The Monarch Butterfly—An Illustration of Transformation—Part 8—The Fourth Temptation and Other Gospel fours

 

Monarch Butterfly

Introduction and Review

In the previous part of this study, we examined Jesus' transformative teachings and healings. This part will cover The fourth Temptation of Christ, the transformation of a woman and her community, and four warnings that Jesus gives His disciples. 

The Temptation of Christ by James Tissot
Brooklyn Museum

The Fourth Temptation

Jesus experienced five temptations throughout his life. Three are noted explicitly in Matthew, chapter four. The theme of four should be pointed out in the wilderness temptation scene and its forty-day (4 x 10) time period.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, 

• “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.

”But He answered and said, 'It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ 

• ” Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, 'If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ 

” Jesus said to him, 'It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ” 

• Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” 

Then Jesus said to him, Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” 

Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

— Matthew 4:1-11

The third temptation contains a key phrase about rebuking "Satan" that links it to the fourth temptation in Matthew 16.

From that time, Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. 

Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” 

But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” 

— Matthew 16:21-23

In the first three temptations, Jesus was being tempted by a spirit being. Things that are spirit are categorized by the number three. In the fourth temptation, Jesus is tempted by a physical being. Both of the tempters try to talk Him out of the suffering part of His mission by taking the easy way out, and in both cases, Jesus rebukes Satan.

There is also a fifth temptation that is less obvious and occurs in the Garden of Gethsemane. This scene is noted in all four Gospels. Jesus is about to fulfill His mission of suffering and death at the hands of humanity. Notice that the text centers once again on the theme of temptation.

Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. When He came to the place (the Garden of Gethsemane, according to Matthew), He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 

And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 

When He rose up from prayer and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. When He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” 

— Luke 22:39-46

The number five in Scripture categorizes the theme of grace. In this account, Jesus prays to choose God's will rather than His own in the face of this great trial and temptation. Grace is granted to Him in the form of an Angel who appears and strengthens Him to continue in this monumental journey of suffering. In that great suffering, great grace was also granted to us.

The Samaritan Passover sacrifice (Korban Pesach) - Mount Gerizim by Deror Avi

Four Months Then Comes the Harvest

In chapter four of the fourth gospel, Jesus speaks to a Samaritan woman of questionable character and very "worldly" conduct. In His discourse with her, He uses the created things, such as a well and water, to image spiritual truths relevant to her core life problem: who and what she worships. Isn't it true that our earthly troubles are all very spiritual at the core and center around who and what we worship? As she discovers who Jesus is, she transforms an entire community with the enthusiastic testimony of her encounter with the Messiah.

While the woman at the well runs off to make this grand announcement, Jesus has a little lesson for His disciples as well, comparing physical things like hunger and eating with spiritual truths about the satisfaction of doing God's will. The salvation of the souls of men is first and foremost on His mind concerning His will. At this time, a sea of Samaritans, all dressed in white, as they still do to this day, came to see for themselves and know the Messiah Jesus. It is at this moment that He tells His disciples.

Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! 

— John 4:35 

In Middle Eastern agriculture, it took four months from seed to harvest. Jesus said that in the natural fields of the earth, it would be four months before the fields would be white, signaling the timing of their harvest. Still, He had just planted one seed that very day in the heart of a lowly woman at a well, which immediately produced a harvest of the souls of men!

"His prophetic eye takes in all mankind, whose conversion, begun by Him, would be fully accomplished by His disciples."

— Meyer's New Testament

Is it any wonder that the first four disciples were fishermen who would illustrate Christ's purpose on the earth that all men would be invited to follow Him?

Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. 

— Matthew 4:19

He left them with this revelation of His governance of both spiritual and created things.

... “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth ... Therefore... 

— Matthew 28:18-19 

... Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature 

— Mark 16:15

Note that there was a total of twelve disciples, which is 4 times 3. Three is the number of the substantial reality and solidity of the spiritual realm. Therefore, the twelve represented how the Kingdom of God (spiritual dimension - 3) would be established, solidified, and realized on the earth (natural dimension - 4) 

Our Father in heaven
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth (4) as it is in heaven. (3)

— Luke 11:2

This theme continues into Acts chapter one when Christ appears to His disciples after His death and resurrection, which occurred at the beginning of the fourth day. He continues to instruct them about the things of His Kingdom and how, as followers of Christ, they would affect the earth as witnesses of the Lord Jesus Himself and the realities of His Kingdom. His followers appear to be more concerned about the earthly kingdom when they ask.

“Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 

— Acts 1:6

Jesus redirects them by giving them four progressive earthly spheres of influence. He will empower them to reach out with the transforming love of the Gospel's invitation to an everlasting spiritual kingdom.

You shall be witnesses to Me in

1. Jerusalem, and in all
2. Judea and
3. Samaria,
4. and to the end of the earth.

— Acts 1:8

Keep in mind that this statement was issued by Jesus just ten days before and in anticipation of the fourth required biblical feast, Shavuot, known by four names (Shavuot, Feast of Weeks, Firstfruits, and Pentecost), which celebrates the wheat harvest and the giving of the Torah. 

