The book of Revelation is one that has elicited significant debate and theories about its role in Scripture. Is it purely allegorical? Are the events on its pages prophetic imagery destined to play out at some point in the future? Could it be an apocalyptic description of things that have already happened? Or maybe even a combination of all of these and more? These are not questions to be answered in this article. Instead, let us focus on one piece mentioned by the Apostle John that we can describe or define in a little more detail. In Revelation 3:1, Jesus tells John to write a letter to the church in Sardis, and in the introduction, he uses the phrase, “These are the words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.” The seven what?
We see this same phrase in Revelation 4:5 and 5:6. Zechariah saw something similar in his vision in Zechariah 4:2, and if we go all the way back to Exodus 25:31-37, the Israelites are directed by God to create a golden lampstand with seven lamps.
Seven carries a lot of symbolism in biblical literature. It is seen within the Old Testament as the number of completion, perfection, and divine order. During the creation account, God rested on the seventh day (Gen. 2:2-3). The ordination of an Israelite priest lasted for seven days (Lev. 8:33-35). As part of the sin offering, priests sprinkled the blood seven times (Lev. 4:6). Jericho fell after seven days of marching and the blowing of seven trumpets (Joshua 6:4-15). And the list goes on. With all of this in mind, we can turn to a Messianic prophesy in Isaiah 11:2, where these seven spiritual attributes are listed as descriptive of the Messiah:
- The Spirit of the LORD
- The Spirit of wisdom
- The Spirit of understanding
- The Spirit of counsel
- The Spirit of power
- The Spirit of knowledge
- The Spirit of the fear of the Lord
This prophecy describes the fullness of the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus and what it can also be in the life of a Spirit-filled believer. So, the seven Spirits of God in the book of Revelation are a reference to this perfection, or fullness, of the work of the Holy Spirit.