“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. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day {Sunday}, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto 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. 12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle {the clothing of the High Priest}. 14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. 19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; 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 {Pastors} of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks {Temple Menorah} which thou sawest are the seven churches” (Revelation 1:9-20).

     The central emphasis of the early local churches was upon maintaining internal purity in doctrine, purpose, and personal sanctification (holiness). Unity of the Spirit was maintained in individual local churches when this trinity of internal purity was maintained through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit (Grace). This trinity of internal purity is the substance of the emphasis of the seven epistles of Christ to the seven local churches of revelation chapters two and three. Maintaining this trinity of internal purity is the ministry of Christ as our High Priest through the ongoing ministry of the Holy Spirit in the world and as the believer’s Advocate before the Father in Heaven.

     What we see in Revelation 1:9-20 is the fulfillment of a number of Old Testament types (typologies). Only by understanding these O.T. types can we understand what John is explaining to us. There is much symbolism in these few verses of Scripture. If we interpret Scripture with Scripture (an Inductive Methodology) these symbolisms are not a hidden mystery to us. They can be easily understood. We have four central things that we need to focus upon to understand the text. They are very important in that they represent the whole program of God during the Church Age dispensation including our individual and corporate responsibilities within it.

     There are four basic O.T. types here, all now fulfilled in Christ, which reveal the significance of the meaning of this text (there are more in the next few verses). These four are:

1. Jesus, the Son of man as the believer’s High Priest, and what He is doing.
2. The Candlestick (the Temple Lampstand) and what it represents
3. The Seven Lampstands corporately and what they represent
4. The Lamp Oil and what it represents

     First of all, what is Jesus doing in the midst of the Lampstands? The Lampstands typify both individual local churches and the Church corporately. To understand all this, we need to look at Leviticus 24:2-4 and Exodus 30:7-8.

“2 Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually. 3 Without the vail of the testimony, in the tabernacle of the congregation, shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning before the LORD continually: it shall be a statute for ever in your generations. 4 He shall order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before the LORD continually” (Leviticus 24:2-4).

“7 And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. 8 And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations” (Exodus 30:7-8).

     It was the responsibility of the High Priest to make sure the lamps were “dressed” each morning. This means he “ordered” the lamps. He was responsible for the Lampstands being filled with oil and burning brightly as they should. They were to be burning twenty-four hours a day. This necessitates two realities for the Church Age in order for this Truth to be realized in a practical way.

1. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which comes to all believers the instant they are “born again”
2. The filling (overflow or out flowing) of the indwelling Holy Spirit that comes by yielding (Rom. 6:11-13) and which brings the yielded believer into fellowship (synergistic unity) with Christ

     This is what is being portrayed by Jesus, the glorified God\man, in the midst of these seven Lampstands (Rev. 1:12-13). The Lampstands represent all local churches throughout the Church Age and the Church corporate. He is seeing that these local churches (made up of individual living believers) are filled with oil (typical of the Holy Spirit) and that they are burning as brightly as they should be (synergism). He is also offering prayer (symbolized by the incense) for believers.

     The “Candlestick” (Lampstand) was the Temple Menorah. The O. T. Lampstand was a prophetic type of the Church fulfilled in Jesus Christ. It had one main “branch” (representing Christ) and six side “branches” resting upon the center “branch” and supported by it. At the top of each of the seven “branches” was an “oil bowl.” The High Priest was responsible to see that these bowls were filled with oil (representing the Holy Spirit) and that they are burning constantly. These seven bowls represent all individual believers within local churches (this is all detailed in Isaiah 11:1-2).

     The “rod” refers to the Kingdom rule of Jesus Christ and His Church (see Rev. 2:26-27 and Psalm 2:7-9).

“1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 2 And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;” (Isaiah 11:1-2).

“26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father” (Revelation 2:26-27).

“7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel” (Psalms 2:7-9).

“Out of the stem of Jesse” refers to the birth of the Messiah (Emmanuel) through the lineage of King David (see Matthew 1:6 and 16).

“And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias” (Matthew 1:6).

“And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ” (Matthew 1:16).

