Why does God use the number seven so often?

[Kaybear_03]

I know it seems silly but it is a question that has been playing on my mind for a while. The number seven occurs quite often in the bible, and I was just wondering if anyone knew why.

 

[Eugene]

I know it seems silly but it is a question that has been playing on my mind for a while. The number seven occurs quite often in the bible, and I was just wondering if anyone knew why.

First of all allow me to welcome you to these Christian forums. I do hope you enjoy the fellowship we have here and will become a regular in posting. May God bless your time with us and it's great to have you with us in Jesus' name.

The number seven is the second most used number in God's word following the number one. It designates in type for one example something finished or complete. E.g., God finished His work on the seventh day, there are seven conditions of the entire one church; the body of Christ given us in Revelation Chapters Two and Three, and it goes on. I'm not an adherent of solving mysteries of the word using numerology, but that is not to say that when God uses things like this there is no value in them. What I am saying is that if a certain number is used in the word of God it is not limited to a reporter's view of occurrences if that helps. One last example I might give is the fact that Enoch, the seventh from Adam (Jude 14) was translated. If you're into the steps of dispensations these numbers will have relevance. There are books available on the subject also; some good and some not so I would imagine.
:waving

 

[WinterRose]

:waving Hello and Welcome Aboard !! :waving

 

[Paul1965]

Hey Kaybear, welcome to CF.net.

 

[Kaybear_03]

thankyou all for the welcomes and for answering the question :3

 

[About the Son of God]

Hi Kaybear.

The bible itself has a story to explain why the number seven is used so much;

Genesis 21:24-31
The punch line is verse 31 --
Genesis 21:31 Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba; because there they sware both of them.

In Hebrew the word for seven is "sheba"; and that exact same word means a promise or oath.
Also in Hebrew the word for "well" is "beer" (funny, except for the well in Cana, no water is wine or beer.... but that's one of those odd coincidences?)
So, anyway, Beer-Sheba is the "7 well" or the "well of oath".

The other poster above is also correct, for an Oath means not luke warm; therefore it also means "fullness", "completely", "truthfully".
A man who has seven demons, effectively (in Jewish idiom) has them "all"!

And again...
When God promised to avenge Cain if someone killed him in revenge for Abel; He gave Cain the mark "7".
And when Cain's son, Lamech, killed two people (possibly 1 by mistake, and 1 in defense ) he said:
Genesis 4:24 (although some bibles say 77 times, in Greek its 7x70 times )
That happens to be the number 7x70 mentioned in Matthew 18:22 for forgiveness; which makes me think God might have forgiven Lamech.

But, at the same time -- it's not a literal 490 forgive-nesses and then "strike out";
For the numbers about a promise, and in Matthew 18:23-35 ; You can see that failing even ONCE to be merciful to ANOTHER (besides the one who forgave you) can be enough to suspend the mercy of a free promise. ( Not that God can't be merciful again in the future.)

Our Father, who art in Heaven, holy is your name.... forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who sin against us.

Glad to have you here on the forums.
I hope you find what you are looking for; and that you keep what is good -- and learn to discard what is not; as all forums have all kinds of people.
And I hope I haven't answered your question more than you ever wanted to know about the number 7 -- but hey, I can only guess at what beautiful mind is on the other side of the screen...

 

[Tiamat777]

7 is the number of balance. You have either harmony or discord, which are entrusted in the hands of God. Isaiah 45:7 says "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things."