Contents

Introduction

The biblical number of completion, seven, SHEVAH—shin+bet+ayin—in the consonantal Hebrew, and hEPTA—rough breathing epsilon+pi+tau+alpha—in the biblical Greek, is prominent in the Bible, appearing over seven-hundred times, more than any other single number. It is especially prominent in the Gooks of Genesis and Revelation—the beginning point and the completion point of the Bible. It is often associated with completion or indeed perfection. For example, the Creation account found in Genesis tells us that God created the heavens and the earth in six days, and upon completion God rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2). The number seven also appears in the context of perfection, for example Jesus’ seven petitions in His modeling of the perfect prayer to God, the way we should pray to Him (Matthew 5:48, 6:9-15):

Hallowed be thy name (in my life, in the lives of others; thy Name be hallowed, not my name, not some other name).
Thy Kingdom come (not mine, or this and that, thine first and foremost great God).
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven (yea, thy will great God, thy perfect will be done great God, let it be done, even down here where thy will is presently not done and necessarily it is a land of sin and sorrow down here—let it be as it is in thy presence in heaven, where thy will is done, and necessarily there is only joy forever more Psalms 16:11).
Give us this day our daily bread (I trust in thee great God, for thou hast shown thyself to be faithful, abundantly faithful; my life and my times are in thy hands my Lord).
Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us (let it thus be in my forgiveness of others, even as thou hast gone to such great lengths to forgive me, at such a high cost to thyself).
Lead us not into temptation (keep me from the rot that is in my own self great God, let me not stumble, and keep me from the siren’s lure of sin all about, steel me against it great God).
Deliver us from evil (thou hast vanquished the evil one, removed that lion’s teeth and claws, now deliver us from the funk that toothless and clawless fool presumes to kill my brethren and me with, spiritually, physically, amen).

In this study our goal is to look at many different settings involving the biblical expression of “seven” with particular focus on how our God uses it to communicate various aspects of “completion” and “perfection.” Completion and perfection for His glory, and our practical good physically, and most importantly for our practical good spiritually.

Seven Feasts, God’s Eternal Plan

Passover (Pesach), celebrated on the 14^th and 15^th of Nisan (March, a Spring feast). Passover commemorates the Israelites’ liberation from slavery in Egypt by the mighty hand of God. From the vantage point of the New Testament, it sees our Savior Jesus’ crucifixion | death.
Unleavened Bread (Chag Hamotzi), celebrated from the 15^th to the 22^nd of Nisan (March, April, a Spring feast). It is intended to bring to recollection the Israelites’ hasty exodus from Egypt. From the vantage point of the New Testament, it sees our Savior’s burial.
First Fruits (Yom Habikkurim), celebrated on the 16^th and 17^th of Nisan (March, a Spring feast). This feast marks the beginning of the barley harvest (harvests bespeak completion). From the vantage point of the New Testament, it sees our Savior’s resurrection.
Pentecost (Shavu’ot), celebrated on the 6^th and 7^th of Sivan (May, a late Spring feast, fifty days after First Fruits). Pentecost commemorates the giving of the Law (Torah) at Mount Sinai. From the vantage point of the New Testament, it sees the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on the early Church and on all believers going forward—the Church in shoe leather here. What was written on stone is here written on the indwelled heart—completion/perfection in the extreme.
Trumpets (Yom Teru’ah), celebrated on the 1^st of Tishri (September | October, a Fall feast). Trumpets marks the beginning of the Jewish civil year according to the Jewish calendar (=Rosh Hashanah). More spiritually, the trumpet (shofar) blasts were intended to remind God’s covenant people Israel that they were indeed His Covenant People and to walk accordingly. In that spirit then, this feast also marks the beginning of a ten-day period of reflection on Sin called the “Days of Awe” (Yamim Nora’im). Just around the corner and up next will be the great and awesome Day of Atonement for Sin, and this time of reflection is also meant to prepare the heart and mind for that great and awesome Day. (In another context, see also Exodus 19:13, 16-19, where God announces His presence via trumpet blasts). From the vantage point of the New Testament, this feast sees none other than Jubilee Jesus (“Jesus Our Jubilee”).
Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), celebrated on the 10^th of Tishri (September | October, A Fall feast), commemorates God’s (first, with more to come…) forgiveness of the Israelites after their worshiping a golden calf at Mount Sinai. It is the culmination of the “Ten Days of Awe” mentioned above. This is a day of fasting and repentance; it also includes charitable acts, special services. From the vantage point of the New Testament, Jesus’ death for sinners is the great (first and last) atoning act of God. Our atonement, attendant forgiveness, was purchased on the Cross, it did not come for free—here is the culmination, the consummation, of God’s eternal plan.
Tabernacles (Sakkot), celebrated on the 15^th to the 22^nd of Tishri (September | October, a Fall feast), commemorates the Israelites’ journeying through the wilderness. The Tabernacle represented God’s presence with Israel during those hard times and in fact God met with their high priests in that very Tabernacle, and it is precisely there that this feast anticipates the New Testament and the One who is the Centerpiece of Scripture, even Jesus (“The Southside Light”). Yea, the One who ever tabernacles with His people (after atonement, He does not “leave us hanging” as it were; what a magnificent blessing it is to always have you nearby great Savior God, thank you for your presence with and your prayers for your people, amen).

