2013

The number 13 is considered an unlucky number in some countries. Charles Stewart Parnell had an irrational fear of the number thirteen. The end of the Mayan calendar's 13th Baktun was superstitiously feared as a harbinger of the apocalyptic 2012 phenomenon. Fear of the number 13 has a specifically recognized phobia, Triskaidekaphobia, a word which was coined in 1911. The superstitious sufferers of triskaidekaphobia try to avoid bad luck by keeping away from anything numbered or labelled thirteen. As a result, companies and manufacturers use another way of numbering or labeling to avoid the number, with hotels and tall buildings being conspicuous examples (Thirteenth floor). It's also considered to be unlucky to have thirteen guests at a table.Friday the 13th has been considered the unluckiest day of the month.

 

There are a number of theories behind the cause of the association between thirteen and bad luck, but none of them have been accepted as likely.

1 - The Last Supper

At Jesus Christ's last supper, there were thirteen people around the table, counting Christ and the twelve apostles.

2 - Knights Templar

On Friday 13 October 1307, King Philip IV of France ordered the arrest of the Knights Templar.

3 - Full moons

A year which contained 13 full moons instead of 12 posed problems for the monks who were in charge of the calendars. "This was considered a very unfortunate circumstance, especially by the monks who had charge of the calendar of thirteen months for that year, and it upset the regular arrangement of church festivals. For this reason thirteen came to be considered an unlucky number."

However, in a typical century, there will be about 37 years which have 13 full moons compared with 63 years with 12 full moons, and typically every third or fourth year would have 13 full moons.

The moon moves 13 degrees around the earth every day. It Takes 13 days to change from Full Moon to New Moon and 13 days to change back with 1 day Full and 1 day New to equal 28 days of the Lunar Cycle.

 

All of the above might be true for many people, but what is a biblical perspective of the number 13?

 

The number 13 is often seen as an ill omen representing hostility, rebellion, apostasy, defection, corruption.

·         Thirteen is the 6^th prime number.

·         Judas is considered to be the thirteenth; Jesus is #1 plus the 12 holy Apostles; Judas is always named last in the list of Apostles [Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:13-16].

·         The Israelites marched around the city of Jericho thirteen times before the city collapsed (Josh 6:2-5).

·         Ishmael, the illegitimate son of Abraham, was thirteen years old when he was circumcised. [Genesis 17:23]

·         Leaven is a sign for sin. The gematria for leaven, zumee in Hebrew, is thirteen.

·         The Virgin Mary often appears on the thirteenth day of the month. This number obviously has no power over her. Remember it was prophesied that her son would crush the head of the serpent in Genesis 3:15 and that the Serpent would make war on her children [Revelation 12:17]. She defies the devil and defends her son's Church and her children, Jesus' faithful disciples.

 

Now, for 2013 we can either believe all of the above opinions, or we can go about it in a positive manner, ensuring that we break the curse and live a free life through Christ. He has died for our sins and affords us the oppertunity to live knowing that no number has any power over us.

 

As for luck, the word does not appear in the NIV Bible even once, indicating that it does not matter. It is fate, and sometimes character building, but never lucky and/or unlucky.