I am trying to find the who behind the numbers.... eight does seem to stand for Noah's family, and seven for the seven men appointed to care for the believers after Pentacost - you probably know of Stephen, if not the others... I thought the four were the friends who let the man down through the roof when the crowds wouldn't let them through to Jesus, and that would make the five gospel preachers Peter, John, Matthew, Luke, and hmmm? Mark?... since Paul is already mentioned.

And the first verse as I learned it: I shall send thee one by one, one was the itty, bitty baby, wrapped in swaddling clothing, lying in a manger, born, born, born in Bethlehem. with itty, wrapped, and lying all starting the same note sequence.