Rev 1:14-20
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 of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches."
What an introduction!
I'm not one to go into every symbol.
I more like to look at the big picture.
But lets see what I find looking at these verses.
- His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow
That makes me think of Daniel
I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. (Daniel 7:9)
And the Judgment scene in the next verse.
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. This was a description of the Father, which means they do look alike.
Meaning a symbol for a Righteous Judge
And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. (Acts 10:42)
- his eyes were as a flame of fire
For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. (2 Chr 16:9)
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. (Prov 15:3)
- And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace
The first thing I think of is the fiery furnace in Daniel.
And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. (Dan 3:6)
He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. (Dan 3:35)
The second thing I think of is the brazen altar.
Located in the outer court (earth) and symbolizing the sacrifice of Jesus to save us.
The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. (Acts 8:32-33)
- And his voice as the sound of many waters.
Many waters makes me think of a great number of people, his loud voice makes me think of a voice of power and glory, when he speaks, all nations will hear him.
And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. (Rev 19:6)
Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; (Joel 2:1)
And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory. And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: (Ezek 43:2-3)
- And he had in his right hand seven stars:...
The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks.
The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches."
Angel means messenger.
These messages show us different conditions of God's church.
I already gave some reason why I don't think these are just time periods.
I believe these churches have a message for us today.
Christ is spoken of as walking in the midst of the golden candlesticks. Thus is symbolized His relation to the churches. He is in constant communication with His people. He knows their true state. He observes their order, their piety, their devotion. {AA 586.1}
There is strength for us in Christ. He is our Advocate before the Father. He dispatches His messengers to every part of His dominion to communicate His will to His people. He walks in the midst of His churches. He desires to sanctify, elevate, and ennoble His followers. The influence of those who truly believe in Him will be a savor of life in the world. He holds the stars in His right hand, and it is His purpose to let His light shine through these to the world. Thus He desires to prepare His people for higher service in the church above. He has given us a great work to do. Let us do it with accuracy and determination. Let us show in our lives what the truth has done for us. {CCh 62.5}
- And out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)
What followed the outpouring of the Spirit? Thousands were converted in a day. This was the result of Christ's sowing, the harvest of His work. The Word proclaimed by the apostles was as a twoedged sword, subduing all things to Christ. This work was not limited to any one country. Christ's field is the world. {Lt55-1897.47}
The Word of the God of truth is a sharp, twoedged sword, which cuts both ways. The power of the truth will do its work. {Lt108-1897.4}
"Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth." Verse 16. There will be raised up faithful witnesses who will bring forth the words of truth, sharper than any twoedged sword. {Ms149-1904.7}
- And his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. (Psalms 4:6)
Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance. (Psalms 89:15)
Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. (Psalms 90:8)
In the light of the king's countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain. (Proverbs 16:15)
His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: (Mat 28 1-4)
I then heard a triumphant shout of victory, loud, musical, and clear. I looked upon this company, who, a short time before, were in such distress and bondage. Their captivity was turned. A glorious light shone upon them. How beautiful they then looked! All weariness and marks of care were gone; health and beauty were seen in every countenance. Their enemies, the heathen around them, fell like dead men. They could not endure the light that shone upon the delivered, holy ones. {CCh 340.5}
- 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:
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.
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; (1 Peter 3:18-19)
By His death He became the possessor of the keys of hell and of death. {12MR 398.3}
Satan cannot hold the dead in his grasp when the Son of God bids them live. He cannot hold in spiritual death one soul who in faith receives Christ's word of power. God is saying to all who are dead in sin, "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead." Ephesians 5:14. That word is eternal life. As the word of God which bade the first man live, still gives us life; as Christ's word, "Young man, I say unto thee, Arise," gave life to the youth of Nain, so that word, "Arise from the dead," is life to the soul that receives it. God "hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son." Colossians 1:13. It is all offered us in His word. If we receive the word, we have the deliverance. {DA 320.2}