Foursquare
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Definition and Biblical Context:

The term "foursquare" is used in the Bible to describe something that is square in shape, having equal length on all four sides. This term is often associated with the construction and design of sacred objects and spaces, reflecting divine order and perfection. The concept of "foursquare" appears in various contexts within the Scriptures, particularly in the descriptions of the Tabernacle, the Temple, and the New Jerusalem.

Biblical References:

1. The Altar of Burnt Offering:
In the construction of the Tabernacle, the altar of burnt offering is described as being foursquare. Exodus 27:1 states, "You are to construct the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide; the altar is to be square, and three cubits high." This design emphasizes the altar's symmetry and balance, symbolizing the completeness and perfection of the sacrificial system established by God.

2. The Breastpiece of Judgment:
The breastpiece worn by the High Priest, known as the breastpiece of judgment, is also described as foursquare. Exodus 28:16 notes, "It must be square when folded over, a span long and a span wide." This breastpiece, adorned with twelve stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel, signifies the comprehensive and equitable judgment of God.

3. The Holy of Holies:
The inner sanctuary of the Temple, known as the Holy of Holies, is described as a perfect cube, reflecting the foursquare concept. In 1 Kings 6:20 , it is written, "The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high. He overlaid it with pure gold and also overlaid the cedar altar." This perfect cube symbolizes the ultimate holiness and presence of God, where the Ark of the Covenant was placed.

4. The New Jerusalem:
The vision of the New Jerusalem in the Book of Revelation presents the city as foursquare. Revelation 21:16 describes, "The city lies foursquare, with its length the same as its width." This depiction of the New Jerusalem as a perfect square city signifies the complete and eternal dwelling place of God with His people, embodying divine symmetry and harmony.

Theological Significance:

The use of "foursquare" in the Bible carries deep theological significance. It represents the perfection, stability, and order inherent in God's creation and His divine plan. The symmetry and balance of the foursquare design reflect God's nature as just, righteous, and unchanging. In the context of sacred spaces and objects, it underscores the holiness and sanctity required in approaching God.

The concept also points to the eschatological hope of believers, as seen in the description of the New Jerusalem. The foursquare city symbolizes the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises, where His people will dwell with Him in perfect harmony and peace. This imagery serves as a reminder of the eternal and unshakeable kingdom that awaits those who are faithful to God.

Conclusion:

While the term "foursquare" may seem like a simple geometric description, its biblical usage conveys profound spiritual truths about God's nature and His relationship with humanity. Through the various instances of foursquare design in Scripture, believers are invited to reflect on the perfection and holiness of God, as well as the hope of eternal communion with Him in the New Jerusalem.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(a.) Having four sides and four equal angles.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
FOURSQUARE

for'-skwar (rabha`; tetragonos):

"Foursquare," meaning equal in length and breadth, not round, is the translation of rabha` (from obsolete rebha`, "four"); it occurs in the description of the altar of burnt offering (Exodus 27:1; Exodus 38:1); of the altar of incense (Exodus 30:2; Exodus 37:25); of the breastplate of the high priest (Exodus 28:16; Exodus 39:9); of the panels of the gravings upon the mouth of the brazen or molten sea in Solomon's temple (1 Kings 7:31); of the inner court of Ezekiel's temple (Ezekiel 40:47); of "the holy oblation" of the city of Ezekiel's vision (Ezekiel 48:20, rebhi`i, "fourth"); of the new Jerusalem of John's vision (Revelation 21:16, tetragonos), and conveys the idea of perfect symmetry. In the King James Version marginof 1 Kings 6:31, we have "five-square," square being formerly used for equal-sided, as it still is in "three-square file."

W. L. Walker

Greek
5068. tetragonos -- a tetrarch (the governor of a fourth part of a ...
... rectangular, foursquare. From tessares and gonia; four-cornered, ie Square --
foursquare. see GREEK tessares. see GREEK gonia. (tetragonos) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5068.htm - 6k
Strong's Hebrew
7243. rebii -- fourth
... foursquare, fourth part. Or rbiiy {reb-ee-ee'}; from raba'; fourth; also (fractionally)
a fourth -- foursquare, fourth (part). see HEBREW raba'. 7242, 7243. ...
/hebrew/7243.htm - 6k
Library

What He Likewise Wrote of the Place of Our Lord's Ascension, and ...
... has, one furlong to the east of it, a double cave in the valley, where the sepulchres
of the patriarchs are encompassed with a wall foursquare, their heads ...
/.../bede/bedes ecclesiastical history of england/chap xvii what he likewise.htm

Wesley visits the Bass Rock
... The front walls (it was foursquare) are still standing, and by their vast height
and huge thickness give us a little idea of what it once was. ...
/.../wesley/the journal of john wesley/wesley visits the bass rock.htm

Whether the Notion of a State Denotes a Condition of Freedom or ...
... xxi in Ezech.): "The stone is foursquare, and is stable on all sides, if no disturbance
will make it fall." Now it is virtue that enables us "to act with ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether the notion of a.htm

Numbers
... In JE it goes before the camp, x.33 (cf. Exodus 33:7), in P the tabernacle, to which
it belongs, is in the centre of the camp, ii.17, which is foursquare. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/numbers.htm

Three Names High on the Muster-Roll
... THEY POSSESSED. They expressed it very emphatically and clearly. They
had a very definite, solid, foursquare faith. First, they ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/three names high on the.htm

The Bible
... recesses of the heart that he shall know he has been face to face with God, has
had glimpses of the delectable mountains and the city foursquare that lies ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/haldeman/christ christianity and the bible/the bible.htm

