God wants us to know about the meaning of number 4 in the Bible. God’s Word contains no superfluous or random words, including numbers. God is a God of details, even minute details. Therefore, numbers in the Bible are significant. The study of Biblical numerology is not only interesting, but it unlocks deeper, hidden truths that God wants us to know.
God directly tells us to consider numbers when He described the beast in Revelation. He said in Revelation 13:18, “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.” (KJV). From this verse, God gave both the biblical meaning of the number six as the number of man, and He hinted at the special significance of numbers to encourage His people in the study of numbers in His Word.
Meaning of Number 4 In the Bible — The Basics
The number four is composed of three plus one (3+1). The spiritual significance of the number three represents the triune Godhead and can be considered as “God’s number.” Since the number four follows the number three, the number four represents the creative work of God, especially, but not limited to, the material universe and physical world. The number four is related to creation and the physical universe.
The creative work of God is summed up in Exodus 20:11 which says, “For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” (KJV) This verse shows the four general categories of God’s creation: heaven, earth, sea, and “everything else.” All that is has been created by God.
This concept is repeated in the New Testament in John 1:3: “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (KJV) Interestingly enough, this verse about creation is found in the fourth book of the New Testament. While this may be coincidental, being that this is God’s Word, I don’t think so.
Meaning of Number 4 in the Bible – The Natural World
In the natural world, scientists tell us that there are exactly four types of nucleotides found in a DNA molecule. DNA is the genetic code for every living thing on Earth. These nitrogenous bases of DNA are adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G) and thymine (T).
In a much broader sense, the number four divides the entire Earth into the four cardinal points: North, South, East and West.
There are four seasons in the natural world according to Genesis 8:22: “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” (KJV) We call these seasons, spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Each day can be divided into four parts, according to Mark 13:35: “Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning” (KJV). Today, we would say, morning, noon, evening, and night.
Meaning of Number 4 in the Bible — Creation and the Garden of Eden
During the creation week, according to the book of Genesis, God created all life in a four-day span, beginning with the third day of creation when He created plant life. In days 3 to 6, four days total, God created all life, and then He rested on the seventh day. On the fourth day of creation, God created the heavenly bodies; the sun, moon, and stars. These great lights that God created on the fourth day of creation were needed for the rest of God’s perfect creation.
The number four is significant also in the garden of Eden, since in the garden there was a single river that flowed out of the garden and parted into four heads (branches) according to Genesis 2:10. Perhaps this river that originated in Eden watered the four corners of the Earth? This is just an idea, and there is no Scripture to support it.
Meaning of Number 4 in the Bible — The Ten Commandments
When considering the Biblical significance of the number four in relation to the Ten Commandments that God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai, these specific commandments are recorded in Exodus chapter 20 and repeated in Deuteronomy 5: 7-21. The Fourth Commandment, according to Exodus 20:8, is “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.” (KJV) Of the Ten Commandments given in the Old Testament, nine are repeated in some form in the New Testament for Christian believers, except for this particular commandment — the sabbath day commandment.
Meaning of Number 4 in the Bible — The Tabernacle
The number four is significant in the construction of the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle was a holy place, a worship facility for the Jewish people before they built the Temple of Solomon. God instructed Moses to build the Tabernacle to be a place where God could dwell with His people.
Exodus 25:8 “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.” (KJV)
There is much symbolic meaning in the details of the Tabernacle’s construction, as described in the word of God specifically in Exodus chapters 26 through 36. All the details of the Tabernacle with its furnishings and related objects, silently, but powerfully, point to the coming Jesus Christ.
The basic materials used in the construction of the Tabernacle were gold, silver, brass, and wood.
The Tabernacle itself was a tent composed of four different types of curtains: linen (white), blue, purple, and scarlet.
Exodus 26:1 “Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.” (KJV)
Meaning of Number 4 in the Bible — The Tribes of Israel
When the children of Israel were wandering in the wilderness for forty years, forty begin a multiple of four, this was not a spiritual journey, it was an actual forty years of camping. During this time God had specific instructions for them in their daily lives, even as to how they would position themselves when they rested.
