In Revelation 3:1, Christ holds “the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.” The “seven stars” are “the angels of the seven churches” (1:20). In Revelation 4:5, the “seven spirits of God” are “seven torches of fire” burning before the throne. And in Revelation 5:6, the seven-horned Lamb’s “seven eyes” are “the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.”

All the above descriptions would be odd representations of the Holy Spirit (even if we assume the Spirit to be a distinct person). Revelation describes all kinds of beings in the heavenly assembly—twenty-four elders, four living creatures, angels grouped in sevens sent into the world with plagues, three angels sent with special messages, etc. From this, it seems most likely that the seven spirits are a part of the heavenly entourage and are in some way especially associated with the Lamb.

If spirit beings (angels) are sent to seal God’s servants, pour out plagues upon the wicked, and deliver messages from heaven, why would we assume that the seven spirits of God, which are the Lamb’s seven eyes sent out into all the earth (apparently to keep a watch on things and report back to the Lamb), represent the one Holy Spirit? It seems far more likely that “the seven spirits who are before his throne” (1:4) are not unlike (and are perhaps identical to) “the seven angels that stand before God” (8:2).

We could understand the seven spirits as distinct from the seven stars (3:1), but the expression “seven spirits of God and the seven stars” may simply mean that the seven spirits are the seven stars, which are the seven angels of the seven churches. This may explain why each letter begins with “To the angel of the church of...” and, in the concluding remarks, always states, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches.” (However, the “Spirit” could be Christ, as all the messages are from Him, or the angel who communicated Christ’s message to John (1:1). And it is possible that the “angels” [angelos = messengers] of the seven churches are human messengers. The weakness of this view, however, is that all other references to angels in Revelation are to spirit beings, and they’re involved in virtually every aspect of God’s dealings with man.)

Revelation 1:4 is often considered one of the “triadic” texts (texts that mention Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—Matthew 3:16–17; 28:19; Luke 1:35; 2 Corinthians 13:14; etc.); it mentions God, Christ, and “the seven spirits who are before His throne” as a source of grace and peace. But we find the angels mentioned alongside the Father and the Son in Luke 9:26 and 1 Timothy 5:21. The latter states, “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules....” And the fact that “grace and peace” could in some way come from the seven spirits provides no real support for the “seven-fold Spirit” view, for members of the heavenly entourage are very much involved in carrying out God’s will on earth. They hold back plagues and seal God’s servants for protection; they proclaim messages from heaven, and they release plagues upon sinners. Grace and peace, as well as death and destruction, come through their agency. As the writer of the book of Hebrews says, the angels are “all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14).

Finally, the text plainly says, “seven spirits of God.” The “seven eyes” of the Lamb symbolize the “seven spirits of God.” Here we have the symbolic representation (seven eyes) and what is represented (seven spirits). Are we to assume that the seven spirits represent something else? Or are they actually seven spirits? The clear indication here is that “the seven spirits of God” are seven spirits (plural), not a seven-fold Spirit (singular). Revelation 1:4–5 supports a literal understanding of “the seven spirits who are before His throne,” for the Father (“Him who is and who was and who is to come”—i.e., the One who inhabits eternity) and “Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth” are not presented in symbolic terms. It would seem odd that the Holy Spirit would be presented here as seven spirits.