Tag Archives: 7 Churches

Daniel and Revelation, Reasons to Believe

REVELATION-THE AUDIENCE

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Overview

Of utmost importance in reading the messages to the seven churches is grasping how they should be understood and to whom they are addressed.  The book’s contents indicate a particular time and place (The Seven Churches in Asia Minor).  Nevertheless, in Revelation 1:19, it states it is also prophetical

“Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now, and what will take place later.” Revelation 1:19

It can be said that the messages were for both the churches at that time but also for those who would come after, particularly those in the last days. Interestingly, the letters have an additional application for the different modern churches and individuals.  As you are reading, you may see yourself in one of the churches. All of the messages end on a very personal level,


“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Revelation 3:22

Notice, the plural is not used, but instead, John uses the singular.  It doesn’t say “ears,” but rather “ear.”  Each person should therefore read as it talks to you directly.  While the message is to a congregation, it does no good if we look at the message as applying to someone else.

Layers of Application

The beautiful aspect of these seven “letters” and their audience is the layers of application. We have seen above that one layer is the literal churches of Asia Minor. Next, we must keep in mind if it is prophetical.  Third, the messages can be for almost any modern church. There are examples of the kinds of things that can go wrong in any church.  Finally, and the most important, is the message to the individual.  After all, the body of Christ is not limited to buildings and denominations.  A congregation made of solid and committed followers of Christ individuals will result in a robust and productive church for servitude.

The messages were not sent out separately but rather as a whole book.  This indicates the value of each church reading and understanding the trials of each congregation.  Here is where empathy (not judgment) can go a long way to “enduring to the end.”

But there is still yet another layer of application dealing with its prophetical message of “…what will take place later.”

The History of The Church

We live in a modern society where there are attempts to destroy history because of the bad things that have happened years ago. If this is the reason for killing history, little history would remain.

Memorials of the past are judged by whether they were pure or not.   But individuals and organizations are more effective if they can objectively look back and appreciate the struggles and mistakes of those who went before us.  One writer suggested the importance of learning from the past in these words. 

“We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us and His teaching in our past history.” E. G. White

The writing of the entire Bible is based on learning from the journey of God’s people, both the good and the bad, to not only learn but to have hope.

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide, we might have hope. Rom 15:4

Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.1 Corinthians 10:6

God has laid out an underlying revelation of how the church would fare during different points of history.  The book of Revelation claims to be a prophecy and must be approached as prophecy and messages to churches and individuals (1:3, 22:7, 10, 18-19).  Like bookends, Revelation starts with the prophetic platform and ends with the same (1:3, 22:7, 10, 18, 19)

And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. 

Revelation 22:10

Therefore, it is appropriate to view the messages to the seven churches as prophetical for John’s perspective. Here is another layer that many Christians would like to avoid because it forces us to see the bad things done in the name of Christ throughout the aging of the church.  At the time John wrote the letters, the course of the church was unknown to him.  But God knew the trials yet to come for His people. Despite the trials and tribulation, it gives us hope for the future of God’s people.  We must remember, these messages didn’t come from John. They came from God the Father.

As we get deeper into the study of Revelation and begin to look back at the history of the church, we will see there are seven eras in church history as symbolized by the characteristics of each of the seven churches:

ChurchEra
Ephesus1st Century of Christian Era
SmyrnaPersecution of the 2nd and 3rd centuries
PergamumChurch of Compromised 4th and 5th centuries
ThyatiraMiddle ages
SardisReformation and Post-Reformation
PhiladelphiaMissionary movements of the late 18th century
LaodiceaEnd of time church

Summary

The messages to the churches are multi-dimensional.  It has layers of information and application.  First to the believers for which it was originally written (inclusive of all the churches in the area not addressed in the book: [Colossae (Col 1:2) Hierapolis (Col. 4:13), Troas (Acts 20:5, 2 Cor. 2:22) And Miletus (Acts 20:17)]

Next, the message is for all churches of all ages, but particularly for those at the end of time. Most importantly it is for individuals (those who have an ear), regardless of the organized church they associate with or identify themselves. Lastly, it gives us a two-thousand-year-old history of the challenges of the church from John’s time to ours. By looking backwards, we can see clearer those things “yet to come.”