The twelve tribes were to camp positioned in four directions, and each of the cardinal directions contained three tribes. This resulted in four specific “camps.” Here is a diagram of the camps of Israel according to the way God instructed them in Numbers chapter 2. Interestingly enough, this positioning from an aerial view makes the shape of a cross. The cross itself used in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to represent the four corners of the Earth.
Meaning of Number 4 in the Bible — Proverbs Chapter 30
The number four is used in five different instances in the Book of Proverbs chapter 30. Here it is seen with the three-plus-one pattern. All of the references to the number four in this context are connected with humans, animals, or nature in general. The fourth item in each of the lists seems to give a sense of completeness.
Four Things Never Satisfied
Proverbs 30:15-16 “The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough: The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.” (KJV)
Four Things Too Wonderful
Proverbs 30:18-19 “There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: 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.” (KJV)
Four Things that Disquiet the Earth
Proverbs 30:21-23 “For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear: For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat; For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.” (KJV)
Four Little But Wise Things
Proverbs 30:24-28 “There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise: The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer; The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks; The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands; The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.”
Four Things Which Are Beautiful to Watch
Proverbs 30:29-31 “There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going: A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any; A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.” (KJV)
Meaning of Number 4 in the Bible — An Angel Number?
The number four is related to angels, especially angels known as “cherubim.” The Book of Ezekiel best describes these heavenly living creatures. Ezekiel 1:5-6 “Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.” (KJV)
From this verse we know that this particular type of angel has four faces and four wings. Later, the prophet Ezekiel describes the four faces of the cherubim. Ezekiel 1:10 “As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.” (KJV) The four faces were like a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle.
Later in the Book of Ezekiel, the four faces are described again, but this time, instead of the face of an ox, Ezekiel 10:14 says, “And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.” (KJV) Rather the word cherub (singular for cherubim) is replaced for the original wording of “ox.” Comparing the two Bible verses shows us that a cherub actually looks like an ox!
The four-faced and four-winged cherubim may or may not be what we would consider a guardian angel. However, this description does give a glimpse into the spiritual world where, like the material world, numbers are important.
Meaning of Number 4 in the Bible — Daniel’s Prophetic Vision
In one of his visions, the prophet Daniel saw four beasts, which he later understood as being four different kings. These four entities came out of the sea, again connecting the number four with nature.
Daniel 7:3 “And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.” (KJV) and Daniel 7:17 “These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. (KJV)
Meaning of Number 4 in the Bible — the Gospels
The life, work, and death of Jesus Christ is described in four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These four books are subdivided into a three-plus-one pattern. The first three Gospels record similar events of Jesus’ life and tend to focus more on His humanity. These three Gospels are called by Bible scholars “synoptic gospels.” The fourth Gospel, the Book of John, is a bit different, and focuses more on Christ’s divinity.
Meaning of Number 4 in the Bible — Book of Revelation
The Apostle John was given a vison of heaven that he recorded in the book called Revelation. Among many other marvelous and wonderful things, he saw four beasts (angels) around God’s throne, each with a different face and each having six wings. God’s throne room and the living creatures there are described in Revelation chapter 4.
Revelation 4:6-8 “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. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.” (KJV)
Jesus Christ redeemed four groupings of people according to Revelation 5:9: “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (KJV). Specifically, these four groups of people are “kindred,” “tongue,” “people,” and “nation.”
Another wonder that the Apostle John observed was the city called the New Jerusalem — the future dwelling place of God. This wonderful city is described as being foursquare. That is, all four dimensions, length, breath, width, and height are exactly the same. The Bible verse that describes this is Revelation 21:16 “And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.” (KJV)
This article on the meaning of number 4 in the Bible is not an exhaustive study of the many instances of the number four and its multiples. Rather, it is meant to highlight some of the basics where God chose to utilize the number four and should give an appreciation of the various biblical meaning of numbers all throughout the entire Bible.
For another article about the symbolic significance of numbers in the Bible, go to the blog post “Spiritual Significance of Number 9 in the Bible.”
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