Eastern times., 1855-11-08
The Number Seven in scripture.

The Number Seven in Scripture.
That there was some mystic idea attached
to the number seven, is plain, by its being
made the number of perfection among the
Jews. The rabbns maintain that seven
things we're created before the foundation of
the world-the law, repentance, paradise,
hell, the throne of God, the temple, the name
of the Messiah. The reason which Phio and
Josephus give for the number seven having
been held sacred by the sect of the Essenes,
may have been very satisfactory to themselves,
but to us it conveys no meaning. 1T is say
they, because it results from the sides of
square added to those of a Triangle Cicero
is not more explicit, when he says that seven
SIS the knot and cement of all things, as being
that by which the natural and spiritual are
comprehended in one idea' That the Creator
rested on the seventh day after the world was
formed, and ordained that the seventh day in
every week from thence should be kept holy,
In commemoration of the glorious work, seems
to have invested the number with peculiar
sanctity, and accounts for being so often con-
nected with matters pertaining 10 religious
worship. This connection is so striking, that
in reading the Bible, it cannot escape observa-
tion. Not only was Sabbath ordained in
every week, but Sabbatical years were insti-
tuted. Every seventh year was Sabbath of
rest, and set apart for leaving the ground un-
TILED, 'to maintain, as far as possible, Calmet
observes, ian equality of condition among the
people, in setting the slave at liberty, and in
permitting all, as children of one family, TO
have the free and indscriminate use of what
ever the earth produced; to inspire the people
with sentiments of humanity, by making it
their duty TO give rest, and proper and suffi-
cient nourishment, to the poor, the slave, and
the stranger, and even to the cattle to accus-
tom the people to submit and depend on the
divine providence, and expect their support
from that in the seventh year, by an extraor-
dinary provision on the SIXTH blessing
which the Creator graciously promised and
miraculously fulfilled. In like manner were
the Israelites provided with double portion
of mama in the wilderness on the sixth day,
for supply for the seventh day. Every seven
times seventh year was jubilee. The great
feasts of unleavened bread and of tabernacles
were observed for seven days. The seventh
day of the seventh month was ordained feast
for seven days. and the Israelites remained in
their tents for several days. Seven days of
mourning was the allotted observance. The
men of Jabesh-Gilead, after they had per-
formed the funeral rites of Saul and his sons,
tasted seven days. Joseph mourned for his
father seven days. Miriam was shut up for
seven days, to be healed of her leprosy. The
number of animals, in many of their oblations,
was restricted to seven. Balaam prepared
seven bullocks and seven rams for sacrifice.
In cleansing the temple, King Hezekiah Of
fered sin-offering Of seven bullocks, seven
rams, and seven he-goats. The friends of Job,
who sat by him for seven days and for seven
nights, offered, as an atonemeut for their sins,
seven bulocks and seven rams. Seven bull
locks and seven rams were also David's offer
ing, when he was bringing up the ark; but
the most inhuman sacrifice which is noticed,
is that of Saul's seven sons, who were offered
to avert famine. Abraham gave seven ewe-
lambs TO Abimelech, as memorial to his right
to well. The law was ordered to be read
to the people every seventh year. The young
animals were not to be taken from their dams
for seven days. By the law, man was com
manded to forgive his offending brother seven
times Among the ceremonies enjoined at the
consecraton of Aaron and his sons for the
priesthood, we find that the priest was to
abide seven days and seven nights at the door
of the tabernacle. Seven priests, bearing
seven trumpets for seven days, encompassed
the walls of Jerico seven times, and on the
seventh day the walls fell. Seven days we're
decreed for an atonement on the altar and
for seven days the priests son was to wear his
fathers garments. In the religious ceremo-
nies of publication and conservation, the oil
or water was to be sprinkled seven times !;
and the offering of blood was TO be sprinkled
sevea times before the altar. Naaman was to
be dipped seven times in Jordan. If the walls
of house appeared to bear any traces of the
infection of .eprosy, the owner was to be com
manded by the priest to leave it, and it was to
be locked up for seven days. 1fthere was any
suspicion OF infection in clothes, they were to
be brought to the priest, and locked up for
seven days. If, on the seventh day, the sup