Seven stars. The "angels" of the seven churches. "Angel" means "messenger," and is used for both human and heavenly messengers in the Bible [in the original language]. "Angels" here must refer to the "evangelists" [preachers - see note on Ephesians 4:11] of the churches since John is to write to them. Compare Malachi 2:7 :2 Timothy 4:5.

[These seven churches are symbolic of all the church everywhere at all times. The letters to the churches describe conditions and events which occur again and again in the history of the church in the world. The geography of these churches can be found in a good Bible Dictionary. We concentrate on the spiritual lesson to be learned from each of these.

The idea which would make these churches represent seven successive periods of church history is clearly false, since this would make the dead church at Sardis represent the golden age of Reformation.]

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Old Testament