REV 1:4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: 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,

“Seven” occurs repeatedly through Revelation: In addition to the ones we just read, there are seven of each of these: lampstands, stars, seals; horns, eyes, angels, trumpets, thunders, seven thousand men killed, heads, crowns, plagues, vials or bowls (depending on translation); mountains, kings.

Why seven? In Hebrew writing, their numbers are represented by the alphabet. This is a very interesting study, but we will dwell on “seven” for now. The fancy illustration is the old style Hebrew which are in the Scripture scrolls. Some other variations are:

COMPLETENESS

The number seven means “completeness”, “wholeness”, “fullness” or “perfection”. Seven is considered to be a sacred number. Philo, a Hellenized Jew, “speaks of the number seven in its mystical import as identical with unity, as unity developed in diversity, and yet remaining one.” Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

We should be “one church” in unity – unity with the LORD in Spirit and unity with one another in Spirit.

1 Cor 12:13
For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.

If you want to be ONE with the LORD, you cannot be one with the world system or a pagan religious system. Spiritual unity does not necessitate everyone being in the same religious organization. True Christians have ONE spiritual Head of the Church, that is Yeshua the Messiah alone!

Col 1:18
And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

In Revelation 2&3, the LORD rebukes five churches for their pagan ways! The LORD wants to spur us on to perfection!

SEVEN IN SCRIPTURE

This would include seven, seventy, seventh, and derivatives of seven.

The first line of Genesis, known as the Bereshit prophecy, has seven letters in it.

Genesis 2:
2And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

We have seven days in a week. In terms of millennium, we have seven thousand years.

That is why both Jews and Christians believe we are very near the end of the 6th millennium. Then comes the 7th millennium! The Jews are anticipating the reign of the Messiah also! Actually, this is His Second Coming! Christ reigns on the earth. He always reigns, but He is coming to earth to establish His Kingdom here. Christ is our Prince of Peace. The 7th millennium will be such a blessed time of peace and rest.

Some other Scriptures:

Deuteronomy 15:1-2
“At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release of debts. 2 And this is the form of the release: Every creditor who has lent anything to his neighbor shall release it; he shall not require it of his neighbor or his brother, because it is called the Lord’s release.

2 Kings 5:9-10
9 Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.”

The Israelites were in bondage to Babylon for seventy years.

Jeremiah 25:11
And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

Daniel 9:24
Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy.

Psalm 12:6
The words of the Lord are pure words, Like silver tried in a furnace of earth, Purified seven times.

There is no dross in this silver because it is purified wholly – seven times!

Matthew 18:21-22
21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

Christ was saying basically that you should always & completely forgive your brother!

SEVEN IN THE CREATION

The rainbow has seven colors.

There are 7 notes: A through G. Music is God’s creation, a wonderful joy for us to experience!

OTHER SEVENS

1. Then the LORD said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold” Gen 4:15a
2. There are 7 commandments in the Noahide Laws: These are the commandments that everyone, even Gentiles, should live by –
   1 Not to worship idols.
   2 Not to curse God.
   3 Not to commit murder.
   4 Not to commit adultery, bestiality, or sexual immorality.
   5 Not to steal.
   6 Not to eat flesh torn from a living animal.
   7 To establish courts of justice.
3. Joshua and the Israelites marched around Jericho seven times.
4. In a traditional Jewish wedding, the Bride marches around her Groom seven times! Seven blessings are given for the bride & groom. And they celebrate for seven days!
5. Yeshua made “I AM” statements comparing Himself to things: bread; light; door/gate; resurrection; the temple: way, truth, & life (an explanation about the temple being the way, truth, & life in Hebrew); the true vine.

Christ, also stated “Before Abraham was, I AM!” but there is no comparison there! (John 8:58)

6. Yeshua on His cross, He made seven statements. There is an old classic musical about this – Joseph Haydn – The Seven Last Words of Christ.
7. Also 7 is called the “seal” of God. God is perfection and complete!

SEVEN SPIRITS IN REVELATION

Revelation 1:4b
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,

Rev 1:20
The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

Stars are angels; lampstands or menorahs are the churches.

Revelation 3:1
“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘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 4:5
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 5:6
And I looked, and behold, 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.

7 Spirits = 7 horns + 7 eyes. Horn, symbolically means power. Eyes are that with which we see.

This is the Lamb of God, Christ who has fullness of power, and fullness of vision and omniscience – who knows what is to come and He reveals some of this to us! Actually, the name “Revelation” means “to uncover something that was hidden”.

So the Holy Spirit is expressed through seven particular spirits, but they are all one, just as the Godhead is expressed through three: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We see this in this Scripture:

Isaiah 11:1-2
1 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots. 2 The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.

