The Seven Spirits of God
I am involved in a Zoom group that meets like a house church through Church Without Walls International . On Sundays, we meet for a couple of hours and each of us takes turns leading. These are the notes from the time I shared on the 7 Spirits of God. Note: All scripture references and word definitions are taken from the Blue Letter Bible. It's an awesome tool! Check it out.
Every now and then, I run into these verses, look into them a bit and then promptly forget about them because I haven’t really understood. This time, I decided to delve in a little further.
Revelation 3:1
And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things say He that has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know your works, that you have a name that you live, and are dead.
Revelation 4:5
And out of the throne proceeded flashes of lightning and thundering
and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which
are the seven Spirits of God.
~Here we see the power of God like a massive storm. Voices come out of this storm and there are seven lamps illuminating the throne room.
Revelation 5:6
And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four
beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain,
having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the
seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
~Horns are a symbol of power and authority. The eyes express the omnipotence of God. He sees everything.
In each of these verses you see the phrase “the seven Spirits of God”
This phrase is a reference
to:
Isaiah 11:2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
I ran across quite a few
articles that showed the menorah as a picture of the 7 Spirits of God which I
thought was interesting. There were 2 depictions of the order, but I don’t
think that matters much.
The menorah is the only light in the dark room that is the Holy of Holies. It represents the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is comprised of the middle part which is the Spirit of the Lord and 6 branches. They are filled with oil (a type of the Holy Spirit) which illuminates the darkness.
There is so much to the menorah, but that’s a rabbit trail we won’t go on today. Maybe next time I will do a study on the menorah.
There are lots of numbers in Isaiah 11:2.
*The word spirit is used four times. Four is the Hebrew number for government and authority.
*There is one Lord and out of Him comes three pairs of spirits. Three is the number of harmony and unity, the ultimate example of which is the Trinity.
*Each of these spirits are actually two spirits. The numbers two and three both speak of witnesses and power. Let’s look at a couple of scriptures that speak of this:
Deut. 17:6 KJV 6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; [but] at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.
Some say that the seven spirits of God are angels because Rev. 4:5 pictures them as “seven lamps of fire burning before the throne,” but in Rev. 1:4-5 grace and peace come from three sources – the Godhead. The Holy Spirit is one of the three, but He is also seven. Seven is the Hebraic number of perfection.
Rev 1:4-5 KJV 4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace [be] unto you, and peace,
from Him which is, and which was, and which is to come (the Father);
and from the seven Spirits (the Holy Spirit) which are before his throne;
5 And from Jesus Christ, (The Son) [who is] the faithful witness, [and] the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood,
Let’s look at the Hebrew words used for the seven Spirits of God in Isaiah11:2
( I used the Blue Letter Bible to find the Hebrew words)
Spirit of the LORD
Spirit of I AM or The
Existing One (the LORD, Yehovah)
Neither masculine or
feminine, used only for the deity
יְהֹוָה Yᵉhôvâh, yeh-ho-vaw'; from H1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God:—Jehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050, H3069.
Spirit of Wisdom
חׇכְמָה chokmâh, khok-maw';
from H2449; wisdom (in a good sense):—skillful, wisdom, wisely, wit.
Feminine noun
The KJV translates Strong's
H2451 in the following manner: wisdom (145x), wisely (2x), skillful man (1x),
wits (1x).
Outline of Biblical Usage [?]
wisdom
skill (in war)
wisdom (in administration)
shrewdness, wisdom
wisdom, prudence (in
religious affairs)
wisdom (ethical and religious)
Exodus 28:3 And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, [H2451] that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.
1Kings 4:30 And Solomon's wisdom[H2451] excelled the wisdom[H2451] of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom[H2451] of Egypt.
Spirit of Understanding
בִּינָה bîynâh, bee-naw';
from H995; understanding:—knowledge, meaning, × perfectly, understanding,
wisdom.
Feminine noun
The KJV translates Strong's
H998 in the following manner: understanding (32x), wisdom (2x), knowledge (1x),
meaning (1x), perfectly (1x), understand (1x).
Outline of Biblical Usage [?]
understanding, discernment
act
faculty
object
personified
1Ch 12: 32 And of the children of Issachar, [which were men] that had understanding[H998] of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them [were] two hundred; and all their brethren [were] at their commandment.
Pro 9:10 The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy [is] understanding.[H998]
Pro 16:16 How much better [is it] to get wisdom than gold! and to get
understanding[H998] rather to be chosen than silver!
Spirit of Counsel
עֵצָה ʻêtsâh, ay-tsaw'; from
H3289; advice; by implication, plan; also prudence:—advice, advisement,
counsel(-lor), purpose.
