What does the Bible say?
Who are the seven Spirits of God in Rev. 4:5 & 5:6?
The seven Spirits express the seven-fold fulness of the Holy Spirit in whatever capacity He may act as God’s agent, performing all God’s operations. We read in scripture that He spoke, commanded, reproved hindered, drove, led, and taught. A distinct Personality of the God-head.
Rev. 4:5 – “And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.” The seven lamps of fire burning suggest the indignation of the Holy Spirit against the wicked, for it speaks of the time of judgment that is to come (the lightnings and thunderings proceeding out of the throne).
Rev. 5:6 – “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts (living creatures), 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.” The Lamb’s seven horns indicates His sufficiency of power (by the Spirit). The seven eyes tell of His perfection of penetration (by the Spirit).
“The seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth,” tells us that the Holy Spirit is the executive Agent of the Godhead, accomplishing God’s purposes. Executing the will of the Father and the Son, whether dispensing mercy or Judgment.
Isaiah gives a description of the seven-fold Spirit with which our Lord was anointed for His earthly ministry when He was baptized by John. Isa. 11:1-3 – “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; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:”
Also the Lampstand in the Tabernacle (symbol of Christ as the light of the world) was a seven branched candlestick (He was empowered by the seven-fold Spirit of God).
E. J. D.
