The bible often uses symbols to teach very important truths. In the book of Hosea God says:
“I have also spoken by the prophets,
And have multiplied visions;
I have given symbols through the witness of the prophets.” Hosea 2:10
Today we’re going to briefly look at how the number seven symbolizes important truths about salvation.
In scripture the number seven is God’s number for completeness. When God created the earth He made everything in six days and then rested on the seventh day completing His work of creation. When we rest on the Sabbath day we remember how God completed everything in creation and we are honoring Him for His work.
There are other examples of the number seven being used to describe completeness. Let’s turn to the story of Naaman the Syrian. Let’s go to 2 Kings 5:
In this story Naaman was the commander of the Syrian army but he was plagued with leprosy. During one of his raids of Israel he had brought back an Israelite girl. This Israelite girl became a servant of Naaman’s wife and one day she told Naaman’s wife about a prophet in Samaria who could heal Naaman. When Naaman found out he traveled to Israel to meet with the prophet. But when he came to Israel Elisha told hime to go wash seven times in the Jordan river.
Naaman didn’t like the Jordan river and he felt it was beneath him to wash in what he felt was an insignificant and dirty river. Let’s begin reading in 2 Kings 5:13:
13 And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 2 Kings 5:13
Naaman listened to his servants and he washed seven times in the river and was clean. He was so clean that the bible says his flesh was restored to the flesh of a little child. Have you ever smelled a baby’s skin? If you have you understand what the bible is trying to describe. Naaman was completely clean and restored. He was rejuvenated. I can’t imagine how wonderful he felt to have his once rotting skin restored to the perfection of youth.
The story of Naaman being cured of leprosy is symbolic of much more than just physical restoration. The bible uses the number seven in this story to help link us to the spiritual restoration that God wants to provide us. The bible says:
18 “Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the LORD,
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool. Isaiah 1:18
God wants our insides to be just as clean as Naaman’s skin was in the Jordan river so many years ago. In the New Testament the bible tells introduces us to someone who was also made clean seven times: not clean from leprosy but made clean from sin. Let’s look at Luke 8:1-3:
1 Now it came to pass, afterward, that He (Jesus) went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, 2 and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, 3 and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance. Luke 8:1-3
In these verses the bible mentions the disciples of Christ and a few women that were with Jesus as He ministered to others. The first woman mentioned is Mary Magdalene. I am sure you are familiar with Mary Magdalene. She is mentioned several times in the New Testament and was called Mary Magdelene because she lived in Magdala. Mandala is town situated on the coast of the Sea of Galilee. In this passage the bible tells us that Jesus cast seven demons out of Mary Magdalene. Now remember Naaman was cleansed on the outside. His leprous decaying skin was restored to total health when he washed in the Jordan river seven times. However Mary Magdalene was cleansed on the inside. The bible says that Jesus cast seven demons out of Mary Magdalene. While it was Naaman’s flesh that was restored it was Mary Magdalene spirit. When King David sinned he longed for his spirit to be restored. David wrote:
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.
And then…
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Psalm 51:2,10-12
It was this type of restoration that Mary Magdalene experienced and like Naaman it was complete restoration. The bible tells us that seven demons were cast out to communicate to us the complete and total restoration that Mary Magdalene experienced. Is there any wonder that Mary followed Jesus? Is there any wonder that Mary Magdalene found herself at the tomb of Jesus on the day of resurrection only to be overjoyed at the sight of her risen Lord.
Jesus wants to give you and I total restoration. He want to cleanse us on the inside. He wants to free us from all the demons that grip us with their talons. Today you have an opportunity to experience that cleansing. You may have fallen. You may have stumbled but through repentance you can be forgiven and restored. The bible says:
For a righteous man may fall seven times
And rise again,
But the wicked shall fall by calamity. Proverbs 24:16
If’ you’ve fallen get up again. If you’ve sinned repent. God wants to give you total restoration. Just as God completed His work of creation by resting on the seventh day He wants to restore you completely. The seventh day Sabbath is a memorial of God’s creation: a day to rest in God’s work in your life.
Don’t be cleansed just once. Be cleansed seven times. Be completely, totally and absolutely restored to fellowship with your creator. In the book of Jeremiah God tells how He wants to cleanse His people saying:
8 I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me. 9 Then it shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and an honor before all nations of the earth, who shall hear all the good that I do to them; they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I provide for it.’ Jeremiah 33:8,9
God wants to cleanse you today. He wants to completely restore you to a relationship with Him. Receive the cleansing that He wants to provide and be clean: Seven Times Clean.
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