Prophecies for Our Time

Prophecies For Our Time-He That Has An Ear, Listen Closely!

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He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.

Revelation 2:7

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If you have an ear (I think that is all of us), then there is a message for you and me in all of the seven churches of Revelation 2. For these messages to be effective in our Jesus Journey, we should  understand it is not for those who are unbelievers for it is to “the churches.”  This is the body of people who made a commitment to Jesus and started their own Jesus Journey. But, as many of us have experienced, the journey is not always smooth.  We make mistakes, we sin, we get side-tracked.

Do you think Jesus is interested in making our experience with Him the absolute best it can be?  Is it critical if we limp along in our experience? What happens if we are not victorious and the sinful man in us dominates our spiritual walk?

Are there things in our life that we are doing that tarnishes our witness for Him?  Are we willing to let Jesus tell us where we fall short and then to follow His council?  If we are one of those followers who is content with our weekly attendance of church for a spiritual boost and we don’t have a desire to grow in our daily experience, then these messages will be boring  and not applicable.

A friend of mine once told me that “going to church doesn’t make you a Christian even as going to a garage does not make you a mechanic.” 

If I feel I am “rich and have need of nothing,” then my time is better spent enjoying my reward on earth for the short time assigned to me.  But if I feel that soft knocking of Jesus at the door of the heart’s door, then I will see and feel the message Jesus has for me and all of us who profess the name of Jesus and call ourselves Christian.  Are you ready?  Let’s HEAR and DO what the Spirit has to say to the churches so that we might be Overcomers together in Christ.

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Hear, Do, and Overcome

Last time, we saw clearly that Revelation is a revealing of Jesus.  If we fail to see Jesus in its pages, we have missed the whole point of this book and even the Bible itself.

In Chapter 2, the theme continues.  The message that John was instructed to write to the 7 literal churches was not just for them.  This truth is revealed to us in the opening verse (See above).  Everyone (anyone with an ear) is to hear.  Of course, hearing is only part of the message.  To hear and not to react is a worthless exercise:

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;  for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

James 1: 22-25

Did you notice that to hear only and not do the word creates self-deception.  We worry about others being deceived, but we can deceive ourselves if we are not doing (obeying) what we hear.  In fact, if we fail to “do” or obey, our walk in the light is hindered and we will understand less and less of God’s word.

Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.

John 12:35

How can anyone say that obedience is not what is expected of those who would claim to be followers of Jesus?  How can “overcoming” not be the expectation in a life in Christ?

Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

Revelation 1:3

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Four Points to Seven Churches

As we read the messages to the churches, we see a pattern in the approach of Jesus:

1.) God’s recognition of their accomplishments or their character.

2.) God pointing out something lacking in their experience.

3.) Council for their  shortfall/sin and an encouragement.

4.)  The reward for overcoming.

Study this chart.  Perhaps you will see yourself in one of the churches.

Church Name Description of Jesus Compliment Jesus’ Observation and Council Outcome if  council not followed Reward for overcoming
Ephesus Holds 7 stars in right hand and walks among the candlesticks Works, labor, patience, can’t bear those who are evil. Tested false apostles. Persevered, patience, labored and not weary. Left First love. Remember where fell from. Repent and return to your first love. Lampstand removed from its place.  I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”’
Smyrna First and The Last. Was dead and came to life. Works, tribulation, poverty, blasphemy of those pretending to be Jews Do not fear suffering. You will be tested in prison. It will last for 10 days. Be faithful even unto death None given! Crown of Life
Pergamos Has the sharp two-edged sword Works. Even dwelling were Satan’s throne is. Despite this, they hold fast to His name and don’t deny His faith. Some hold to the doctrine of Balaam. He taught Balak to put a stumbling block before God’s people so that they disobeyed God and became sexually immoral and disregarding God’s instructions. Some hold to the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. Repent! Come to you quickly and fight against them with the sword of His mouth Give some of the hidden manna to eat. A white stone with a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.
Thyatira Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire and feet like fine brass. Works, love, service, faith, and patience. Last works are more than the first! Allow Jezebel to teach and seduce. Commit sexual immorality eat things sacrified to idols. He gave her time to repent and did not! Repent and hold fast what you have till He comes Cast into a sickbed, Great tribulation . Will kill her children with death. Give to each one of you according to your works. Power over the nations. The gift of the morning star.
Sardis Has 7 Spirits of God and 7 stars Works that are not perfect, have a name, are alive, but dead. Be watchful and strengthen things which remain, that are ready to die.  Works are not perfect. Hold fast and repent. Few names not defiled their garments Will come upon you as a thief Shall walk with Me in white.  Will be clothed in white garments. Will not blot out his name from the Book of Life Confess His name before My Father and before His angels.
Philadelphia He who is holy and true. Has the key of David. He opens and no one shuts, shuts and no one opens. Works. Have a little strength, have kept My word and not denied My name. Have kept His command to persevere. Will keep you from the hour of trial that comes upon the whole earth. Hold fast to what you have that no one may take your crown. those of the synagogue of Satan…will make them worship before your feet. To know that I have loved you. Will keep you from the hour of trial that will come upon the whole world. Will make him a pillar in the temple of My God.  Will not go out anymore. Will write on him the name of My God and the name of His city and a new name
Laodicea Amen, Faithful and True Witness. Beginning of the creation of God. Works.  Rich, wealthy and have need of nothing! Neither cold nor hot. Wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. Buy gold refined in the fire. Buy white garments, anoint your eyes that you might see . Will vomit out of My mouth. Sit with Him on His throne.

