The Monarch Butterfly—An Illustration of Transformation—Part 2—Creation and the Number Four

Part 1 of this series introduced the origins of this study and explained how the number four relates to transformation. The Monarch butterfly was shown to be an exquisite example.

This second part of the series will take a closer look at how this concept translates in the created world. 

Winjen Dominicus Van's Allegory of Creation

Four's Relationship to God's Word and Creation

Before I continue discussing the phases of development of the Monarch butterfly, it is relevant to start with the importance and meaning of the number four in nature and in God's Word. Of course, these are always consistent with each other, especially considering that the Word and Wisdom of God created the world. F.W. Grant, a late 1800s Bible Scholar, also made this connection in his book The Numerical Bible.

"Why should not a law of numbers pervade the Scripture also, and link God's Work and His Word together ..."

According to Dr. Noah Hutchings, the number four is mentioned about 400 times in the Bible, as noted in his book "God the Master Mathematician." Notably, the Bible was written by 44 authors. It is also worth noting that the Bible's first sentence in Hebrew contains 28 letters (4 x 7). Four indicates created things, and seven categorizes God's fulfillment.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
— Genesis 1:1

בראשית ברא אלהים את השמים ואת הארץ

The very first sentences of Genesis are the written record of the beginning of all things created. The first four recorded acts of God concern the formation and transformation of the universe. Then comes a "change" with days five and six, when the scriptures record that He filled the Earth and sea with living creatures, and on the seventh, He rested. 

Acts 4:24 reiterates the first clause of the Bible and confirms this pattern in a prayer by the early Apostles, which does so in four elements.

“Lord, You are God, who made 

1. heaven
2. and earth
3. and the sea,
4. and all that is in them."

The late Brad Scott from Wildbranch Ministry also makes these fascinating observations in his teaching of the biblical number four, relative to the created material universe, along with its processes and functions

"On the first day, we see YHVH restoring by four means: He said, He saw, He divided, and He called. On the second day, we see YHVH restoring His creation by four means: He said, He made, He divided, and He called. On the fourth day, we see YHVH restoring the earth by four means: He said, He made, He set, and He saw. On the seventh day, we see our Creator giving His creation the pattern for Shabbat by ending, resting, blessing, and sanctifying. He does these four things on four of the seven days. On the fourth day, the material creation is complete or tov. Our Creator shows us His creation through the number four from the very beginning."

The ancients considered there to be four elements.

1. earth
2. fjire
3. air
4. and water

Modern science observes and acknowledges that the entire universe consists of and functions by four elements.

1. time
2. space
3. matter
4. and energy

These are consistent with the biblical account of the beginning of all things.

"In the beginning ..." (time), "God created the heavens" (space), "and the earth" (matter)...Then God said, “Let there be light (energy).” 

— Genesis 1:1,3

"Let there be light."

Day One—Light

Light, also known as electromagnetic radiation, is the first transformation mentioned in Genesis chapter one. Light has four properties.

1. Light travels in straight lines.
2. Light can be reflected.
3. Light can bend.
4. Light is a form of energy.  

For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
— II Corinthians 4:6

Paul's transformation was an experience with light. Paul mentions this light in his testimony before King Agrippa four times. (Acts 22:6,9,11, 26:13) Paul then testifies to King Agrippa about the transformative mission of this visitation of light.

I (Jesus the light) now send you (Paul), to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me. 

— Acts 26:17 

The cone shows possible values of the wave 4-vector of a photon (quantum of light - force carrier of electromagnetic radiation/light). Time and eternity intersect at the cross. 

Day Two—Space

On the second day of the creation account, God creates space or atmosphere by dividing the waters above from the waters below. Water has four properties.

1. cohesion,
2. adhesion,
3. temperature moderation,
4. and versatile solvent

God also creates the "firmament" or heavens, which could be considered the atmosphere and/or space, and has four layers.

1. troposphere,
2. stratosphere,
3. mesosphere,
4. and thermosphere

The atmosphere consists of four elemental gases.

1. Nitrogen
2. oxygen
3. argon
4. and carbon dioxide

Air itself has four properties.

