Angels in book of Revelations

I'm reading the book of revelations and I realized for the first time that Jesus says to each of the churches "To the angel of the church in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergaum" and so on. In chapter 1:20 Jesus says "the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches."

Interestingly, in chapter 1:1 it says "He made it know by sending his angel to his servant John."
But when he goes on describing hos he saw the vision he says in 1:10
"I was in the Spirit of the Lord's day and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet"

Could there be a mistake in the translation?
I don't understand why Jesus says write to the angel in Ephesus. Also, John surely isn't drawing an equal sign between seeing angels and being in the Spirit is he? If not, what could all this mean?

I'm really wondering what this means. Jesus says "to the angel of" so and so church but the content is actually to the believers! Could there be a mistake in the translation? If not, why sending send these letters to the angels?

Here's the Strong's explanation for this word angel.

G32
ἄγγελος
aggelos
ang'-el-os
From ἀγγέλλω aggellō (probably derived from G71; compare G34; to bring tidings); a messenger; especially an “angel”; by implication a pastor: - angel, messenger.

If you look in Thayer's lexicon, he says "messenger from God" among some other things. In the King James Version, it is generally translated as angel but several times translated as "messenger."

The following is a breakdown on Rev 2:1 by Adam Clark, well known and accepted biblical authority and Wesleyan theologian.

Rev 2:1 -
Unto the angel of the Church of Ephesus - By αγγελος, angel, we are to understand the messenger or person sent by God to preside over this Church; and to him the epistle is directed, not as pointing out his state, but the state of the Church under his care. Angel of the Church here answers exactly to that officer of the synagogue among the Jews called שליח ציבור sheliach tsibbur, the messenger of the Church, whose business it was to read, pray, and teach in the synagogue. The Church at Ephesus is first addressed, as being the place where John chiefly resided; and the city itself was the metropolis of that part of Asia. The angel or bishop at this time was most probably Timothy, who presided over that Church before St. John took up his residence there, and who is supposed to have continued in that office till a.d. 97, and to have been martyred a short time before St. John’s return from Patmos.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Adam Clarke, LL.D., F.S.A., (1715-1832)

All for souls,

wta

1The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

2Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

3Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

4John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;

5And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Through out John's journey, he was accompanied by an Angel who showed him things to come. At one point John fell down to worship the Angel, and was rebuked.

John was not asked to write to any Angels. The message coming from Jesus to the Angles given to John to write to the Churches...as we see he did in this epistle called Revelation.

R.G. Benjamin

Revelation 10:1And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:

2And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,

3And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.

4And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

We see here the pattern of communication.

Blessings,

R.G. Benjamin