The Significance of Seven and Seventy

Fifty, and the other five hundred. And he observes that regarding both of those who repent, he has arranged the number in five; for the five hundred has a relationship to the fifty, since the fifty, having been multiplied tenfold, becomes five hundred.

Therefore, such a mystery is concerning the number, and the psalm of confession is arranged in this; for the number is indicative of mercy. Indeed, those who have conquered a war also receive a fiftieth. And on behalf of those who did not fight, but kept the vessels, the fighters, having survived, give a fiftieth. And the priest, beginning to officiate from twenty-five years until fifty years, remains. After fifty years he no longer officiates, but guards the tent.

And the word shows that it is necessary first to establish and to perform all things priestly and to become a perfect priest so as to reach the number fifty, and then to guard the things in the tent. And the word teaches that in the labors of works and growth there is need, but when one is perfected, he ought to guard what he established. Just as one taking up health is in the healing, in the bringing of aids to him. But when he has firmly obtained health and a stable tent, he subsequently brings to himself things for the guarding of health, not doing those things that create health, but guarding things.

For this reason also God placed Adam in Paradise 'to work and to guard it' (Gen 2:15). To work, so that he might bear fruit, so that he might bring forth perfect fruits; and to guard, in addition, the plants that bore fruit. Just as to work and to guard signifies the two—to work being the exercising of virtue and of the knowledge of truth, and to guard being the keeping of things perfected—so also the priest, as much as remains of the number fifty, is in officiating. But when he fulfills this and is shown to be perfect, then he, such as that is, guards the things in the...

In the tabernacle, he no longer works himself, but receives the firstfruits of others working and takes the tithes. This number is the beginning of a square number. A square is measured equally, twice two, thrice three. Thus this is seven times seven; and moreover, the addition of the unit is cast down as the beginning of another seventy times seven. For this reason, when the Savior is asked by Peter concerning repentance, 'How often does one sin?' he says, 'Until seven times'; he says, 'I do not say to you until seven only, but even seventy times seven' (Matt 18:22). Seven times seven is a square. This has holy sides; for the seven has been shown to us many times to be blessed everywhere: 'God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it' (Gen 2:3), and, 'The eyes of the Lord, looking upon all the earth, are seven' (Prov 4:4). I do not say seven as three and four, but it is a most full oversight and supervision.

Thus also in the feast of the weeks, the Pentecost is celebrated according to the old and the new covenant; for you have in the Acts of the Apostles that when the Pentecost was fulfilled (Acts 2:1), the gift of the Holy Spirit was given, and the various gifts of the Spirit were measured; for it was necessary to exceed the seven times seven number and to take the beginning of another such number and thus be perfected. The fifty, therefore, is received over many great things. The seven, indeed, is again perfect. The tabernacling is done in the seventh month according to the Hebrews. Again, for six years the earth was sown, but in the seventh year it was unsown. That year remained, being kept for the poor. And there also, if a festival is led through seven years, that year is again weekly. Seven times seven is also led according to what is called the Jubilee by the Hebrews. The Jubilee is a Pentecostal year. Through fifty years it completed some festive things.