Apocalypse Explained #257
257. Because in this prophetical book numbers are often mentioned; and as no one can know the spiritual sense of what is contained in those numbers unless he knows what the particular numbers signify; for all numbers in the Word, as well as all names, signify spiritual things; and because the number seven is often mentioned amongst others, I am desirous here of showing that seven signifies all, and all things, also what is full and complete for that which signifies all, and all things, signifies also what is full and complete. For what is full and complete is said of the magnitude of a thing, and all and all things of multitude.
That the number seven has such a signification is evident from the following passages. In Ezekiel:
"The inhabitants of the cities of Israel shall set fire to and burn the arms, the shield also and the buckler, with the bow and the arrows, and with the hand-staff, and with the spear; and they shall kindle a fire with them seven years; and they shall bury Gog and all his multitude, and they shall cleanse the land seven months" (39:9, 11, 12).
The subject here treated of is the desolation of all things in the church. The inhabitants of the cities of Israel signify all the goods of truth, to set on fire and burn signifies to consume by evils. The arms, the shield, the buckler, the bows, the arrows, the hand-staff, the spear, denote everything pertaining to doctrine; to kindle fire with them seven years denotes to consume them all and fully by evils. Gog signifies those who are in external worship, and in no internal worship; to bury them and cleanse the land denotes to destroy them all, and completely to purge the church of them.
[2] In Jeremiah:
"Their widows shall be multiplied more than the sand of the seas, and I will bring to them upon the mother of the youths the waster at noon-day. She who hath borne seven shall languish, she shall breathe out her soul" (15:8, 9).
By the widows which will be multiplied are signified those who are in good and desire truths, and, in the opposite sense, as in the present case, those who are in evil and desire falsities. By the mother of the youths is signified the church; by the waster at noon-day is signified the vastation of that church, however much they may be in truths from the Word. By she that hath borne seven shall languish, she shall breathe out her soul, is signified that the church, to which all truths were given because the Word was given them, should perish; for she that hath borne seven signifies those to whom all truths were given. This is specifically said concerning the Jews.
[3] Similarly, in the first book of Samuel:
"They that were hungry ceased, so that the barren hath borne seven, and she that hath many children hath failed" (2:5).
The hungry who ceased denote those who desire the goods and truths of the church; the barren who hath borne seven signifies those who are outside the church and are ignorant of truths because they have not the Word, as the Gentiles, to whom all things will be given; she that hath many children failing signifies those who have truths, from whom they will be taken away. Again, in David:
"Render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom" (79:12).
And in Moses,
That the Jews should be punished seven times for their sins (Leviticus 26:18, 21, 24, 28);
seven times here signifying fully.
[4] In Luke:
"And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him" (17:4).
Here, to forgive seven times, if he shall return seven times, denotes to forgive as often as the offender should return, and thus at all times. But lest Peter should understand seven times to be meant by these words, the Lord explains His meaning to him, as recorded in Matthew:
"Peter said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times, but until seventy times seven " (18:21, 22).
Seventy times seven is always, without counting. In David:
"Seven times a day do I praise thee for the judgments of justice" (Psalms 119:164).
Seven times a day denotes always, or at all times.
[5] Again:
"The sayings of Jehovah are pure sayings, as silver refined in a furnace of earth, purified seven times" (Psalms 12:6).
Here silver signifies truth from the Divine: purified seven times denotes that it is altogether and fully pure.
[6] In Isaiah:
"The light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days" (30:26).
The light of the sun signifies Divine truth from Divine good: and that this light should be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, signifies that the Divine truth in heaven should be without any falsity, thus that it should be altogether and fully pure.
[7] In Matthew,
The unclean spirit "shall take with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and he shall dwell there" (12:45; Luke 11:26).
Here profanation is treated of, and by the seven other spirits with which the unclean spirit is said to return are signified all falsities of evil, thus a plenary destruction of good and truth.
[8] Similar is the signification of the seven times which were to pass over the king of Babylon, in Daniel,
"His heart shall be changed from man, and the heart of a beast shall be given unto him; while seven times shall pass over him" (4:16, 25, 32).
By the king of Babylon are signified those who profane the goods and truths of the Word. By his heart being changed from that of a man to that of a beast is meant that nothing spiritual, that is, truly human, should remain with him, but that instead there should be everything diabolical. By the seven times which were to pass over him is meant profanation, which is a complete destruction of truth and good.
[9] Because the terms seven, and seven times, signified all things, and also what is full, the following commands were given to the children of Israel:
Seven days their hands should be filled (Exodus 29:35).
