Twenty-Eight

From: The Numerals Of Scripture By: Edward C. Pressland

• 4 min. read • grade level: 8

Twenty-eight combines 4 and 7, the two chief characters of perfection after 3, the earthly and manifest with the heavenly and mystical.

The 10 linen curtains which form the "tabernacle" (Ex. 26:1¹Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them. (Exodus 26:1)) are each 28 cubits long, and these with their decorations express Christ in His glories the perfect display of the heavenly and earthly, the mystery of godliness and God manifest in flesh.

The "wave offering" is named 28 times; it is only spoken of in Ex., Lev. and Num, and our Version does not always insert the word "wave."

Also, the "heave offering" is 28 times mentioned in its sacrificial character in Ex., Lev., Num., and Deut, besides a general usage (as Ex. 25:2²Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering. (Exodus 25:2)) where the word "heave" does not appear.

Ex., Lev. and Num. alone use the "tenth deal" and on 28 occasions.

The "shittah," or shittim, wood is named 28 times (including Isa. 41:19¹⁹I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together: (Isaiah 41:19), Deut. 10:3³And I made an ark of shittim wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in mine hand. (Deuteronomy 10:3) and 26 times in Ex.

There is a peculiar 28 in Eccl. 3. The number of "times" there described is 28. What is the intention of this list? Is it a complete sketch, mystical yet manifest, of the life of man, these being the enumerated times "to every purpose under the heaven"? Possibly another 28 of Scripture may have a link with this and assist to see its value. It is humiliating, but there is only one animal in Scripture which is used to represent man and that animal is the ass. Indeed it is an emphatic declaration in Job 11:12¹²For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt. (Job 11:12) that man is "born a wild ass's colt" (the word "like" is in italics and should not be there). Also, Ex. 13:13¹³And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem. (Exodus 13:13) classes the firstborn of man and the firstling of an ass together, even the ass must be redeemed with a lamb, or it must go into judgment itself and its neck be broken. But the striking fact is that there are 28 asses in Scripture which are separately spoken of. They include the 11 of Jacob's sons which are individualized in Gen. 44:13¹³Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city. (Genesis 44:13) ("and laded every man his ass"). And it is this 28 which bears some strong resemblance to the 28 "times" of Eccl. 3 so far as the prominent circumstances connected with each ass may correspond with a time. The following list may show the resemblance:

1. Balaam's ass (Num. 22:21²¹And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. (Numbers 22:21))—"a time to speak."

2. Achsah's (Josh. 15:18¹⁸And it came to pass, as she came unto him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wouldest thou? (Joshua 15:18))—"a time to get" when she lighted off her ass to make request, and obtained it.

3. Samson's jawbone of an ass (Judg. 15:15¹⁵And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith. (Judges 15:15))—"a time of war" when he slew with it a thousand men.

4. The Levite's ass (Judg. 19:28²⁸And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none answered. Then the man took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place. (Judges 19:28))—"a time to keep silence" when "none answered," and he took his

concubine's body away on an ass and dividing it, sent a desperate silent message through Israel.

5. Abigail's first ass—"a time of peace" (1 Sam. 25:20²⁰And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert of the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she met them. (1 Samuel 25:20)), when she met David and made peace for

Nabal.

6. Her second ass—"a time to love" (1 Sam. 25:42⁴²And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife. (1 Samuel 25:42)) when she again went on an ass to David and

became his wife.

7. Ahithophel's—"a time to die" (2 Sam. 17:23²³And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father. (2 Samuel 17:23)) when he saddled his ass and went and hanged himself.

8. Ass of the man of God from Judah—"a time to kill" (1 Kings 13:13¹³And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon, (1 Kings 13:13)), when as he rode a lion met

him and killed him.