http://homepage.virgin.net/vernon.jenkins/oracle.htm
Concerning the high-priestly vestments, we read particularly of the oracle - the Urim and Thummim (Ex.28:30) - provided for the guidance of the people in difficult and uncertain times. Details are lacking of the nature and use of these items, but we are informed that they were held in a pouch - called the breastplate (or, in some translations, breastpiece) - attached to the front of the ephod - the outmost garment of the high priest. This breastplate was formed from a single piece of highly-embroidered linen cloth one cubit long and half a cubit wide, folded over in two to form a square, half a cubit by half a cubit (about 9in.x 9in). It was adorned with twelve precious stones on which were engraved the names of the tribes - ie those of the sons and grandsons of Jacob arranged according to their order of birth. These were set out in four rows of three stones each (Ex.28:15-30)
The article goes on to describe many startling features of the breastplate numbers.
In my opinion, the most startling feature of these numbers is that there appears to be a hidden message in the High Priest's breastplate. As it turns out, THE GOSPEL IS WRITTEN IN THE STONES!
For details of the gematria of these stones, please read the article referenced above. I shall just quote these numbers for my purpose in this article.
These are the 12 numbers -- gematria of the 12 stones on the High Priest's breastplate:
30 466
259
7 570
54
95 830
501
331 395
162
The 3 stones at the bottom layer form the FOUNDATION STONE. JESUS is the foundation stone.
888 = 331 + 395 + 162
888 = Greek gematria for JESUS
888 = Iota(10) Eta(8) Sigma(200) Omicron(70) Upsilon(400) Sigma(200)
On top of this foundation layer of stones, 4 stones stand erect like the letter "L" resting on its longer side horizontally as shown below:
30 466
259
7 570
54
95
830 501
331 395 162
The gematria of these 4 stones add up to 1480 -- the Greek gematria for CHRIST!
1480 = 54 + 95 + 830 + 501
1480 = Greek gematria for CHRIST
1480 = Chi(600) Rho(100) Iota(10) Sigma(200) Tau(300) Omicron(70)
Sigma(200)
Thus the message contained in these 7 stones is JESUS CHRIST in Greek!
30 466 259
7 570 54
95 830 501 <----- CHRIST
331 395 162 <----- JESUS
Think of the improbability of this 'coincidence'. Could Moses have anticipated Jesus 1,500 years in advance and designed the High Priest's breastplate gematria in Hebrew that conceals the name JESUS CHRIST in Greek? Given that Moses foresaw Jesus and knew Greek, he could not possibly have control over the births, the birth order and the names of the 12 sons of Jacob who existed a few hundred years before Moses was even born!
The 7 stones in which JESUS CHRIST is encoded in Greek, must have been ordered and positioned on the breastplate by design. There is no other plausible explanation. The Person who encoded the name JESUS CHRIST in these 7 stones by neccessity must be a seer, a mathematician and a linguist of the highest order. Moreover, by implication, the Designer appears to possess the ability to direct human affairs, control human births and the naming of new borns.
But there is more.
While the bottom 7 stones cry out JESUS CHRIST in Greek (Luke 19:40), the top 3 stones proclaim JESUS CHRIST in Hebrew! Amazing! There appears to be a coherent message in the High Priest's breastplate. One thing is certain. The 12 stones conceal a message concerning JESUS CHRIST.
30 466 259 <----- JESUS CHRIST (Hebrew: Jews)
7 570 54
95 830 501 <----- CHRIST (Greek: Gentiles)
331 395 162 <----- JESUS (Greek: Gentiles)
755 = 30 + 466 + 259
755 = Hebrew gematria for JESUS CHRIST
397 = JESUS = Yod(10) He(5) Vaw(6) Shin(300) Vaw(6) Ayin(70)
358 = CHRIST = Mem(40) Shin(300) Yod(10) Chet(8)
The message appears to be directed to Jews and Gentiles (Christians) -- the Old and New Testament peoples of God since the Old and New Testaments were originally written in Hebrew and Greek respectively. The question may now be asked: Why did the Encoder of the breastplate message, as it were, engrave on the stones the name JESUS CHRIST in Hebrew and Greek? What is the message for the Jews and Gentiles -- the apparent intended recipients?
The key to the puzzle lies in the two remaining stones with gematria 7 and 570. What is the hidden meaning of these two stones? What is the overall message of the breastplate?
THE REPAIRER OF THE BREACH -- The Enigmatic Gap
By removing the two remaining stones from the breastplate, a breach is formed in their place as shown below:
30 466 259 <----- JESUS CHRIST
7 570 <====== 54
95 830 501 <----- CHRIST
331 395 162 <----- JESUS
This is really fascinating since the combined gematria of the two stones is the same as that of the title "the repairer of the breach" found in Isa 58:12.
577 = 7 + 570
577 = Hebrew gematria for "The repairer of the breach" (Isa 58:12)
The repairer of the breach is clearly JESUS
CHRIST according to Amos 9:11, "In that day will I raise up the
tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof;
and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:"
The High Priest's breastplate is all about "the Apostle and High
Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus" (Heb 3:1)! The symbology
is perfect! The hidden message engraved on the High Priest's breastplate pertains
to our eternal High Priest, even Jesus (Heb 6:20).
