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.

Jesus' Return Could Be Today!

A week ago I promised to explore with you how apostasy is THE SIGN of our time, the Sign pointing to the imminent return of Christ. But I got sidetracked a bit. This is because I'm currently serving as the Interim Pastor of a Lutheran congregation seeking their next pastor. And I'm finding again that parish work is quite demanding.

Anyway, it seems best to pursue the answers to the questions about the signs of Christ's return from Holy Scripture. So I turn to Paul's letters to the Thessalonians. The epistles to the Thessalonians are certainly two of the most ancient Christian documents in existence. They are typically dated c. 50/51 AD. They are universally accepted as authentic letters of Paul. We believe they were written by him from Corinth a few months after he founded a congregation there.

Thessalonica was located at the intersection of two major Roman roads, one leading from Italy eastward (Ignatia Way) and the other from the Danube to the Aegean. Thessalonica’s location and use as a port made it a prominent city. In 168 BC it became the capital of the second district of Macedonia and later it was made the capital and major port of the whole Roman province of Macedonia (146 BC).

Paul writes in the fifth chapter of his first letter these words: 

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night (Matt. 24:43). While people are saying, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. - 1Th 5:1-6 ESV

I wrote in an earlier blog about the day of the Lord (masculine genitive):

. . . the Greek word for Lord—Kyrios—has two different ways of saying ‘of the Lord.’ When Kyrios ends with a feminine genitive (genitive means ‘belonging to’), it refers to the day of the week that particularly belongs to the Lord, Sunday. When it ends with a masculine genitive it refers to that final day when the Lord will return. That day is also his, of course. 

That Day of the Lord, the day of judgment when time as we now know it will end, will come as a thief in the night. However, for now, each Sunday is the Lord’s Day, the day when the church openly gathers to celebrate his first coming, to be blessed by his present coming in the Word and the Supper and to anticipate the Day of the Lord when he will return to complete the great work of salvation. On Sunday the church receives a foretaste of the marriage feast that is yet to come (Luke 13:28-30).

I also wrote about the many failed predictions of exactly when that Day of the Lord will take place. And indeed there have been many. You may even remember that back in 2010 there was quite a stir about that day happening in 2012. Perhaps if Paul were writing to us today he would say the same thing he said to his young Thessalonian congregation: "you have no need to have anything written to you, for you are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night."

A couple years ago I literally experienced that thief in the night when I awoke to discover my brand new generator had been stolen from my carport. Unfortunately I had not chained it down and the thieves had easy access. Needless to say, I learned an important lesson. Be prepared for thieves at all times. That's the same lesson Paul is pushing with the Thessalonians. Quit looking around for some sign about the when of Christ's return. Be ready at all times. It could be today!

Search Paul's letters and you will not find him talking about signs of Christ's return. He does speak negatively about the Jews seeking signs proving Jesus to be the Messiah:

For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, - I Cor 1:22-23 ESV

For the Jews the coming of the Messiah would mean that the time had arrived for their earthly kingdom to be restored by God. That in itself was a confused understanding of the Messiah's role, as Jesus pointed out to Pontius Pilate:

Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world." - Jhn 18:36 ESV

Instead of focusing upon some worldly kingdom, keep focused upon the true nature of Christ's kingdom and His imminent return, writes Paul. Remember who you are, children of light and not of darkness. Light is a common analogy for God's revelation in Christ and for those who have Christ living in their hearts.

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

As the Lord said, darkness refers to the ways of the world and those who follow the prince of this world.

So Jesus said to them, "The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. . . 

I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. - Jhn 12:35, 46 ESV

This is why we don't need someone to write to us about times and seasons and about when Christ will return. We have the Light and we wait expectantly at all times for His return. It could be today! Even so, Come Lord Jesus! (I Cor. 16:22).

The March Into Darkness And Death

In a couple weeks I will join a congregation I helped to found in Minnesota as they celebrate their 50th anniversary. All this has caused me to look back on how much things have changed since I served that congregation in the early 1960's. I will focus particularly on how we Americans, in the name of freedom, are radically altering our views on sex, marriage, family and home. In the USA several states have changed the very definition of marriage . Since 2004 six have legalized same-sex marriages. Nine still prohibit same-sex marriage in statute and thirty prohibit it in their constitution. But prominent politicians insist that gay marriage must become legal everywhere, because "marriage equality is the next big step in America's long march of freedom."

Is this "long march of freedom" truly a march toward the Light or rather a headlong plunge into the bondage of darkness?

Yesterday I called attention to Jesus' claim to be the Light of the world and his promise that those who follow him will not walk in darkness (John 8:12). What does he mean by darkness and how is he even now freeing us who follow him from it? Listen to what He says to us in his Word:

"The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. - Jhn 12:35 ESV

John comments about this further in his letter.

Whoever says "I know him" (Jesus) but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. - 1Jo 2:4-11 ESV

And where are we going when we throw away the Biblical definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman for life (Gen. 2:23; Eph. 5:21-30)? Jesus says that those who adopt this position do not indeed know where they are going. Israel's clash with Midian is a case in point—given for our learning. Isaiah's prophecy about the Messiah bringing light points back to it.

