Numbers in the Bible: Lesson 3

Overview

The Numbers Two and Four: Humanity, Creation, and the Call to Relationship

While the numbers one and three point us to God—the indivisible, triune Lord who needs no one—the numbers two and four point us toward humanity and creation. Two carries the weight of relationship from the very beginning of Scripture. In Genesis 2:18-24, God declares, "It is not good that the man should be alone," and forms Eve from Adam's side, so that the two become one flesh. The Preacher echoes this truth in Ecclesiastes 4:7-12, warning against the vanity of solitary toil and reminding us that "a threefold cord is not quickly broken"—a husband, a wife, and the Lord who binds them together. Even apart from marriage, Jesus is forever our second half; without him, we are incomplete. Proverbs 17:17 and Proverbs 18:24 underscore this: friends and kin are God's gift for sharing adversity, and a true friend sticks closer than a brother.

The drive toward autonomy—the conviction that "I don't need anyone"—is, at heart, the desire to be like God. This is precisely the temptation that fell upon Adam and Eve in Genesis 3, when they exchanged God's word for their own. Only God is truly One; only God needs no one else. We, by contrast, are always somebody's someone—son or daughter, neighbor, friend, member of the body. Romans 12 presses this home: we are many members of one body, called to outdo one another in showing honor, to weep with those who weep, to extend hospitality to strangers, and to overcome evil with good. Defining ourselves by community rather than self-sufficiency kicks autonomy out the door.

The number two also belongs beautifully to Jesus, the second Person of the Trinity, who took flesh and now bears two natures forever—fully God and fully human. John 1:1-14 declares that the Word who was with God and was God became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. The Father is not man; the Spirit is not man; but the Son took our humanity into himself and carried it to the cross. The number four extends this theme of creation and humanity. The river of Eden divided into four branches to water the whole earth Genesis 2:10, and in Revelation 7:1 four angels stand at the four corners of the earth holding back the four winds—a picture of the whole created order.

The pastoral application is immediate. In a culture that treats people transactionally—someone to fix what's broken, deliver the package, and disappear—Scripture calls us to see every encounter as a relationship with a fellow human being who carries unspoken joys and griefs. Whether you are introverted or extroverted, married or single, God did not place you on this earth to be served or to live in a self-sufficient bubble, but to give him glory by serving others. As you go into this week, resist the pull toward autonomy. See the people God places in your path—family, neighbors, even strangers—as ones to whom you belong. God's number is one and three. Yours is two and four.

Transcript

Good morning. 2s

Let's pray together, please. 5s

Gracious God, we ask your blessing on our daily lives, especially our relationships. 8s

Give blessing to all we do and say, use us as a blessing to others in Jesus' name. 15s

Oh, man. 23s

Well, we continue today our study on how God uses numbers. 24s

We see God using those in wonderful ways, not only literally, but also symbolically in Holy 30s

Scripture. And last week, we studied the numbers one and the number three. And we saw that those 39s

are numbers that are especially symbolic with regard to God. Only God is one. We see the 45s

prime number three. Remember, prime numbers are numbers that are only divisible by one or itself. 55s

And so that number three helps to underscore that God is indivisible. 63s

Obviously, it also underscores the triune nature of God, one God, three persons, Father, Son, 68s

and Holy Spirit. We studied how God is three. God is one that there is no contradiction. 76s

The numbers associated with God. Well, today I'd like to study with you. The numbers two and four. 84s

The number two and four. As I have been preparing these lessons, I harken back and I'm now in the 91s

stage of life revisiting Sesame Street. I know. And I always appreciated in Sesame Street how they 101s

would say, today's broadcast was brought to you by the number two or the letter R. And I thought, 108s

well, and I couldn't help but get that out of my mind this week that today's lesson is brought to 118s

you by the numbers two and four. So that's what I'd like to study with you today. Let's start in the 123s

book of Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes is in the Old Testament. A good way to find Ecclesiastes is 130s

to open up to the very center of Scripture. It's going to land you in the book of Psalms. And then 138s

Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes chapter four. And we'll start with verse seven. Ecclesiastes four, 148s

verse seven. Again, I saw vanity under the sun. The case of solitary individuals without 158s

sons or brothers, yet there is no end to all their toil and their eyes are never satisfied with 172s

riches. For whom am I toiling, they ask, into priving myself of pleasure. This also is vanity and an 180s

unhappy business. Even the melancholy preacher of Ecclesiastes recognized that as human beings, 188s

we cannot live alone. We do not live by our cells. Let's go to Proverbs chapter 17. 199s

