What Does 70×7 Mean in the Bible?
The number seven is used to signify perfection and completeness. It is also often used in an emphatic sense. For example, Jesus once responded to Peter’s question “Should I forgive seven times?” by saying “I will forgive seventy times seven!” Jesus uses hyperbole to emphasize a point.
Seventy times seven
The phrase “70 times seven” in the Bible has many interpretations, but one that is common is “seventy weeks”. The Hebrew word for week is shabuwa, while seven is a numerical value. The number seven indicates the perfect condition. However, there is a difference between seven and ten.
The Bible uses the number seven to convey completeness and perfection. It is also used emphatically. For example, when Peter asked Jesus, “Should I forgive you seven times?” Jesus replied, “Seventy times seven.” Often, Jesus will use hyperbole to make his point.
490 years
According to the Bible, 490 years are equal to 360 days. It is interesting to note that the first sixty-nine seven-year periods did not follow each other. However, Gabriel’s vision reveals two major events that took place during the gap: the death of the Messiah in 32 AD and the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. These two events are significant in light of the 6 things that must happen to Israel by the time the end of the four-hundred years arrives.
The timeframe for these events is very similar to the prophecies in Daniel 9:24. For example, Daniel predicted that the Jews would spend 70 years in captivity and then establish the kingdom of the Messiah. In order to complete the prophecy, Gabriel used a play on words in the Hebrew text.
Completeness
The Bible is a book that is filled with imagery about completeness and imperfection. The number seven is a symbol for completeness and is repeated several times in the Bible. The number seven also points to perfection, as Jesus is the source of the Holy Spirit and the fullness of the church.
Perfection
The number seven indicates perfection or completeness and is often used in an emphatic sense. For example, when Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive, Jesus responded, “Seven times, or seventy times seven!” This example shows how Jesus often uses hyperbole to emphasize a point.
The number seven is also associated with God’s word. It appears 54 times in the book of Revelation and 860 times in the Bible. The number 7 also has a connection to creation. According to Jewish tradition, Adam was created on September 26, 3760 B.C. This corresponds to the seventh month in the Hebrew calendar.
Love
In the Bible, the word “love” is a Greek word. It means “warm affection” and was often used to describe family relationships, including the bond between children and parents. Scripture offers many examples of this type of love. For instance, Noah and his wife shared the protective love of a husband and wife. In the Gospels, the sisters Martha and Mary shared the love of a brother. The biblical word for love is also found in Romans 12:10, where Christians are commanded to love one another with brotherly affection.
Agape love is the highest form of love described in the Bible. This kind of love is God’s love. In Matthew 22:37, Jesus tells us that we must love God. In 1 Corinthians 13, we are commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Forgiveness
When Christians speak of 70×7, they often refer to forgiveness. However, forgiveness is not a one-time event. It is an ongoing process. You should consider this in light of what Christ taught us in the Bible. In fact, forgiveness is a key part of our lives.
In the Bible, forgiveness is described as the act of pardoning or excusing wrongdoing. The word “forgiveness” appears eight times in the KJV. These include Psalm 130:4, Daniel 9:9, Mark 3:29, Acts 5:31, and Colossians 1.14.