     Christ told the Samaritan woman “salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22). The Name “JESUS” (Matthew 1:21 and 25) means Savior or Jehovah our salvation. “A Branch shall grow out of his roots” refers to Jesus as the last Adam and perfect man as Prophet, Priest, and King Who restores dominion over the Earth lost by the first Adam (see I Cor. 15:45-47). As a whole, it represents the whole Church from Pentecost to Rapture; i.e. the Body of Christ (see I Cor. 12:12-27)

“45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven” (I Corinthians 15:45-47).

     At the top of each of the seven branches is a bowl, therefore seven bowls. Seven represents the number of completion or the whole. Therefore, these seven bowls represent all believers in the Church Age (the Church Corporate). Christ Jesus (as the representative Christian) is exalted above all the rest. He is the standard of righteousness (the “mark” all Christians “press toward“). The “seven Lampstands” (corporately) represent the whole Church Age from the Day of Pentecost to the Rapture. Who is in the midst of these “Lampstands”? It is Jesus Christ!

“And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle” (Revelation 1:13).

     If you were to look at a map, these seven churches form a geographically oblong circle of seven cities. The picture is that Jesus is in their “midst.” The Church that desires to glorify Christ and be used of Him must be CHRISTO-CENTRIC (Christ centered). In Revelation 3:20 we find that Christ is just not the center of that historical Church period, but that He is excluded from His Church by indifference to the necessities of sanctification and consecration among believers.

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

The vast majority of professing Christian Churches have become man-centered today, rather than Christ-centered.

“Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart” (Ephesians 6:6).

      This type of Church is one where glorifying Christ is not the priority of purpose. Christ is excluded from being at the center of purpose when separation from worldliness and sanctification to God is not the priority before anything else. When a Church becomes more interested in gathering a crowd, or trying to keep people attending regardless of how they live, that Church has become man-centered.

“19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:19-22).

     A Church is Christ-centered when its focus and works are centered in Jesus Christ and His exaltation.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

     A Church is Christ-centered when holiness is its foremost priority (even before evangelism; Eph. 2:21). Also, a Church is Christ-centered when its focus is on ministry to others, rather than on self-satisfaction (the what can the Church do for me attitude). Christ is always working in the midst of His Church. However, some local churches put Him on the outside by putting man at their center. The oil of the Lampstand represents the Holy Spirit as the believer’s source of light.

“14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

     Take the Holy Spirit’s power out of the ministry of the Church and its light will be extinguished. The only way the “light” of the empowering ministry of the Holy Spirit can be extinguished is when individual Christians fail to yield themselves to the control of the Holy Spirit and be “filled” with Him. When God commands believers to “walk in the light” (I John 1:7), He is referring to Truth as the believer yields his life to the Holy Spirit (Romans 6:11-13) as directed by the Word of God. Congregational Polity cannot possible gain the results that Christ intends if the doctrine of grace (the empowering and enlightenment of the indwelling Holy Spirit) is perverted or distorted by allowing permissive carnality and worldliness to exist in the lives of the members of local churches.

“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).

“11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God” (Romans 6:11-13).

     When the individual believer is filled with (under the control of) the Holy Spirit, that individual will be “light.” When many individual believers in the local church are filled with and walking in the Spirit, there will be MORE “light.” However, when every believer in the local church is under the control of the Holy Spirit, there will be MUCH light.

“1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not” (John 1:1-5).

     It is the “life” inherent in Jesus Christ (I John 5:11-12) brought to believers by the indwelling Holy Spirit that is the “light of men.” Why do so many who profess to know Christ continue to wander in the darkness? There are really only two reasons.

1. They are not saved and therefore do not have “life.”

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (II Peter 1:4).

2. They neglect to be filled (controlled) with the Holy Spirit. These truths are especially critical in the relationship of the Shepherd with His under-shepherds (Pastors).

     Christ is the Chief Shepherd (I Peter 5:4), Who resides in Heaven at the right hand of the Father in the Holy of Holies as the believers’ High Priest and Advocate before the Father. He has delegated and transposed His authority to numerous Spirit filled under-shepherds (Pastors) whom He has called and appointed to “rule” over His local churches. They are commanded to “feed” His “flock” and oversee (administrate) the ministries of all individual members of a local church (flock).

“Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away” (I Peter 5:2-4).

“Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation” (Hebrews 13:7).

“Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you” (Hebrews 13:17).

“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant” (Hebrews 13:20).

“11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd” (John 10:11-16).