There is no mistaking that the Encoder had designed the gematria of the 12 precious stones of the breastplate with the Temple in view! First, the stone imagery fits as the Temple is essentially built with hewed stones (1 Kings 5:17; 1 Peter 2:5). Second, the rectangular shape of the breastplate resembles the oblong structure of the sanctuary that houses the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies -- the very heart of the Temple.
Third, both the breastplate and the Temple are connected by the number 12 -- a very important number in the Temple design. There are 12 pearly gates in the Temple in Heaven guarded by 12 angels (Rev 21:21). The names of the 12 tribes of Israel are written on these gates (Rev 21:12)! The 12 foundations of the Temple in Heaven are 12 precious stones (Rev 21:19-20) which bear the names of the 12 apostles of Jesus (Rev 21:14)! The dimensions of the wall and city are respectively 12x12 cubits and 12,000x12,000x12,000 furlongs! Even the servants are grouped according to the number 12 -- 12+12 elders (Rev 4:4) and 12x12,000 servants from the 12 tribes of Israel! Finally, these immortals feed on the 12 fruits from the tree of life which bears fruits on a 12-month cycle throughout eternity (Rev 22:2)!
Furthermore, the number 12 is expressed as 3x4 in both designs (see below) and not 12x1 or 2x6 or 2x2x3. Surely this too is by design.
 12 Precious Stones of the Breastplate |
 12 Pearly Gates of the Temple in Heaven |
(Note: The abundance of the number 12
in the Temple design is a conundrum which deserves an article all by itself.
There is a very profound secret hidden in the number 12. Why is this number
such an important number in the Temple design? It turns out the number 12
is one signature of the Almighty! The Hebrew gematria of Shaddai the Almighty
is 314 and the number 12 can
be expressed as 3x1x4!
See my series on this fascinating subject at http://www.fivedoves.com/shaddai/pi_1.htm)
Thus, judging from material (stones), shape (oblong) and number (12), one can conclude beyond a shadow of doubt that the Designers of the High Priest's breastplate and the Temple in Heaven are one and the same Person -- God the Almighty!
That the breastplate and the Temple are intimately linked is without question. In fact, the hidden gematria of the breastplate is a perfect illustration of the Temple.
The diagram above shows that the breastplate hidden gematria is encoded exclusively
in masonry symbols. Jesus is the Capstone, the Cornerstone, the Foundation
Stone and the Repairer of the Breach. Truly, the Lord Jesus is the Temple
(John 2:19-21). How much clearer can this be? The hidden gematria of the High
Priest's breastplate points to the true eternal High Priest -- the Lord Jesus
Christ. The Architect of the City of God and the Author of our salvation left
us an intriguing clue in the breastplate so that we may know that He is the
Master Builder of the House of God (Heb 11:10).
The phrase 'and understand that I am he' (Isa 43:10) also has a Hebrew gematria of 577, the same as that of 'the Repairer of the Breach' (Isa 58:12). It is as if Jesus wants us to know and understand that "before Him there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Him, and that He, even He, is the LORD and beside Him there is no saviour." (Isa 43:10-11)
The matter is sealed when one realizes each of these phrases has a Greek gematria of 577 too: 'God's love'(Agape Theou), 'God's will'(Thelema Theou) and 'Gospel'(Evangelion). (see http://www.biblewheel.com/GR/GR_577.asp)
The table below summarizes our search for the message hidden
in the High Priest's breastplate:
Breastplate stones |
Value |
Gematria |
 |
755 |
Jesus Christ (Hebrew) |
 |
1480 |
Christ (Greek) |
 |
888 |
Jesus (Greek) |
 |
577 |
Repairer of the Breach (Hebrew) God's Love (Greek) God's Will (Greek) Gospel (Greek) |
The first three gematrias spell out the name Jesus Christ in Hebrew
and Greek. The enigmatic fourth gematria describes the person and work of
Jesus Christ. To the Jews, He is the Repairer of the Breach, the One who will
restore the kingdom. To the Gentiles, He is God's love and the gospel.
CONCLUSION
I hope you appreciate the import of these supernatural numbers. Moses could not have encoded them. Jacob could not have fathered and named the 12 patriachs so that a message is engraved in the 12 stones of the breastplate. Yet, the startling message is unmistakable -- that JESUS IS THE CHRIST TO BOTH JEWS AND GENTILES! He is the One that fills the gap. He is the One that breaks down the dividing wall between Jews and Gentiles (Eph 2:14). He is Yeshua HaMashiach. He is Jesus Christ, the Repairer of the Breach.
It is clear the Almighty God foreordained the gematria of Aaron's breastplate. He designed and ordered the position, the number of the 12 patriarchs such that His undeniable signature may be detected by anyone who cares to scrutinize -- that JESUS IS THE CHRIST, the saviour of all mankind, Jews or Gentiles alike. The amazing gematria described above testifies beyond a shadow of doubt that the cornerstone that was rejected by the Jews is indeed their Messiah. It confirms that the Jewish Messiah is the Christian Saviour as written in the gospels of the New Testament. Jesus is God's Love and Goodnews. Ultimately, Jesus reconciles man to God, the very mission He came to earth for. The stones tell it all. The stones cry out and proclaim JESUS CHRIST -- THE SAVIOUR OF ALL MANKIND!