Everyone who has a sliver of interest in Bible numbers, can attest to the fact that the number seven is more frequently used than any other number. The Hebrew word for seven is שבע sheva and appears 394 times in the Old Testament. The ordinal number, seventh, is used 97 times in Old Testament. The Greek word ἐπτα hepta, seven, appears 88 times and the ordinal number, seventh, 9 times. That the number seven has significance, is undoubtedly the case.
From Genesis to Revelation seven is the number indicative of time and matter. From the outset of the Exodus, the number seven is used. In Exodus 7:25 it is recorded that seven days passed after the Lord struck the Nile. The first plague being the Nile turning into blood. When God makes His covenant with Israel sparing them from the death of the first born by putting the blood on the doors, the Israelites are instructed to keep that day as memorial through all their generation. “ Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread” (Exodus 12:15). This was the fourteenth day (7+7) of Nissan.
The Israelites left Egypt and on Mount Sinai Moses received the law. God singles out one day, the seventh, which He instructed Israel to keep holy. God also instructed them to keep a jubilee year. They were to count seven sabbaths of years. That is 7 X 7. This was the year of restoration and setting free the slaves and returning the land to its rightful owner.
After their wonderings through the desert, Moses gave them the blessings and the curses for keeping and disobeying the law. If Israel kept the law, their enemies will flee before them in seven ways.
But not only was the number seven significant when Israel was set free, Psalms 12:6 reads that the word of the Lord is refined seven times, Proverbs 6:16 lists the seven things that God hates and Isaiah 30:26 that the sun will shine seven times brighter. The number also played a significant role in prophesy. Daniel’s seventy weeks of seven being one.
But why seven, why not six or eight? One answer can be found in the Hebrew letters. Seven is spelt shin-beyt-ayin שבע. The first letter of the word is 21st letter of the Hebrew alphabet, reading from left to right, and has a numerical value of 300.
The shin has three lines and represent thought, speech and action. If each one of these is 100%, it denotes perfection. From Romans 3:23 however, it is known that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. If one is penitent and confess his sin, God is faithful to forgive sin and cleanse from all unrighteousness. The Hebrew word for penitence is shuva and links to the Day of Atonement. This is most holy day on the Jewish calendar in which reflection is done and forgiveness of sin is sought. The day of atonement is Yom Kippur. The numerical value of kippur is 300. This is the same value as the letter shin. The kippur is the covering for sin.
The second letter in the word sheva, is a beyt. The letter beyt is pictogram of a tent and speaks of Jesus becoming flesh and dwelling among men. In Him we have redemption of sin.
The last letter of the word sheva, is the ayin. The letter is a pictograph of an eye and has a numerical value of 70. The place from where Israel was delivered, connects to the letter ayin. They were delivered from Egypt. The Hebrew word for Egypt is Mizraim and has a numerical value of 70. The word Mizraim means constraint or limitation. The immediate thought connected to Egypt from a Biblical point of view, is that Israel was delivered out the house of bondage.
It is of this redemption that Paul writes in Ephesians: “ I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you. The riches of His glorious inheritance.” In Old Testament vernacular, the promised land.
It can then be deduced that the number seven speaks of the redemption from sin by the atoning blood of Christ who delivered the sinner from the bondage of sin to obtain an eternal inheritance. This inheritance is what Jesus speaks of in Luke 21:28. Differently put: Luke 777:7777.
When you see these things, then look up your redemption is near.