Verse Seven, Chapter Seven, of the Seventh Book of the Bible

The seventh verse in the seventh chapter of the seventh book of the Bible is Judges 7:7. We would expect this verse to relate divine completeness and perfection as it has come down to us (our focus is on the present biblical canon). Sure enough, that’s what jumps out of the sacred text. The verse is part of the sacred record of how God chose Gideon and a reduced army of 300 men to completely and utterly defeat the Midianites, who had oppressed Israel for seven years. God reduced the number of Gideon’s soldiers from 32,000 to 300 to show that the victory was not by human strength (which is imperfect no matter what numbers of men fleshly strength surrounds itself with), but by divine power (which is perfect, and can handle any “odds” therefore). There is more to it than that though if that be possible. Consummate Victory, as in complete no less, is the Lord’s, be it by way of three-hundred swords against myriad swords (represents our earthly struggles), or by way of the Cross against myriad evil and Sin (represents our spiritual struggles, John 19:30, perfectly finished, completely finished). Clearly, Judges 7:7 anticipates God’s consummate and perfect Salvation—His work alone. Please notice, the Salvation of God—hands-down His greatest and costliest Victory—came not with pomp and power, but by One lowly, with laid aside Glory, “reduced” in this sense.

More Completion | Perfection Sevens in Scripture

How do the following “sevens” connect with some aspect of biblical completion and/or perfection? We will provide some short context to guide the completion | perfection possibilities for each passage.

