“Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands…“
Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me.
John heard a voice behind him and turned to see who it was that spoke to him.
And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands
The first thing that John saw was “seven golden lampstands.” Evidently, there were seven individual lampstands rather than one lampstand with seven lamps as the lampstand in the temple.
Verse 20 interprets the symbols of “lampstands” as churches. The lampstands may refer to the light of truth they cast both upon non-Christians and Christians. Churches are truth-oriented. Churches are not the light; they only carry the light. Thus, churches reflect the glory of God.
“Golden” may refer to the value these churches hold in the eyes of Jesus. They are precious to Him.
Principle:
The purpose of the church is to glorify the Lord Jesus to the world.
Application:
The picture is the Lord standing in the midst of churches, judging them for their aberrance. Lamps are for the dark. If churches cast darkness, they lose their purpose.
Churches are not the light; they only carry the light (Matthew 5:14). Jesus is the light of the world. Darkness will continue until Jesus comes. We need to remember that the program of the church is not the light. If they teach the Word, they shine the light of God, who is Jesus the Lord.
