When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands.  And standing in the middle of the lampstands was the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest.  His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were bright like flames of fire.  His feet were as bright as bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. Rev 1:12-15

He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was as bright as the sun in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, "Don't be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one who died. Look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave Rev 1:16-18

Write down what you have seen – both the things that are now happening and the things that will happen later.  This is the meaning of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of  the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Notes:

Why the symbolism? How do you understand?

This sort of "spiritual code" is understood only by those who know Christ personally. Although some of the things John talks about are symbolic, they are very real!

What John actually saw was a vision of the glorified Christ. Revelation 1:20 makes it clear that we must not interpret this literally, because it is made up of symbols!

The Lampstands- the Seven Churches

Christ's Clothes - Are those of a Judge/king

Christ's white hair - eternality

His eyes  - see all

His feet of brass- suggests judgement

His mouth - the living word of God

Seven Stars in His hand- Represent the "angels" or leaders/pastors of the 7 churches

Taken in Part from Be Victorious by Warren Wiersbe