Can you name the Biblical holyday when the following words were spoken?
And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. – Luke 22:19-20
If you said the Passover then you are correct. Yeshua spoke these words to his disciples at the Passover supper he celebrated with them the night before his crucifixion. Over the centuries as the early church distanced itself from its Biblical roots, the wine and unleavened bread of Passover became a tradition unto itself known as the Lord’s supper, holy communion, or the Eucharist. Yeshua death and resurrection during the Feast of Passover has also evolved into Continue reading →
In my last blog post, Halloween and the Bible, we looked at the fascinating history of Halloween and the flood of Noah. Today I want to share with you how those events are related to Israel’s exodus from Egypt, the Biblical calendar, and the promise of the coming Messiah. David Jesse, a blogger I read, has a saying which I really love. He says “Context makes the Bible come alive”. Today I want to share with you some unique historical facts about Egypt and Israel’s exodus in the hope that this information will make the Bible come alive for you in a new way.
The Descendants of Seth
First let’s travel back to the time of Christ and a Jewish historian named Josephus. Nearly two thousand years ago Josephus had this to say about the flood:
Now this Seth, when he was brought up, and came to those years in which he could discern what was good, became a virtuous man; and as he was himself of an excellent character, so did he leave children behind him who imitated his virtues…
They also were the inventors of that peculiar sort of wisdom which is concerned with the heavenly bodies, and their order. And that their inventions might not be lost before they were sufficiently known, upon Adam’s prediction that the world was to be destroyed at one time by the force of fire, and at another time by the violence and quantity of water, they made two pillars, {e} the one of brick, the other of stone:
they inscribed their discoveries on them both, that in case the pillar of brick should be destroyed by the flood, the pillar of stone might remain, and exhibit those discoveries to mankind; and also inform them that there was another pillar of brick erected by them. Now this remains in the land of Siriad [Egypt] to this day…. (Antiquities of the Jews 1:68-71)
Interestingly in Isaiah 19:19 such a pillar is mentioned in the land of Egypt in a future messianic context. Here take a look:
In that day shall there be an altar to YHWH in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to YHWH. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto YHWH of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto YHWH because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them. (Isaiah 19:19-20)
You see, nearly two thousand years ago the Great Pyramid in Egypt was already considered a monument built by the descendants of Seth to monumentalize a warning to mankind that judgement was coming. Some even claim this pillar has messianic significance. A discussion of whether this tradition is true or not will have to wait for another article, but we do know from the evidence of the Great Pyramid itself, that it was built in such a way that it marked the first day of November (and the Flood) in a very special way. I’ll get to that in a moment, but first let me describe this monument in a little more detail. For context’s sake keep in mind that Goshen, where the children of Israel lived for several hundred years, was only fifty miles or so from this great monument. In a moment you will see why the Great Pyramid was known to the ancient Egyptians as Ta Khut “The Light” and why it is still one of the greatest manmade wonders of the world.
Now let me paint you a picture of the Great Pyramid as it was during the time of Israel’s sojourning in Egypt. The base of the Great Pyramid was 365.24 cubits squared covering 13 acres. This stone structure was laid out in relation to the cardinal points of the compass with the precision of a modern observatory. Its base circumference was 36,524 inches and its height was 5813 inches or nearly 484 feet. Quite literally, it was a manmade mountain. For perspective, you could take the stone mass of the Great Pyramid and it would make a wall one foot thick and four feet high stretching from New York to San Francisco. Now that is big!
What really stood out about the Great Pyramid was its covering. The four slightly concave triangular sides of this incredible monument were covered with a casing of pure white polished limestone and fitted with such precision that even today engineers and archeologists have no conclusive idea how the task was accomplished. Oddly enough, the capstone or ‘head corner stone’, as it might be called in Biblical terms, was never placed on the Great Pyramid. In antiquity it was considered a stone rejected by its builders.
The Greek historian, Diodorus Siculus, observed that in his day (56-60 BC) the Great Pyramid was complete without any decay, but it lacked its capstone. (Diodorus Siculus, Book I, 63.4-64.14)
The Greek geographer Strabo who lived as a contemporary of Siculus is said to have stated that, “It seemed like a building let down from heaven without the aid of human hands.”
