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Specific Bible Studies - Bible Codes

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SUBJECT: Bible Codes

QUESTION: Is there anything to Bible Codes?

ANSWER:

No, there is nothing to the Bible Codes.

I have studied into this matter and it just does not hold water. Different organizations and individuals are claiming to know and understand these supposed codes but their findings are different and contradictory. Further, the code meanings relate to things otherwise known from overt sources including the Bible.

Many of the code meanings are in opposition to the doctrine we know.

Further, it does not seem like a loving God to do such a thing. Why would He do it? For what purpose? Is there anything binding to the codes? Is God pitting our salvation against our ability to crack such codes? Why no allusion to these codes in the text. In other words, why doesn't Jesus or Paul or Peter or David mention these codes?

We truly believe that these codes are the invention of man and can only serve their purposes. There does not, from our studies and investigation, seem to be anything new in these codes. They, in fact, fall into one of two areas:

Repeating of known scriptures or prophecies from the Bible.
Statements and prophecies not supported in the Bible

And between these two, statements and prophecies that are contradictory to each other.

The words "code", "codes", "sequence" are not in the Bible.

Notice something Jesus said:

John 18:20
20 Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.

Jesus was open and is being open with us in His word. Notice...

Matt 24:25-31
25 Behold, I have told you before.

26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.

27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

This prophecy is clear. Certain events will take place before the return of Christ. We should look to these things.

Also notice:

Matt 24:3-24
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:

18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.

19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

If the codes are not of God and we believe this to be the case, then verses 11 and 24 seem to apply. The other verses clearly indicate that we should be watching for these things as we approach the Tribulation and the end time.

If you look into these codes, I would encourage you to attempt to see if they are supported in scripture. God says to prove all things...

1Thes 5:21
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

Following are some web sites that refute the so-called Codes:

http://www.csicop.org/si/9711/bible-code.html Hidden Messages and the Bible Code

http://cs.anu.edu.au/~bdm/dilugim/moby.html Assassinations Foretold in Moby Dick! (showing Bible Codes as wrong)