THE OF THE MYSTERY (Chapter 1:19-20.) (1) The import of the mystery. 1. “ Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter” --1:19. Underlining the word things, used three times in this verse, it gives emphasis, first, to the past--the things thou hast seen; and second, to the present--the things which are; and third, to the future--the things which shall be hereafter. But in each case it has reference to the revealed things of Revelation itself, not to the known events of the past, or present. The things seen were not optical or perceptive, but revealed, they were seen by Revelation. The things which are, were not the knowledge of present things, but a reference to that part of the vision, or the revelation, which involved the present. The things which should be thereafter were declared to be immediate-shortly to occur. It would not require an apocalypse to reveal the past events, but it was imperative that the churches should know the present, and those things which were immediately at hand. 2. “ The mystery of the seven stars . . . and the seven golden candlesticks"--1:20. The use of the word mystery in Revelation comports with the meaning of the word as used elsewhere in the New Testament--that is, the spiritual truths not discoverable by human reason; understandable, but hidden from human knowledge until revealed. The word has the connotation of “ secret doctrine,” hence, prior to revelation it was a hidden thing; but when revealed, it was brought within human intelligence and understanding. The gospel mystery imbedded in the old dispensation, as in Romans 16:25; Ephesians 3:3-9; and Colossians 1:26, was hidden beneath the types and sacrifices of the law and the prophecies and promises, which were radiant with hope and joy to a guilty world, but were rather concealed than revealed, because of the metaphorical costume and figurative style they could not be discerned, and had to await revelation. The word mystery did not mean mysterious. It meant that which could not be known until it was made known, or revealed, and in the references cited, it meant the gospel plan of salvation. The doctrine of the New Testament is in this sense called a mystery--“ the mystery of the gospel,” as in Romans 11:25; Romans 16:25; 1 Corinthians 15:51; 1 Timothy 3:9; Ephesians 3:9. The truths thus requiring revelation and elucidation are classed as mysteries, as numerous other passages could be used to exemplify. But let it be emphasized, that in all of these examples the basic meaning inherent in the word mystery is that which cannot be known by the human mind, until by superhuman source it is made known to it. (2) The explanation of the mystery. The seven golden candlesticks denoted, that as organized bodies, a congregation receives light and reflects it. It is a significant illustration of the functions and the ministries of the local churches. The emblem of gold underscored the evaluation Jesus Christ makes of his church, and the estimate he has placed upon it. The seven stars were representative of position, such as Christ at the right hand of God, indicating that there is something in the symbol that has this representative place in the right hand of Christ. The figure calls for pause and reflection, by all who hold position in the church, lest we should become falling stars! The angels of the churches are not to be taken as single representatives of the respective congregations, but rather the individual spirit of each church. It is the same in meaning as the description elsewhere of “ the seven spirits before his throne.” It is a symbolic angel, and it refers to the spirit of the church itself. When Paul commanded the Corinthian church to exclude the incestuous person from their congregation, he gave the reason: “ that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” It seems the apostle’ s reference to the spirit applied to the Corinthian church--that it might be saved from corruption, and thus to receive approval in standing before him. It is well to consider the spirit that is manifested in a congregation, and that motivates and controls all of its worship and service. The connotation of the word angel may signify various ministries of physical and spiritual beings, both earthly and heavenly. It is used in Matthew 24:31 in reference to the emissaries of the gospel; and in Hebrews 1:14 it refers to immaterial and spiritual but intellectual beings whom God employs to execute the orders of divine providence, as also employed in Revelation 1:1; Revelation 22:8. The apostle Paul applied the word, in 1 Corinthians 11:8-10, to the venerable men in the Corinthian church; and the angels (spirits) of little children are said by Jesus, in Matthew 18:10, to behold the face of the Father in heaven. In Jude 1:6 it is used as an appellation for the early representatives of the race of man in an unnamed period, who forfeited their high estates by apostasy, and were condemned to darkness and judgment, and in Matthew 25:41, and 2 Corinthians 11:14-15, it is used to describe the devil and his demons. But in Revelation 20:1 the word applies to Jesus Christ himself. This is rather a wide classification of the word angel, but it is used in all of these senses. In the vision of the first chapter of Revelation it seems evident that the word refers to the spirit of each church. The stars in the vision are its members, every member --all members in the body of Christ, of the true spirit, are stars in His hand. There is no teaching that exalts one class in the church to any position above all the others, as all the members of Christ stand in equal relation to Him. For one to be exalted above another would “ not be so among you,” Jesus said to his disciples, in Matthew 20:26. As each of the seven churches was individual in character and conduct, they were so in spirit also, and the letters of Jesus to these seven churches were addressed to the angel or spirit of each congregation respectively. The word angel, therefore, does not designate a representative person, but symbolically the representative spirit of each church-- the spirit of the church. (3) The central figure. Jesus Christ was Himself the abiding presence in the churches, directing their work, walking and dwelling in their midst, as the centrifugal and the centripetal spiritual force in each congregation. He was holding the stars in his hand; he was walking among the candlesticks; he was the guiding presence, the moving energy, the inspiring influence, the infinite indweller in every faithful churchand that is true of every true and faithful church of Christ today. The threefold description of the church was as gold in purity and worth--a golden candlestick; and as stars of glory in his possession, shining in his hand; and He Himself in the midst, as the sun around which the spiritual planets revolve.