This Is The Turning Point
- Bob Haas
- 18 hours ago
- 21 min read
"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast" (Ephesians 2:8).
Five & Two! is a number combination you've probably heard of, made famous when Jesus fed five thousand using five loaves and two fish (Matthew 14:13-21). What He miraculously accomplished with so little inspired the name 5&2 Studios, producers of The Chosen TV series. What you haven't heard is what happens when we flip the script and discover what these two numbers, working in concert with their alphanumeric letters, symbolically represent in the original Hebrew and Greek biblical texts. With five and two adding up to seven—the number for completion and perfection—they magnificently complete another of Jesus' redemptive storylines. And much like a painting-by-numbers masterpiece brought to life, they prove to be the finishing touch to His best-known parable, The Prodigal Son.
When captured on the canvas of film, so to speak, and examined frame by frame, you'll witness how the numbers prove to be a paradigm shift to an ancient parable that could not have been imagined apart from divine inspiration. With Jesus' parable purposefully reframed into a numeric-driven narrative, it's a miraculous testament to intelligent design and to His ultimate creativity. What the numbers extraordinarily reveal is an astonishing prophetic revelation of reconciliation that, hopefully, will inspire the wayward prodigal son in each of us, without hesitation, to stand and cheer as the final credits roll with the inexhaustible names of God. Yet, at the same time, deeply move us to fall to our knees in heartfelt gratitude for His amazing grace that welcomes us home.
In looking at numbers that preach, Messianic Rabbi Jason Sobel, spiritual advisor to The Chosen, had this to say about what he calls "the Code of Creation." The following is from his book Signs And Secrets Of The Messiah: "Most of the world's languages separate numbers from letters, but not Hebrew and Greek. Both languages use letters—their respective alphabets—for numbers. Each letter in the Hebrew and Greek alphabets has a numeric value. Because of this, numbers can spell words, and words add up to numeric values. So both words and numbers are significant as we study the mysteries and secrets in the Bible."
As we proceed, you'll not only witness an epic finale to a numeric mystery—but a showstopper scene that demonstrates how this new take on a familiar script reaffirms God's unfathomable blessing of grace offered to everyone. In order for this novel interpretation to be relatable, understandable, and hopefully awe-inspiring, let's begin by looking at the first frame of the film strip above. It's here you'll notice a digital clock displaying military time, for we are at war: "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12).
Now imagine turning the film strip over from front to back and viewing the reverse side. Without knowing what to look for, it's hard to determine what's relevant or significant other than the obvious: the time changed from 15:11 to 11:21. Digging deeper, let's go back to the front and move down to the second frame. Maybe now you see it? The first and second frames are mirror images of each other. Notice how the number five (5) in the first frame turns into the number two (2) in the second, thus giving us our 5&2 combination. While this transformation by turning is strategically important, as you'll soon see, it's the first sequence of numbers that leads the charge.
In the first frame, the number five is surrounded by three ones. Consider them to be our front-line troops, demonstrating how the battle is the Lord's, where the entire battlefield is secured by the ultimate, decisive victory won by Jesus Christ on the cross. This commanding sequence of numbers will reveal how victory, enabled by His grace, means believers do not fight for victory but from a position of victory. But before I show you what each of the individual numbers and their corresponding letters represent, I need to briefly recap two of my earlier posts—Turn the Corner and Right Around The Corner—and explain what we've already learned about the number combinations 15:11 and 11:21, of which the five and two are a part.
Within the first profile picture below, you'll notice 15:11 in the title. This corresponds to the very chapter and verse in Luke where Jesus' Prodigal Son parable begins. This also marks the beginning of our story, as the first frame of the film strip attests. In my earlier posts, I used these reverse mirror images to showcase the spiritual condition of the prodigal son before and after turning in repentance.
Drawing their interpretation from Strong's Hebrew and Greek Lexicons—part of Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, used to index original Hebrew and Greek words to their corresponding English translations and definitions from the King James Version of the Bible—here's how 15:11 and 11:21, front and back, plainly speak to us as they turn from one to another.
