The prophet's dictionary guide to the supernatural

with their spiritual calling. The practice was understood to alter the nature and existence of the one called. Certain names were selected and retained by the deity as means of imparting their own divine attributes, which was integral to the ceremonial rite. Renamed initiates were conferred in accordance with one’s appointed destiny, corresponding power, and authority through the names they were given. The name change signified more than a spiritual, royal, or priestly elevation, all the instances under which it would be done. The act literally said to others that the renamed person ceased to be one of them and became an inductee and/or adopted offspring of the god for the purposes of their services. The royal and the priestly, accepted as being derived from divinity in times past, always underwent name changes. Kings were renamed upon ascension after or with the surname of the god. In the Bible we see the line of Herods fitting this description. The change of name meant that only those descending from the line bearing the deity’s name could be installed in the office upon the demise of their predecessor. Today, the name change of the Roman Catholic pope fits this category. 1271. Sacred Numbers—Sacred numbers tie into worship, ritual observances, and divine calendars. They were important to primitive worshippers because they coincided with when their gods were supposed to appear and visit the earth. Sacred numbers were called so because only the priests had such knowledge and were given for express times they needed to be stationed in their temples to welcome the god’s arrival, commence worship, and offer sacrifices. The requirements related to numbers included quantity; that is, amount and portions of offerings the deity deemed acceptable. Invariably the numbers found sacred to one cult or another were associated with the elements, months (moon) of the year, the time of day, or seasonal and annual events. Consequently, the numbers seven and twelve show up in nearly every religion’s sacred number system. In addition, sacred numbers held astronomical significance as it was understood that whatever happened on earth was a direct result of some heavenly action. The passage of time as from one day to another, or hour to hour, the shift from night into day (the twelve-hour period of each), the beginning or close of the week (seven days), and solstices and equinoxes all contributed to some religion’s sacred numbering scheme. Harvest times as opposed to seedtime and the basic timing of births, weather cycles, and the planetary shifts in the sky were all bestowed sacred numbers. The astronomical factors stemmed from the persuasion that the deities that did not ascend from the heart of the earth arrived from the heavens. Their travel, it was believed, depended upon the positioning of