2014 PROPHETIC FOUR (2)
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. What is the Fourth Book of the Bible?
i) The fourth book of the Bible is Numbers. In Hebrew it is called B'Midbar, i.e., the Wilderness. The Gematria (substituting numbers for letters) of B'Midbar is 248 (4x62).
ii) It relates to the earth, which is a wilderness compared with Heaven; and to our pilgrimage through it. It tells of Meribah and striving (20:13), and records the history of the murmurings, rebellions, and wanderings.
2. What is the Fourth Book of the Psalms?
i) The fourth book of the Psalms is the Book of the Wilderness. The first Psalm is the "Prayer of Moses, the man of God," - the man of the wilderness. All the illustrations and metaphors, etc., are drawn from the earth, and this fourth book sets forth God's counsels and purposes in relation to the earth. (See Psalms 90-106.)
ii) In the First Book of the Psalms (1-41), the fourth Psalm has to do with earth.* It tells how there is nothing satisfying in it; that apart from God there can be no real prosperity in the earth.
iv) The Fourth Commandment is the first that refers to the earth.
v) The fourth clause of the Lord's Prayer is the first that mentions the earth.
3. How does the number 4 symbolize the death of Christ?
i) The death and life of Christ are set forth by a four-fold type and record. His death. The four great offerings (Psalm 40:6).*
4. How does the number 4 symbolize the 7 parables of Matthew 13?
i) The seven parables of Matthew 13 are divided into four and three; and while the three are spoken inside the house (verse 36) to the disciples, and reveal esoteric (or inner explanatory) truth, the four relate to exoteric truth, and concern the outward aspect of things in relation to the world, and hence were spoken outside the house (verse 1).
ii) But it is as composed of three PLUS one that we see the most marked illustrations of the ideal significance of the number four, the "one" marking an election out of the earth.
iii) Of the four great offerings, three were connected with blood and life; while one was meal. The meal offering (Leviticus 2) was either baked in three ways (oven, flat-plate, or frying-pan); or not at all.
iv) The sin offering (Leviticus 4) was offered for three classes of individuals:
a) The Priest that is anointed (verse 3),
b) The Ruler (verse 22),
c) The Common person (verse 27) -
v) The materials of the Tabernacle were four, three being metals (gold, silver, brass); and one non-metal (wood).
vi) The coverings of the Tabernacle were four, - three animal (goats' hair, rams' skins, and badger skins); and one vegetable (fine linen).
vii) The ornamentations of the curtains were four, three being colors (blue, purple and scarlet); while one was a pattern (the cherubim).
viii) The Priests and Levites were of four orders or persons: one was Aaron and his sons (Aaronites); the three were the sons of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari (Levites).
ix) The Manna (Exodus 16:14,31) has a four-fold description, three referring to sight or appearance (small, white, round); and one to taste (sweet).
x) Of the four prohibited or unclean animals, three chewed the cud, but did not divide the hoof (camel, hare, and coney); while one divided the hoof, but did not chew the cud (the swine); and thus the swine stands out in marked contrast to the other three.
xi) Of the four Houses of God (i.e., erected by Divine plan) in the earth, three were, or will be, material, viz., the Tabernacle, the Temple (Solomon's), and Ezekiel's; whilst the one is a Spiritual house (1Peter 2:5).
xii) Four houses were built by Solomon; three were for himself, - his own house (1Kings 7:1), the house of the forest of Lebanon (verse 2), the house for Pharaoh's daughter (verse 8); while one was the House of the LORD (1Kings 6:37).
xiii) God's four sore judgments in the earth (Ezekiel 14:21): three are inanimate (the sword, famine, and pestilence); while one is animate (the noisome beast).
xiv)In Jeremiah 15:3, they are still four, but three are animate (dogs, fowls, and beasts), and one is inanimate (the sword).
xv) Of the four kinds of flesh in 1 Corinthians 15:39, three are animals (beasts, birds, and fishes); while one is human (man).
xvi) The four glories of 1 Corinthians 15:40, 41: three are celestial and are detailed (the sun, moon, and stars); while one is not detailed and is terrestrial.
xvii) The body is sown and raised (1Corinthians 15:42-44) in three ways that relate to corruptibility:
a) The body is sown "in corruption, raised in incorruption";
b) The body is sown "in dishonor, raised in glory";
c) The body is sown "in weakness, raised in power";
xviii) In the parable of the sower (Matthew 13) the kinds of soil are four; but three are characterized as being all alike in contrast to the one (viz., the wayside, the stony ground, and the thorns). These are all unprepared! while the one is good because it is prepared! The essence of the parable lies in this. It reduces the four soils to two, and confirms what is said of the two religions in our discussion of the number two.
xix) In the Lost Son's welcome (Luke 15), three things were material (the robe, the ring, and the shoes); while one was moral (the kiss).
xx) "The Seventy" went forth with a four-fold prohibition (Luke 10:4), of which three related to matters (carry no purse, no scrip, no shoes); while one related to action ("salute no man by the way").
The End ...
1. What is the Fourth Book of the Bible?i) The fourth book of the Bible is Numbers. In Hebrew it is called B'Midbar, i.e., the Wilderness. The Gematria (substituting numbers for letters) of B'Midbar is 248 (4x62).
ii) It relates to the earth, which is a wilderness compared with Heaven; and to our pilgrimage through it. It tells of Meribah and striving (20:13), and records the history of the murmurings, rebellions, and wanderings.
