The Monarch Butterfly—An Illustration of Transformation—Part 20—The Book of Revelation

Monarch Butterfly

Introduction and Review

The previous part of this series examined the number four and its connection to categorizing themes of change, transition, and transformation as they apply to the books of the prophets.

This installment will study the same connection in the book of Revelation.

Revelation Chapter One

The book of Revelation opens with "Things that are about to take place," signifying significant changes and transitions throughout. There is a message to each of the seven churches. C.I. Scofield observes a fourfold application to them.

The messages to the seven churches have a fourfold application: 

1. Local, to the churches actually addressed; 

2. admonitory, to all churches in all time as tests by which they may discern their true spiritual state in the sight of God; 

3. personal, in the exhortations to him "that hath an ear," and in the promise "to him that overcometh"; 

4. prophetic, as disclosing seven phases of the spiritual history of the church from, say, A.D. 96 to the end.

 

Four Mentions of the Seven Spirits of God in Revelation

Four mentions of the Seven Spirits of God in the book of Revelation are in the context of God's Kingdom rule on the earth and reference the prophetic. The first mention occurs in the first chapter.

... to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. (prophetic) 

— Revelation 1:1

Mentions of the earth frame God's Messianic, transformative plan and purpose to cleanse humankind of its sin through the blood of His Son and to make us His kings and priests (Adam restored), also in this chapter.

... Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. 

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood (gematria of 44), and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 

Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. 

“I am the Alpha and the Omega (four occurrences), the Beginning and the End,” who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” 

— Revelation 1:4-8

The second occurrence of the seven Spirits of God is in Revelation 3, immediately following the fourth church's scathing confrontation, indicating a transition and referring to the "dead" church and its functioning on earth. Death recall is the transition of decomposition of earth dwellers.

‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 

— Revelation 3:1

The third mention of the seven Spirits of God occurs in Revelation 4. It is surrounded not only by numbers supporting the motifs but also by themes associated with the number four. The section begins with a door and later discusses a throne. The throne connects with the concept of a kingdom. The entire text signals all that will "come after this" (the prophetic).  

a door (Jesus, the way) standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this (prophetic). 

Immediately, I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow (four mentions in the Old Testament) symbol of promise in the earth) around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four (4 x 6) thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four (4 x 6) elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. 

— Revelation 4:1-5

The fourth and final mention of the "Seven Spirits of God" notes two connecting ideas. The first is that the seven Spirits of God are sent out into all the earth. The second is that the Lamb of God slain is the only one worthy to open the scrolls. No one in heaven or on earth could open them; only the one from heaven was sent to the world to redeem us by His blood. The mentions begin with four living creatures.

... in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.

Now, when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four (4 x 6) elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals; For
You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood (gematria of 44)
Out of every

1. tribe and
2. tongue
3. and people
4. and nation,

And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth.”

— Revelation 5:6-10

The seven churches, filled with the Spirit of God, reveal that His Spirit will govern us and that we will establish His Kingdom on earth. 

The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord. 

— Proverbs 20:27

The seven-branched Menorah in the Old Testament Tabernacle foreshadows the seven churches illuminated by the Holy Spirit residing in humankind. This thought illustrated Christ's example, which anticipated all who might follow Him in like fashion. 

In Isaiah 11, "The Spirit of the Lord" is described in seven terms, and "Spirit" is used four times in this account. Also, all concern the Kingdom of God enacted on the earth in four ways.

There shall come forth a Rod from the stem (Shemash—center stem of the menorah—Jesus) of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.

1. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him,
2. The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
3. The Spirit of counsel and might,
4. The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.

His delight is in the fear of the Lord,
And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes,
Nor decide by the hearing of His ears;
But

1. With righteousness, He shall judge the poor,
2. And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; (former rain - Hosea 6:3)
3.  He shall strike the earth (latter rain - Hosea 6:3) with the rod of His mouth,
4. And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.

— Isaiah 11:1-4

Revelation Chapter Four

Chapters one through three of Revelation are the letters to the seven churches. The pivotal "change" comes in chapter four. Chapter four of Revelation begins with a door (used four times in Revelation) opened in heaven. The fourth letter in the Hebrew aleph-bet is a "dalet," representing a"door." Jesus, is the the door.

I am the door. (used four times in John chapter 10)

— John 10:9

As it concerns dominions and kingdoms, the word "throne" is used 12 times (4 x 3), and "crown" is used 24 times in the New Testament altogether. Around the throne are 24 thrones, each occupied by 24 elders. The word twenty-four is used four times in this chapter. Also, around this throne are four living creatures with four faces like those of God's created things. 

1. Lion- a wild animal
2. ox - domestic animal
3. man
4. and eagle

These four living creatures are mentioned 12 times (4-kingdom of man x 3, kingdom of God) in Revelation. Four things are proceeding from this throne.

1. lightnings and 

2. thunderings and 

3. voices: and there were 

4. seven lamps of fire burning before the throne. 

— Revelation 4:5

The following verse summarizes this chapter, which depicts the purpose of created things.

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. 

