What does 4 symbolize in the Bible?
The number 4 symbolizes creation, completion, and order. God created the physical earth on the 4th day, and much of creation revolves around the number 4. There are also 4 consonants in God’s Holy Name YWHW, 4 gospels that provide a complete view of Jesus’ ministry, and 4 mothers of the 12 tribes of Israel. The number 4 also frequently appears when God sends visions or instructions to His followers.
Creation
God finished creating the physical world on the 4th day. According to Genesis, on the 4th day God created the heaven, earth, sun and moon. He also divided the sky from the sea and caused plants to grow. Because the material world was created on the fourth day, it’s often associated with the number 4.
The number 4 is heavily represented in nature. God designated the 4 seasons when He created the world, dividing the year into 4 roughly equal parts. And 4 appears in a number of other natural divisions, including: 4 parts of the day: Morning, mid-day, evening, and night 4 cardinal directions: North, South, East, and West 4 lunar phases: New moon, waxing, full moon, and waning 4 rivers in Eden: According to Genesis 2:10–14, the great river in Eden divided itself into 4 major rivers: Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, and Euphrates 4 divisions of mankind: lands, tongues, nations, and kin (families)
The 12 sons of Jacob came from 4 mothers. God designated the sons of Jacob as the fathers of Israel—they were to be a nation of God’s chosen people. Jacob had 12 sons from 4 women (his two wives and two of their servants, a common practice at the time). The mothers of the 12 tribes of Israel are: Leah: Jacob’s first wife and mother to Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun . Rachel: Jacob’s beloved second wife and mother to Joseph and Benjamin. Bilhah: Rachel’s handmaiden and mother to Dan and Naphtali. Zilpah: Leah’s handmaiden and mother to Gad and Asher.
Completion
There are 4 consonants in God’s Divine Name (YHWH). In Exodus, God revealed to Moses that His name is YHWH. This 4-consonant name is known as the Tetragrammaton, which is Greek for “four letters.” In Exodus 3:14, God says, “I AM WHO I AM,” symbolizing that He is a complete and perfect being, which is represented in His name.
Completion is reflected in the 3 and 1 structure common in Proverbs. A series of passages starting in Proverbs 30:15 uses a literary technique that starts by describing a group of three things, but actually names four. This symbolizes that the fourth item completes the metaphor, creating a whole picture. A few of these verses include: Proverbs 30:15–16: “There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’: the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’” Proverbs 30:18–19: “There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand: the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on the rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a young woman.” Proverbs 30:29–31: “There are three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing: a lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing; a strutting rooster, a he-goat, and a king secure against revolt.”
The Bible uses 4 gospels to tell Jesus’ story. The 4 gospels give us a complete view of Jesus’ life. Each has its own perspective, emphasizing a different aspect of Jesus’ life and ministry: Matthew’s gospel is intended to show Hebrews that Jesus was the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament. Mark’s gospel is for non-Hebrews and shows that Jesus’ message and sacrifice was meant for all people. Luke’s gospel is meant as a historical record and to show the humanity of Jesus. John’s gospel intended to show that Jesus was both God and man.
Jesus brought Lazarus back to life on the 4th day. Many scholars believe that Jesus waited 4 full days to resurrect Lazarus so people would know that Lazarus was really and truly dead. This miracle showcased Jesus’ complete victory over death. This is supported by the fact that Jesus waited 2 days after learning that Lazarus was sick before he left to Bethany, where Lazarus lived. There was a Jewish tradition around the time of Jesus that a person’s soul didn’t leave their body until the fourth day after they died, which may also have influenced Jesus’ decision to wait the extra two days.
The 4th commandment is to honor the Sabbath day. The Sabbath day is meant to be a day of rest. It symbolizes the completion of a week’s work and honors the day of rest that God observed after creating the world. In this way, the 4th commandment represents both creation and completion.
Prophetic Visions and Godly Instructions
Daniel saw 4 beasts representing kingdoms. In Daniel chapter 7, Daniel sees a vision of 4 winds stirring up the sea, then 4 great beasts come out of the water. Each king represents a great kingdom of the time. The first beast is like a lion with the wings of an eagle and represents Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. The second beast is like a bear and represents the Medo-Persian Empire. The third beast is like a leopard with four heads and four wings and represents Greece. The fourth beast has bronze claws, iron teeth, and ten horns. It represents the Roman Empire.
