The Candlesticks

 Apocalypse or Revealing of Jesus

John is on Patmos in 94/95 AD and is given a vision of Jesus which he is prompted to write down. What does he see/hear?

1. Jesus 

2. Voice as a trumpet

3. Garment down to his feet

4. Golden girdle around breast

5. Head/hair white as wool/snow

6. Eyes flame of fire

7. Feet as burnished brass

8. Voice as many waters

9. Jesus in the midst of seven golden candlesticks

10. He is holding seven stars in right hand

11. Two edged sword out of his mouth

Jesus interprets symbols

1. Seven stars = angels of the seven churches (messengers?)

2. Seven candlesticks = seven churches

3. Two edged sword (in Hebrews) = the word of God

Seven churches? (wo peaking?)

1. Ephesus

2. Smyrna

3. Pergamum

4. Thyatira

5. Sardis

6. Philadelphia

7. Laodicea

***Significance of:

1. Jesus walking among the Seven candlesticks?  

2. Holding the seven stars in His "right hand"?

3. Jesus laying His right hand on John who fell down as dead upon seeing this vision of Jesus?

Before moving to the 7 churches in Rev 2, here is an example of an Old Testament "Seven Lamps Candlesticks"

God speaking to Moses about Aaron, Moses brother:

Num 8:2-4 

2 Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the candlestick. 3 And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof so as to give light in front of the candlestick, as Jehovah commanded Moses. 4 And this was the work of the candlestick, beaten work of gold; unto the base thereof, and unto the flowers thereof, it was beaten work: according unto the pattern which Jehovah had showed Moses, so he made the candlestick.

Beaten work of gold (g4749) - moulded by hammering; BEATEN

Another example:

Exo 25:31 

And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made, even its base, and its shaft; its cups, its knops, and its flowers, shall be of one piece with it:

***So if the candlestick is made of "beaten gold", and the church is the seven candlestick (as per Rev 1:20), what can we expect as Christians?

God loves His candlesticks BUT, it's not the easy way…

Another OT example. 

Zechariah

Zechariah was prophet in 520BC approx 20 years after the Persians had conquered Babylon. 

Remember, Cyrus had allowed the Jews to go home back to Jerusalem after their 70 years in captivity.

So Zechariah was encouraging the people to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.

Zechariah is shown a vision by an angel of a candlestick w seven lamps 

I think this chapter describes the NT church, in OT.

Zech 4:1-3

1 And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep. 2 And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have seen, and, behold, a candlestick all of gold, with its bowl upon the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon; there are seven pipes to each of the lamps, which are upon the top thereof; 3 and two olive-trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. 

Notice Zechariah's reaction, he falls asleep.

Daniel?

John?

Show "Zech 4.jpg"

Zec 4:4-6

4 And I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? 5 Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these are? And I said, No, my lord. 6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of Jehovah unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith Jehovah of hosts. 

Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit…..

1. How is the OT built?

-by the hands of the people

2. How is the NT built?

-by the HS; temple built without hands

Mar 14:58 

We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.

***This is a vision of the NT church***

Summary

1. Zechariah asks the angel "What are these?

-assuming he means the candlesticks, lamps, pipes, bowls and trees

2. Angel replies "Don't you know?"

-Why? Maybe the angel thinks Zechariah should know?

3. Zechariah replies "No my Lord"

-He doesn't know, so the angel does what angels do. 

-It explains a dream or vision with yet another metaphor.

4. Zerubbabel = "sown in Babylon"

What has been sown in Babylon? 

Babylon

1. Where is Gods NT church sown? 

-In Babylon or the "great city" (Rev 18:10).

2. Where was Jesus crucified? 

-great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. (Rev 11:8)

3. Challenges his NT people

Rev 18:4 

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come forth, my people, out of her, that ye have no fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues:

4. Parable of Abraham

-Born in Ur of the Chaldees (Babylon)

-Challenged by God to leave Ur and go to the promised land (Gen 15:7) of Canaan

***So what does Zerubbabel stand for? The NT church

Zec 4:7

7 Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain; and he shall bring forth the top stone with shoutings of Grace, grace, unto it. 

Summary

***So what does Zerubbabel stand for? 

-The NT church that is spirit lead, not naturally lead.