The Flood (Genesis 7:10, 8:10-12)
Abraham and Abimelech well oath, Beersheba established (Genesis 21:28-30)
Jacob’s labor of love (Genesis 29:18-20, 30)
Jacob’s thorough homage (Genesis 33:3)
Pharaoh’s dream (Genesis 41:2ff)
Lamentation over Jacob’s death (Genesis 50:10)
Unleavened bread, no leaven per se, animals, in the context of the Passover (Exodus 12:15, 19, 13:6-7, 22:30)
Lamps, lampstand, in the context of the Tabernacle (Exodus 25:37)
Aaron’s successor, holy garments (Exodus 29:30-35)
Consecration of Aaron’s sons as priests (Exodus 29:37)
Blood of the Sin offering (Leviticus 4:6, 17)
Priests’ days of ordination (Leviticus 8:33)
Atonement for the altar, made most holy (Leviticus 8:35)
Separation of infirmity (Leviticus 12:2)
Scab versus leprosy (Leviticus 13:4ff)
Purification of lepers and their houses (Leviticus 14:51)
Blood issues (Leviticus 15:19-28)
Purification of the Sanctuary, Leviticus 16:14ff
Time under the dam before acceptable as offering, Leviticus 22:27
Holy convocation, no servile work seventh day, Leviticus 23:8, 36
Feast of Tabernacles, seven days, Leviticus 23:24, 39-42
The wrath of God kindled, Leviticus 26:18-28
Punishment of Miriam for speaking against Moses Numbers 12:14
Red heifer purification rite, Numbers 19:4
Uncleanness duration, Numbers 19:11-16, 31:19
Solemnity Marker—seven altars, seven animals Numbers 23:1ff
Offerings cycles, Numbers 28:11ff
Indebtedness time limit Deuteronomy 15:1ff
Feast of Weeks, Deuteronomy 16:9
Timing and duration of the Feast of Tabernacles Deuteronomy 16:3ff
Blessings and curses, Deuteronomy 28:7ff
Destruction of Jericho instructions, Joshua 6:4ff
Judgment, Judges 6:1ff
Samson, seven locks, Judges 16:19ff
Seven sons metric, Ruth 4:15
Reversals, 1Samuel 2:5
Challenge to the prophets of Baal, 1Kings 18:43ff
Seven sneezes and new life, 2Kings 4:29ff
Seven dips in Jordan, 2Kings 5:10ff
Thanks worship, 1Chronicles 15:26
Dedication of the Temple (Solomon), 2Chronicles 7:9
Purification of the Temple, 2Chronicles 29:21
Seven counsellors—the providence and sovereignty of God, Ezra 7:14
The Words of the Lord (completely, perfectly pure) Psalms 12:6
A goodly amount of praise, Psalms 119:164
Despised things, Proverbs 6:16
Wisdom’s pillars, Proverbs 9:1
the just man rises again and again, Proverbs 24:16
Consummate hubris, Proverbs 26:16,
Advice on generosity, Ecclesiastes 11:2
The future of Judah, Jerusalem after judgment, purification, Isaiah 4:1
Restoration after discipline and punishment, Isaiah 30:26
The fate of the people of Judah, Jeremiah 15:9
The Law of Release, Jeremiah 34:14
The sensibility of a good watchman, Ezekiel 3:15-16
The defeat of Gog and Magog, the purification of the land, Ezekiel 39:9ff
Consecration of, atonement for the altar, Ezekiel 43:25-26
Feast of Tabernacles daily offerings, Ezekiel 45:23ff
The fiery furnace, Daniel 3:19
Nebuchadnezzar’s seven times, Daniel 4:16ff
The Stone with seven eyes—even Jesus, Zechariah 3:9
Golden lampstand, two olive tress, Zechariah 4:2
Seven loaves, Matthew 15:34ff
Forgiveness, Matthew 18:21-22
Seven devils, Mark 16:9
Serving the needs of the Church, Acts 6:3
Ditto, Philip the evangelist, Acts 21:8
Jericho walls, Hebrews 11:30
The seven churches, Revelation 1:4, 11
The seven stars (Church’s angels, messengers, bishops), Revelation 1:16
Note that the seven stars are in Christ’s right hand, Revelation 1:16, 20
The seven spirits of God, Revelation 4:5 (Zechariah 3:9, Revelation 5:6)
Seven seals, Revelation 5:1
Seven angels, seven trumpets, Revelation 8:2
Seven thunders, Revelation 10:3-4
Seven heads, crowns, Revelation 12:3, 13:1, 17:3, 17:7
Seven plagues, wrath of God, Revelation 15:1, 6
Seven bowls, wrath of God, Revelation 15:7, 16:1
Seven kings, Revelation 17:9-11

The Fourth and Seventh Prime, The Golden Ratio

The number seven anchors the first seven prime numbers, i.e., it is the fourth prime number, sitting smack dab in the middle of the first seven primes: {2,3,5,7,11,13,17}. (The “prime” in “prime number” because these numbers are only divisible by 1 and themselves.) Seventeen is the seventh prime number and is the sum of the first four primes. Moreover, seventeen is the hypotenuse of a right triangle with legs of length 8 and 15, part of the Pythagorean triple {8,15,17}, a primitive triple, profound because all Pythagorean triples can be obtained by scaling a primitive Pythagorean triple; in fact, it is the third smallest Pythagorean triple, after {3,4,5}, and {5,12,13}. Perhaps more to our purposes, please note that seventeen is the atomic number of chlorine, a halogen (fr. Greek HALS=salt+GENS=to produce, thus “salt producing”) used in water purification and disinfection. Now consider the Fibonacci sequence. Interestingly, by the time the sixth and certainly the seventh Fibonacci pair is reached, the Creator has established His all-pervasive Golden Ratio design aesthetic—it’s a done deal. The first eight Fibonacci numbers—notice that 13 is seventh: {1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21}. Grouped by unit-offset pairs after the degenerate first: {{1, 1}, {1, 2}, {2, 3}, {3, 5}, {5, 8}, {8, 13}, {13, 21}}. Ratios of the pairs, second member divided by the first member: {1.000, 2.000, 1.500, 1.667, 1.600, 1.625, 1.615}. The Golden Ratio is 1.618… Looking at the ratios on either side of the seventh Fibonacci number (13), we see that the sixth ratio is off by 0.4% ([1.625/1.618]-1), and the seventh ratio is off by 0.2% (1-[1.615/1.618]). Continuing the ratioing on down the line eventually homes in on the Golden Ratio (Fig. 1).

