The Lord rested on the seventh day after the six days of creation because the earth was now complete and perfect. Seven, therefore, is a number in the Scriptures that often is used to convey perfection, maturation or completion. Following are just a few of hundreds of examples showing a designed symmetry to this book.
Some Bible Sevens that are Fairly Obvious
- Enoch the 7th from Adam pleased God, and God took him up alive before judgment
- In Genesis 7 we find clean beasts taken by sevens into Noah’s ark
- In Genesis 29 we find Jacob serving seven years for a bride
- In Genesis 41 we find Pharaoh dreams of sevens
- In Exodus 29 we find seven days required to sanctify the altar
- In 2Samuel 2 we find David is king in Hebron 7 years before he’s king in Jerusalem
- In Judges 6 we find the Israelites are given over to Midian seven years
- In Judges 14 we find Samson’s wife weeping before him seven days
- In 1Kings 6 we find it took Solomon seven years to build the temple
- In 2Kings 3 we find restoration at the end of seven years
- In Psalms 119:164 we find one praising the LORD seven times a day
- In Proverbs 24 we find a just man falleth seven times and riseth up again
- In Ezekiel 40:26 we find they go up into God’s temple by seven steps
- Mary Magdalene, out of whom came seven demons
- In Acts 6:3 we find seven men appointed to serve the people
- In Revelation we find seven angels, seven churches, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven vials, seven horns, seven candlesticks, seven stars, seven plagues, seven spirits, seven eyes, seven lamps, seven thunders, seven heads, seven crowns, seven mountains, seven kings, etc.
Some Bible Sevens that are Less Obvious
- In Genesis 1 God saw things “good” 6 times, “very good” the seventh time
- In Genesis 7:4 it took seven days to load the ark
- Seven days are mentioned in John 1 & 2:1, if counting the days
- Seven pillars of wisdom are mentioned in Proverbs 9:1
- The covenant was established seven times with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
- There were 7 foods of the promised land, Deut. 8:8 (6, man’s number, in Egypt, Num. 11:5)
- There are seven one’s denoting completeness of the unity of the Spirit in Ephesians 4
- There are seven things God hates in Proverbs 6
- There are seven festivals of the LORD for Israel found in Leviticus 23
- Seven loaves become seven baskets of leftovers in Matthew 15
- Seven men went to witness the gift of the Holy Ghost to Gentiles in Acts 11:12
- Seven men accompanied Paul into Asia in Acts 20:4
- There are seven things to add to faith in 2 Peter 1
- There are seven things the holy high priest was to put on in Exodus 29:5,6
- The lamb of God is worthy to receive seven things in Revelation 5:12
- The resurrected Christ appeared seven times, the seventh time to seven apostles
Abraham’s Seven-Fold Blessing (Genesis 12:2, 3)
“And I will make of thee a great nation,
And I will bless thee,
And make thy name great;
And thou shalt be a blessing;
And I will bless them that bless thee,
And curse him that curseth thee:
And in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)
The directions for the Day of Atonement are given in Leviticus 16; but from other Scriptures we learn that there were seven sprinklings of sacrificial blood on that great day, to mark the perfection of accomplished atonement (cleansing of sin).
On the mercy-seat (Leviticus 16:14).
Before the mercy-seat (Leviticus 16:14).
Before the veil (Leviticus 4:17).
On the horns of the golden altar (Exodus 30:10).
On the horns of the brazen altar (Leviticus 16:18).
Round about upon the altar (Leviticus 16:19).
The blood that was left poured out at the foot of the brazen altar (Leviticus 4:18).
The Lord is My (Sevenfold) Shepherd (Psalm 23)
The Lord does seven active things:
- He maketh me to lie down in green pastures
- He leadeth me beside still waters
- He restoreth my soul
- He leadeth me in paths of righteousness
- They (thy rod and thy staff) comfort me – since He is with me
- Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies
- Thou anointest my head with oil
Seven Miracles of John’s Gospel
These formed the spiritual perfection of the “signs” that Jesus was the Christ.
2.1 The water turned into wine – power to create
4:47 The healing of the nobleman’s son from a distance – power in His word
5:4 The restoring of the lame at the pool of Bethesda – power over the body to walk
6:5 The feeding of the 5,000 – power with compassion
9:1 The giving of sight to the man born blind – power over the body to see
11:38 The raising of Lazarus from the dead. – power over death to live
21:1 The draught of fishes – power concerning nature
Seven “I Am” Statements Of Christ Jesus in John’s Gospel
6:35 I am the bread of life
8:12 I am the light of the world
10:9 I am the door
10:11 I am the good shepherd
11:25 I am the resurrection and the life
14:6 I am the way, the truth, and the life
15:1 I am the true vine
The Seven Statements of Jesus from The Cross
“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” Luke 23:34
“Verily, I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise” Luke 23:43
“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me” Matthew 27:46
“Woman, behold thy son! … Behold thy mother!” John 19:26, 27
“I thirst” John 19:28
“Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit” Luke 23:46
“It is finished” John 19:30
The Seven Titles of Christ in Hebrews
Heir of all things, 1:2.
Captain of our salvation, 2:10.
Apostle, 3:1.
Author of salvation, 5:9.
Forerunner, 6:20.
High Priest, 10:21.
Author and finisher of faith, 12:2.
The Seven “Eternal” Things in Hebrews
A priest for ever, 5:6.
Eternal salvation, 5:9.
Eternal judgment, 6:2.
Eternal redemption, 9:12.
Eternal spirit, 9:14.
Eternal inheritance, 9:15.
Everlasting covenant, 13:20.
The Lord Jesus Christ is referred to as the “lamb” (sin sacrifice) 49 times in Revelation (a book of sevens). 7×7 – perfect perfection for the eternal kingdom.