***The great mountain becomes a plain before Zerubbabel. 

What is this great mountain? 

-I think it is the same as the great city Babylon in Rev, fleshly Christianity. That which hinders the growth of Gods NT spiritual people.

***Notice here that Zerubbabel brings forth the top stone? 

-Not in man's fleshly strength, only with the strength of the Holy Spirit

Who is the cornerstone?

Jesus (Is 28:16) (Luke 20:17)

Zec 4:8-10

8 Moreover the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, 9 The hands of ppZerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me unto you. 10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for these seven shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel; these are the eyes of Jehovah, which run to and fro through the whole earth. 

Summary

1. Notice the "hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house"

Paul said:

1Co 3:10-11 

10 …"as a wise masterbuilder I laid a foundation; and another buildeth thereon. But let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon. 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ."

2. Notice that the hands of Zerubbabel will finish this house? What house will Zerubbabel finish? God's NT house

1. Reference to the wise Daniel 12? 

2. Maybe the reason in Rev 1:11-12, when John hears the voice and turns around, he sees the candlesticks first?

1. Vs 10 "who has despised the day of small things?" What does this mean?

-Beginning of the NT church when the foundation of the house was laid

Small or Little things

1. Psa 119:141 

I am small and despised;  Yet do I not forget thy precepts.

2. Est 1:5 

And when these days were fulfilled, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace.

3. Luk 12:32  

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

4. 1Co 6:2 

Or know ye not that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world is judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

5. Mar 9:42 

And whosoever shall cause one of these little ones that believe on me to stumble, it were better for him if a great millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

2. Vs 10 "for these seven shall rejoice" which are "the eyes of Jehovah, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

-Who are these seven that run to and fro over the whole earth? 

The Holy Spirit

Zec 3:9 

For, behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; upon one stone are seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

-mentioned here is Joshua (Jesus), the cornerstone, and seven eyes (Holy Spirit)

The Holy Spirit rejoices with when "little flock" forms

3. Vs10 "for these seven shall rejoice and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel"

Plummet - plumb line

1. String with a weigh on it

2. remains true, and all work must line up with it or risk being crooked

3. There will be no crookedness/sin in the kingdom of Christ

4. The end time Zerubbabel with form and be straight like a plum line as it puts on the top stone to God's NT house

Example

Amo 7:7-8 

7 Thus he showed me: and, behold, the Lord stood beside a wall made by a plumb-line, with a plumb-line in his hand. 8 And Jehovah said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumb-line. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel; I will not again pass by them any more;

Back to Zec, 

Zec 4:11-14

11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive-trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof? 12 And I answered the second time, and said unto him, What are these two olive-branches, which are beside the two golden spouts, that empty the golden oil out of themselves? 13 And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these are? And I said, No, my lord. 14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.

Summary

1. Show "Zech 4.jpg" again

2. Why does Zechariah have to ask the angel twice about the "olive trees in vs11 and vs12?

-He seems to expect Zechariah to already know. (Vs13)

3. Does Zechariah know?

No, he doesn't get it

4. The two annointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.

Who do they represent?

Hint: 

-vs 6 "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith Jehovah of hosts." HS

-vs 10 "for these seven shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel" 

(Remember the 7 eyes upon one stone from Zec 3:6)

HS

Now let's solve these riddles:

1. Rev 11:3-4 

3 And I will give (oil) (HS) unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 4 These are the two olive trees (HS) and the two candlesticks (NT spiritual church), standing before the Lord of the earth.

If time…(if not, proceed to Hag 2:6-9)

Zerubbabel (NT church) and Joshua (Jesus)

2. Hag 2:2-4 

2 Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying, 3 Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes as nothing? 4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith Jehovah; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith Jehovah, and work: for I am with you, saith Jehovah of hosts,

Hag 2:6-9 

6 For thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; 7 and I will shake all nations; and the precious things of all nations shall come; and I will fill this house with glory, saith Jehovah of hosts. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith Jehovah of hosts. 9 The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, saith Jehovah of hosts; and in this place will I give peace, saith Jehovah of hosts.

***So what is Gods purpose in shaking the heavens/earth and all nations?

-To bring forth the silver and the gold. (The beaten gold) (For the candlestick)