In the Bible, the mention of number 7 is frequent and varied. Numbers and their symbolic nuances have played an important part in religious texts throughout time and seven is no different. It appears in a wide array of contexts throughout scripture, leading to a sense of importance and power.
At the most simple level, the number 7 is simply a quantity, a tool for measuring and keeping track of data. In the Bible, however, it has a more profound and spiritual importance. Seven is taken to symbolize numerological perfection and completeness, something often associated with perfection, finality and even permanence. On this basis, its occurrence in scriptural stories will often reference these ideas.
For example, in the old testament, God gave instructions to those in the covenant to keep the seventh day as the Sabbath (Genesis 2:3). As such, the way that seven appears is often to signify a change or what may be called a divinely ordained transition from one line of behaviour to another. This features in all sorts of instances, from stories of creation, laws, feast days and even personal stories.
In a broader sense, seven is often said to a divinely inspired number. Its spiritual significance is often associated with the idea that it is a perfect, incomparable digit and which it is perfect and unalterable. As such, its mentorship in the Bible sees it signify heavenly outcomes and divine blessings, the whisper of deities and beings beyond the tangible world.
Another interesting mention of the number seven that appears in scripture is the seven seals of the apocalypse, mentioned in the Book of Revelation 5. This is an interesting set of coded statements, with the narrative making it clear that only the lamb of God – Jesus – can open and reveal them (Revelation 5:1-5). As such, the number is also associated with ideas of hidden knowledge and hidden paths.
In this own way, seven is a truly multifaceted symbol and its use in scripture does likely fulfill various cosmic roles.
Origins of Number 7
The origins of the wax and wane of the symbolic weight and importance of seven (and other numbers in the bible) are to a certain degree unknown. The spiritual resonance of the number does likely owe to a mixture of ideals from various times, places and cultures.
For example, seven has always had a rather special connection with the Sumerian people of the region, who believed in its celestial powers. Elsewhere, much of contemporary human notion of 7 as containing a special quality may well stem from the Babylonian’s fascination with the number and their idea that it was a ‘lucky charm’ of sorts.
In more modern religious contexts, the Hebrews are also thought to have influenced western perceptions of seven as special; with seven occurring frequently in instances such as the Jewish faith’s ideas of the heptalogy and Sabbath.
Further back, in pre-Roman times, 7 was often assigned great importance insofar as its relation to several planets. The relevance and importance of the number was then likely passed on from one culture to the next, with its use in aforementioned cultures coming to lend a rich spiritual weight to the imagery evoked.
7 In Different Religions
The idea of seven as something meaningful, powerful and immutable appears to cross the boundaries of many different religions.
The Buddhist religion holds its own place on the notion of perfection and completeness, with the symbolism of seven acting as a potent reminder of certain lessons. There is the idea of the Seven Dharmas, which are the teachings of the Buddha, and there is also the notion of the seven pebble mandala or ‘seven stones’.
The Hinduism faith has it’s own spiritual reverence for seven – in part because for the seven sages known as the Sapta Rishis. These figures are closely associated with the Chakra system, with each figure serving as a guardian for different elements in the system.
Islam is another religion that has garnered a sense of awe and respect for seven. This can seen in stories such as the seven sleepers, or the well known story of the Seven Heavens. These accounts often appear in the Quran and have come to form important aspects of Islamic culture.
Meaning Of Number 7 in Christianity
Here, the number 7 has a particularly special and even numerological relationship – it is perhaps the most representative imagery of divine wholeness and completeness in the bible, said to govern passages of time, periods of rest and the formation of mankind.
In the Bible, the number occurs 338 times and is used frequently to reference divine events, the journey of mankind and even Jesus’ own life. In the New Testament, 7 is associated with the onset of spiritual transformation and a reminder of grace.
Given this holy imagery, this meaning of the number is likely to have been part of the authors meaning behind the number’s use. Seven is often associated with the restoration of unity, or of the completeness of God and is therefore associated with spiritual redemption and growth.
7 and Life After Death
Due to its symbolic nature and frequent use in scripture, the number 7 is also associated with life after death. In this way, it serves as a reminder of God’s all-encompassing love and of the hope of eternal life.
Christianity views seven as a number of hope, a reminder that life after death is a place of eternal joy, peace and contentment, free from the travails of our earthly life. In this way, it is taken to represent a form of perfection and a symbol of hope.
Indeed, in the Bible, seven often appears alongside other holy images that signify a new era, such as the mention of the righteousness of Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension.
Number 7 and Judgement Day
Seven is also associated with the judgement day, referencing the seven trumpets and seven bowls of wrath. This is likely to be a reference to the judgement of God and the punishment that lies ahead for those who are not in alignment with God’s will.
On the other hand, seven is also seen as a promise of a new era; an era which is marked by eons of divine peace and justice. As such, the number sees an interesting duality in its use in scripture, being both the number of justice and peace.
Seven As A Parable
Finally, Seven is also used as a parable in the Bible, referencing the story of the seven goats and the seven sheep in the Book of Numbers 16:5.
Here, seven implies a certain understanding, with it assumed that the animal references signify that no matter how divided or scattered we are as individual creatures, God will be able to unite us with grace, love and divine protection.
From this perspective, seven is a supportive, nurturing symbol of God’s capability of uniting us, no matter how unrealistically scattered.
Number 7 and Hope
This spirit of hope continues to be referenced in the Bible, with seven often pointing to the idea of restoration and a connection back to the divine source.
In Romans 8:18-19 for instance, seven points to God’s ability to comfort and heal, a sense of hope that is translated across different language and contexts. On this basis, seven is often associated with hope and a restoration of joy to our lives.
The recurring use of the number 7 in the Bible holds a particular spiritual resonance, suggesting a unique and ethereal relationship between their two concepts. As such, the concept of seven is used to express many different themes throughout scripture; from spiritual redemption and divine wholeness, to judgement and parables of hope.