So we have a massive manmade structure with highly reflective sides fixed precisely to the cardinal points of the compass. This arrangement then produced reflective beams of lights and shadows marking the limits of the astronomical year with a brilliant display, hence the Egyptian title, “The Light”. Among its many characteristics the Great Pyramid was in fact an astronomical almanac. This purposeful design marked the 1st of November and the sowing season with a specific reflective effect which was used by the Egyptians to begin their agricultural cycle as well as their New Year. The chart below comes from Davidson’s Pyramid Records and it shows what the children of Israel likely saw during their captivity. In the far right of the chart note the reflective design which was seen on the 1st of November.
So okay, this is all a neat bit of history you might be thinking, but what does this have to do with Israel? Well, this is where it gets really amazing in my opinion. The Great Pyramid defined Egypt’s agricultural calendar and seasons with its reflective effect. This was the calendar system under which all Egypt operated during Israel’s captivity, one which reminded them of a great destruction of mankind.
After the exodus of Israel from Egypt one of the first things YHWH did was change Israel’s calendar from what they were familiar with in Egypt to a new calendar which began in the spring and commemorated the events of the Exodus.
And YHWH spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house;
…And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it…. And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is YHWH’s passover. (Exodus 12:1-11)
Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) (Exodus 23:15)
You see, Israel, while in slavery to Egypt (which can also be seen as a symbol of mankind’s slavery to sin), kept a calendar which immortalized the righteous judgment of God on a sinful world. After the exodus, YHWH directed Israel’s focus away from a remembrance of the flood and towards a calendar which celebrated their deliverance from Egypt and foreshadowed their redemption through the coming Messiah. A messiah who became “the lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world.” Now how awesome is that!
The Ark and Deliverance
But there is more. Remember how the Bible describes the flood as occurring on the 17th day of the second month of the pre-flood calendar, a day which modern tradition observes in ignorance as Halloween. Have you ever thought about the day Noah’s ark finally rested on the mountains of Ararat? Well, that day was just as symbolically important? Here take a look:
And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated. And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. (Genesis 8:3-4)
Yes indeed, the ark rested on a date which YHWH, hundreds of years later, would commemorate as Feast of Unleavened Bread. So in wonderful prophetic symbolism Noah and his family were delivered from the flood on the 17th day of the 7th month which according to Israel’s religious calendar after the exodus became the 17th day of the1st month. In modern calendar terms this would be our March or April. In other words, the ark rested on the mountains of Ararat on the same day in which Israel was delivered from Egyptian bondage. Then over a millennium later on that very same day, Yeshua the promised Messiah, rose from the grave and became the firstfruits of them that slept, thus delivering mankind from their bondage to sin.
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. (1 Corinthians 15:20-23)
You see, the Israel that lived in the shadows and reflections of the Great Pyramid was only reminded of the judgment of God. The Israel that left Egypt was given the promise of a coming redeemer. How’s that for a new perspective on the Flood and the Exodus!
The Flood and Daniel 9
The above context provides a rather unique perspective on Israel’s calendar system and the promised Redeemer but there is another aspect to the flood story and the Messiah. In Daniel 9 we have the most important messianic prophecy in the Bible. Commonly called the Prophecy of 70 Weeks, its importance lies in the fact that it is the only prophecy in the entire Bible which gives a specific and datable timeline for the coming of the Messiah.
Daniel 9:25 tells us that after 7 “weeks” the Messiah will come. Keep in mind that the term weeks in Daniel 9 comes from the Hebrew Shabuwa and simply means sevens. The period of time intended by the prophecy is never stated.
Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks [sevens],… (Daniel 9:25a)
I won’t go into all the details in this article, but in Daniel 9:26 the prophecy goes on to tell us that the Messiah will be “cut off”. We know in retrospect from both the Old and New Testaments that the Messiah would have a dual role in the affairs of mankind. He would be both a suffering servant as described in Isaiah 53 and a future king as described in Luke 1:31-33. Here in Daniel 9:26 though we have a description of the Messiah as a suffering servant.