The prophet Zechariah saw a vision of 4 horns. In Zechariah 1:18, the prophet says that he saw 4 horns, and the angel in his vision told him that these were the horns that had scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. He then saw 4 craftsmen coming to conquer the horns. Much like the beasts in Daniel, these horns are interpreted to be Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome—empires that threatened Israel.
Ezekiel saw 4 creatures carrying God’s throne. In the prophet Ezekiel’s first vision, described in Ezekiel chapter 1, he sees 4 living creatures carrying a throne (or chariot). Each creature had 4 faces, 4 wings and 4 sets of hands. God is sitting on the throne, where He delivers a message to Ezekiel. The creatures’ 4 faces are each a different animal: man, lion, ox, and eagle. Isaiah and John both saw similar creatures in their visions. Isaiah chapter 6 describes seraphim with 6 wings. Revelation chapter 4 also describes the throne of God as being surrounded by 4 living creatures with 6 wings.
Revelation describes 4 horsemen of the apocalypse. In Revelation chapter 6, John describes 4 riders on 4 horses, each of which unleashes havoc on earth. These 4 horsemen of the apocalypse represent the beginning of a difficult time on earth before the return of Jesus. The first rider, who rides a white horse, may represent the Antichrist that conquers anyone who stands against him. The second rider, who has a red horse, may represent widespread war. The third rider, who rides a black horse, brings famine and inflation. The fourth rider, on a pale or green horse, unleases disease.
The city of New Jerusalem has even “foursquare” dimensions. New Jerusalem is described in several places throughout the New Testament, including Revelations chapter 21, where it appeared in a vision to John. He described it as a city that will come down from heaven at the end of the world, and it’s 1,400 mi (2,300 km) high, wide, and long—perfectly square on every side.
God told Ezekiel he would send 4 judgments against Jerusalem. When leaders of Israel came to Ezekiel, God was not happy with the idolatry in their hearts. Ezekiel prophesied to these leaders that God was preparing a judgment against the city of Jerusalem that would consist of 4 parts: “sword and famine and wild beasts and pestilence.” (Ezekiel 14:21–23)
Sacred Measurements
The tabernacle had a veil with 4 colors and 4 pillars. In Exodus chapter 26, God gave Moses specific instructions on how to build His tabernacle. As part of the tabernacle, Moses was to have craftsmen create curtains with 4 colors—white (linen), blue, purple, and scarlet. Additionally, there was to be a special curtain decorated with cherubim, hung on 4 acacia pillars with silver bases. This curtain was intended to separate the Holy Place form the Most Holy Place, which held the ark of the covenant.
The Israelite camp was divided into 4 parts around the Tabernacle. After the Tabernacle was completed, God designated it as the center of the Israelite camp. He gave specific instructions for how the tribes were to camp around the Tabernacle: a small group was placed in the center of the camp, followed by: The tribes of Dan, Asher, and Naphtali to the north The tribes of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulon to the east The tribes of Gad, Simeon, and Reuben to the south The tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin to the west
Ezekiel’s temple featured groups of 4 tables. These tables were specifically intended for sacrificing offerings to God—there were 4 on one side of the temple and 4 on the other. There were also 4 tables that were intended for burnt offerings. The altar in the temple was 4 cubits high, the altar heart was another 4 cubits high, and there were 4 horns coming out of the hearth.
Multiples of 4
The number 40 is often used to represent a trial. It’s meant to indicate a long period, often one of hardship. It usually refers to days or years: During the Great Flood in Genesis chapters 6–9, it rained for 40 days and 40 nights. In Exodus chapter 34, Moses spent 40 days and nights on Mount Sinai when he received the 10 Commandments. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, taking place across Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Joshua. Matthew chapter 4 and Luke chapter 4 describe Jesus being tempted in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights. According to Acts 1:3, Jesus walked with his followers for 40 days after his resurrection and before his ascension
The number 400 usually represents a large number. In many cases, it’s probably meant to be metaphorical. It’s used to refer to large groups of people or a long length of time: In Genesis chapter 15, God tells Abraham his descendents will face 400 years of affliction. David gathers a group of 400 supporters in 1 Samuel chapter 25. Esau brings 400 men to kill Jacob in Genesis chapter 25. Large armies are sometimes described as having 400,000 members, like in Judges 19.
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