The Spiritual Significance Of Numbers in the Scriptures: Four = The Whole
Get the audio: Complete
The number four throughout God's Word signifies the whole of what ever is under discussion.
The Whole Earth
Genesis 2:10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads
Waters in scripture symbolize Gods nourishing Word. It is symbolized here as the nourishment for the WHOLE earth.
The Whole Tribulation Of God's Elect
Genesis 15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
Four hundred years symbolizes the whole period of tribulation endured by God's elect at the hands of the world. Egypt was a very religious society. As such it symbolized Israel being carried away into Babylon long before Israel was carried away as slaves into Babylon. Babylon is simply God's people in captivity in the world. Four hundred years is but the Whole as opposed to the complete period of time when God's elect are "strangers in a land that is not theirs." Four hundred is the symbol for the time God's elect spend in the flesh:
Job 14:1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
Psalms 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth ["a land that is not theirs"]
1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
The Whole Of The Flesh Is To Be Subdued By God's Elect
2 Samuel 21:22 These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.
The Whole Of God's Elect
1 Samuel 22:2 And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.
The Whole Process Of Salvation
Proverbs 30:15 The horseleach hath two daughters [Protestants and Catholics], crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:
Proverbs 30:16 The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.
The Whole Process Of Apostasy
Proverbs 30:18 There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
Proverbs 30:19 The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.
Proverbs 30:20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
Meaning:
Ephesians 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Matthew 13:4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
Matthew 13:19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Revelation 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
1 Corinthians 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ
Rev 18:17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
Revelation 18:18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
Revelation 18:19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
The Whole Of God's Elect
Isaiah 11:12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
'Four' in the New Testament
The whole body should care for the whole body:
Mark 2:3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
John 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
The whole of death will be destroyed:
John 11:17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.
Our whole covering is Christ:
John 19:23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
The whole time of our struggles with the flesh:
Acts 7:6 And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.
The whole of mankind will be called of God:
Acts 10:11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: [The animals in this sheet represent all men]
Wholeness of Patience:
Acts 10:30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,
Whole hearted vigilance on the part of the Adversary.
Acts 12:4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
The whole church should witness of Christ:
Acts 21:9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.
The whole church is still under the law:
Acts 21:23 Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
Being wholly anchored in any way:
Acts 27:29 Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.
The whole of God's elect:
Matthew 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Revelation 4:6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
Revelation 6:6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
Revelation 15:7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth forever and ever.
The whole spirit working with the whole church:
Revelation 7:1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
The whole strength of the cross (the altar is the cross), versus the strength of the flesh:
Revelation 9:13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
Revelation 9:14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
Revelation 9:15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
The whole world is deceived:
Revelation 20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
