While John was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, meditating upon and worshipping his Redeemer, the One for whom he now suffered banishment and imprisonment, he was given a fresh, clear, reviving revelation of the exalted Christ. That One whom John had known so well, while he was upon the earth, the One who had lived in perfect obedience to God to establish righteousness in the earth, the One whom John had seen dying in humiliation as the sinner's Substitute under the wrath of God, to satisfy Divine justice, that One whom John heard cry "It is finished!", whom he had seen buried, risen again, and ascending into heaven, that very same Christ, his beloved Savior, John now saw in his exalted glory and majesty.
This vision was entirely spiritual. It was not a vision for the eyes, but for the soul. It was not a physical vision seen by the eyes of the body, but a spiritual vision beheld by the eyes of the heart. I cannot stress this too much. Were it possible for some artist to paint this picture of our Lord on canvas, it would be a grotesque thing to behold. The Spirit of God gave John numerous, rich and precious, pictures of our Lord's majesty and glory, which could never be painted by the brush of an artist. There was a good reason for this: were it possible for men to paint this picture of Christ, or sculpt its image, someone would no doubt do so and add it to the many idols already in the world.
Idolatry is:Idolatry is ever the tendency of depraved men. Many, while they would never dream of worshipping another god, are yet guilty of gross idolatry. They seek to worship the true God by some visible, tangible form, using pictures, crosses, crucifixes, and images as representations of God. This is in direct disobedience to the law of God. "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments" (Ex. 20: 4-6). This stern command of God has never been altered or repealed. The tendency of our evil hearts to idolatry comes of evil and leads to evil. "God Is A Spirit" (John 4:24). Therefore no image of him can be made. All images and pictures of the Divine Being, Father, Son, or Spirit, are idolatrous; and all physical reminders and helps in worship are equally idolatrous. They are not helps but hindrances to spiritual worship. Anything that can be seen or touched is to be kept out of our worship of the invisible God. There is nothing to which we can liken God; and the very attempt to make any likeness of God is profanity.
I know that men commonly excuse their idolatry by saying "We do not worship the images. Our images (pictures, crosses, stained glass, statues, etc.) simply remind us of God, put us in a worshipful frame of mind, and help us to reverence God." That is exactly what the second commandment forbids! Physical objects are not helps to spiritual worship. They are snares of Satan, which lead the heart away from God. My blood boils with indignation when I see in Protestant and Baptist churches altars, crosses, pictures to represent Jesus, and doves to represent the Holy Spirit. Such things are not only remnants of papacy, they are a reversion to paganism! They are not to be tolerated. Smash them to pieces! Burn them at once! Rid both you own house and the house of God of idolatry! I do not care what form your image may take, whether it is a cross, a crucifix, a statue, or a picture, if it is something that can be seen or handled, it is absolutely forbidden in the worship of God.
I cannot stress too much the fact that John's vision of Christ was not a physical vision, but a spiritual revelation. It was not intended to give us a representation of our Lord's physical appearance, but a picture of his glory and majesty in his relationship to his church and kingdom. If we miss the spiritual instruction of this vision, then the vision would be as useless to us as one of those idolatrous paintings which are supposed to represent our Savior.
John saw the Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of his churches, showing us that the exalted Lord is ever with his church to lovingly guide her, protect her, and provide for her. And we are told in verse 16, "He had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength."
Proposition:Under these three images (The Stars, The Sword, and The Sun) we are taught that the security of the churches light, the success of the churches' labor, and the glory of the churches' work are all dependent upon Christ.
Divisions:I. First, I want us to look at The Stars.
"He had in his right hand seven stars." "The seven stars," we are told, "are the angels of the seven churches." The word "angel" simply means messenger. The seven stars represent all those men who faithfully serve the churches of Christ upon the earth as pastors. They are God's messengers to his churches. As stars shine in the darkness of night, reflecting the light of the sun, faithful gospel preachers shine in this dark world showing forth the light of Christ, the Sun of Righteousness. Stars are instruments of light, but they are not sources of light. And pastors hold forth the light of the gospel, but Christ is the source of their light.
A. This Similitude Reminds Us First Of The Weakness of God's Servants In Themselves.
What can a star do? Can the star dispel darkness and bring in the day? No. The star can only reflect the light of the sun in the midst of the dark night. And these stars are not fixed and permanent. They are held in their place by Christ's right hand, else they would all fall. In and of itself the star is nothing, can do nothing, and can serve no useful purpose. That is a good representation of a gospel preacher. We are instruments in the hands of God. If he is pleased to make us useful, it is not because of anything in us, but simply because it is his pleasure to use us for the good of his church and the glory of his name. (I Cor. 3:5-9; 4:7; II Cor. 4:7).
B. Yet, Those Who Preach The Gospel Are Not To Be Despised. God Has Given Them A Very Honorable Position. They Are Stars In Christ's Right Hand.
Though the preacher is nothing in himself and can do nothing of himself, he is God's messenger; and he is to be treated with honor. Blessed is the congregation in this dark world over whom God has placed one of his stars! See that you honor God's messengers as God's messengers to your soul (I Thess. 5:12-13; I Tim. 5:17-18; Heb. 13:7, 17; Matt. 10:40).