And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: (Daniel 9:26a)
Notice in the passage above, it says that the Messiah will be “cut off, but not for himself”. This is where we find an amazing connection between the promised Messiah and the flood of Noah’s day. You see the term “cut off” in Daniel 9:26 comes from the Hebrew karath which means to cut off or cut down. As many scholars have noted over the years, the first occurrence of a Hebrew word in the Bible often provides additional insights into its meaning. Here in Daniel 9:26 we find such an example because the first occurrence of the work karath comes to us from the flood story.
And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off [karath] any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. (Genesis 9:11)
Take a moment to read Daniel 9:26a once again. Notice it says the Messiah will be karath “but not for himself”. Contrast that with Noah’s day were we are told that nearly all mankind was cut off (karath) because of their sins. In Noah’s day mankind paid the required price for their sins. Daniel prophesied that a day would come when the Messiah would pay that price (karath) in place of mankind, it was his blood which would atoned for the sins of humanity.
Not for Himself indeed!
Let me give you a few examples from the Biblical record illustrating how the Messiah was cut off for the sins of mankind:
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5)
And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. (Zechariah 13:6)
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:28)
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. (1 Peter 3:18-22)
Did you catch the analogy Peter made above? The same waters which “baptized” the world and removed sin also lifted the ark and brought deliverance from the death. In a like manner it was Yeshua’s resurrection which brings salvation and deliverance from sin.
And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters. (Genesis 7:18)
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4)
The Flood and the Messiah
So next time you’re thinking about Israel and their exodus from Egypt remember the last surviving wonder of the ancient world. Remember a monument which Strabo described as, “…a building let down from heaven without the aid of human hands.” A megalithic wonder which reminded all Egypt of YHWH’s judgment on a sinful world. A monument which in its own way points mankind to the promise of a coming redeemer.
In that day shall there be an altar to YHWH in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to YHWH. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto YHWH of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto YHWH because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them. (Isaiah 19:19-20)
A Berean’s Challenge
For those Bereans out there who love to dig deeper into YHWH’s word, I have a challenge for you. In Daniel 9 there are three Hebrew words which the Bible first uses in describing the events of the flood. We already looked at the word karath which was used to describe mankind being “cut off” from the earth. The other two words are gabar (prevail) and beriyth (covenant). It was no accident that all three of these words found in Daniel 9 are first found in the flood story and the destruction of mankind. See if you can find the connection.
YHWH willing, in a couple of weeks I will be releasing Book II in my Prophecy and Patterns series, Daniel’s 70 Weeks: The Keystone of Bible Prophecy. In the book we’ll search for an answer to these intriguing questions and many others as well. Remember if you are a blog subscriber you’ll receive a complimentary digital copy of the book when it is released. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy your own Biblical treasure hunt for the wonders YHWH has hidden for us to find.
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. (Proverbs 25:2)
Authors note: All the charts in this article come from Davidson’s Pyramid Records (1924)
Book 1
Book I - Description
The 13th Enumeration
"A book that will change how you look at the Bible's Messianic Symbolism."
The Jubilee Code -
"A book that will show you real Biblical evidence for Yahweh's guiding in hand history bringing about His redemptive plan for mankind."
You are probably wondering why I’d concern myself with writing about the day of the Exodus, especially when Numbers 33:3-8 spells it out so precisely:
And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians. Numbers 33:3-8
Truthfully, I like to explore these subjects simply because I enjoy trying to figure out the details of Biblical history, but in this case there is a lot more to the subject which intrigues me.
Destruction of Pharaoh’s Army – Poussin
First of all, I wondered if it was possible to ascertain not the day of the month of the Exodus but the day of week. I realize this is a theoretical exercise because YHWH didn’t give Moses instructions for 6 days of labor and a day of rest until after the Exodus. In fact it was not until the middle of the 2nd month, in the Land of Sin, that YHWH instructed Israel on the Sabbath cycle.