It was in fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy by Joel, which is four chapters long, that took place at the time of Shavuot, giving four manifestations that could be observed by those to whom the Gospel would be delivered.

And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh

1. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
2. Your old men shall dream dreams,
3. Your young men shall see visions.
4. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants

I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

— Joel 2:28-29

Once again, we can conclude that God's will is for His Kingdom to be the dominating force and influence over all that He has made.

Wheat originated in the Middle East, in an area known as the "Fertile Crescent." There are four wild species from which our domestic varieties formerly came. It is now cultivated worldwide. What an image for the Gospel and those who hear it. According to Wikipedia, it is grown on more land area than any other food, and world trade in wheat is greater than for all other crops combined. 

Some wild varieties are tetraploid, meaning they contain four sets of chromosomes.

There are six classifications of wheat. Six is the number of humankind, and we can see how this, too, relates to the salvation of the souls of men who come to Christ.

Shavuot was the fourth of seven Biblical observances. Its central theme was the wheat harvest, representing the souls of men who would be gathered, saved, and harvested through preaching the Gospel in the end times.

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. 

— Matthew 24 (4 x 6/man):14 (4 x 2)

Matthew chapter 24 primarily deals with events to come upon the earth and its inhabitants at the end of time. Four chapters after the Above verse, Christ gives His disciples the great commission, accompanying the Good News.

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. 

— Matthew 28:18

In Acts chapter ten, Peter has a vision of the Gospel being presented to the Gentiles, represented by the four corners of a sheet containing four-footed animals. The vision depicts the Gospel that was to be preached to every man on the earth, in every corner of creation. It was also in response to a gentile man's fasting and prayer for four days.

The feeding of the 4000 is relevant to this as well. There are two events where Jesus miraculously feeds people through his disciples' service. One is the 5000 (the only miracle besides the resurrection recorded in all four gospels), representing the Jews to whom Jesus first came. This thought explains the twelve baskets left over and speaks of the twelve tribes of Israel (Jews). The four thousand represented the Gospel that would be preached to all the ends of the earth and marked with the seven (completion, satisfaction) baskets remaining. Both referred to the salvation of both Jews and Gentiles, completing God's plan.

Miracle Wheat

The Harvest Butterfly

To the native people of the Mexican mountains, where the Monarchs overwinter for four months, covering over four hectares out of 56,000 (4 x 14,000) hectares of a nature reserve, the Monarch is known as the "Harvest Butterfly" because the butterflies arrive at the same time as the corn harvest. 

Jesus is discussing future events, including four warnings, with four of His disciples.
Sweet Media Publishing 

Four Warnings With Four Disciples

In three of the Gospels, Jesus gives his disciples signs of the end times. In Mark's Gospel, Jesus discussed the signs of the times, issuing four warnings to four of his disciples: Peter, James, John, and Andrew. Four categorizes end times and destructive forces. 

Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, 

1. Peter, 

2. James, 

3. John, 

4. and Andrew ... 

... asked Him privately, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?” 

— Mark 13:3-4  

The First of the Four Warnings—Deception

Jesus first warned of being misled by those who claim to be Him. 

And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many. 

— Mark 13:5-6

Matthew's Gospel further details that these false messiahs will perform great signs and wonders.

Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 

— Matthew 24:23-24

The Second of Four Warnings—Wars and Rumors of Wars

Jesus told His disciples that the frequency of wars and rumors of wars was not technically the end but the beginning of birth pangs that would signal the beginning of the end. He names four created realm occurrences in His discourse.

But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. 

1. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 

2. And there will be earthquakes in various places, 

3. And there will be plagues and famines 

4. and troubles, terrors, and great signs from Heaven. These are the beginnings of sorrows. 

— Mark 13:7-8; Luke 21:11 

The great signs from Heaven most likely refer to events concerning the sun, moon, and stars, which were all created on the fourth day for signs and seasons. (Genesis 1:14), which coincide with events during the tribulation.

And there will be signs in the 

1. sun, in the moon, and in the stars; 

2. and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, 

3. The sea and the waves roaring. 

4. men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 

— Luke 21:25-26

The Third of Four Warnings—The Abomination of Desolation

So when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not” (let the reader understand) ... 

— Mark:13:14

The Abomination of Desolation was prophesied about in the Book of Daniel. This abomination refers to future events that were cyclically linked and would recur in the end times. The first event occurred during the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes IV, King of the Greek Empire, who ruled over the biblical territories during the time period between the two Testaments. There was a 400-year period during which no word of the Lord was recorded. Antiochus Epiphanes insisted on the Jews' secularization and desecrated their temple by sacrificing a pig on the altar, pouring pig broth on their scrolls, and making the priests eat pork. The temple was turned into a Greek cult center. The second event will be at the end times with an anti-Christ figure. 

There were four instructions given when the abomination of desolation was recognized.

1. Let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 

2. Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house. 

3. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. "But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!" 

4. And pray that your flight may not be in winter. For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. 

— Mark 13:15-19 

The Fourth of Four Warnings—Persecution

“But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. 

— Mark 9:9