Noah the Eighth
"For if God did not spare ... the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness..." -2 Peter 2:5
This verse caught my attention last night. In particular, the word "eight" and the fact that my Bible noted the surrounding phrase in italics. The original Greek says, "Noah, the eighth." Here's what came to mind:
Eighth Person
-Noah was one of eight people saved by God from the flood. The others were Noah's three sons Shem, Ham and Japheth, Noah's wife, and Noah's sons' wives (Genesis 7:13, 8:18).
Eighth Generation
-The Flood occurred shortly after the death of Methuselah, the eighth generation of man (Adam's great-g-g-g-g-grandson). Methuselah lived the longest of any human on record in the Bible (Genesis 5:25-27). BlueLetterBible.org's study timeline shows that he died very shortly before the flood. According to Jewish tradition, he died seven days before the flood. Methuselah's father, Enoch, we know was taken and has not died yet (Genesis 5:21-24).
Eighth Month
-Jewish tradition holds that the flood took place in the eighth month of Cheshvan.
Sacrifices on the Eighth Day
-Circumcision was to be performed on the eighth day (Leviticus 12:3). This is the mark that Jewish males receive to show that they are sons of Abraham and sons of the promise made to Abraham (Genesis 17).
-A person cleansed from leprosy was to make an offering on the eighth day (Leviticus 14:1-32). A person cleansed of bodily discharges was also to make an offering on the eighth day (Leviticus 15). These sacrifices cleansed these people of their uncleanness and allowed them to rejoin the community in worship.
-If a person took the vow of the Nazirite and someone near them suddenly died and made the person under oath unclean, they were to offer a sacrifice on the eighth day (Numbers 6:9-12).
-Closing the Feast of Tabernacles, God commanded a holy convocation on the eighth day (Leviticus 23:33-43). It was to be a day of rest and sacrifices.
The Temple in Eight
-The temple was completed in the eighth month (1 Kings 6:38).
-Hezekiah king of Judah repaired and cleansed the temple. They reached the vestibule on the eighth day and cleansed it (2 Chronicles 29:17).
-The temple at the time of Messiah's return will be consecrated in seven days and starting from the eighth day, sacrifices will be made (Ezekiel 43:27).
Death in Eight
-A young lamb or goat was not to be offered until it was at least eight days old (Leviticus 22:27).
-Jehoiachin king of Judah was taken captive in the eighth year of his reign (2 Kings 24:12).
Eighth Stones
-The eighth stone in Revelation is βήρυλλος. The meaning of the word is uncertain, but it is used to translate the Hebrew word שֹׁהַם which describes a pale or striped stone. Perhaps a type of onyx, which is a striped form of chalcedony.
-The eighth stone in the high priest's breastplate is שְׁבוֹ which is believed to be an agate. The Hebrew word appears to be related to the word for "carry, take away captive", "flashing", or "flame." According to wikipedia, "Agate and onyx are both varieties of layered chalcedony that differ only in the form of the bands: agate has curved bands and onyx has parallel bands."
That's a lot of information, but can you see the patterns here? Judgment, salvation, "the fullness of the time", cleansing, death, transformation, community, inheritance, worship...
This verse caught my attention last night. In particular, the word "eight" and the fact that my Bible noted the surrounding phrase in italics. The original Greek says, "Noah, the eighth." Here's what came to mind:
Eighth Person
-Noah was one of eight people saved by God from the flood. The others were Noah's three sons Shem, Ham and Japheth, Noah's wife, and Noah's sons' wives (Genesis 7:13, 8:18).
Eighth Generation
-The Flood occurred shortly after the death of Methuselah, the eighth generation of man (Adam's great-g-g-g-g-grandson). Methuselah lived the longest of any human on record in the Bible (Genesis 5:25-27). BlueLetterBible.org's study timeline shows that he died very shortly before the flood. According to Jewish tradition, he died seven days before the flood. Methuselah's father, Enoch, we know was taken and has not died yet (Genesis 5:21-24).
Eighth Month
-Jewish tradition holds that the flood took place in the eighth month of Cheshvan.
Sacrifices on the Eighth Day
-Circumcision was to be performed on the eighth day (Leviticus 12:3). This is the mark that Jewish males receive to show that they are sons of Abraham and sons of the promise made to Abraham (Genesis 17).
-A person cleansed from leprosy was to make an offering on the eighth day (Leviticus 14:1-32). A person cleansed of bodily discharges was also to make an offering on the eighth day (Leviticus 15). These sacrifices cleansed these people of their uncleanness and allowed them to rejoin the community in worship.
-If a person took the vow of the Nazirite and someone near them suddenly died and made the person under oath unclean, they were to offer a sacrifice on the eighth day (Numbers 6:9-12).
-Closing the Feast of Tabernacles, God commanded a holy convocation on the eighth day (Leviticus 23:33-43). It was to be a day of rest and sacrifices.
The Temple in Eight
-The temple was completed in the eighth month (1 Kings 6:38).
-Hezekiah king of Judah repaired and cleansed the temple. They reached the vestibule on the eighth day and cleansed it (2 Chronicles 29:17).
-The temple at the time of Messiah's return will be consecrated in seven days and starting from the eighth day, sacrifices will be made (Ezekiel 43:27).
Death in Eight
-A young lamb or goat was not to be offered until it was at least eight days old (Leviticus 22:27).
-Jehoiachin king of Judah was taken captive in the eighth year of his reign (2 Kings 24:12).
Eighth Stones
-The eighth stone in Revelation is βήρυλλος. The meaning of the word is uncertain, but it is used to translate the Hebrew word שֹׁהַם which describes a pale or striped stone. Perhaps a type of onyx, which is a striped form of chalcedony.
-The eighth stone in the high priest's breastplate is שְׁבוֹ which is believed to be an agate. The Hebrew word appears to be related to the word for "carry, take away captive", "flashing", or "flame." According to wikipedia, "Agate and onyx are both varieties of layered chalcedony that differ only in the form of the bands: agate has curved bands and onyx has parallel bands."
That's a lot of information, but can you see the patterns here? Judgment, salvation, "the fullness of the time", cleansing, death, transformation, community, inheritance, worship...