With the wayward prodigal son's profile facing left, he's effectively turned his back on his father and family, having cut all ties by demanding his inheritance and moving far away to live for himself. This break in their relationship is defined by the word that matches Strong's Hebrew lexicon for the number 1511: Gizriy. The name comes from the Hebrew root garaz (H1629), a primitive root verb that means "to cut off" or "to sever."
The outline of Biblical usage for Gizriy lists the Gezrites, who were inhabitants of Gezer, as equal to "a piece: a portion (as cut off)." In 1 Samuel 27:8, it says, "David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites and the Gezrites and the Amalekites; for they were the inhabitants of the land from ancient times, as you come to Shur even as far as the land of Egypt. And David attacked the land and did not leave a man or woman alive." The Gezrites symbolize a piece or a portion that is cut off, signifying separation or being severed. The number 1511 definitively conveys the idea of being "cut off." Strong's corresponding Greek lexicon for 1511 means "to be."
In combining both the Hebrew and Greek, we have: "to be cut off." This clearly represents the prodigal son—or, for that matter, each of us—before turning back to God in faith and repentance. We are dead in our sins, cut off, separated from our Father, living a life leading to destruction. This is why the prodigal's father, upon his son's return, said, "for this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found."
On the flip side, having turned in repentance, the prodigal son's profile is now facing right, the result of his doing an about-face. His previous 1511 "to be cut off" condition has transformed into 1121, while the number 5 changed into the number 2. Strong's Hebrew lexicon for 1121 refers to the word ben, which in Hebrew literally means "son." For example, the title Son of God for Jesus, found in the Greek New Testament, would be translated into Hebrew as Ben-Elohim. Finally, Strong's corresponding Greek lexicon means "a letter, any writing, a document or record, (a letter, an epistle)..."
In summary, with a 180-degree U-turn away from sin that causes spiritual death—or, in other words, "to be cut off," as in separated from God—we're instead welcomed home by our heavenly Father to a new life as a beloved ben ("son") or daughter, and become "a letter" of Christ: "...written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts" (2 Corinthians 3:3). Turning from 1511 to 1121 clearly demonstrates a defining moment that includes a change of mind, a change of heart, and ultimately a change in our relationship with God that can't be dismissed—for this is the turning point of repentance! But that's not all...
As we move forward into new territory beyond what I've previously revealed, I don't expect you to take a giant leap of faith, blindly trusting that numbers don't lie. Instead, we'll go step by step, conducting what amounts to a forensic faith investigation of the evidence. We'll begin by breaking down the larger numbers 1511 and 1121 into their core biblical numbers (e.g., 1,2,5,), which have established symbolic meanings. This will permit the individual numbers to speak for themselves, yet still allow for an alphanumeric union of letter and number, coming together for a shared purpose. When we've finally heard what they incredibly have to say, we'll then add everything up to arrive at a scriptural interpretation of the evidence. So, let's begin...
NUMBER 1:
In Mysteries of the Hebrew Alphabet, author Eric Burton had this to say about the number 1 and the letter it represents: "The letter aleph is ordinally the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, but it also has a numerical value of 1. The aleph has three letters contained within it, so we can see the theme of three contained in the one. This, of course, shows us a picture of the triune Godhead....The letter aleph spelled out is aleph, lamed, and peh. If you take the value of these three letters, you get the number 111....'You see? God is all about the ones. He is only one entity because He is all about oneness!' ... Some very simple math will tell you that if you add up 1+1+1 it equals 3! God reveals Himself in the first letter as the triune God who is three in one."
In light of this, take another look at the first two film frames. Notice how 1511 and 1121 each have a similar composite of three ones that can likewise be expressed collectively as 1+1+1=3 to represent the Trinity. The number 1 itself represents God's unity, sovereignty, and singular nature, as explicitly stated in this prayer: "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one" (Deuteronomy 6:4). God's unique nature is reflected in the individual quality of the number 1.
Even when turning from 1511 to 1121, the ones themselves don't change, and neither does God, who's holiness, love, and justice are constant and unchanging. "For I the Lord, do not change..." (Malachi 3:6) and "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). Furthermore, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning" (James 1:17).
