Who are the 7 Spirits of God? (I have an answer. Just curious as to how others may answer).

Who are the 7 Spirits of God in Revelation?

I believe the 7 Spirits of God in Revelation are in reference to the burning lamps of fire (Revelation 4:5) (candlesticks - Revelation 1:20), which are the 7 churches. To be more precise, I believe 7 Spirits of God are the 7 early day churches (who are before the throne, which then follows a chronological timeline of Jesus’ reports card on the continuing state of the 7 churches later on in history - Rev. 2-3). These 7 churches are led by the Holy Spirit; Thus, this is why the word “spirit” appears as capitalized (Spirit) in the King James Bible because they are not led by their own spirit but by the Holy Spirit.

Revelation 1:4 - “John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;”

Revelation 3:1 - “And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.”

KEY VERSE that tells us what the 7 Spirits are the 7 lamps of fire.

Revelation 4:5 - “…and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.”

Lamp stands are the same thing as candlesticks. The lamps of fire (or candlesticks) are the churches.

Revelation 1:20 - “…the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.”

Revelation 5:6 - “…and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.”

Based on these passages, we must conclude that the seven spirits of God are:

#1. Before His Throne,

#2. He has (holds/possesses) them, just as He holds the seven stars in His right hand (Rev 1:20),

#3. The seven lamps of fire, which burn before His Throne ARE the seven Spirits of God.

#4. The seven horns and seven eyes ARE the seven Spirits of God, who are sent out into all the earth.

#5. The seven candlesticks (lamps of fire burning) are the 7 Spirits of God.

At Pentecost, at the birth of the church, believers had tongues of fire sitting upon each of them. This I believe refers to the lamps of fire in Revelation 4:5. Lamps of fire is simply another way of saying candlestick because candlesticks hold a flame just as a lamp of fire does. They are the same thing.

A believer can know whether somebody is of the Spirit of God (Capitalized “S”).

“Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist,” (1 John 4:2-3).

Obviously the 7 churches properly confessed Jesus Christ is come into the flesh. That is how we know know they are of the Spirit of God (i.e. that they have and are led by the Holy Spirit).

TheWhat? said:

I'm not disagreeing with everything you have here, but to the church in Ephesus, Jesus threatens to remove its lamp stand (ch. 2) if it doesn't repent, implying the church has a lamp stand.

[Psa 104:4 NKJV] 4 [The LORD] makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire.

It's of note that some traditions venerate seven archangels. There was, unfortunately, some controversy about this early in christian history, complete with an ecumenical council forbidding the naming of angels, which I guess I can understand, but it seems somewhat of an inconvenience when your angel is trying to get your attention.

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I believe a church can start off good, and later go bad.

The seven lamps of fire are BEFORE the throne.
So if indeed the lamps of fire is just another way of saying candlestick (Which I believe it is), then we must conclude that the 7 churches before the throne are the early day churches and not the continued stated of these churches being judged in Revelation 2-3.

“…and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.” (Revelation 4:5).

Also, if these were angels, why is the word “spirit” capitalized (Spirit) in the KJB?
This is why it more logical to conclude that this is a Spirit led church.

The seven stars are referred to as angels, and not the lamps of fire.

Jesus is my Superhero said:

Rev. 1:20 and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

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Yes, Modern Translations appear to get this one right, and prove my case. Thank you for posting, my friend.

May God bless you.

TheWhat? said:

There's one caveat:

[Rev 11:3-4 NKJV] 3 "And I will give [power] to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth." 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.

It's very symbolic language.

[Rom 11:17-18 NKJV] 17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, [remember that] you do not support the root, but the root [supports] you.

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These are two different lamp stands or candlesticks. They are the two witnesses. But what this does show is that people of God can be lamp stands or candlesticks (i.e. like churches).

Please vote in the poll, my friends.

Thank you, and may God bless you all.

TheWhat? said:

Yeah, well, what I'm saying is a church is not an independent entity. It does not exist of its own resources. We may think it does in the world of protestantism where anything goes, but in the early days churches were founded by apostles, who were grafted into christ. The kingdom of God is likened to a vineyard. It's organic.

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Nowhere did I suggest that a true church is an independent entity. True churches are a part of the body of Christ with Christ being the head of that body. Smyrna and Philadelphia appear to be the only two churches in Revelation 2-3 who got things right. So they are connected to the vine or Jesus Christ. The other churches lost their way, and they are no longer a part of the body unless they repent.

You said:

You can attend your bible club to your heart's content, but a real church is a spiritual body, and that requires more than an assembly.

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I don’t attend a bible club or traditional church as most people would understand that. I believe true fellowship is between like minded believers in each other’s homes who have the same goal in mind in loving God and loving others. Without correct doctrine, and in loving of others, the church is dead.

TheWhat? said:

Yeah, well, what I'm saying is a church is not an independent entity. It does not exist of its own resources. We may think it does in the world of protestantism where anything goes, but in the early days churches were founded by apostles, who were grafted into christ. The kingdom of God is likened to a vineyard. It's organic.

You can attend your bible club to your heart's content, but a real church is a spiritual body, and that requires more than an assembly.

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You also have to understand that we are living in the last days, and more and more people tend to simply justify sin with the thinking they are saved (See: 2 Timothy 3:1-9). So finding believers who truly want to follow the Lord and His will (According to His Word) is rare these days.

Again, my friends: I would encourage you to vote in the polls.

Thank you so much;
And may God’s good ways shine upon you today.

I see the seven churches in Revelation 2-3 as representing real churches which exist today.

TheWhat? said:

Friend, a person who judges himself to be holy is holy only in his own sight

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I believe that I may not even make it and I do not presume I am guaranteed a spot in Heaven like many out there today. We all have to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We all have to fight the good fight of faith and lay hold on eternal life. It’s not a walk in the park. But where am I going to go? Jesus has the words of eternal life. So I will follow Him to the best of my ability and with asking the Lord’s help to uplift His grace that I was initially saved by, and to uplift the good ways He works through my life in the Sanctification Process.