12/15/2023 0 Comments The seven spirits of god explainedThe number seven in a wide variety of Jewish scriptural traditions is the number of fullness, totality and completeness. …and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, For the reader familiar with the nuances of both Hebrew and Greek grammar, they act as clues that something else is going on. Whatever the explanation may be behind the awkward grammatical irregularities, they are probably intentional in nature. Since not all portions of Revelation could be characterized this way, it is not possible to explain the Greek grammatical irregularities only by the Hebraic background of John’s original thought language. Note the comment above about the authorship of Revelation and possible absence of an assisting scribe on Patmos). This passage is one of many places where it could be said that the Greek used by John is poor. It is a composite of past, present and future aspects all present in one word, “who is and the one who was, and who will be.” The hint is deliberate. God’s unpronounceable name YHWH is believed to be connected to the verb “to be” in Hebrew. John uses the same wording only in this place in Greek. The Greek is translated from the divine self-description in Hebrew אֶֽהְיֶ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶֽהְיֶ֑ה (I am who I am). 3:14 according to the Greek language Septuagint version where God refers to himself as “he who is” (ὁ ὤν). One has to do with the Holy Spirit and the other has to do with key angelic beings. There are at least two interpretive options here. Revelation is full of sets of the number seven, but just as in the case of the churches, this fact calls attention not to the number itself, but instead to the totality of that which is discussed – in this case the Spirit (seven spirits) who is/are before the throne of God. The number seven in a wide variety of Jewish scriptural traditions is the number of fullness, totality and completeness. 1:4 John to the seven “churches” that are in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from “he who is,” and who was, and who is still to come, …
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