
1-On the road to Emmaus where two of the disciples were walking as well as that evening to all the disciples except Thomas. (Luke 24:13-44)
2-A week later, Jesus appeared to Thomas so by seeing, he could believe. (Luke 20:24-29)
3-Jesus appears to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias where He provides them with a miraculous catch of fish. (John 21:1-14)
Isn’t it interesting to see that the “3 theme” starts with God and the fact that He has three main attributes?
God is omnipotent, all powerful.
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. –Colossians 1:16 (ESV)
God is omniscient, all knowing.
You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD. –Psalm 139:4 (NLT)
God is omnipresent, all-present.
I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. –Psalm 139:7-10 (NLT)
Yes, only all powerful God could be all three things at once!
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Perhaps all these “3’s” serve as a reminder to us of the most important “3” in our lives….
God, the Father,
Jesus, the Son,
the Holy Spirit….
The Trinity~really three separate persons yet one.
Who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance. -1 Peter 1:2 (NIV)
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Isn’t the fact knowing that YOU are made in God’s image, therefore the Trinity resides within you, so powerful?
God continued the “3” even further within us by making us each with a…
…a body, representative of God
…a soul, representative of Jesus
…and a spirit, representative of the Holy Spirit
serving as a constant reminder of the Trinity that dwells within us!
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. — 1 Thessalonians 5:23 (ESV)
One last “3” to serve as a reminder for us this week…..
Three things will last forever–faith, hope, and love–and the greatest of these is love. –1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT)
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Go, in His name, to love those whose lives you touch~His love for us is truly the greatest!
