What are the seven spirits of God? *merged*

[Christ4ever777]

Anyone know?

[SaintTexas]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Spirits_of_God

LOL that Wiki had a page on it.

You need a center-column reference Bible.

[Wishing4]

I was going to mention the Isaiah verse (11:2)

I was just reading about this.

[Buzzardhut]

Anyone know?

Isaiah 11:2

1 — the Spirit of the Lord;
2 — the Spirit of wisdom;
3 — the Spirit of understanding;
4 — the Spirit of counsel;
5 — the Spirit of might;
6 — the Spirit of knowledge;
7 — and the Spirit of the fear of the LORD.

[Wulf2]

I was always taught that the number seven signified completeness. Therefore, the seven spirits of God meant the full and complete God.

I had a member in my youth group that used to say the seven spirits are the:
1. Past,
2. Present, and
3. Future,
4. North,
5. South,
6. East, and
7. West.
In other words: God is everywhere for all time. (Omnipresent and eternal.)

I tend to agree, however, with Buzz and the others who refer to Isa 11:2. This makes sense to me.

[Rei]

Isaiah 11:2

1 — the Spirit of the Lord;
2 — the Spirit of wisdom;
3 — the Spirit of understanding;
4 — the Spirit of counsel;
5 — the Spirit of might;
6 — the Spirit of knowledge;
7 — and the Spirit of the fear of the LORD.

Would you think that these are actual spiritual beings, that there is indeed a Spirit of Wisdom and a Spirit of Might, etc. that they are ambassadors of the Lord or ARE the Lord in seven characteristics (in the same way that God is three in one and one in three)?

EDIT: Another clue -

Revelation 3:1 And to the angel of the church of Sardis write: The words of Him who has the Seven Spirits of God and the seven stars. [He HAS them - He is not them]

I've heard it mentioned the the Angels of the seven churches are the Spirits of God but this is not so because in Revelation 1 Jesus directly explains that the seven stars are the angels and the golden lampstands are the churches.

[brianbinsc]

Love the insight! Never fully considered the question...

JESUS is the the Fullness of GOD in Bodily form (Col.2:9), HE has (exhibits or possesses) the Seven Spirits of GOD (Rev.3:1), The Seven Spirits of GOD (characteristics) named (Is.11:2)!

Sorry for the rehash, just very exciting to consider the Divinity of our LORD and SAVIOUR!

[james46888]

I was always taught that the number seven signified completeness. Therefore, the seven spirits of God meant the full and complete God.

Another view is that the seven spirits are the Holy Spirit, with "seven," as you say, referring to completeness.

[littlelamb]

Isaiah 11:2

1 — the Spirit of the Lord;
2 — the Spirit of wisdom;
3 — the Spirit of understanding;
4 — the Spirit of counsel;
5 — the Spirit of might;
6 — the Spirit of knowledge;
7 — and the Spirit of the fear of the LORD.

How does this relate, or does it.
Revelation 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

Is say "the spirit of" an actual Spirit, or a characteristic, or rather maybe a quality/ability possessed by ....

Like we could say of someone, "they have a spirit of giving", or on the other hand, 'they have a spirit of envy'

Are these "Spirits", or "spirits of " as in a quality, or lack there of, possessed by....whoever

Is this expression "spirit of" describing the heart maybe?

[Buzzardhut]

How does this relate, or does it.
Revelation 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

Is say "the spirit of" an actual Spirit, or a characteristic, or rather maybe a quality/ability possessed by ....

Like we could say of someone, "they have a spirit of giving", or on the other hand, 'they have a spirit of envy'

Are these "Spirits", or "spirits of " as in a quality, or lack there of, possessed by....whoever

Is this expression "spirit of" describing the heart maybe?

Revelation 19:9-10

John was caught up in this worshipful experience and tried to worship an angel, and the angel told him to worship God alone.

[Rei]

Passages about the Seven Spirits of God are currently fascinating me to no end.

Revelation 1:4 - 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; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;

Revelation 3:1 - And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

Revelation 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.

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.

