In the beginning of the book, however, the seven spirits of God are representative of the work of the Holy Spirit, although they are also identified as seven angels that minister to and protect each of these churches.
The number seven is used for the churches Jesus speaks to, and the various cycles of judgments dealt on the earth (seven seals on the scroll, seven trumpets that are blown, and seven vials that are poured out). The Seven Warnings and Blessings of Revelation Jesus had special words for these localized groups of believers, although the words He says to them apply equally to us today. It is also interesting to note that Revelation begins with Jesus dictating letters to seven churches. They can be combined to paint a picture of God as all-powerful, all-knowing, all-encompassing, and all-redeeming. The various other images in these verses – lamps, stars, eyes, and spirits – represent a different aspect of God’s nature. The number seven is often associated with perfection and is given numerous times throughout Scripture associated with God. While it is true that the Holy Spirit is only one Being and not seven separate entities, this can be explained by the rich use of imagery and allegory in apocalyptic literature. In the book of Revelation, the apostle John pulls from the imagery of Zechariah and ties the Holy Spirit to this image of seven spirits. The Holy Spirit, which is one Person of the Trinity and one of the forms of God, came to rest on Jews and Gentiles alike, signifying that the salvation of God is for all peoples. When He was resurrected, He bestowed the Holy Spirit on them after He had ascended into heaven. When Jesus was preparing to die on the cross, He told His disciples that He would send the Holy Spirit to minister to them. Zechariah has a number of other visions that allude to other apocalyptic images, but this is the source of the seven spirits of God as found in Revelation. The seven lamps provide light for the Lord to see through to the hearts and minds of His children. They represent the presence and visibility God has over everything nothing escapes His vision. The angel that presents these visions to Zechariah interprets the picture of the seven lamps as the eyes of the Lord, which go over the whole earth (Zechariah 4:10). One such vision concerned a golden lampstand with seven lamps on top. Zechariah frequently had visions that spoke of times to come. Zechariah prophesied when the exiles had returned from Babylon and Persia and had begun rebuilding the Temple and the walls of Jerusalem. The imagery of seven lamps actually comes from the book of Zechariah in the Old Testament. Some stories converge on the main narrative, but everything culminates in the destruction of heaven and earth, and God bringing the new heaven and earth into being where we will reign with Him forever. The imagery is stark and often terrifying and can be interpreted in numerous ways.įor the most part, Revelation follows a linear narrative, explaining the events that will come at the end of the world when God delivers His final judgments on the earth and its people. The book of Revelation follows a literary form known as an “apocalypse.” It specifically deals with the end of the world and mingles prophecy, poetry, allegory, and direct description into a cohesive narrative. Let’s explore what is meant by the seven spirits of God. Revelation has puzzled interpreters for centuries, but it is important that we try to grasp its meaning in order to appreciate God’s message for us about the end times and how He will ultimately redeem and remake the world as it was meant to be.
Revelation 5:6 – “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.”.Revelation 4:4 – “And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment and they had on their heads crowns of gold.”.
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