Author: Abu Raef
Freemasonry (part 32)
Indications of Sacred Numbers in Masonic Thought (Continued)
The Indication of the Number 13
Although the number 13, as stated in the Bible, symbolizes rebellion, disobedience, and war, such as in the Book of Genesis (14:3): “All these joined together in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). Twelve years they served Kedorlaomer, king of Elam, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled,” or symbolizes destruction and annihilation, such as the planned extermination of the Jews on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar March) during the reign of Ahasuerus, the king who ruled from India to Cush, as stated in the Book of Esther (3:12–13):
“Then on the thirteenth day of the first month the royal secretaries were summoned. They wrote out in the script of each province and in the language of each people all Haman’s orders to the king’s satraps, the governors of the various provinces and the nobles of the various peoples. These were written in the name of King Ahasuerus himself and sealed with his own ring. Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, women and children, on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.” , or symbolizes famine and devastation caused by the wickedness of the inhabitants of the earth, as mentioned in the Torah, including what is stated in Genesis (12:10):
“Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.” [1]
Despite all this, the number 13 is regarded in Masonic thought as one of the most sacred, most important, and most dangerous numbers. This number carries two meanings:
The apparent meaning: the number of states of the United States of America at the time of its founding, which were thirteen states.
The hidden Masonic meaning: a reference to the twelve tribes of the Children of Israel, plus a so-called thirteenth tribe, namely the Khazar tribe, which inhabited the region between the Caucasus Mountains and the Volga River, converted to Judaism, and, according to this view, embraced belief in the Antichrist Messiah. This lineage, it is claimed, spread across many Eastern European countries, especially Poland, Hungary, and Russia, and now rules Israel while seeking global domination. [2]
The sanctity of this number is clearly visible in the official emblem of the United States and on the one-dollar bill:
The six-pointed star above the American eagle (as mentioned in the discussion of the eagle emblem) is composed of thirteen stars.
The eagle clutches thirteen arrows, symbolizing war, and thirteen olive branches, symbolizing peace.
In the tail of the American eagle, nine feathers appear, which are said to symbolize the ranks of the Supreme Council in American Freemasonry.
The sacred pyramid has thirteen levels, and, as noted in the discussion of the pyramid emblem, directly above the eye appears the phrase Annuit Coeptis, meaning “Our conspiracy has succeeded,” which consists of thirteen letters. [3]
The Indication of the Number 33
The number 33 is closely connected to Masonic doctrine regarding the degrees of advancement through which a Mason progresses, culminating in the highest recognized rank in Freemasonry, known as “Sovereign Grand Inspector General, Grand Master.”
The symbol of this degree is a double-headed eagle crowned above, which is regarded as a symbol of the Roman Empire. [4]
The thirty-three Masonic degrees are divided into six ranks:
First Rank: The Blue Lodge
This rank includes degrees 1 to 3:
Entered Apprentice
Fellow Craft
Master Mason
Second Rank: The Lodge of Perfection
This rank includes degrees 4 to 14:
Secret Master
Perfect Master
Principal Secretary
Intendant of the Building (Judge or Overseer)
Provost and Judge
Elect of Nine
Elect of Fifteen
Elect of the Illustrious
Grand Master Architect
Royal Arch
Knight of Perfection
Third Rank: The Rank of the Rose-Cross
This rank includes degrees 15 to 18:
Knight of the Sword (or of the East)
Prince of Jerusalem
Knight of the East and West
Knight of the Rose-Cross
Fourth Rank: The Rank of the Sacred Council
This rank includes degrees 19 to 30:
Grand Pontiff
Venerable Grand Master
Noachite Patriarch
Prince of Lebanon
Repeated Prince of Lebanon
Chief of the Tabernacle
Knight of the Brazen Serpent
Prince of Mercy
Commander of the Temple
Commander, Knight of the Sun (Knights Templar)
Knight of Saint Andrew of Scotland
Grand Elect Knight Kadosh
Fifth Rank: The Rank of the Consistory
This rank includes degrees 31 and 32:
Inspector Inquisitor
Commander of the Royal Secret
Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret
Sixth Rank
This rank consists of Degree 33, namely:
Sovereign Grand Inspector General, Grand Master [5]
To be continued…
Previous Part
References:
- Antonio Fikri (Father Antonio Fikri), Tafsir al-Ahd al‑Qadim, Commentary on the Book of Exodus, p. 163, Coptic Treasures Project, n.d.
- Arthur Koestler, The Thirteenth Tribe, trans. Ahmad Najib Hashim, pp. 8–9, Egyptian General Book Authority, 1991.
- Decoding Freemasonry, pp. 94–95.
- Meanings of Sacred Symbols and Numbers in Masonic Thought, p. 239.
- Decoding Freemasonry, pp. 178–185; The Oldest Secret Organization in the World, p. 67.
