Jesus is depicted here as having the seven Spirits of God. This speaks both of the fullness or completeness of God's Spirit as having been given to Jesus without measure: John 3:34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. It also represents the Spirit of God in all of the seven churches, which designates that the Spirit of God rests in every true church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let us first take up the idea of the Spirit of God in the churches of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Revelation seven churches are mentioned: Ephesus, Smyna Pergamus, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodacia. Each one of these churches had the Spirit of God. We notice in at least four of the addresses to the churches this clause: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. The Spirit of God has a particular interest in each local church and, I believe, is in attendance at every worship service. We are brought into the membership of the local church by the leadership of the Spirit of God: 1 Cor. 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. This is the Spirit of God into which we drink when we are led by this same Spirit to join with God's people in God's church, which was purchased with his own blood (Acts 20:28).
Sweet Spirit draw us unto Thee
And find our spirits to be free
From sin and sanctified to Thee
Till our eyes see only Thee.
Sweep us from our earthly heart
And take our longings far apart
From evil that our hearts now breed
And to thy church thy Spirit lead,
Where we can worship Thee apart
From worldly lust and sorrowed heart
And long for thy unchanging care
Through saints who sing thy praises there.
And find our spirits to be free
From sin and sanctified to Thee
Till our eyes see only Thee.
Sweep us from our earthly heart
And take our longings far apart
From evil that our hearts now breed
And to thy church thy Spirit lead,
Where we can worship Thee apart
From worldly lust and sorrowed heart
And long for thy unchanging care
Through saints who sing thy praises there.
Then we see the complete Spirit of God represented in the perfect number seven. We have seen that this Spirit is given to Jesus without measure, and we know that Jesus had ready access to that Spirit, though he limited that access when he became a man made like unto sinful flesh. He laid down his ultimate power in heaven when he came to earth and became submissive as a servant of God, the Son of man (Phil. 2:7).
We see this seven-fold Spirit coming down upon Jesus when he was being baptized by John: Matt. 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: We see this same Spirit leading Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil (Matt. 4:1). This is the same Spirit by which Jesus cast out demons (Matt. 12:28). The Spirit led Jesus into the temple at a young age (Luke 2:27). Jesus had the power of the Spirit when he went into Galilee to minister (Luke 4:14). This Spirit of God is the same Spirit who was to come as the Great Comforter: John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
It is this same Spirit which Ananias and Sapphira tempted when they lied to Him. It is the Spirit of the Lord who led Philip to speak to the Eunuch, and it was the same Spirit who caught him away (Acts 8:29-39). This is the same Spirit who spoke to Peter in a vision concerning the salvation of the Gentiles (Acts 10:19). This same Spirit hindered Paul and his company from going into Bithynia (Acts 16:7).
This is the same Spirit after which God's children walk, and not after the flesh (Rom. 8:1). It is the same Spirit that makes us free from the law (Rom. 8:2). He dwells in us (Rom. 8:11), and if we are led by the Spirit of God, we are truly his sons of God (Rom. 8:14). He bears witness with our own spirit that we are the children of God (Rom. 8:16), and he helps our infirmities when we do not know what to pray for (Rom. 8:26). And he does so much more; and as we read through the scriptures, we see him in both the Old and New Testaments.
When all is over for this earth and this era, the Spirit will say "Come," and we are to invite others to come to this same Spirit of Christ, and whosoever will may come and take of the water of life freely (Rev. 22:17). We see this Spirit of Christ in the beginning as he moved upon the face of the waters (Gen. 1:2), and we see him again at the end of scripture in Rev. 22:17. He has been faithful to his job as God's Spirit, not bringing attention to himself, but exalting Jesus Christ. He will exist throughout all eternity, and by that same Spirit we shall dwell in God's eternal temple and enjoy the blessings of God.
We see this seven-fold Spirit coming down upon Jesus when he was being baptized by John: Matt. 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: We see this same Spirit leading Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil (Matt. 4:1). This is the same Spirit by which Jesus cast out demons (Matt. 12:28). The Spirit led Jesus into the temple at a young age (Luke 2:27). Jesus had the power of the Spirit when he went into Galilee to minister (Luke 4:14). This Spirit of God is the same Spirit who was to come as the Great Comforter: John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
It is this same Spirit which Ananias and Sapphira tempted when they lied to Him. It is the Spirit of the Lord who led Philip to speak to the Eunuch, and it was the same Spirit who caught him away (Acts 8:29-39). This is the same Spirit who spoke to Peter in a vision concerning the salvation of the Gentiles (Acts 10:19). This same Spirit hindered Paul and his company from going into Bithynia (Acts 16:7).
This is the same Spirit after which God's children walk, and not after the flesh (Rom. 8:1). It is the same Spirit that makes us free from the law (Rom. 8:2). He dwells in us (Rom. 8:11), and if we are led by the Spirit of God, we are truly his sons of God (Rom. 8:14). He bears witness with our own spirit that we are the children of God (Rom. 8:16), and he helps our infirmities when we do not know what to pray for (Rom. 8:26). And he does so much more; and as we read through the scriptures, we see him in both the Old and New Testaments.
When all is over for this earth and this era, the Spirit will say "Come," and we are to invite others to come to this same Spirit of Christ, and whosoever will may come and take of the water of life freely (Rev. 22:17). We see this Spirit of Christ in the beginning as he moved upon the face of the waters (Gen. 1:2), and we see him again at the end of scripture in Rev. 22:17. He has been faithful to his job as God's Spirit, not bringing attention to himself, but exalting Jesus Christ. He will exist throughout all eternity, and by that same Spirit we shall dwell in God's eternal temple and enjoy the blessings of God.
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