John,
I hope that one of the possible answers you're considering is: nothing at all.
People get weird about numbers. A perfect example of this is the number 666. Being as the readers were advised to calculate the number of the beast at the time Revelation was penned, it's likely that the much of the revelations pointed to preChristian Rome, and that the Beast was Nero. A numeric calculation of Nero Caeser in Hebrew and Aramaic totals to 666, and Nero persecuted the Church in much the same manner the beast was prophesied to.
But people are still looking for the mysterious 666 when, very possible, it only applied once and will never again.
Perhaps the number 14 also had a specific application at the time that is not relevant today.
"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants; things
which must shortly take place." (emphasis mine) Rev 1:1
Catholicsoldier <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/takethat.gif" alt="" />
