Philologos
Bible Prophecy Research
Title: Seven Spirits
Submitted by: research-bpr@philologos.org
Date: November 24, 1997
URL: http://philologos.org/bpr/files/s011.htm
Seven Spirits
"And the [1] spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of [2] wisdom and [3] understanding, the spirit of [4] counsel and [5] might, the spirit of [6] knowledge and of the [7] fear of the LORD"--Isaiah 11:2
"'The Spirit of Jehovah' is the Divine Spirit, as the communicative vehicle of the whole creative fulness of divine powers. Then follow the six spirits, comprehended by the Spirit of Jehovah in three pairs, of which the first relates to the intellectual life, the second to the practical life, and the third to the direct relation to God. For wisdom is the power of discerning the nature of things through the appearance, and understanding the power of discerning the differences of things in their appearance...'Counsel' is the gift of forming right conclusions, and 'might' the ability to carry them out with energy. 'The knowledge of Jehovah' is knowledge founded upon the fellowship of love; and 'the fear of Jehoavh,' fear absorbed in reverence. There are seven spirits, which are enumerated in order from the highest downwards; since the spirit of the fear of Jehovah is the basis of the whole (Pro 1:7; Job 28:28; Psa 111:10), and the Spirit of Jehovah is the heart of all. It corresponds to the shaft of the seven-lighted candlestick, and the three pair of arms that proceeded from it. In these seven forms the Holy Spirit descended upon the second David for a permanent possession...The seven torches before the throne of God (Rev 4:5) burn and give light in His soul. The seven spirits are His seven eyes (Rev 5:6)."
(Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament, volume 7, Isaiah)