"Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters." - MATTHEW 12:30

     Sometimes, life is really as simple as "1-2-3". Firstly "1": there is only one God. And He wants to be one with us. When it comes to "2", two represents the duality of life: love and hate, good and evil, truth and lies, give and take, kingdom of light and kingdom of darkness, seedtime and harvest, for and against. And many, many more. The list goes on. 3" has always been of particular significance for God, for multiple reasons, not the least of which is why His Son specifically died at the precise age of 33 and also just after 3pm in the afternoon "on a cross".

      When it comes to the "duality" of life, this represents the major life theme of "choice", which also simultaneously underpins God's central principle of "free will". And upon the defining anvil of choice, by the process of its own free will, all of humankind divides itself into two camps. It's either one or the other. (1 JOHN 3:10). There is no middle ground. Life is binary. "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters." - MATTHEW 12:30.

      The binary nature of life is representative of the freedom of choice. This is represented Biblically by the two trees of the Garden of Eden. On the one hand, the "Tree of Life" and on the other, the "Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil". Each tree produces its own fruit. And of these two trees, we have the free will to choose to live either by "the conscience of God", or to live by "our own conscience" of what is right and wrong, of what is good and evil. This distils into the choice between His way and truth and life, or our own determination of what is the way and the truth and the life. Like each tree, though, each choice ultimately produces its own fruit. Which is why He also says that as long as the earth shall remain there will be seedtime and harvest. And of this choice, it comes down to choosing this day who you will serve. "Yourself", or "God and others" (JOSHUA 24:15). No middle ground.

      On the other hand, three represents the beauty and significance of "relationship", which is emblematically portrayed by the Trinity, being a relationship that showcases the power of what is possible when united in relationship under the banner of love. Three represents the principle of love that is right relationship. And that relationship has a two-way operation and motive: (1.) an inward display of love and loyalty to the Father and for each other as the three Persons of the Trinity, and (2.) an outward focus on man. And this is all so that in love and in relationship, we may all be one. "that all of them may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me." - JOHN 17:21.

      The "three" that is the Trinity of God represents the multiplier and completion that a living and abiding relationship, centred singularly on the pursuit of love as its highest value, both produces and brings. In himself, man is likewise a trinity - spirit, soul and body. And the seedtime that is this life now on earth is entirely about the choice of bringing that trinity into right relationship with both itself, and with the extravagant Father above who loves us all.

      And with those two goals foremost in mind, Jesus pointedly died at 33, because the two 3's alongside each other represent the bringing together of the "right relationship of the trinity of man" coming alongside and into right relationship with the "three-way Trinity that is God". Which is only made possible through His death. The two three's alongside each other as "33" represents the two threes or triangles of the flag of Israel that depict the trinity of man and the Trinity of God coming together "as one", under one flag of relationship, under one banner of true love. Man and God united again in perfect harmony, as we should be, as He has always planned, purposed and promised, all united together as one family in relationship and in love.

      So Jesus, dying at 33, represents that singular significant event that makes it all possible to bring the 3 that is the triangle or trinity of man's spirit, soul and body into right relationship with themselves (just as the three Persons of the Trinity are in right relationship with themselves), and likewise into an everlasting and rich relationship with the other 3 that is the triangle or Trinity of God. Two three's paired together as 33, stands for the unity and marriage that is relationship and love, that is purposed by God's design of the two marriages of woman unto man, and by the marriage of the Bride of Christ unto Jesus. That we may all be one, just as Jesus is with the Father.

      And lastly, Jesus died "on a cross" because one piece of the cross is "vertical" and the other is "horizontal". Which represents the vertical relationship of loving the Father, and the horizontal relationship of loving the brother as yourself. Only the Cross makes that possible. And this is why Jesus gets all the glory. The two pieces of the Cross represent the two greatest commandments. The vertical piece represents the relationship of loving the Father with all your heart and mind and soul and strength. The horizontal piece represents loving your brother as yourself. Two pieces that represents the two threes coming together as one on the Cross at the precise age of 33. Forever thoughtful and deliberate. Forever rich in design and demonstration.

      Jesus ALONE provides that God and man can stand side by side as one. Just as the two triangles of the flag of Israel, where Israel represents the kingdom of God, depict the oneness of man in perfect balance and harmony with God the Creator and Father through love and relationship, united forever in a holding pattern and reality that coalesces into all that is the magnificence of eternity.

       So sometimes it really can be as simple as "1-2-3". Give us all a heart and mind and spirit to understand and apprehend, in spirit and in truth, the simplicity of Your 1-2-3, dear LORD.

"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen." - 1 TIMOTHY 1:17

God bless, Wayne Biehn