The Seven Churches Of Revelation Intro
The Seven Churches Of Revelation
For the Glory of
God and the Edification of His Church…
Introduction
The
letters are broken up into several levels. The first is that they were actual
churches of their time, and archaeological findings have confirmed this. Since
there were many much bigger churches during this time such as the church at
Jerusalem, Corinth, and Rome, I would have to speculate that these seven Churches
were a cross-cut representation of major issues that all churches may encounter.
The second level are the warnings that Christ gives to the seven churches. Each
of the letters has this very important phrase “Hear
what the Spirit says to the churches”. Notice it is not singular “church” but plural
“churches”, which tells us these messages were for every church in existence
during John’s time. Also, once we understand these messages we can see seven
very distinct profiles of Christianity. The next level is that these messages
are for every Christian and church that has ever existed. Notice he says “He
that hath an ear let him hear…” This tells us that anyone with an “ear” to
“hear” should heed his admonishments to the seven churches. To put this in
perspective, has anyone ever heard a message on a Sunday morning and say “Golly
gee Ma, I wish so-and-so would have been here because she could have really
needs that message”. I know I have, and this is where many of us get in trouble
because they think the messages to the seven churches are for everyone else,
and not ourselves. So as we go through these messages, I pray God will open our
hearts so HE can speak to us. The next level is the prophetic level because if
you study church history you will see that the church went through all the
stages listed in Revelation 2-3. This kind of accuracy cannot be manmade, but
can only be inspired by God. The final level are the promises, however the
promises are not just handed out. Each time a promise is mentioned there is the
condition of “He who overcometh…” Jesus said the same thing in Matthew 24:13
when he said “But he that endure unto THE END, the same shall be saved”. For us
to obtain the end time promises then we must be faithful and overcome everything
that comes our way, even if it means our very lives.
The
next thing about the messages to the seven churches are the key elements of
each message. The first thing we see is the name of the particular church, and
the meaning of the name (along with the message) is very important because it
will set the tone of the letter. The second element is how Jesus “titles”
himself, because each title is chosen specifically for that church (and will
give us more insight to that church). Next, we see how Jesus commends each
church for what they are doing right. This is important, because we can learn a
lot from this alone as parents, employers, and as Christians. The next time you
decide rip someone apart, it would be a good to tell them what they have done
right first. The fourth element are the “admonishments” that he gives each
church. Note that not all churches received rebuke, so understanding why the
ones who didn’t is just as important as understanding why certain churches did.
Next, after rebuking (or in some cases not) we will see that Christ exhorts a
good condition of the church. This helps to rebuild their confidence in what
they are doing correctly. The sixth element in the messages is the promises to
those who overcome (and this could be an eBook all in itself). Not only does
Christ rebuild us after we are admonished, he gives us gifts if we do what he
says!! What a GREAT GOD we serve. The final element is always “He that hath an
ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches”. The hear is not just
to hear it, but to give heed and go what it says. If I said I would give you a
million dollars, but you never acted on it and came and got it, would you have
a million dollars? Not a chance, and this is how we are to receive the messages
to the seven churches.
Jesus
said in Matthew 13:9 “who hath ears to hear, let him hear”, which tells me that
hearing is crucial if we want to follow Christ, but hearing his words is not
enough. “Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will
shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged
deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream
beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded
upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a
foundation built a house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat
vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great”
(Luke 6:47-49). In these perilous times we need a strong foundation, and
nothing is stronger than hearing and doing the Words of Christ.
John and the Last Days
John
wrote the book of Revelations around 95 AD, which was approximately 60 years after
Jesus had ascended into heaven. Both Peter (by crucifixion) and Paul (who was beheaded)
had been killed 30 years prior to the writing of this book, and John was the only
original member of the twelve disciples still alive. John starts out in Revelation
1:3 by telling that “Blessed 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”. So according to John, the time of
Revelation is at hand but this was 2000 years ago. There are three basic
premises as to when the last days started, so we will examine each and see how
they may or may not fit with the word.
The
first position states that the last days started when Jesus started his
ministry. However, this would mean that the last days have been going on for
2000 years which is possible because 2 Peter 3:8 says that “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing,
that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and
a thousand years as one day”. However, if this is the case then why would Jesus
say to the church at Smyrna “These things
saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive”. Apparently, Jesus is
speaking of his death and resurrection so we can easily reason that the last
days could not have started till after he was resurrected and not when he
started his ministry (since he still had the choice whether or not to go the
cross). The second premise states that the last days started when Israel
became a nation (Matthew 24:32-34). Jesus did say that the generation that sees
Israel become a nation WILL be the generation that will see his return so this
position has lots of merit. In addition, Jesus went on to say that “this
generation (the one that sees Israel become a nation) shall not pass, till ALL
these things be fulfilled”. So what things is Jesus talking about? He is
referring to Matthew 24:1-31, which is the tribulation that we as Saints will
go through. Due to these factors, we can say that this position about the last
days is very plausible. Finally, many think
the last days will start sometime after the year 2000 which is the beginning of
the 7th millennium. The number seven means divine perfection,
completeness, or something that is finished so the seventh millennium could
easily be the last days. So which one is right? The following are my views, and
you can agree or disagree with them but this is how I see the last days. I
believe that the last days started when Jesus ascended into heaven. In
addition, I feel that we are THE generation that will see his return because of
Israel becoming a nation again in 1948. Finally, I believe we are in the very
last days because we have entered into the seventh millennium (the year 2000). So
if we are the last generation then we need to figure out how long a generation is.
