The Seven Spirits of God

2022-01-31

In Revelation, four times there is mention of seven Spirits of God. Let us look at what this may mean.

First, the seven Spirits refer to the Holy Spirit. Consider this:

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; And from Jesus Christ, 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 (Revelation 1:4-5)

This is an indication of the Trinity. The grace mentioned in Revelation 1:4 is “from” three entities. The phrase “him which is, and which was, and which is to come” indicates the Father, as it describes His eternality, yet He is distinct from Christ mentioned in Revelation 1:5. With the Father and Son indicated, the seven Spirits are mentioned between them. It would be strange if these seven Spirits were anything else other the Holy Spirit because of the pattern.

The seven Spirits are “seven lamps of fire burning before the throne” of God (Revelation 4:5).

Revelation 3:1 indicates that Jesus “hath the seven Spirits of God.” Furthermore, the Spirits are “sent forth into all the earth” (Revelation 5:6) of the Son, indicating their omnipresence. They are “seven horns and seven eyes,” indicating their strength and sight, or omnipotence and omniscience.

It seems strange that we see a plural “Spirits” instead of a singular noun. However, if we consider that many times the word for God in the Old Testament, אֱלֹהִים, is a plural noun, “gods,” it seems more logical. This may just indicate the strength of the Spirit, and many have said that this could be rendered, the seven-fold Spirit of God.

If this is the case, this would be a reference to a seven-fold ministry of the Holy Spirit. Consider this prominent prophecy of our Lord Jesus Christ from the Old Testament:

And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 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 (Isaiah 11:1-2).

He is the Spirit of (1) the LORD, (2) wisdom, (3) understanding, (4) counsel, (5) might, (6) knowledge, and (7) fear of the LORD. See how much these are ministries of the Spirit in our lives! Attributes (2), (3), (4), and (6) are all related to giving us skill to live the Christian life. Attribute (5) gives us His strength to live that life. Attribute (7) causes our submission to the LORD. Most importantly, attribute (1) indicates His deity, and therefore, His authority over all things. We can therefore preach the Word with His authority. The Lord’s sending of the Spirit to us in Revelation 5:6 is a reiteration of the fulfillment of His promise in John 15:26: “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.”