BalaamsAss51
30th November 2005, 08:59 PM
Hello brethren.
Had a query, and will post this on a few boards to see what folks from different perspectives might say. It’s something that caught my eye, has no bearing on whether or not anybody is a good/true/authentic Christian or not. Just wondering, that’s all. Thank you in advance for your replies.
In the prologue to Revelation (1:1-8) v 4 tells us of the Trinity by referring to each person individually. The Father (the One Who Is and Who Was and Who is Coming); the Holy Spirit (the seven Spirits that are before his throne); and the Son (Jesus Christ). I am interested in this way of speaking of the Holy Spirit.
I know that different interpreters think differently about this passage. I am going along with Brighton. Perhaps it would help if I post the section from Dr. Brighton's commentary "Revelation".
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Second, the prophetic message of Revelation comes first of all from “the seven Spirits” (1:4). Because of the number seven, commentators have wondered whether these are seven angels, corresponding to the seven archangels in Jewish tradition (see Enoch 19:1; 20-1-7, where seven archangels are listed and named), or corresponding to the seven angels of the seven churches (and thus also to the seven angels with the trumpets [Rev 8:6-11:19] and censers [Rev 15-16]. Footnote - The Greek commentaries of Oecumenius and Andreas take them to be angelic beings. Among modern commentators who interpret them to be angels, in this case probably the seven archangels, is R.H. Charles and R. Mounce
Against this identification is the fact that “the seven Spirits” (1:4) are on the same level of authority as God the Father and Jesus Christ. If these “Spirits” were angels, they would never be accorded the same status as God and Jesus Christ in Christian theology. (In Reveltion angels are never worshiped, only God; cf. 19:10; 22:8-9.) Rather, these “seven Spirits” are a reference to the Holy Spirit. Footnote - Thus the earliest commentary, that of Victorinus, interpreted them and compared them to the seven gifts of the on Holy Spirit in Isiah 11:2-3. Among modern commenatore who so interpret them are H.B.Swete and G. B. Caird.
In biblical thought, the number seven symbolizes God. It is the sum of the number three, which symbolizes God himself (Gen 18:1-2; Is 6:3), and the number four, which symbolizes creation (Ezek 37:9; 1 Chr 9:24). Seven thus symbolizes the God of creation. Footnote - Among Semitic peoples, the Egyptians, and many others, the number seven was a sacred number.
Because God rested on the seventh day (Gen 2:2-3), the number is also used to picture or refer to perfection, completion, and holiness, especially in reference to God’s activities and creative works.
Here in Rev 1:4 the “seven Spirits” are also a reflection of the seven lamps and seven eyes in Zech 3:9-4:10, where they represent the Spirit of God, by which God sees the whole earth. That is, God is present with his creation through the sevenfold presence of his Spirit. In Is 11:1-2 the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit from God will rest upon the Branch of Jesse, the Messiah. In Rev 5:6 the Lamb has seven horns and seven eyes. And in Moses’ tabernacle there were the menorah, the sevenfold lampstand (Ex 25:31-40), which represented God’s presence with his people by way of his Spirit (Zech 4:2-6). The seven Spirits of Rev 1:4 represent the Holy Spirit in his sevenfold presence. God, by his Spirit, is always present with his people - fully present. Throughout Revelation the number seven represents God’s presence by his Spirit. Thus the church, when represented in Revelation by the seven churches (Rev 2-3), is pictured as always under the Spirit of God. The heavenly hosts worship God by the presence of the seven Spirits before God’s throne (4:5). The Lamb of God, with the seven horns and eyes (5:6), is he on whom the sevenfold Spirit rests (Is 11:1-2). And the exalted Christ, as the Son of Man, stands in the midst of the seven golden lampstands, which represent the church under the lordship of Christ by the Spirit (1:13).
Again, I am interested in this way of speaking of the Holy Spirit. This use of “seven Spirits” in Isiah and Revelations for the Holy Spirit is something I never really noticed before. Later Brighton says “the seven letters indicate that the entire church is under the care of Christ through the sevenfold presence of the Spirit.” And “The complete and holy number seven not only indicates that the seven churches represent all the churches, but it also suggests that all churches and all Christians are under the grace, forgiveness, renewal, guidance, and motivation of God through the sevenfold presence of the Holy Spirit.” Does the Holy Spirit have a sevenfold presence? It would seem that He does. Anyone come across this teaching before?
