Jesus: “I AM the Door”

Transcript of “Jesus: 'I AM the door'” (Session 12)

In the Gospel of John, there are seven great “I AM” statements by Jesus. In the third of those statements, Jesus said, “I AM the Door for the sheep ...” (John 10:7)

We are the sheep. He is the Door ... the Doorway. When we place our faith in Jesus, we are given entrance into the presence of God. There is no other way. God is holy. Fallen man, marked by the sinful, selfish nature cannot come into close relationship with a holy God based on any merit of our own.

We have nothing in ourselves that would qualify us. But Jesus lived a sinless life in the days of His humanity. He died as a sin offering for us, to provide atonement, to pay the price for our sins. The Bible says that Jesus became sin for us. “God (the Father) made Him, who knew no sin, to be sin for us ... so that, in Him, we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

By faith, we give Him our sin, and He gives us His righteousness.

Now let us see how this truth is confirmed in the numeric structure of the Biblical languages.

We will start with another pictogram, for the letter CHET. This would be a good time for you to review Session 5, “Introducing pictograms”. There, we made you aware that behind each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, there is a symbol. And each letter of the Hebrew alphabet has a name, and in many cases the name, or a word that sounds like that name, adds to our understanding of the thought behind the pictogram.

In Session 5 we looked at the letters, ALEF, BET, HEH, VAV, ZAYIN and YUD. The p[ictogram of the letter VAV is a “nail”. ZAYIN represents a sceptre - the symbol of authority of a king. Note that the two symbols are quite similar.

In Session 10, “Hebrew numerics”, we learned that each letter of the Hebrew alphabet has a numeric value. VAV has a value of six. ZAYIN has a value of seven. I also made the point, that each letter of the Hebrew alphabet points to Jesus, in some form of His work and person.

Now the letter CHET. CHET has a numeric value of eight. Eight points to “resurrection life”, to “new beginnings”, to “the new birth” in Christ.

The pictogram ... the symbol behind the letter CHET ... is a doorway. Jesus said, “I AM the Door for the sheep”.

The name of the letter CHET “sounds like” the Hebrew word for “sin”, CHATAH (CHET TET ALEF).

In rabbinical tradition, the letter CHET is formed out of the two preceding letters, VAV and ZAYIN, with a Jewish wedding canopy (a chuppah) over the two. And the value of those two letters, VAV and ZAYIN, are six and seven. And six plus seven equals thirteen.

So, CHET is a doorway. It is a doorway to new life. CHET is the place where our sin is taken from us. And the doorway is formed in a marriage with the King ... the King in whose hand, the sceptre is a nail.

Many people are superstitious about the number thirteen. There are Scriptures and types in the Bible that show sin and rebellion and the enemy of our souls marked with this number thirteen.

For example, the word “apitheo” – to disobey – has a numeric value of 910, which is divisible by thirteen.

“E apostasia” – the apostasy – is 871. That is divisible by thirteen.

Serpent – “ofis“ – 780. Divisible by thirteen.

The dragon mentioned in Revelation chapter 12 verse nine – drakon – is 975. That is divisible by thirteen.

And the expression “... who is called the devil and Satan ...” – o kalomenos diabolos kai o satanas – is 70 plus 886 plus 387 plus 31 plus 70 plus 753. A total of 2197, which is 13 x 13 x 13.

However, as believers in Jesus, we rejoice in the fact that we have a Saviour who has overcome the devil. Jesus overcame by offering Himself as a sacrifice for our sin. He is our sin-bearer. He became sin for us.

The notice on the cross proclaimed Him “Iesous o Nazoraeus” – “Jesus the Nazarene”. And the numeric value of those three words over His head on the cross is 888 plus 70 plus 1239. A total of 2197, which is 13 x 13 x 13.

God provided the lamb of the sin offering. God the Father gave His Son for us. “God made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us ...” (2 Corinthians 5:21). And Jesus willingly paid the price and bore our sin.

In the types and shadows of the Old Testament, God was pointing to His way of righteousness. Through His provision. Through His grace. Jesus is the LORD.

In the Hebrew text of the Bible the four letter word that represents the name of the LORD is spelled YUD HEH VAV HEH. And the numeric value of this word ... YUD is 10, HEH is 5, VAV is 6, HEH is 5. A total of 26 which equals 13 x 2.

Also, Ha Goel (HEH GIMEL ALEF LAMED) – the Redeemer – has a numeric value of 39, which is divisible by 13.