Seven days they should be sanctified (Exodus 29:37).
Seven days Aaron should put on the garments when he was being initiated (Exodus 29:30).
Seven days they should not go out of the tabernacle when they were being initiated into the priesthood (Leviticus 8:33, 34).
Seven times expiation should be made upon the horns of the altar (Leviticus 16:18, 19).
Seven times should the altar be sanctified with oil (Leviticus 8:11).
Seven times should the blood be sprinkled before the veil (Leviticus 4:16, 17).
Seven times should the blood be sprinkled with the finger towards the east, when Aaron went in to the mercy seat (Leviticus 16:12-15).
Seven times should the water of separation be sprinkled towards the tabernacle (Num. 19:4).
Seven times should blood be sprinkled for the cleansing of leprosy (Leviticus 14:7, 8, 27, 38, 51).
The lampstand had seven lamps (Exodus 25:32, 37; 37:18-25).
Feasts should be celebrated for seven days (Exodus 34:18; Leviticus 23:4-9, 39-44; Deuteronomy 16:3, 4, 8).
Seven days of the feast there should be a burnt offering of seven bullocks and seven rams daily (Ezekiel 45:23).
Baalam built seven altars, and sacrificed seven oxen and seven rams (Num. 23:1-7, 15-18, 29, 30).
They numbered seven weeks of years, seven times seven years, and then should cause the trumpet of the jubilee to be sounded in the seventh month (Leviticus 25:8, 9).
From the signification of the number seven, it is evident what is signified
By the seven days of creation (Genesis 1).
Also by four thousand men being filled from seven loaves, and that seven basketsful of fragments remained over (Matthew 15:34-37; Mark 8:5-9).
Hence now it is clear what is signified in the Apocalypse,
By the seven churches (1:4, 11).
By the seven golden lampstands, in the midst of which was the Son of man (1:13).
By the seven stars in His right hand (1:16, 20).
By the seven spirits of God (3:1).
By the seven lamps of fire burning before the throne (4:5).
By the book sealed with seven seals (5:1).
By the seven angels to whom were given seven trumpets (8:2).
By the seven thunders which uttered their voices (10:3, 4).
By the seven angels having the seven last plagues, (15:1, 6).
By seven vials full of the seven last plagues (16:1; 21:9)
and elsewhere in the Word, where seven is mentioned.
Isaiah 24
1
Behold, Yahweh makes the earth empty, makes it waste, turns it upside down, and scatters its inhabitants.
2
It will be as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the creditor, so with the debtor; as with the taker of interest, so with the giver of interest.
3
The earth will be utterly emptied and utterly laid waste; for Yahweh has spoken this word.
4
The earth mourns and fades away. The world languishes and fades away. The lofty people of the earth languish.
5
The earth also is polluted under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant.
6
Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell therein are found guilty. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
7
The new wine mourns. The vine languishes. All the merry-hearted sigh.
8
The mirth of tambourines ceases. The sound of those who rejoice ends. The joy of the harp ceases.
9
They will not drink wine with a song. Strong drink will be bitter to those who drink it.
10
The confused city is broken down. Every house is shut up, that no man may come in.
11
There is a crying in the streets because of the wine. All joy is darkened. The mirth of the land is gone.
12
The city is left in desolation, and the gate is struck with destruction.
13
For it will be so in the midst of the earth among the peoples, as the shaking of an olive tree, as the gleanings when the vintage is done.
14
These shall lift up their voice. They will shout for the majesty of Yahweh. They cry aloud from the sea.
15
Therefore glorify Yahweh in the east, even the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea!
16
From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs. Glory to the righteous! But I said, "I pine away! I pine away! woe is me!" The treacherous have dealt treacherously. Yes, the treacherous have dealt very treacherously.
17
Fear, the pit, and the snare, are on you who inhabitant the earth.
18
It will happen that he who flees from the noise of the fear will fall into the pit; and he who comes up out of the midst of the pit will be taken in the snare; for the windows on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble.
19
The earth is utterly broken. The earth is torn apart. The earth is shaken violently.
20
The earth will stagger like a drunken man, and will sway back and forth like a hammock. Its disobedience will be heavy on it, and it will fall and not rise again.
21
It shall happen in that day that Yahweh will punish the army of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth on the earth.
22
They shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison; and after many days shall they be visited.
23
Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for Yahweh of Armies will reign on Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; and before his elders will be glory.