1. It takes up space
2. It has measurable mass
3. It exerts pressure
4. Air has temperature

Four-Stage Water Cycle

Before continuing with space, our second element of creation, an interesting note regarding the subject of waters mentioned in the above verse is that the water cycle itself follows a four-stage transformation process.

1. Collection
2. evaporation
3. condensation
4. and precipitation

It has a four-stage convection process, illustrated in the image below, as it moves about the Earth. One demonstrates a type of heavenly process, and the other an earthly one.

Math

This little detour might be an excellent place to insert the mathematics part of this study. Math will be an integral part of the rest of this series and revelation, and no wonder that it is, considering math itself is the transformation of numbers through the four processes.

1. addition
2. subtraction
3. multiplication
4. and division

Maxwell's Equations are a set of four complex equations that describe electromagnetism.

Kinematic equations are another type of four equations that can predict unknown information about an object's motion.

There are also four levels of measurement.

1. nominal
2. ordinal
3. interval
4. and ratio

A form of Biblical math is called Gematria, in which the letters of the Hebrew alphabet are treated as numbers. This ancient concept might be more familiar in the context of Roman numerals, where letters were also used as numbers for mathematical and linguistic purposes. The Hebrew method differs in that the numbers and formulas produced by the numeric values are consistent with the meanings of the words they spell. An example from our study is that words divisible by four are most likely to carry the themes of creation and transformation. There are four methods of doing Gematria.

1. absolute value
2. ordinal value
3. reduced value
4. and integral reduced value 

Four Dimensional Space

Paul's Fourth Dimension

There are three dimensions of space: length, width, and height. Science is now considering a fourth dimension based on algebraic formulations that reveal this. Paul prays about four "dimensions" of knowing Christ and being filled with His fullness.

... that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 

— Ephesians 3:14-19 

 

Given our referencing space and dimension, Paul wants us to be filled in every sphere and "dimension" of our lives with the comprehension of the love of God. Sphere, "dimension," and the potential of created things are communicated by the number four. 

Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the Lord. 

— Jeremiah 23:24 

 

Third Day—Matter

On the third day, the dry land appears (matter).

There are four states of matter.

1. solid
2. liquid
3. gas
4. and plasma

In terms of the material Earth itself, there are four spatial directions. 

1. North
2. South
3. East
4. and West

These divide the Earth into four hemispheres. There are 360 degrees (4 x 90) in a circle that describes the Earth.

The Earth also has four layers.

1. inner core
2. liquid core
3. mantle
4. and crust

Its circumference is approximately 40,000 Kilometers, or 24,000 miles (4x6).

There are four components of soil.

1. minerals
2. organic matter
3. water
4. and air 

The Earth also has four major oceans.

1. Pacific
2. Atlantic
3. Arctic
4. and Indian 

The Earth's primary landmasses can also be divided into four groups.

1. Afro-Eurasia
2. Americas
3. Antarctica
4. and Australia

An additional fun fact is that North America has four major deserts.

1. The Great Basin
2. Mojave
3. Sonoran
4. and Chihuahuan 

In terms of distance, there are 5280 (4 x 1320) feet in a mile, 36 (4 x 9) in a yard, and 12 (4 x 3) in a measured foot.

Third Day: Fruit Trees and Botanical Life

Fruit trees, also created on the third day, weren't considered fully mature or developed until the fourth year of growth.

‘When you come into the land, and have planted all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count their fruit as uncircumcised. Three years it shall be as uncircumcised to you. It shall not be eaten. But in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, a praise to the Lord.
— Leviticus 19:23-24

In his commentary, Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible, John Gill notes that this was beneficial to the tree, allowing it to grow stronger, and to the eater, as fruit produced before its maturity was considered of no nutritional benefit to man. They thought it to be possibly harmful.

Sukkot, a Biblical Jewish feast observed as a memorial of their wilderness earthly journey to the promised land, is also celebrated in appreciation and acknowledgment of the gifts of the Earth God has provided. It uses four plant and fruit species in its observance.

And you shall take for yourselves on the first day

1. the fruit of beautiful trees,

2. branches of palm trees,

3. the boughs of leafy trees,

4. and willows of the brook;

... and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days

— Leviticus 23:40

 In general, there are four main categories of plants that all exhibit transformation processes.

