Fourteen: A double blessing or God's providence

The idea that is expressed by the number fourteen is a double blessing or an expression of God's providence to His people. The Rabbis point out that Jacob worked fourteen years and the outcome of these fourteen years of labor were his two wives, Leah and Rachel. A wife is a helpmate (Genesis 2:18) and the Scripture instructs that he who has found a wife has found a good thing (Proverbs 18:22). Hence, the outcome of these fourteen years of labor was the children of Israel.

Passover is on the 14th day of the Jewish month of Nissan. Here again, according to the Rabbis (Talmud— Rosh HaShana 11a), not only did the first redemption take place on the 14th day of Nissan, so too will the final redemption רבי יהושוע— בניסן נגאלו בניסן עתידין ליגאל. The point is that this date, the 14th day of Nissan, will serve as a double blessing or a second expression of providence to His people. The first blessing was the Exodus from Egypt into the Land of Promise, i.e. Israel; and the second blessing will be the Exodus from sin into the Kingdom by means of our Passover Lamb, Yeshua the Messiah.

In a similar fashion, King Solomon dedicated the Temple during the Festival of Tabernacles. This festival is seven days; however, because Solomon wanted to express what a great blessing this was, he in fact celebrated for an additional seven days, i.e. 14 days in total.

In the New Testament, the number 14 appears in the very first chapter of Matthew's Gospel. The reader is told that in Messiah's genealogy, there are 14 generations between Abraham and David and 14 generations between David and the Exile, and 14 generations from the Exile to Messiah. It is understood that the Messiah is the second Redeemer (Moses being the first) and the establishment of the Kingdom, being the role of Messiah, is the second expression of God's promise to His people of which the Prophets frequently spoke.  Careful attention reveals that there was actually only 13 generations from the Exile to the birth of Messiah.  The fact that the text states 14 is not an error.  It is a subtle reference to not the first coming of Messiah, but to the second, when the Kingdom will be established.  In Judaism, the final generation is often referred to as the next generation, so as to emphasize an expectancy for the Kingdom. 

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