Art + Science + Scripture = Bible Math

This science/scripture/art article known as came about in a most-riveting, creative, and spiritual way. For over two decades, I have been leading weekly Bible Discussion Groups and studying the Bible with people on an individual mentoring level. In the course of these spiritual adventures, as part of the , I am typically delighted to share the gospel with all who are willing to listen and put the word of God into practice. Such delight is especially true of the following mathematics-focused Bible study. Bible Math City of Angels International Christian Church Recently one of the invited attendees of our Bible Discussion Group, my friend, colleague, and quantum mathematician, Dave D'Silva, in the course of his ongoing development of Energy Cloud City™ (which you can read more about at ) asked me a pivotal question; "Can you think of any scriptures where the Bible talks about mathematics in a quantum or value-added manner?" Side-note: Almost without hesitation, I said "Yes" to Dave's electrifying question--with great excitement. And the rest was pure joy and discovery into the remarkable world of Bible Math. Intuitively, I new this was going to become a rewarding nexus where science, scriptures, creativity, and friendship would converge into one heightened adventure. As a backdrop to wade into the vast depth of this Bible Math, Dave and I spent some time talking about his incredible smart city plan known as Energy Cloud City. He approached me with a request to see which Bible passages may exist that would be applicable as support references to the ethical city planning he wrote into the Energy Cloud City design. In essence, I consulted with Dave to reverse-engineer the parables and preaching of Jesus, identifying how the miraculous math of God leads everywhere from power grids to power prayers. Together, we looked at where relevant scriptures can be applied to smart city design--either as practical nuggets of design wisdom, beacons of faith, or as metaphors of civic inspiration. In addition to being a science-meets-the-spiritual type of article, Bible Math is rare digital art, tokenized on the EOS blockchain, available at pixEOS Art Gallery . The base layer of this artwork is my teen daughter's Christmas wish list, which I doodled over in the months that followed. I find it very fitting, that the wish list of my dear child is the underlying layer to artwork that represents the wishes of God in the form of Bible Math, as well as the wishes embedded into Energy Cloud City, which is a Canadian smart city design that I consulted on. http://energycloudcity.com/ What Dave wanted was a combination of (a) what I thought of quantum, the etymological Latin roots coming from quantus, meaning "how great", and (b) Dave's quantum mechanical mathematical perspective, where he was referring to the hypothesis of quantization as illustrated with Feynman Diagrams . After doing this for a number of days, I came up with two loud and humbling conclusions: 1. Energy Cloud City, once built, will be a physically magnificent oasis and wonderful destination that serves as a magnet for futuristic technology, smart living, and Biblical ethics... and I, by the grace of God, played an important part in this city's development. 2. The Bible, which I already knew as entirely awesome, is even more awesome! The mathematics of the Bible is not the typical math learned in most schools; it's better by far. Indeed, the math described throughout the scriptures is more empowering, more liberating, more inspiring, and full of more life-enhancing formulas than all the other math books combined. This is not to say that the Bible is merely a math book; the Bible is the way to know who we are, who God is, as well as how to love God and love each other. Additionally, the way the Bible touches on mathematics is soothing to the soul, giving light to the eyes, and even reviving the dead. Here are some incredible examples to help us see that Bible Math not only adds up perfectly, it also is designed to multiply in each reader a faithful, joyful, healthy, and productive outlook on life, now and forevermore! Relationship with God Jeremiah 29:11-14 [11] "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. [12] Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. [13] You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. [14] I will be found by you,' declares the LORD, 'and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,' declares the LORD, 'and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.'" Finding God requires 100% of your heart. 99% is not sufficient.Seeking God with 100% of your heart = freedom from captivity. A hopeful future and prosperity requires a specific spiritual velocity: 100% of your heart. 2 Chronicles 16:9 "For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him...." When at full commitment (100%), more power is given. 100% capacity (with God) leads to 100%+ capacity. Psalms 37:4-6 [4] "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. [5] Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: [6] He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun." Happiness does not come from serving self. Happiness comes from delighting in the Lord. Becoming sincerely delighted about the Lord results in receiving the deepest gifts. Lasting success and justice are the byproducts of great relationship with God. Repositioning your way to the Lord's way is the key to renewable, incredibly bright energy. When directed at God (not self), Delight + Commitment + Trust = Radiant Victory. 