I've seen it interpreted as the 'spirits' described in Isaiah 11:2, and wikipedia has another thing to say on it: "The seven Spirits might also correspond to the seven Virtues (Dunamis), or the seven Potencies of God: Courage, Fortitude, Temperance, Justice, Hope, Faith, Charity In the New Testament, the term "Dunamis" (translated as Virtues) suggests a class of exalted spiritual beings; the same perhaps parallel to the "chief Princes" (Sar rishown) in the Old Testament, of which Michael is stated to be one (Daniel 10:13)."

So, what do you believe the seven spirits are? Personally, I'm starting to lean towards the notion that the seven spirits ARE the Holy Spirit as He is in Heaven - not seven separate beings, mind you, but seven attributes of the Spirit of God personified.

[Luminary]

I also think that the seven spirits are the various characteristics that comprise the Holy Spirit's personal nature. I also find that other qualities about God come to mind whenever I read about those seven lamps before the throne in Revelation. For example, I immediately think of the menorah, and how the shape of the vessels for each lamp on the menorah must be shaped like an almond, with almond blossoms as decoration. Which then makes me think of Aaron's rod, that budded. Which then makes me think of one of the psalms, "Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me..." and then of course of how the Lord is likened to a shepherd. I think of how the Lord was described initially as standing amidst those seven lampstands, much like the central lamp in the menorah, from which the other six (the number of man) lamps branch out from, and thus how the Lord *is* the vine and the branch, from which all comes forth.

I could ramble on, but I'll be polite and stop here :-) I find absolutely everything about our God fascinating!

[Steve53]

http://www.gotquestions.org/seven-spirits-God.html

Question: "What are the seven spirits of God?"

Answer: The "seven spirits of God" are mentioned in Revelation 1:4; 3:1; 4:5; and 5:6. The seven spirits of God are not specifically identified, so it’s impossible to be dogmatic. Revelation 1:4 mentions that the seven spirits are before God's throne. Revelation 3:1 indicates that Jesus Christ "holds" the seven spirits of God. Revelation 4:5 links the seven spirits of God with seven burning lamps that are before God's throne. Revelation 5:6 identifies the seven spirits with the "seven eyes" of the Lamb and states that they are "sent out into all the earth."

There are at least three possible interpretations of the seven spirits of God. The first is that the seven spirits of God are symbolic of the Holy Spirit. The Bible, and especially the book of Revelation, uses the number 7 to refer to perfection and completion. If that is the meaning of the “seven” in the "seven spirits," then it is not referring to seven different spirits of God, but rather the perfect and complete Holy Spirit. The second view is that the seven spirits of God refer to seven angelic beings, possibly the seraphim or the cherubim. This would fit with the numerous others angelic beings that are described in the book of Revelation (Revelation 4:6-9; 5:6-14; 19:4-5).

A third possibility is based on Isaiah 11:2, which says, “The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him — the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.” This could possibly explain the seven spirits of God: (1) Spirit of the LORD, (2) Spirit of wisdom, (3) Spirit of understanding, (4) Spirit of counsel, (5) Spirit of power, (6) Spirit of knowledge, (7) Spirit of the fear of the Lord. The Bible doesn’t tell us specifically who/what the seven spirits are, but the first interpretation, that they are the Holy Spirit, seems the most likely.

[mary rae]

http://www.gotquestions.org/seven-spirits-God.html

Question: "What are the seven spirits of God?"

Answer: The "seven spirits of God" are mentioned in Revelation 1:4; 3:1; 4:5; and 5:6. The seven spirits of God are not specifically identified, so it’s impossible to be dogmatic. Revelation 1:4 mentions that the seven spirits are before God's throne. Revelation 3:1 indicates that Jesus Christ "holds" the seven spirits of God. Revelation 4:5 links the seven spirits of God with seven burning lamps that are before God's throne. Revelation 5:6 identifies the seven spirits with the "seven eyes" of the Lamb and states that they are "sent out into all the earth."

There are at least three possible interpretations of the seven spirits of God. The first is that the seven spirits of God are symbolic of the Holy Spirit. The Bible, and especially the book of Revelation, uses the number 7 to refer to perfection and completion. If that is the meaning of the “seven” in the "seven spirits," then it is not referring to seven different spirits of God, but rather the perfect and complete Holy Spirit. The second view is that the seven spirits of God refer to seven angelic beings, possibly the seraphim or the cherubim. This would fit with the numerous others angelic beings that are described in the book of Revelation (Revelation 4:6-9; 5:6-14; 19:4-5).

