Pisces, The Fish has a Hebrew word Dagim, which means "The Fishes" referring to a multitude.    Note that Dagon (Heb. Dagown, daw-gohn, from Heb. dag, dawg, from Heb. dagah, daw-gaw’, probably fish) was a Canaanite and Philistine fish god from Dab, "fish," or a god of agriculture, from Dagan, "grain."

• John 21:7 "Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord, Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea."    Here the phrase "cast himself into the sea," referring to the shallow part, not more than a hundred yards from the water’s edge.
• John 21:8 "And the other disciples came in a little ship (by ship); (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes." Here the phrase "two hundred cubits represents 100 yards or the shallow part and maybe even as a distance thus implying a symbolic time period.
• John 21:11 "Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three; and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken."    Here the phrase "an hundred and fifty and three" as the number 153 may equal "successive draughts," as in 153 of them over a distance (or time period).    It is very possible that just like fish who have a natural cycle in nature, that maybe this correlates to mankind, which has successive generations, with natural draughts (in ministry).    The fishermen (ministry) must be able to maintain the net (church) from breaking, and keep the fishes ("caught men"), and keep them from escaping back into the sea (world).    If there is a connection to the ensuing "Church Age" or "the future end of the time of Gentiles," as a time period with some astronomical cycle associated with the numerical value of 153, it is not obvious.

   Some believe that these verses are prophetic, even Luke 5:1-11 the former miraculous drought was symbolized of the success of their future ministry (as fishers of men).    The same symbolic reference was made to their secular occupation in Matthew 4:18-19 " Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."

   The multitude and size of the fishes they caught symbolically foreshadowed the vast success of their now fast approaching ministry, and as only the beginning of successive draughts, through the agency of a Christian ministry, till "as the waters cover the sea, the earth should be full of the knowledge of the Lord."

   The following numerical sequence has some merit to see the continuation of the successive draughts in linear time.    In this case projecting a symbolic 17 successive draughts before completion.

   Also of interest is if the above numbers are each multiplied by 153 the linear results look like this:
153, 306, 459, 612, 765, 918, 1071, 1224, 1377, 1530, 1683, 1836, 1989, 2142, 2295, 2448, 2601.
   The relevance of this is pure speculation of a gematria nature.

   You will see throughout this chapter the unusual connection with Jesus and fish related topics.

• Although the Hebrew word for Virgo would be Bethulah which means "virgin."
  • Virgin (Heb. bethuwlah, beth-oo-law’, fem. pass. part. of an unused root meaning to separate, a virgin (from her privacy); sometimes bride, basically an unmarried, virgin girl, also fig. a city or state.)
  • Virgin (Heb. ‘almah al-maw’, fem. of ‘elem, lad, thus a lass (as veiled or private), damsel, maid, virgin, basically a young woman of marriageable age).
  • Maiden (Heb. na’arah, nah-ar-aw’, fem. of Heb. ‘na’ar, lad, thus a girl (from infancy to adolescence): damsel, maiden, young, also har’arah, girl, maiden, as seen in Exodus and Ruth.)

     In the Old Testament Isaiah prophesied at 735 B.C. the 'Advent of the Messiah' which can be seen in Isaiah 53.    Another Chapter of Isaiah is:

  • Isaiah 7:10-14 "…Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God, …the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

     Also in Isaiah 7:14, the Lord himself gave us a …

  • sign (Heb. ‘owth, oth, probably from Heb. ‘uwth, ooth, a primary root, properly to come, to assent, (in the sense of appearing), a signal, a flag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence, also see Heb. mopheth, a miracle, omen, Gr. semeion, an indication, and note that Jesus assured the scribes and Pharisees that no sign was to be given them except the sign of Jonah, whose experience in the fish portrayed Christ’s burial and resurrection.)
       … that a …
  • virgin (Heb. ‘almah al-maw’, fem. of ‘elem, lad, thus a lass (as veiled or private), damsel, maid, virgin, basically a young woman of marriageable age).
       … would …
  • conceive (Heb. hareh, haw-reh’, or hariy (Hos. 14:1), haw-ree’, from Heb. harah, haw-raw’, pregnant: - (be, women) with child, conceive),
       … and have a …
  • son (Heb. ben, bane, from Heb. banah, to build, as in the builder of the family name),
       … which would be named …
  • Immanuel (Heb. ‘Immanuw’el, im-maw-noo-ale’, from Heb. ‘im, eem, with, and Heb. ‘el, ale, the Almighty, or God, with suffix pronoun ins.; with us (is) God; also referenced as a typical name of Isaiah’s son, its meaning generally is 'God is with us')."

     This is Israel’s Messiah, the revelation of the true King, who would share the poverty and affliction of his people and whose character and work would entitle him to the great names of Isaiah 9:6.

   This is also shown to have occurred in the New Testament in Matthew 1:22-23 which uses parthenos for the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.    Mary (Gr. Maria, Mariam, from the Heb. miryam), the mother of Jesus, was a descendant from David.    Her husband Joseph was a carpenter living in Nazareth and was also of Davidic descent.

• Matthew 1:18 "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
• 1:19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
• 1:20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
• 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
• 1:22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
• 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
• 1:24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
• 1:25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

   Well before 210 B.C. the Twelve minor Prophets Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi all prophesied the advent of the Messiah, much like we hear in our own time from the preachers of the Second Coming during the evangelical period before the Age of Aquarius began in 1950 A.D.