Archbishop Guti and the numbers

H-Metro Reporter

ON the eve of the first UK coronation in 70 years, Archbishop Ezekiel Guti celebrated a milestone when he clocked a century in May this year.

One hundred years old!

The ZAOGA founder joined part of an exclusive club of religious leaders who moved into the global Centurion Club this millennium.

Sadly, many of them had passed away by the time Guti celebrated his milestone.

Now, he has joined them.

They include Francisco Mirneva, the Italian Archbishop, who was exactly 100, when he died in 2004.

Vietnamese Roman Catholic bishops – Nguyen Khac Ngu (100) and Nguyen Van Thien (106) – passed away in 2009 and 2012 respectively.

Italian priest, Arturo Paoli, was 102 when he died eight years ago while Indian bishop, Philipose Mar Chrysostom Mar Thoma was 103, when he passed away two years ago.

Archbishop Guti joined the Centurion Club in a year which ends with the number THREE, a very powerful number in the religious world.

Pope Leo XIII, who for years was the oldest pope holding office, until Pope Benedict XVI turned 95, died in a year that ended with the number THREE (1903).

He loved to drink cocaine-infused wine tonic, Vin Mariani, and even handed a Vatican gold medal to the wine’s creator, Angelo Mariani.

He was 93 when he passed away.

So, why does the number THREE matter so much in religion?

• God is described, in the book of Revelation, as a Being with the THREE fold characteristic, “which is, and which was, and which is to come.” (Revelation 1:4).
• Only THREE people were allowed to ask God anything – Solomon (1Kings 3:5), Ahaz (Isaiah 7:11) and Jesus Christ (Psalm 2:9).
• The THREE words that appear only once in Scripture are Reverend, Eternity and Grandmother.
• The Bible only mentions the name of THREE angels (Michael, Gabriel and Lucifer).
• The THREE righteous patriarchs before the flood were Abel, Enoch and Noah. After the deluge, there were the THREE righteous “fathers” of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
• Jesus prayed THREE times in the Garden of Gethsemane before His arrest. He was placed on the cross at the 3rd hour of the day (9 am) and died at the 9th hour.
• There were THREE hours of darkness that covered the land while Jesus was suffering on the cross, Christ resurrected after THREE full days and nights.
• Only THREE individuals witnessed Jesus’ transfiguration on Mount Hermon – John, Peter and James.
• In Revelation, we are told a TRIPLE threat of unclean spirits will be allowed to deceive the whole world to fight the returning Jesus Christ in the Battle of Armageddon.
• The New Jerusalem, created by God for placement on a new earth, will be shaped like a square with THREE gates on each side.
• And, the Bible tells us that, “then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me, therefore go and make disciplines of all nations, baptising them in the name of the FATHER, the SON and the HOLY SPIRIT.’”
• The number THREE was also a running theme in the British coronation with King Charles III taking over.
• He became a monarch at the age of 73.