Last month on Saturday July 17, 2010, I introduced this series on the Letters to the seven churches in Asia Minor by quoting chapters 2 and 3 and the end of chapter 1 on the seven churches. The passages were lengthy so I decided to devote a full post on just scripture alone. Now, I'm officially beginning the series on the Letters to the Seven Churches in Asia Minor. Today's post will begin the introduction to the series. For the seven Sundays following today, I will be featuring one of the churches each Sunday until I conclude with Laodecia, which is the last church Jesus addresses.
The letters to the seven churches are a distinct unit of seven within the book of Revelation. Other sevenfold units are the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven bowls of God's wrath. Since the number seven denotes completeness the seven letters form a whole unit which has a message to the church universal. There are more than seven churches in Asia, but Jesus addressed these particular seven. In Revelation 1:11 John is commandd to write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodecia. In verse 13 we see Christ among the lampstands, that is the seven churches, and in the letters we find out what he observed as he walks among the seven churches (2:1). Our Lord is one who walks among the churches and sees their deeds both good and bad. The seven churches represent the different imperfections that are likely to be found in individual churches in different localities and at different times. The churches give us a template which we can measure our churches in order to see our weaknesses and strengths, he also gives us the remedy for our deficiencies.
In this section God is judging His church in order to purify it from sin within so that it will not be condemned along with the world (I Corinthians 11:32). There was a warning in Revelation 18:4 to come out of Babylon lest we share in her sins and her judgment. This judgment is depicted later in the sections of the seven trumpets, the seven bowls, the judgment of the harlot and the day of judgment. Pergamos is warned about the Balaamite teaching concerning idolatry and immorality, Thyatira is warned about the false prophet Jezebel who misleads the church into idolatry and immorality. Laodecia claims it's rich in goods but actually it is poor, but we find that those whom the Lord loves he rebukes and chastens. God is warning the church because the world is infiltrating the church, but later the seven trumpets are warnings to the world to repent of its idolatry and its results which include sexual immorality.
Smyrna and Philadelphia are both troubled by false Jews who slander her, later we find the 144,000 who are sealed by God to protect them from the seven trumpets, these are the true Jews, the Israel of God, who we later see as a great multitude . Smyrna is warned that a period of Satanic testing is coming and they must be faithful unto death and in Revelation 12:17 we find Satan making war against the saints and in chapter 13 we find that the beast from the sea making war against the saints and conquering them. Ephesus was sound in doctrine and persevered under hardship, neither the world or persecution was the problem. Consequently, they had lost their first love, for christ and each other and had therefore almost became sub-Christian. There was a lack of love in the church of Ephesus. John makes clear in his first epistle that love is to be the essential response to God 's love. John penned down that whoever loves God must love his brother. The members were to love each other. The church in Sardis was on the verge of death and was hardly in a position to withstand attack from the world and its values. The church in Laodecia was also in danger of receiving the world's values. The letters follow a general sevenfold pattern:
1. A greeting. To the angel of the church.
2. A reference to Christ's self designation from Rev. 1:12-19.
3. A commendation. I know your deeds. (except Laodecia and Pergamos)
4. A rebuke if applicable (except in case of Smyrna and Philadelphia)
5. A charge to repent or a warning.
6. A call to hear. Hence the phrase, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches".
7. A promise. The phrase "To him who overcomes" followed by a reference to a reward mentioned laer in Revelation.
Rewards for those who overcome involve a share in Christ himself:
1. Will eat of the tree of life watered by the river of life whose source is Christ.
2. Will receive the hidden manna which is Christ the true bread which comes down from Heaven.
3. Will share in Christ's authority over the nations.
4. Will walk with Christ dressed in white.
5. Will write on him my new name.
6. Will sit with Christ on his throne.
Lastly, I'm going to give a short summary of the condition of the churches described in Revelation chapters 2 and 3.
Smyrna - Materially poor but spiritually rich, enduring affliction, slandered and persecuted.
Philadelphia - Open door, little strength, kept his word, had not denied his name, endured patiently.
Ephesus - Hard work, perseverance, have not grown weary, cannot tolerate wicked men but had lost their love.
Pergamos - Live where Satan has his throne, Antipas was martyred, remain true to his name did not renounce their faith, but some hold to teaching of Balaam.
Thyatira - Have growing love and faith but tolerate the false teaching of Jezebel.
Sardis - Reputation of being alive but spiritually dead. Wake-up call.
Laodecia - Lukewarm, materially rich but spiritually poor, blind and naked. About to be spewed out.
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