Seven Symbolizes Perfection – Deity of Christ

 

I recently started a new study on the Gospels so the study will be reflected in my blog. I’ll begin with a list of seven for Sunday Seven. In the Bible, the number seven often symbolizes completeness or perfection. There were seven priests, seven trumpets, seven days, seven circuits of the wall on the seventh day. There is an extraordinary series of Sevens in the Gospel of John. The Deity of Christ is the theme of John.

Jesus reveals Himself as the Divine “I am” in sevenfold fullness:

1. “I am the Bread of Life” (6:35)

2. “I am the Light of the world” (9:5);

3. “I am the Door” (10:7)

4. “I am the Good Shepherd” (10:11)

5. “I am the Resurrection and the Life” (11:25)

6. “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (14:6)

7. “I am the true Vine” (15:1).

This rich, fascinating list is ripe for an in-depth study (no writer’s block here). I would love to expand on each of these today, but those of you that know me know this list of seven could easily turn into a 300-page book. If you want more, see my study on Jesus’ words, “I am the Vine,” and my posts Be the Branch and Creating Reminders for Our Children. (Sigh – so much to study; so little time.)

Seven different times in the book of John, the deity of Jesus is affirmed:

1. John the Baptist said, “And I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God” (1:34).
2. Nathaniel said,”Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God” (1:49).
3. Peter said, “And we believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God” (6:69).
4. Our Lord Himself said, “Say ye of Him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God” (10:36).
5. Martha said, “…Yea, Lord, I believe that Thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world” (11:27).
6. Thomas said, “…My Lord and my God” (20:28).
7. The Gospel author said, “These are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name” (20:31).

There are many more Sevens. Author A. W.Pink gives these Sevens in Why Four Gospels?:

• Seven times we read, “These things have I spoken unto you.”
• Seven times Christ addressed the woman at the well.
• Seven times, in John 6, did Christ speak of Himself as “The Bread of Life.”
• Seven things we read of the Good Shepherd doing for His sheep.
• Seven things Christ says about His sheep in John 10.
• Seven times does Christ make reference to “the hour” which was to see the accomplishment of the Work given Him to do.
• Seven times did He tell His disciples pray “in His name.”
• Seven times is the word “hate” found in John 15.
• There are seven things enumerated in John 16:13, 14 the Holy Spirit is to do for believers.
• There were seven things which Christ asked the Father for believers in John 17, and seven times over does.
• He there refers to them as the Father’s “gift” to Him. Seven times in this Gospel do we read that Christ declared He spoke only the Word of the Father—7:16; 8:28; 8:47; 12:49; 14:10; 14:24; 17:8.
• Seven times does the writer of this Gospel refer to himself, without directly mentioning his own name.
• There are seven important things found in John which are common to all four Gospels.

If you search carefully, you will find many other examples. If you need a Seven for a Sunday Seven meme you might consider expanding on any of these Sevens. Sunday Seven is a weekly meme. For more memes see the Blogs Memes List. Have a blessed Sunday.