Revelation 1:20

Jesus Christ then interpreted the meaning of some of the symbolic things John had seen. They were mysteries, revelations previously unclear until the Lord interpreted them for John. The seven stars represented the messengers of the seven churches. These may have been their angelic guardians. [Note: Swete, p. 22; Smith, pp. 57-58; Ladd, p. 35; Beale, p. 217.] Some interpreters have taken these angels as expressions of the prevailing spirit that characterized each church. [Note: E.g. Morris, p. 57; Mounce, p. 82.] Others view them as the human representatives or leading elders (pastors) of these churches, though "angel" is a strange term to describe an elder. These were probably men such as Epaphroditus, Tychicus, and Onesimus, who went to Rome to visit Paul in prison and carried messages from him to churches (Philippians 4:18; Colossians 4:7-9). Such representatives may have come to Patmos to visit John and could have carried Revelation back with them to their respective congregations. [Note: Thomas, Revelation 1-7, pp. 116-19. See my comments on 2:1.] The Greek word angeloi ("angels") frequently refers to human messengers (e.g., Matthew 11:10; Luke 7:24; Luke 9:52; 2 Corinthians 8:23; James 2:25).

The lampstands figuratively supported the corporate witness of the Christians in each church as they lived in a dark world (cf. 1 Timothy 3:15).

God interpreted many of the symbols He used in Revelation elsewhere in Scripture. Correct interpretation of this book, therefore, depends on knowledge of the rest of God’s previously given revelation. This is also true of every other book of the Bible but to a lesser degree.