Seven is a number of prophetic fulfillment. The book of Revelation, which unfolds God’s end-time plan for the culmination of the ages, is filled with "sevens". These include the:
a. seven churches
b. seven Spirits of God
c. seven golden candlesticks
d. seven stars
e. seven lamps
f. seven seals
g. seven eyes
h. seven horns
i. seven angels
j. seven trumpet judgments
k. seven crowns
l. seven vials containing the seven plagues that fill up the wrath of God
m. seven thunders
n. seven mountains
o. seven kings.
In each case, the number 7 indicates completion of God's purposes.
In the vision recorded in Revelation chapters 1-3. Jesus stands in the midst of seven candlesticks, symbolic of Christ standing in the midst of the seven churches of Asia. The seven stars are God’s messengers to these churches. The seven churches were actual churches at the time of the writing of Revelation, but they can also be viewed in terms of the periods of church history. When God addresses these churches in Revelation chapters 1-3, He is not just speaking to them. His message is for all believers and all churches of all time, communicating blessings to the faithful and warnings to the unfaithful.
Another example is illustrated by the seven heads of the dragon in Revelation 12:3:
"And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads."
The seven heads are seven mountains, which symbolize kingdoms. The seven heads and crowns indicate the totality of their authority. This is not indicating that Satan's plan is perfect, but rather the complete authority with which evil will rule in the end-times. The seventh king will eventually fall, however, and God will extinguish Satan’s reign of terror.
The entire book of Revelation is filled with symbolism pertaining to the number 7. The seven seals on the book that is opened by the Lamb indicate that it is completely secured. The sounding of the seventh trumpet indicates God's judgments are completed. The seventh vial indicates the totality of the wrath of God that has been poured out upon the earth. When the seven thunders have finished sounding, God’s plan and purposes will be complete.
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