Bible Commentaries

THE SEVENFOLD OFFICES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

‘The Seven Spirits of God.’

Revelation 5:6

That ‘the Seven Spirits of God’ are the Holy Ghost is evident by the use of the same expression in the first chapter of this book, where the words plainly denote One of the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity.

The reason why He is called ‘the Seven Spirits’ may be either because there is, from the beginning, something mystic in the number ‘seven’ which we cannot fathom; or, more likely because God, having been pleased to complete everything in seven days, from that time, and for that reason, ‘seven’ became a sacred, allegorical term.

But whatever the cause, it is certain that ‘seven’ stands for perfection, and ‘the Seven Spirits’ is the same as the Infinite and Perfect Spirit of the Holy Ghost. It is very reasonable, too, and consistent with the same line of thought, that the revealed offices of the Holy Ghost to men are also ‘seven.’

The seven operations of the Holy Ghost are these:—

I. He convinces of sin.

II. He shows us Christ as our Saviour.

III. He comforts us, chiefly by the assurance of our forgiveness.

IV. He teaches us, makes us to understand the Bible.

V. He sanctifies us.

VI. He guides us.

VII. He seals us.

He set marks on us by that seal, while all the while the seal is binding and fastening us closely; fastening us so closely to God that no power of the enemy shall be able to loose us or to separate us again. Cleansed by the blood of His dear Son, consecrated and kept by the Holy Ghost, we are His, His only, His own peculiar people—His own treasure, laid up where ‘no moth and rust can corrupt, and where no thieves can break through and steal.’

Rev. James Vaughan.