reminds me of the story of two blind men standing on opposite ends of an elephant and describing what they felt; two quite different descriptions of the same animal.
Remember that the key to Bible understanding is CONTEXT...CONTEXT …..CONTEXT.
reminds me of the story of two blind men standing on opposite ends of an elephant and describing what they felt; two quite different descriptions of the same animal.
I have so much to learn......
rtm3039
Thanks Major -Great topic for some learning! Looking forward to the learning
A question: Aside from Daniel, what other books will be mentioned in the discussion / study?
hehehe I was just gonna say that However, when we get to heaven we will live for eternity. Therefore we will always be learning.You and ME also. When we stop learning...……...we die!
hehehe I was just gonna say that However, when we get to heaven we will live for eternity. Therefore we will always be learning.
This is a Major thread considering to time we are in. ( pun intended)
Revelation 1:4...………….
"John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne".
John is addressing Seven local churches in Asia Minor or our present day Turkey.
Allow me to call your attention to the number Seven. Seven stands for "Complete". The number Seven has to do with God's covenant and dealings with Israel. The Sabbath, circumcision and worship are all hinged around the SEVENTH Day.
Some examples are...…….
1). Jericho was marched around SEVEN times.
2). Naaman was dipped in the Jordan River SEVEN times.
3). In Joseph's day, there was SEVEN years of plenty and SEVEN years of famine.
4). Nebuchadnezzar was insane for SEVEN years.
5). There are SEVEN Beatitudes in the New Test.
6). There are SEVEN petitions in the Lord's prayer.
7). There are SEVEN parabels in Matthew 13.
8). SEVEN loaves of bread fed the multitude.
9). Jesus spoke SEVEN times from the cross.
10).There are SEVEN Spirits.
11). SEVEN stars.
12).SEVEN candlesticks.
13).SEVEN Trumpets judgments.
14).SEVEN Bowl judgments.
15). SEVEN days in a week.
16).SEVEN basis colors.
17). SEVEN basic musical notes.
18).The cells in our bodies changes every SEVEN years.
IMO, the number SEVEN in the Revelation can not be ignored or thought to be an accident or coincidence. It is one of the KEYS to understanding the symbols contained in the book and if you miss that, you will come up with the wrong understanding.
So then, we see here in the 4th verse, SEVEN churches. That means the SEVEN churches are "Inclusive" of all churches.
John says...……"Grace be unto you and peace".
Peace flows from grace and grace is the source of all our blessings from God today. The Revelation reveals the grace of God and also peace from God.
That means we do not need neither should we be frightened as you read and study this book. We can and should have the peace of God in our hearts.
Then notice that the information is ………."From Him, and from the SEVEN Spirits. That brings the Trinity before us.
The..."SEVEN SPIRITS" refers to the Holy Spirit and IMO it also refers to the SEVEN branches of the Lampstand that was in the Tabernacle. More on that when we get to it.
Then we see...………"Which is, and which was and which is to come".
That emphasizes the eternity and immutability of God. Notice.
Notice now the mention of each member of the Trinity.
1). In the next verse #5 is Jesus Christ who is God the Son.
2). The "SEVEN Spirits is God the Holy Spirit.
3). "Him which is and which was and which is to come refers to God the Father.
The meaning of numbers, in the Bible, fascinate me. The number 7 appears 735 times in the bible, including 54 times in the book of Revelations. The bible was originally divided into 7 major divisions: (1) the Law, (2) the Prophets, (3) the Writings/Psalms, (4) the Gospels and Acts, (5) the General Epistles, (6) the Epistles of Paul, and (7) the book of Revelations. The total number of originally inspired books was 49 (7x7) and, lastly, God “created” everything in 7 days and the word “created” is seven letters.
https://www.biblestudy.org/bibleref/meaning-of-numbers-in-bible/7.html
Is it because 7 rhymes with heaven?
In chinese culture, its 8 that is the auspicious number. 4 is deemed bad, because it also sounds like the word for die.
In Australia, they always misprounounce the number 6 which makes for some hilarity for people who dont understand the aussie accent.
YupAgreed. I produced a study guide several years ago on the meaning of numbers in the Scriptures. When you do the work, it does not take you long to understand that God loved mathematics.
