AUTHOR NOTE:
Social Media-free, Day 3: Breathing, BP, and pulse rate normal...only slightly flippant report. It’s a change!
Mood: Mildly antsy while concurrently relieved and definitely more focused.
FOMO: Moderate.
Compulsion status: Still pick up the phone to check for notifications.
How like God to pull together seemingly disconnected things in a tidy little message, right in time. I just posted a Guideposts devotional entry about biblical numerology that I wrote some eighteen months ago. I explained that among many other ways I hear God, He's been speaking to me through repeated numbers, now more than ever. Of course, He's always speaking, most notably through the Word, and if we're listening, He'll share wondrous things along with basic instructions for living, intimately personal, as He is with us.
Are we seeking, listening, and following?
Some readers were very interested in my experience and wanted to know more, so I'm sharing my process and the insight God gave me about the number 404.
But first, a message from our Sponsor
While the biblical numerology post drew attention, there were a few people who were concerned about drifting into a danger zone. Rightfully so! Let's face it: Some of us are enthralled with seeking woo-woo easy answers from sketchy sources other than God.
I'll seize this opportunity to say God warns strongly against divination, spiritualists, witchcraft, etc., and the ever-popular astrology (Galatians 5:19-21, Deuteronomy 4:19, Deuteronomy 18:9-14). He is always inviting us closer to HIM, as I have also shared recently and for a long while. He has the answers. He is the answer!
If He’s speaking to you through numbers, it can be a precious opportunity to explore carefully, which is one reason He gave me this experience to share and to warn you about potential perils.
His warnings, even the scariest, are always intended to protect us from something worse.
For instance, watch out for the wildly popular “angel” numbers that are usually in the vein of “manifesting” true love, your best life, or heaps of cash by Thursday. If it’s selfish, self-centered, and doesn’t align with His character, be skeptical.
Sure, you may be getting some striking insights or instructions that seem right and good, but God says our best thinking can lead to death, possibly terminal, depending on your theology.
Please consider the source: If it's not God and He says "don't," what power are you tapping into, and what are consequences? If it's unclear what power is at work, ask, "Does it point to Jesus and reflect Christ in Spirit and Truth? Don't be fooled!
There's a better way. Jesus is sufficient and satisfying.
"and in Christ, you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority." Colossians 2:10
Why settle for a substitute when there is One who has all power?
What's more, on a very related note, undue, excessive attention to or dependence on either legitimate or illegitimate people or practices other than God qualifies as idolatry. God hates it, plus idols break and tarnish.
Be free, people. Don’t be deceived or accept counterfeits. Stop now.
Some of you are like, "Puhleeze, Isabella, chillax! Does it matter? Isn't everything permissible in Christ?" Please read the whole passage and the whole Book.
This is no time to be wandering from Truth.
Jesus said:
For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. Matthew 24:24
My recent post on false prophets offers more insight.
Still, if you're seeing numbers, here’s a little case study and the dazzling legit treasures you can glean about Jesus, the ultimate answer.
Following Breadcrumbs, Hungry for Bread
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35 (NIV)
I woke early this morning, and when I glanced at the time, it was 4:04 a.m. (No social media feed to check? Breathe, Isabella, breathe.) Now, 404 is not one of those numbers I always see, but my inner witness pinged urgently, "Pay attention."
I now more rapidly recognize and respond when God says, "Please take note."
Quickly Googling "Biblical meaning of 404," I was immediately drawn to a blog entitled "Error 404, Jesus Not Found."
I rolled onto my knees and prayed, then made coffee and settled into my cozy corner. I sat still for a spell, then dug deeper, following an intriguing trail of breadcrumbs.
I always begin by asking God for wisdom and discernment to filter what I'm reading, and asking if and how it applies. I've learned to trust my gut and to stop reading if it doesn't feel right.
Here’s a sampling of what I learned:
I pray Psalm 40 every morning. Psalm 40:4 says:
"Blessed is the man who makes the Lord His trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods."
"The word "Lord" appears 404 times, in 355 verses, in the King James Bible book of Numbers. Three hundred fifty-five is personally significant to me.
404 is the Hebrew Gematria of "The Chosen One.”
The word "priest" appears in 404 King James Old Testament verses.
The Book of Revelation (of Christ) has 22 chapters and 404 verses.
404 is equal to 2 x 2 (2 squared) x 101. Both 2 and 101 are prime numbers.
404 is a palindrome, the same backward and forward.
Ontario Route 404 is aka King’s Highway.
In Strong's Biblical Lexicon, #404 in Greek is defined as "I refresh, revive, comfort." Its Hebrew equivalent means "to breathe freely, to revive" and "conveys the idea of refreshing or reviving someone, often in a spiritual or emotional sense. It implies a restoration of strength or vitality, akin to a cool breeze on a hot day. The New Testament describes it as the spiritual refreshment and relief from God's presence and grace."
The verb form is used in Acts 3:20 when St. Peter says,
"Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then, times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah. For he must remain in heaven until the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets." (NLT)
Interesting that Mockingbird Ministries’ upcoming Annual conference in New York City is entitled “Relief.”
I consulted my handy little book, Numbers That Preach, which includes Biblical and historical insights. There are many references about the significance of 4, usually associated with creation, e.g., four elements, seasons, lunar cycles, etc. Biblically, forty is a recurring number of testing, trial, preparation, and completion.
Random but interesting: Federal Rule 404 states that evidence of a person's character or trait is not admissible to prove someone acted in accordance with their character. Sounds like mercy to me. Maybe.
I also encountered an episode of Bible Stories for Atheists that mentioned Error 404. Who knew? It's an entire podcast devoted to irreverently debunking the Bible and dissing Christians. It looks like it's shut down now, but it did have a rave review from a satanic minister. God bless—and help—them.
These are not just random or sought after coincidences. There’s a clear, unifying theme that points to Jesus, confirmed by my own inner witness and personal experience.
I could explore countless other references and Bible verses, but you get the idea.
A delightful treasure hunt with stunning revelations!
Let’s circle back to the article "Error 404, Jesus Not Found," which explains we cannot connect to God without Jesus, who reconciles us, bridging the unfathomable gap. That's...
Good News
The God who created the universe and us, who reveals Himself in the wonders of nature, His Word, and the gift of His Son, longs to speak to us one-on-one, seeks us like a Good Shepherd, and wants to be found.
Are we looking, listening, and following Him?
I pray we are!
Amen.💖
Further Reading:
Bible Verses to Ponder:
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent." Luke 15:1-5 (NIV)
The Parable of the Lost Coin
8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins[a]and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:8-10 (NIV)
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33 (NIV)
7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV)
"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV)
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10 (ESV)
"Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon." Isaiah 55:6-7 (NIV)
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