Ever wonder about the seven Spirits before the throne of God (Rev. 1:4)? Or the seven Spirits of God possessed by Christ (Rev. 3:1)? Or the seven Spirits of God symbolized by the seven lamps of fire burning before the throne (Rev. 4:5)? Or the Lamb’s seven eyes that are the seven Spirits of God (Rev. 5:6)? Here’s the meaning.
The prophecy of the coming Messiah in Isaiah 11 begins with these words:
Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse,
And a branch from his roots will bear fruit.
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him,
The spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The spirit of counsel and strength,
The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
That’s a bunch of spirits. Count ’em.
- The Spirit of the LORD
- The Spirit of wisdom
- The Spirit of understanding
- The Spirit of counsel
- The Spirit of strength
- The Spirit of knowledge
- The Spirit of the fear of the LORD
Of course, these aren’t seven distinct Spirits, but one Holy Spirit in His seven-fold activity. This passage probably refers to the theocratic anointing that characterized Old Testament figures who led the nation of Israel. Messiah will possess this theocratic anointing in its fullness and perfection: the seven-fold Spirit of God.
