God the Holy Spirit, Mentor's Guide, MG14

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G O D T H E H O L Y S P I R I T

Christian interpreters have often referred to this as the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit. This Old Testament understanding of the way in which the Spirit works to accomplish God’s will also helps us interpret some rather mysterious language in the Book of Revelation. Rev. 1.4 (ESV) - John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne (also Rev. 3.1, 4.5, 5.6). In the New Living Translation, this verse says, “from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne.” From the seven spirits means from the Holy Spirit in his sevenfold fullness. Some have seen here a reference to angelic beings; but since the preceding phrase refers to God the Father and the following phrase to God the Son, it is certain that John included a reference to God the Holy Spirit, thus including all persons of the Godhead. In other places the New Testament speaks of the Holy Spirit in his plurality of functions (cf. Heb. 2.4; 1 Cor. 12.11; 14.32; Rev. 22.6).

~ George Eldon Ladd. A Commentary on the Revelation of John . pp. 24-25.

Since seven is a number symbolizing completeness in the scriptural text, this is also a way of emphasizing that the Spirit embodies the entirety of God’s power and presence. (See also Ray Pritchard, “Seven Spirits of God,” Names of the Holy Spirit , Chicago: Moody Press, 1995, pp. 207-20.)

The New Testament Context: The Messiah’s Gift of Salvation

The Reformed view that the work of the Spirit connects us to Christ is very clear in Paul’s writing. There is a progression in the work of the Spirit. The Spirit comes upon the Messiah to gift him for his kingdom reign. All those who receive salvation are then placed “in Christ,” and are made a “kingdom of priests.” And this salvation comes only as a “gift.” It is the very first “gift” of the Spirit.