Rethinking "Lucky Number 7"

Luck never made a man wise. - Seneca, Letters to Lucilius

Go and wake up your luck. - Persian Saying

Fortune brings in some boats that are not steered. - William Shakespeare

Today is 7-7-07. Thousands have flocked to Las Vegas to either get married, play blackjack (3x7=21), or take their chances at the slot machines. Why is the number seven believed by many to be lucky? The origins of reverence for the number seven actually go back to ancient times, when astronomers thought there were a total of seven planets. They were called the seven "wanderers" because they seemed to wander with respect to the background stars. These included: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, the Moon, and the Sun.

The Bible poetically describes the creation of the world in seven days, with the seventh being a day of rest. It goes on to declare that the spirit of God is seven-fold. This is reflected in the design of the sacred menorah temple candle. Again and again, this number appears in Scripture as a key number. On July 7th, 1947, dispersed Jews began boarding a ship known as the Exodus to return to the soon to be created nation of Israel.

Seven is hence the number of perfection. Interestingly enough, this being 7-7-07, three is often reckoned as the number of God, the Holy Trinity. So...777 is the number of God, whereas 666 would be the number of imperfection (or man) declaring himself to be God.

Alexander the Great went on to officially name seven Wonders of the Ancient World and if you look closely at a rainbow, you will notice seven different colors. Rome was built on seven hills. From Buddhist teachings to Cherokee mythology, seven is given a special place in the numerical cosmos. No doubt, the number has a lot going for it!

The number seven has importance for me personally, as my first-born son was 7 lbs, 14 oz. (7+7+7). He was 21 inches long, again 7+7+7, and was born at 12:21 pm (21=7+7+7 and 12 reversed is 21). Coincidence...sure, maybe.

Today, many equate seven with luck or being lucky. In antiquity, the number seven was viewed as having more to divine Providence, rather than luck. So let me pose this question to my readers...

Do you believe that your life is guided by Providence, the hand of God (destiny)? Or, do you think that luck (random chance) is responsible for the events of your life?