For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. - Isa 9:4 ESV

Listen to John in the Bible's final book as he also looks back on that part of Israel's history. Of the church in Pergamum he writes:

"And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: 'The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword. ... But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. - Rev 2:12, 14 ESV

Balaam was a false prophet commissioned by Balak, the king of Moab, and the elders of Midian (countries east of the Jordan river) to call down a curse from God upon Israel as they approached the Land of Promise. But Balaam was unable to do so when the Spirit of God came upon him, forcing him to speak a blessing instead (Num. 22:1-24:25). The story seems to end as Balaam and Balak go their separate ways in frustration. They could not prevent Israel from conquering the land, nor could they call God's curse down upon them. But was there another way to destroy the nation? Yes, said Balaam. Tempt them with sex! Tempt them to worship Baal and his goddess (Num. 31:16).

A few chapters further into Numbers we read about how Israel fell into that temptation and forced God's curse to come down them.

While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. And the LORD said to Moses, "Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the LORD, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel." And Moses said to the judges of Israel, "Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor." - Num 25:1-5 ESV

The whoring Moses writes about was committed with cult prostitutes. The worship of their supreme god Baal and his consort, the fertility sex-goddess Asherah, was celebrated by having sex with such cultic prostitutes. Everything about loving only the LORD and being faithful in marriage was out the window. The very foundation of their faith in the LORD and of home and family was being destroyed by such acts. This is why Moses commanded drastic measures by the judges of Israel, "Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor."

But this darkness did not go away. The temptations persisted. Finally, before Moses died, the LORD gave this command:

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people." So Moses spoke to the people, saying, "Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian to execute the LORD's vengeance on Midian." - cf. all of Num 31:1-3 ESV

Thus Midian was wiped out. The men, boys and mature women were slaughtered. Only virgins and little girls were spared. And so, for a time the darkness was dispelled.

America is well on the road back to Midian. So much of our life is a worship of false gods. The worship of the same sex goddess and her cultic prostitutes not only persists but is promoted in all of the media. Samples:

• Music continues to be a major source of sexual suggestiveness. In one study, 40% of lyric lines contained sexual material, and only 6% contained healthy sexual messages.14 An analysis of the 279 most popular songs in 2005 revealed that 37% contained sexual references and that degrading sexual references were common.15

• Virtually every R-rated teen movie since the 1980s has contained at least one nude scene and, often, several instances of sexual intercourse (e.g. the American Pie movie series).16 Teen movies also contain distorted views of romance and normal adolescent sexuality.16,–,18

To walk in such darkness is hate your brother, your sister, your children, your family and your community. This is not the road to freedom. It is the road to slavery and death. The warnings from God's Word are clear. The road to sexual freedom leads to chaos, confusion and death on all levels of community and family life. We must pray for and encourage those who make our laws—and those of us who vote for or against them—to realize this.

Many of us have a story to tell about such darkness and how it has brought pain and suffering into our marriages and families.

Jesus, Candidate For The Office Of Messiah

Current candidates for elected office lay out some fabulous claims. "Follow me. Elect me and I will solve all the problems we face in our county (or our city, our state, even our nation). Prosperity and peace for all awaits my election!" And then they run TV ads that conclude, "And I approve this message."

That's what it appears Jesus was doing when he announced,

"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 (cf. also Matt. 4:12-17)

The light of the world! The light of life itself! Not only was he enlightened, he was the light itself. Follow him and you too will see where you're going. In every part of your life you will have light. A very astounding claim, to say the least. But what does it mean? Consider these words from the prophet Isaiah to Israelites enslaved by Babylon for 70 years. According to this preacher, peace and prosperity were about to break in upon them. All the promises of a coming anointed king (read: Messiah) were about to be fulfilled.

But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined. You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian (Gen 25:4,13). For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.  

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. - Isa 9:1-7 ESV

This astounding message is followed by similar ones in Isaiah, especially in those passages that speak about the Servant of the LORD (cf. also Isa. 60:1-3)

Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law. 

Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: "I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. - Isa 42:1-7 ESV

People wanted justice, retribution and revenge in those days as much as they want it in ours. There were political prisoners in jail wrongly accused and awaiting trial or death. The rule of law and righteousness was gone. People had seen their homes burned to the ground and their children ground into dust. War had ravaged and destroyed their homeland. Those left were enslaved and faced but a few years of hard labor before they died. Their hope for the future was nothing more than a sputtering wick or a bruised reed. Hope was nearly dead.

That is until Isaiah came along with his message of the coming Messianic Servant-King who would bring light to Israel and the entire world. Jesus claimed he approved that 700 year-old message. The time had finally come when the promises were about to be fulfilled. And he was that promised Light. He was not merely running for office. He was already elected—by his heavenly Father, regardless of
what the Pharisees said about his claims being false. It was not only that he approved his own message. He had the endorsement of the heavenly Father.

Jesus answered, "Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me." - Jhn 8:14-18 ESV

In my next blogs I will look at the differences between these astounding claims of Jesus and those of modern day politicians.