ZAYIN - 7

"Zayin" (זַיִן) is the seventh letter of the Hebrew alphabet with a gematria value of 7.

The number 7 appears over 460 times in the Torah and 700 times in the Bible. From "In  beginning," Genesis 1.1 of the Torah, Adonai is making a big point about 7.

There are seven Hebrew words in Genesis 1.1. There are (7x4) 28 Hebrew letters in Genesis 1.1.

4 is the letter "dalet," a door. 

Seven appears in contexts such as creation (God resting on the seventh day), rituals (seven days for feasts), and prophetic visions (seven churches, seals, trumpets, and bowls in Revelation). In the Book of Revelation, the seven eyes of the Lamb symbolize the fullness and completeness of divine insight and the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Seven carries deep symbolic meaning, often representing completion, perfection, and divine fulfillment. Here are notable examples:.

1. Creation: God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh, making it holy (Genesis 2:2-3).
2. Sacred Rituals: Seven is central to various rituals, such as seven days of feasts (e.g., Passover, Tabernacles) and sevenfold sacrifices (Leviticus 23:34-36; Numbers 23:1) The temple menorah has seven branches. 
3. Judgment and Revelation: The Book of Revelation features seven churches, seals, trumpets, bowls, and spirits of God, symbolizing divine completeness (Revelation 1:4; 5:1)
4. Healing and Forgiveness: Naaman was cleansed after bathing seven times (2 Kings 5:10), and Jesus emphasized forgiving "seventy times seven" (Matthew 18:22)
5. Covenants and Oaths: The Hebrew word for "swear" (shavua) derives from "seven," linking it to covenantal promises (Genesis 21:28-31).

Sacred Time Cycles:

• The Sabbath occurs every seventh day (Exodus 20:8-11).
• The Shmita (Sabbatical Year) is every seventh year, and the Jubilee Year follows seven cycles of seven years (Leviticus 25:4-8).
• Pentecost (Shavuot) takes place after 7 sevens (49 days).

Rituals and Feasts:

• Passover and Tabernacles are celebrated for seven days (Exodus 12:15; Leviticus 23:34-36).
• Priests consecrate themselves for seven days (Leviticus 8:33).

Divine Instructions:

• Naaman was cleansed after bathing seven times in the Jordan (2 Kings 5:10).
• Jericho fell after seven priests blew seven trumpets for seven days (Joshua 6:3-4).
• The Seven Noahide Laws are a set of universal moral principles derived from the Torah, intended for all humanity as part of God's covenant with Noah after the Flood.

7 Promises:

Seven promises to Abraham: 

1. I will make you a great nation
2. I will bless you
3. I will make your name great
4. You will be a blessing
5. I will bless those who will bless you
6. Whoever curses you I will curse them
7. Everyone on earth will be blessed through you

Seven promises to Jacob:

1. Land: God promised to give the land to Jacob and his descendants. Jacob's name was later changed to Israel, as was the land. 
2. Descendants: God promised to bless Jacob and his descendants, and that they would spread out in all directions. 
3. Presence: God promised to be with Jacob wherever he went. 
4. Renewal: God promised to renew the covenant. 
5. Protection: God promised to protect Jacob. 
6. Family growth: God promised that Jacob's family would grow great. 
7. Messiah: God promised that through Jacob's descendants, the nations would be blessed with the Messiah. 

Shape Tied to Meaning

The shape of the letter "Zayin" is comprised of a "Yod" crowning the top of a "Vav." The letter's sound is like "Z" in Zebra. "Zayin" was originally represented by a pictograph that meant "plow, tool and weapon." "Vav" is a nail. The letter's root meaning is "sword" or "sharp weapon." "Zayin" is also connected to food and sustenance. "Zayin" is linked to spiritual and physical struggles. "Zayin" represents the balance between effort (struggle) and rest (Shabbat). This duality mirrors humanity's use of technology to ease labor while advancing society.

"Zayin" is connected to Mankind's struggle for nourishment (from the root zan, meaning "to sustain") ties it to agricultural tools like plows, which are technological innovations that enabled food production. 

The visual representation of "Zayin" as a plow can serve as a reminder of the balance between physical labor and spiritual nourishment, reinforcing themes of growth, sustenance, and divine care in both agricultural practices and spiritual life.

Words with Zayin

Here are some notable biblical words beginning with Zayin (ז) and their significance:

1. Zachor (זכור) - "Remember": This word emphasizes the importance of memory and reflection, particularly in commandments like remembering the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8) or past events to maintain faithfulness.
2. Zera (זרע) - "Seed": Symbolic of planting, growth, and continuity, reflecting Zayin's connection to sustenance and harvest.
3. Zayin (זין) - "Weapon": Represents spiritual warfare and the Word of God as a sword ().
4. Zion (ציון) - While spelled with Tzadi, it is often associated with Zayin's themes of spiritual struggle and sustenance. Zion represents Jerusalem as a spiritual center.

Conclusion:

Clearly the number 7 is important, but after all this explanation, I still don't understand. What is it about 7?  Why is seven so prominent in the scriptures? 

Since the word Zayin literally means "sword" or "weapon," I'm going to refer to the Christian scriptures to reveal the meaning.  It is said that "The New Testament revealed what the Old Testament concealed."  The word "Apocalypse" means "Revelation" or "something revealed." 

When it comes to the word "Sword" or "Weapon" there is perhaps no better verses to refer to than passages in Ephesians 6.

Ephesians 6:10-17

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

For the last few days that I have been working on this article, I have been having nightmares. As I was finishing this article, literally while I was writing the conclusion, the answer to my questions about the meaning of "Zayin" and "7" came to me. I had a revelation!  I had an "Apocalypse." I understand what my dreams were telling me.  The answer is in verse 17 -- the Zayin of the Spirit! Amen. 

THIS IS WHY I WRITE!!

Happy Hanukkah. Remember the 13th of Adar and Mordechai Day. 

Merry Christmas🎄 

Epilogue:

Last Sunday, 7 days ago, the woman who is moving into the cottage that I built for my Mom originally, gave me a book she wrote. It's been sitting on a counter we pile stuff on and I haven't opened it yet. Just now I walked by the counter and noticed the book and title among all the other things.  Coincidence? 

I have been journaling for a MANY years. I started blogging about 14 years ago. Most recently I been writing about the 22 Hebrew letters, one at a time. This is the 17th letter I've done. I'm not going in chronological order. I'm letting the Spirit pick the letter.