Seven Churches in Revelation: Study help

Church & verses	Characteristics Of Jesus	Characteristics Of church location	Commendation	Problem	Solution
Ephesus; 2:1-7	Holds the seven stars	Temple of Diana, Wonder of the World. Sexual pagan worship. On Coast but now inland. John’s home church.	Works, labor, patience, intolerance of false teachers,	You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen!	Repent and do the things you did at first.
Smyrna; 2:8-11	First and Last, resurrected	Center of emperor worship. Wealthy city; road of gold	Godliness under persecution	Will undergo even worse persecution	Be faithful and you will get a crown of life
Pergamum; 2:12-17	Wields the two-edge sword (symbolic of the word, judgment)	Temple to Aesculapius (snake). People came for healing; massive library	Endurance under persecution	Sexual sin in the church (doctrine of Balaam) and error of Nicolaitans (priesthood, levels) which God hates	Repent of these sins or be visited with “the sword of My mouth.”
Thyatira; 2:18-29 *longest	Eyes like a flame of fire, feet like fine brass (holiness, purification) I am the one who searches the minds and hearts	Fabric dyeing center. Temple of female oracle with fortune telling business	Works, love, faith, service, patience	Woman prophetess who has too much power; problem of female-centered worship	The prophetess did not repent and was still followed, judgment coming to those involved with her but not all the church
Sardis, 3:1-6	He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars (references to Old Testament) The Spirit of the LORD; wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge; fear of the LORD	City on a slope; in past, it had been left undefended and was conquered		You have a reputation for being alive but are dead; your works are not complete	Repent or I will come upon you like a thief and you don’t know when. The faithful will be rewarded. (People are in the “church” who are not believers.)
Philadelphia; 3:7-13	Holy, true, and in control of revelation	Frequently subject to earthquakes and residents had to flee	Faithfulness	None; they will be kept from the coming judgment of whole world	References to end of Revelation
Laodicea; 3:14-22	The Amen, Faithful and True Witness, and Beginning of  God’s creation	Waters from hot springs and water from cold springs but no water source; eye salve; wealthy; black sheep (garments white)	None, but He does love them like a parent and will rebuke and discipline	Lukewarm (compromising and thus ineffective in witness), dependent on wealth, not seeing their sin and truth	Open the door.

 

 

Each letter has the same framework:

1.     To the angel (messenger, pastor)

2.     Write (command to John)

3.     A characteristic of the source of the letter, Jesus Christ

4.     Jesus says, I KNOW

5.     A commendation or comfort (some, not all)

6.     An indictment or call to repent, warning, consequences

7.     Listen to the Spirit “He who has ears to heart…”

8.     Promise of deliverance to those who overcome the present age/persecution

 

Why these churches?

·       In Eastern Asia Minor (Turkey). Largely Gentile. Had been around a while. Some are mentioned in Acts or Paul’s letters: Thyatira, Ephesus, Laodicea. Read page 381 and 386 from Cross & Crown.  

·       In cities on a major postal route. Could get from one to the next in one day’s walk.

·       All had temples related to the Imperial Cult (worship of Caesar as the supreme god) or sexual practices in pagan temples. Thus, all were living in hostile cultures.

·       One interpretation says these churches represent time periods in history of church from first century to now. I don’t think so.

·       They are all real churches (or church communities in a city, since everyone meeting in one building wasn’t the case) with real problems related to persecution, compromise, wealth, sexual sin, divisions in the church, leadership. They have things in common but have specific issues going on.

 

Lessons from Laodicea:

Very focused on their particular culture and situation

Very much like today’s American church; wealthy, self-satisfied, nothing about persecution

Mistaken meanings:

                  Lukewarm.

Not saying cold is good and hot is bad or vice versa.

Saying they are neither healing or refreshing due to compromise and watering down the message of Jesus.

How do we water it down?

I stand at the door and knock.

For the church, not individuals (although there is application). For believers, not unbelievers, in context.

Should remind of Jesus’ parables about the master being gone and coming back. Readiness for His return. “The Laodicean church had shut the door on the Head of the church; they were smug in their prosperity, but Jesus was left standing in the cold. He was an outsider to the hearts of the entire congregation.” (Got Questions.org)

                                   

Takeaway: Enjoy fellowship with Jesus more than going through the motions of study and work. “I’m coming back to the heart of worship.”