I wrote Interruption #666 on what topic?
666
I quote myself from Interruption #666 …
The number “6” is the number of “man” in the Old Testament – so three 6’s or 666 – is the mark of extreme humanism. This number typifies how out of control our world becomes when we humans lose faithfulness to God.
I now counter 666 by writing about the number 777 in Interruption #777!
The number “7” has been a symbol of completion in the Bible. The only reference in scripture to “777” is found in Genesis 5:31 …
Thus, all the days of Lamech were 777 years, and he died (ESV).
Lamech was the father of Noah. The life of Lamech marked the end of God’s pre-flood phase of creation.
The number “7” and multiples of seven are often used in the Bible.
In Genesis, we find six days of creation and rest on the seventh day. Seven annual feasts were commanded to the Israelites by God in Leviticus 23. Joshua and the Israelites marched around Jericho seven times. The Babylonian captivity of the Jews was 70 years.
The number “7” has been used for years by scholars to refer to the Trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
In the New Testament, we are to forgive our neighbor seventy times seven (Matthew 18:21-22). In the Old Testament, the seventh year was to be a year of rest for the land, and after every seven weeks of years (seven times seven years [49 years]), slaves were to be set freed and debts forgiven (Leviticus 25).
Seven refers to completion, the Trinity, rest, creation, and freedom in the Bible. I need the number “7” more in my life. We all need the number seven.
The book of Daniel chapter nine uses seven and multiples of seven to predict the length of the Israelite captivity in Babylon, the time till the coming and death of Jesus, and the final tribulation period at the end of history. (Read Daniel chapter 9 over and over for latter-day hope.)
The book of Revelation – the book that completes the Biblical canon and describes the end (completion) of human history – should have an abundance of sevens.
And it does; there are about 60 usages of “7.”
My favorite use of seven in the book of Revelation describes the four living creatures who surround the throne of God …
Between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders, I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth (Revelation 5:6).
The most fearful seven that depicts complete judgment but adds hope …
Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb” (Revelation 21:9).
In Revelation, we find seven churches, seven stars, seven golden lampstands, seven seals, seven thunders, seven plagues, and many other sevens.
The book of Genesis begins with God using “seven” for creation completed and the book of Revelation uses “7” to teach that history will be perfected or completed in Jesus . . .
Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).
Be blessed today. Have a day filled with seven!
In case you missed my creative interplay in today’s Interruption, I use “7” … seven times.
HHHHMMMHHM!