The Spiritual Significance of Birthdays

The Spiritual Significance of Birthdays

by Victor Torres

Introduction

Birthday celebrations are mentioned three times in the Holy Scriptures. Two times in the old testament and one time in the new. One of my brothers said in a fellowship that in all of these three events, someone died. When I mentioned this to someone who celebrates birthdays, he said that that is just a coincidence. These conversations are what inspired me to study these birthday celebrations. I used the following principles to study God's Word:

1Co 10:11 And all these things as types did happen to those persons, and they were written for our admonition, to whom the end of the ages did come,

1Co 2:13 These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual with spiritual.

Luk 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you

Rev 1:3 Blessed is the one who reads and hears the Words of this prophecy, and the ones keeping the things written in it, for the time is near.

Pharaoh's birthday

The first mention of a birthday celebration is Pharaoh's birthday. This is the same Pharaoh who gave Joseph the power to rule over his kingdom (Gen 41:40). In this event, Pharaoh is judging his chief baker and his chief butler because both have sinned against him (Gen 40:1). This foreshadows the judgment of God on His elect. He judges the old man (Adam within us) so that the new man (Christ) is created within us.

Gen 40:20 And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.

Gen 40:21 And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand:

Gen 40:22 But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

God's judgment to the chief baker within us is death. This was foretold by Joseph by interpreting the chief baker's dream.

Gen 40:16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head:

Gen 40:17 And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.

Gen 40:19 Yet within three days Pharaoh shall lift up your head from off you, and shall hang you on a tree. And the birds shall eat your flesh from off you.

The chief baker is a type of us when we walked "according to the prince of the power of the air" and "lived in the desires of our flesh". This is us when we rely on our own strength and riches and when we are totally blind to the spiritual things of God.

Eph 2:2-3 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience; among whom we also had our way of life in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the thoughts, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Mat 13:4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured them.

Mat 13:19 When anyone hears the Word of the kingdom and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and catches away that which was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown by the wayside.

God is not pleased with our works when we think they are our own works. He is not pleased with us when we rely on our own understanding and we are wise in our own eyes.

Psa 147:10 He does not delight in the strength of the horse; he takes no pleasure in the legs of the man.

Pro 3:5 ? 7 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.

Zec 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

God's judgment to the chief butler within us is life and the restoration of his office. It is Christ within us creating the new man, making the new man in His image, so that in due time, we start to bring forth the fruit of the spirit. This is foreshadowed in the chief butler's dream:

Gen 40:10 And in the vine were three branches. And it was as if it budded, and its blossom shot up. And the clusters of it brought forth ripe (mature) grapes.

Joh 15:5 I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

Gal 5:22 ? 23 But the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Gen 40:13 Yet within three days Pharaoh shall lift up your head and restore you to your place. And you shall deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, just as you did when you were his cupbearer.

1Pe 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for possession, so that you might speak of the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Job's sons' birthdays

The second mention of birthdays is when Job's sons went and feasted to eat and drink with Job's daughters.

Job 1:2 ? 4 And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. And his sons went and feasted in the house of each one on his day. And they sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

This is telling us the same story. Job's ten children is a type of the old man within us who revels on physical things rather than spiritual things (see a link of Mike's study on the number 10 at the end of this study). Ten signifies the

completeness in the flesh, this is a type of us when we receive the Word of God with joy, but quickly stumble when trials and persecutions come our way.

Mat 13:20 - 21 But that which was sown on the stony places is this: he who hears the Word and immediately receives it with joy. But he has no root in himself, and is temporary. For when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the Word, he immediately stumbles.

At our appointed time, God will take away all the things that the old man within us is proud of. He will accomplish this by the edge of the sword (Job 1:15 and 1:17), fire from the heavens (Job 1:16), and a great wind (Job 1:19). Those three things all have a negative and a positive application. The edge of the sword signifies both the wicked man within us and the word of God within us. Fire from the heavens comes from both the beast within us to deceive the old man dwelling on the earth and the two witnesses within us who tries all our works by fire. The great wind represents both Satan giving us strong delusions and God's Holy Spirit teaching the Truth within us. God uses all these things, both good and evil, to kill the old man within us.

Psa 17:13 Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:

Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Rev 13:13-14 And it does great wonders, so that it makes fire come down from the heaven onto the earth in the sight of men. And it deceives those dwelling on the earth, because of the miracles which were given to it to do before the beast, saying to those dwelling on the earth that they should make an image to the beast who had the wound by a sword and lived.

Rev 11:3-5 And I will give power to My two witnesses, and they will prophesy a thousand, two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone will hurt them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone will hurt them, so it is right for him to be killed.

Jer 5:14 Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts: "Because you have spoken this word, behold, I am making my words in your mouth a fire, and

this people wood, and the fire shall consume them.

1Co 3:13-15 each one's work shall be revealed. For the Day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try each one's work as to what kind it is. If anyone's work which he built remains, he shall receive a reward. If anyone's work shall be burned up, he shall suffer loss. But he shall be saved, yet so as by fire.

2Th 2:11-12 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie, so that all those who do not believe the truth, but delight in unrighteousness, might be condemned.

Eph 1:13 in whom also you, hearing the Word of Truth, the gospel of our salvation, in whom also believing, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

Psa 119:160 The sum of thy word is truth; And every one of thy righteous ordinances endureth for ever.

Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

As the old man begins to die within us, we see our nakedness or sinfulness before God (as typified by Job).

Job 1:21 and said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

Rev 3:17 Because you say, I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing, and do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked

It is also significant that the sword was used twice to destroy Job's substance. Joseph explains why Pharaoh had two dreams with the same meaning:

Gen 41:32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

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