Revelation 1:12-15

"And I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands." (Revelation 1:12).

I find it interesting that the first thing he saw were the lampstands. How large must these lampstands have been so that he’d see them first and then see someone as he describes walking among them? It just seems that you’d see that person first if the lampstands were of reasonable size.

Verse 11 had mentioned seven congregations located in Asia. The Lord uses seven golden candlesticks to represent these churches as is explained to us in verse 20. It should be noted that this seems to indicate seven separate lampstands. That is, each lampstand was singular and held a single flame. This is contrary to the “menorah” that Moses had constructed for Israel which had seven flame holders as a part of a single instrument. I believe that someone could study the significance of the single menorah with its seven lamps and the Jewish church and the seven lamps of the seven churches of the “spirit” church and how those will come together as the singular church of God, but that is another study for another day. For now, I am simply noting the difference.

The second and third chapter of Revelation go into great detail about the successes and failures of these seven churches. But there are a few characteristics we can note from the lampstand symbol.

1. The Churches were Visible. Unfortunately today the word "church" is often used to describe other things than that which the lampstands symbolize. So often, people use the word to refer to a building which was built for the purpose of worship. The Word never intends this meaning in the Bible. God has something completely different in mind when He uses the term "church" in the Scripture. So, the seven golden lampstands do not represent seven buildings, at least not the kind made with brick, wood and stone. The church is a living group of believers. 
2. The Church has Two Sides. There are two sides to the church. There is the Divine side and the human side. The Bible tells us there is a Head and a body. The Divine side, the Head of the church, is perfect. But the human side, the members of the body, are less than perfect. But the better they listen to the Head, the closer to perfection they get. There were seven golden lampstands. The churches were complete, perfect, as set up from the Head of the church and He walked among them. However, we will see how the body was not complete or perfect. The Law of the Lord is perfect. His design for the local church is just as He wants it to be. 
3. The Church Is Precious. The lampstands are gold. This would symbolize something of great value. Perhaps a case can be made for purity as well. It was in the death of Jesus that He purchased the church with His blood (Acts 20:28) which makes it impossible to calculate the worth of the church. 
4. The Church Holds The Light. The Word of God is that which directs us to Christ, the "light of the world" (John 3:19-21); “I am the light of the world, and when I leave, you are to be the light of the world” (John 8:12). A church can only be the lampstand God intends it to be if it will hold forth the light God has given. The world needs the Light. The church can only be the light if it preaches, speaks, and does the Word as God gave it, not what the world wants it to say.  ( Reference - Jon W. Quinn, Expository Files 9.7, July 2002 )

and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. ¹⁴ The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. ¹⁵ His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. (Rev 1:13-15)

Let’s compare the physical description with Daniel.

⁵ I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. ⁶ His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude. (Daniel 10:5-6)

The description here is of an angel responding to Daniel. He was sent but was fighting for 21 days and did not get past the fight to Daniel until Michael helped him. This is his own testimony. As soon as he delivers this message to Daniel, he is returning to the fight. The description written by Daniel is very similar to the one in this passage. As John discussed before, this message is being delivered by an angel from the Words of Jesus. This description bears witness to that if we let other passages of Scripture support it.

The clothing is as the high priest (Exodus 28:2-4) would wear and so here Jesus is represented as the Great High Priest. Some of you clothing experts can discuss why the sash was girded around the chest and not around the waist. It was more customary to be around the waist, but at least one writer determines that when a position of strength wanted to be presented it would be worn around the chest.