The Servant of the LORD – “ovadiah” (AYIN BET DALET YUD HEH) – numeric value 91, which is divisible by 13.

We don't have to be superstitious about the number 13. In terms of the underlying numerics of the Bible, the number represents both sin and atonement.

Now, let us return to the “I AM“ statements of Jesus. Jesus said,

• “I AM the Door for the sheep” (John 10:7). He also said
• “I AM the Bread of life” (John 6:35);
• “I AM the Light of the world” (John 8:12);
• “I AM the Good Shepherd” (John 10:11);
• “I AM the Resurrection and the Life” (John 11:25);
• “I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life” (John 14:6); and
• “I AM the True Vine” (John 15:1)

Seven statements. But some of those statements He stated more than once. He also made other “I AM” statements.

In Revelation, for example, it is recorded that He said, “I AM the Alpha and the Omega ...” (Revelation 22:13). Several times Jesus said, effectively, "I AM the promised Messiah".

The words in the New Testament Greek for “I AM” are “Ego eimi”. The “I AM” statements – “Ego eimi” – by Jesus, as recorded in the New Testament, total exactly 37. (See pdf “I AM in the Greek” – with each of the Scripture references recorded).

Note: If you want the identify the “I AM” statements by Jesus, then you must go by the original Greek text – not the English translations. For example, there is a verse, John chapter 9 verse 5, where English Bibles record Jesus saying a second time, “I am the Light of the world”. This reference is not on the list, because the Greek does not say “Ego eimi”, but “Phos eimi” – literally “Light am”, with no word for “I” in the Greek of that phrase.

There are also nine other occasions where the New Testament has the words “Ego eimi”, but they do not refer to Jesus. They are Judas, speaking of himself, or Peter or Paul, or Jesus referring to people who will claim to be the Christ.

So, there are exactly 37 “Ego eimi” I AM statements by Jesus in the New Testament Greek, referring to Himself.

Have you listened to Session 10 in this series – “Numerics in the Hebrew”? Then you know the significance of the prime number 37. It points to Jesus as the Word of God – the Living Word.

Why did Jesus make these specific “I AM” statements? He was referring to Moses.

In Exodus chapter 3, we read about the LORD speaking to Moses out of the burning bush. God said that He is going to send Moses to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt. Moses response? “Who am I, that I should go ...” (Exodus 3:11). God says, “I will be with you” (Exodus 3:12) ... in Hebrew “Ehiyeh imach”. “Ehiyeh” ... “I will be” or, that could be traslated as "I AM" with you.

Then, in verse 13 it says ... 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?”

Note: There are two questions. The main question, “What shall I say to them?” – in other words, “Who sent you?” And the supplementary question, “What is His name?”

In verse 14, God replies, “I AM WHO I AM” ... (Well that is how it is translated in almost all English translations. The Hebrew is, “Ehiyeh asher ehiyeh”) ... and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

Once again, the Hebrew is “Ehiyeh” ... a fourth time in this passage, this Hebrew word “Ehiyeh”.

Note: This is God’s answer to the main question, “Who shall I say sent me?”. The answer? “Ehiyeh”, repeated. Translated into English ... “I AM”.

Then God answers the supplementary question, “What is His name?” In verse 15, God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘The LORD ...’” That is the word YUD HEH VAV HEH – the LORD. (There is the answer to the question.) ... ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’”

So God adds to the Herbrew word that represents the name of “The LORD”, His title “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob”. God does not say that His name is “Ehiyeh”. God does not say that His name is “I AM”. God gives the word which represents the name of God, which hints at the name of Jesus, YUD HEH VAV HEH.

Now “Ehiyeh“ like YUD HEH VAV HEH, is a hint of the way that Israel will recognize their their Messiah.

Here is the thing that should impact you. The word “Ehiyeh” (ALEF HEH YUD HEH) – “I AM” – or “I will be” – occurs exactly 37 times in the Hebrew of the Old Testament in reference to the LORD. (See the downloadable pdf for the list of Scripture references).

There are exactly 13 other places, and only 13 others in the Old Testament, where the word “Ehiyeh” appears ... a total of 50. But these 13 other references do not refer to God. They refer to King David or Job or others.

Do you get it? The Old Testament gives exactly 37 hints in the form of “Ehiyeh” (I AM), of the Saviour to come.

And the New Testament gives exactly 37 fulfillments in the form of “Ego eimi”. Jesus saying “This is Me, Who was promised. I AM He”.