A Three-Fold Cord

And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12 (KJV)

There are a lot of things that come together in sets of three, and they are worth looking at. Like cords are woven and braided into a strong rope, God unifies things together in threes to enhance and strengthen each other.

• Father, Son, Holy Spirit

• Priest, prophet, king

• Father, mother, child

• Oil, wind, fire

• Spirit, soul, body

Father, Son, Holy Spirit

This list contains just a few examples, but of course the most important is the Trinity, which can never be broken. They are One, working individually and together to accomplish God’s plan.

Priest, prophet, king

In the Old Testament, the priest ministered, the prophet spoke God’s Word, and the king ruled. Now, in the New Testament, all believers are priests, prophets, and kings. As priests, we minister to God and other people. As prophets, we may not all sit in the five-fold office of prophet, but we do proclaim God’s Word to the church and to the lost, bringing change. As kings, we rule in life; life does not rule us.

Father, mother, child

The father teaches, protects, provides, and leads the home. The mother nurtures and cares for the family. The child is the bearer of the family name, and brings joy to the parents.

Oil, wind, fire

Oil represents the anointing, which empowers us to be and do. Wind is symbolic of the breath of God breathing life in us. Fire depicts the burning out of sin in our lives, and the burning passion for God’s presence that should be in our hearts.

Spirit, soul, body

Man is a three-fold being: spirit, soul, and body. When we are born again, our spirits are connected and in touch with God. Our souls, which consists of the mind, will, and emotions, are being saved. The mind is renewed by the Word of God, the will is surrendered to God’s will, and the emotions are stablized by fellowship with the Lord.

You get the idea; there is special power in threes. As there is unity in these three-fold groupings, there is an agreement where they all begin to work together. This releases ability and power in our lives. A three-fold cord binds and keeps us together, strong and unbreakable.

What other things can you think of that come in threes or are noted together in groups of three in scripture? We’d love to get your input at jimandjanean@gmail.com.