Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 November 1901 — THE SACRED SEVEN. [ARTICLE]

THE SACRED SEVEN.

Mentions that Are Made of the Number in the Old Testament. The law demanded that a Hebrew slave should serve six years, and in the seventh he should go out free for nothing (Exodus 21: 2). In the temple service the priest had to dip his finger in the blood of the sacrificed bullock and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the Lord, before the veil of the sanctuary (Leviticus 4: 6). A woman after the birth of a male child'was unclean seven days (Leviticus 12: 2). The Lord threatens to punish the people for disobedience with all kinds of terrors, and, if they will not yet for all this hearken, then he will punish them seven times more for their sins (Leviticus 26: 18). Balaam requested Balak to build seven altars and prepare seven oxen and seven rams (Numbers 23:1). In Deuteronomy we read among the curses on disobedience that the children of Israel will flee before their enemies on seven ways (Deuteronomy 28: 25), but if they hearken unto the Lord their enemies shall flee on seven ways (Deuteronomy 28: 7). The walls of Jericho fell on the seventh day before the blast of seven rams’ horns, blown by seven priests, after having compassed the city seven times (Joshua 6:4). Bathsheba’s child died on the seventh day (11. Samuel 12: 18). Because David had numbered the people, the children of Israel were punished, and a choice was given him between seven years of famine, three months of flight, and three days of pestilence (11. Samuel 24: 13). Naaman became clean of his leprosy by bathing seven times In Jordan (H. Kings 5: 10-14). Job’s friends mourned with him seven days and seven nights (Job 2: 13). Seven days is the time of mourning for a dead person (Sirach 22: 12). The Psalmist sings that seven times a day he does praise God (119: 164). In Proverbs 24: 16, we read that a just man falleth seven times and riseth up again.—Open Court.