So turn left, Proverbs chapter 17, verse 17. 213s

A friend loves at all times and kinsfolk are born to share adversity. Or Proverbs chapter 18, verse 24. 228s

Proverbs 18, 24. Some friends play at friendship, but a true friend sticks closer than one's 245s

nearest kin. God meant for us to live in community. The need for others is what distinguishes us 256s

from God. God needs no one. God needs no one else. Sometimes you might hear people that say, 270s

God created because God was lonely. No, God created in order to put his glory on display. That's why 279s

God created. God was not lonely. God needs absolutely no one else. God needs no one. Nothing else. 288s

Our need for others is one of the aspects that distinguishes us from God. You see, we're always 303s

somebody's someone. We're always somebody's someone. We're not autonomous. We are always touching 313s

other parts of creation. The desire for humanity to be autonomous, the desire for that is the 322s

desire to be like God. Let me say that again. The desire to be autonomous is the desire to be like 334s

God. Let's go into Genesis chapter 3. Genesis chapter 3. 344s

Verse 1. Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. 363s

He said to the woman, did God say you shall not eat from any tree in the garden? 373s

The woman said to the serpent, we may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said 379s

you shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, 384s

nor shall you touch it or you shall die. But the serpent said to the woman, you will not die. 388s

For God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be open and you will be like God. 395s

Knowing good and evil. So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, 402s

that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, 410s

she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her and he ate. 417s

Then the eyes of both were opened, they knew they were naked, and they sowed fig leaves together 425s

and made loincloths for them cells. Verse 7 is the biblical way of saying, 430s

the now of a sudden they noticed their nakedness, they had taken their eyes off of God. 436s

We become like Adam and Eve in deciding that we don't need God's word to guide us. 444s

Remember God said, you can do this, don't do this. Adam and Eve said, well, we're going to go 454s

with our own word here. We're going to go our own way. And what they tried to do is to become one. 461s

See, they were going to put themselves above God their ways above God. The desire for humans 474s

to be autonomous is the desire to be like God. Let's go to Genesis chapter 2, and let's look at this 484s

from another angle. Genesis 2 verse 18. Then the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be 498s

alone, I will make him a helper as his partner. So out of the ground, the Lord God formed every 512s

animal of the field and every bird of the air and brought them to the man to see what he would 518s

call them and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to 523s

all cattle and to the birds of the air and to every animal of the field, but for the man there was 532s

not found a helper as his partner. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man and he 537s

slept. Then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God 543s

had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, this 550s

at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. This one shall be called woman for out of man, 556s

this one was taken. Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife and 562s

they become one flesh and the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. 568s

The one was made from the two. That is husband and wife. And the one made from the two, the husband 578s

and the wife is made even better by adding the one, right, capitalize the oh. Let's go back to 588s

Ecclesiastes chapter 4. Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes chapter 4 verse 12. 598s

And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not 619s

quickly broken. A cord of three stands is not quickly broken. In God they become one, one with another 628s

and one with him. But Ecclesiastes is referring to more than just a husband and wife relationship here. 638s

Because even without a husband or a wife, Jesus is forever our second half. 646s

He's forever our second half. Without him we are incomplete. It is not good for humans to be alone 655s

so God enjoins himself to us. Whether one is married or not, Jesus is always the other half. 665s

The number two is used to represent creation. So one in three has to do with God, number two has to 681s

do with creation. And it always has behind it the idea of Adam and Eve. We are all part of 693s

other people's lives and they are a part of us. And the relationships indicates a divisibility, 705s

right? God is indivisible, number three attached. But two in its multiples here indicate divisibility. 714s

God places us in specific relationships. I am John and Barbara's son. I'm not George and Martha's son. 724s

That means I am in a special relationship with John and Barbara. I don't call them by their first name, 736s

they're mom and dad, right? But I'm in a special relationship with them. And their needs 745s

are different than whoever might be a daughter or son of George and Martha. Luther called us to 753s

examine our lives and in particular the relationships that we are in because we are connected. 763s

The move to autonomy is to desire to be like God. God created us not for autonomy, he created us 771s

for relationships with one another. That doesn't mean that we don't need time apart and time by 781s

ourselves at times, right? Notice in scripture how many times Jesus went away by himself to pray. 789s

