Revelation part 3 - Candlesticks elaborated upon

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I AM THE VINE / MINISTRY OF SPIRIT

The 7 candlesticks elaborated upon.

Jesus said He is the vine and we are the branches. 
This is pictured in Revelation 1.  Christ showed John 
that the church is the extension of Himself. It is His 
body, the Church. We are the branches, after which the 
candlesticks John saw were formed. 

     And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the 
     beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all 
     things he might have the preeminence. 
     Col 1:18 

     I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, 
     and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without 
     me ye can do nothing. 
     John 15:5 

When we see John envisioning a set of candlesticks with Christ 
in their midst, we are seeing a representation of the Vine and 
the branches, Christ and His Church. Let us experience the 
revelation of Jesus Christ through us, His church! 

     And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth 
     went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the 
     sun shineth in his strength.
     Rev 1:16 

In Christ's right hand, John saw seven stars. Again, Revelation 
1:20 interprets this symbol for us. 

     ...The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches:... 
     Rev 1:20 

The "angels" of the churches were the ministers of the churches. 
When you read each of the seven letters to the seven churches 
in Revelation chapters two and three, you find that the letters 
are directed to the "angel" of each church. The angels of each church
were told of the problems in their church assemblies, and were told 
to correct the problems. This makes the angel, or messenger, the 
minister of God's Word in each Church. "Angel" simply means 
"minister" or "messenger". Preachers of the Gospel are messengers of 
the Gospel. 

Stars are lights to lighten the world. They are given for signs 
and seasons. 

     And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the 
     heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be 
     for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and
     years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the 
     heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God 
     made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, 
     and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 
     And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light 
     upon the earth, 
   Gen 1:14-17 

These lights are the "light of the earth". The light of the 
world. Ministry. These lights lit the candlesticks which John saw. 
The churches' lights are the ministries of Spirit. We are
the light of the world. 

Jesus not only said He was the light of the world (John 8:12), but 
that we are the light of the world (Matt 5:14). We are extensions, 
then, of Himself. He shines through us. Once again we see that the 
revelation of Jesus Christ in intended to occur through us, the
Church. 

     If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part 
     dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright 
     shining of a candle doth give thee light. 
     Luke 11:36 

The ministers are lights or flames of fire in His right hand. His 
right hand speaks of His power (Matt 26:64). The true ministry that 
is in His hand is the spirit ministry which actually is the light 
that shines in the candlesticks of the churches. It is truth that is
preached. It is the Gospel of Christ. 

     ...the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, 
     2 Cor 4:4 

This selection from the Bible is found in the context which 
speaks about true ministry of the Spirit. In Chapter three 
of 2 Corinthians, Paul explained how he was a minister used
by Christ to write epistles of Christ, much like a pen is used 
by an author. Christ is the author of salvation, and writes upon 
our hearts His laws, changing our hearts, and filling
them with His glory. 

In 3:15-16, Paul said that a veil was upon the hearts of those 
who had not turned their faith towards Christ. But when the heart 
turns, indicating that the act of believing in Christ is accomplished, 
this veil is removed, and the Light of the Gospel shines in and
administers the Spirit of Christ upon that heart. Paul said Christ 
ministered that work "by" him. Paul was the pen. Paul was the means 
by which this light shone. 

Notice how the following verses describe the lights that the 
ministers of the Spirit truly are, as John saw the stars which lit 
the candlesticks as the angels of the churches. 

     Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle 
	of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with 
	the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of
	stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.
	2 Cor 3:3 

The ink is the Spirit. Spirit is dabbed onto the heart of the 
believer through Paul's ministry. 

     Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; 
	not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter 
	killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
	2 Cor 3:6 

Again Paul says he was a minister of the Spirit, which gives life. 

     But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in 
	stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could 
	not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the
	glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done 
	away: How shall not the ministration of the spirit be 
	rather glorious?
	2 Cor 3:7-8 

He said the Spirit being ministered to a heart is typified by 
light that shines upon a person. Moses' ministry was not New 
Testament, but was Old Testament. And that Old ministry was glorious. 
This was indicated by Moses, the minister of that covenant, as he
glowed with light. It was such a glory that the people could not look 
at it. And that ministry was to be done away with one day! It was 
only temporal. God had a greater ministry yet to come, which we found 
to be the New Testament. And if the people could not look at
the light which typified the Old Testament, that would be replaced, 
how much greater glory and light is the ministry of the New Testament 
which shall never be done away with? 

     For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, 
	much more doth the ministration of righteousness 
	exceed in glory.
	2 Cor 3:9 

There is exceedingly more glory and light shining from the New Testament. 

     For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this 
	respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
	2 Cor 3:10 

The Old Testament glory was in fact no glory at all when compared 
with the New Testament light and glory. 

     For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that 
	which remaineth is glorious.
	2 Cor 3:11 

The New Testament is to remain. This makes it greater in glory 
than the temporary Old Testament. 

     Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord 
	is, there is liberty.
	2 Cor 3:17 

The Spirit Paul ministered was the Lord, Himself! Paul ministered 
Jesus Christ! Jesus was revealing Himself through Paul's ministry, 
making Paul an extension or branch of Jesus Christ. Christ, the 
Light, was in Paul and shining through Paul making Paul the
light of the world. 

This is evident from the following verse: 

     For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; 
	and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
	2 Cor 4:5 

Paul preached or ministered Spirit, and that Spirit is Christ. 

     But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the 
	glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image 
	from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the
	Lord.
     	2 Cor 3:18 

Paul preached Spirit, and it was like light shining onto people - 
glory - and it changed people's lives. And it was all accomplished 
by the Spirit of the Lord. The Spirit of the Lord is the Lord Himself 
(again see 2 Cor 4:5). 

We can clearly see that the lights in Christ's hand are the 
ministers of the spiritual ministry, one of which Paul was, along 
with all other true ministers of Christ.  

Now, Paul allowed Christ to minister Himself through Paul. And when 
a believer's heart was opened towards this ministry of light, that 
soul became exposed to glory. And that one was changed into that 
same image from glory to glory. In other words, Christ is then
impressed as an image into that heart and that heart, in turn, becomes 
another means by which the revelation of Christ accomplished through 
people's lives. 

The candlesticks which John saw were those which God instructed 
the Old Testament saints to put within the tabernacle and temple. 
And the New testament says that we are the true temple of the Holy Ghost! 

     Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit 
	of God dwelleth in you?
	1 Cor 3:16 

This is yet another indication that Christ wishes to reveal Himself 
to us so that we may in turn be the means by which He will reveal 
Himself to others. 

The stars were lights of the earth for the purpose of indicating 
seasons and giving signs.  Is this not what the ministry of the 
Church accomplishes? 
                      

---
In Christ,  
Michael F. Blume   
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/mfblume/mblume.htm
http://www.netdot.com/jwg7192/writings/mike.htm