The Greatest Threat to the Lord’s Church
“Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent” (Revelation 2:5).
The candlestick had a long Old Testament history. In Hebrew, the word for candlestick is “menorah.” It was originally commissioned by God to be used in the tabernacle. “And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made” (Exodus 25:31a). It was placed on the southern wall of the holy place just outside the veil that separated this area from the holy of holies (Exodus 26:35). The light was to be perpetually lit (Leviticus 24:4).
In 606 B.C., the candlestick was carried off into captivity by the Babylonians (Jeremiah 52:19). The next we read of it is from the pen of the priest Zechariah who describes it in a vision (Zechariah 4:1-6). He asks an angel what it means and the angel replies: “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” (Zechariah 4:6).
This imagery is drawn upon in the Revelation. “And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle” (Revelation 1:12-13). “The seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches” (Revelation 1:20).
A candlestick is a confluence of several things: the source of light, the flame, and the light itself. Within the symbolism of the candlestick is a confluence of several spiritual things: God’s truth, God’s Spirit, God’s church. All must be present for the candlestick to fulfill its purpose. Neither God’s Spirit nor God’s truth can fail, but the church may, should she stop being the pillar and ground of God’s truth (1 Timothy 3:15).
We must take the undesired prospect of the Lord’s removing Ephesus’ candlestick seriously. Just as it was once removed by the forces of Babylon, the removal of the candlestick denotes God’s people’s failure to practice God’s truth, the subsequent apostasy of God’s people, and the consequential removal of God’s Spirit. The Lord cannot abide in fellowship with those who have ceased living by His will.
The prospect of a church ceasing to be the Lord’s church is worthy of lamentation; it is, nevertheless, possible. Of the many dangers that threaten the church, the greatest of these dangers comes not from without, but from within; not even from amongst “other” members, but within the individual.
It matters not who I am: member, song leader, preacher, youth worker, deacon, or elder. Truth must be applied to my life first and foremost. When my attitudes or actions become skewed from the Lord’s truth, I am the greatest threat to His church.