That being said I still wondered if we could not count the cycles retrospectively and still arrive a reasonable conclusion regarding the day of week upon which Israel left Egypt. After all, I figure that even though YHWH did not instruct Israel regarding the Sabbath cycle until after the Exodus, He did in fact set the example for 6 days of labor and one day of rest all the way back in Genesis. To my way of looking at it, if he had set this pattern up in the very beginning it was not beyond His abilities to later synchronize and continue that pattern at the Exodus.
The second reason this subject interests me is that the New Testament describes Yeshua’s (Jesus’) death and resurrection as a “shadow” picture of the Exodus events. John the Baptist testified that Yeshua was:
“The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”.
The apostle Paul when describing Yeshua’s sacrificial atonement on our behalf stated: “ “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.” Heb. 9:28-10:1
So if Yeshua’s death and resurrection is a “shadow” picture of the Exodus events, surely understanding the precise chronology of the Exodus might provide valuable context to the New Testament events. With these interests in mind the following is what I believe is a reasonable outline of events based upon the Biblical record.
Israel was commanded to kill the “Passover” lamb on the 14th day at “even”. My article Even to Even explains that when the “even” of a day is mentioned it designates the end of that day and the beginning of the next. For example when Lev. 23 mentioned the “ninth day at even” it was specifically designating the start of the 10th day. In like manner the Exodus events show that the 14th day at “even” was in fact the start of the 15th day. I’ve included the passage from Exodus 12 at the end of this article.
Israel was to eat the lamb in readiness to depart Egypt: And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is YHWH’s Passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night. Exo.12:11
The Angel of Death passed over the land of Egypt that night. (the 15th) “And it came to pass, that at midnight YHWH smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt,…” Exo. 12:29
The following morning all Israel departed Egypt. This was the 1st day of the feast of Unleavened Bread. And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to YHWH…. Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; ….And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; …And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Exo. 12
In summary, the above chronology clearly shows that Israel killed their Passover lambs on the 14th day at “even” just before sundown which began the 15th. The night beginning the 15th of Nisan they ate the Passover, leaving nothing of it until the morning, as they were commanded. When the morning of the 15th came, Israel, fully dressed, shod, and with much treasure from their Egyptian neighbors, departed Rameses.
And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the 15 day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians.Numbers 33:3-8
* * *
Gathering Manna – Poussin
Having established a reasonable chronology of the Exodus it is necessary to turn to Exodus 16 in order to establish a basis for the weekly Sabbath cycle.
And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.Exodus 16:1
After arriving in the land of Sin, one month after the Exodus, Israel was now fully aware of the reality of their new life. The certainty of servitude had been replaced with the uncertainty of a life which required faith.
And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: 3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of YHWH in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.Exodus 16:2-3
So YHWH sent them the “bread from heaven”. But the gift came with conditions. They were only allowed to gather the “manna” for 6 days. On the seventh day they were required to rest:
22 And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread….. And he said unto them, This is that which YHWH hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto YHWH: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning…. And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto YHWH: to day ye shall not find it in the field. 26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. Exodus 16:22-26
So the people rested on the seventh day. Exo.16:30
In summary, Israel came into the land of Sin on the 15th day of the 2nd month. The following morning YHWH gave them “manna”. For 6 days they gathered this bread of heaven and rested on the 7th day. So the 16th day of the 2nd month was the 1st day of the week.
Now turning back to the Exodus chronology we can count these days of the weeks backwards to the 1st month. By this reckoning the Passover lambs were killed just before sundown on the 5th day of the week (14th Nisan). A few hours later on the 15th of Nisan, the Feast of Unleavened Bread began with the Passover supper, thus beginning the 6th day of the week.
Click on the image to enlarge:
Book 1
Book I - Description
The 13th Enumeration
"A book that will change how you look at the Bible's Messianic Symbolism."
The Jubilee Code -
"A book that will show you real Biblical evidence for Yahweh's guiding in hand history bringing about His redemptive plan for mankind."
The phoenix is a fantastic legend which has captured the imaginations of people down through the millenniums. Is it only a myth or is it like many such stories based on some ancient event? In my blog post today we will explore the history of this ancient legend. The truth may surprise you. (Authors note: This is another in a series of articles I wrote several years ago. Because it is graphically rich I have reproduced it here as a series of images. If you need to increase the text size just use (Ctrl +) or click on each image. I hope you enjoy the article. – William Struse)
Book 1
Book I - Description
The 13th Enumeration
"A book that will change how you look at the Bible's Messianic Symbolism."
