The Bible Code

The Bible Code

Matthew Vander Els from Founded in Truth Fellowship introduces a concept he calls the "Bible Code." However, he clarifies that this is not a hidden code involving numerical values or letter counts like Gematria. Instead, the Bible Code, according to this teaching, is the overarching story and pattern found throughout the entire Bible that ultimately points to Jesus (Yeshua) as the key to understanding God's word and His plan for humanity. It is the understanding that the entire Bible narrates how God intends to dwell with mankind, a plan that finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ.

The teaching explores a recurring pattern observed from the beginning of the Bible, starting with Genesis. In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve encounter the serpent who tempts them to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, suggesting they could become like God by determining good and evil for themselves. The woman saw that the fruit was good, pleasing, and desirable for gaining wisdom, so she "took of its fruit and ate," and shared it with her husband, who also ate. This act of "seeing and taking" contrary to God's command led to their exile from the Garden of Eden and separation from God's presence.

This pattern of "seeing and taking" and the subsequent consequences is not isolated to the story of Adam and Eve. The teaching highlights how this theme repeats throughout the Old Testament. For instance, in Genesis 6, the "sons of God saw" the daughters of men and "took them as their wives," leading to widespread corruption and God's decision to send the flood. However, God's grace was shown through Noah, who was like a "new Adam," tasked with rebooting creation. Yet, even Noah, after coming out of the ark, planted a vineyard, ate its fruit, and became naked, echoing the fall of Adam.

The story of Israel's exodus from Egypt also illustrates this pattern. After being delivered from slavery by God and brought to Mount Sinai where they entered into a covenant with Him, the people, when they "saw" that Moses delayed in coming down, "gathered" (a form of "took together") and demanded Aaron make them gods. They "took" their gold and fashioned the golden calf, attributing their deliverance to this idol, a clear act of defining good and evil for themselves apart from God's wisdom. This led to God's anger and a desire to reset His chosen people through Moses, another "new Adam" figure.

The lives of key figures like Abraham, David, and Solomon also demonstrate this recurring struggle. Abraham, despite God's promises, listened to Sarah and "took" her servant Hagar to bear a child, leading to conflict. David, described as a king after God's own heart, "saw" Bathsheba and "took her," resulting in sin and loss. Solomon, who initially asked God for wisdom to discern good and evil, later strayed by acquiring many wives and horses, contrary to God's commands.

Even in seemingly smaller stories, the pattern emerges. Leah, "saw" she had stopped bearing children and "took" her servant to give to Jacob. Shechem "saw" Dinah and "took her," leading to violence and revenge. Achan, in the book of Joshua, "saw among the spoil beautiful things" and "took them," resulting in defeat for Israel and his own demise.

The book of Proverbs offers wisdom against this tendency, advising not to be wise in one's own eyes but to fear the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom, and recognizing that wisdom is a "tree of life." The teaching emphasizes that the human struggle throughout the Bible is the choice between taking hold of the "tree of life," which represents God's wisdom and way, or trying to determine good and evil independently, leading to failure and separation from God.

The speaker argues that this repetitive pattern of humanity's failure to choose God's way begs the question: "When will it stop?" The New Testament authors, understanding this gravity, recognized that all these stories pointed to a single unifying solution: Jesus Christ (Yeshua).

The Bible Code, therefore, culminates in Jesus, the "new and the last Adam," who came not to condemn the world but to save it. Through Jesus, God hit the reset button on creation, not by destroying humanity but by overcoming sin, death, and the powers of darkness. In Revelation, all nations come to Jerusalem and eat from the tree of life, finding healing. Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15, calls Jesus the "last Adam," a life-giving spirit, contrasting him with the first Adam who brought death. The blessings of Adam and Abraham are poured out into the world through Christ, in whom there is no longer death.

Jesus was the human being humanity was always meant to be, the true image bearer of God who stood in the gap created by human failure. Those who commit their lives to pursuing God through Jesus are called to be ambassadors of Christ, taking hold of the tree of life and experiencing the blessings of Eden, a reversal of the curse of exile from God described in Deuteronomy 28.

The central message is that the entire Bible tells a unified story of God's desire to dwell with humanity, a story marred by humanity's repeated choice to define good and evil independently. This pattern finds its resolution in Jesus, through whom a new creation and the blessings of Eden are made available. The question posed to the audience is what they will do with this understanding: will they continue to rely on their own understanding of good and evil, or will they turn to the tree of life found in Jesus? The call is to embrace the transformation offered in Jesus, seeking God's wisdom and living a life submitted to Him, thereby becoming true image bearers and experiencing the life God intended from the beginning.

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Application for Everyday Life

• Recognize the tendency to define good and evil based on personal desires or circumstances. Be aware of situations where you might be tempted to justify actions that go against God's principles.
• Actively choose to seek God's wisdom over your own understanding. This involves prayer, studying the Bible, and seeking guidance from the Holy Spirit.
• Depend on Jesus as the source of true life and blessing. Acknowledge that you cannot achieve true righteousness or live a fulfilling life apart from Him.
• Repent and turn away from actions that separate you from God. When you recognize that you have "seen and taken" something contrary to God's will, seek forgiveness and commit to change.
• Embrace your identity as an ambassador of Christ. Live in a way that reflects the character and love of Jesus, allowing others to see God's image through you.
• Continuously pursue a deeper relationship with God through obedience and submission. This is an ongoing process of learning and growing in your faith.
• Trust in God's provision and timing rather than trying to force your own plans. Like Sarah, we can be tempted to take matters into our own hands, but true blessing comes from waiting on the Lord.
• Learn from the mistakes of biblical figures. Their stories, with their flaws and failures, serve as warnings and examples of the consequences of choosing self over God.
• View the Bible as a unified story pointing to Jesus. Understanding this overarching narrative can deepen your appreciation for God's plan of redemption.
• Engage with a community of believers for support and accountability. Being part of a fellowship can help you stay grounded in your faith and navigate life's challenges.

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