2. What is the Fourth Book of the Psalms?
i) The fourth book of the Psalms is the Book of the Wilderness. The first Psalm is the "Prayer of Moses, the man of God," - the man of the wilderness. All the illustrations and metaphors, etc., are drawn from the earth, and this fourth book sets forth God's counsels and purposes in relation to the earth. (See Psalms 90-106.)
ii) In the First Book of the Psalms (1-41), the fourth Psalm has to do with earth.* It tells how there is nothing satisfying in it; that apart from God there can be no real prosperity in the earth.
iii) We may note also the fourth Psalms of the other Books of the Psalms, viz: - Psalm 45 (the fourth of the second book), Psalm 76 (the fourth of the third book), Psalm 93 (the fourth of the fourth book), and Psalm 110 (the fourth of the fifth book). All these tell of Dominion in the earth, and they speak of the coming reign of earth's rightful King and Lord."Many there be that say, Who will show us any good?* The first Psalm speaks of Genesis and the counsels of God for man. The second tells of Exodus and deliverance from the hand of the enemy. The third tells of Leviticus - of Salvation being of the Lord, and how His blessing can be upon His people.
LORD, lift Thou up the light of Thy countenance upon us.
Thou hast put gladness in my heart
More than they have when their corn and their wine are increased."
(Psalm 4:6,7, Revised Version )
iv) The Fourth Commandment is the first that refers to the earth.
v) The fourth clause of the Lord's Prayer is the first that mentions the earth.
3. How does the number 4 symbolize the death of Christ?
i) The death and life of Christ are set forth by a four-fold type and record. His death. The four great offerings (Psalm 40:6).*
a. "Sacrifice [peace offering], and offering [meal offering], Thou wouldest not:ii) In the four Gospels we have the record of His life and obedience unto death. These are divided into 3 + 1, the three being similar, and hence called "Synoptic"; while the fourth stands out alone, written after the Churches had all failed, and presenting Christ not merely as offered and rejected by Israel, but as the one and only center of union and unity after His rejection, and in the midst of all the failure, confusion, and corruption.
b. Mine ears hast Thou opened.a. Burnt offering and sin offering hast Thou not required.
b. Then said I, Lo, I come," etc.
* Here the alternate structure shows that "b" and "b" relate to the obedience of Christ as the fifth great offering to which the four pointed.
4. How does the number 4 symbolize the 7 parables of Matthew 13?
i) The seven parables of Matthew 13 are divided into four and three; and while the three are spoken inside the house (verse 36) to the disciples, and reveal esoteric (or inner explanatory) truth, the four relate to exoteric truth, and concern the outward aspect of things in relation to the world, and hence were spoken outside the house (verse 1).
ii) But it is as composed of three PLUS one that we see the most marked illustrations of the ideal significance of the number four, the "one" marking an election out of the earth.
iii) Of the four great offerings, three were connected with blood and life; while one was meal. The meal offering (Leviticus 2) was either baked in three ways (oven, flat-plate, or frying-pan); or not at all.
iv) The sin offering (Leviticus 4) was offered for three classes of individuals:
a) The Priest that is anointed (verse 3),
b) The Ruler (verse 22),
c) The Common person (verse 27) -
v) The materials of the Tabernacle were four, three being metals (gold, silver, brass); and one non-metal (wood).
vi) The coverings of the Tabernacle were four, - three animal (goats' hair, rams' skins, and badger skins); and one vegetable (fine linen).
vii) The ornamentations of the curtains were four, three being colors (blue, purple and scarlet); while one was a pattern (the cherubim).
viii) The Priests and Levites were of four orders or persons: one was Aaron and his sons (Aaronites); the three were the sons of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari (Levites).
ix) The Manna (Exodus 16:14,31) has a four-fold description, three referring to sight or appearance (small, white, round); and one to taste (sweet).
x) Of the four prohibited or unclean animals, three chewed the cud, but did not divide the hoof (camel, hare, and coney); while one divided the hoof, but did not chew the cud (the swine); and thus the swine stands out in marked contrast to the other three.
xi) Of the four Houses of God (i.e., erected by Divine plan) in the earth, three were, or will be, material, viz., the Tabernacle, the Temple (Solomon's), and Ezekiel's; whilst the one is a Spiritual house (1Peter 2:5).
xii) Four houses were built by Solomon; three were for himself, - his own house (1Kings 7:1), the house of the forest of Lebanon (verse 2), the house for Pharaoh's daughter (verse 8); while one was the House of the LORD (1Kings 6:37).
xiii) God's four sore judgments in the earth (Ezekiel 14:21): three are inanimate (the sword, famine, and pestilence); while one is animate (the noisome beast).
xiv)In Jeremiah 15:3, they are still four, but three are animate (dogs, fowls, and beasts), and one is inanimate (the sword).
xv) Of the four kinds of flesh in 1 Corinthians 15:39, three are animals (beasts, birds, and fishes); while one is human (man).
xvi) The four glories of 1 Corinthians 15:40, 41: three are celestial and are detailed (the sun, moon, and stars); while one is not detailed and is terrestrial.
xvii) The body is sown and raised (1Corinthians 15:42-44) in three ways that relate to corruptibility:
a) The body is sown "in corruption, raised in incorruption";
b) The body is sown "in dishonor, raised in glory";
c) The body is sown "in weakness, raised in power";
xviii) In the parable of the sower (Matthew 13) the kinds of soil are four; but three are characterized as being all alike in contrast to the one (viz., the wayside, the stony ground, and the thorns). These are all unprepared! while the one is good because it is prepared! The essence of the parable lies in this. It reduces the four soils to two, and confirms what is said of the two religions in our discussion of the number two.
xix) In the Lost Son's welcome (Luke 15), three things were material (the robe, the ring, and the shoes); while one was moral (the kiss).
xx) "The Seventy" went forth with a four-fold prohibition (Luke 10:4), of which three related to matters (carry no purse, no scrip, no shoes); while one related to action ("salute no man by the way").
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