1. mosses
2. ferns
3. conifers
4. and flowering plants

Each of these consists of four main parts.

1. roots
2. stems
3. leaves
4. and flowers

The four parts of the flower are:

1. petal
2. stamen
3. sepal
4. and carpel

The carpel is the female reproductive organ and has four parts

1. ovary
2. eggs
3. style
4. an stigma

They go through four stages of development.

1. germination
2. vegetation
3. lowering fruit development
4. maturation 

Four hormones govern this development.

1. auxins
2. gibberellins
3. cytokinins
4. abscisic

The fourth day of creation

Fourth Day—Time—Sun, Moon, and Stars

On the fourth day, we see the creation of markers for the passage of time. Time is a natural event in contrast to eternity.

God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for ... 

1. signs 

2. and seasons 

3. and for days 

4. and years 

... and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so. Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the fourth day. 

— Genesis 1:14-19

Revelation chapter 8 (4x2) includes each of the fourth-day elements in its announcement of judgment to the Earth's inhabitants.

Then the fourth angel sounded:

1. And a third of the sun was struck,
2. a third of the moon,
3. and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened.
4. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night (time)

And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth.

— Revelation 8:12

Revelation 16 (4x4) begins with the topic of the angel's instructions for judgment on the created Earth.

Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.
— Revelation 16:1

The fourth angel's judgment, including the fourth-day element of the sun, discusses the transformative act of repentance.

Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire, and men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.
— Revelation 16:8-9

The Greek word translated as "blasphemed" appears four times in Revelation (Rev 13:6, 16:9, 11, 21). It refers to humankind's refusal to acknowledge the God who created all things and to repent of their wickedness, as noted in the second occurrence in chapter 16.

They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.
— Revelation 16:11

Four things are listed that humankind did not repent from.

But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their ...

1. murders or their
2. sorceries or their
3. sexual immorality
4. or their thefts.
— Revelation 9:20-21

Four shows us that repentance is part of the transformation process and that God will do everything physically and naturally possible to save a man's soul.

In terms of quantum physics, time is considered the fourth dimension.

The fourth-day account is the first time the word "sign" is used, which, in Hebrew pictographic language, is represented by a cross with its four directional arms. The second mention of the term "sign" is, would you believe, in Genesis chapter four, relating to the first birth and death, which are evidence of our physicality.

Four Terrestrial Planets and Four Gaseous Planets

As it concerns the planets, it is noted, according to Wikipedia, that there are four terrestrial (or rocky) planets in the Solar System:

1. Mercury
2. Venus
3. Earth
4. Mars

There are also four giant gas planets in the Solar System.

1. Jupiter
2. Saturn
3. Uranus
4. Neptune

Four moons of Jupiter, known as the Galilean moons, are readily visible from Earth.

It is noted that the fourth day contains the first mention of the word "sign," and the second mention is in Genesis chapter four. Could God's organizing His creation and truth in this mathematical form be a sign of who has done all these things? 

Who among all these does not know 

That the hand of the Lord has done this. 

— Job 12:9

The fourth Word of the Bible in Hebrew is, in a sense, a reference to time in the sense of beginning and end. It is an untranslated word consisting of two letters, Aleph and Tav. Aleph and tav are the first and last letters of the Hebrew Aleph-Bet and, in Greek, correspond to what most Christians are familiar with: Alpha and Omega, which are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.

"I am the Alpha (Aleph) and the Omega (Tav), the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty".
— Revelation 1:8

And, of course, the phrase "Alpha and Omega" occurs four times.

"Aleph," the first letter of "aleph" and "tav," occurs four times within the first four words of the Bible. The tav, pictographically speaking, is the sign of the cross.

Seasons

Categorically speaking, regarding time, there are four seasons.

1. spring
2. summer
3. fall
4. and winter 

After the flood, God covenanted with creation through four words that express seasonal patterns, processes, and cycles on Earth.

“While the earth remains,

1. seed time and harvest
2. cold and heat
3. winter and summer
4. and day and night

Shall not cease.” 

