Among the multitude of patterns in the Lord’s Word we find the frequent use of the number Seven. The Revelation is famous for Sevens. Seven is the number of completion. There are seven notes in the musical scale; doh, reh, mih, fah, soh, lah, tih, and then it begins all over again with doh. There are seven basic colors in the rainbow; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Seven is the number of completeness.

If Seven is completeness, Eight is the number of new beginnings. When the Lord destroyed all life on earth with the Flood, eight people were saved on the Ark; Noah, his wife, his three sons and their wives. (First Peter 3:20) There were eight people to begin the race of man again. The Flood subsided and life on earth began anew in chapter eight of Genesis.

Aaron and his sons were consecrated for seven days. On the eighth day, they began their new ministry as priests of the Lord Most High. (Leviticus 8:31-36)

At the end of the time of the Judges, the people of Israel began clamoring for a king. The Prophet Samuel anointed Saul, who became king. Saul was disobedient to the Lord, and the Spirit of the Lord left him. The Lord sent Samuel to Bethlehem to the house of Jesse to find the next king. Jesse had eight sons. The seven older sons waited for Samuel who reviewed them all. But the Lord did not indicate any of the older sons. Upon asking, Samuel found that there was another son, David, tending the flocks. Samuel found David and anointed him as the next King of Israel. (First Samuel 16:1-12) David was son number eight. The kingship of David represented a new beginning in the history of Israel.

In chapters 40 through 42 of Ezekiel the prophet describes a Temple that has yet to be built. Within the walls surrounding the Temple area is a raised platform upon which the Temple will set. To go up to the Temple platform, you must traverse eight steps. (Ezekiel 40:28-37) Approaching King Jesus in His Holy Temple seems to symbolize the new beginning of the Kingdom Age.

Greek letters have values assigned to them just like Roman numerals. If you add the Greek values of the name of Jesus the total is 888. Most certainly, Jesus represents a new beginning for mankind. Praise the Lord, Jesus is the New Beginning!