Sermon 1 - Revelation 1:1-8 Seven Churches and Seven Lampstands

This is the start of a short August series looking at the sevens of the Book of Revelation, the last book in the Bible, known as the Revelation or Apocalypse of John and written on the island of Patmos where we believe the author had been exiled in which the number 7 appears in almost every chapter. There are 23 sevens in the book of Revelation so we will not cover every single one otherwise you and I could get “sevened” out by the end of the month! Nor am I going to say too much about the seven churches and the letters to each of them. This is because our refreshed Stodden Bible Study group which starts in September and compliments this mini series focusses on the seven letters to the seven churches making this morning’s talk more of an overview but I pose you one question as a tempter to the study. What links the box office success movie of 2026 with the seven churches and which one is it? Patmos was described at the time as mines surrounded by mountains and was considered as quite depressing and yet it was on this island that John had this detailed prophetic vision. The author contrasts en patmo with en pneumo which looks better written down because both begin with “p” in Patmos and in the Spirit of God. The author has a choice be depressed by his surroundings in Patmos or be taken up in the Spirit and be blessed. Carys has just returned from the Keswick Convention and brought a book by Nancy Guthrie called Blessed on this the last book in the Bible. You may think this a strange title for a book on the apocalyptic judgement that will befall the earth at the end of this world but both the author of Revelation and Nancy Guthrie want us to be clear that Revelation is less about Jesus’ return and more about who we are to be, what we are to do and what may expect to endure thereby taking out of the final judgement the fear, intimidation and confusion that this book can often generate if read the wrong way. Some writers have suggested it should never have been included in the Bible. Others fear the apocalyptic nature of the book. Well, the clue is in the Greek title Apocalypses. It is not the only book of this type in the Bible but it is by far the longest

And this is where seven comes in. Seven is a very significant number. It is a prime number and the only prime number to precede a cube number of primes. It has significance in Judaism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity. A week is seven days – it took God 6 days to create the cosmos and on the seventh He rested. Some writers point to seven being a sum of the three persons of the Trinity and the four corners of the earth. I remember as a curate placing seven large candlesticks on the altar at the end of Sunday worship reminiscent of the menorah seven branched candlestick placed on the Ark of the Covenant in Exodus 24 but here represent the 7 churches. Jesus was asked how many times should I forgive – is it 7 times? And Jesus says not 7 times but 70 times 7. Too often I hear people say “Oh that just means a lot – keep forgiving” I am not so sure. While I do not suggest 490 is significant of itself it emphasises the completeness and perfection of seven as a number. Yes, the Apocalypse is about judgement, the final days of earth but this is a perfect judgement, signified by being seven-fold and the entire letter is written to these churches seven of them. Is that because there were just seven churches in Asia Minor, modern day Turkey when John received his vision? No, there is a book in the Bible written to the church at Colossae – not one of the seven but the vision seeks to demonstrate a perfect and united vision of judgement. Just as a certain supermarket advertises that any one of its products are no ordinary whatever but that particular supermarket’s; so too God’s judgement on the earth is one of perfect judgement and because of that we are and should be blessed; which goes to make the Revelation an exciting book. But it comes with warnings for the churches for which it was written. Address those things I have against you says God to 6 of the 7 churches – again come to the Bible Study to find out which ones - or I will take your golden lampstand from you. Jesus is the light of the world but if we as a church fail to walk in the light of Christ, do we deserve, do we even need that golden candlestick of light? In other words, are we living en patmo or en pneumo living on Patmos or living in the Spirit of God? The way to eternal life is life in the Spirit but the choice is ours whether we are ready to be caught in the vision. Just look again at Revelation 1:3 in your Pew Sheets “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of prophecy and blessed are those who hear and who keep what is written in it; for the time is near.” By the time we get to 30th August we will see a glimpse of those blessings. But for now, be Blessed. Amen