THE IDENTITY OF THE STARS

The Identity of the Stars in Relation to the Right Hand

Three Classes of Interpretations Have Characterized the Attempts of Men to Identify the Stars

Natural beings or men

            Messengers sent to Patmos from the seven churches.
                 Held by Ebrard.
            Presiding elder or bishop over a diocese. But there was none such at this time.
            Pastor of the local church. But no such difference between clergy and laity existed at this time.

Impersonal things or abstractions

Composite personality of church representing the church in heaven. Abstract spirit or character of the churches.
The ideal embodiment of the Church, the spiritual personification of the church.

Supernatural beings or angelic beings

Stars in the Bible often stand for spirit beings (Job 38:7; Isa. 14:12 ff).
"When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"
"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!"

Angels or spirit beings are used to minister to God's people (Acts 7:53; Gal. 3:19; Heb. 2:2; 1 Cor. 4:9; Heb. 1:13-14).
"Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it."
"Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator."
"For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward."
"For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men."
"But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?"
"Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?"

Angels certainly look after nations and direct them in some sense (Dan. 10:13; 12:1).
"But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia."
"And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book."

Angels are said to have a definite relation to churches (Eph. 3:10; 1 Tim. 5:21; 1 Cor. 11:10).
"To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,"
"I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality."
"For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels."

From the book of Revelation itself there is no reason to conclude otherwise. In this verse stars are said to be angels (1:20). Elsewhere this same symbolism is carried out (12:4, 9; note carefully 9:1 with 20:1). To argue that the stars are angels and then insist that the angels must yet be something else is to destroy the meaning of this verse. Certainly a star is not a symbol of a symbol.
"The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches."
"And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born."
"And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."
"And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit."
"And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand."

These angels are the heavenly custodians of the churches and the channels of the message to these churches. That is the reason these angels are included in the warnings and the promises made to the churches.

The Stands are Seven in Number and Represent the Seven Churches

The number seven marks completeness

They are separate and yet there is organic unity

Cf. Zech. 4. They all burn the same oil

The value of these stands is indicated by the material of which they are made. They are golden. This metal indi­cates preciousness. They are sacred. The church is the apple of God's eye. It is more than that; to the Son it is bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh (Eph. 5:25-33). He bought it with his own righteousness and transferred that righteousness to the church.
"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;" "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word," "That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." "So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself." "For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:" "For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones." "For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh." "This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church." "Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband."

The purpose of the stands is to bear light. Upon the stands is placed the light. This light is the individual believer. Upon the stand the believer gives light to all in the house. And all the believers together cast light out into the darkness round about (Matt. 5:14-16).
"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid." "Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house." "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

Fair is the Sunshine, fairer still the moonlight,

For all the twinkling starry host;

Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer,

Than all the angels in heaven can boast.

Sun of my soul thou Savior dear;

It is not night if thou be near;

Oh, may no earthborn cloud arise,

To hide thee from thy servant's eyes.