Seven

The number seven is used repeatedly in biblical writing as a symbol of perfection or

completeness. The Genesis story of the creation of the world is the first such metaphor. Many
others follow. Jacob bows seven times before Esau as a sign of his complete submission (Gene.
33:3). Noah takes seven pairs of ritually clean animals into the ark and the rains come seven
days after the Lord’s instructions (Gen. 6:2-4). The friends of Job come to comfort him and stay
seven days and seven nights (Job 2:13). Seven priests carrying seven trumpets circle Jericho
seven times in order that the walls may tumble down (Josh. 6). Naaman is cured of leprosy by
washing seven times in the Jordan River (2 Kings 5:10-14). The miracle of Jesus’ feeding of the
multitude involves seven loaves of bread. The first deacons were seven in number – Stephen,
Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas (Acts 6:3).

The Book of Revelation is addressed to seven churches in Asia Minor – Ephesus, Smyrna,
Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea – and is full of things numbered seven:
lamp stands of gold, stars, torches, seals on a book, angels, horns, eyes, heads, thunders, plagues,
golden bowls, hills and kings.

The Church early adopted this biblical penchant for the number seven. Seven Penitential Psalms
have been used on the Fridays in Lent since Medieval times: 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143.

The sacraments are counted as seven: Holy Baptism, Holy Eucharist, Confirmation, Ordination,
Holy Matrimony, Penance and Unction. There are Seven Deadly Sins – Pride, Covetousness,
Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Anger and Sloth – and Seven Cardinal Virtues – Faith, Hope, Charity,
Justice, Prudence, Temperance, and Fortitude.

In sacred art, seven is commonly associated with the gifts of the Holy Spirit described in Isaiah
11:2 – wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, fear of the Lord, and piety. These
are often depicted as seven doves circling the letters “SS” (which stand for “Spiritus Sanctum”),
or as seven tongues of fire (which are also associated with the day of Pentecost). This imagery
recurs in the Hymnal 1982; the “sevenfold gifts” of the Holy Spirit appear in hymns 225, 226,
227, 500, 503 and 504.

While numerology had a minor place in ancient Hebrew forms of mysticism, the use of seven as
a Christian symbol is not magical at all. It derives from the sense of completeness with which
writers of the Old and New Testaments used it as a metaphor.

Reprinted from "Church Words", by Stephen E. Moore, published by Forward Movement

Publications, 412 Sycamore Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 USA.