Revelation 1:20; The Seven Churches

Revelation 1:20 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.

There are messengers sent to the seven churches with a message for each church. When we have an ailment, and we are experiencing some bodily discomfort we should go and consult a doctor to have our bodies examined so that we may know what has gone wrong with our health. You may have a family physician who has all your medical records and is able to look back at the medical records and make an assessment of your current ailment with the support of your past medical history. In this way, you would perhaps be able to know what has gone wrong.

However, you may also go for an annual medical check-up whereby you would be thoroughly checked from head to toe, with blood tests, X-rays and a medical report would be given to assess your physical health.

Our Lord Jesus, the Head of the Church, the Great Physician, was doing just that when He made a complete health check for the spiritual state of the church at Ephesus and this text is the medical report that He has asked the messenger, the angel (that is how it can be understood for the word angel here, literally “a messenger”, an envoy sent to carry a message) to deliver a diagnosis report and give recommendations for the treatment of the spiritual health of the church at Ephesus. There are a total of 7 patients that will be assessed by our Lord, and we shall be together with our Lord at His clinic.

The 7 stars are the 7 messengers, envoys sent to carry Christ’s messages. And verse 20 in chapter 1 provided for us the connection these are the 7 candlesticks are the 7 churches.

These 7 churches, Rev. 1:11 tells us are “the seven churches which are in Asia Minor” – Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.

Revelation 1:9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 11Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send itunto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

May the Lord help His church, by His grace, to hear what the Spirit says and to do His goodwill. Amen.