(Vs. 19) The last two verses of the first chapter form a fitting introduction to the Lord's messages to the seven Churches. The fears of the Apostle having been dispelled, he is instructed to commit to writing the things which he had seen, the things which are, and the things that are about to be after these.
Here, then, we have the Lord's own division of the Revelation. First "the things which thou hast seen," referring to the vision of the Son of Man as the Judge (1:9-18): second, "the things which are," comprising the addresses to the Seven Churches, representing things which then existed, and the condition that will continue to exist during the Church period (ch. 2 and 3.): thirdly, "the things that are about to be after these," embracing the great prophetic events that will take place after the Church period is closed (ch. 4-22).
(Vs. 20). As a necessary introduction to the Messages to the Churches, the Lord explains the mystery of the seven stars and the seven golden candlesticks. It is revealed that the seven stars are the angels of the seven Churches, and the seven candlesticks are the seven Churches.
The angels of the Churches would appear to represent those who are set in the Assemblies to give heavenly light, even as the stars, which are the symbols of the angels, give light in the heavens. But, like the stars in relation to the light of the sun, they are subordinate light-givers under Christ. The sun is the great and supreme source of light for the whole earth. The stars are needed when the sun is away; and the minor light they emit is of the same character and nature as the light of the sun. In Christ's personal absence the perfection of the Church's witness would be to emit the same character of light as Christ in heavenly glory-the same in quality, though so far removed in volume. In a special way the angels of the Churches are responsible to Christ for the moral condition of the Assemblies, for while the Assemblies as a whole are responsible for their condition, yet the state of the Assemblies would largely depend on the character of ministry they receive.
While in each Church the Lord addresses the Angel, and thus holds the Angel responsible for the state of the Assembly, yet it is noticeable that He constantly passes from speaking directly to the Angel in order to address the Church. Thus in the Pergamos address He speaks of a faithful martyr "who was slain among you"; and again He says, in the Smyrna address "the devil shall cast some of you into prison." This change from the singular to the plural makes it impossible to apply the Angel to an individual presiding officer, and obliges us to see a symbolical representative of the Church.
The seven candlesticks are symbols of the Seven Churches. It is plain from chapter 1:4, and 11, that seven actually existing Churches in the province of Asia are indicated. It is, however, equally plain that these Churches present the history of the whole Church period. Seven actual Asiatic Churches were selected in which were found moral traits which have been used by Christ to prophetically set forth the moral condition of the professing Church as a whole, or in part, at different periods of its history.
There are substantial reasons for this conclusion. In the first place, in chapter 1:3, the whole book of the Revelation is spoken of as prophecy. This would give a prophetic character to these addresses. Then the number seven is a constant symbol in Scripture of completeness, and, as the seven Spirits speak of the fullness of the one Holy Spirit, so, we judge, the seven Churches present a complete view of the varied conditions of the whole Christian profession. Perhaps, however the most convincing argument for the prophetic character of the Churches is, as one has said, "the real correspondence between the picture given of the seven Churches and the well known history of the professing Church."
To profit by the addresses to the Seven Churches it is not only necessary to see their prophetic character, but also, of the first importance, to keep in view the particular aspect in which the Lord is viewed in relation to the Church, as well as the aspect in which the Church is viewed in relation to Christ.
The Church is viewed not as the Body, of which Christ is the Head in heaven, and into which nothing that is unreal can come, but as an external body of people on earth professing the Name of Christ, and which may, and in fact does, include a vast profession without life. This profession has taken the Name of Christ, whether His or not; and having done so is responsible to walk according to the order of God's house, and thus represent on earth the Christ who is in heaven, in all His love, faithfulness and holiness-in a word to be a light for Christ on earth. It would be impossible to speak of the Church as the Body of Christ being rejected by Christ. That, however, which professes to be the Church will finally become so nauseous to Christ that it will be spued out of His mouth, when that which is real-the Body of Christ-has been caught away.