— Genesis 8:22

Many climates have dry and rainy seasons, each divided into four parts. They consist of two rainy seasons, referred to in the Bible as the early and latter rains, and two dry seasons between them. 

"Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest, Sun, moon and stars in their courses above, Join with all nature in manifold witness To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love".
— From the Hymn "Great is Thy Faithfulness" written by Thomas O. Chisholm, composed by William Runyan

There are also four biblical divisions of the day.

1. morning
2. noon
3. evening
4. and night

The Bible also refers to time markers as "watches," which divide both day and night into four equal 3-hour sections. It is the fourth watch of the night that Jesus comes to His disciples walking on the sea, demonstrating that He had stepped into the created realm of time while yet holding authority over the physical natural world.

Now in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.
—Matthew 14:25

In modern timekeeping, there are 24 time zones (4 x 6), 24 (4 x 6) hours in each day, 60 (4 x 15) minutes in every hour, and 60 (4 x 15) seconds in a minute. In a Biblical year, there are 360 days (4 x 90). 

Four lunar phases are also noted in marking months (4 weeks) and appointed times- new moon, crescent moon, gibbous moon, and full moon. Even notice that there are 12 (4 x 3) in each year.

There are at least four eclipses annually: two lunar and two solar

In his fourth epistle to the Galatians, Paul refers to this world's weak and beggarly elements. Before Christ's redemption, we were in bondage to these elements, and Paul gives four observances of time.

... how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe ...

days
and months
and seasons
and years
— Galatians 4:9:10

There are four Jewish New Year's.

1. Passover
2. Time of Selichot in preparing for the High Holy Days
3. Rosh Hashanah
4. And Shevat 15, Tithe of the fruit trees

Ecclesiastes—Time

Ecclesiastes is well known for his use of the phrase "under the sun," which is a poetic expression of our natural, physical life on the earth. He mentions all the futility experienced on earth from a subjective point of view rather than a spiritual perspective. 

A portion of the Book of Ecclesiastes effectively sums up the concept of created time by asserting that all of creation, including time and experience, will serve the creator's purposes.

Notice in the following excerpt from Ecclesiastes 3 that each verse contains four "times" or seasons for things on the earth, and seven sections consist of four lines, each indicating God's perfect fulfillment.

To everything there is a season (ziman used 4x in Scripture), 

A time for every purpose under heaven:

 

A time to be born, 

And a time to die; 

A time to plant, 

And a time to pluck what is planted; 

A time to kill, 

And a time to heal; 

A time to break down, 

And a time to build up; 

A time to weep, 

And a time to laugh; 

A time to mourn, 

And a time to dance; 

A time to cast away stones, 

And a time to gather stones; 

A time to embrace, 

And a time to refrain from embracing; 

A time to gain, 

And a time to lose; 

A time to keep, 

And a time to throw away; 

A time to tear, 

And a time to sew; 

A time to keep silence, 

And a time to speak;

A time to love, 

And a time to hate; 

A time of war, 

And a time of peace. 

— Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

The "Preacher" wraps up his discourse by explaining that God is in control, regardless of our changing experiences on earth. It will ultimately serve His purpose, and all we are asked to do is trust and obey. 

What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.
— Ecclesiastes 3:9-11

This thought reminds me of Paul's observation recorded in the book of Romans.

... we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
— Romans 8:28 

 

By fdecomite - Tunnels of Time

Watch

Mark uses time references in a fourfold manner, referring to the end of the age when all things transition rapidly.

Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming ... 

1. in the evening, 

2. at midnight, 

3. at the crowing of the rooster, or 

4. in the morning— 

lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” 

— Mark 13:33-36

The word "watch" is used four times.

The Earth

The Fourth Commandment Concerns Time

To conclude this section on the fourth day and time, a brief examination of the Sabbath and its relationship to earth and creation will benefit this study. According to E.W. Bullinger, a Bible numbers scholar, the fourth commandment to keep the Sabbath is the first to mention the earth and to reference time. 

The first transgression of the law occurs in the fourth book of the Bible. (More on the fourth book later.) In his book "The Bible Wheel," Richard Amiel McGough observes the following.