God's math is........1 cross + 3 nails = 4 given.
No my dear it is not.
The basis is that God spent six days creating the heavens and the earth, and then rests on the seventh day. This is our template for the seven-day week, observed around the world to this day.
God was not tired but He finished creation. Thus, right at the start of the Bible, the number 7 is identified with something being “finished” or “complete.”
Another example is the number 6. Man was created on the sixth day of creation. In some passages of the Bible, the number 6 is associated with mankind. In Revelation “the number of the beast” is called “the number of a man. That number is 666. If God’s number is 7, then man’s is 6. Six always falls short of seven, just like “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Man is not God, just as 6 is not 7.
The Bible was written by men in the middle east, mostly Jews and there would be no reason for it to be identified with Chinese, Australian or any other country.
Oh ok it was just a surmise. But I think isnt it a coincidence that seven rhymes with heaven in english language. How convenient for poets.No my dear it is not.
The basis is that God spent six days creating the heavens and the earth, and then rests on the seventh day. This is our template for the seven-day week, observed around the world to this day.
God was not tired but He finished creation. Thus, right at the start of the Bible, the number 7 is identified with something being “finished” or “complete.”
Another example is the number 6. Man was created on the sixth day of creation. In some passages of the Bible, the number 6 is associated with mankind. In Revelation “the number of the beast” is called “the number of a man. That number is 666. If God’s number is 7, then man’s is 6. Six always falls short of seven, just like “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Man is not God, just as 6 is not 7.
The Bible was written by men in the middle east, mostly Jews and there would be no reason for it to be identified with Chinese, Australian or any other country.
Oh ok it was just a surmise. But I think isnt it a coincidence that seven rhymes with heaven in english language. How convenient for poets.
The whole gematria hebrew thing I dont really get, I guess you have to be fluent in Hebrew to understand it. What is the Hebrew word for seven anyway.
The number 40 is also interesting.
rtm3039
Hm, not much rhymes with shibah .NO mam, it is not a coincidence! If there is one thing the Bible clearly teaches, it is that there are NO coincidences with God.
One of the reasons I stress so much to everyone to walk with the Lord daily, and to be in the Word of God, pray, seek Him each and every day, is so that we all will follow His plan for your life.
Strong's Concordance
sheba or shibah: sevenOriginal Word: שֶׁבַע
Part of Speech: Noun
Transliteration: sheba or shibah
Phonetic Spelling: (sheh'-bah)
Definition: seven
YES it is.
It represents TRIALS and TESTING/PROBATION.
It is the product of FIVE and EIGHT..........5 x 8 = 40.
The number 5 = Grace and the number 8 = New Creation.
The number 40 is mentioned 146 times in the Scriptures.
There are 15 periods of trials that appear on the surface of the Scriptures and are thus classified.
1. There was 40 years of Probation by Trial.
Israel in the wilderness.
Israel from the crucifixon to destruction of Jersulem.
2. There was 40 years of Probation by prosperity in deliverance and rest.
Under Othniel.
Under Barak.
Under Gideon.
3. 40 years of Probation by Prosperity that enlarged the dominion.
Under David.
Under Solomon.
Under Jeroboam II
Under Jehoash
Under Joash
4. 40 years of Probation by Humiliation and Servitude
Israel under the Philistines
Israel in the time of Eli
Israel under Saul
Moses spent 40 years in Egypt.
Moses spent 40 years in the desert.
Moses spent 40 years with Israel in the wilderness.
The spies sent into the land of Canaan were in the land for FORTY days (Numbers 13:18-20).
The reign of Saul was for...………………. 40 years.
The reigh of David was for...... ...…...…...40 years.
The reigh of Solomon was for...……….. 40 years.
Goloiah defied Israel for …………………..40 days.
Nineveh was given ...............……...………..40 days.
Elijah fasted for ..................………………….40 days.
Jesus was tempted for ......…...……...…….40 days.
Jesus appeared after Resurrection for 40 days.
There is lots more but I do not like long posts but this was done to show that God is not HASTY in His judgments and gives all men plenty of time for a fait trial and time to confess and repent.