Meaning of Numbers: The Number 7
The number 7 is the foundation of God's word. It derives much of its meaning from being tied directly to creation and symbolizes completeness and perfection (both physical and spiritual). It is found in its singular form 463 times in the King James translation, with the most occurrences recorded (54 times each) both in Scripture's first book (Genesis) and its last (Revelation). If we include other variations of the word for 7, such as "sevens" (2 times), "seventh" (120 times) and "sevenfold" (6), it brings our total up to 591.
Did Job suffer due to self-righteousness?
According to Jewish tradition, the creation of Adam occurred on September 26, 3760 B.C. (Tishri 1 or the Feast of Trumpets, which is the first day of the seventh month of the Hebrew sacred year). The word "created" is used 7 times to describe God's creative work (Genesis 1:1, 21, 27, 2:3 - 4). There are 7 days in a week and God's Sabbath is on the seventh day.
The Bible, when it was originally canonized, was divided into seven major divisions. They are the Law, the Prophets, the Writings (Psalms), the Gospels and Acts, the general epistles, the epistles of the Apostle Paul and lastly the book of Revelation. The total number of originally inspired books was forty-nine, or 7 x 7, demonstrating the absolute perfection of the Word of God.
Appearances of the Number Seven
There are at least seven men in the Old Testament who are labeled "a man of God." They are Moses (Joshua 14:6), David (2Chronicles 8:14), Samuel (1Samuel 9:6, 14), Shemaiah (1Kings 12:22), Elijah (1Kings 17:18), Elisha (2Kings 5:8) and Igdaliah (Jeremiah 35:4).
In the book of Hebrews, written by the Apostle Paul, he uses 7 titles to refer to Christ. The titles are "Heir of all things" (Hebrews 1:2), "Captain of our salvation" (2:10), "Apostle" (3:1), "Author of salvation" (5:9), "Forerunner" (6:20), "High Priest" (10:21) and the "Author and finisher of our faith" (12:2).
Matthew 13 is unique in that Jesus gives 7 parables within only 47 verses! These are the parables of the sower and seed (verses 3 - 9), the tares (24 - 30), the mustard seed (31 - 32), leaven (33), hidden treasure (44), pearl of great price (45 - 46) and the dragnet (47 - 50).
Seven Psalms are ascribed to David in the New Testament (Psalm 2, 16, 32, 41, 69, 95 and 109).
In the book of Revelation there are 7 churches as well as the same number of angels overseeing them. The book also contains seven seals, trumpet plagues, thunders, and the last plagues to come up the earth. The first resurrection of the dead takes place at the seventh trumpet which completes the salvation of the Church.
Miracles and the Number Seven
Jesus performed 7 miracles on God's holy Sabbath Day, thus affirming its continued sacredness to the Eternal and necessity in the life of the believer.
1) Jesus healed the withered hand of a man attending synagogue services (Matthew 12:9).
2) At a Capernaum synagogue he casts out an unclean spirit that possessed a man (Mark 1:21).
3) Right after the above miracle Jesus heals Peter's wife's mother of a fever (Mark 1:29).
4) A woman attending synagogue, who was made sick by a demon for eighteen years, is released from her bondage (Luke 13:11).
5) At a Pharisee's house eating a meal with the host and several lawyers, Jesus heals a man with dropsy (Luke 14:2).
6) A man who is disabled and unable to walk is healed at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:8 - 9).
7) Jesus heals a man born blind at the pool of Siloam (John 9:14).
More Info on Biblical Meaning of 7
The New Testament's seven general epistles are James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2 and 3 John, and Jude.
Numbers 7, with its 89 verses, is the second largest single chapter in God's word! The biggest is Psalm 119 with a whopping 176 verses.
The book of the minor prophet Micah contains seven chapters. The only chapters in God's word to contain 7 verses are Psalm 11, 14, 54, 67, 87, 110, 120, 142, Isaiah 18 and Jeremiah 47.
Wednesday March 29 in 30 A.D. (Nisan 7 on the Hebrew calendar) began the last week of Jesus' life. This is the day when Jesus traveled to Bethany to have dinner at Lazarus' house (the same man he resurrected from the dead, John 12:1 - 11). During the meal Mary, Lazarus' sister, anointed the Lord's feet with expensive ointment.
There are seven annual Holy Days (holy periods) in the Bible that God requires New Testament believers to keep. They are Passover, the Days of Unleavened Bread (7 days), Pentecost, the Feast of Trumpet, the Day of Atonement, the Feast of Tabernacles (7 days) and the Last Great Day. This cycle begins in the first month of the Hebrew calendar's sacred year and completes in its seventh month.
Jerusalem, historically, was a city believed to be built on 7 hills. These hills are Mount Scopus, Olivet, Corruption, Ophel, the original Mount Zion, the new Mount Zion, and the hill on which the Antonia Fortress was built. Jerusalem, however, hardly holds this title alone. Cities such as Rome, Babylon, Moscow, Mecca and many others, including at least 19 in America, also claim this distinction.
Seven is the fourth prime number. Primes are greater than one and only divisible by one and themselves. The primes before and after it are 2, 3, 5 and 11, 13, 17 and 19.