In particular if you are more on the introverted side of the scale probably then being in a lot of 798s

relationships is that which doesn't energize you, it drains you. And the introvert then finds a 806s

renewal of themselves oftentimes by themselves or in contemplative activities, etc. The extroverted 815s

said where's the gain, right? Because that's how they are energized. So no matter how God has 824s

made us, whether you are far extroverted or far introverted or somewhere in between, you bear 832s

God's unique stamp upon yourselves. But whether you're extroverted or introverted God never calls us to 841s

be autonomous. And that's the danger, isn't it? Nowadays it is a move into I don't need anybody else. 848s

I can live in my bubble. I can order whatever I need to order from Amazon. I can have my groceries 862s

delivered, right? I can turn off the cell phones. I can live an autonomous life where I don't need 873s

others. No one is going to hurt me and we pull back or tempted to pull back into an understanding of 885s

I'm just fine, me myself and I. I don't need to know my neighbors. I don't need to welcome them to 897s

the neighborhood. I don't need anybody. Is that a scripture? Absolutely not. I'm reminded talking 909s

with a person who was going through just a really, really difficult time. And they said something 924s

just so beautiful. They said, you know, I'm just all I'm going through. I just want to be of service to 934s

others. So that person gets it. They get it. That life isn't about us. God didn't place us on the earth 941s

so that we could live an autonomous life. God didn't place us on the earth so that others could have 953s

the opportunity to serve us. No God placed us on this earth to bring him glory and a way to bring 963s

him glory is to serve and a way to understand our call to service is to understand the relationships 970s

that we are called into. The number two stands for humanity and it reminds us of relationships 978s

that we're called into. We are a connected people. Let's go to Romans chapter 12. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, 987s

Acts, and Romans. Romans 12 verse 1. I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters by the 997s

mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice holding acceptable to God which is your 1018s

spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your 1024s

minds so that you may discern what's the will of God, what's good, acceptable and perfect. 1029s

For by the grace given to me, I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than 1036s

you ought to think but to think with sober judgment each according to the measure of faith that 1040s

God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members and not all the members have the same 1046s

function so we who are many are one body in Christ and individually we are members one of another. 1052s

We've gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, prophecy and proportion of faith, 1059s

ministry and ministering the teacher and teaching the exorter and exhortation, the giver and 1064s

generosity, the leader and diligence, the compassionate in cheerfulness. The love be genuine, hate 1070s

what's evil, hold fast to what's good, love one another with mutual affection, outdo one another 1077s

in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord, rejoice and hope, 1083s

be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer, contribute to the needs of the saints, 1089s

extend hospitality to strangers. Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse them. 1095s

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep, live in harmony with one another, 1103s

do not be haughty but associate with the lowly, do not claim to be wiser than you are, 1108s

do not repay anyone evil for evil but take for what is noble but take thought for what is noble in 1114s

the sight of all. If it's possible so far as it depends on you live peacefully with all. 1120s

Beloved never avenge yourselves, believe room for the wrath of God for its written vengeance is mine, 1127s

I will repay, says the Lord. Know if your enemies are hungry, feed them, if they're thirsty give 1132s

them something to drink, for by doing this you will keep burning coals on their heads. Do not be 1137s

overcome by evil but overcome evil with good. When we define ourselves in terms of community 1143s

and in terms of relationship we see value our value in the world. 1155s

When we see that God has brought us together to be a people in relationship and to serve one 1164s

another that kicks the whole understanding of autonomy right out the door, doesn't it? 1171s

God needs no one, we need people and to move to autonomy is to try to be like God. Think of 1179s

the number two, how it also applies to the creatures. God called the animals into the ark in pairs. 1195s

In pairs animals live in relationship and dependence upon others. All of creation we're all in 1206s

relationship with each other. Only God is one. One of the most beautiful things is when you see 1215s

people on Sunday morning ministering to one another, ministering to one another. 1226s

Because that's an understanding that the Lord calls us not just to be individually fed by word 1234s

and sacrament but God calls us to minister with other people. And when we look to others as we gather 1243s

for fellowship, as we gather for worship, as we move into the various activities that we have 1254s

during the week, when we see others as opportunities to serve and to be in relationship with them, 1261s

life takes on just a richness, doesn't it? Because then we understand it's just not about us, 1269s

just not about us. Then we understand that God calls us to be fed to be sent out into ministry and 1276s

we define ourselves in terms of community and relationship. The number two is also a beautifully 1285s

applied to Jesus. The second member of the Trinity, the Lord Jesus Christ, takes upon him flesh. 1293s

