Last updated on April 8th, 2023 at 08:01 pm
Are you wondering about the number 7 and what it means in the Bible? The number 7 is one of the most important numbers in all of biblical history so let dive deeper.
What Does the Number 7 Mean in the Bible?
What does the number 7 mean in the bible?
In the Bible, the number 7 means complete, or spiritual perfection. On the 7th day, God rested because His work was complete. The number 7 can also be about rest and wholeness, meaning that your rest comes from a sense of completing the work.
When seeing the number 7 in your dreams, daily life or a prophetic sign there are two main interpretations.
- Something is Complete – The Spirit of God may be trying to tell you a season is over, or a job is complete. There is a conclusion and perhaps it is time to close the book on that things and move to the next thing.
- Rest – rest is a significant issue in the Bible, and should not be overlooked. God rested when he had completed what he set out to complete. Jesus became our rest, going to the cross to carry our burden. Do you need rest?
The Number 7 Hebrew Pictograph
As with all of the main numbers there is a picture that represents the number. In the case of the number 7 the Hebrew letter is Zayin which means a plowshare, weapon, sword, to arm, to adorn, or to cut, and completion.
Notable Instances of the Number 7 in the Bible
The number 7 appears 735 times in the bible. If you include sevenfold and seventh then it appears 860 times. The bible itself was originally separated into 7 main parts, the law, the prophets, the psalms, the gospels and acts, the general epistles, the epistles of Paul and Revelation.
Here are some of the instances of 7 in the bible.
- 7 days of creation and God rested on the 7th day
- 7 men in the Old Testament are labelled “a man of God.” They are Moses (Joshua 14:6), David (2Chronicles 8:14), Samuel (1Samuel 9:6, 14), Shemaiah (1Kings 12:22), Elijah (1Kings 17:18), Elisha (2Kings 5:8) and Igdaliah (Jeremiah 35:4)
- Paul uses 7 titles for God when he is writing to the Hebrews. The titles are Heir of all thing’s (Hebrews 1:2), Captain of our salvation (2:10),’Apostle (3:1), Author of salvation (5:9), Forerunner (6:20), High Priest (10:21) and the Author and finisher of our faith (12:2)
- There are 7 churches in the book of Revelation
- There are 7 Angels to those churches
- There are 7 seals, 7 trumpets, seven thunders and seven last plagues
- Psalm 7 speaks of two floods by which the earth is cleansed and then brought into perfect order
- 7 Days completes a sabbath cycle
- In Rev. 10:7 the mystery of God is finished when the seventh angel blows his trumpet. In Rev. 16:7 “it is done” when the seventh angel pours out the seventh vial into the air.
- It took seven days to consecrate Aaron and his sons to the priesthood (Lev. 8:31-35) before emerging from the tabernacle on the eighth day.
- Joshua and the Israelite army had to march around Jericho for seven days (Joshua 6:15) before the city fell.
- The first verse of the bible has seven Hebrew words
- Blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat 7 times on Yom Kippur
- 7 of the commandments begin with You Can Not.
- Wisdom has 7 pillars
Are there any Negative Connotations for the Number 7?
Someone who sows discord or strife tries to tear down the house. This is the opposite of restoration and rest. The harlot in the book of revelation was riding a beast with SEVEN heads. She is ruled by the beast and represents being ruled by the beast and she carries a cup full of abominations.
The number 6 usually means that something is incomplete or that we are placing our trust in man’s ability rather than God’s ability. The number 7, although only one number different, is literally the exact opposite of the number 6. The number 7 means something is complete, no more striving, and we trust in God. In the bible often the devil will use tricks to make us think something is the number 7 when actually it is the number 6. Just a little off, but actually all the way off.
What does this mean?
Well, it means false rest, false hope and being tricked. The devil, the beast and the lies of the enemy are often presented as good things, but they are a trick. The bible says that the devil appears to us as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14) and this literally means that he is trying to trick us. Often it will present itself as the answer, more money, more happiness, better relationships and more fulfillment but it always comes with a lie attached.
How do I know if this is the message for me?
If you are seeing the number 7 and it is related to something that you are placing your hope in, or relying on this number 7 presents a great opportunity to question if this thing is from God or if this thing is a trap. Sometimes we get enamoured with something and think it is of God because it seems positive. However, we need to be careful, especially if God is repeatedly giving us a sign.
What is around the thing? Just like the harlot in Revelation, there are signs that she was a lie. The main thing is that she was trying to direct people towards the beast and away from God. She in essence was an idol or a distraction.
Relate – The number 4 in the bible
What Does it Mean that I am Seeing the Number 7?
You are likely reading this because you are seeing the number 7 in your life and you are wondering what does that mean?
At first pass, it typically means completeness or rest. The spirit of God is speaking to you about these things, something is complete or you need to enter into His rest.
Typically there other parts of the story are required to really give meaning to the number 7. Just like all numbers, there is always context around the number that really gives us a sense of what God is trying to say.
Do you need to move on from something that is complete and you are lingering too long?
Have you completed the task and now need to rest from that task and prepare for the next task?
Are you striving? Do you need to enter into God’s rest?
Jesus Healed 7 Times on the Sabbath
Jesus did seven miracles during the sabbath. He got in a lot of trouble because of it, from the Pharisees. Part of His ministry was changing the religious structures and to do that he challenged the idea of what was accepted and what wasn’t accepted on the sabbath. This has a lot to do with the number 7, the completeness and perfection idea means that people can experience Jesus on the sabbath rather than doing religious activities.
Don’t just go to church because you feel like you have to, experience Jesus.
1) Jesus healed the withered hand of a man going to church (Matthew 12:9).
2) At a Capernaum synagogue he casts out an unclean spirit of a demon-possessed man (Mark 1:21).
3) Right after he delivered that guy Jesus heals Peter’s wife’s mother of a fever (Mark 1:29).
4) A woman attending synagogue, who was made sick by a demon for eighteen years, is delivered (Luke 13:11).
5) At a Pharisee’s house eating a meal with the host and several lawyers, Jesus heals a man with dropsy (Luke 14:2).
6) A man who is disabled and unable to walk is healed at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:8 – 9).
7) Jesus heals a man born blind at the pool of Siloam (John 9:14).
Further Reading – The biblical meaning of the number 8