— Revelation 4:11

Revelation Chapter 19 and the Four Hallelujahs

Four Hallelujahs are recorded in Revelation, chapter 19, after Babylon; the great harlot is defeated in the previous chapter. The first contains four attributes of the Messiah, who accomplished this victory.

After these things, I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia (Hallelujah)!

1. Salvation and
2. glory and
3. honor and
4. power belong to the Lord our God!

— Revelation 19:1

The second Hallelujah is short and to the point.

“Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!” 

— Revelation 19:3

The third Hallelujah

... the twenty-four (4x6) elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia! 

— Revelation 19:4

The fourth Hallelujah records the Bride of Christ's final transformation. The first Hallelujah was the multitude of an angelic host. Frank Gaebelien observes that this multitude must be the "redeemed."

And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 

— Revelation 19:6-8

Revelation 19 also records the fourth of the seven beatitudes in the Book of Revelation. 

1. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. 

— Revelation 1:3 

2. ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” 

— Revelation 14:13 

3. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame. 

— Revelation 15:16 

4. ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ 

— Revelation 19:9

5. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such, the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. 

— Revelation 20:6

6. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” 

— Revelation 22:7

7. Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 

— Revelation 22:14

In regard to the fourth "Blessed" at the center of this collection, The Expository Bible Commentary notes that the wedding is about the earthly kingdom of God. 

"the wedding is the beginning of the earthly kingdom of God, the bride is the church in all her purity." 

Once again, we see the marriage supper of the lamb as the central and transitional point on the axis of these texts. It is the hinge on which all the others turn. 

"And I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth" by Henry John Stock

Revelation—The Number Four and Judgment  

The fourth seal in Revelation 6:7 names four forms of judgment.

1. sword
2. famine
3. pestilence 
4. and a wild beast

These four judgments concerning the earth are also listed in Ezekiel 14:21.

For thus says the Lord God: “How much more it shall be when I send My four severe judgments on Jerusalem—the sword and famine and wild beasts and pestilence—to cut off man and beast from it?

The fourth trumpet concerns the sun, moon, and stars, a fourth-day creation.

"Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars ... " 

— Revelation 8:12

According to Dr. Noah Hutchings, in his book "God the Master Mathematician," There are four angelic watchers over God's creation on the earth. (Rev 4:6-11)

In Revelation 9:14-15, four angels will destroy one-third of the men in the world.

All of creation is subject to God's judgment, which further reveals that, just as seven reveals God's heavenly divine cycles, the number four displays the earth's natural cycles, including the concepts of judgment. Exodus gives us an example of this cycle. 

“The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.” 

— Exodus 34:6,7 

Might we keep this in remembrance that, as we live our lives, what consequences may be visited upon our future generations? Sin is consequently epigenetic. We might view this as unfair or as God's mercy, revealing how things work. The latter will help us to be mindful of our choices.

Remind me of this with every decision 

Generations will reap what I sow 

I can pass on a curse or a blessing 

To those I will never know. 

 

— Sara Groves "Generations"

The very first genealogy is given in Genesis chapter four, beginning with Cain's (servant of the ground) son Enoch and his four succeeding generations:

1. Irad
2. Mehujael
3. Methushael
4. Lamech

It was the beginning of the "begots."

The children of Lamech are listed as four:

1. Jabal,
2. Jubal,
3. Tubal-Cain
4. and Naamah

Genesis chapter four also deals with the first bloodshed on the earth in the field.

 

Alpha and Omega

The Alpha and the Omega and the Fourth Word of the Bible

The first words Jesus spoke in the Book of Revelation regarding creation are the following:

 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End." 

— Revelation 1:8

The above phrase is repeated four times in Revelation and is also linked with a similar phrase in Isaiah 44:6. 

“Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel,
And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:
‘I am the First, and I am the Last;
Besides Me, there is no God.

How this relates to creation is revealed in the fourth Hebrew Word recorded in Genesis, "et (את)." The word "and" is not translated into English. "Et (את) " consists of two Hebrew letters, an "aleph (א)" and a "tav (ת)." These are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The more familiar "Alpha and Omega" are the first and last letters of the Greek Alphabet.

Therefore, the concepts of " first and last" appear in the first and last chapters of the Scriptures. The prophet Isaiah, at the center of the Bible, has yet another rendition.

I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning 

— Isaiah 41:9,10 

A deeper look at the Hebrew letters and their pictograph meanings confirms these ideas.

"Aleph (א)" is the first letter of the Hebrew aleph-bet. It is represented by the image of an ox and is considered a strong, faithful, reliable, and sacrificial animal. 

"Tav (ת)" is the last letter of the Hebrew aleph-bet. It is symbolized by a cross and is understood to represent the sign of a covenant. In the beginning, God revealed to us in the first chapter and sentence of the Bible how all things would begin with Christ. 

In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 

— John 1:1-3 

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth. 

— Colossians 1:15-16

All things would culminate in Him when He became one of us, a created being. Jesus finished, fulfilled, and completed all that was necessary for man to be united again to God the Father for this express purpose. 

 ... that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ. 

— Ephesians 1:10