Beyond having a numerical value, Hebrew letters were originally written using a pictographic symbol with a unique and profound meaning. The ancient pictograph for the 1st letter, Aleph (א), was an ox head, symbolizing strength and leadership. The letter is fundamentally defined as chief, leader, master, Lord, head, pre-eminent—representing unity, oneness, and beginning or first.
Greek letters, on the other hand, don't have a pictographic or hidden meaning like Hebrew letters, yet some do have a special, explicit symbolic meaning in Scripture, such as Alpha (A, the first letter) and Omega (Ω, the last letter). The letter Alpha, having a numerical value of 1, represents divine unity, uniqueness, and God's absolute singularity. The letter may sound familiar, as Jesus was quoted saying this about His eternal nature: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty" (Revelation 1:8), and "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end" (Revelation 22:13).
Having established that God is represented by the number 1, I want you to take notice of how the number 5—the first part of our 5&2 combination—is positioned within three 1s to form an integral part of 1511. With the number 5 prominently standing out, or differentiated from the others, it draws your attention, and to this we'll turn our attention.
NUMBER 5:
The Hebrew letter Hey (ה), also spelled Hei or Heh, is the fifth letter of the alphabet, with the numerical value of 5. The letter symbolizes divine breath, life, revelation, and the act of "beholding" or "looking." The letter's historical pictograph depicts a man with arms raised, reflecting its connection to praise and revelation.
The number 5 symbolizes God's grace—defined as His unearned, undeserved, and unmerited favor and kindness. Scripture repeatedly connects the number 5 with expressions of divine grace, thus providing its meaning. Examples include:
Five loaves used by Jesus to feed the 5,000 — They reveal God's grace by showing how He multiplies even the smallest offerings. What seemed insufficient became more than enough in His hands, reminding us that God meets needs abundantly when we trust Him.
Five stones chosen by David to confront Goliath — They symbolize God's grace in providing exactly what we need, even when our resources seem small. David's victory wasn't about the stones themselves but about God empowering ordinary means to accomplish extraordinary things.
Five major offerings to God listed in Leviticus — They reflect God's grace by providing a clear, structured way for His people to draw near to Him. Each offering shows that God Himself makes restoration, forgiveness, and fellowship possible, inviting His people into relationship rather than leaving them to earn it on their own.
The fivefold ministry gifts Christ gave the church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers — They demonstrate God's grace by showing how Christ equips His people through diverse leaders who build, guide, and strengthen the Church. These gifts aren't earned; they're given so the whole community can grow in faith, unity, and maturity.
The five books of Moses—the Torah or Pentateuch—meaning "teaching," "instruction," "law," or simply "five books" — They reveal God's grace by showing that He lovingly provides guidance, identity, and a path for His people. Even in giving laws and instruction, God is offering a way to live in relationship with Him, demonstrating His desire to lead, protect, and shape His people for their good.
The following verses from Scripture are just a few, among many, that bear witness to God's inexhaustible grace—His unmerited favor and kindness: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16). "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast" (Ephesians 2:8). "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men" (Titus 2:11). "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). Last but not least, the Apostle Paul declares: "You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that by His poverty He could make you rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9).
Now that we've determined what the individual numbers of 1511 represent, the interpretation is straightforward. Remember, this is only the first film frame, or a small part of our painting-by-numbers masterpiece. And though at this point it may appear to be no more than a connect-the-dots drawing that ended up on the refrigerator, it's only the beginning of what the number 1 (God) can do. With the other number 5 (grace) strategically positioned within the three 1s symbolizing the Trinity, God's grace is represented not as a separate part of His divine nature and being, but as the very essence and expression of His goodness and love. Yet contrast that with the fact that 1511 as a whole means "to be cut off." This dynamic coexistence of two opposites—grace and divine justice—demonstrates that they work together. The greatest example is Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, which satisfied God's justice for sin while offering grace and forgiveness.
To put this into a modern perspective, let's introduce a flashback to when the prophets Daniel and Isaiah both referred to the future Messiah being "cut off." This occurred approximately 560 and 750 years, respectively, before Jesus was crucified. Daniel 9:26 states that the Messiah will be "cut off," and Isaiah 53:8 says the "Suffering Servant" will be "cut off from the land of the living." Returning to the present, we know that Jesus fulfilled these two prophecies, and while on the cross He also fulfilled another prophecy from Psalm 22:1 when He said, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34). In being forsaken, Jesus expressed the immense desolation of being separated—or "cut off"—from His Father and from the land of the living while bearing the sins of the world. He was cut off so we wouldn't have to be.
