153 and Fear

978 words long.

Published on 2024-03-30

Calendar Arithmetic and the Psalms

If we made this connection between the Genesis Flood and the number 153 in only one way, as shown in the previous article, we would have grounds for skepticism. Consider the start and end dates.

• Starting on 17th day of 2nd month: 17x2 = 34
• Ending on 17th day of 7th month: 17x7 = 119
• What if we sum the products of day and month?

(17 x 2) + (17 x 7) = 34 + 119 = 153

Does such arithmetic seem suspect to you? Consider the intermediate values of 34 and 119. What is special about them? The Bible book with the most references to fear, specifically the fear of the Lord, is the Psalms. The two chapters that mention that fear the most are Psalm 34 and Psalm 119. The Flood of Noah was intended to teach mankind the fear of the Lord.

Shepherd and Sheep

Psalm 119 has another connection. The last stanza ends with these words:

I have gone astray like a lost sheep;

seek your servant,

for I do not forget your commandments.

- Psalm 119:176

John 21, the passage we are trying to understand, reaches its climax when Jesus calls upon Peter to feed and tend his sheep.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,

“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”

He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.”

He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”

He said to him a second time,

“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.”

He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”

He said to him the third time,

“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time,

“Do you love me?” and he said to him,

“Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young,

you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted,

but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands,

and another will dress you and carry you

where you do not want to go.”

(This he said to show by what kind of death

he was to glorify God.)

And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

- John 21:15-19, ESV

The association of Jesus with a lamb is central to Revelation, where Jesus in Revelation 5:12 is praised as the lamb who was slain. It is the climax of John 21 and Psalm 119. (In Peace it was shown that Psalm 119 is an extensive prophecy about the coming of Messiah, and the mention of a lost sheep at the end of Psalm 119 is an appeal to the shepherd to bring salvation.) Sheep are also prominent in Habakkuk. Habakkuk employs negative theology. In his concluding psalm, the prophet laments in 3:17 that “the flocks [are] cut off from the fold”. If they are cut off, then they need a shepherd to go out and gather them back.

One more observation about the number seventeen. If you add the ages from the genealogies in Genesis from Adam to Noah, you find that the flood occurred in the second half of the seventeenth century following the creation.

By century, by month, and by day, Seventeen means victory over sin.

Reinforcing fear: Luke 12 and 2 Kings 17

Only two chapters in the Bible speak of fear more than Psalms 34 and 119. They also are relevant.

Luke 12 has six uses of fear. Jesus speaks of fearing the one who can send body and soul to hell more than those who can only kill the body. It talks about the unforgivable sin of grieving the Holy Spirit and also instructions about not being anxious. But Jesus also has this encouraging word which connects us again to sheep:

Fear not, little flock,

for it is your Father's good pleasure

to give you the kingdom.

- Luke 12:32 ESV

2 Kings 17 takes the cake. It uses the words feared and fear a dozen times. This chapter describes the fall of Israel to Assyria, which for the northern kingdom was as devastating as Noah’s flood. Note that this falls in the seventeenth chapter of that book. When God fights against you, He will be victorious.

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Links to the other articles in this section:

1. Connections to other books The scope of inquiry is given. The riddle is connected to Genesis, Psalms 34 and 119, Jeremiah 32, Habakkuk, John 21, Matthew 13, and Revelation 9.
2. Defining 153 Noah's Flood is shown to have lasted precisely 153 days.
3. Fear 153 is connected to the Fear of the Lord through Psalms 24 and 119, Luke 12 and 2 Kings 17.
4. Hope Jeremiah connects a related victory number, seventeen (17), to hope. Then the themes of John 21 are connected to Habakkuk.
5. Habakkuk: Part 1 Analysis of Habakkuk 1:1-4. Habakkuk puts questions to God.
6. Habakkuk: Part 2 Analysis of Habakkuk 1:5-11. God doubles down: the bitter and hasty Chaldeans are coming.
7. Habakkuk: Part 3 Analysis of Habakkuk 1:12-2:1. Habakkuk complains with three threes about innocent people caught in a cruel net.
8. Habakkuk: Part 4 Analysis of Habakkuk 2:2-5. God offers a fourfold assurance to the faithful.
9. Habakkuk: Part 5 Analysis of Habakkuk 2:6-20. Five woes are pronounced against lawbreakers.
10. Habakkuk: Part 6 Analysis of Habakkuk 3:1-16. Prophecy of God's coming six-ply war against the wicked.
11. Habakkuk: Part 7 Analysis of Habakkuk 3:17-19. Six laments over a barren harvest and a seventh praise of God in faith.
12. The Fifth Trumpet of Revelation The Revelation 9 Plague of Locusts lasts 153 Years.
13. Habakkuk's War Revisits the sixth section of Habakkuk with a final insight into God's battle plan.