A third possibility is based on Isaiah 11:2, which says, “The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him — the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.” This could possibly explain the seven spirits of God: (1) Spirit of the LORD, (2) Spirit of wisdom, (3) Spirit of understanding, (4) Spirit of counsel, (5) Spirit of power, (6) Spirit of knowledge, (7) Spirit of the fear of the Lord. The Bible doesn’t tell us specifically who/what the seven spirits are, but the first interpretation, that they are the Holy Spirit, seems the most likely.

[pasmemris]

I also think that the seven spirits are the various characteristics that comprise the Holy Spirit's personal nature. I also find that other qualities about God come to mind whenever I read about those seven lamps before the throne in Revelation. For example, I immediately think of the menorah, and how the shape of the vessels for each lamp on the menorah must be shaped like an almond, with almond blossoms as decoration. Which then makes me think of Aaron's rod, that budded. Which then makes me think of one of the psalms, "Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me..." and then of course of how the Lord is likened to a shepherd. I think of how the Lord was described initially as standing amidst those seven lampstands, much like the central lamp in the menorah, from which the other six (the number of man) lamps branch out from, and thus how the Lord *is* the vine and the branch, from which all comes forth.

I could ramble on, but I'll be polite and stop here :-) I find absolutely everything about our God fascinating!

I find your fascination encouraging. I am also reminded of the menorah, and there seems something all encompassing about that, some fullness of God's presence toward John and the churches and a bountiful generousity.

[adamrach]

In Revelation 1:4 in the letter to John it talks about seven spirits before the throne. Can somebody explain the seven spirits to me. I understand the seven lampstands are the churches and the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches but am confused on the spirits. Thank you.

[acceptedintheBeloved]

Seven Spirits before throne

In Revelation 1:4 in the letter to John it talks about seven spirits before the throne. Can somebody explain the seven spirits to me. I understand the seven lampstands are the churches and the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches but am confused on the spirits. Thank you.

Some have connected it with 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"


(Isaiah 11:1-5)

[Wally]

Gotquestions.org:


Question: "What are the seven spirits of God?"

Answer: The "seven spirits of God" are mentioned in Revelation 1:4; 3:1; 4:5; and 5:6. The seven spirits of God are not specifically identified, so it’s impossible to be dogmatic. Revelation 1:4 mentions that the seven spirits are before God's throne. Revelation 3:1 indicates that Jesus Christ "holds" the seven spirits of God. Revelation 4:5 links the seven spirits of God with seven burning lamps that are before God's throne. Revelation 5:6 identifies the seven spirits with the "seven eyes" of the Lamb and states that they are "sent out into all the earth."

There are at least three possible interpretations of the seven spirits of God. The first is that the seven spirits of God are symbolic of the Holy Spirit. The Bible, and especially the book of Revelation, uses the number 7 to refer to perfection and completion. If that is the meaning of the “seven” in the "seven spirits," then it is not referring to seven different spirits of God, but rather the perfect and complete Holy Spirit. The second view is that the seven spirits of God refer to seven angelic beings, possibly the seraphim or the cherubim. This would fit with the numerous others angelic beings that are described in the book of Revelation (Revelation 4:6-9; 5:6-14; 19:4-5).

A third possibility is based on Isaiah 11:2, which says, “The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him — the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.” This could possibly explain the seven spirits of God: (1) Spirit of the LORD, (2) Spirit of wisdom, (3) Spirit of understanding, (4) Spirit of counsel, (5) Spirit of power, (6) Spirit of knowledge, (7) Spirit of the fear of the Lord. The Bible doesn’t tell us specifically who/what the seven spirits are, but the first interpretation, that they are the Holy Spirit, seems the most likely.

[adamrach]

Thank you I had never connected Isaiah 11:2 and thank you Wally, as I was studying this morning I realized that for all the times I have read through revelations I never understood this.

[IMSAVED]

It sounds like their are only possibilties.It is still a mystery.We will find this out in Heaven.