1. The stars are made by Christ – (Jer. 1:4-10).
2. The stars are placed by Christ where he wants them (Jer. 3:15).
3. The stars are upheld, protected, and sustained by Christ (Acts 18:9-10).
Who can extinguish a star whose dwelling place is the right hand of omnipotence? What can harm those whom the Son of God holds in his right hand?
C. God Has Given His Church Men To Hold Forth The Light Of The Gospel In The Midst Of Darkness.
This world is engulfed in the thick darkness of superstition, idolatry, and will worship, which only compounds the darkness of sin and unbelief. But God has ordained specific men, especially anointed of the Spirit to hold forth the light of the gospel for the conversion, edification, and comfort of his elect.
1.The light which God's messengers give out is the light of the gospel (II Cor. 5:28-21).
Our light is not the light of human learning, moral philosophy, or political science. Christ holds in his hand men who brilliantly shine with the light of pure gospel truth.
2. Stars or guides.The north star guides wonderers through the night and directs the seaman to his harbor of safety. And Christ's messengers point men to Christ, the Haven of rest – (John 1:29).
3. Stars proclaim the coming of day.When in the night watch a man sees the morning star his eyes are quickened with hope and expectation. He knows the sun will soon rise. That morning star says, "The sun is coming soon to bring the light of day." That is what God's messengers do. We proclaim the coming of the Sun of Righteousness.
4. Stars are given for the comfort of the night.
We tend to place little value upon the stars, because their light does not remove the night. But can you imagine how dark and gloomy the night would be without them? In much the same way, we tend to undervalue the regular ministry of the gospel. It seems commonplace to us. But that same star that led us first to the Savior ever shines pointing to him, for the comfort of our souls in the midst of all our night afflictions.
What better gifts can Christ give his church than the stars of his right hand, faithful heralds of the gospel? We need men who will not yield to the spirit of the hour, who care nothing for the approval of men, men who will simply and faithfully hold forth the truth of Christ in this dark world – (Isa. 52:7). Do you see the stars in Christ's right hand? Thank him for them. Pray that he will ever hold them up. And follow their light. The security of this church's light is this – Christ holds the star!
II. Secondly, I want to consider The Sword.
"And there went out of his mouth a sharp two-edged sword." This, of course, is the Word of God, the Sword of the Spirit. This is the only weapon of warfare for God's church and his servants. It goes forth, not out of the mouth of the Lord's messengers, but out of the mouth of the Lord himself (Isa. 49:1-3).
I know that God speaks to men by men. But it will be of no value to your soul to hear a man preach the gospel unless God himself speaks to your heart – (I Thess. 1:5). The power and efficacy of the gospel is not the mouth of the preacher, but the mouth of Christ.
A. This Two-edged Sword Which Proceeds From The Mouth Of Christ Is A Discerner Of The Thoughts And Intents Of The Heart – (Heb. 4:12).
When Christ speaks through his servant, when Christ is at work in our midst, there is no escaping his Word. Private thoughts are detected, secrets of the heart are exposed, and the precious is separated from the vile.
B. The Sword That Comes Forth Out of Christ Mouth Is A Wounding As Well As Discerning Sword.
Like a sword, the Word of God cuts, pierces, pricks, and wounds. It cuts the flesh, wounds the heart, and pierces the conscience. The preacher must take care that he does not blunt the edge of the sword. "He that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully" (Jer. 23:28). The power of the sword is its sharpness. And the doctrines of the gospel are intended to be sharp and cutting to the flesh.
C. The Gospel, Going Forth Out Of The Mouth Of Christ, Is A Killing Sword.
When Christ speaks with power self-righteousness is slain, carnal hope is killed. When Christ reveals himself and speaks, sinners, like John, will fall at his feet as dead men.
I was alive, I had everything I wanted, until Christ came and spoke to my heart. When I heard his voice and saw him in his redemptive glory, "I fell at his feet as one dead."
D. This Mighty Gospel Sword Is A Two-edged Sword.It is all edge. It has no handle. It cuts in every direction. And the man who handles it will first be cut himself. The sword is our only weapon. If men are not saved by the plain preaching of gospel truth, you may be sure that they will not be saved by the preaching of lies.
Do you see the sharp two-edged sword proceeding out of the mouth of Christ? Ever let that picture encourage you to pray for your pastor as he preaches the gospel. Pray that as I preach, Christ may speak through me with power. The Success of our labor depends on Christ.
III. Now, in the last place, I call your attention to the Sun.
"And his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength." These words refer to the glory of Christ. The shining of the seven stars, the light of the seven golden candlesticks, and the conquests of the sharp two-edged sword are all for the glory of Christ. What are the stars in the light of the sun? They are insignificant. There is no glory in the church or in her messengers. All the glory is in Christ (I Cor. 1:20-31).
A. There Is In Christ An Inexpressible, Indescribable, Infinite Splendor And Glory As The Savior Of Sinners.
Who can describe the glory of the sun? B. Christ Alone Is Pre-eminent.C. Christ Communicates His Glorious Excellence To His People.
D. Christ's Glory Is Terrifying To His Enemies.
E. His Glory Is The Everlasting Joy Of His Elect – (John 3:30: Ps. 115:1).
Application:
1. Give thanks to God for the Stars in Christ's right hand.
2. Pray that you may ever feel the cutting edge of The Sword, which goes forth out of his mouth.
3. Seek to live ever in the light of the glory of The Sun of Righteousness.
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