In
biblical times a generation was all over the board from over 900 years
(pre-flood) all the way down to 38 years, but we need to know what a generation
is in today’s numbers (since we do not live in biblical times). Today the
average life expectancy on average is 68.5 for males and 73.5 for females,
which gives us an average age of 71 years (this is according to the UN World
Population Prospects 2012 revision). So if a generation today is 71 years old,
then the approximate (I am in nowise claiming Jesus is coming back on any date
or year) return year is around 2019 (1948 + 71years). However, I said the
average was 71 which means some people of this generation will live to be much
older so the actual year is speculative. However, as we have seen over the last
6 ½ years, and even more so in the last 7 months the world has gone up in
flames. Things in America that we thought would never happen (gay marriage and
the pursuit to destroy Christianity) has hit this country like a freight train
from hell. All this being said, we can almost certainly say we are in the final
days before our Saviors return so we must be wise virgins and be ready…
Prologue
In
Revelation 1:9-11 John makes it clear where his prophetic vision comes from when
he writes “I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and
patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because
of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. On the Lord’s Day I
was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying,
Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus
and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia
and to Laodicea”. The entire vision was to be sent to each of the seven
churches, so that each church would know how Jesus felt about not just them but
the other churches as well (there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed).
In addition, every church would know about the other churches issues which
would help them so they would not fall into the same traps. Finally, each of
the churches would see the rewards that would be given to those who overcome
and endure until the end. This is something we need to know today because God does
not want us in the dark about what is coming, and he wants all his children to
have access to the same information. Isn’t it interesting that Jesus describes
himself the “First” and the “Last”? The Greek word for “first” is “protos”,
which is where get our modern day word “prototype”. Anyone working in
engineering or design will know that a prototype is the original build or idea,
and sets the bar for everything that comes after it to make sure they conform
to the original. In other words Jesus was OUR prototype of how we are to live,
and yes someday maybe die. Romans 8:29 tells us that “For those God foreknew he
also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be
the firstborn among many brothers” (Romans 8:29). The word “last” comes from
the word “eschatos”, which means the end of the line. This can be viewed as
“Jesus the author and finisher of our faith”, or as Jesus being the highest level
than can be achieved. This being said, we must always pattern ourselves after
Christ, and not each other for an incorrect ruler leads to incorrect
measurements and inaccurate results.
John
said “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his
right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the
Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive
for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. Write, therefore,
what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. The mystery of
the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden
lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and
the seven lampstands are the seven churches (Rev. 1:17-20). In this verse the
Lord divides Revelations into three sections, which are the things John has
seen (chapter 1), what is now (chapters 2 and 3), and those that will take
place later (chapters 4-22). The fact that the Lord is seen standing in the
midst of the seven lampstands shows us that Christ has direct involvement with
the 7 churches, and it is Christ himself who holds the seven stars in his right
hand which speaks of the intimate relationship He has with its leaders. Whether
you see them as the pastors or as angelic messengers, the fact remains that He
has them in the palm of His hand.
The
seven churches in Revelation 2-3 are a great insight into how God views the
Church and Christians today because they were not just written to the churches
of the day, but for anyone that “hath
an ear let him hear”.
The reason these messages are so vital for us today is that we can use them to
measure where we are in Christ, and they act as a warning system in case we are
committing the same transgressions that these churches were. As we all know, we
are in the beginnings of the final tribulations on earth, and soon the wrath of
God will fall on this planet like never before. In the case of the 7 churches
it does not matter if you believe in a Pre, Mid, or Post-Tribulation rapture because
in Revelation 1:3 it says “Blessed 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”. This book is for everyone who is
born of God because “all scripture is given by inspiration of God… that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto
all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). So we as professing Christians need to “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith;
prove your own selves” (2 Corinthians 13:5). As we look at these seven churches
we need to keep our eyes wide open to see what God is telling us, because he
goes into great detail about the issues of each church. In addition, these
“issues” are very much alive in today’s churches so we need to heed the
warnings and see where we are and if there is something that we need to repent
from. The
only real and true way that we can examine ourselves is by using the Word of
God, because it is the ruler that we will be judged by.
As
we read all the letters to the Churches it is imperative that we remember that
in Revelations 1:4 John wrote that “John 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”, or in other words these letters are for everyone that hears
them, not just the seven churches.
I found this to be interesting math …
Paul
signed 13 epistles
Three
of these had "duplicate" addressees: Corinthians, Thessalonians, and
Timothy
So
13 - 3 = 10 addressees.
Of
the remaining 10, three were addressed to individuals: Titus, Timothy, and
Philemon.
So
10 - 3 = 7.
John
wrote to seven churches.
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