The 3-7-12 Principle (Part 1 of 4)

(Blogger’s Note: This is the first in a series of four posts outlining the 3-7-12 Principle in my upcoming book: “Light Wins! …and the darkness is defeated forever…”)

John Maxwell has his 21 Irrefutable Laws; Rick Warren has his 40 Days of Purpose; and Stephen Covey has his 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

So, as we say down here in Arkansas … we’re already walking in some pretty tall cotton.

From the first printing of God‘s Word there’s been an interesting and ongoing dialogue about the significance, or lack thereof, of  the symbolism of biblical numbers. Could it be pure coincidence that we see the repeating theme of numbers throughout both the Old and New Testaments? I’m a believer that there’s not a single coincidental word in the Bible and so as a reader and a writer, I must conclude God desires that we delve into the meaning of these numbers for a greater understanding of his Holy Spirit as it lives in each and every Believer.

I’m no Robert Langston (the symbologist portrayed in Dan Brown‘s “The DaVinci Code“) … oh, but to be as suave and debonair as the character Tom Hanks portrayed in that series … but it seems the significance of certain numbers in the Bible, simply cannot be denied.

The writing process is one that comes with great learning. As we seek to learn about other things, we, in the process, also learn much about ourselves. And so the fascination of a writer’s journey is compounded with certain revelations.

I’ve noticed (with the help of others) that my own particular writing style is relatively metaphorical in nature, and that I subconsciously use numbers as an expression of those metaphors … particularly the numbers 3, 7 and 12. Those who write with a metaphorical tone are in good company, I’d say. The parables Jesus related throughout the New Testament were the ultimate, and most profound metaphors.

For now, let’s take a look at the Biblical significance of the number “3,” mentioned exactly 523 times in Scripture Some quick facts and observations:

• Three attributes of God: omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence.
• Three crosses at Christ’s crucifixion.
• Jesus was resurrected on the third day.
• Jesus ran with a group of 12, but His inner circle consisted of three.
• At 120 years old, Moses’ life was divided into three distinct periods of 40 each.
• Three is God’s numerical “signature.”
• The Godhead consists of three. Add up the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and you get “three.” But multiply 1 exponentially by three, and you still get “one.” 
• Our earthly lives consist of three phases: Birth, Life, Death.
• The Ark of the Covenant contained three sacred objects.
• Holy, Holy, Holy.
• It was in Genesis 1:3 when God spoke Light into being, eliminating the darkness forevermore.
• “And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A chord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.” Ecclesiastes 4:12

And the list could go on and on…

There is power in the perfection of three. There is holiness and grace in the promise of three.

And there are principles we can follow in the priority of three.

(Next Post: “The Promise of Seven.”)