Tues.’s Devo - John’s Response

Read Rev. 1:17-2:1 John saw Jesus standing in the midst of the golden lamp stands with the seven stars in His right hand. John saw Jesus as the Judge, the Priest, the King, the Eagle, the Lamb, the Lion, the Alpha, the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And, what John saw totally undid him. He fell at Jesus feet and just lay there unable to get up. I’m sure he felt the weight of his unworthiness and sin, but Jesus took all that for us. So, Jesus tells him to not fear, because He has everything from the start to the finish all figured out. He conquered death, hell and the grave and all he has is ours to inherit. He instructs John to write down everything as he sees it. I’m sure that is the only way he could have kept all the memory of what he saw. It is believed that John saw all this in a span of two years, so it wasn’t all in one vision. He then explains the symbolism of the seven golden candlesticks and the seven stars. The seven golden candlesticks are the seven churches and seven stars are the seven angels or messengers of the seven churches. Since the seven churches stand for the seven church ages, the messengers of that period would be someone during their time that God raised up to hold up a standard without compromise. The first church age started with Pentecost. God poured out his spirit upon his disciples and they went out in the power of the Holy Spirit speaking in tongues, preaching with boldness, healing the sick, raising the dead, etc. Paul was the messenger to the first church age: the church of Ephesus. It is described in the book of Acts. Every church age has tried to be like them. They moved in a demonstration of power. But, along side them was the false church talked about in Matt 24:24. The false church always tries to supplant the true church. Just as their were two trees in the garden and two sons of Eve: Cain and Able - there will be two churches in the end. Lord, give us discernment during these last days to see evil for what it is.