THE SEVEN CANDLESTICKS
By Nevin Bass
“The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my
right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of
the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou
sawest are the seven churches.” Rev 1:20
The Book of Revelation is a base seven book. It is based on
the number seven. People often say that seven is the number of perfection.
Actually it is the number of completion. As such the number seven is associated
with God, for in Him we find the completion of everything. God created heaven,
earth, and all that is in them in six days. On the sixth day he created man. Six
is man’s number. On the seven day God rested. The work of God is not complete in
our life until we learn to rest in it. So seven is the number of completion.
Should we be surprised to find that the final book of the Bible is riddled
throughout with the number seven?
Revelation is the book of completion. In it every mystery
is solved, every loose end secured, and every question worth asking answered.
Thus the final word of the final verse of the final chapter in this final book
is the word signifying that all that can be said has been said - “Amen.” The
Book of Revelation contains the final end of the struggle between good and evil
that has scared history, the human race, and even the face of this fair planet
called Earth. As the saying goes, I have read the final pages of the Good Book
and I know what the outcome will be. The Lord Jesus will emerge victorious and
those with Him will prove to be tried, chosen, and faithful. When you choose to
throw in with the Lord’s people you have chosen to be on the winning side.
John saw the seven-fold glory of the resurrected,
glorified Jesus.
His Head - “His head and his hairs were white like wool, as
white as snow;” Rev 1:14
His Eyes - “…his eyes were as a flame of fire…” Rev 1:14
His Feet - “And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they
burned in a furnace;” Rev 1:15
His Voice - “…his voice as the sound of many waters.” Rev
1:15
His Right Hand - “And he had in his right hand seven
stars:” Rev 1:16
His Mouth - “…and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged
sword:” Rev 1:16
His Countenance - “…and his countenance was as the sun
shineth in his strength.” Rev 1:16
Is it any wonder that when John witnessed this seven-fold
glory, that he fell at Jesus’ feet as if dead (Rev 1:17)? This was not some
drug-induced hallucination; it was a vision from God. The Lord Jesus pulled back
the shroud that separates our world from the throne room of heaven and allowed
John to see the other side.
This prophecy and the vision that accompanied it was given
to the apostle John. John was the last living apostle, and had been exiled to a
penal colony on the Isle of Patmos, by the Emperor Domition in 96 A.D. John was
the pastor of the church of Ephesus at the time of his imprisonment. But He
refused to allow unforgiveness and bitterness to rob him of his victory. He got
in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day. He prayed till he broke through in the Spirit
and God began to speak to him.
Child of God, your greatest message will come from your
greatest struggle. Your greatest witness will come through your hour of
temptation and persecution. Your greatest blessing will grow from the hour of
your greatest weakness. Don’t allow bitterness and unforgiveness to stop up the
wells of blessing in your life. Find a place alone with God and get in the
Spirit through prayer.
There are some things that this vision tells us about the
Lord Jesus Christ. He walks in the midst of the golden candlesticks. He holds
the messenger close. He has the key to every lock. He reveals His mysteries to
His people.
He Walks In the Midst of the Candlesticks
“And I turned to see the voice that spake
with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of
the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down
to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.” Rev 1:12-13
These golden candlesticks can also be called lamp stands,
inasmuch as they are not candles at all, but are oil lamps that burn oil through
use of a saturated wick. Notice the two symbols used to represent the seven
churches and the seven messengers or angels - lamp stands and stars. Both are
used in hours of darkness or in the evening hours. We are living in the twilight
hours of all time.
Where would you expect to find the glorified, resurrected
Savior? He is in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.
If you are looking for Jesus, you will find Him in the
midst of His people.
The seven churches of Asia
were -
Local churches of that day.
Prophetic representatives of the seven church ages.
Typical representatives of seven church personalities or church types.
As such, the seven messages to
these churches are to be considered -
Locally, as messages to seven churches that existed in the
days of John.
Prophetically, as messages to believers in the seven distinct periods of church history.
Collectively, as tests to determine the spiritual condition of our particular Christian assembly.
Personally, as tests of our own individual spiritual condition.
Jesus Christ is present in the midst of
each of the applications of these seven messages. This is true because in every
age, in every location, in every local assembly, and in every believer’s heart,
He is present to administer the truth of these words to each assembly and each
individual. This is also true because as God, He is present to minister to those
who will tune their ears to the message He speaks to man’s heart.
