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Has anyone ever told you: יהוה (Yahweh) God loves you and has a great plan for your life?
Has anyone ever told you: יהוה (Yahweh) God loves you and has a great plan for your life?
Every word in Scripture holds depths of meaning and beauty for you to explore. Welcome to Phase 1 of the F.O.G Bible project: Building a new and expanded Strong’s Concordance. What is the F.O.G?
Strong’s G5507: A cardinal number meaning “thousand,” derived from ancient Greek, representing both literal numerical value and symbolic completeness in biblical contexts, particularly significant in apocalyptic literature and divine time reckoning.
The Greek word χίλιοι carries profound significance in biblical numerology and eschatological discourse. As a cardinal number meaning “thousand,” it appears prominently in discussions of divine chronology and apocalyptic prophecy. In 2 Peter 3:8, it serves as a pivotal term illustrating God’s transcendent perspective on time. Beyond its literal numerical value, χίλιοι often carries symbolic weight, particularly in Revelation’s description of the millennial reign. Early church fathers debated extensively about its interpretation, whether literal or figurative, leading to various millennial views that continue to influence theological discourse today. The word demonstrates how divine time operates on a different scale than human time, reminding believers that the Messiah’s kingdom perspective transcends our limited temporal understanding.
Etymology:
Translation Options:
The word follows standard Greek adjectival patterns, agreeing with its modified noun in case, number, and gender. For example:
χίλιοι appears consistently across ancient Greek sources as a numerical term. BDAG emphasizes its use both literally and figuratively in biblical contexts. Thayer’s highlights its particular significance in apocalyptic literature, especially Revelation. LSJ provides extensive classical usage examples showing its consistent meaning across centuries. Vine’s explores its theological implications, particularly in eschatological contexts. Moulton and Milligan’s papyrological evidence demonstrates its common use in everyday Koine Greek for both exact and approximate thousands. The lexicons collectively emphasize its dual role as both a precise number and a symbol of divine completeness.
First appearance:
“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord one day is like a [χίλιοι] thousand years, and a [χίλιοι] thousand years are like one day.” 2 Peter 3:8
Additional References:
Revelation 20:2, Revelation 20:3, Revelation 20:4, Revelation 20:5, Revelation 20:6, Revelation 20:7
Author: Work | Text |
---|---|
Herodotus: Histories | “The Persian army numbered [χίλιοι] thousand heavy infantry.” |
Plato: Republic | “A journey of [χίλιοι] thousand stadia separated the two cities.” |
Xenophon: Anabasis | “Cyrus promised [χίλιοι] thousand darics to each commander.” |
χίλιοι serves as a powerful reminder of God’s eternal nature and His perspective on time. Its use in 2 Peter 3:8 beautifully illustrates how the Messiah’s timeline transcends human understanding. This understanding brings hope to believers, showing that what seems like a delay in His promises is actually perfect timing from His eternal perspective. The word’s prominence in Revelation’s millennial passages points to the Messiah’s complete and perfect reign, encouraging believers to trust in His sovereign timing and promised return.
Strong’s G5507: A cardinal number meaning “thousand,” derived from ancient Greek, representing both literal numerical value and symbolic completeness in biblical contexts, particularly significant in apocalyptic literature and divine time reckoning.
Part of speech: Cardinal Number/Adjective
Tags: numbers, thousand, millennium, eschatology, revelation, time, divine-perspective, prophecy, apocalyptic, eternal
Note: While this entry strives for accuracy, readers engaged in critical research should verify citations and keyword occurrences in their Bible translation of choice. For Biblical citations, the F.O.G Bible project recommends Logos Bible software.
יהוה (Yahweh's) words are pure words,
Psalm 12:6 F.O.G
As silver smelted in a crucible on the land, Refined seven times.
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