How Long did Y'shua Live and Minister - By the Numbers

How long did Y'shua live? Does it matter? The Creator is a master numberer. It is true that even the number of the hairs on your head are known to Him. It doesn't take a diligent student of the scriptures very long at all to discover that He knows the duration of important seasons of His interactions with His creation, and that these are numbered with precision and purpose. Does it matter how long Y'shua lived? Yes, it does. Of course, the Lord Y'shua lives today, but these comments relate to his life in the physical flesh body between birth in Bethlehem and death on the cross in Jerusalem. It is always better to be educated in the truth than to be ignorant. The Lord in His wisdom grants such wisdom to the wise in His ways.

Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, "How long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply, while the transgression causes horror, so as to allow both the holy place and the host to be trampled?"

Daniel 8:13

In the Hebrew, the name ascribed to the particular one who was speaking is "PALMONI." This name means "numberer of secrets, or, wonderful numberer." It is a reference to the Lord Himself.

To number our days aright let [us] know, And we bring the heart to wisdom.

Psalm 90:12 (YLT)

The actual dates when Y'shua was born, baptized and crucified have been the subject of much scrutiny and debate. I am convinced that these may be known with a high degree of confidence due to the harmonious testimony of multiple witnesses. Cross-checking the biblical accounts with various kinds of calendar dating methodologies like historical records, biblical astronomy and even the great pyramid, the following dates arise.

Birth - September 29, 2 BC - Tishri 1 - Yom Teruah (Rosh HaShanah)
Baptism - October 14, 29 AD - Tishri 10 - Yom Kippur
Crucifixion - April 3, 33 AD - Aviv 14 - Pesah sacrifice

The following writings on The Open Scroll address the basis for these dates.

Given those dates, the count of days from birth to crucifixion is 12,240 exclusive, or, 12,241 inclusive. From birth to baptism is 10,973 days exclusive, or, 10,974 inclusive. From His baptism to crucifixion there are 1267 days, which is exactly 181 weeks.

Some observations about the numbering of His lifespan: 12,240

It's claimed that there is but a single verse in scripture with a gematria of 12,240: Acts 13:41. This occurrence is an excerpt quoted from Habakkuk 1:5.

'BEHOLD, YOU SCOFFERS, AND MARVEL, AND PERISH;
FOR I AM ACCOMPLISHING A WORK IN YOUR DAYS,
A WORK WHICH YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE, THOUGH SOMEONE SHOULD DESCRIBE IT TO YOU.'

Acts 13:41

From the context we note that the subject matter is the gospel Paul is preaching, the work of the life of Y'shua. We find here referenced a work that is worked utilizing an idiom where the word days refers to a season of time. This verse which bears the same numbering as that work referenced in days speaks to me of a divine numberer!

Likewise, there is but a single verse in scripture with a gematria of 12,241: 2 Timothy 4:8.

in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

2 Timothy 4:8

This verse speaks to me the value of what follows the lifespan and the work accomplished in that season. The exclusive span-numbered verse suggests a people who would be excluded from the master numberer's blessing, and the inclusive span-numbered verse speaks of those who would be included in His blessing!

Some factoring:

12,240 = 1224 x 10
12,240 = 8 x 10 x 153
12,240 = 360 x 17 x 2
12,240 = 2 x 10 x 612
12,240 = 360 x 34 (As some consider 360 days the duration of a "prophetic year" - 34 prophetic years)

Some observations about the span from birth to baptism

12240 - 1267 = 10973 (exclusive)
12241 - 1267 = 10974 (inclusive)

There are lots of ways elements may be associated with numbers. One way verses are numbered is according to a count from the beginning with Genesis 1:1 being verse number one. Some dismiss chapter numberings and verse numberings as merely the work of men, but there is evidence that such as these, too, were overseen by the master numberer who is sovereign over all men and who intervenes in the works of men. All scripture came to men and through men, and His handiwork has been duly observed by those who have applied themselves under the direction of the holy spirit to receive instruction.

Bible verse numbered 10973: 1 Chronicles 22:8.

"But the word of the LORD came to me, [DAVID] saying, 'You have shed much blood and have waged great wars; you shall not build a house to My name, because you have shed so much blood on the earth before Me.

1 Chronicles 22:8

Bible verse numbered 10974: 1 Chronicles 22:9.

'Behold, a son will be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days.

1 Chronicles 22:9

Note here that both David and his son Solomon are commonly acknowledged as types of Christ. Both, too, are in the lineage of Christ. (Matthew 1:6)

Here's a remarkable observation: A phenomenon seen in considering the full life span can be seen in the span from birth to baptism! Remember how the "exclusive" numbered verse referenced an exclusion from blessing and the "inclusive" numbered verse, an inclusion? This phenomenon is seen here, too, as 1 Chronicles 22:8 presents the reason David was excluded from the blessing of building a house to the Lord's name, and, in contrast, Solomon was "included" in that blessing, the reason being presented in 1 Chronicles 22:9.

That pair of verses is very interesting to consider as pertaining to the span of Y'shua's life from birth to baptism. As for the "David" verse (1 Chronicles 22:8), was this span not the season of his life in which the son of David did not labor in building a house to the Lord's name? Yes, indeed it was! He had not yet been anointed for such a work and therefore could not! As Solomon followed after David and according to the "Solomon" verse (1 Chronicles 22:9) we may note a Solomon period after the baptism and anointing where the appointed work of building a house to the Lord's name began in earnest!

1267 days (181 weeks) - Baptism to Crucifixion - The season of ministry

The earthly ministry of Y'shua HaMashiach began when he was baptized and anointed and ended 1267 days later when he died. This span was exactly 181 weeks. In the biblical accounts of both these events He is seen as the sacrifice of the feast of the Passover. Around the time of the baptism, John the Baptizer referred to Y'shua as "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." While it is known that the baptism took place on Yom Kippur, the reference to "the Lamb" instead of "the Goat(s)" (Leviticus 16) points to the work that was yet to be accomplished at the other end of the season, as the sacrifice of the feast of Pesah.

28 These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

John 1:28-29

The sacrifice typified in the Pesah lamb was fulfilled in Y'shua at His crucifixion.

Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed.

1 Corinthians 5:7

Y'shua was the Lamb of God, that sacrifice of the feast of the Passover, sacrificed for our sin on Aviv 14 exactly 181 weeks after his baptism on Yom Kippur.

With an awareness of those truths, consider the fact that 181 is the gematria for (Hebrew) "The Sacrifice of the feast of the Passover" as found in Exodus 34.25. (See The Bible Wheel) Isn't that remarkable?

Some additional features of interest are found in the following passage of scripture.

11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?" 12 And He said, "Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain." 13 Then Moses said to God, "Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you.' Now they may say to me, 'What is His name?' What shall I say to them?" 14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"

Exodus 3:11-14

In the above passage, the phrases "Certainly I will be with you" (gematria:181) and "I AM WHO I AM" (gematria: 3x181) are linked through the numbers to the period of Y'shua's life from Baptism to Crucifixion.

The prime number 181 is the 6th hexagonal Star Number, which will be meaningful to some of you.

Again, the span of from baptism to crucifixion is 1267 days. In the Gospel of Mark, immediately following the baptism account we read the following passage.

14 Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."

Mark 1:14-15

The gematria for the original text for "the gospel" in verse 15 is 1267!

In conclusion, when the dates of Jesus' birth, baptism and crucifixion are known, the spans of time between those dates produce some interesting numbers. I pray you will be encouraged to continue seeking wisdom from the One who has numbered the creation.