Pax
Had a query, and will post this on a few boards to see what folks from different perspectives might say. It’s something that caught my eye, has no bearing on whether or not anybody is a good/true/authentic Christian or not. Just wondering, that’s all. Thank you in advance for your replies.
In the prologue to Revelation (1:1-8) v 4 tells us of the Trinity by referring to each person individually. The Father (the One Who Is and Who Was and Who is Coming); the Holy Spirit (the seven Spirits that are before his throne); and the Son (Jesus Christ). I am interested in this way of speaking of the Holy Spirit.
I know that different interpreters think differently about this passage. I am going along with Brighton. Perhaps it would help if I post the section from Dr. Brighton's commentary "Revelation".
**********
Second, the prophetic message of Revelation comes first of all from “the seven Spirits” (1:4). Because of the number seven, commentators have wondered whether these are seven angels, corresponding to the seven archangels in Jewish tradition (see Enoch 19:1; 20-1-7, where seven archangels are listed and named), or corresponding to the seven angels of the seven churches (and thus also to the seven angels with the trumpets [Rev 8:6-11:19] and censers [Rev 15-16]. Footnote - The Greek commentaries of Oecumenius and Andreas take them to be angelic beings. Among modern commentators who interpret them to be angels, in this case probably the seven archangels, is R.H. Charles and R. Mounce
Against this identification is the fact that “the seven Spirits” (1:4) are on the same level of authority as God the Father and Jesus Christ. If these “Spirits” were angels, they would never be accorded the same status as God and Jesus Christ in Christian theology. (In Reveltion angels are never worshiped, only God; cf. 19:10; 22:8-9.) Rather, these “seven Spirits” are a reference to the Holy Spirit. Footnote - Thus the earliest commentary, that of Victorinus, interpreted them and compared them to the seven gifts of the on Holy Spirit in Isiah 11:2-3. Among modern commenatore who so interpret them are H.B.Swete and G. B. Caird.
In biblical thought, the number seven symbolizes God. It is the sum of the number three, which symbolizes God himself (Gen 18:1-2; Is 6:3), and the number four, which symbolizes creation (Ezek 37:9; 1 Chr 9:24). Seven thus symbolizes the God of creation. Footnote - Among Semitic peoples, the Egyptians, and many others, the number seven was a sacred number.
Because God rested on the seventh day (Gen 2:2-3), the number is also used to picture or refer to perfection, completion, and holiness, especially in reference to God’s activities and creative works.
Here in Rev 1:4 the “seven Spirits” are also a reflection of the seven lamps and seven eyes in Zech 3:9-4:10, where they represent the Spirit of God, by which God sees the whole earth. That is, God is present with his creation through the sevenfold presence of his Spirit. In Is 11:1-2 the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit from God will rest upon the Branch of Jesse, the Messiah. In Rev 5:6 the Lamb has seven horns and seven eyes. And in Moses’ tabernacle there were the menorah, the sevenfold lampstand (Ex 25:31-40), which represented God’s presence with his people by way of his Spirit (Zech 4:2-6). The seven Spirits of Rev 1:4 represent the Holy Spirit in his sevenfold presence. God, by his Spirit, is always present with his people - fully present. Throughout Revelation the number seven represents God’s presence by his Spirit. Thus the church, when represented in Revelation by the seven churches (Rev 2-3), is pictured as always under the Spirit of God. The heavenly hosts worship God by the presence of the seven Spirits before God’s throne (4:5). The Lamb of God, with the seven horns and eyes (5:6), is he on whom the sevenfold Spirit rests (Is 11:1-2). And the exalted Christ, as the Son of Man, stands in the midst of the seven golden lampstands, which represent the church under the lordship of Christ by the Spirit (1:13).
Again, I am interested in this way of speaking of the Holy Spirit. This use of “seven Spirits” in Isiah and Revelations for the Holy Spirit is something I never really noticed before. Later Brighton says “the seven letters indicate that the entire church is under the care of Christ through the sevenfold presence of the Spirit.” And “The complete and holy number seven not only indicates that the seven churches represent all the churches, but it also suggests that all churches and all Christians are under the grace, forgiveness, renewal, guidance, and motivation of God through the sevenfold presence of the Holy Spirit.” Does the Holy Spirit have a sevenfold presence? It would seem that He does. Anyone come across this teaching before?
Pax