During a chat last night, the number Seven was brought up and I mentioned the significance of the number according to the scriptures and everything to do with how God created the universe, nature and humans.
The person who is very well read and knowledgable, had not heard of this before, so I thought it would make a great topic of conversation with regards to how the number 7 is so entwined in life and nature.
Has anyone else heard of this etc??
I know that the number seven is important in religions other than Christianity. Within my own religion great store is set on the numbers two and three - aside from the Holy Trinity, all formal elections and nominations in the church are witnessed by at least two individuals, more commonly three. All official proclamations are witnessed by at least three individuals, or multiples thereof.
I understand that seven is an important number in Judaism, the Kabbalah offshoot of Judaism and in some Indian faiths as well.
I also recall that when Joseph was in prison in Egypt, he interpreted the dream of the Pharaoh, in which he saw the seven fat cattle (kine in the scriptures) devoured by the seven thin cattle. That is at the moment the only instance of seven I can recall in the scriptures, other than the seven loaves that the Saviour broke to feed the multitude (at the second feeding of a multitude but am probably wrong).
What other instances are there?
I know that in numerology the numbers used are called the Ennead - or company of nine.
In the Ennead the number 7 - or the Septad. Cosmologically seven represents spiritual growth and learning, the desire to move forward and grow on a spiritual level. Seven is seen as the quest, usually for more than just physical happiness. It is symbolised by a triangle over a square which represents spirit rising from matter.
It also corresponds to the psychic centers called "chakras," which are associated with points along the central nervous system of the human body. The seventh, or the highest chakra, is receptive to the highest spiritual planes.
[Image:
http://paganwiccan.about.com/library/weekly/star7.jpg]
7 Points - The Septagram, Septacle, Fairy Star (pictured above)
This symbol is gaining popularity, though it is still less common that the others mentioned above. The number 7 represents magick and the spiritual realms. It's often associated with Fairies and Elves (hence the name).
That would be my input...
God Created the world in Seven days, and I think you will find in many of the prophecies in the bible, seven features strongly.
Job had seven sons and seven daughters, didn't he?
Joshua and the Israelites destroyed the city of Jericho in Seven days in a very symbolic manner. After six days of marching around the city ... on the Seventh day they marched around it seven times and it fell after the priests blew their horns (I think it was seven times)
I have heard that the number is the symbol of completeness, and to a lesser extent, the number three.