that is wakened out of his sleep. And said unto me, What seest thou?
And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with
a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven
pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof: And two
olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other
upon the left side thereof. (vv1-3)
We learn in Revelation 1:20 that the golden candlestick represents the
church. Now, notice that the church is referred to as a GOLDEN
candlestick. Gold is very beautiful and very valuable, but if it's not
cleansed on a regular basis, it becomes tarnished and stained. I
purchased a golden trumpet about 13 years ago that really caught my
eye. It was beautiful to look at the day that I bought it, but once I
stopped cleaning it on a regular basis, it became ugly and dirty. Now
it's pretty ugly overall, and even the best cleaning solutions could
not bring it back to its original condition.
REAL men; we better thank God for a pastor that believes in and
preaches holiness and separation from the world. Ever been to an
Apostolic church that let go of the standard a long time ago? If you
have, you know that it's not a pretty sight. Thank God for our
pastor!!!
The candlestick had seven lamps branching out from it, so many
sockets, in each was a burning and shining light. Does the number
seven strike you as familiar? Read Revelation 1:20 and you'll remember
that the seven golden candlesticks were the seven churches. Matthew
Henry wrote the following in his commentary:
"The Jewish church was but one, and though the Jews that were
dispersed, it is probable, had synagogues in other countries, yet they
were but as so many lamps belonging to one candlestick; but now, under
the gospel, Christ is the centre of unity, and not Jerusalem, or any
one place; and therefore seven particular churches are represented,
not as seven lamps, but as seven several golden candlesticks, Rev.
1:20.
This candlestick had one bowl, or common receiver, on the top, into
which oil was continually dropping, and from it, by seven secret
pipes, or passages, it was diffused to the seven lamps, so that,
without any further care, they received oil as fast as they wasted it
(as in those which we call fountain-ink-horns, or fountain-pens); they
never wanted, nor were ever glutted, and so kept always burning clear.
And the bowl too was continually supplied, without any care or
attendance of man; for (v. 3) he saw two olive-trees, one on each side
the candlestick, that were so fat and fruitful that of their own
accord they poured plenty of oil continually into the bowl, which by
two larger pipes (v. 12) dispersed the oil to smaller ones and so to
the lamps; so that nobody needed to attend this candlestick, to
furnish it with oil (it tarried not for man, nor waited for the sons
of men), the scope of which is to show that God easily can, and often
does, accomplish his gracious purposes concerning his church by his
own wisdom and power, without any art or labour of man, and that
though sometimes he makes use of instruments, yet he neither needs
them nor is tied to them, but can do his work without them, and will
rather than it shall be undone."
I have often wondered why God placed a perfect gospel in the hands of
imperfect people. There's a fictitious story that goes like this:
When Jesus ascended into heaven after leaving His gospel in the hands
of the apostles, the angels gathered around and asked Him some
questions. Among them was the common question, "Is this it? You went
to earth, died, and rose again, and now you're going to leave it in
the hands of these men? What if they fail?" Jesus looked at them and
responded, "I have no other plan."
This is just a story, but its dead truth. Now, let's examine the next
few verses of scripture with this in mind.
Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest
thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. Then he answered and
spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel,
saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD
of hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt
become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with
shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.
Brethren, I write this with tears in my eyes. I can't understand why
God, who is perfect, blameless, sinless, all powerful, all knowing,
and absolutely sinless, would allow this gospel to be proclaimed by
men who were born in sin and shaped in iniquity. Oh, how merciful and
gracious is our God! (vv 5,6)
If you read nothing else, please read this next sentence. No matter
what you accomplish in life, don't ever forget that you could do
nothing without the power of God working in you! "Not by might, nor by
power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." In the English
Bible, this name for God is translated, "LORD of hosts." This name for
God is used to describe His power and majesty. A host is a number so
great, that it cannot be numbered by men. Therefore brethren, we don't
serve a God that just leads 12 angels around like Santa Clause, but
our God commands an innumerable number of angels that are at His every
beck and call. But notice what the next verse says:
Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a
plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings,
crying, Grace, grace unto it.
How was Zerubbabel so powerful? (v7)
The reason that mountains would fall before this man was because he
recognized his place in life. He knew it wasn't by his own might and
power that the mountains would fall, but He knew that God could do
anything.
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and
let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the
Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall
raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven
him.
He didn't say, "Your prayer of faith shall raise them up", no, but
thank God he wrote, "The Lord shall raise them up." James 5:14-15
You'll never receive anything from God until you realize that the
power is not in your flesh, but it's in the one that created that
flesh. There's a song that says, "It's not about us, but it's about
Jesus." Your faith alone will not accomplish anything. God is the one
who holds the power, but you must also realize that he dwells inside
of you. That's why Paul wrote, "Now unto him that is able to do
exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the
power that worketh in us". The power that you need for your miracle
dwells inside of you. Believe that with all of your heart and
recognize the potential that you have.
REAL men, let's walk into our world today with a renewed determination
to rely on God. Just remember to watch out for falling dirt, because
when you get a revelation of the Spirit that dwells inside of you,
your mountains are going to fall!
Jordan Mills
