The Editor, Sir:

The Prime Minister announced Nomination Day and election day for August 7 and 27, respectively, leaving seven clear weeks and one day for campaigning between the announcement on July 8 and the election day. She also called for seven days of national fasting and prayer. Since then, the printed and electronic media have been saturated with controversial articles and discussions over the use of seven in the spiritual realm.

Unfortunately, those, except a few like Ian Boyne, who dominate the discussions in the media, do not have a clue as to the significance of the numeral seven to Christian believers.

Please allow me to clear up the misconceptions surrounding the numeral seven in biblical numerology and to highlight how significant the number seven is to the called-out people of God.

From Genesis to Revelation, scripture is saturated with the use of the number seven. The biblical use of seven goes all the way back to the creation week in Genesis 2:2-3, when God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because in it He rested from all His work which He had created and made. God rested on the seventh day to complete His work.

God's seven annual festivals are in addition to the weekly seventh-day Sabbath that mankind should observe, Leviticus 23. The Israelite annual holy days were filled with measurements of seven, including the seven days of unleavened bread, Lev. 23:6-8, and the Feast of Tabernacles, Lev. 23:36, each lasting seven days. In verses 33-34, the Feast of Tabernacles begins on the 15th day of the seventh month and continues for seven days. There are seven weeks between Passover and Pentecost, Leviticus 23:15-17. The Israelites were to give the land itself a rest every seventh year. The number seven was played out in the Sabbath Year and the Year of Jubilee in Leviticus 25:1-4. Just as God's people need rest every seventh day, the land was to receive a year of rest every seventh year.

Completeness of all things

Pharaoh's dream, which led to Joseph's rise to power, had seven fat cattle and seven starved cattle, Genesis 41:1-8. The Israelites marched around Jericho for seven days before its fall, when seven priests blew seven trumpets seven times, Joshua 6:2-5; 15-18. In Revelation, we see the letters to the seven churches, the seven promises to those who overcome, the seven last plagues inflicted against the false prophets, the seven spirits, the seven stars, the seven candlesticks, and the seven vials of end-time prophecy. We see also, the opening of the seven seals with the blowing of the seven trumpets during the seventh seal and Christ returning at the resounding sound of the seventh trumpet.

The scriptural use of the numeral seven signifies the completeness of all things. Jesus said to "forgive seventy times seven" until you are complete. Seven is the most sacred number to the Hebrew saints. The number seven is the numerical symbol of fullness, completion, and Perfection and has no association with occultism.

I am, etc.,

RICARDO HALL

Director of evangelism

Apostolic Brethren of Christ

Seventh-day Church