 

Did you see yourself in any of these message?  Is your congregation like one of them or a combination?  Most important, are you willing to hear and do what Jesus directs to overcome those things Jesus points out as “(He) has against you?

It is with love and compassion that Jesus clearly identifies where we are in our Jesus Journey.  Just over the hilltop is the reward He brings with Him when he returns.  He does not wish that any should perish, but for all to come to repentance.  In fact, almost all the churches here in Revelation are instructed to repent.

Repentance is  the first step. As we recognize our need of gold tried in the fire, eye salve, and white garments, we will feel the Holy Spirit encouraging us to repent and turn to Jesus.  You might ask yourself, “Is repentance a one time event?  Is the one that I did at the start of my journey and have never had need since then sufficient?”

Did you notice that Jesus recognizes the good before He give His council?  All of them had works of some sort.  The Smyrna church was being persecuted which meant they were standing fast for the sake of Jesus.  There were no council for them.  I want to be like them!  Don’t you? But, they had tribulation and poverty. Are we willing to give up everything for Him?

Which church was in the worst condition?  Is it like me?  Am I the worse one on the chart?  Have I left my first love, like Ephesus or perhaps my doctrine or teaching is causing the people of God to stumble like the Pergamos church?  Lord, have mercy on me a sinner.

Maybe our experience is like the Laodicea church.  I am neither cold or hot.  Perhaps I am comfortable with my experience and lot in life.  Maybe I consider myself rich and in need of nothing both physically and spiritually.  I go to church each week to be seen and let everyone know how wealthy I am. Perhaps I have all that you need and have worked hard for it, but my experience is lacking in many ways.

Wherever we might find ourself in our walk with Jesus, there is forgiveness and mercy available if we repent and turn and follow him.

Do you feel your need of Jesus today? Can you hear and feel the knocking at the door of your heart?  This is the urging of the Holy Spirit to ask Jesus to come into your life.

If you hear, then do what the Lord urges upon you.  Repent and become an Overcomer to the glory of His name.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

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A final word about Repentance

I have been a follower of Jesus for almost 40 years.  My journey has not been smooth.  I have often seen my need of a closer walk with Jesus and felt the knocking at the door to repent and turn back to Him.  Remember, the messages to the churches are not for the unbelievers, but the ones proclaiming to be followers.

“Repentance includes sorrow for sin and a turning away from it. We shall not renounce sin unless we see its sinfulness; until we turn away from it in heart, there will be no real change in the life.”  

Steps to Christ, Page 23

“There are many who fail to understand the true nature of repentance. Multitudes sorrow that they have sinned and even make an outward reformation because they fear that their wrongdoing will bring suffering upon themselves. But this is not repentance in the Bible sense. They lament the suffering rather than the sin. Such was the grief of Esau when he saw that the birthright was lost to him forever.”

Steps to Christ, page 23

May our great Lord bless you until next time….Eddie

Revelation 3:20