This is the Holy Spirit expressing Himself through:

1. the Spirit of the LORD
2. the Spirit of Wisdom
3. the Spirit of Understanding
4. the Spirit of Counsel
5. the Spirit of Strength
6. the Spirit of Knowledge
7. the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord

1. The Spirit of the LORD

Isaiah 61:1 (also Luke 4:18)
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;”

What do you think when you hear this? Yeshua came to preach good tidings, to heal, to proclaim liberty, and to set us free. This shows His incredible LOVE! His love is stated in the fact that “God is LOVE”.

YHVH IS LOVE

In the Hebrew concordance, “LORD” is translated as “YHVH”. People do not know how to pronounce this name of God because there are no vowel sound in it. Therefore, translators just put it as “LORD” or others may say “Jehovah” or “Yahweh”. The Messianic Rabbi, who put out this Bereshit prophecy to which I referred, pronounces the name of God as “YaHaVaH”.

“YaHaVaH” is similar to the word for “love” which is AHAVA in Hebrew. So, we could say, YaHaVaH is A-Ha-Vah. The “Spirit of the LORD” is the “Spirit of YHVH” (YaHaVaH), The LORD is YaHaVaH and LOVE is AHAVA.

YaHaVaH = AHAVA; God’s name is LOVE.

So therefore, since God is Love perhaps this is the message God wants to convey to us. I believe that that is why we could count “The Spirit of the LORD” which is the Spirit of YHVH (Yah-veh). YHVH = AHAVA

1 John 4:16
“God is love”

2. The Spirit of Wisdom

Deut 34:9
Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; so the children of Israel heeded him, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Acts 6:10
And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he [St. Stephen] spoke.

Eph 1:17
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,

This spirit of revelation could be the same as understanding.

3. The Spirit of Understanding

1Cor 2:12 NRSV
Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.

4. The Spirit of Counsel

Yeshua referred to the Holy Spirit this way calling Him counselor.

John 14:26 WEB
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you.

5. The Spirit of Strength

Judges 16:28
Then Samson called to the LORD, saying, “O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!”

So Samson was filled with the Spirit of God and it gave him strength! But this Spirit of Strength is also spiritual – as in this prayer:

Ephesians 3:16
that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,

This is a great prayer to pray for your loved ones!

6. The Spirit of Knowledge

Exodus 31:3
And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,

The Spirit of God includes here wisdom and understanding, as well as knowledge. So, let’s go to the NT. It is in these gifts – and they are gifts, you don’t do anything to receive them, but you do need to accept them! In the same way, God’s gift is eternal life in Christ. We just have to reach out and receive by faith, to accept this gift!

1Cor 12:
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

We can see through these gifts of the Spirit, particularly the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge.

7. The Spirit of the Fear of the Lord

There are 13 sayings about the Fear of the LORD just in the Book of Proverbs!

Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

An example of the Holy Spirit operating in one’s life would be a fear or awe of God! It is the beginning of knowledge!

THE PICTOGRAPHS OF SEVEN

7 = Zayin
Again, Zayin is the seventh letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The Hebrew alphabet is pictographs.

Sword
The letter Zayin or 7 looks like a weapon, a sword.

Scepter
The letter Zayin or 7 also looks like a scepter, an ornamental staff carried by a ruler.

A prophecy was made to Judah, one of the sons of Jacob, but it also refers to the Messiah as He is the Lion of Judah.

Genesis 49:10
The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh [meaning the Messiah] comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.

“Crowned Man”
“Seven” also represents a “crown”.
In the old script, the seven has three crowns on it. The letter Vav (number 6) represents man:

Incidentally, three of these would make 666, which is the number of the antichrist. And this number in the Hebrew is on an energy drink can. Maybe somebody in the higher echelons is mocking us and could possibly be a satanist.

In the Zayin or seven, we see a “crowned man”. That would be Yeshua ultimately.

However, there are many crowns in Revelation – even some for the bad. But a crown is meaningless when you are defeated! God wins!

There is a crown that the LORD promises the faithful:

Rev 2:10c
Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Additionally, we will also cast our crowns before the Worthy One!

Rev 4:10-11
10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: 11 “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”

SUMMARY

Certainly, the Book of Revelation is one about crowns, scepter, and swords! Yeshua is coming and He will fight with the sword of His Spirit.

We see many allusions to a crown, scepter, or sword in this passage.

Revelation 19
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

We have learned the importance of the number SEVEN, meaning completeness and perfection. The symbolism of the “seven” means scepter, crown, and sword.

Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus Christ, is coming as the “crowned man” to reign and He will have a scepter in His hand!