After Jesus was buried in a tomb, three days later He rose again, demonstrating how "Death is swallowed up in victory" (1 Corinthians 15:54). As Paul writes, "Having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross" (Colossians 2:15). Having conquered sin and death on our behalf, we have the assurance of victory, knowing that by His grace He is always willing to forgive us if we repent and turn to Him in faith. This revelation, I imagine, has the letter Hey's pictograph raising his arms in praise–just as we all should. But that's not all... "For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace" (John 1:16).
This phrase grace upon grace signifies that God doesn't give a single instance of grace but continues to give more—one on top of the last, with one blessing after another— from His "fullness." A fullness so vast that it spans eternity, and to even imagine how inexhaustible it is would be like trying to count to infinity. Thankfully, we don't have to keep counting forever to see what His grace adds up to, because the life-changing gift that it is is confirmed by adding up the individual numbers of 1511 (1+5+1+1) to arrive at the sum total of 8, the number for new beginnings and a new life.
NUMBER 8:
The Hebrew letter Chet (ח) is the eighth letter of the alphabet, with the numerical value of 8. Known as the letter of life, since the words "life" and "living" begin with Chet, it is considered to be the doorway or gateway to life. It derives its meaning from the Passover story, where the blood of the lamb on the doorposts and lintel formed the shape of the letter—symbolizing the doorway through which the Israelites passed from death to life, from bondage to freedom. As a doorway to life, it ultimately points to Christ as the one through whom we enter life and salvation, just as Jesus said, "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved" (John 10:9).
It's prophetically significant that the letter's historical pictograph is traditionally recognized as a fence or wall, symbolizing separation, protection, or an enclosure—yet now has taken on the likeness of a doorway. This transformation mirrors what happened during Jesus' crucifixion, when "the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom" (Matthew 27:51). That event miraculously ended the separation between God and man, opening direct access (a doorway) to His presence for all believers through Christ's sacrifice, replacing the old system of priests and animal sacrifices and ushering in the new covenant of grace.
The number 8 represents new beginnings, a new life, and a fresh start. This is due to the fact that when God rested from creation on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2–3), the number 7 came to represent completion and perfection, whereas the number 8 goes a step beyond, symbolizing a fresh start. As the first day of a new week, it not only signifies a new beginning but also points to resurrection, renewal, and eternal life—signs of a reality that transcends the natural order into the supernatural. The following examples from Scripture illustrate how the number 8 came to be defined:
Noah's Ark — 8 people saved (Genesis 7:13). Humanity restarts after the flood, symbolizing a new beginning.
Circumcision on the 8th day (Genesis 17:12). Marks entry into God's covenant, a spiritual rebirth for each child.
David as the 8th son of Jesse (1 Samuel 16). Chosen as king, ushering in a new royal line and covenant promise.
Priestly ministry begins on the 8th day (Leviticus 9:1). Aaron and his sons start their service, opening a new era of worship.
Feast of Tabernacles includes a sacred assembly on the 8th day (Leviticus 23:36). After seven days of celebration, the eighth day signifies renewal and completion.
Resurrection on the 8th day (Matthew 28:1). Jesus rises "the day after the Sabbath," ultimately symbolizing new life and eternal beginnings.
With the number 8 completing the first film frame, we begin anew with the second. In moving from frame to frame, from 1511 to 1121, it symbolizes one of the world's greatest reversal-of-fortune stories of all time, made possible in light of the fact that when the curse of sin entered the world through Adam, Jesus reversed it by taking the curse upon Himself on the cross. This reversal from death to life is demonstrated when 1511 makes a 180-degree U-turn to become a reverse mirror image of itself, as seen in the second frame. We see this same reversal not only in the story of the prodigal son but in our own lives. Having turned in repentance, we likewise were formerly separated—or "cut off" (1511)—from our Father because of sin, but by His grace we are saved through faith and are welcomed home as a beloved ben (i.e., "son") (1121) or daughter. While this makes for an incomprehensibly joyful occasion, even more remains to celebrate...
