Directional Commentary 2.6.16

The Number of Completeness

I really do hope that you are enjoying this study on the book of Revelation. Of course, at this rate, Jesus will be back before I get out of chapter one! However, I’m not in a hurry. I have never done anything like this before and it is certainly very challenging to try to thoroughly discuss anything in 750 words or less; much less the Bible. My goal is to make you, the reader, think. We live in a society that is addicted to amusement. The word “amuse” is very interesting in that the first part of the word means “not or against” and the second part of the word means “to think”. Thus the word “amuse” means “to not think”. In the Latin, it means “to stare stupidly.” Remember that the next time you turn on the television for a little bit of amusement!

With that said, let’s take a look again at Revelation 1:4 where it says, “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; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;” John is writing this letter to seven churches which are in Asia Minor. Notice that there are seven of these churches that are going to be addressed. Surely, there were more than seven churches there, but God only chose to address seven of them.

Now, let’s take a closer look at the number seven. The number seven is extremely important in the study of the Bible. As a matter of fact, the number seven is mentioned fifty-four times in the book of Revelation alone. What’s the significance? The number seven is the number of completeness and perfection in the Bible. Thus, it is the number of God as that He is the only one that is complete and perfect. 

The first mention of the number seven is in the very first book of the Bible when God created the world and all that is in it in six days and rested on the seventh or Sabbath. Sabbath means holy day. It’s where we get the word “holiday”. That’s why God said in Exodus 20:8 that we are to, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

Our European culture sees everything in tens (decades), but the Jews see everything in sevens (heptads). Another great example of this is when God is speaking to the prophet Daniel in Daniel 9:24 and He speaks of seventy weeks of sevens or 490 years. The entire prophecy is based on the number seven.  It’s an awesome study. 

What do you think the number of Satan is? It’s six, because he falls short of being perfect and complete. In other words, he only wishes he was God! Satan, said in Isaiah 14:13-14, “…'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.'” Notice that sin began with the first, “I will”. Of course, Satan was sadly disappointed when God took him and one third of the angels that followed him and kicked them out of Heaven for their disobedience (Isa. 14:15; Rev. 12:4).    

Here is something to think about. I’m not being dogmatic about this, but its food for thought. We’ve already established that the number seven is the number of completeness and perfection; thus God. We’ve also established that the number six is the number of Satan as that he falls short of being perfect and complete. What about the mark of the beast that is described in Revelation 13:18 where it says, “Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.” 

Now, if one of those sixes represents Satan, who do the other two represent? They may represent the Antichrist and the False Prophet mentioned in Revelation 13. That means that the first six is for Satan who falls short of being God. The second six is for the Antichrist who falls short of being Jesus. The third six is for the False Prophet who falls short of being the Holy Spirit. That is what is referred to as the satanic trinity.