Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - 2

 2

One of the problems we have in trying to fully understand the Bible is our lack of knowledge of the Hebrew and Greek languages. These are the two languages used in compiling most, if not all, of the Bible. In addition, the alphabets used in these languages are composed of symbols which depict not only letters but also numbers. This situation often conveyed meanings far beyond what might be obtained by merely reading the material. And this is evident in even the first part of the first line of Genesis: In the beginning.

This phrase, which begins the first book of the Bible, is apparently written in Hebrew as “bereisheet” - In the beginning. The first letter of this word in Hebrew is called “bet” (ב) and it has the numerical value of 2. In addition to its numerical value, the same letter also represents blessing. So, in the first letter of the first word in the first book of the Bible we have this meaning which would be evident to the Hebrew people but is hidden from those of us unfamiliar with the intricacies of Hebrew.

This is significant because a careful look reveals that God created the world in twos. He created the heaven and the earth. He created day and night, the sun and the moon, the seas and dry ground. He enabled evil to exist along with good for only by having the choice can one really determine one’s desired way to go. And that means that we have free will coupled with a predetermined course that eventually leads to eternal salvation or eternal damnation. Of course, in addition to all of this is the fact that there are two created sex types, male and female

If the two opposites come together in the way God meant for it to be, the blessing follows. If the wrong choices are made or the wrong combination results then the opposite of the blessing may occur. In any case, it is still a result of the number 2.

בראשית ברא אלוהים את השמים ואת הארץ

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

(Genesis 1:1)

Who could have imagined that so much meaning could be hidden in the first letter of the first word of this statement.

It is really something to think about.