The Seven Spirits of God as a Chiastic Structure

Digging into the Torah can sometimes uncover things not visible from a surface read.

At a recent Shabbat service, Bill Patton, one of the Tabernacle of David teachers, spoke on Torah, haftarah, and New Testament. As he dug deeper into these texts, he showed a hidden meaning within the “Seven Spirits of God” mentioned in the Tenakh and in the New Testament. He showed how the Tenakh’s explanation of aspects of God’s Spirit can be viewed as a chiastic structure.

A chiastic structure is a literary device seen in ancient literature that builds up to a major point and resolves in reverse order. One example is from the Flood narrative in the Torah:

image

In his Torah teaching, ToD teacher Bill Patton digs into the text of the New Testament and the Hebrew prophets regarding the 7 Spirits of God. Supplementing the prophets with understanding from book of Proverbs, Bill uncovers a chiastic structure surrounding the 7 Spirits of God.

After showing the 7 Spirits of God viewed as a chiastic structure, Bill then goes on to link these aspects of God’s spirit to the 7 days of creation.

Fascinating stuff!

Below are Bill’s notes, along with the images demonstrating the chiastic structure. Enjoy, fine Tabernaclers.


The Seven Spirits of God

They are mentioned four times in Revelation, 1:4, 3:1, 4:5 and 5:6

Once in Isaiah, 11:2

But a branch will emerge from the trunk of Yishai,

a shoot will grow from his roots.

2 The Spirit of Adonai will rest on him,

the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

the Spirit of counsel and power,

the Spirit of knowledge and fearing Adonai —

3 he will be inspired by fearing Adonai.

He will not judge by what his eyes see

or decide by what his ears hear,

4 but he will judge the impoverished justly;

he will decide fairly for the humble of the land.

He will strike the land with a rod from his mouth

and slay the wicked with a breath from his lips.

5 Justice will be the belt around his waist,

faithfulness the sash around his hips.

From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah+11&version=CJB>

Machine generated alternative text: The Seven Spirits of God Spirit of Adonai Wisdom Understanding Counsel Power Knowledge Spirit of Reverence (fear of the Lord) Ruach Adonai Chakmah Binah Etzah Gevurah Da'at Yirat Adonai no.-r I-IRI'

The spirits are:

Spirit of Adonai                Ruach Adonai       רוּחַ יְהֹוָה

Wisdom                             Chakmah                 חָכְמָה

Understanding                 Binah                       בִּינָה

Counsel                              Etzah                       עֵצָה

Power                                Gevurah                  גְּבוּרָה

Knowledge                        Daat                       דָּ֫עַת

Spirit of Reverence          Yirat Adonai           ירְאַת יְהֹוָה

(fear of the Lord)

Chiastic Structure of the Spirits of Adonai

Machine generated alternative text: Chiastic Structure of the Seven Spirits Wisdom I -Iderstlrldin. Counsel Spirit of Adonai Power Kn Reverence (fear of the Lord)

  • Wisdom

    • Understanding

      • Counsel

        • Spirit of Adonai
      • Power
    • Knowledge
  • Reverence (fear)


Machine generated alternative text: Equating Wisdom and Reverence (fear), and Understanding and Knowledge Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Equating Wisdom and Reverence (fear), and Understanding and Knowledge

Proverbs 9:10

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Machine generated alternative text: Equating Counsel and Power Proverbs 8:14 Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine.

Equating Counsel and Power

Proverbs 8:14

14 “Counsel is mine and sound wisdom;

I am understanding, power is mine.

From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs+8&version=NASB>

So  – it seems we can indeed make the chiastic pairings of the Sprits of Adonai!

Machine generated alternative text: Chiastic Structure of the Seven Spirits Wisdom I -Iderstlrldin. Counsel Spirit of Adonai Power Kn Reverence (fear of the Lord)

Chiastic Spirit of Adonai, Creation and the Feasts

Machine generated alternative text: Creation, the Festivals and the Spirits Spirit Wisdom Understanding Counsel Ruach Adonai Power Kn owledge Reveren ce Action Creation of heavens and earth Division of the waters Life Governinglights, sun and moon Sea and Air life Creation of Man Shabbat Yamim Tovim Pesach Chag HaM atzah Yom HaBikkurim (Firstfruits) Shavuot (Pentecost) Yom Teruah Yom Kippur Su kkot

Day of Creation Sprit Action Yamim Tovim
1 Wisdom Creation of heavens and earth Pesach
2 Understanding Division of waters Chag HaMatzah
3 Counsel Life Yom HaBikkurim
4 Ruach Adonai Governing lights, sun and moon Shavuot
5 Power Sea and air life Yom Teruah
6 Knowledge Creation of man Yom Kippur
7 Reverence Shabbat Sukkot

Wisdom

Pesach – creation of nation of Israel from slavery in Egypt

Mirror of creation of the heavens and earth


Understanding

Unleavened Bread – Divided from sin by eating the bread of truth, chametz is separated from us


Counsel

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;

And the government will [i]rest on His shoulders;

And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah+9&version=NASB>

Day 3 – 3 is sign of Messiah, a sign of Life

Firstfruits – First life!

        Etzah  – though from a different word root, is similar to Etz – tree.


Ruach Adonai

Shavuot is when the Torah was given at Sinai, and the Spirit to the believers – “guiding lights”


Power

Yom Teruah, expansion of the Kingdom

Return of the King


Knowledge

Yom Kippur – books are opened, deeds revealed. Judgment


Reverence

Sukkot – dwelling with God, millennial reign

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