Seven

The book of Revelation, by John, was written for several reasons. Some believe
that it was to predict the end of times in line with current understanding of the word
prophecy. Others view it as a revelation, prophecy, and a letter (Bauckham). For this
reason, Revelation is also very similar to books such as Romans and Hebrews; in which,
Revelation testifies to Gods sovereignty and power, an eschatology, and the one who is
worthy to be praised.
Revelation 5 continues Johns vision of the throne room of heaven from chapter 4.
The throne is seen in 5 to be occupied by God. In Gods right hand sits a scroll written
on the front and back and sealed with seven seals. The scroll contains Gods plan for
creation (Ressegue). This plan shows Gods authority by being held in His right hand
(Ressegue). As well, Christs right hand has significance in Revelation. In Revelation 1,
Christ is written to be holding seven stars that are the angels of the seven churches.
Gods right hand has many connotations. These connotations are righteousness,
majesty, victory, mercy, salvation, justice, and power from Job 40:14, Psalm 20:6, 44:3,
48:10, Isaiah 41:10 (Ressegue). Righteousness is associated with His right hand in Psalm
48:10: your right hand is filled with righteousness. Gods majesty is expressed in
Exodus 15:6a: Your right hand, Lord, was majestic in power. His victory shown in
Exodus 15:6b and Psalm 20:6b: Your right hand, Lord, shattered the enemy, and He
answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand.
Mercy flows from Gods right hand in Psalm 44:3b: it was your right hand, your arm,
and the light of your face, for you loved them. Job 40:14 shows salvation of man coming
from Gods right hand: Then I myself will admit to you that your own right hand can
save you.
Thus, these references to Gods right hand signify his authority and power. Power
and authority is referenced in Psalm 110:1 and quoted by Jesus in Matthew 22:43 to
emphasize this: The Lord said to my lord, Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies
under your feet. Similarly, David claims his power comes from Gods presence at
Davids right hand in Psalm 16. Thus, Gods authority and the scroll as Gods plan can be
associated with his right side where the scroll is seen.
Before examining the scroll and lamb more closely, the significance of the
number seven must be questioned partially because of it occurring fifty four times in
Revelation out of eighty six times in the New Testament (Logos). Seven is used to
numerically identify the churches, angels, lampstands, stars, seals, horns of the lamb,
eyes of the lamb, trumpets, thunders, men, crowns, heads, plagues, bowls, mountains, and
kings. That is a total of sixteen various uses. Seven finds its semiotic meaning in the Old
Testament. Its meaning is completeness and perfection (Mounce).
First, seven is the total number of days of creation written in Genesis. Whether
this is a literal or liberal seven days does not matter as much here. What is important is
that seven signifies Gods completion of creation. Second, Jacob has to work for Leah
and then Rachel for seven years each (Mounce). Similarly Journeys are often seven
days in length and the Israelites march around Jericho for seven days (and seven times on
the seventh day, to have a family of seven sons seems to be ideal, and Pharaohs
dreams deal with two periods of seven, seven lean and fat cows, seven good and

worthless heads of grain (Mounce). Thus, Jews have experienced the implication that
seven is completeness.
Third, Gods required offerings in Leviticus and the festivals in Deuteronomy also
use the symbolism of seven to represent completeness (Mounce). If the anointed priest
sins, bringing guilt on the people and If the whole Israelite community sins
unintentionally blood from the offering is sprinkled before the Lord seven times
(Leviticus 4:3, 13). Similarly, when Moses is to ordinate Aaron and his sons for service to
the Lord, Moses sprinkles the oil on the altar seven times: He sprinkled some of the oil
on the altar seven times (Leviticus 8:11a). These actions emphasize the complete
cleansing of the Israelite before God. Therefore, the seven seals followed by the seven
trumpets and finally the seven plagues culminate in the conclusion of history
(Witherington). The problem with the idea that the three sets are the same judgment or
different interpretation is that with the seventh seal the seven trumpets are introduced
(Witherington). Though it has been argued that seven bears a connotation of
completeness, in regards to the three various sets of seven judgments is difficult to see.
On the other hand, a similar argument that the three judgments are each a woe by
John can be made. However, the Johns writing clearly expresses the first woe has
passed comes after the fifth trumpet; and the the second woe comes after the sixth
trumpet with no mention of the third woe (Revelation 9:12; 11:14). Though also, the
word woe is used eight more times in Revelation after these passages; none refer to the
third woe mentioned here. These other woes warn of the devil being cast down to the
earth and the destruction of Babylon. Therefore, the significance of the three sets of
judgment might indicate something else.
A speculation can be made that the three judgments are indicative of the Trinity.
Though, nothing more than a speculation from the Trinitarian nature of Revelation 1:4b5a that bestows grace and peace on the seven churches from the Trinity. Witherington
would say that the seven spirits are the seven angels, but much like the conclusion that
the seven eyes are the complete omnipresence of God this is debatable. Similarly, the
seven angels of the church are referred to as the seven stars that Christ holds in his right
hand. Thus, I would like to challenge Witheringtons assumption by saying that the seven
horns are Gods complete power, the seven eyes is seeing completely as God sees, and
the seven spirits here in Revelation 1:4-5 is the Holy Spirit of God.
Therefore, John writing that there are seven churches and seven angels would
symbolize the complete church and the complete host of angels. The angels that look
after the church are placed in Christs right hand. Thus, Christ is the one who watches,
guides, and instructs the entire church. The church whose prayers are contained in the
seven bowls are also offered with incense before God. In short, the seven churches is the
complete church, seven angels is the entire or complete host of God, and the seven bowls
is the complete worship of God.
In conclusion, the number seven in Revelation signifies Gods complete church,
his entire host of angels, his perfect power, his total judgment, his omnipresence, and his
full wrath. As a result, these references in Revelation convey the book pertaining to Gods
absolute sovereignty over everything in heaven or on earth or under the earth
(Revelation 5:3).
Finally, seven was also used in mythology of Mesopotamian and Sumerian
tradition (van der Toorn). Both these cultures associated the number seven with