1 John 3:16 "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters." Love is measurable; it can be tracked. Love is quantifiable in who is willingly laying down their life to benefit others. Prior to his resurrection, Jesus laid down his life for us; he became nothing.1 - 1 = 01 - 1 = Love. Knowing about Jesus' selfless love should inspire us to love him and others more. Subtracting self can be a demonstration of love; it can improve relationships. Faith Proverbs 12:14 "From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things, and the work of their hands brings them reward." Just as God spoke life into existence from nothing, a person can speak good things (rewards) into existence. 0 good things + fruitful speech = many good things. Go from zero to rewards with a change in attitude: faithful, joyful.See the importance of encouraging words. Luke 1:31-37 [The angel Gabriel speaking with Mary] [31] "'You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. [32] He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, [33] and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.' [34] 'How will this be,' Mary asked the angel, 'since I am a virgin?' [35] The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. [36] Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. [37] For nothing is impossible with God.'" With God, nothing is impossible. With God everything is possible. With God, all typically "fixed" math formulas are not fixed; the formulas are fluid, the numbers are fluid. It is all variable--with God. Aligning things entirely with God's ways creates new (and seemingly impossible) possibilities. Matthew 9:29 "Then he touched their eyes and said, 'According to your faith will it be done to you'" Faith creates new reality. Creates or destroys, according to belief. Word of God Matthew 15:1-9 [1] "Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, [2] 'Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!' [3] Jesus replied, 'And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? [4] For God said, "Honor your father and mother" and "Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death." [5] But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God," [6] he is not to 'honor his father' with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. [7] You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: [8] 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. [9] They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.'" Human tradition, even if coming from top religious leaders, can be wasteful ("in vain") when it takes Biblical teaching out of context. Blending human tradition with the Bible can cancel out ("nullify") the true meaning of the Bible. Using a Bible verse improperly leads to hypocrisy. 1 Bible verse + 1 human rule counter to the heart behind the Bible = 0 Bible verse. Not all traditions lead to growth. Some lead to great loss. Worship by tradition (rather than the Bible in context) = worship in vain. Proverbs 4:20-22 [20] "My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. [21] Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; [22] for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body." Close listening involves careful attention and observation--like science.Retained and obeyed words of God = life and bodily health.Bible = Wellness.Health requires personal attention and spiritual focus on a heart level. The Trinity The following 3 verses show the Trinity principle, where God is manifested as 3 beings, yet also simultaneously is completely 1 being. 2 Corinthians 13:14 "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." Romans 5:9 "You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ." Galatians 3:20 "A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one." ...Combined with... ...Combined With... These verses show the nature of the Trinity: God is 1 and God is 3. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ are all mentioned here. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are 3... and they are 1. The idea of being in many different places at once is central to the modern field of quantum mechanics, yet it's an ancient concept described throughout the Bible in the theme of the Trinity. Trinity math is not typical math. 1 + 1 + 1 = 1 and 3 = 1 and/or 3 = 3. Math formulas and outcomes are relative to God. Selflessness John 12:23-26 Seed that Dies [23] "Jesus replied, 'The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. [24] I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. [25] The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. [26] Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.'" No true multiplication without great sacrifice, selflessness. Die (become zero) to produce many. 1 - 1 (for God) = 0. Then 0 + God = Multiples. This formula leads to a legacy of multiplication as well as "honor" and "eternal life." Luke 14:31-33 [31] "Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? [32] If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. [33] In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple." Give up everything.10,000 x 0 = 20,000. Peace is found in becoming zero; full submission to God. Growth Mark 4:1-20 The Parable of the Sower [1] "Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water's edge. [2] He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: [3] 'Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. [4] As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. [5] Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. [6] But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. [7] Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. [8] Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times.' [9] Then Jesus said, 'He who has ears to hear, let him hear.' [10] When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. [11] He told them, 'The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables [12] so that, "they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!''' [13] Then Jesus said to them, 'Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? [14] The farmer sows the word. [15] Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. [16] Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. [17] But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. [18] Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; [19] but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. [20] Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop--thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.'" 