Moreover, let us remember that Christ is not here viewed as the Head of His Body, giving gifts and ministering grace to the Body, and revealing the heavenly privileges of the saints as in the Epistle to the Ephesians. He is not instructing the Assemblies in the principles of Church order, and discipline, as in the Epistles to the Corinthians. Nor is the Lord even instructing the faithful how to act in a day of ruin, as in the second Epistle to Timothy. Here the Lord is presented as walking in the midst of the Christian profession in His character as Judge, with eyes as a flame of fire, searching into the condition of that which professes His Name, and inquiring how far the Churches have answered to, or departed from, their heavenly privileges; how far they have carried out, or failed in, their responsibilities to maintain divine order, and obey divine instructions. Further, having searched into the condition of the Churches, the Lord passes sentence on what He finds, approving what is right and condemning all that is contrary to Himself; warning as regards the evil, and giving encouragement to the overcomer.
It may further help us to understand the prophetic character of these addresses to briefly indicate the different periods of Church history that appear to be set forth by the seven addresses.
The address to the angel of the Church in Ephesus, clearly sets forth the condition of the Church in its first decline during the latter days of the last Apostle, and the years immediately following his decease.
The address to the Church in Smyrna would seem to set forth the condition of the Church, as a whole, during the period of the persecutions from the heathen world.
In the address to the Church in Pergamos, we have the condition of the Church, as a whole, when the persecutions of the heathen gave way to the patronage of the world.
The address to the Church in Thyatira sets forth the condition of the Church as seen by God when, instead of being patronized by the world, the Church sought to become the ruler of the world. The greatest expression of this condition being seen in the Papacy. This condition while ceasing, after a time, to represent the whole Christian profession, continues to the end of the Church period.
In the address to the Church in Sardis we see the condition into which a part of the Christian profession falls as the outcome of the Reformation being corrupted by man. It is a condition that develops out of Thyatira, and in opposition to Thyatira, though co-existing with Thyatira to the end.
In the address to the Church in Philadelphia there is presented a faithful remnant, apart from the corruption of Thyatira, and the deadness of Sardis, that continues to the end.
In the last address, to the Church in Laodicea, there is presented the final phase of the Christian profession, in which the condition is so wholly nauseous to Christ that it ends in the great unreal mass of the Christian profession being spued out of His mouth.
It will also help, in the interpretation of the addresses, to notice that there is a division between the first three and the last four Churches. This is marked by the fact that in the first three Churches the appeal to the one that has an ear to hear, precedes the promise to the overcomer; in the last four addresses it comes after the promise. Again, in the first three addresses there is no mention of the coming of the Lord, whereas in the fourth, fifth, and sixth addresses the coming of the Lord is definitely held out as a hope, or a warning. Furthermore, in the last four addresses we see a faithful remnant distinguished in the midst of the increasing corruption.
These differences can be explained by the fact that the first three Churches set forth the state of the whole Church during the first three successive periods of its existence upon earth, conditions which have passed away: whereas the last four represent distinct phases of the Christian profession that do not supersede one another, but exist at the same time, and continue until the Lord comes.
In the first three addresses, representing the condition of the Church as a whole, the one with the hearing ear is to be found in the Church as whole. In the last four the Church, as a whole, has broken up and the condition so deteriorated that those who hear what the Spirit has to say will only be found among the overcomers, and therefore the appeal comes after the promise to the overcomer.
In the first three addresses there is the call to repentance and the possibility of the Church returning to its original condition. In the last four the condition is such that this is no longer set before the Churches as a possibility; therefore, the coming of the Lord is held out as the only hope of the godly remnant.
Thus it becomes clear that the last four Churches are distinguished from the first three by these definite facts: (1) a faithful remnant is distinguished from the corrupt mass; (2) the coming of the Lord is set before the Churches; (3) the one who hears is only found among the overcomers.
As to the structure of the Addresses there is a similarity in the way in which the truth is presented in each address. Each address opens with a presentation of Christ in a character which, if it had been apprehended or kept in mind, would have preserved from the state into which the Church had fallen, or which-in such a state-would sustain the faith of the godly in their testings. This is followed by the assertion of the Lord's perfect knowledge of the condition of each Church leading to His approval or condemnation of what He finds. Then we have special warnings and words of encouragement. Finally each address closes with a special promise to the overcomer.