1917_The_Finished_Mystery_Text

Which thou sawest in My right hand.— Smallwonder that these great reformers seemed almost tohave charmed lives!And the seven golden candlesticks.— "TheCandlestick, or Lampstand, represents the nominal,rather than the true Church. This is shown by the factthat in addressing each of these churches the Lordfinds fault with the many and approves the faithfulfew."— Z.'16-344.The seven stars.— "The star-light is the Heavenlylight, the spiritual enlightenment or instruction. Thelamp-light is the earthly light, representing goodworks, obedience, etc., of those who are exhorted tolet their light so shine that it will glorify their Fatherin Heaven."— Z.'16-345.Are the angels of the seven churches.— "The title isborrowed from the Jewish Synagogue, in which theangel, or messenger of the assembly, was the personwho presided over and arranged the meetings forworship." (Cook.)— Mal. 2:7; Hag. 1:13.And the seven candlesticks [which thou sawest] arethe seven churches.— "Alas! The Master evidentlyfound but few good works, little glorifying lightshining out from His earthly representatives in manyof the seven epochs of the history of the Church."—Z.'16-344; Rev. 1:12; Zech. 4:2.FM23REVELATION 2ST. PAUL, ST. JOHN, ARUIS AND WALDORevelation 2:1[Unto] BY the angel.— The special messenger in theHarvest of the Jewish Age was St. Paul. A Hebrew ofthe Hebrews (Phil. 3:5), he was a free-born Romancitizen (Acts 22:25-29), highly educated (Acts 22:3),spoke Greek (Acts 21:37) and Hebrew (Acts 22:2),and was presumably a member of the Sanhedrin atthe time of St. Stephen's death. (Acts 7:58; 8:1;26:10.) Chosen before his birth (Gal. 1:15), he wassupernaturally inducted into the Body of Christ (Acts9:1-22) to take the place of Judas (Psa. 109:8; Acts1:20), was privately instructed in the fullness of theGospel (Gal. 1:11, 12, 17), was speciallycommissioned to explain this Gospel to the brethrenat Jerusalem (Gal. 2:1, 2), did not hesitate to correctthe erring Peter (Gal. 2:11), was acknowledged by St.