Jesus always has two natures now. Ever since he took the nature on at that first Christmas, 1303s

Jesus is fully God and fully human. So when we come and stand before the Lord Jesus Christ and we 1310s

enter into eternity, we will see Jesus, God and man. He didn't abandon here his humanity upon his 1317s

resurrection. No, he has a resurrected body and he has taken upon himself the two natures 1330s

of God, the two natures, divine and human. Let's go to John, the first chapter, please. John chapter 1339s

one. And we'll start with verse, we'll start with verse one. In the beginning was the word, 1348s

notice this capitalized, it stands for Jesus. In the beginning was the word, logos in Greek, 1365s

and the word was with God and the word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came 1371s

into being through him, without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him 1378s

was life. And the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness 1386s

did not overcome it. Let's jump down to verse 14, please. And the word became flesh and lived 1393s

among us. And we've seen his glory. The glory is of a father's only son full of grace and truth. 1404s

John testified to him and cried out, this was he of whom I said, he who comes after me ranks ahead 1413s

of me because he was before me. From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace. The law, 1418s

indeed, was given through Moses. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. So the number two, 1426s

associated with creation, the number two then is the number that the Lord Jesus Christ takes. 1435s

The Father is fully God, the Spirit is fully God, but the Father is not man. And the Spirit is not man. 1446s

Jesus is 100% divine and 100% human. He took up the number of humans within himself and went 1455s

to the cross. So there's number two, there's also then the number four, the number four. The simplest 1469s

reproduction in math is duplication. Husband and wife duplicate and they can have children. 1479s

Right? The number four is not a literal number associated with the family because sometimes 1491s

husbands and wives, they don't have children or they have more than two children. But the number 1501s

four can be understood symbolically as the number for the family. Four then is a number of humans 1507s

and creation. For example, let's go to Genesis the second chapter. Genesis chapter two 1518s

verse 10. Genesis chapter two verse 10. 1528s

A river flows out of Eden to water the garden and from there it divides and becomes four 1543s

branches. The four rivers in Eden are describing the watering then of the entire earth. It's associated 1553s

with creation. Let's go to Revelation now, very last book. Revelation chapter seven, 1562s

verse one. Revelation seven, verse one. 1573s

After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth holding back the four 1589s

winds of the earth so that no wind could blow on earth or sea or against any tree. The use of 1596s

the four here is a use to convey the idea here that the angels are standing at the four edges of 1605s

the earth. The number four used to communicate the understanding of creation. So one in three, 1616s

that's God's numbers, right? Two and four. Now we've got humanity. Now we have Jesus taking on 1627s

humanity in the two natures and the number four associated with creation itself. 1637s

For us to want to be number one to be like God who needs nothing, God needs no one. 1647s

That is an expression of our sinfulness, of our desire to be like God. We are called into 1662s

relationship, into two, into four, those numbers. And so with that understanding then, how then do we 1670s

approach this week coming up? Because we live in days in which there is an incredible temptation to 1682s

look at life transactionally. Where life is looked upon, where, well, what is it that you can give to me? 1694s

What's the transaction that is made? Instead of seeing absolutely everyone that we enter into, 1705s

we are into a relationship. So the person then that comes to your home to fix something. 1713s

Do we see that as a transactional relationship? Or do we see a human being that has come to our home? 1726s

A human being that who knows what's going on in their house? Or who knows maybe the loss of a loved one 1739s

that just occurred? Or a human being that maybe is just really flat out having a lousy day? 1747s

Do we see them transactionally? Where they're here to fix this and then I'll pay them and then they go. 1756s

Or do we see them as someone with a skill to help us who's also a human being? 1764s

And we are called perhaps even just for this brief period of time. We may never see this person again. 1774s

Do we understand them as a person? There's a fellow human being and now I'm in relationship with them. 1782s

And it's more than transaction. It's more than, okay, I'm going to pay you to fix it. 1790s

Please fix it right so I don't have to call you out again. 1803s

No, all of life is more than that. And when we see life as with the understanding of, 1807s

I just want to serve. When we see the person who we've just met as a human being 1815s

who's got joy and pain in their life, everybody has it. We've all got it, right? 1823s

We all live with joy and pain at the same time. Comes with living, right? 1830s

And when we see each other as human beings, that starts to get at the understanding of community 1839s

where God says, your numbers? I'm one in three. You're two and four. You're two and four. 1851s

Well, next week our lesson will be brought to you by the numbers of five and ten. We'll see you next week. 1865s