The Jubilee Code -
"A book that will show you real Biblical evidence for Yahweh's guiding in hand history bringing about His redemptive plan for mankind."
Author’s Note: Since my teenage years I’ve loved to investigate subjects which are related in some way to ancient history and the Bible. During the late 19th century and the early 20th century there was much interest and many books written about the Great Pyramid. Many of these books claimed the Great Pyramid was an ancient chronograph and contained hidden scientific knowledge. Some even claimed a connection to Biblical history. I don’t intent to discuss the veracity of those claims in this current article but I would like to address a related subject.
The subject of this current article is the origins of the ancient cubit and its relationship to linear measure and geometry. Many of the ideas in this present essay have their origins in those books from the turn of the 19th century. I have tried to condense and simplify some of the ideas and principles. I can only take credit for trying to refresh some of their great research. After over 20 years of investigation I am humbled by how ignorant we are of the past. I am equally astounded by how much those ancient “primitive” civilizations knew. As this article will demonstrate those civilizations used advanced mathematical concepts in normal everyday life, concepts that modern science did not “discover” until thousands of years later. So without further introduction I hope you enjoy:
The Ancient Origins of the Cubit: Its Basis in Linear Measure and Geometry
The cubit is a unit of measure which was used across the ancient world. It was defined by a unit of measure related to our modern inch. While the exact date and origin of the inch based system has not been determined in history, it is represented in almost every culture with only a very slight variation over thousands of years. Interestingly, the original primitive “inch” seems to have represented a fraction of the polar diameter of the earth. It is approximately a 1/500,000,000th fraction of this polar diameter. Pretty amazing considering its antiquity.
Up until the French revolution the inch based system was without rival. It is the basis for the foot, yard, furlong, cubit, mile, and numerous other specific measurements. The table below was compiled by Piazzi Smyth. It is found in his book The Great Pyramid. He was the astronomer-royal for Scotland in the late nineteenth century. His list shows the value of the inch in various cultures as a fraction of the foot. Our modern inch today is closely related to the British inch. One of the oldest surviving representation of the inch is found in the Pyramid of Gizeh. The entire system of geometry represented in this ancient structure is based on an inch. This ancient or for lack of a better term “primitive” (P) inch is equal to P = 1.0011” British inches. Ancient Greece is credited with the discovery of modern mathematics and geometry. But upon close examination each “great” Greek scholar was “inspired” only after a period of time spent in Ancient Egypt. The fact of the matter is that ancient Egypt showed a knowledge of Pi and other complex mathematical relationships long before the Greeks showed up and borrowed the ideas. Some of Egypt’s most basic linear and square measures are derived from Pi.
Today one of the most misunderstood and confused measurements of ancient origin is the cubit. Some claim the cubit is approximately 18”, while others claim 20”. Most evidence today points to a variation of one of these two measurements. In ancient Egypt there is also evidence of another cubit of 25”. According to Petrie and others this cubit saw use when Egypt was under Semitic influence.
The two most widely recognized forms of the cubit are merely an expression of the relationship between the year of 365.25 days and pi. (3.14159). In ancient Egypt the Aroura was an area measurement equal to the expression of this relationship. In Egypt the year was sometimes called a quarter (1/4). This “quarter” was the geometrical expression of a circle whose circumference was 3652.5”. This circle or “quarter” had a diameter of 1162.6” and was equal to a “quarter” of an Aroura. 4 of these “quarters” were equal to 1 Aroura. In order to further simplify this relationship a rectangle Aroura of 1162.6 P” x 3652.5 P” was developed. This rectangle was the equivalent area measure of 4 of the 1/4 Aroura circles. This rectangular Aroura was then expressed as a square Aroura of 2060.7” x 2060.7”. A linear cubit was then derived from 1/100th of the side of this square Aroura. A square cubit was equal to 1/10,000th of this square Aroura. The following table expresses these relationships.
