The Magic of Number 7

A miniature of the seven classical planets from an Ottoman manuscript, "The Marvels of Creation," 12th century, by Zakariya al-Qazwini. Public Domain

Numbers are fascinating: magical numbers, lucky numbers, irrational numbers, imaginary numbers, and so the list of types of numbers goes on. The thing about numbers is that their patterns reveal amazing correspondences to us. So, what’s so special about the number seven?

As a general observation, the number seven recurs in many phenomena. The ancients understood that there were seven (visible) planets in the sky: Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Modern science disagrees, but ancient astronomy was based on these observations. We count seven continents, we talk of the seven seas, and of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

Christianity espouses seven deadly sins and seven heavenly virtues. In Japanese Buddhism there are seven lucky gods. Shakespeare talked of the seven Ages of Man.

More recently, George A. Miller’s famous 1956 paper points out that humans can hold around seven items in working memory (often called “Miller’s Law”). In mathematics, seven is a prime number, making it indivisible (other than by one and seven, which doesn’t actually divide it) and symbolically linked to ideas of wholeness or integrity.

The Spiritual Significance of 7

"The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things," between 1505–1510, by Hieronymus Bosch. The four outer circles (Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell) surround the seven deadly sins (clockwise from bottom): wrath, envy, greed, gluttony, sloth, lust, and pride. Prado National Museum, Madrid. Public Domain

Let’s consider that if seven has special spiritual significance, then it would be understandable to see it is a lucky number; or that it has mystical correspondences, as in, say, the seven energy chakras; or that it has prophetic propensities in numerological studies. After all, the spiritual world controls the material world, as the Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead text proclaims: “All the world which lies below has been set in order and filled in contents by the things which are placed above; for the things below have not the power to set in order the world above.”

The most important thing to understand about the number seven is its significance as the number of fullness and completion of the cosmos as it currently stands and as a new world order (or of a world to come). This is seen most readily when we look at the ways it can be broken apart. There are three ways: It is not a number that can be divided; it’s a prime number. But seven can be arrived at via six plus one, or five plus two, or four plus three. Each of these possibilities produces fresh insights into how the universe is whole and complete.

The Seven-Day Week

First, seven as six plus one represents the original Jewish perception in the book of Genesis that Creation was completed in six days, but the cycle was completed on the seventh—the day that God rested from his work.

"The Sabbath Rest," 1894, by Samuel Hirszenberg. Oil on canvas. Ben Uri Gallery & Museum, London. Public Domain

This has all sorts of practical implications: The seven-day week remains a fundamental part of life, transcending religious or cultural differences. Scholars believe the original seven-day week started 5,000 years ago with the Babylonians who relied on the moon’s cycle to determine a week. It creates a natural rhythm for work and rest.

Some calendars have other bases. The Mayan in the past and the Akan today are not based on the seven days. While it would be foolish to say these systems don’t work as well as the seven-day version, we can see that the ancient Romans, as a case in point, had an eight-day week but transitioned to the seven-day system. That happened before Emperor Constantine was baptized as a Christian.

The seven-day week which Judaism, Christianity, and Islam propagated did not appear to others—who increasingly adopted it—as in some way exclusive or religious. Rather, it worked. It provided a balanced cycle, with the seventh day (whether assigned to Friday, Saturday, or Sunday) often designated for rest.

This idea of a designated rest during the week has had a profound effect on the well-beings of people everywhere. It’s aligned well with human circadian rhythms and cycles of productivity. Scientific studies suggest that the brain and body function best with a weekly rest period. For example, in the 1983 article “Biological Rhythms and Medicine,” Alain Reinberg and Michael H. Smolensky note,

“Circaseptan rhythms have been observed in a range of physiological processes, including immune response and cardiovascular regulation, suggesting that the human body is naturally attuned to a seven-day rhythm. The practice of incorporating a day of rest within this cycle may help to synchronize these rhythms, promoting overall health and reducing the physical toll of continuous stress.”

This rest day serves as a time to reset, recover, and reduce stress. It can improve long-term productivity, creativity, and well-being. Doing stuff is good, but as Socrates observed: “Beware the barrenness of a busy life.”

We need rest—even God took it—and if we don’t have it, we are prone to breakdowns. The handy cycle of six and one to fulfill seven provides for fulfilment and completion.

Dualities and Human Experience

"Allegory of the Five Senses," circa 1632, by Theodoor Rombouts. Oil on canvas. Museum of Fine Arts, Ghent. Public Domain

Another combination of breaking down seven is five plus two. A number signifying many things, not least humanity itself, is five: the five senses, the five digits on hands and feet, the five extremities (two arms, two legs, and a head). The latter symbolized by the pentagram represents humanity. There’s also the so-called fifth element, which is associated with the “quintessence” or the life force or spirit that animates human beings, beyond the physical four elements of earth, water, fire, and air.

The number of dualities is two: light and darkness, good and evil, male and female, heaven and earth. It represents the existence of opposing yet complementary forces. At the same time, it represents a covenant or agreement between two parties; thus, with the potential for harmony there is both differentiation and divine order. According to Genesis, woman was taken from the body of man. This creates division but one intended for harmony. Thus, seven here combines the idea of humanity, divided, differentiated but whole and complete again.

The Worldly World and the Heavenly World

(L–R) Summer, Autumn, Winter, and Spring from series "Allegories of the Four Seasons," 18th century, by Hyacinthe Collin de Vermont. Oil on canvas. Private collection. Public Domain

Finally, we come to the equation, four plus three, which also equals seven. Here, again, we find the unifying sense of completion inherent in the number. Why? Because four typically is symbolic of our world: the four corners of the Earth, the four cardinal directions, the four seasons, the four phases of the moon, and perhaps most importantly, the traditional four elements that make-up the building blocks of the world: earth, water, fire and air.

(L–R) The personification of metal, fire, water, and earth from "The Four Elements," 17th century, by Artus Wolffort. Oil on canvas. Private Collection. Public Domain

If the number four represents the world, then three represents heaven, the other world, so to speak—what the Egyptians referred to as “placed above.” The number three repeatedly occurs in the trinity of gods (as well as the one, trinitarian God of Christianity) that religions and myths across the globe persistently refer to. (See my article on the number three for more.)

Thus, however, we cut the arithmetic cake, number seven comes to represent completion, wholeness, fullness: Heaven and Earth combined. Indeed, it could be said that everything in this world that needs to be accomplished, is accomplished by the time we reach the number seven. Our own life span is 70, a multiple of seven: “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” (Psalm 90:10). That’s the standard measure we are given to finish, accomplish, complete our work in this life; but some do go on longer, of course!

Some final words on number seven: In John’s gospel, Jesus performs seven signs to demonstrate who he is; and, on the cross, Jesus spoke seven sentences, one of which is: “It is finished!” (John 19:30). “Finished” is one translation; but to get the full sense of its meaning, the Jerusalem Bible (1966) translates this sentence as: “It is accomplished.” His work is done, is whole, complete, and full.

Easter Sunday, however, is the third day, which is also day eight in the sequence of mystical activity, and eight is a completely different number! Perhaps … for another time.

The Scripture comes from the King James version of the Bible. 

What arts and culture topics would you like us to cover? Please email ideas or feedback to [email protected]