The Most Deeply Sacred Number   

Nearly everywhere you look in the Bible, you find seven. The number seven is mentioned over 700 times in Scripture. The Book of Revelation, alone, contains dozens of sevens – churches, bowls, lamps, seals, and the list goes on. Why are there so many “sevens” of sacred items? This is because in ancient Israel, the number seven was thought to be a symbol of divine perfection. As opposed to other numbers which derive their power from human endeavors, seven comes from God.

The Sevenfold Spirit of the Lord  

God’s identity is also tied to the number seven. If we look at the famous “branch of Jesse” prophecy in Isaiah chapter 11, we find that the Holy Spirit will come to rest upon the Messiah in seven distinct facets. Collectively, these attributes form the sevenfold essence of the Holy Spirit.

“The Spirit of the Lord shall rest on him

רוּחַ יְהוָה

ruaḥ adonai

The spirit of wisdom

רוּחַ חָכְמָה

ruaḥ hohma

And understanding

וּבִינָה

ruaḥ bina

The spirit of counsel

רוּחַ עֵצָה

ruaḥ etza

And might

וּגְבוּרָה

ruaḥ gevura

The spirit of knowledge

רוּחַ דַּעַת

ruaḥ da’at

And the fear of the Lord” (Isa. 11:2)

וְיִרְאַת יְהוָה

ruaḥ yirat adonai

Discover the Power of Hebrew  

When read in translation, seven may just seem like a coincidence, but in the original Hebrew, the words form a spiritual package, exploding with power. Reading the Word of God in the original Hebrew, new details will suddenly burst with meaning, and seven is no exception to this rule. Enroll in our live, online Biblical Hebrew course today and appreciate the Bible to its fullest!