1 seed + good soil = 30, 60, or 100.1 person + understanding Bible + producing for God = 30, 60, or 100. Forgiveness from God (verse 12) is also a byproduct of this formula.Satan, worries, lack of perseverance, lack of depth, being deceived by wealth, and desires for other things block this formula, causing it to hold at only 1 or reducing it to 0. Math in the Bible is highly interactive and variable, dependent on God plus what people do with his word. Matthew 28:19-20 [19] "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Jesus wants people of all nations to have the opportunity to be made into his disciples. No racism. International scope (all nations) becoming 1 unified group "in the name of" Jesus. Every member is "taught to obey." Therefore every member becomes a disciple-maker. Disciple means student, and the students also must teach to obey. Shows dual nature of discipleship: from one angle, disciple is a student; from another angle, disciple is teacher. Lifelong student, lifelong teacher simultaneously. Using Jesus' model leads to exponential growth. Using Jesus' model, if every committed disciple makes 1 disciple per year, assuming you start with just 1 disciple, in 33 years there will be 8.5 billion disciples (more than the current world population). This is the way to save the world: the way for Jesus to be "with you always, to the very end of the age." Transformation 2 Peter 3:8 "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day." 1,000 years = 0.0027 years Time is relative to God. When you are "with the Lord," time can also become relative or even variable for you. Since time is measured in numbers, with God, numbers are also relative. Matthew 19:30 "But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first." Order changes instantly to the extreme opposite. 1 shifts to 100.100 shift to 1. Positioning is relative and with God. Mark 10:7-8 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife. And the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh." Referring to marriage between man and wife. 1 husband + 1 wife = 1 married flesh. Two people "are no longer two, but one." See new patterns when looking at numbers from God's point of view. Matthew 25:31-46 Sheep and Goats [31] "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. [32] All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. [33] He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. [34] Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. [35] For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, [36] I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' [37] Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? [38] When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? [39] When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' [40] The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' [41] Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. [42] For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, [43] I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' [44] They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' [45] He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' [46] Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." Helping others transfers to helping Jesus.Service jumps from person to person (to the person of Jesus). Same is true for neglect of people. Neglect jumps from the neglected person to Jesus. Lifestyle of pouring yourself out to help others leads to God filling you up with eternal life. Subtraction of self results in addition to eternal life. There are so many more scriptures that can be added to this Bible Math study. This is not at all intended to be an exhaustive list. In fact, this article only scratches the surface of Christianity. Whole books could be written (and have been written) on each of these life-changing topics: Relationship with God, Faith, the Word of God, the Trinity, Selflessness, Growth, and Transformation. My hope and prayer is that more people will read this and be compelled to dive head first into the words of God to see what else the Lord has in store for us to discover, apply, and grow from. The Bible is a guide to knowing God and knowing who God wants us to become. While the Bible was never intended to be a math textbook, it does clearly show that with God, mathematics has a more diverse set of possibilities and use cases than what most people initially grow up understanding. The scriptures help us see that the principles of the universe are putty in the hands of our creator, God. Since God is the "author of life" (Acts 3:15), that means he is the author of math too. Just as God created the world and modifies it (and the math in it) to his will, God can also modify us for the greater good--especially for those who are willing. I have seen this time-and-time-again in the Bible, in the people around me--and most gratefully--in my own life too. As Mark 9:23 explains because of our incredible Creator, "all things are possible" for those who believe! Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®. Copyright © 1973 1978 1984 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.