The Number Seven.
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In the Bible, the number seven symbolizes spiritual completeness, fulness, or perfection. It appears 735 times in the Old and New Testaments.
"The Sabbath was (the) seventh day. The Levitical system of the Old Testament was built on a cycle of "sevens."
Jericho fell after seven priests, with seven trumpets for seven days, marched around its walls, and blew their trumpets seven times on the seventh day. Naaman dipped in the Jordan seven times.
The Bible begins with seven days of creation, and ends with a book of sevens about the ultimate destiny of creation.
There are seven days in a week. Seven notes in music. Seven colors in the rainbow.
"The book (Revelation) is built around a system of "sevens." Seven letters to seven churches (chapters 1-3). Seven seals and seven trumpets (chapters 4-11). Seven vials (chapters 15-16). Seven candlesticks (1:12, 20). Seven stars (1:16, 20). Seven angels (1:20). Seven spirits (1:4). A lamb with seven horns and seven eyes (5:6). Seven lamps (4:5). Seven thunders (10:3, 4). A red dragon with seven heads and seven crowns (12:1). A leopard-like beast with seven heads (13:1). A scarlet-colored beast with seven heads (17:3, 7). Seven mountains (17:9). Seven kings (17:10).
Used as often as it is, in the way it is, it must have some significance over and above its numerical value."
The "Seven Beatitudes" of Revelation
There are seven "Blessed's" in the book (Revelation). Whether this was of design, or just so happened, we do not know.
"Blessed is he that reads this prophecy" (1:3).
"Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord" (14:13).
"Blessed is he that watches" (for the Lord's coming) (16:15).
"Blessed are those bidden to Lamb's marriage supper" (19:9).
"Blessed is he that has part in the first resurrection" (20:6).
"Blessed is he that keeps the words of this book" (22:7).
"Blessed are they that wash their robes" (22:14).
Significance of other numbers
Certain other numbers are used in such a way that they are thought to be in themselves a sort of language, with meanings beyond their numerical value.
Here are some of them:
3: the numerical signature of God.
4: the numerical signature of nature, creation.
7: 3 plus 4: the signature of totality.
12: 3 times 4: signature of God's people.
10: signature of wordly power.
(Paraphrased from "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; pages 688-689)
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In the Bible, the number seven symbolizes spiritual completeness, fulness, or perfection. It appears 735 times in the Old and New Testaments.
"The Sabbath was (the) seventh day. The Levitical system of the Old Testament was built on a cycle of "sevens."
Jericho fell after seven priests, with seven trumpets for seven days, marched around its walls, and blew their trumpets seven times on the seventh day. Naaman dipped in the Jordan seven times.
The Bible begins with seven days of creation, and ends with a book of sevens about the ultimate destiny of creation.
There are seven days in a week. Seven notes in music. Seven colors in the rainbow.
"The book (Revelation) is built around a system of "sevens." Seven letters to seven churches (chapters 1-3). Seven seals and seven trumpets (chapters 4-11). Seven vials (chapters 15-16). Seven candlesticks (1:12, 20). Seven stars (1:16, 20). Seven angels (1:20). Seven spirits (1:4). A lamb with seven horns and seven eyes (5:6). Seven lamps (4:5). Seven thunders (10:3, 4). A red dragon with seven heads and seven crowns (12:1). A leopard-like beast with seven heads (13:1). A scarlet-colored beast with seven heads (17:3, 7). Seven mountains (17:9). Seven kings (17:10).
Used as often as it is, in the way it is, it must have some significance over and above its numerical value."
The "Seven Beatitudes" of Revelation
There are seven "Blessed's" in the book (Revelation). Whether this was of design, or just so happened, we do not know.
"Blessed is he that reads this prophecy" (1:3).
"Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord" (14:13).
"Blessed is he that watches" (for the Lord's coming) (16:15).
"Blessed are those bidden to Lamb's marriage supper" (19:9).
"Blessed is he that has part in the first resurrection" (20:6).
"Blessed is he that keeps the words of this book" (22:7).
"Blessed are they that wash their robes" (22:14).
Significance of other numbers
Certain other numbers are used in such a way that they are thought to be in themselves a sort of language, with meanings beyond their numerical value.
Here are some of them:
3: the numerical signature of God.
4: the numerical signature of nature, creation.
7: 3 plus 4: the signature of totality.
12: 3 times 4: signature of God's people.
10: signature of wordly power.
(Paraphrased from "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; pages 688-689)
Like this list? Sign up for Free Bible Lessons below.