Hi Jeff,
Please note the caution directed by the author.
Caveats
These numerical values of letters and words can, however, easily lead to mysticism, such as the subjective speculations of the Kabbalah of Judaism - or the mystical conjectures deriving from the Pythagorean Brotherhood - and this is spiritually hazardous and contrary to Scripture. 5
When Pythagoras returned from travel and study in Babylon, India and Egypt, he founded a secret cult in southern Italy based on the numerical explanations for the phenomena of the universe. The Pythagoreans considered numbers to be the elements and origin of everything. While he is credited with the theory of the functional significance of numbers in the objective world and music, the bulk of his intellectual tradition belongs to mystical wisdom rather than scientific scholarship. (The famed Pythagorean theorem regarding the length of the hypotenuse of a right triangle probably developed later in the Pythagorean school he founded.)
Pythagorean doctrine applied number relationships to music theory, acoustics, geometry, and astronomy, and deeply influenced the development of classical Greek philosophy and medieval European thought, including the astrological belief that the number harmony of the universe decidedly affects all human endeavor. This numerical mysticism also was embraced with the rise of Gnostic heresies, which plagued the early church and which also flowered in the medieval church. Numerical mysticism is also deeply involved in Freemasonry and other occultic practices.
The Bible warns against the occult. Spiritual warfare is a reality, 6 and there is great power in the occult. 7 We have serious enemies, that are extremely resourceful and malevolent. The Bible warns of a personal devil and myriads of demons, who should be regarded as cunning enemies, 8 and who are active in the affairs of Planet Earth. 9 In fact, the whole world lies in the power of the Evil One. 10
The devil's tactics include masquerading as an "angel of light" and a servant of righteousness. 11 False teachers and false prophets are linked to evil spirits, and there are "doctrines of demons." 12 Demons work through people by giving them psychic abilities. 13 Supernatural manifestations are to be tested by the Word of God. 14
Another craze has been recently stimulated by the publication of "Bible Codes" involving equidistant letter sequences. The dangers in these provocative "codes" will be the subject of subsequent articles in this series.
All the best,
Stephen