With the meaning of 1511's individual numbers established, it's time to break down 1121 in the same way. However, in this case, we'll reverse the order of discovery by first adding up 1121's individual numbers, 1+1+2+1. What we find is that they total 5—the number for grace! This goes to show that no matter which way we turn, His inexhaustible grace is abundantly there for us. Then, just as before, we also have the same number 1 (God) still represented three times, symbolizing the Trinity, for God is unchanging. Yet what did change was the number 5, as it turned into a 2. Now, let's find out what the number 2 represents and what this 5&2 combination is all about!
NUMBER 2:
The Hebrew letter bet (ב) is the second letter of the alphabet and has the numerical value of 2. Bet literally means "house" and also signifies the beginning of creation, with bet being the first letter of the Torah and of the Hebrew word Bereshit, translated as "In the beginning." The letter's ancient pictograph depicts the floor plan of a house, while the modern character resembles a tent, each symbolizing a dwelling place with an open doorway.
The number 2 represents duality, beginning with God creating in twos—heaven and earth, physical and spiritual, light and darkness, sun and moon, land and sea, male and female. In all of Scripture and throughout history, the single greatest example of duality is Jesus existing as both fully man and fully God! Here's what Rabbi Jason Sobel says about Jesus (Yeshua) and the number 2 in his book Signs And Secrets Of The Messiah:
"The number 2 in Hebrew is written with the Hebrew letter bet (ב), and the Hebrew letter bet means 'house' or 'house of the father.' The Temple in Jerusalem is called beit hamikdash, which is 'the holy house.' The letter bet, the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet, also points to the Son, because the word for son—ben—begins with the letter bet. The first letter of Genesis 1:1 ('beginning') is bet in Hebrew. The last letter of Revelation in Hebrew is nun, so the first letter and the last letter spell, BeN. The Bible is all about the ben, Yeshua, the Son. The word ben also has numerical significance in Hebrew. Ben ('son') has the numeric value of 2. Father is the number 1; 2 is the letter bet, the letter associated with the house where the fullness of God's glorious presence resides because of the incarnation. Yeshua [Jesus] is the second person of the Godhead, the number 2, and He is the ben, the Son, and He's also the house."
From what Rabbi Sobel just described, you can see that the Hebrew letter bet (ב) symbolizes far more than a simple "house" or "dwelling place." For the prodigal son, it represents home—an unconditional place of belonging, of loving acceptance, and restored relationship! In the New Testament, our home finds its truest expression in Jesus, the One in whom "all the fullness of God dwells" (Colossians 1:19). The Apostle Paul states, "For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (2 Corinthians 5:1). And Jesus said, "In My Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also" (John 14:2–3).
Having identified what 1121's individual numbers represent, their interpretation is not as straightforward as what we first encountered with 1511, defined as "God's grace." That's because the number 2, positioned within the Trinity's three number 1s, represents a duality. In Jesus' parable of The Wise and Foolish Builders (Matthew 7:24–27), He explains what this represents. It's a choice between building your house upon the rock or upon the sand. The prodigal son is a prime example of someone building his house—his life—on the shifting sand of sinful pleasure, pride, and independence from his father, where the foundation of his life crumbled. So, if we're to avoid his colossal mistake, we must build our lives upon the rock, Jesus—the chief cornerstone and sure foundation—and become as living stones of "God's house," a spiritual house, rather than attempting to construct our own on shifting sand.