"The Sabbath is the prophetic prototype of the rest we have through the Work of Christ on the fourfold cross"

The New Testament application of the concept of Sabbath in spiritual terms can be found in Hebrews 4, which references and quotes Psalm 95, hailing God as King over all creation and worthy of our observation and adoration.

“Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts.”
— Hebrews 4:6

In Psalm 95, the Psalmist also outlines the protocol with four instructions for approaching the King of all creation in verses 1 and 2.

1. "Let us sing to the Lord."
2. "Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation."
3. "Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving."
4. "Let us shout joyfully to Him with Psalms."

The Psalmist also declares four things in God's hand regarding creation, ownership, and, therefore, rightful rule in verses 4-5. 

1. "deep places of the earth."
2. "The heights of the hills."
3. "The sea."
4. "dry land."

Psalm 95 concludes with the consequences of refusing to acknowledge or to rightfully worship the Creator King, aligning with the theme of Hebrews 4 and the Sabbath.

... a people who go astray in their hearts, 

And they do not know My ways.’ 

So I swore in My wrath, 

‘They shall not enter My rest

— Psalm 95 

 

Tyrian Shekels

Was The Dirty Deal Done On The Sabbath?

The Sabbath was when God, the creating, conquering King, was seated on His throne. It was a final act of establishing His dominion over all He made. It could be considered that it was the very day that the fateful act of treason occurred. It was the day His vassal King Adam was to follow suit in resting in the dominion God had given him. Instead, he was dealing and trading with the devil and "working" to establish his own independent kingdom.

After paying the penalty for our sins, Jesus did what Adam was supposed to do in the first place.

He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 

— Mark 16:19 

Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it ... For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. 

— Hebrews 4:1,10

 

Modern Tyre

Trading

Ezekiel 28 records the transaction concerning the dominion of the earth and the devil's deal that led the world into death, chaos, and destruction, all of which are destructive, transforming events, listing three of the four uses of the word "trade" in Ezekiel. Through manipulative commerce, the devil changed the entire trajectory of God's plan for humans. The king of Tyre is being addressed, but he also serves as a metaphor of Satan. Tyre was a city well noted for its trading and exploits. Jezebel was from this very area. Tyre is currently the fourth-largest city in Lebanon and its major port city.

1. By your great wisdom in trade You have increased your riches And your heart is lifted up because of your riches

2. By the multitude of your trade you became filled with violence within And you sinned

3. By the multitude of your iniquities, By the iniquity of your trading

You defiled your sanctuaries.

— Ezekiel 28:5,16,18

The fourth use of the word "trade" appears in Ezekiel 26, where God also confronts Tyre about the transforming, destructive events about to befall them.

They will plunder your riches and pillage your merchandise (trade); they will break down your walls and destroy your pleasant houses; they will lay your stones, your timber, and your soil in the midst of the water.

— Ezekiel 26:12

Jupiter
Nasa 

Saturn And The Sabbath

Saturn, sixth from the sun and known as Shabbatai by the Jewish people, honors God's six days of creative works. It has four main rings and three faint ones. Four represents physical aspects, and three represents spiritual aspects; together, they play a significant role in the completion and fulfillment of all of God's purposes and plans.

Days Five and Six

As mentioned previously, day four was pivotal in the creation narrative. Days five and six concern the living creatures that would inhabit the earth, of which four are mentioned: birds, fish, beasts, and men. The sixth and final day of God's creative work, "And God said," is recorded four times.

"The material world became the cradle into which He (God) placed His spiritual-material message" "The material world became the cradle into which He (God) placed His spiritual-material message"
— Kenneth E. Bailey "Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes"

Four Levels of Creation

Although there were seven days of creation, there are four levels of creation in Jewish thought, as noted in an article titled "A Little Word With a Big Meaning" by Phil Walker at "One for Israel." In Jewish thought, there are four levels of creation in the Genesis account: 

1. inanimate matter (rocks, minerals, waters, and so on) 

2. vegetative matter, which can grow and reproduce 

3. animal life, with willful motion and a voice, 

4. But only the fourth layer of creation, humanity, can grow, reproduce, move as they wish, and also use language.

This wraps up part two of this series. The third part of this series will study how human development and the human body itself are stamped with the number four.