Number seven in the Apocalypse (an overview of Bible prophecy)

A nybody who reads the Book of Revelation, also known as the Apocalypse of John the Apostle, will not fail to notice the repetitious use of number seven. The number which occurs so frequently in the Book of Revelation which is a narration of prophecies in the end times.

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It is unbelievable but true… seven is God’s favorite number. Throughout the Bible (from Genesis to Revelation), the number seven appears many times. Seven is used 735 times in the Holy Bible. In the Book of Revelation, seven is used 55 times. The word “seventh” is used 98 times while the word “seven-fold” appears seven times. Also the word “seventy” is used 56 times. In the Book of Genesis (which starts with the story of creation), the word “created” is used seven times to highlight God’s creative work. After God created all things in the beginning for six days, He rested on the seventh day. From the Book

of Genesis, we see that God introduced the concept of seven days a week.

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Let me share some instances in the Holy Bible where the number seven is mentioned in the Book of Revelation. In this last book of the Holy Bible, there is mention of seven churches, seven angels, seven plagues, seven spirits, seven stars, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven hills, seven bowls of wrath, seven lampstands, seven heads of the whore of Babylon, seven thunders, seven mountain, seven horns and seven eyes:

• “These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candelsticks” — Revelation 2:1

• “These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars.” — Revelation 3:1

• “And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues.” — Revelation

21:9

• “And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” — Revelation 10:4

• “And I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals.” — Revelation 5:1

• “And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.” — Revelation 17:9

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Some other verses in the Holy Bible on number seven are:

• In the Book of Genesis, God rested on the seventh day; Noah took the clean beasts into the ark by sevens; and seven days after Noah went into the ark, the floods came;

• In Jeremiah 25:11-12, the Israelites were exiled in Babylon for seventy years;

• In Matthew 18:21-22, Jesus said to forgive seventy times seven;

• In Joshua 6:1-16, God told the Israelites to march around Jericho seven times before the walls of Jericho collapsed on the seventh day. We see also seven priests blowing seven trumpets of ram’s horns before the walls of Jericho collapsed;

• In the Book of Leviticus (see Chapter 23:1-44), there is mention of seven Feast days of the Lord — Passover, Unleavened, First fruits, Pentecost, Atonement, Trumpets, and Tabernacle;

• In Luke 8:2, we see seven devils cast out of Mary

Magdalene who was earlier possessed by Satan.

• In Matthew 12:45, “seven other spirits” more wicked than a man entered his body. In Matthew

13, Jesus spoke to people through parables — seven parables.

• In the Book of Judges 16:13, Samson revealed to Delilah that his strength was in his hair. Mention is made of “seven locks” of his hair;

• In Leviticus 25:4, the “seventh year shall be a Sabbath of rest.” * * *

The Holy Bible is replete with instances highlighting number seven and multiples of seven. The healing miracles that Jesus performed on a Sabbath day in the Book of Matthew, Chapter 5, totalled seven. It took King Solomon seven years to build the temple. Remember the famine in Egypt during the days of Joseph? There were seven years of planting and seven years of famine. (To be continued)

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This column continues to give out copies of the Holy Bible for free to those who cannot afford to buy their own copies. If interested, please send your letterrequest to Ms. Nelly Favis Villafuerte, 5233 Fahrenheit St., Palanan, Makati City. Kindly mention if it is the Tagalog, English, Cebuano, or Ilocano Bible that is preferred.

Be joyful and forgiving!

(Comments may be sent to Ms. Villafuerte’s email: villafuerte_nelly@yahoo.com.)