The second cubit used in ancient Egypt was also a variation on the relationship between the 365.25 day year and Pi. This cubit was the Egyptian Pi “rod” cubit or circumferential cubit. This cubit or rod measurement was a fractional measure of half the circumference of this 1/4 Aroura “year” circle of 3652.5”. This linear cubit measure was equal to 18.2625” and was a linear expression of the relationship between the radius of a “year” circle and its circumference. The next two tables show the means by which the Pi / year relationship was expressed and the means by which both cubits were derived. They also show the relationship between these Egyptian cubits and their inch and diametric divisions.
Horapollo in his Hieroglyphics, Bk I, v. stated the following concerning the relationship between the Egyptian year and the Aroura: “To represent the current year, they (the Egyptians) depicted the fourth part of an aroura: now the aroura is a measure of land of an hundred cubits. And when they would express a year they say a quarter.”
Hereodotus makes a similar statement:“the aroura is a square of a hundred cubits, the Egyptian cubit being the same as the Samian.”
As you can see the cubit of 20.607” and 18.26” both had origins in practical geometry and linear measure. Most cubit approximations today are based on one of these two cubits. A cubit then is a linear measure expressing the relationship between the 365.25 day year and Pi. This relationship is the reason the ancient Egyptians sometimes expressed the year in hieroglyphics as either a square or a circle.
The evidence for a sacred cubit of Semitic origins is compelling as well. It is claimed by Davidson and others that Mr. Flinders Petrie, the eminent Egyptologist, found that the 25” cubit was used in Egypt during the XVIII Dynasty. (I have not been able to verify this claim as a reader graciously pointed out to me recently.) This was a period of time when the Egyptian culture was heavily influenced by Semitic culture. According to him the 25” cubit is only found during periods of Semitic influence. Mr. Petrie also found the half-cubit or “foot” appeared in Babylonia as a foot of 12.5”. In Greece this “foot” was 12.44-12.62 B” (British inches) in Eturia it averaged 12.47 B”.
In the 10th century the “foot” was shortened to 12”. This became the legal foot since that time. For an extended period of time the 12” legal foot competed with the old half-cubit foot (12.5”) of antiquity. Evidence for this is found in several places but one of the most compelling modern examples is found on the statue of Richard I from 1199 AD. An inscription on this statue defines an acre as follows: “40 perches in length and 4 in breadth and every perch of 16 feet in length”
According to this inscription the perch was only 16 feet in length. A modern perch on the other hand is 16.5 feet in length. The discrepancy is obvious when it is realized that a foot at the time of this inscription was 12.5” in length while the modern foot was shortened to only 12”. Therefore the perch at the time of Richard I was 200” in length while the modern perch is 198”. The modern perch being lengthened so that it could maintain its value (within 1%) relative to the inch as defined by the shortened 12” foot.
It is interesting to note that Sir Isaac Newton had a great interest in the length of the cubit. His interest it seems was based upon his belief that the cubit and by extension the inch were relative to the astronomical measurements he needed to confirm his gravitational theories. Isaac Newton in his Dissertation on Cubits narrowed the value of the Hebrew or “Sacred Cubit” to approximately 23-27” in length. He used the following 7 points to arrive at his conclusion. All values are calculated in British inches. 1 British inch = 1.0011 primitive inches.
1. By investigation of Talmudist’s and Josephus’ in reference to the Greek cubit he calculated the range of the Hebrew cubit to 24.3 – 31.24”
2. From Talmudist’s proportion to the human body 23.28 – 27.94”
3. From Josephus’ description of the pillars of the Temple 23.28 – 27.16”.
4. By calculation of a Sabbath days journey 23.28 – 27.16”
5. By Talmudist’s and Josephus’ description of the Inner Court 23.28 – 26.19”
6. By proportion to the Chaldaic and Hebrew cubit to that of the cubit of Memphis 24.83”
7. Statement of Mersennus as to a supposed copy of the “sacred cubit of the Hebrews” 24.91”
Newton’s calculations show it is very likely that the Hebrew sacred cubit was 25” . This would agree with Petrie statements as to the Semitic origins of the 25” cubit in ancient Egypt. This 25” cubit is inferred in the Egyptian record (shown in the table above) by the division of their cubit into 25 diametric units. This division into 25 diametric units likely facilitated the conversion of the cubit between the Egyptian and Semitic units of measure.
The use of a 25” cubit as evidenced by the 12.5” (half cubit) foot in Babylon, Europe, and the British Isles could well be explained by the Semitic migration from Mesopotamia and Egypt. The famous Stonehenge is but a large scale representation of these relationships. The outer stone ring as measured by Petrie gives a diameter of 1168 British inches. Thus showing a 1/4 Aroura fits precisely inside the outer stone circle. Contrary to popular belief today, Stonehenge was not originally designed as a place of occult religious practice. Quite to the contrary, it showed the advanced nature and understanding of that early civilization. They designed and built with stone a highly accurate structure showing the relationship between linear measure, plane geometry, Pi, and the solar year. This circle of stones created a type of mammoth astronomical almanac. This almanac gives precise mathematical and astronomical calculations which mankind was not fully able to appreciate or understand again until our modern era, thousands of years later.
In summary then, the cubits of ancient Egypt were used as both a linear and square measure which eloquently expressed the relationship between the solar year of 365.25 days and Pi. Both cubit measures express an advanced knowledge of mathematics and geometry as well as an awareness of advanced astronomical relationships. It is also apparent that an additional cubit of 25” was used at times in Egyptian history during periods of Semitic influence. The origin and basis for this cubit are not as clear. Based on existing evidence though, it seems the 25” cubit was used in places were Semitic influence was prevalent. This 25” cubit likely being one of the cubits used by the Hebrew people in the Biblical record.
1. Primitive inch = 1.0011 British inches
2. 12.5” = 1 Primitive Foot
3. 25” = 1 Semitic Cubit
4. A primitive Perch or Rod = 16 feet, each foot of 12.5”
5. A primitive Perch or Rod was equal to 200 primitive inches
6. A primitive Perch or Rod was = to 8 Semitic cubits
7. 40 Perch or Rod = 1 furlong
8. 8000 primitive inches = 1 primitive furlong
9. 8 furlong = 1 mile
10. 1 mile = 64000 primitive inches
11. 320 Semitic cubits = 1 furlong
12. 2560 Semitic cubits = 1 mile
Book 1
Book I - Description
The 13th Enumeration
"A book that will change how you look at the Bible's Messianic Symbolism."
The Jubilee Code -
"A book that will show you real Biblical evidence for Yahweh's guiding in hand history bringing about His redemptive plan for mankind."
As a student of Biblical history and ancient chronology there are few subjects more elusive and intriguing to me than the Sabbath and Jubilee cycles in the Bible. The following article is part of my research into the Jubilee and Sabbath cycles. It might surprise some of you to learn that the 1st Jubilee mentioned in the Scripture was a jubilee of days.
As with other of my articles which have graphics and charts I have reproduced this in a series of pictures. If you need it larger for reading you can use (Ctrl +) or just click on each image. I hope you enjoy the article. – William Struse
Book 1
Book I - Description
The 13th Enumeration
"A book that will change how you look at the Bible's Messianic Symbolism."
The Jubilee Code -
"A book that will show you real Biblical evidence for Yahweh's guiding in hand history bringing about His redemptive plan for mankind."
Can you name the Biblical holyday when the following words were spoken?
You see, nearly two thousand years ago the Great Pyramid in Egypt was already considered a monument built by the descendants of Seth to monumentalize a warning to mankind that judgement was coming. Some even claim this pillar has messianic significance. A discussion of whether this tradition is true or not will have to wait for another article, but we do know from the evidence of the Great Pyramid itself, that it was built in such a way that it marked the first day of November (and the Flood) in a very special way. I’ll get to that in a moment, but first let me describe this monument in a little more detail. For context’s sake keep in mind that Goshen, where the children of Israel lived for several hundred years, was only fifty miles or so from this great monument. In a moment you will see why the Great Pyramid was known to the ancient Egyptians as Ta Khut “The Light” and why it is still one of the greatest manmade wonders of the world.
