![]() In Jesus’ letter to the church of Ephesus, a church that had left its first love, the Lord warns that they must repent or He will come to them and “remove your lampstand from its place” (Revelation 2:5). In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14–16). Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. God’s purpose for the church is to hold forth the light. The church is called to be an example of God’s holiness to the world (1 Peter 1:15–16).Īnd of course candlesticks are designed to bring light to dark places. The gold of the lampstands may also be symbolic of purity and holiness. In this sense, the golden lampstands symbolize the preciousness of the church as God’s most valued possession (see John 3:16). As such, the candlesticks could represent the churches not as they were then but as all of them ought to be.Īs mentioned, these candlesticks were made of gold, the most precious and valuable of all metals. ![]() Another interesting parallel points to the lampstands being made of gold, a metal that shines brilliantly. Others see them as predictive of the church in different stages throughout history, with the first, Ephesus, symbolic of the apostolic church and the last, Laodicea, symbolic of the present-day, postmodern church. Some commentators view these seven candlesticks as representatives of the church in every age. Still others see the seven individual churches as symbols of the local church. Because the number seven often represents wholeness or completion in Scripture, many conclude that the seven churches represent all churches, or the church universal. Most scholars agree that the seven candlesticks carry a meaning beyond those seven Asiatic churches in John’s day, representing in some way the entire church of Jesus Christ. This part of Revelation comprises the “what is now” section of Revelation (see Revelation 1:19). In Revelation 2 - 3, Jesus Christ addresses a letter to each of these churches, a letter that included words of commendation, criticism, and consolation. The churches were located in seven cities of western Asia Minor: in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. The seven churches, represented by the seven candlesticks, were actual churches that existed at the time John experienced the vision. Jesus spoke to John in the vision and explained what the seven candlesticks were: “The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches” (Revelation 1:20). Most modern translations refer to the “seven candlesticks” as “seven golden lampstands.” And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks 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” (KJV). In Revelation 1:12–13, the apostle John experiences a vision of Jesus Christ standing amid seven candlesticks: “And I turned to see the voice that spake with me.
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