"Seven"

 

“Seven”

 

Have you ever wondered why seven is considered the “lucky number”? I have so I checked out Google and found the most common reason given is that in ancient times seven planets were visible and thus became a part of pagan worship. (The alignment of planets is still a part of human worship as it influences horoscopes.) Many sports figures have worn this number—it’s been retired 22 times by teams in America’s four major professional leagues. And my guess is that it’s widely used in games of chance for “good luck”.

Seven is also prominent in Scripture—in fact, except for one and two (which often are combined with other words and numbers) it appears more frequently (some 514 times) than any other as a stand-alone number. Here are a few examples:

*Creation (“By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.”—Genesis 2:2).

*Jesus’ seven sayings from the cross (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34; Luke 23:34,43,46; John 19:26-27, 28,30).

*His final seven words: “…Into your hands I commit my spirit.” (Luke 23:46).

*First century churches of Asia (“Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches….”—Revelation 1:11).

*In expressions of time: Seven days (Genesis 7:4), weeks (Leviticus 23:15), months (Ezekiel 39:12,14), years (Deuteronomy 15:1).

Seven is also the number of completion. When Jesus had uttered His final sayings from the cross He “…breathed his last.” (Luke 23:46). God rested on the seventh day of the week of creation because he “…had finished the work he had been doing.” (Genesis 2:2). And in Scripture’s last book, Revelation, seven appears about 60 times because nothing is to be added or taken from it (Revelation 22:18-19).

A seven word phrase summarizes our salvation by God’s grace through our faith: “…Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27). A hymn of yesteryear by James Gray contains the line, “I’m only a sinner saved by grace.” This is the seven word testimony every child of God can echo. Can you repeat these seven words by faith?

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan