Seven is generally thought of as a symbolically important number because it appears with incredible frequency in the Bible, and also in cultural traditions outside the Bible.
Swedenborg’s take on it can seem confusing: In some places it says that seven is used to convey holiness, that something is sacred; in other places it says that seven is used to convey completeness, especially in reference to time – it shows that a stage of life is complete or that an event in our spiritual development is complete.
That seems like two rather different ideas, but they intersect beautifully in the first (and perhaps most significant) reference to “seven” – in Genesis 2:2-3, when the Lord had completed his creation in six days, rested on the seventh, and hallowed the seventh day because of it. In that case the seventh day shows humanity in its celestial state, raised up from the animals through the creation process and brought to the peak of its potential, filled with love of the Lord and brimming over with the wisdom arising from that love. That was a holy state, and was also the completion of the creation process, holding both ideas at once. So in a sense every other reference to “seven” harks back to that, referencing the holiness of love to the Lord and the completion of mankind’s spiritual elevation.
It’s interesting, too, that in a later reference Swedenborg uses the word “inviolable” to describe “seven” – it’s rather beautiful to think of something holy and complete as being inviolable, so perfected that it cannot be hurt.
As with other symbolism in the Bible, “seven” can also be used in a reverse sense – to describe something utterly profane instead of something holy, or something destroyed instead of something complete.
Passages from Swedenborg
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 85
85. That the celestial man is the seventh day, and that the seventh day was for that reason made holy and called the Sabbath from a word for ‘rest’, are as yet undisclosed arcana. This is because people have not known what the celestial man is, and few what the spiritual man is. In their ignorance they could not avoid making the latter the same as the celestial, when in fact there is a vast difference between them; see 81. As regards the seventh day and the celestial man’s being the seventh day or Sabbath, this is clear from the fact that the Lord Himself is the Sabbath, for which reason He also says,
The Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath. Mark 2:28.
These words embody the concept that the Lord is Man himself, and the Sabbath itself. He gives the name Sabbath, or eternal peace and rest, to His kingdom in heaven and on earth. The Most Ancient Church, which is the subject here, was the Lord’s Sabbath more than any subsequent Church.
[2] Every subsequent inmost Church has been a Sabbath of the Lord, and so is every regenerate person when he becomes celestial, since he is a likeness of the Lord. Six days of conflict or labour precede this. In the Jewish Church these things were represented by the work days, and by the seventh which was the Sabbath; for in that Church, everything that had been ordained was representative of the Lord and His kingdom. The Ark too had a similar representation when it was travelling and when it came to rest. Its travels through the wilderness represented conflicts and temptations, and its resting represented states of peace.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 7905
7905. ‘For seven days’ means the whole period of this state. This is clear from the meaning of ‘seven days’ as a holy state, as above in 7885, and also a whole period from start to finish, or a complete state, 728, 6508 – like the meaning of ‘a week’, 2044, 3845.* These things being meant, it was established that this feast should last ‘for seven days’.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 881
881. ‘Seven’ means that which is holy because now charity is the subject. This is clear from the meaning of the number seven, dealt with already in 395 and 716. Furthermore ‘seven’ has been brought in here so that all things may be linked together as though they were historical events, for in the internal sense ‘seven’ and ‘seven days’ contribute nothing more to the meaning than a certain holiness which this second state possesses from what is celestial, that is, from charity.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 395
395. ‘Anyone killing Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold’ means that to violate faith thus separated was utterly forbidden. This is clear from the meaning of ‘Cain’ as separated faith, and from the meaning of ‘seven’ as utterly inviolable. As is well known, the number seven was considered holy on account of the six days of creation and of the seventh, which is the celestial man in whom peace, rest, and the Sabbath exist. This is the reason why the number seven occurs so many times in the religious ceremonies of the Jewish Church, in every instance standing for that which is holy. It is also the reason why periods of time, long as well as short, were divided into seven, and were called weeks, as in the case of the long time intervals leading up to the time when the Messiah was to come, Dan. 9:24, 25. A period of seven years is also called a week by Laban and Jacob, Gen. 29:27, 28. Consequently wherever the number seven occurs it stands either for something holy or else for something utterly inviolable, as in David,
Seven times in the day I praise You. Ps. 119:164.
In Isaiah,
The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, as the light of seven days. Isa. 30:26.
Here ‘the sun’ is love, and ‘the moon’ faith deriving from love, a faith which is to be as love.
[2] Just as the periods of man’s regeneration divide into six before he reaches the seventh, which is the celestial man, so also do the periods of vastation even until nothing celestial is left. This was represented by the many captivities of the Jews, and by the last of them, the Babylonian, which was a captivity of seven decades, that is, seventy years. And it was several times stated that the land had to rest during its Sabbaths. It was also represented by Nebuchadnezzar, of whom it is said in Daniel,
His heart will be changed from man, and the heart of a beast given him until seven times will pass over him. Dan. 4:16, 25, 32.
In reference to the vastation of the last times it is recorded in John,
I saw another sign in heaven, great and wonderful – seven angels holding the seven Rev. 15:1, 6, 7.
They will trample over the holy city for forty-two months (that is, six times seven). Rev. 11:2.
In the same book,
I saw a book [written] within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Rev. 5:1.
Severe and increased penalties were for the same reason expressed by the number seven, as in Moses,
If you will not obey Me in this matter, I will chastise you seven times worse for your sins. Lev. 26:18, 21, 24, 28.
In David,
Return to our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom. Ps. 79:12.
So then, it is because it was utterly forbidden to violate faith – since it had a use to serve, as has been stated – that the statement is made about ‘vengeance being taken sevenfold on him who killed Cain’.
Apocalypse Explained (Tansley) n. 257
257. Because in this prophetical book numbers are often mentioned; and as no one can know the spiritual sense of what is contained in those numbers unless he knows what the particular numbers signify; for all numbers in the Word, as well as all names, signify spiritual things; and because the number seven is often mentioned amongst others, I am desirous here of showing that seven signifies all, and all things, also what is full and complete for that which signifies all, and all things, signifies also what is full and complete. For what is full and complete is said of the magnitude of a thing, and all and all things of multitude.
That the number seven has such a signification is evident from the following passages. In Ezekiel:
“The inhabitants of the cities of Israel shall set fire to and burn the arms, the shield also and the buckler, with the bow and the arrows, and with the hand-staff, and with the spear; and they shall kindle a fire with them seven years; and they shall bury Gog and all his multitude, and they shall cleanse the land seven months” (xxxix. 9, 11, 12).
The subject here treated of is the desolation of all things in the church. The inhabitants of the cities of Israel signify all the goods of truth, to set on fire and burn signifies to consume by evils. The arms, the shield, the buckler, the bows, the arrows, the hand-staff, the spear, denote everything pertaining to doctrine; to kindle fire with them seven years denotes to consume them all and fully by evils. Gog signifies those who are in external worship, and in no internal worship; to bury them and cleanse the land denotes to destroy them all, and completely to purge the church of them. [2] In Jeremiah:
“Their widows shall be multiplied more than the sand of the seas, and I will bring to them upon the mother of the youths the waster at noon-day. She who hath borne seven shall languish, she shall breathe out her soul” (xv. 8, 9).
By the widows which will be multiplied are signified those who are in good and desire truths, and, in the opposite sense, as in the present case, those who are in evil and desire falsities. By the mother of the youths is signified the church; by the waster at noon-day is signified the vastation of that church, however much they may be in truths from the Word. By she that hath borne seven shall languish, she shall breathe out her soul, is signified that the church, to which all truths were given because the Word was given them, should perish; for she that hath borne seven signifies those to whom all truths were given. This is specifically said concerning the Jews.
[3] Similarly, in the first book of Samuel:
“They that were hungry ceased, so that the barren hath borne seven, and she that hath many children hath failed” (ii. 5).
The hungry who ceased denote those who desire the goods and truths of the church; the barren who hath borne seven signifies those who are outside the church and are ignorant of truths because they have not the Word, as the Gentiles, to whom all things will be given; she that hath many children failing signifies those who have truths, from whom they will be taken away. Again, in David:
“Render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom” (lxxix. 12).
And in Moses,
That the Jews should be punished seven times for their sins (Levit. xxvi. 18, 21, 24, 28);
seven times here signifying fully. [4] In Luke:
“And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt forgive him” (xvii. 4).
Here, to forgive seven times, if he shall return seven times, denotes to forgive as often as the offender should return, and thus at all times. But lest Peter should understand seven times to be meant by these words, the Lord explains His meaning to him, as recorded in Matthew:
“Peter said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times, but until seventy times seven ” (xviii. 21, 22).
Seventy times seven is always, without counting. In David:
“Seven times a day do I praise thee for the judgments of justice” (Ps. cxix. 164).
Seven times a day denotes always, or at all times. [5] Again:
“The sayings of Jehovah are pure sayings, as silver refined in a furnace of earth, purified seven times” (Ps. xii. 6).
Here silver signifies truth from the Divine: purified seven times denotes that it is altogether and fully pure.
[6] In Isaiah:
“The light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days” (xxx. 26).
The light of the sun signifies Divine truth from Divine good: and that this light should be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, signifies that the Divine truth in heaven should be without any falsity, thus that it should be altogether and fully pure. [7] In Matthew,
The unclean spirit “shall take with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and he shall dwell there” (xii. 45; Luke xi. 26).
Here profanation is treated of, and by the seven other spirits with which the unclean spirit is said to return are signified all falsities of evil, thus a plenary destruction of good and truth. [8] Similar is the signification of the seven times which were to pass over the king of Babylon, in Daniel,
“His heart shall be changed from man, and the heart of a beast shall be given unto him; while seventimes shall pass over him” (iv. 16, 25, 32).
By the king of Babylon are signified those who profane the goods and truths of the Word. By his heart being changed from that of a man to that of a beast is meant that nothing spiritual, that is, truly human, should remain with him, but that instead there should be everything diabolical. By the seven times which were to pass over him is meant profanation, which is a complete destruction of truth and good.[9] Because the terms seven, and seven times, signified all things, and also what is full, the following commands were given to the children of Israel:
Seven days their hands should be filled (Exod. xxix. 35).
Seven days they should be sanctified (Exod. xxix. 37).
Seven days Aaron should put on the garments when he was being initiated (Exod. xxix. 30).
Seven days they should not go out of the tabernacle when they were being initiated into the priesthood (Levit. viii. 33, 34).
Seven times expiation should be made upon the horns of the altar (Levit. xvi. 18, 19).
Seven times should the altar be sanctified with oil (Levit. viii. 11).
Seven times should the blood be sprinkled before the veil (Levit. iv. 16, 17).
Seven times should the blood be sprinkled with the finger towards the east, when Aaron went in to the mercy seat (Levit. xvi. 12-15).
Seven times should the water of separation be sprinkled towards the tabernacle (Num. xix. 4).
Seven times should blood be sprinkled for the cleansing of leprosy (Levit. xiv. 7, 8, 27, 38, 51).
The lampstand had seven lamps (Exod. xxv. 32, 37; xxxvii. 18-25).
Feasts should be celebrated for seven days (Exod. xxxiv. 18; Levit. xxiii. 4-9, 39-44; Deut. xvi. 3, 4, 8).
Seven days of the feast there should be a burnt offering of seven bullocks and seven rams daily (Ezek. xlv. 23).
Baalam built seven altars, and sacrificed seven oxen and seven rams (Num. xxiii. 1-7, 15-18, 29, 30).
They numbered seven weeks of years, seven times seven years, and then should cause the trumpet of the jubilee to be sounded in the seventh month (Levit. xxv. 8, 9).
From the signification of the number seven, it is evident what is signified
By the seven days of creation (Gen. i.).
Also by four thousand men being filled from seven loaves, and that seven basketsful of fragments remained over (Matt. xv. 34-37; Mark viii. 5-9).
Hence now it is clear what is signified in the Apocalypse,
By the seven churches (i. 4, 11).
By the seven golden lampstands, in the midst of which was the Son of man (i. 13).
By the seven stars in His right hand (i. 16, 20).
By the seven spirits of God (iii. 1).
By the seven lamps of fire burning before the throne (iv. 5).
By the book sealed with seven seals (v. 1).
By the seven angels to whom were given seven trumpets (viii. 2).
By the seven thunders which uttered their voices (x. 3, 4).
By the seven angels having the seven last plagues, (xv. 1, 6).
By seven vials full of the seven last plagues (xvi. 1; xxi. 9)
and elsewhere in the Word, where seven is mentioned.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 10127
10127. ‘Seven days you shall make propitiation on the altar’ means the completeness of the influx into heaven and into the Church. This is clear from the meaning of ‘seven days’ as what is complete, dealt with below; from the meaning of ‘making propitiation’ as purification from evils and consequently falsities, also dealt with below; and from the meaning of ‘the altar’ as that which is representative of the Lord’s Divine Human in respect of Divine Good, dealt with in 9388, 9389, 9714, 9964, at this point in heaven and in the Church, 10123. The reason why the sacrifice of a young bull to make propitiation and sanctify the altar should be carried out for seven days was that ‘seven days’, the same as ‘a week’, means a whole period, long or short, from start to finish. Therefore also ‘seven days’ means what is complete. The number three likewise means a whole period from start to finish, and therefore also what is complete. But the difference is that the word ‘seven’ is used where something holy is referred to, but ‘three’ when anything whatever is the subject.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 9228
9228. The fact that ‘seven’ means a whole period from start to finish, thus what is complete, is clear from a large number of places in the Word, as in Isaiah,
The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, on the day when Jehovah will bind up the hurt* of His people. Isa. 30:26.
This refers to the salvation of faithful believers and their intelligence and wisdom in the Lord’s kingdom. ‘The moon’ is faith received from the Lord, thus belief in the Lord, and ‘the sun’ is love derived from the Lord, thus love to the Lord, 30-38, 1521, 1529-1531, 2441, 2495, 3636, 3643, 4060, 4321 (end), 4696, 5377, 7078, 7083, 7171, 8644. ‘The light of the sun will be sevenfold, as the light ofseven days’ means a complete state of intelligence and wisdom because of love to and belief in the Lord.
[2] In Ezekiel,
The inhabitants of the cities of Israel will go out, and they will set alight and burn the weapons, both shield and buckler, together with bow and arrows, and hand-staff, and spear; they will set fire to them for seven years, that they may not bring wood from the field nor cut down any from the forests. And they will cleanse the land in seven months. Ezek. 39:9, 10, 12.
This refers to the destruction of falsity. ‘The weapons’ that are listed here are falsities used by those who are evil to fight against the Church’s truths. ‘Setting fire to them for seven years’ means complete destruction brought about by the desires of self-love and love of the world. ‘In order that they may bring no wood from the field or cut down any from the forests’ means when no good at all survives, neither in the internal man nor in the external. ‘Cleansing the land in seven months’ means the complete restoration of goodness and truth within the Church. It has been shown in very many places that ‘weapons’ are truths fighting against falsities, and in the contrary sense falsities fighting against truths; that ‘bow and arrows’ means teachings that present truth, and in the contrary sense teachings that present falsity; that ‘hand-staff’ means the power of truth, and in the contrary sense the power of falsity; that ‘setting alight and burning’ means laying waste through the desires of self-love and love of the world; that ‘wood from the field’ means the Church’s forms of interior good, and ‘wood from the forests’ factual knowledge of goodness and truth; and that ‘the land’ means the Church. Anyone can see that different things are meant here from those which present themselves in the letter, as when it says that they will burn the weapons, and set them alight for seven years, in order that they may bring no wood from the field or cut down any from the forests. People do indeed know that things of a holy and Divine nature are meant, because the Word is holy and comes from God. But they cannot by any means know which things of a holy and Divine nature are contained in these words unless they know what the meaning is of ‘weapons’, ‘seven years’ and ‘seven months’, ‘wood from the field’ and ‘wood from the forests’. From this it is evident that without knowledge gained from the internal sense those prophetic utterances are completely unintelligible.
[3] In David,
Seven times in the day I praise You over the judgements of Your righteousness. Ps. 119:164.
In the same author,
Repay [our] neighbours sevenfold into their bosom. Ps. 79:12.
‘Sevenfold’ means completely. The meaning is similar in Moses, where it says that they would be punished sevenfold if they went against commandments and statutes, Lev. 26:18, 21, 24, 28. Anyone who does not know that ‘seven’ means a whole period from start to finish, and therefore what is complete, will suppose that ‘seven weeks’ in Daniel means seven lengths of time,
Know and perceive that from the going forth of the Word to restore and to build Jerusalem until the Messiah, the Prince, there will be seven weeks. Dan. 9:25.
But ‘seven weeks until the Messiah, the Prince’ means what is said of the Lord, namely that He will come in the fullness of time, so that ‘seven weeks’ means a whole period. From this it is evident that the seven spirits before God’s throne, Rev. 1:4, the book sealed with seven seals, Rev. 5:1, and theseven angels holding ‘the seven bowls, which are the seven last plagues, Rev. 15:1, 6, 7; 21:9, do not mean seven spirits, seven seals, or seven angels, bowls, and plagues, but all things even to completeness. The statement in 1 Sam. 2:5 that the barren has borne seven in like manner does not mean seven but a great amount, even to a complete amount.
[4] Because ‘seven’ had this meaning it was stipulated that a priest at his initiation should wear the garments for seven days, Exod. 29:30; that his hands should be filled for seven days,** Exod. 29:35; that the altar should be sanctified for seven days, Exod. 29:37; and that those initiated into the priesthood should not depart from the tent [of meeting] for seven days, Lev. 8:33, 34. So too with the reference to the unclean spirit going out of a person and returning with seven others, Matt. 12:43-45; Luke 11:26; also where it says that if a brother sins seven times in a day and is seven times converted he is to be forgiven, Luke 17:4; and that the heart of Nebuchadnezzar was changed from [that of] a human being and the heart of a beast was given to him while seven times passed by, Dan. 4:15, 25, 32. For the same reasons also Job’s friends sat down with him on the earth seven days and seven nights and spoke nothing to him, Job 2:13. Seventy in a similar way means that which is complete, see 6508, as also does a week, 2044, 3845. From all this it now becomes clear that ‘the eighth day’ means the initial phase of the following state.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 5268
5268. ‘And the seven thin and bad cows coming up after them are seven years’ means a state when falsity attacking the interior natural is multiplied. This is clear from the meaning of ‘cows’ in the genuine sense as truths within the interior natural, dealt with in 5198, 5265, but in the contrary sense as falsities there, dealt with in 5202, so that the former are called ‘good cows’, but the latter ‘thin and bad’; from the meaning of ‘coming up’ as an advance made towards things that are interior, dealt with in 5202; and from the meaning of ‘years’ as states, dealt with just above in 5265. Even as ‘seven’ means that which is holy, so in the contrary sense it means that which is unholy. For most things in the Word have a contrary meaning as well, the reason for this being that when the selfsame things as come into being in heaven pass downwards in the direction of hell, they are converted into things of an opposite nature and become in actual fact their opposites. Consequently things that are holy, meant by ‘seven’, are made in that place into those that are unholy.
[2] Let references to the number seven found solely in the Book of Revelation serve to prove that ‘seven’ is used to mean both holy things and unholy ones. The following are places where holy things are meant,
John to the seven Churches: Grace and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne. Rev. 1:4.
These things says He who has the seven spirits and the seven stars. Rev. 3:1.
From the throne there were coming seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the sevenspirits of God. Rev. 4:5.
I saw on the right hand of Him sitting on the throne a book written within and on the back, sealed withseven seals. Rev. 5:1.
I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne, a Lamb standing as though it had been slain, havingseven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Rev. 5:6.
To the seven angels were given seven trumpets. Rev. 8:1.
In the days of the voice of the seventh angel the mystery of God was to be fulfilled. Rev. 10:7.
Out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in linen, white and splendid, and girded around their breasts with golden girdles. Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls. Rev. 15:6, 7.
[3] The fact that ‘seven’ in the contrary sense means things that are unholy is evident from the following places, also in the Book of Revelation,
Behold, a great fiery-red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven jewels. Rev. 12:3.
I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, which had seven heads and ten horns, and on its horns ten jewels, but on its heads a blasphemous name. Rev. 13:1.
I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names; and it had seven heads and ten hems. Here is the understanding of this – if anyone has the wisdom: The seven heads are sevenmountains on which the woman is seated; and they are seven kings. The beast which was, and is not, he is the eighth king, and is of the seven, and is going away into perdition. Rev. 17:3, 7, 9-11.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 716
716. ‘Sevens of each’ means that they are holy. This is clear from what has been stated already in 84-87 about the seventh day or sabbath. That is to say, the Lord is the Seventh Day and from Him derives every celestial Church or man, and indeed, the celestial itself which, because it is the Lord’s alone, is most holy. Consequently seven in the Word means holy; indeed in the internal sense, as here, absolutely nothing is obtained from the number itself. For people who possess the internal sense, as angels and angelic spirits do, have no concept at all of what a number is, and so do not know whatseven is. Therefore the idea that they were to take seven pairs of all the clean beasts, or that the ratio of the good to the evil was to be seven to two, is not at all the meaning here. Rather it is this: Things of the will with which this member of the Church was supplied were the goods which are holy, through which, as stated already, he was capable of being regenerated.
[2] That ‘seven’ means that which is holy, or things that are holy, becomes clear from the rituals in the representative Church, where the number seven occurs time and again, for example, being sprinkledseven times with blood and oil, as in Leviticus,
Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the Tabernacle and everything that was in it and made them holy. And he sprinkled some of it over the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its vessels to make them holy. Lev. 8:10, 11.
Here ‘seven times’ would be utterly devoid of meaning if that which is holy was not being represented in this way. ‘Oil’ there means the holiness of love. And elsewhere in Leviticus, when Aaron entered the Holy Place,
He shall take some of the blood of the young bull, and shall sprinkle it with his finger over the face* of the mercy-seat towards the east, and he shall sprinkle the face* of the mercy-seat seven times with some of the blood with his finger.
Similarly with the altar,
He shall sprinkle over it some of the blood with his finger seven times, and shall cleanse it, and make it holy. Lev. 16:14, 19.
Here every single detail means the Lord Himself, and therefore the holiness of love – that is to say, ‘the blood’ and also ‘the mercy-seat’, ‘the altar’ too, ‘the east in which direction the blood was to be sprinkled’, and so ‘seven’ as well, all mean the Lord.
[3] In sacrifices it is similar, about which the following is said in Leviticus,
If a soul has sinned inadvertently, and if the anointed priest has sinned, thus making the people guilty, he shall slaughter the young bull in Jehovah’s presence. And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle some of the blood seven times in Jehovah’s presence towards the veil of the Holy Place. Lev. 4:2-4, 6.
Here similarly ‘seven’ means that which is holy, for the subject is atonement, and therefore the Lord, since atonement is the Lord’s alone. Similar instructions were also given concerning the cleansing of leprosy, about which the following is said in Leviticus,
[Taking some] of the bird’s blood, the cedar-wood, the double-dyed scarlet, and the hyssop, the priest shall sprinkle over the one who is to be cleansed from leprosy seven times, and shall cleanse him. In a similar way some of the oil which is in his left palm, seven times in Jehovah’s presence. In a similar way in a house where there is leprosy, [he shall take some] of the cedar-wood, and the hyssop, and the double-dyed scarlet, and shall sprinkle some of the bird’s blood seven times. Lev. 14:6, 7, 27, 51.
Anyone may see that here cedar-wood, double-dyed scarlet, hyssop, oil, and blood of a bird, and so the number seven, would be utterly meaningless if things that are holy were not being represented by them. If you take away from them holy things, what is left is something dead, or something unholy and idolatrous. When however they do mean holy things the worship they contain in that case is a Divine worship which is internal and simply represented by things that are external. The Jews however were incapable of knowing what these meant; and neither does anyone today know what cedar-wood, hyssop, double-dyed scarlet, and the bird all mean. Yet if only they had been willing to think that these did embody holy things which they did not actually know, and so had worshipped the Lord – who was the Messiah to come who would heal them from their leprosy, that is, from profaning what is holy – they could have been saved. For people who do think and believe in this manner straightaway receive instruction in the next life, if they desire it, as to what every single detail represented.
[4] Similarly where ‘the red heifer’ is the subject it is said that the priest was to take some of its blood on his finger, and sprinkle some of its blood towards the face* of the tent of meeting seven times, Num. 19:4. Because ‘the seventh day’ or sabbath meant the Lord, and from Him meant the celestial man and the celestial itself, the seventh day in the Jewish Church was the holiest of all its religious observances. For this reason there was a sabbath year** every seventh year, Lev. 25:4. Also a jubilee was to be proclaimed after seven sabbaths of years, that is, after seven times seven years, Lev. 25:8, 9. In the highest sense the number seven means the Lord, and from this the holiness of love. This becomes clear also from the golden lampstand with its seven lamps, mentioned in Exod. 25:31-33, 37; 37:17-19, 23; Num. 8:2, 3; Zech. 4:2. And in John it is spoken of as follows,
Seven golden lampstands; in the midst of the seven lampstands one like the Son of Man. Rev. 1:12, 13.
Here it is absolutely clear that ‘a lampstand with seven lamps’ means the Lord, and that ‘the lamps’ are the holy things of love, which comprise celestial things, which also is why there were seven of them.
[5] In the same author,
From the throne there were coming forth seven fiery torches burning before the throne, which are theseven spirits of God. Rev. 4:5.
Here ‘the seven torches which came forth from the Lord’s throne’ are seven lamps. The same applies to the number seven when it occurs in the Prophets, as in Isaiah,
The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, on the day when Jehovah will bind up the hurt of His people. Isa. 30:26.
Here ‘sevenfold light as the light of seven days’ does not at all mean sevenfold but the holiness of love meant by the sun. See also what has been stated and shown already at Chapter 4:15 concerning the number seven. From these quotations it is also quite clear that all numbers used in the Word never have a numerical value [in the internal sense], as has also been shown already at 6:3.