In the book of Revelation chapter 2 verse 1 it say the following,
QUOTE |
'These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;' |
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Without getting to technical and getting into the Greek text here is some basic interpretations.
The seven stars are first explained to mean the "angles of the 7 churches. ( Rev. 1:16) Their position in the right hand of Christ shows favor with God and protection. The word in the Greek for angles is used to mean heavenly messengers or it can be used to mean human messengers (see Lk 7;24, 9:52). However there is no evidence in N.T. Texts that angles were ever associated with specific churches, so this idea that they were literal angles associated to the churches like a guardian angel may not fit.
So the meaning of the seven stars or angles may fit Luke's meaning that they were earthly messengers that sent the letters to the churches or even the bishops of the churches themselves.
Another accepted idea is that the stars represent the "spiritual nature of the churches" since the lamp stands represent the physical entity of the churches. Thus the imagery shows the physical and spiritual nature of the churches, which the letters to the church really focus upon.
These seven churches where the 7 main churches (equivalent to stake centers) along the major trade route of Asia Minor (modern Turkey) The number 7 meaning complete and whole is also symbolic meaning that this went to all churches, and that the message is complete. In reality the message would have been given to the 7 churches and then passed to the little churches that they served.