Revelation 1:20, The Mystery of the Seven Stars

[biblelesson]

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 have been questions regarding who the angels over the seven churches are and why would letters go these angels. The churches are, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodiceans. These churches are seven major churches first established by the gospel of Christ, and angels were placed over them.

The key to the answer is in Revelation 1:1.  Revelation starts with Christ being given the Revelation of Jesus Christ from God. Then Jesus sent and signified it by his angel unto John.

This same order relates to who these angels are over the churches who John wrote about.

The order of things is for Christ to give His message to an angel first based on Revelation 1:1, “…and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John.

We know that angels are messengers of Christ, so the angels over the seven churches would be messengers of Christ. The message is a warning handed down from Christ, by the angel, to Christ’s servant John, written for the rest of us to read and take heed to.

How did the angels give the message to the churches after John wrote unto them first?

The answer to the question is the message was already given to the angels by Christ based on the order. The angel in Revelation 1:1 who was sent by Christ was relaying the message to John that was given to the seven angels about the churches. Notice Revelation 2:1 says, “Unto the angel of the Church of Ephesus write…”.  What's being said here is, the angel is saying to John, "This is what the angels of the Church of Ephesus want you to write."  Take note that the message was given to the angel of the Church of Ephesus, and the angel in Revelation 1:1 was relaying to John what message the angel over the church had received and for it to be written down by John to be relayed to the church, God’s servants to read!

John was to write down the message that was given to each angel over a church, so that the message would be read by God’s servants, us! The letters/message to the seven angels to the seven churches are for us, who represent all seven churches!

Let me know your thoughts!

Edited August 30, 2021 by biblelesson

[Michael37]

2 minutes ago, biblelesson said:

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 have been questions regarding who the angels over the seven churches are and why would letters go these angels. The churches are, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodiceans. These churches are seven major churches first established by the gospel of Christ, and angels were placed over them.

The key to the answer is in Revelation 1:1.  Revelation starts with Christ being given the Revelation of Jesus Christ from God. Then Jesus sent and signified it by his angel unto John.

This same order relates to who these angels are over the churches who John wrote about.

The order of things is for Christ to give His message to an angel first based on Revelation 1:1, “…and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John.

We know that angels are messengers of Christ, so the angels over the seven churches would be messengers of Christ. The message is a warning handed down from Christ, by the angel, to Christ’s servant John, written for the rest of us to read and take heed to.

How did the angels give the message to the churches after John wrote unto them first?

The answer to the question is the message was already given to the angels by Christ based on the order. The angel in Revelation 1:1 who was sent by Christ was relaying the message to John that was given to the seven angels about the churches. Notice Revelation 2:1 says, “Unto the angel of the Church of Ephesus write…”. Take note that the message was given to the angel of the Church of Ephesus, and the angel in Revelation 1:1 was relaying to John what message the angel over the church had received and for it to be written down by John to be relayed to the church, God’s servants to read!

John was to write down the message that was given to each angel over a church, so that the message would be read by God’s servants, us! The letters/message to the seven angels to the seven churches are for us, who represent all seven churches!

Let me know your thoughts!

Some thoughts:

Stars resplendent with the Glory of God.

Angels radiant with the Word of God. 

Lampstands alight with the Spirit of God.

Ekklesias alive with the People of God. 

[Spiros]

The 7 stars relate to 7 celestial bodies. They are the 7 celestial bodies that relate to the seven days of the week. They are the Sun, the Moon, and the 5 planets. Our solar system consists of 8 planets. If we subtract the Earth on which we reside we have 7 planets. It is generally believed that the ancient people did not know about the existence of planets Uranus and Neptune. Either way the important thing is that the 7 stars relate to the 7 celestial bodies. Each one of the 7 Churches of Asia thus relates to a specific celestial body.   

Edited August 30, 2021 by Spiros

[Michael37]

29 minutes ago, Spiros said:

The 7 stars relate to 7 celestial bodies. They are the 7 celestial bodies that relate to the seven days of the week. They are the Sun, the Moon, and the 5 planets. Our solar system consists of 8 planets. If we subtract the Earth on which we reside we have 7 planets. It is generally believed that the ancient people did not know about the existence of planets Uranus and Neptune. Either way the important thing is that the 7 stars relate to the 7 celestial bodies. Each one of the 7 Churches of Asia thus relates to a specific celestial body.   

So what . . .

[biblelesson]

43 minutes ago, Michael37 said:

Some thoughts:

Stars resplendent with the Glory of God.

Angels radiant with the Word of God. 

Lampstands alight with the Spirit of God.

Ekklesias alive with the People of God. 

I'm not sure, and I don't understand what you are saying or where the bible make reference to your list.  But, I see that in Revelation 12:4 for example, that the angels that satan took with him was called stars, but how stars are resplendent with the Glory of God, I don't know, and can't say.  I need to do some research, and I'm sure that will take time because stars and angels are mentioned in the bible for different reasons.

