Information Related to "God's Church in Prophecy"
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For whom was the book of Revelation written? The first verse gives us the answer: "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John"-(Revelation 1:1, NIV).
Revelation was written specifically for God's servants, the Church of God. So it should come as no surprise that the Church itself is the primary topic of discussion in the first three chapters. (See "What Is the Church?")
Jesus commissioned His Church to be the "light of the world"-(Matthew 5:14-16). Here in Revelation He symbolically introduces seven specific congregations of the Church as seven lampstands (Revelation 1:12,20).
This imagery reminds us of the lampstand or menorah, with its seven branches, in ancient Israel's tabernacle and later in its temple (Exodus 25:37; Zechariah 4:2). Now, however, God regards the Church itself as His spiritual temple (Ephesians 2:19-22).
Since seven often represents completeness in Scripture, as earlier noted, these seven lampstands seem to portray a composite picture of the Church of God, the light of the world. Paul explains that the Church is one body (1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Ephesians 4:4). However, it has multiple congregations and members scattered throughout the nations. Therefore, these seven specific assemblies of believers appear to effectively represent the totality of the Church.
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Table of Contents that includes "God's Church in Prophecy"
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