Linking events through numbers

This might be more of a Bible note than a Book of Mormon note, even though there might be relevant examples from the Book of Mormon too that I have not thought about yet. We have seen in many of the previous posts on this blog that key words and phrases are often used in the scriptures to tie together different passages that help expand on a principle and enhance meaning. In some cases, I think numbers also can be used as such keys. For instance, in this post, the number seven links the creation with the history of the earth and helps us understand the millennium as a sabbath day of rest for the earth. 

But there was another event in the scriptures that made me realize this. Perhaps I'm slow and many readers have thought of this before: We all know the story of Peter's denial of Jesus. Jesus already foretold it only hours before. It is easy to criticize Peter for his poor short-term memory or weakness, but perhaps also hard to imagine the real fear and stress he would have in such a situation. After all, he was the only one that followed Jesus from a distance, while all the other apostles "forsook him and fled" (Matthew 26:56).

In any case, I happened to think about the event in John 21, when the resurrected Jesus appears to the apostles at the sea of Tiberias. Jesus asks Peter three times: "Do you love me" and invites him to feed his sheep. Why does Jesus ask three times? To stress the importance of his admonition? In that case, there are probably a lot of other things he said during his earthly ministry that he could have repeated three times. But I think by doing so, he refers to Peter's denial from some days earlier. Without this repetition, nobody would make a connection between these two events. But with this link established, there are lessons to be learned.

• Peter's denial was a sign of him fearing men more than God. At Tiberias, Jesus asked if he loved him more than "these" (men). The lesson is that "love casteth out all fear" (Moroni 8:16)
• No matter how much we think we have messed up and how bitter our tears (Peter wept bitterly), Jesus gives us the chance to rectify
• 1 Peter 4:8 relates to the above point: "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins." "Do you love me" and "feed my sheep" is the chance Jesus gives Peter to show charity and "cover" the denial
• Jesus teaches us all a lesson on unselfishness. Peter had betrayed Jesus, but Jesus did not ask him to make it up to him. He was not concerned with his pride being hurt over the denial. As the good shepherd, he is only concerned with his sheep.

These are just my thoughts, and there may be other lessons here. But I want to mention another example where, at least in my mind, a number is used to connect two events: The 10 plagues in Egypt before the Exodus and the 10 commandments given during the Exodus. The plagues may seem somewhat arbitrary, but they actually relate specifically to the Egyptian gods and show how the God of Israel is greater than them all.

When God has sent 10 plagues over Egypt to help his people escape slavery, I don't think it is coincidence that he later gives 10 commandments. The 10 commandments are found in Exodus chapter 20. The first three verses read:

1 And God spake all these words, saying,
2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

It starts out with a reminder; that he is their God, who brought them out of Egypt. He demonstrated through the plagues that he is mightier than the Egyptian gods and the first commandment is therefore an apt admonition: Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 

Again, there are lessons to be learned. Considering the 10 commandments to a covenant people as a contrast to the 10 plagues over an idol-worshipping people, inevitably poses the question: Should the commandments be viewed as a blessing, the opposite of a curse? I think so. We might tend to think of commandments as a burden. But I don't think God sees it that way at all, and does not want us to see it that way either. By contrasting them with the curse upon the Egyptians, he teaches us that they are a blessing, a chance for us to "obey his voice". In the preface to the 10 commandments, God says:

Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine (Exodus 19:5)

There might be other examples in the scriptures of numbers connecting events to teach a greater lesson, but these are the two in particular that I have been reflecting on.