Angels being the radiant with the Word of God, well I know there are many places in the bible that show they are messengers of the word of God, like the angels who warned about Sodom and Gomorrah for example.  The angels in Revelation are proclaiming the word of God telling the people to "repent."   So, is that their only purpose?  I don't think so because there are places in the bible that deals with angel being Cherub angels for example.  God rides on a Cherub angel,  Psalm 18:10, Ezekiel 1:26.  Satan was an anointed Cherub.   

Lampstands and Ekklesias, I have no comment on this because I don't know.  I will need more study!

Edited August 30, 2021 by biblelesson

[Michael37]

9 minutes ago, biblelesson said:

I'm not sure, and I don't understand what you are saying or where the bible make reference to your list.  But, I see that in Revelation 12:4 for example, that the angels that satan took with him was called stars, but how stars are resplendent with the Glory of God, I don't know, and can't say.  I need to do some research, and I'm sure that will take time because stars and angels are mentioned in the bible for different reasons.

Angels being the radiant with the Word of God, well I know there are many places in the bible that show they are messengers of the word of God, like the angels who warned about Sodom and Gomorrah for example.  The angels in Revelation are proclaiming the word of God telling the people to "repent."   So, is that their only purpose?  I don't think so because there are places in the bible that deals with angel being Cherub angels for example.  God rides on a Cherub angel,  Psalm 18:10, Ezekiel 1:26.  Satan was an anointed Cherub.   

Lampstands and Ekklesias, I have no comment on this because II don't know.  I will need more study as I don't see where the bible makes reference to this.  

Don't worry . . . I sometimes wax poetic when asked for my thoughts, but I know some folk do not have a poetic bone in their body (poetry again).

If you don't think stars are resplendent with the glory of God it means you see things differently from me, and from some writers.

1Co 15:41  There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differs from another star in glory.

[biblelesson]

12 minutes ago, Michael37 said:

Don't worry . . . I sometimes wax poetic when asked for my thoughts, but I know some folk do not have a poetic bone in their body (poetry again).

If you don't think stars are resplendent with the glory of God it means you see things differently from me, and from some writers.

1Co 15:41  There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.

I'm not a poet, but I am a song writer.  

It's not that I see things different.  I started to quote 1 Corinthians 15, but my aim was to show the difference in the purpose of stars and angels, and 1 Corinthians shows the various body of stars in their glory.  

Edited August 30, 2021 by biblelesson

[Michael37]

33 minutes ago, biblelesson said:

I'm not a poet, but I am a song writer.  

It's not that I see things different.  I started to quote 1 Corinthians 15, but my aim was to show the difference in the purpose of stars and angels, and 1 Corinthians shows the various body of stars in their glory.  

Whenever I encounter imagery and symbolism I ask why it is being used, and the answer is always because of the aspects, behaviours, and characteristics of the things in view.

Jesus used bread and wine to symbolise His body and blood.

The way stars shine above us and make their presence known makes them good symbols for angels/messengers that make the Word of God known.

Similarly lampstands/candlesticks that have a steady flame and provide points of reference for illumination to be enjoyed makes them good symbols of the Holy Spirit in the midst of congregations.

"You get the picture", is a meme that explains why imagery and symbols are so effective. 

[biblelesson]

34 minutes ago, Michael37 said:

Whenever I encounter imagery and symbolism I ask why it is being used, and the answer is always because of the aspects, behaviours, and characteristics of the things in view.

Jesus used bread and wine to symbolise His body and blood.

The way stars shine above us and make their presence known makes them good symbols for angels/messengers that make the Word of God known.

Similarly lampstands/candlesticks that have a steady flame and provide points of reference for illumination to be enjoyed makes them good symbols of the Holy Spirit in the midst of congregations.

"You get the picture", is a meme that explains why imagery and symbols are so effective. 

Yep, I got it.  I have to try and see more of the meaning of God's imagery and symbols.  Thanks for that!  I just want to be careful not to steer away from what the bible is saying.  

[Dennis1209]

Revelation 1:1 (KJV) The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

This is indeed interesting; I know of no other place in scripture, where there is a fivefold transference of information. As with the book of Revelation, there are so many opinions and interpretations. 

I guess the first questions I would ask is; does an individual church have a guardian angel assigned to it, and what is a church? I would say a church is two or more believers gathering together to worship and praise the Lord. Those true believers are marked and sealed, and have the Holy Spirit indwelling them. Therefore; the church [Holy Spirit] is the Restrainer, restraining evil. I think it possible, even likely; an angel is assigned to individual churches. 

But taken in context, and by a personal letter from Jesus Himself, to each of those seven Asia-minor churches. Why would the Lord write a handwritten letter to angels [stars]? It seems more likely the "stars" represent the Pastor's and leaders of those churches. The servants [pastor-congregation-members] are the final recipients of the letter.

God anoints and calls His followers to the ministry and to be pastors. Throughout the church age, what is the significance and reason for a church to have a leader / pastor, elders and deacons? The congregation gets God's message through the church pastor(s) [stars]. 

In addition, and in hindsight; those seven churches represent the entire church age, and are dated. 

Just one of hundreds of different opinions and interpretations.