SEVEN CHURCHES PART 1 seven stars in his right hand– the one who walks among the seven golden lampstands:
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2:1a This part of the letter or Book of Revelation was written to the “angel” of the church (angelos, “messenger”- used 171 times in the NT of which 77 references are in the Revelation). Every reference in the NT refers to the angelic supernatural beings, except for seven references that refer to humans: Matt 11:10; Mk 1:2; Luke 7:24, 27; 9:52 and James 2:25. John the Baptist, his disciples, the apostles sent to Samaria and the two spies in Jericho. The preponderance of usage refers to angelic beings (165 out of 171). There is no clear interpretation as to who these angels are. There are other groups of seven angels as well (i.e., seven trumpet archangels; seven bowl angels). The word angelos can refer to human messengers or emissaries, as the Hebrew expression, “Haggai, the messenger of the Lord” (Hag. 1:13) in Greek (LXX) is translated ângelos kuriou. However, the text reads in the second person (“I know your works”) as though it were addressed to the church as a whole, not to a single “angel.” Reflection: If there were an angel in every church, what do you think he would do (Heb 1:14)? 2:1b The command to John to “write the following” indicates that this content was not John’s opinions, imaginations or ideas. This is the meaning of 2 Peter 1:20, “no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation,” which is better translated, “No prophecy of scripture ever comes about by the prophet’s own imagination” NET. Reflection: What we have recorded is authentically the words and mind of God alone. Why are we assured NT authors did not write independently from God’s revelation (“not by private interpretation” or private understanding)?
2:1c The Author of this letter is the One who holds the “seven stars in his right hand” (i.e. the seven churches, 1:16) as one who is ever in control and who “walks among the seven golden lampstands” as ever present and active among the churches, always available for provision and fellowship. The word “has a firm grip” (krateo, “hold firmly, not to discard or let go, keep carefully and faithfully,” THAYER), indicates the inseparable bond between Christ and His churches. This is the Savior who has all authority in heaven and earth