{"id":11802,"date":"2016-05-01T22:43:39","date_gmt":"2016-05-02T02:43:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordstudy.newchurch.org\/?page_id=11802"},"modified":"2016-05-01T22:43:39","modified_gmt":"2016-05-02T02:43:39","slug":"four-fourth","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/societies.newchurch.org\/wordstudy\/bible-keywords\/four-fourth\/","title":{"rendered":"Four, Fourth"},"content":{"rendered":"

The number \u201cfour\u201d in the Bible<\/a> represents things being linked together or joined, according to Swedenborg<\/a>. This is partly because four is two times two, and two represents the ultimate linking between our desire<\/a> to be good<\/a> and our understanding<\/a> of truth<\/a>. It’s also because <\/span> most buildings are rectangular, with the four sides linking together to make a whole. We also divide directions into four \u2013 north, east, south and west \u2013 and talk about the \u201cfour corners\u201d of something meaning all of it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Passages from Swedenborg:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Apocalypse Explained (Tansley) n. 417<\/b><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Four\u00a0angels standing on the\u00a0four\u00a0corners of the earth. That this signifies the Divine proceeding from the Lord in the whole spiritual world, is plain from the signification of angels, for they denote the Divine which proceeds from the Lord; concerning which see above, n. 130, 200, 302; and from the signification of the\u00a0four\u00a0corners of the earth, which denote the whole spiritual world.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 9103<\/b><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. ‘And\u00a0four\u00a0of the flock for the member of the flock’ also means the corresponding punishment carried out in full. This is clear from the meaning of ‘four’ as joined together, for ‘four’ is similar in meaning to ‘two’ because\u00a0four\u00a0is the product of two times two (for the meaning of ‘two’ as joined together, see 5194, 8423, and therefore also ‘four’, 1686, 8877), from which it follows that those numbers also mean to the complete amount, since what has been joined together is complete; and from the meaning of ‘a member of the flock’ as interior good, dealt with just above in 9099. The corresponding punishment is meant by ‘repaying’, at this point ‘four\u00a0of the flock for one member of the flock’, 9102.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 1686<\/b><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. ‘Four\u00a0kings with five’ means the union existing with the latter\u00a0four\u00a0and the lack of union with the other five. This becomes clear from the meaning of ‘four’ and from the meaning of ‘five’. Consisting of two pairs, ‘four’ means union, as also does two when it has regard to things that are married, as also noted in 720. ‘Five’ however means disunity because it is associated with fewness, as shown in 649. All things depend for their particular meanings on the subjects to which they refer.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

         <\/p>\n

        Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 9767<\/b><\/p>\n

          \n
        1. ‘Its pillars\u00a0four, and the bases of these,\u00a0four’ means the forms of good, and the truths springing from them, which support the linking together. This is clear from the meaning of ‘pillars’ and ‘bases’ as the forms of good, and the truths springing from them, which provide support, as above in 9761; and from the meaning of ‘four’ as a linking or joining together, dealt with in 8877, 9601, 9674.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

           <\/p>\n

          Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 9864<\/b><\/p>\n

            \n
          1. ‘There shall be\u00a0four\u00a0rows of stones, the order being’ means all of them joined together, that is to say, all the truths springing from good. This is clear from the meaning of ‘four’ as a joining together, dealt with in 1686, 9601, 9674; and from the meaning of ‘rows of stones’ as truths springing from good in their proper order. The setting of them in\u00a0four\u00a0rows, three in each row, was decreed in order that the joining together of all the truths springing from the same good, and so their perfection, might be represented; for ‘four’ means a joining together, as has been stated, and ‘three’ means perfection, 9825.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

             <\/p>\n

            Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 9601<\/b><\/p>\n

              \n
            1. ‘And the breadth\u00a0four\u00a0cubits’ means the marriage of truth to good. This is clear from the meaning of ‘the breadth’ as truth, dealt with in 1613, 3433, 3434, 4482, 9487; and from the meaning of ‘four’ as a joining together, dealt with in 1686, 8877, and so a marriage since truth and good joined together is called the heavenly marriage, 2173, 2618, 2728, 2729, 2803. ‘Four’ means a joining together or a marriage because this number is the product of two multiplied by itself, and ‘two’ means a joining together, 5194, 8423, multiple numbers being similar in meaning to the simple ones that are their factors, as stated immediately above in 9600. All numbers in the Word mean spiritual realities, see the places referred to in 9488.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

               <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              The number \u201cfour\u201d in the Bible represents things being linked together or joined, according to Swedenborg. This is partly because four is two times two, and two represents the ultimate linking between our desire to be good and our understanding of truth. It’s also because most buildings are rectangular, with the four sides linking together […]<\/p>\n

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