One thing you notice when you move from out of state, to Texas, is how popular the flag of the State of Texas is here. Texas flags are everywhere, flying from homes, schools, and businesses — and decorating ice chests and lawn chairs and all kinds of home decor in Walmart. You all may take that for granted here, but it is not like that elsewhere. I’ve lived in several other states, and I don’t think any other state has the kind of pride in the state flag as there is in Texas.
And of course the Texas Flag is very symbolic: the “Lone Star” flag. There is actually a law detailing the specifications of the Texas Flag, and it also interprets the meaning of its colors and symbols. The Texas Flag Code says: “blue stands for loyalty, white for purity, and red for bravery.” The code also states that the single (lone) star “represents ALL of Texas and stands for our unity as one for God, State, and Country”. Most interpreters also say that Lone Star represents the independent spirit of Texans, as well! But the Texas Flag, like many flags, is very symbolic.
And the Book of Revelation is very symbolic as well. There are meaningful symbols all through this book. We see a couple of them in our passage for today. When God gave John the vision of Jesus in Revelation 1, John said in :12, “Having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a Son of Man.” Then in :16 he said, “In His right hand He held seven stars.”
The lampstands and the stars here are symbols, but what do they mean? Thankfully God gives us here in this passage the meaning of both of them. And both of them have something very important to tell us.
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