Each Church Is To Be A Lamp Stand of Jesus

We used to own a vacation home in Colorado. What a view with waterfalls and mountains all around!

Very spectacular also is the view at night. Such a vast display of stars (with a few satellites blinking by as well). It is almost as if you could reach out and grab a handful. John says something like that about the Lord Jesus.

"To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: 'The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. - Rev 2:1 ESV

How does it help us to know that Jesus holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lamp stands?

Let's start with the seven stars. Why seven? Why not twelve or forty? What's with seven? As noted in an earlier blog, seven is the number of completion (God rested on the seventh day after finishing His creation, Gen. 2:3). Seven churches refers symbolically to all churches. We all have something to learn from these letters.

Stars, on the other hand, will appear again and again in the Revelation.

• The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the water, because it had been made bitter. The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night. - Rev 8:10-12 ESV

• And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. - Rev 12:1 ESV

The ancients viewed the stars with wonder, just as we do, but they saw them named by the LORD, and under His control and guidance. David writes,

• When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, - Psa 8:3 ESV

• He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. - Psa 147:4 ESV

The prophets, on the other hand, mock the unbelieving astrologers who think they can divine the future by their study of the stars. 

• You are wearied with your many counsels; let them stand forth and save you, those who divide the heavens, who gaze at the stars, who at the new moons make known what shall come upon you. - Isa 47:13 ESV

But we're becoming distracted. We already were told by John that "the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches" (Rev. 1:20). And we concluded that the messages are likely addressed first to the overseeing pastors of each of those churches who are to share them with the churches. So the  LORD Jesus starts by promising to hold each of these pastors in his right hand. They are His messengers, with direct authority from Him, even as Christ Himself is seated at the Father's right hand in the heavenly places (Eph. 1:20; Heb 1:3, 13; 10:12). The pastors are held in His right hand. They are especially important to Him as they convey His word to the churches. He will care for them.

Moreover Jesus walks among the seven golden lamp stands. Each church is a lamp stand, a stand that holds the lamp. The light from those lamps originates from Jesus Himself. He is the Light of the world. Believers already know they are to let that Light shine from within them. They are a city on a hill that cannot, must not, be hidden.

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." - Jhn 8:12 ESV

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. - Mat 5:14 ESV 

So Jesus, the Light of the world, is walking among and with the churches that are His lamp stands, letting the light shine forth from them. This is the introduction to each of the seven letters. Next time we'll move into the letters themselves.