The Mysteries Revealed Revelation 1:20

John the apostle continued to share the “Revelation” which was given to him by Jesus Christ through an angel, and he told how he, “was in the Spirit on the Lord's day”, and he saw “the Son of Man” or “Jesus” and many of His visible characteristics. He was instructed to, “Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter”, and in chapter one and verse twenty of Revelation, John shared Jesus' words about, “the mysteries” where we read:

The mystery of the seven stars which you saw 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 saw are the seven churches.

The verse begins, “The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks.” John began with the word, “the mystery” which means “the hidden, secret or not obvious thing” “of the seven stars” or “pertaining to the seven stars as strewn over the sky” “which you saw” which means “that John perceived, noticed, discerned and discovered” “in my right hand” or “in Jesus' right hand of honor and authority”, “and the seven golden candlesticks” which refers to “and the seven candles which were in a lamp stand or candelabrum”. John was given the interpretation of the “seven stars and seven candles” which were in Jesus' “hand” which represented His “authority and honor”.

The verse continues, “The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches:” John added the words, “the seven stars” or “the seven stars as strewn over the sky” “are the angels” which means “are the messengers, envoys, ones sent or by implication pastors” “of the seven churches” which refers to “of the seven assemblies of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting”. John shared Jesus' words that the “seven stars” “held in Jesus' hand” were the “messengers or pastors” of the previously noted “the seven churches in Asia”.

Finally the verse says, “and the seven candlesticks which you saw are the seven churches.” John completed the verse with the words, “and the seven candlesticks” or “the seven candles which were in a lamp stand or candelabrum” “which you saw” or “that John perceived, noticed, discerned and discovered” “are the seven churches” which refers to “the seven churches in Asia themselves”. Jesus told John that the “seven candlesticks” were the previously noted “seven churches” which were located in “Asia”.

When we consider John's words in this verse, we see how the best interpreter of the Bible is the Bible itself. There is no need to guess what is meant by the “seven stars and candlesticks” because John wrote what Jesus said they were. The “seven stars” are the “messengers or pastors” of the “seven churches” which were located in Asia. God's plan of salvation is given so clearly to allow people to receive His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”, and although God does not reveal everything He knows, when He shares what “mysteries” are in the scriptures, there is no need to further speculate. This will help us in our study through the book of Revelation, and may the Lord teach us through His Holy Spirit what He desires for us to know.

Next time we begin a new chapter as see John write to, “the angel of the church of Ephesus”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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