Feminine noun
The KJV translates Strong's
H6098 in the following manner: counsel (79x), counsels (2x), purpose (2x),
advice (1x), counselors (with H582) (1x), advisement (1x), counsel (with
H3289) (1x), counselor (with H376) (1x).
Outline of Biblical Usage [?]
counsel, advice, purpose
Deut. 32:28 For they [are] a nation void of counsel, neither [is there any] understanding in them.
2Sa 17: 14 And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel[H6098] of Hushai the Archite [is] better than the counsel[H6098] of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel[H6098] of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.
2Ch 10:8 But he forsook the counsel[H6098] which the old men gave him,
and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood
before him. (Speaking of Solomon’s son Rehoboam)
Psalm 1:1 Blessed [is] the man that walketh not in the counsel[H6098] of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Prov. 12:15 The way of a fool [is] right in his own eyes: but he that
hearkeneth unto counsel[H6098] [is] wise.
Spirit of Might
גְּבוּרָה gᵉbûwrâh,
gheb-oo-raw'; feminine passive participle from the same as H1368; force
(literally or figuratively); by implication, valor, victory:—force, mastery,
might, mighty (act, power), power, strength.
Feminine noun
The KJV translates Strong's
H1369 in the following manner: might (27x), strength (17x), power (9x), mighty
acts (4x), mighty (2x), force (1x), mastery (1x).
Outline of Biblical Usage [?]
strength, might
strength
might, valor, bravery
might, mighty deeds (of God)
גְּבוּרָה gᵉbûwrâh, gheb-oo-raw' is used in this phrase that is used repeatedly when eulogizing kings: [1Ki 15:23 KJV] 23 The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might,[H1369] and all that he did, and the cities which he built, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.
1Chron. 29:12 Both riches and honour [come] of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand [is] power and might;[H1369] and in thine hand [it is] to make great, and to give strength unto all.
It is also translated as strength and power:
2Ki 18:20 Thou sayest, (but [they are but] vain words,) [I have] counsel and strength[H1369] for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?
Prov. 8:14 Counsel [is] mine, and sound wisdom: I [am] understanding; I have strength.[H1369]
Psalm 145:11 They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;
Spirit of Knowledge
דַּעַת daʻath, dah'-ath; from
H3045; knowledge:—cunning, (ig-) norantly, know(-ledge), (un-) awares
(wittingly).
Masculine/feminine noun
The KJV translates Strong's
H1847 in the following manner: knowledge (82x), know (6x), cunning (1x),
unwittingly 2 (with H1097) (2x), ignorantly (with H1097) (1x), unawares (with
H1097) (1x).
This knowledge is the word used for the tree of knowledge in the Garden of Eden
Gen 2: 9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge[H1847] of good and evil.
Exo 31:3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, [H1847] and in all manner of workmanship,
Prov. 1:7 The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of knowledge: [H1847] [but] fools despise wisdom and instruction. ... 29 For that they hated knowledge, [H1847] and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
Prov. 2: 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge[H1847] of God.
Pro 9:10 The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge[H1847] of the holy [is] understanding.
Dan 12: 4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, [even] to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
Hos 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou
hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest
to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy
children.
Spirit of Fear
יִרְאָה yirʼâh, yir-aw';
feminine of H3373; fear (also used as infinitive); morally, reverence:—×
dreadful, × exceedingly, fear(-fulness).
Feminine noun
The KJV translates Strong's
H3374 in the following manner: fear (41x), exceedingly (with H1419) (2x),
dreadful (1x), fearfulness (1x).
Outline of Biblical Usage [?]
fear, terror, fearing
fear, terror
awesome or terrifying thing
(object causing fear)
fear (of God), respect,
reverence, piety
revered
Deut. 2:25 This day will I begin to put the dread of thee and the fear[H3374] of thee upon the nations [that are] under the whole heaven, who shall hear report of thee, and shall tremble, and be in anguish because of thee.
Isa 7:25 And [on] all hills that shall be digged with the mattock, there shall not come thither the fear [H3374] of briers and thorns: but it shall be for the sending forth of oxen, and for the treading of lesser cattle.
Psalm 34:11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear[H3374] of the LORD.
Psalm 90:11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear,[H3374] [so is] thy wrath.
Psalm 111:10 The fear[H3374] of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do [his commandments]: his praise endureth for ever.
Prov. 1: 7 The fear[H3374] of the LORD [is] the beginning of knowledge: [but] fools despise wisdom and instruction.
One thing I find interesting in all these words is that they are all either feminine nouns or neutral nouns. If you read my post on the power to be a witness, I concluded that being baptized in the Holy Spirit was essentially being baptized in God’s power to give life which is a feminine attribute.
When we are filled with the
HOLY SPIRIT, in addition to the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22, we
have access to these characteristics--wisdom, understanding, counsel, power,
knowledge, and reverence for the LORD all of which are life-giving!
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