S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

 In Revelation 1, John the apostle sees the glorified Christ in a vision. Jesus is standing among seven golden lampstands. In His hand, Jesus holds seven stars (Revelation 1:13, 16). In verse 20 Je...

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July 01 2013 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Grant Abbott Supporter Child of Father, Follower of Son, Student of Spirit

In my view these angels were angelic beings. Throughout the Old Testament, God often refers to his angels as stars.

“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone — while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?
(Job 38:4-7)

The book of Revelation is written by Jesus to the apostle John. This is not John’s letters to the 7 churches, this is Jesus letter to his churches.

The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
(Revelation 1:1-2)

In my view, there is much we can learn from the revelation of these letters:

1. The number 7 is used by God for completeness, I think Jesus is saying that he is communicating with all his churches, everywhere for all time. Seven lamp stands, seven stars, seven days of creation, etc.

2. Jesus uses angels to deliver his messages (Psalm 103:20). The book of revelation message was delivered by an angel to the apostle John to record for all the churches to read.

3. Each church has a guardian angel to protect the church and deliver the messages. Jesus said “To the angel of the church at....,.” to each of the 7 churches.

4. Each letter is delivered by the angel to the leader of the local church. The message may be delivered in several different ways; thoughts, feelings, dreams, visions or audible voice through Christians using the gift of prophecy.

5. Each message will address an issue in the local church that Jesus wants to correct, or it will provide encouragement and strength to churches who are suffering persecution or other faith challenges. All the letters of the New Testament are either addressing issues in local churches or in the lives of individual recipients. The messages will teach, rebuke, correct, train in righteousness and encourage believers to press on to fulfill God’s call on their lives. 

6. Jesus expects each church to get the message and obey what he says to do. If every church did this then the universal church would be the radiant bride that the Holy Spirit is seeking to develop. Some church leaders want to be in charge, and they aren’t interested it what Jesus specifically has to say to them. They prefer to hide behind the general counsel of the bible, rather than the specific admonitions that Jesus is illustrating through these letters.

7. If every church got its messages and put them into practice, this world would be transformed and become more like the earth God intended at creation.

8. The church is the body of Christ and Jesus expects every local church in his body to play the part that he has willed for them. That is why he is constantly communicating to each one. But are we listening?

September 26 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

John Appelt Supporter

Revelation 1:20 mentions the “angels of the seven churches.” The debate has been whether these are human or heavenly beings. 

The Greek word for angels, “angelos” means “messenger.” It can be either actual angels or humans and the context often determines which one. 

Much of the New Testament refers to actual angels, but then there are instances in which the messengers were human, such as John the Baptist, Matthew 11:10, his messengers, Luke 7:24, and messengers sent by Jesus, Luke 9:52. 

The Hebrew word “malak” in the Old Testament means “messenger.” As in the Greek counterpart, it can be either literal angels which it is most of the time or human messengers as in Numbers 21:21, Judges 11:14. Some of the references to “the angel of the Lord,” referring to Christ, Genesis 16:7, 22:11, Exodus 3:2, Judges 2:1, 6:21-22, 13:16-18, might be more correctly rendered “messenger of the Lord” since Jesus is not an angel. In Malachi, whose name means “my messenger,” there are three non-angelic messengers, “the priests,” “my messenger” referring to John the Baptist, and “the messenger of the covenant” who is Jesus Christ, Malachi 2:7, 3:1. 

In most of the book of Revelation “angelos” means actual angels. However, in Revelation 1:20 and chapters 2 and 3, they may not be heavenly beings but human beings.

One reason to think so is that angels, despite having messenger roles, Matthew 1:20, 28:5, Luke 1:11, 26, Acts 8:26, 10:3, 12:7, seem to be spectators when it comes to churches and ministries, I Corinthians 4:9, 11:10, I Timothy 5:21. 

In Revelation 1:20, the stars are represented as “angels,” and lampstands are represented as the “churches.” In Revelation 2:1, the Lord walking in the midst of the seven golden lampstands views Him as supervising the churches under His watchful eye. When He holds the seven stars in His right hand, it shows His careful protection of the messengers. Isaiah 62:3 has the same imagery about Jerusalem in the hands of the Lord. The two concepts of the churches and messengers are connected, suggesting the human messenger viewpoint. 

If they are human, they were not church leaders such as elders or bishops (or pastors). “Angel” is not used elsewhere in that manner. These were likely delegates or envoys who delivered the letters to the individual churches that John was instructed to write to. The wording could just as well as be, “to the messenger of the church of...write…” These would be the couriers of letters.

The manner of transmission of the revelation, as given in Revelation 1:1, 4, 11, also fits the human messenger idea:

God
Jesus
an angel
John
(messengers as deliverers)
the churches 

The order descends through intermediaries from God in heaven to the churches on earth. Looking at it this way, heavenly angels do not fit. It is unlikely that John would delegate supernatural beings, who he is lower than, Hebrews 2:5-8, to deliver the letters to the churches. 

The “angels of the churches” were likely human messengers.

December 10 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report