There is a teaching circulating through the American church, particularly in the prophetic community, that prophets (and others) can “exercise” the “seven spirits of God.” What about this?
This short post comes from my ongoing translation and commentary on the Revelation.
I belong to the Renewal Movement, broadly defined. I write as a sympathetic insider, not an antagonist outsider.
For many translations, please click on biblegateway.com.
Now let’s get started.
First, where does the phrase “seven Spirits of God” come from, and what does it mean?
The phrase comes from the book of the Revelation, the most symbolic book in the Bible. References: 1:4, 3:1; 4:5; 5:6.
What does the phrase mean? Answering that question requires some exploration.
Here is where the number seven appears in the most symbolic book of the Bible:
Spirits: 1:4, 3:1; 4:5; 5:6
Churches: 1:4, 11, 20
Lampstands: 1:12, 13, 20; 2:1
Stars: 1:16, 20; 2:1; 3:1
Torches: 4:5
Horns, eyes: 5:6
Seals: 5:1; 6:1
Angels: 8:2, 6; 15:1, 6-8; 17:1; 21:9;
Trumpets: 8:2, 6
Thunders: 10:3-4
Heads: 12:3; 13:1; 17:3, 7, 9
Crowns: 12:3
Last plagues: 15:1, 6
Bowls: 15:7; 16:1; 17:1; 21:9
Heads of state / kings: 17:9
Hills: 17:9
Seven thousand killed in great earthquake: 11:13
Source: BDAG and a concordance
Taking all the data together, not explored in detail here, now we can use our symbolism sign to clarify its meaning.
2.. Completeness and Plentitude
__________________________.
1.. Seven
Or we can use the equal sign:
Seven = Completeness and Plenitude
I like what commentator Gordon Fee writes. He simply says the phrase “seven spirits of God” can be translated as “sevenfold.” He says that “seven spirits” is used by John only from the perspective of heaven (3:1; 4:5; 5:6). But in referring to the Spirit’s activity on earth, John says the Spirit (singular), who is responsible for the visions (1:10; 4:2; 17:3; 21:10) (p. 6).
Let’s look at an important reference which clarifies the sevenfold spirit. Revelation 5:6 identifies the seven eyes of the lamb with the seven spirits of God. Commentator Ian Paul: “By identifying the Spirit with the eyes of the lamb that are sent out into all the earth, Revelation is agreeing with Jesus’ teaching in John’s Gospel (John 11:26) that the Spirit is sent by Jesus from the Father is both the ‘Spirit of God’ and the ‘Spirit of Jesus’ (Acts 16:7; Phil. 1:19), and is now the presence of God and Jesus at work in the world” (p. 133, emphasis original).
Ian Paul further writes of the seven eyes and seven spirits: “The image suggests the ability to see all things, something attributed to God (2 Chron. 16:9)” (p. 133). They symbolize complete wisdom and knowledge that sees everything, and they are also the sevenfold Spirit of God. They see everything and inspect. Robert H. Mounce says the seven eyes mean “unlimited wisdom and penetrating insight” (p. 129).
And so this equation is clear from Revelation 5:6
The Seven Eyes = The Sevenfold Spirit of God.
And now we can introduce another equal sign:
The Sevenfold Spirit = Complete Wisdom and Knowledge
So seven spirits has a definite symbolic meaning once we distinguish heaven and earth. Let’s not build an entire ministry on such symbolism and free play.
Further, the phrase “seven spirits” could refer as its background to Isaiah 11:2:
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might,
the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord (Is. 11:2, NIV)
The sevenfold Spirit is seen in this list: (1) Lord, (2) wisdom, (3) understanding, (4) counsel, (5) might, (6) knowledge and (7) fear. Those are the seven aspects of the one Spirit. Certain members of the prophetic community evidently are latching on to this meaning in Isaiah.
Or the phrase could refer to this prophecy in Zechariah:
Then the angel who talked with me returned and woke me up, like someone awakened from sleep. 2 He asked me, “What do you see?”
I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven channels to the lamps. 3 Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”
4 I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?”
5 He answered, “Do you not know what these are?”
“No, my lord,” I replied.
6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty. (Zech. 4:2-6, NIV)
And so Zechariah says that the two olive trees supply a continuous flow of oil for the lampstand with seven lamps, and he relates the lamps to the Spirit. A vision like Zechariah’s is difficult to translate into the practice of ministry.
Further, let’s do some cross referencing. John’s Gospel says that seven persons or things bear witness to Jesus Christ: (1) Each of the three persons of the Trinity: Father (5:31-32, 34, 37; 8:18); (2) Christ himself (8:14, 18; see 3:11, 32; 8:37); (3) and the Spirit (15:26; 16:14); (4) the works of Jesus bear witness (5:36; 10:25; see 14:11; 15:24); (5) Scripture (5:39; 5:45-46); (6) John the Baptist; (7) the disciples (15:27; see 19:35; 21:24). (Leon Morris, The Gospel according to John. Rev. ed. Eerdmans, 1995, p. 80). But Morris did not connect his comments in the Fourth Gospel to Revelation and the sevenfold Spirit. I did that.
My point is that John likes the number seven, and the Spirit provides the plenitude of witness or attestation or testimony about Jesus. Let’s not over-literalize the number.
And thus this number takes on a symbolic meaning throughout the Revelation. No, I’m not saying that the seven churches were strictly symbolic and did not exist in the real world, nor I am saying there were not seven seals, bowls, or trumpets. Seven hills really do mean seven of them. But to Bible readers the number seven signals or signifies or is a sign of completeness and thoroughness, particularly in the Revelation. So the number of bowls or trumpets, for example, symbolize complete and thorough judgement over the world. The number seven points to deeper meaning than just digits and items or objects.
Now we come to the application.
There is a teaching going around in the charismatic world about the seven spirits of God. One prophet proclaims that he exercises these seven spirits when he shows counsel and knowledge and fear, for example.
Reply:
Does this prophet (and others) really wish to claim total wisdom and insight which God alone possesses?
This is just another innovation built on symbolism. For me, it is best to stay on the well-traveled paths of Christian doctrine and praxis (practice). We already enjoy the nine gifts of the Spirit, which he distributes as he determines (1 Cor. 12:4-11), seven gifts which we can exercise according to our faith (Rom. 12:6-8), and the nine fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). Those gifts and fruit are clearly taught in the epistles which are not symbolic. Let’s allow the Spirit to work those things into our lives.
Therefore, let’s reject this newfangled teaching because it builds a house of cards on an ambiguous application of a difficult phrase. Keep the plain things the main things. Don’t run away with obscure verses and build an entire ministry on them.
Charismatics need to stop innovating themselves into strange doctrines. They bring confusion to the Body of Christ. Remember this verse:
Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. (James 3:1, NIV)
Judgment is coming, starting now, particularly with God’s household (1 Peter 4:17)!
Fair warning!
RELATED
New Testament Restricts Authority of Modern Prophets
Do New Testament Prophets and Prophecy Exist Today?
False Prophets in Sinai Covenant and Imperfect Prophets in New Covenant: Life and Death Differences
Check Out What Two Genuine Apostles Did and How They Lived
6. Gifts of the Spirit: Prophecy
Gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 and 12:28
Gifts of the Spirit in Romans 12:6-8
1 Fruit of the Spirit: Love (begin a nine-part series)
Dr. Jim's Essential Bible Teaching 