mythological creatures called Apkallu that possessed extraordinary wisdom (van der
Toorn). These creatures existed pre-flood of Noah and were accredited to the service of
Apsu, the father of Marduk who came to rule the other gods (van der Toorn). These
Apkallu were also given the title of Seven Sages and speculation has been made of their
association with Proverbs 9:1 Wisdom has built her house; she has set up its seven
pillars (van der Toorn). In summary, van der Toorn lays out the mythology of the
Apkallu in Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible.
The scroll, with its seven seals and bearing Gods plan, rests in Gods right hand
till it is taken by the lamb: The scroll contains Gods plan of salvation and establishment
of a just reign over a recalcitrant and rebellious world (Ressegue). The significance lays
in the scrolls placement in Gods right hand and the symbolism of the lamb possessing
Gods complete power, seven horns, and seeing all God sees, seven eyes (Ressegue).
Revelation 5:2 thus sets the stage for the scrolls importance in Gods plan: And I saw a
powerful angel proclaiming in a loud voice: Who is worthy to open the scroll and to
break its seals? Not all translations offer the same order of the angels proclamation.
The NIV and NLT translate it break the seals and open the scroll while the ESV,
NASB, KJB, ISV, and NET all translate the open the scroll and break the seals.
The significance of first opening the scroll and then breaking the seals could be
interpreted from Matthew 24:36: But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the
angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. The Son emptied himself when he
came to earth, and now that he is back in heaven is once again full of the full power and
knowledge of God. Therefore, only the Son who can see all that God sees could know the
day or hour. Thus, as the heaven, the earth, and under the earth are searched- besides
God- only the Lamb knows the time when he must appear to usher in the end of days.
Likewise, the angels proclamation has an important prerequisite of the one who
will open the scroll. The one who will open the scroll and break the seals must first be
worthy. This worthiness is something beyond fulfillment by even the heavenly host that
serves God. It is beyond the qualifications of the four living creatures and twenty four
elders around the throne. Only the Lamb, the sacrificed one of God, can meet the
requirement of opening the scroll.
Therefore, John uses language and symbolism that meets these requirements.
Johns first symbols he makes use of are the Old Testament associations with the messiah.
As John weeps for the unsuccessful search for one who is worthy John is told Look, the
Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David (Revelation 5:5b). John is referencing back
to Genesis 49:9-10 and Isaiah 11:1,10 for the symbol of the Lion of Judah and the root of
David (Ressegue). 1 Peter also uses the analogy of the devil as a lion to portray the fear
of this animal. It is this association of obvious power with a lion that John uses. Similarly,
John probably refers to Jesus genealogy similar to Matthews gospel and not Lukes.
Matthews lineage is probably the preferred because it traces Jesuss lineage through
Solomon.
In summary, if John is implying the seven eyes of the Lamb as Gods knowledge,
then also would John associate Solomons request of God in 2 Chronicles 1:7-12 with the
root of David. Now, John was also told the one who is worthy has conquered: (has
conquered) indicates that the victory has already been won (Ressegue). Christ has
conquered death as symbolized by his statement I hold the keys of death and of Hades
showing by his possession that he has conquered (Witherington). Thus, again Johns

symbols could mean something beyond just the simple context of the particular passages.
Because, Jesus holds the keys of death and Hades, and the Lamb is depicted as having
seven horns to symbolize Gods complete power; then again this shows Christs authority
to take the scroll, open it, and break the seals. Thus, he releases death onto the earth; over
which, he has all authority and power.
Another, similarity between Christ in Revelation 1:18 and the Lamb in Revelation
5:6 is the Christs words and the one who lives! I was dead, but look, now I am alive
correlates to a Lamb that appeared to have been killed. These two depictions further
declare his sovereignty. Similarly, numerous references as the Lamb portraying the
complete fulfilment of Old Testament sacrifice practices can be made. Images that would
further verify the worthiness of the Lamb to take the scroll.
In short, symbols and imagery used by John in Revelation draws on Old
Testament writing familiar to the audience at his time. Testifying to the power of God, the
completion of his plan in Jesus, and the worthiness of the Lamb. Therefore, Johns letter
is very similar to the book of Romans and Hebrews. Because, Revelation also draws on
presumed knowledge of the reader.

Works Cited
Bauckham, Richard. The Theology of the Book of Revelation. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1993.
Print.
Mounce, William D. Mounce's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words.
Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006. Print.
Resseguie, James L. The Revelation of John: A Narrative Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker Academic, 2009. Print.
Toorn, K. Van Der., Bob Becking, and Pieter Willem Van Der. Horst. Dictionary of Deities and
Demons in the Bible DDD. Leiden: Brill, 1999. Print.
Witherington, Ben. Revelation. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge UP, 2003. Print.