THE NUMBER “SEVEN”

1. When studying the Bible it is often possible to find patterns.

2. Certain themes, ideas, or concepts appear again and again.

3. One recurring item is the number 7.
In the first book of the Bible there are several “sevens.”

4. God created the earth in 7 days.

5. He “rested” on the 7^th day.

6. Why did He choose the seventh day for these two items?

7. The final book of the Bible also uses the number 7.

8. In fact, the book of Revelation uses the number “7” 55 times.

IS IT MERE COINCIDENCE THAT THE NUMBER 7 IS FOUND AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE BIBLE?

A. If this is a coincidence, this figure sure happens to appear in a lot of key places and passages.

B. When men were needed for helpers in Acts 6, the third verse says “seven” were chosen.

C. Jesus spoke of a spirit who took “7 more forces” to invade a man a 2d time, Mt. 12:45.

D. Peter spoke of forgiving someone “seven” times (Mt. 18:21).

E. Someone asked Jesus a question about the marriage of “seven brothers” (Mt. 22:25).

F. There were the “seven” churches of Asia (Rev. 1:4).

G. In Eph. 4 Paul spoke of several “ones.”

H. When what he listed is counted, counted, we find they come to a total of seven.

I. In the Old Testament it is said there are some sins that God really hates.

J. Prov. 6:16 says there are “seven things” which are an “abomination” to the Lord.

2. In Rev. 1:12 John spoke of “seven” golden candlesticks.

3. The number of stars in Rev. 1:20 is “seven.”

4. In the New Testament the number 7 comes up again and again.

5. A study of the Old Testament shows a similar pattern.

A. How many clean animals were to be taken on the ark with Noah and his relatives?

B. Gen. 7:2 says “seven male” and “seven female.”

C. The same was true for birds (Gen. 7:3).

6. Later in this book (Gen. 41) we read about Pharaoh dreaming an unusual dream.

7. He saw different kinds of cows; the number of these cows was always 7.

8. He dreamed a second time and in this dream saw ears of corn (grain).

9. The crop is described with the number 7.

10. Egypt ended up having seven years of plenty and seven years of famine.

11. In Exodus-Deuteronomy this same number occurs several times.

12. Later parts of the Old Testament use it as well.

THE NUMBER 7 IS USED SO OFTEN IN THE BIBLE (467 TIMES IN THE ASV) THAT A MAN ONCE WROTE AN ENTIRE BOOK ABOUT THIS SINGLE FIGURE.

A. Again and again this number is emphasized.

B. We surely recall the story about Naaman the leper.

C. He had a dreaded disease and desperately needed healing.

D. He was told to dip in a river “seven times.”

2. Backing up a little bit in regard to Bible history, there is the story of Jericho.

3. I want to read a small part of this account (Josh. 6:4).

4. This verse has been selected because it has the number “7” 4 times.

5. READ Josh. 6:4.

6. When we begin to look at where this number is used, we begin to find a single, common thread.

A. The number 7 is often associated with wholeness, completeness, and perfection.

B. This may be why the number 7 is used in Acts 6.

C. Perhaps this was the actual number that was needed.

D. The way this figure is used in scripture may also indicate a second truth as well.

E. God gave the church the offices it needs to carry out its mission.

7. The early church had the apostles who guided congregations.

8. The apostles died and elders and the Bible served as a replacement.

9. Preachers worked with first century congregations just as is often now the case.

10. There were men who served in special ways to help with various tasks like the job in Acts 6.

11. This kind of work is now done by deacons.

12. God has given the church a pattern for leadership and it works. It works very well.

13. This is the pattern that we need to know and use.

14. When we think about the significance of the number 7 several passages show how important this term is.

15. One of my favorites for this point is found in the second chapter of Hosea.

A. To appreciate this verse we need to know a little something about the number 6.

B. In the Bible a “six” sometimes denotes imperfection.

C. When the Egyptians chased Israel the number of their chariots is given.

D. The text specifically says “600” (Ex. 14:7).

E. This number, a multiple of six, does not appear to be an idle or useless detail.

F. The number six was a subtle way of saying these guys were not going to win the battle.

G. 7 is the number for completeness and victory; six is sometimes the number for losers.

H. Here is another example of what I mean.

16. When Israel marched around Jericho, they moved around the city for 6 days.

17. During this time those inside the city of Jericho must have been laughing at the Hebrews.

18. As Israel marched around the city walls those inside may not have though they were very bright.

19. The 7^th day came and guess what happened? The battle plan was completed.

20. For 6 days it looked like the Hebrews were losers; on day 7 the city fell.

21. We all know the story of David and Goliath.

22. Read this story again and see how many times you find the number 6.

23. In the book of Revelation the number “6” is used in the same way only it is intensified.

24. Most everyone is familiar with the “666” reference in Rev. 13:18..

25. Whatever force John was describing this figure meant it/he would not succeed.

A. If you have found Hosea 2:5 let’s read the verse – READ.

B. The nation of Israel was prospering.

C. The Hebrews claimed their good fortune had come from pagan gods.

D. What the Jews were enjoying is listed in verse 5.

E. Let’s count the number of items that are listed in 5b– READ.

26. Six items are in this verse.

27. Let’s now skip down to verses 8-9.

28. Here we have information on what God gave to Israel.

29. Let’s read these two verses and count the items as we go – READ.

A. There are seven items in these two verses and this number is no accident.

B. Verses 5, 8-9 draw a contrast between Jehovah and the pagan gods.

C. By listing 6 things with the pagan God heaven meant the pagan deities were imperfect/incomplete.

D. God listed six items to show the failure of paganism.

30. He then listed seven things to show that He is the only true supplier of good things.

31. A New Testament verse which is somewhat complimentary is Eph 6:11-19.

32. Paul said “put on the whole armor of God.”

33. When Paul listed the Christian armor he said it has “seven” parts.

34. Is it mere chance that seven items are listed in conjunction with saving our souls?

35. By listing 7 items God communicates to us a subtle but important point.

36. When we have the Christian armor of Eph. 6 we have all that we need; we are complete.

A. This might be an interesting to make a Bible study.

B. People often tell us we need “this or that” to serve God.

C. It is alleged we need miracles or something else beside what Paul listed in this chapter.

D. Such teaching cannot be right because of what Eph. 6 teaches by using the number 7.

37. The number is significant in passage after passage in the Bible.

38. This same figure is often found in the secular world.

A. There are the “seven seas,” seven days in a week, and 7 notes in the musical scale.

B. There are seven directions:

C. Left, right, up, down, forwards, backwards, and center.

39. In the Bible this number teaches us several important lessons.

40. By using this number in Mt. 12 Jesus showed how Satan will try to oppose people.

41. The devil will attack us with everything he has.

42. When this number is applied to forgiveness it implies fully and complete forgiveness.

43. We have seen how it suggests complete leadership in the church.

44. Jesus fed people and “7 baskets” were left over (Mt. 15:34).

45. This can remind us that Jesus does not do a job halfway.

46. When He provides for people He meets all their needs.

47. When applied to our Christian armor, we can know that we have all that we need to secure eternal life.

48. The number 7 reminds every Christian how he or she is complete in Christ.

49. Every child of God has the “seven one’s” in Eph. 4:4-5.

50. We have the right Lord, right faith, right hope, and the body.

51. People sometimes say 7 is a lucky number.

52. I don’t know about that but I do now it expresses completeness.

53. This is what so man want and it is found through Jesus and His church.

54. Are we in Christ and thus a member of His body?