16 He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.[a]
19 “Write down what you have seen—both the things that are now happening and the things that will happen.[b] 20 This is the meaning of the mystery of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lampstands: The seven stars are the angels[c] of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Revelation 1:16-20
This book so far uses quite a bit of symbolism as opposed to taking the imagery literally. It’s clarified by verse 20 where Jesus spells it out for us. The seven stars in the right hand of Jesus represent the seven angels (divine messengers) to the seven churches which are represented by the seven golden lampstands that represent the body of Christ.
I used to think the two edged sword from his mouth was literal but now understand it as a symbol of the word of God (Hebrews 4:12). His countenance (the face of God) was like the sun shining in its strength. God is the source of the glory that had shown upon the face of Moses as he descended Mount Sinai. Jesus is the light of the world!
12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
Hebrews 4:12
John fell at Christ’s feet as if dead, but Jesus reached down with a merciful right hand, laid it upon John and spoke. Jesus commanded him to write down all that he has seen, all that is, and all that was to follow. Jesus was going to be abundantly clear with His church of what’s to come, and was relying on John to record every last detail!
