1“And to the angel of the assembly in Sardis write:
“He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says these things:
“I know your works, that you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2Wake up and strengthen the things that remain, which you were about to throw away, for I have found no works of yours perfected before my God. 3Remember therefore how you have received and heard. Keep it and repent. If therefore you won’t watch, I will come as a thief, and you won’t know what hour I will come upon you. 4Nevertheless you have a few names in Sardis that didn’t defile their garments. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5He who overcomes will be arrayed in white garments, and I will in no way blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. 6He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.
7“To the angel of the assembly in Philadelphia write:
“He who is holy, he who is true, he who has the key of David, he who opens and no one can shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says these things:
8“I know your works (behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one can shut), that you have a little power, and kept my word, and didn’t deny my name. 9Behold, I make some of the synagogue of Satan, of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but lie—behold, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10Because you kept my command to endure, I also will keep you from the hour of testing which is to come on the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11I am coming quickly! Hold firmly that which you have, so that no one takes your crown. 12He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will go out from there no more. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and my own new name. 13He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.
14“To the angel of the assembly in Laodicea write:
“The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of God’s creation, says these things:
15“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. 16So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth. 17Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing,’ and don’t know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked; 18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. 19As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent. 20Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with me. 21He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.”
The book of Revelation has enigmatic references to the "seven spirits of God"1 in Revelation 1:4; 3:1; 4:5; and 5:6, and so it is difficult to know exactly what this identification means. Revelation 1:4 says that the seven spirits are before the throne of God. Revelation 3:1 indicates that Jesus Christ has the seven spirits of God. Revelation 4:5 identifies the seven spirits of God with seven burning lamps that are before the throne. Last, Revelation 5:6 connects to the seven spirits, who are "sent out into all the earth."
There seem to be three different ways that the phrase "seven spirits of God" may be interpreted from the most likely interpretation, in my opinion, to the least likely, but one cannot be dogmatic with the obscure expression. First, John may be referring to the usage in Isaiah 11:2 that says, "Yahweh’s Spirit will rest on him: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Yahweh."
The seven references to the "spirit" may speak of attributes of God possessed by the Spirit of God, His identity with Yahweh, wisdom, understanding, counsel, power, knowledge, and fear of Yahweh.
The second option is that the "seven spirits" uses "seven," the number of completeness and perfection, to accentuate the Spirit of Yahweh's perfection.2
Last of all, the "seven spirits" may refer to seven angelic beings, as is discussed in the book of Revelation (see Rev 4:6-9; 5:6-14; 19:4, 5), or to cherubim and seraphim.
See the study of the "Spirit of God" in the Old Testament beginning at Genesis 1:2, and in the New Testament beginning at Matthew 1:18. ↩︎
For a discussion of the use of numbers in the Bible, see John J. Davis, Biblical Numerology - A Basic Study Of The Use Of Numbers In The Bible. ↩︎