Accelerated edification by candlestick

There are seven literal angels God provides for the accelerated edification of the "little flock" of Believers during the 70th Week.

Revelation 1 says, [20] 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.

"They have the privilege of having angels minister to them the Word of God," explains Alex Kurz. "In Israel's history we see that happen a number of times where angels are shown providing doctrine.

"Notice these seven angels are called 'stars'. When do you normally see stars? Nighttime. The churches are called candlesticks. When do you need a candlestick? When there is no light; it's dark and dim.

"It's rather interesting, in keeping with the scope of the Book of Revelation, that this is all part of the day of the Lord's wrath, which in prophetic Scripture is called the nighttime.

"During the absence of Messiah, there is darkness that grips the world. It's the nighttime of the rejection of Messiah; the nighttime of spiritual ignorance, of the satanic policy of evil that Isaiah 25 says 'covers the world as a veil.' Why would you cover the world as a veil? To prevent the truth and the light from shining in.

"Another interesting point we want to make is how many candlesticks are there? How many churches are there? Seven. When you take light and break it do you know how many spectrums the prism--how many colors are there? Seven. How many colors are in the rainbow? Seven. It's no coincidence.

"Of course, the number seven is used throughout the Book of Revelation. It's the number of perfection. The function of these seven churches is to be sources of light.

Revelation 2 says, [1] Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; [2] I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

"The association between a candlestick and works has already been dealt with in Matthew 5 on the so-called Sermon on the Mount. In addressing the little flock, the Lord Jesus says this about the candlestick:

[13] Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
[14] Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
[15] 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.
[16] Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

"That's in keeping with the privilege the nation Israel had; they were created to be a source of light, of illumination, the knowledge of God; the glory of God

"Sadly enough, we have passages as in Ezekiel and Deuteronomy where Israel was not illuminating light, but was participating in the darkness of spiritual rebellion that had already gripped the planet.

"When the Lord says, 'Ye are the light of the world,' He's saying, 'You little flock, you believing remnant, the nation as a whole should have been that light, but they're not. So ye are the light of the world.' " 

(new article tomorrow)