With the interpretive completion of the number 2 having exhausted the available numbers for discovery of our first two film frames, we're left to perform some additional simple math in order to sum everything up. We'll do this by adding together the first frame's individual numbers that totaled 8—the number for new beginnings, a new life, and a fresh start—and adding them to the second frame's numbers that totaled 5, the number for God's grace. It's important to remember that this grand total should be viewed as a comprehensive whole, consisting of the prodigal son's life before and after turning in repentance. It's not at all surprising, then, that when the numbers are added together, they total 13. This is exceptionally meaningful and wonderful not only for the prodigal son but for what this means for you and me, considering that the sum total is the number for love. Here is a short video of Rabbi Sobel explaining the meaning and significance of the number 13:
NUMBER 13:
Having watched the video, I want you to know that it only conveys half the story, because the number 13 carries the dual meaning of love and rebellion. First, the number 13's connection to love, as explained by Rabbi Sobel, is derived from the Hebrew word for love, ahavah (אהבה), having a numerical value of 13, as does the word echad (אחד), meaning "one." This connection between love and oneness expresses how love unifies and joins together. Remarkably, this can be expressed numerically by using our 1121 number as a symbol for marriage: 1 man, 1 woman, and the 2 become 1. Then there is also the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians, the Bible's chapter of love, consisting of 13 verses.
In addition, the Hebrew number 13 is formed from the letters Yod (10) and Gimmel (3), and when you look at their ancient pictographs together, they create a pictographic story of love in action. The Yod was originally drawn as an arm with a hand, symbolizing the action of work—of giving, serving, and reaching out to others. The Gimmel was pictured as a camel or a foot in motion, representing movement toward someone in generosity and the carrying of another's burden. When these two images come together to form the number 13, the value of ahavah ("love"), they create a picture of love as active generosity—a love that reaches out and moves toward another in relationship. It's the symbolic representation of what it truly means to be the hands and feet of Jesus in love for one another.
Regarding rebellion, the first appearance in the Bible connecting the number 13 with rebellion appears in Genesis 14:4, where several kings "rebelled in the thirteenth year." Author Troy Brewer, in his book Numbers That Preach: Understanding God's Mathematical Lingo, had this to say about the number 13: "The number 13 is attached to spiritual rebellion. If you really want to see rebellion illustrated biblically through the number 13, you need look no further than the 13 words in the 13th verse of the 13th chapter of the very first book in the Bible: Genesis 13:13 — 'But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.'"
Another "...example of thirteen illustrating rebellion would be in Mark chapter 7. There are the 13 rebellious things that proceed from the heart of man: Mark 7:20-24 — 'And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.'"
With the number 13 carrying a dual meaning, we see these two forces—love and rebellion—diametrically opposed to each other. In the parable of the Prodigal Son, or for that matter, in the story of our own lives, this contrast only highlights the power of God's love to overcome our rebellion. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). This brings us back, full circle, to what our 5&2 combination and their alphanumeric letters have extraordinarily revealed. They've shown us that even in our sinful rebellion, when we're separated and "to be cut off" from God, His grace is abundantly there for us. That by faith, as we turn to Him in repentance, the number 5 turns into the number 2, symbolizing grace welcoming us home!
It's this same amazing grace that received the prodigal son after he came to his senses, when he "...got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him, and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him, and kissed him" (Luke 15:20). This striking demonstration of his father's grace is the ultimate showstopper scene, deserving of a standing ovation of extended applause, and when all is said and done, should move us to fall to our knees in heartfelt gratitude, knowing that our Father will do the same for us. That's because this is really a story about you and me—about all of us. It's about God's grace welcoming us home, no matter what we've done!
This leads us to our final two film frames in order to wrap things up. It's worth repeating what I earlier quoted from Rabbi Sobel: "The Bible is all about the ben, Yeshua, the Son." So too is the dramatic conclusion of our film strip, as you can see.
I want you to know that I didn't consciously design these two frames to include any numbers for their symbolic significance, but only used them by necessity to form the words. I later noticed the letter "B" in BEN was the number 8, and the letter "S" in SON was the number 5, and how these two numbers greatly contribute to this final message.
With 8 representing new beginnings, a new life, and a fresh start, along with 5 representing grace, we see that through Jesus, God offers us the ultimate new beginning—a transformation beyond anything we could ever fully imagine. For Scripture declares that "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17), reminding us that in Him our past no longer defines us. Just as Christ was raised from the dead so that we too may "walk in the newness of life" (Romans 6:4), we are invited into a fresh start shaped not by our failures but by His grace. This victorious renewal continues as we "put on the new self" (Ephesians 4:22–24) and are "renewed in knowledge in the image of [our] Creator" (Colossians 3:9–10). In Jesus, rebirth and restoration are the lived reality of everyone who turns to Him.
Comments