Concluding Comments

The number seven, or any number for that matter, is not some sort of “mystical” or “magical” thing, and it certainly is not a “lucky” number. God forbid, literally, that this study should give that impression. These terms, and the notions behind them, come straight out of the pit of hell, they have no place here. What is important, and what we have tried to show, is how God utilizes the number seven to convey the idea of completion and/or perfection to us by way of the context in which the number is found. So, to reiterate, seven is just a number, no more no less, just like any other number—let us not be unduly enamored of it just because it appears so often in God’s holy Word. Let us instead prayerfully ask God to show us what He intends for us to grasp when we encounter it in our Bible readings.

Okay, we began this study by looking at God’s seven Feasts. This grouping of seven is a summary-statement of God’s eternal plan for humankind, the Salvation story in a nutshell, perfectly brought to fulfillment with the death, burial, and resurrection of our Savior Jesus. Jesus, the One who secures our Salvation post-atonement, day-by-day, with His prayers and loving presence by way of His blessed Spirit. That plan and that grouping had to be the starting point for this study.

Next, we looked at Judges 7:7—the seventh verse of the seventh chapter of the seventh book of the Bible. What does it say to us in this study’s completion | perfection context? It unmistakably tells us that God is behind Salvation from first to last—that is how it gets done, gets done perfectly, gets done completely perfectly—He is why this holds.

Then we searched Scripture to find its sevens, to find how they were placed, and used, looking for completion | perfection nuggets, and there were plenty. We engaged most of what we found, only leaving out strictly and oft-repeated counting-type enumerations and the like.

Lastly, we wanted to get a feel for the mathematical fun our Creator had with the number seven, what, He being the consummate mathematician for sure, and that is an understatement. Its place in the created order is as a prime number—you know, those set apart numbers—and of course Fibonacci’s sixth and especially seventh pair are sort of a “knee” beyond which the remaining ratios track the Creator’s design aesthetic, His amazing and pervasive Golden Ratio (Fig. 1). We noted a few other interesting design features built into the Creation—“seven-wise” if you will. But there is so much more to it than what we covered in that sort of mathematically mundane regard—our examples here are but a meager handful of examples out of an open-ended mundane well we just cannot plumb aright because of the abundance of mathematical and scientific genres evident in the wonder of Creation.

Why did God choose seven to be His number of completion and perfection, whatever the context may require? We flat out do not know; the Bible is chock full of sevens but does not tell us precisely why it is so. Of course, “seven” is prominent in other religions, philosophies, ideals, and whatnot, so the question is why, why there too? Is there a common mundane anchor? No. This can be more readily answered because in those other settings astrology and astronomy are clearly primary causals—the Primary Cause is not Jehovah. For example, the ancient Babylonians and Greeks held the number seven to be sacred and associated it with the seven celestial bodies visible from the earth (sun, moon, planets), but please notice—Christianity does not consider the number seven to be sacred! That is a salient difference to tuck away. Seven is just a number in Christianity, as said before. In Christianity, seven is not mystical, or magical, or sacred, or anything else like that. That sets Christianity apart from the rest in that regard. Consider Hinduism, in that case seven is considered a sacred number and is associated with the seven chakras, the so-called spiritual energy centers in the human body. Islam as well, there too seven is a sacred number, also associated with the seven heavens of Islamic cosmology.

Finally, we have thought all along, going back many years, that it is a good idea to follow our Creator God’s “sevens approach” in our ministry or studies or work regarding this or that. Seven is a good rule of thumb in knowing how far to go on the short and the long end we think. There is something about “not going the “sevens distance” that leaves us uneasy in our own efforts in a matter, so we try to do at least that much whatever the situation is. Not to say that oftentimes much more than that is called for, certainly (e.g., forgiveness), or less sometimes (e.g., “overdoing” something—one must be reasonable), but “going the sevens distance” seems to be a bare minimum when it comes to completing or perfecting this or that often. It is a biblical pattern, one that God employs in His work, so why not follow that pattern giving the Perfect Designer and Builder and Savior credit and glory?

Praised be your Name in all the earth great Jehovah God, even sevenfold. Amen.