Thesaurus
Foursquare (10 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. FOURSQUARE. ...Foursquare (10 Occurrences). Revelation
21:16 The city lies foursquare, and its length is as great as its breadth. ...
/f/foursquare.htm - 11k

Four-square (7 Occurrences)
... Foursquare, Four-square. Fourteen . ... Exodus 28:16 Foursquare it shall be and
double; a span shall be the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof. ...
/f/four-square.htm - 8k

Shittim (34 Occurrences)
... Exodus 27:1 And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and
five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall ...
/s/shittim.htm - 20k

Doubled (5 Occurrences)
... (YLT). Exodus 28:16 Foursquare it shall be being doubled; a span shall be the length
thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof. (KJV DBY WBS YLT). ...
/d/doubled.htm - 8k

Measured (91 Occurrences)
... (WEY). Revelation 21:16 The city lies foursquare, and its length is as great as
its breadth. He measured the city with the reed, Twelve thousand twelve stadia. ...
/m/measured.htm - 35k

Square (94 Occurrences)
... (WEY). Revelation 21:16 The city lies foursquare, and its length is as great as
its breadth. He measured the city with the reed, Twelve thousand twelve stadia. ...
/s/square.htm - 39k

Height (109 Occurrences)
... unless you repent. (WEY NIV). Revelation 21:16 The city lies foursquare,
and its length is as great as its breadth. He measured the ...
/h/height.htm - 41k

Hight (48 Occurrences)
... Exodus 27:1 And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and
five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and its hight shall be three ...
/h/hight.htm - 22k

12000 (7 Occurrences)
... twelve thousand. (See RSV). Revelation 21:16 The city lies foursquare,
and its length is as great as its breadth. He measured the ...
/num/12000.htm - 8k

25000 (11 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 48:20 All the offering shall be twenty-five thousand by twenty-five thousand:
you shall offer the holy offering foursquare, with the possession of the ...
/num/25000.htm - 10k

Resources
What is a Foursquare Church? | GotQuestions.org

What is a Full Gospel church? | GotQuestions.org

What is the New Jerusalem? | GotQuestions.org

Foursquare: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Foursquare (10 Occurrences)

Revelation 21:16
The city lies foursquare, and its length is as great as its breadth. He measured the city with the reed, Twelve thousand twelve stadia. Its length, breadth, and height are equal.
(WEB KJV ASV WBS RSV)

Exodus 27:1
"You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and its height shall be three cubits.
(WEB KJV ASV WBS)

Exodus 28:16
Foursquare it shall be being doubled; a span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof.
(KJV ASV WBS)

Exodus 30:2
A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits shall be the height thereof: the horns thereof shall be of the same.
(KJV JPS ASV WBS)

Exodus 37:25
And he made the incense altar of shittim wood: the length of it was a cubit, and the breadth of it a cubit; it was foursquare; and two cubits was the height of it; the horns thereof were of the same.
(KJV ASV WBS)

Exodus 38:1
And he made the altar of burnt offering of shittim wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof; it was foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof.
(KJV ASV WBS)

Exodus 39:9
It was foursquare; they made the breastplate double: a span was the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof, being doubled.
(KJV ASV WBS)

1 Kings 7:31
The mouth of it within the capital and above was a cubit: and its mouth was round after the work of a pedestal, a cubit and a half; and also on its mouth were engravings, and their panels were foursquare, not round.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS)

Ezekiel 40:47
He measured the court, one hundred cubits long, and a hundred cubits broad, foursquare; and the altar was before the house.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS RSV)

Ezekiel 48:20
All the offering shall be twenty-five thousand by twenty-five thousand: you shall offer the holy offering foursquare, with the possession of the city.
(WEB KJV JPS DBY WBS)

Subtopics

Foursquare

Related Terms

Four-square (7 Occurrences)

Shittim (34 Occurrences)

Four-sided (1 Occurrence)

Doubled (5 Occurrences)

Measured (91 Occurrences)

Square (94 Occurrences)

Height (109 Occurrences)

Fourteen (26 Occurrences)

Hight (48 Occurrences)

12000 (7 Occurrences)

25000 (11 Occurrences)

Olivewood (4 Occurrences)

Lieth (135 Occurrences)

Lies (208 Occurrences)

Gravings (2 Occurrences)

Incense-altar (2 Occurrences)

Tomb (70 Occurrences)

Rachel's (5 Occurrences)

Raddai (1 Occurrence)

Engravings (11 Occurrences)

Engraving (7 Occurrences)

Doorposts (15 Occurrences)

Projected (2 Occurrences)

Pedestal (4 Occurrences)

Panels (10 Occurrences)

Burnt-offering (205 Occurrences)

Breastpiece (21 Occurrences)

Breast-plate (22 Occurrences)

Chapiter (8 Occurrences)

Circular (5 Occurrences)

Cubits (156 Occurrences)

Acacia (28 Occurrences)

Stadia (5 Occurrences)

Capital (29 Occurrences)

Length (135 Occurrences)

Broad (113 Occurrences)

Equal (70 Occurrences)

Frame (33 Occurrences)

Twenty-five (36 Occurrences)

Reed (41 Occurrences)

Thousand (405 Occurrences)

Wood (226 Occurrences)

Cubit (51 Occurrences)

Upward (74 Occurrences)

Stands (111 Occurrences)

Twelve (176 Occurrences)

Breadth (100 Occurrences)

Borders (104 Occurrences)

Heave-offering (55 Occurrences)

Special (89 Occurrences)

Base (127 Occurrences)

Deep (237 Occurrences)

Form (153 Occurrences)

Half (135 Occurrences)

Altar (343 Occurrences)

Four-sided
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