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith
unto the churches;” Rev 2:7
In the messages to these seven churches, Jesus speaks not
as One detached from their situation Who has been given a report. He speaks as
One present, One Who is intimately acquainted with their situation and
struggles. He says, “I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience…” (Rev
2:2). “I know thy works, and tribulation and poverty…” (Rev 2:9). On and on. To
each of the seven churches, He demonstrates keen awareness of their situation.
How is this? Because He is there! He walks in their midst.
He Holds the Messenger Close
“And he had in his right hand seven
stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword: and his countenance
was as the sun shineth in his strength.” Rev 1:16
What would you expect to find in Jesus’ right hand? A
sword? No that is in His mouth. Perhaps a scepter? No. Scepters are symbols of
royalty, but this royal personage needs no symbol to demonstrate His royalty.
None who see Him can question His right to reign. What is in Jesus’ right hand
is the messengers of the seven churches. The seven stars are the seven “angels”
of the seven churches (Rev1:20). The word translated “angels” in Rev 1:20 can be
used to denote “messengers.” I believe these messengers are not angelic, but
mortals who are called to deliver messages from God to the churches. I believe
they are the pastors of these local assemblies. You will notice that each of the
messages to the churches of Asia in chapters 2 and 3 is addressed to the
messengers of those churches. When God has a message for a church, 99 times out
of 100 it will come special delivery with the pastor’s name on the envelope.
The right hand is a position of power and authority. Those
that the Lord will use will be held close to Him first. He will grasp His
messengers in His right hand and hold them tight.
Understand that the minister derives
his power and authority from none other than Jesus Christ. The call to become a
minister of the gospel comes from Jesus, not from man. Notice also that
if the messenger is not faithful in the execution of his call, no one can
deliver him from the hand that holds him. Also, if he is faithful, no one can
touch him, for he is safe in God’s own right hand.
He Has the Key to Every Lock
“And when I saw him, I fell at his feet
as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the
first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive
for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” Rev 1:17-18
Jesus has the key to every lock, complete knowledge of
every unknown. We have often heard the cliché, “death, hell, and the grave.” In
fact the Bible never uses these three words together. The word “hell” in this
verse is translated from the Greek word “Hades.” Some Bible center references
simply note that Hades is “the unknown region.” You and I might not understand a
lot about the unknown region, but Jesus has the key to every door and knowledge
of every unknown thing.
What can be more mysterious to man than death and the
“unknown region” where the soul and spirits of departed ones abide? We can
observe the cold dead body, yet we cannot experience death and live to tell
about it. Can you imagine the questions that those like Lazarus who returned
from the unknown region were asked? “What was it like over there? Did you have
any feeling or sensation? Did you hear anything in the unknown region that you
can share with us?” On and on the questions go. I doubt that Lazarus or anyone
who has been raised from the dead really has the answers to the questions that
plague us. That is because they do not have the keys!
The story is told about a Sunday school teacher who asked
her students if they knew what they had to do to go to Heaven. One little
princess raised her hand and told the teacher that you had to die. How true.
Another small child wrote a letter to Jesus and said he wanted to go to be with
Him … only not yet. He wanted to get his driver’s license first. Everybody wants
to go to Heaven but no one wants to die. Why is this? Because death and Hades
are unknown regions to us.
But there is One Who experienced Death and the unknown
region beyond. He did come back and He does tell us what is on the other side.
He is qualified to do so because He is the Creator God. As a man He came to
earth and died on a cross. They laid Him in the grave, but the grave could not
hold Him. Three days later He arose from the grave and He is alive even now. He
has the keys to death and hell. And furthermore …
He Reveals Mysteries
“Write the things which thou hast seen,
and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;” Rev 1:19
He reveals those things to you and me. Not only does He
reveal the mystery of the golden candlesticks and the seven stars, but also He
reveals things which shall be hereafter.
What is the unknown region in your own life that you would
like to understand? I am writing about the One who holds the key to every lock.
He knows what is behind every door and every hidden place. If there is something
you are hiding from Him, it is not hidden very well. He is the One Who searches
the reins and the hearts of men (Rev 2:23).
Child of God, your greatest message will come from your
greatest struggle. Your greatest witness will come through your hour of
temptation and persecution. Your greatest blessing will grow from the hour of
your greatest weakness.
There are some things that this vision tells us about the
Lord Jesus Christ. He walks in the midst of the golden candlesticks. He holds
the messenger close. He has the key to every lock. He reveals His mysteries to
His people.
Are you willing to surrender all areas of your life to Him?
He holds the key anyway, and He knows what is found there. Would you like Him to
help you discover the mysteries of your own life? He speaks as One Who has
already been there. He walks in the midst of the candlesticks and in the byways
of your life.
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