NUMBER SEVEN.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 241, 13 October 1886, Page 4

NUMBER SEVEN.

Numorous Comninatlona In WliloU

Sovon Plays a Part,

The frequent recurrence of the number seven in the Scriptures seems to indicate that there are associated with it certain events, that it may be tormed tho prophetic, representative symbolic numbor consecrated in the Holy Scriptures and the religion of the Jews and other nations, by many mysterious events and circumstances.

Tho Old Testament informs ua that God completed tho work of creation in seven days, and set apart the seventh day to bo a day of reat for all mankind. _ 'The slayer of Abel was to be punished soven fold and the slayor of Lamoch seventy and .even fold. Of every clean beast Noah took into tbo ark by sovons, and took with him 86ven bouls whon he entered the ark. After sovon days tho waters wore upon the face of the earth. Tho intervals botween Eonding out tbe dove the second and third times wore seven days, and in tho seventh month tho ark restod on tho mountains of Ararat

In Pharaoh'a two droams he saw seven well-favoured aud fat kino, and seven illfavoured and loon kine, and seven eara of corn on tho stalk, rank and good, and seven eara blasted with east wind, which was followed by seven years of great plenty and seven years of (amine. The children of Israel were commanded to oat unleavened broad sevon days, and to obsorvethe feast of unleavened bread ; "seven days shall there be nc leaven found in your houses." . The seventh month waa signalised by the feasts of trumpets, and tho celebration of tho Feast of Tabernacles. Seven weeks was the interval botween the Passover and Pontocost. Tho seventh year was observed aa the Sabbatical year, and tho year succeeding seven times sevon years as tho year of jubilee. , Seven days wero appointed as the length of the feasts of Tabernacles and Passover. Seven days for the ceremonies of tho consecration of tho priests. Seven victims wero to bo offered en anyspecial occasion. When Abraham and Abimolech wanted to confirm an oath, they took sevon ewe lambs of the flock. Jacob .orvod Laban seven years for each of his daughters. Delilah bound Samson with seven green withes, and wove the seven locks of his hair in tho web. Seven priests, boaring seven trumpets, passed round the walls of Jericho eeven daye, on tho seventh day passing round sevon times, and it fell. Nebuchadnezzar had the furnace heated seven tlmeß hotter than it was wont to be heated to burn tho three Hebrew children, and was driven from among men to the beasts of the field until eeven times passed over him. Eliaha commanded Naaman to wash in Jordon seven times and bo cured of his leprt i/, The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men who can tender a reason.

In the Now Testament the Saviour commanded to forgive an erring brother not until seven times, but seventy times eeven if he repented. In Revelations of St. .John we read of Boven churches, eeven spirits, seven stars, eeven seals, seven lamps, eoven_ golden candlesticks, soven angels, .even vials and seven last plagues. A notion once prevailed in England with come people that tho eoventh coneecutivo eon born had power to cure certain diseases.