There is a pattern and purpose in the letters to the seven churches that are left for us in Revelation 2 & 3. The purpose is timeless like all scripture. It had a specific purpose in addressing real churches in the past. It has a present purpose in teaching us today. It will have a future purpose in instructing and encouraging the churches of the last days, near the return of Christ. Perhaps, this will be the case for us.
The first of the letters is addressed to the church at Ephesus. (Rev. 2:1-7) Jesus Christ gives a description of some of His attributes at the beginning of each letter. This has a specific purpose in fitting both the need and hope of the church addressed. No one person or church can truly focus on all of the Lord's attributes at any given time. There is a need to focus on Him at all times, but on particular attributes depending on our circumstances. The church at Ephesus could be encouraged by the fact that they (as well as the other churches) and their angel were in Jesus hands. This would be critical to helping them overcome their one difficulty, leaving their "first love".
The church at Ephesus was doing a number of things well.
- works
- labor
- patience
- unwilling to bear (accept) those who claimed to be apostles, but were liars
(this would be a serious problem for the church of Thyatira)
- born afflictions (for the cause of Christ)
- patience (in difficulty)
- for Jesus' Name sake had continued in their labors without giving up
- and finally, they hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which advocated sexual immorality in the form of adultery and fornications.
However, there was one problem...they had left their first love (vs. 4). It would seem that this must mean their love and concern for each other, as the above listed good works would have been impossible without a deep and abiding love for Jesus Himself. This was His "new commandment" to us in Jn. 13:34-35.
As is the pattern in each of the letters, the Lord gives a promise to those who will overcome. These are meant to be gifts to inspire hope and encouragement in the churches, to help them to overcome the obstacles before them. The encouragement here to the church of Ephesus is that if they overcome, they will eat of the Tree of Life which lies in the middle of the Paradise of God. The Tree of Life is a real tree which we will partake of in Heaven.
One thing we must all be aware of is that for all believers in every church, there will be things which we must overcome. This not in our own power, but in the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. However, something to be overcome will indeed be a trial of great difficulty. That these trials come should not surprise us or make us think we are failing in service or ministry. These trials are for our good. (2 Cor. 8:2, 1 Pet. 1:7, 4:12-13)
The second letter is to the church at Smyrna. (Rev. 2:8-11) Here Christ present that He is the Resurrection and the Life (Jn. 11:25), that He is the One who has the power to overcome death itself. This is encouragement for the small and persecuted church we see at Smyrna.
He notes these attributes in their favor...
- works
- tribulation (suffering)
- poverty (but they are rich spiritually)
- suffered blasphemy at the hands of the Jews who reject Jesus as Messiah
The Lord offers encouragement to some in the church at Smyrna who will suffer tribulation, even unto death (vs. 10). Those who are willing to suffer this will be given a crown of life. Only He who had overcome death would have the power and authority to give the crown of life.
The encouragement to the overcomers in vs. 11 is that those who do will not be hurt of the second death, the spiritual death that is everlasting. (Is. 66:24, Mk. 9:44)
It should encourage us that as in Rev. 2:11 and as to the other churches, the encouragement for overcomers is to "the churches", which we should boldly take as encouragement for us today.
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| Johns vision on Patmos |
The third letter is to the church at Pergamos. (Rev. 2:12-17) Here Christ presents that He is the One with "sharp sword with two edges". This denotes the word of God (Heb. 4:12) with which the Lord will Himself judge the nations at Armageddon. (Is. 11:4, Rev. 19:15, 21) This is also what the church at Pergamos most needs to focus on.
The good deeds of the church here include....
- good works
- held fast the Lord's name
- not denied their faith in Him when Antipas, a member was martyred
There was a problem in the church however. The "doctrine of Balaam" had been introduced, which we know from Num. 24 & 25 was the teaching of the prophet Balaam to Balak, King of Moab. Moab wanted Israel cursed, but the Lord would not permit Balaam to do so. Balaam then gave Balak the idea of sending young women from his tribe to seduce the young men of Israel. In turn, the men of Israel began to worship the Moabite idols, and idol worship would be a problem for Israel for the next thousand years. This helps explain the "Satan's seat" description in vs. 13. Pergamos was famous for their temple to Aesculapius, the god of healing.
The children of God in Pergamos had fallen into the sins of fornication and eating things sacrificed to idols, no doubt from accepting some degree of idol worship. The doctrine of Jesus Christ is pure, simple, completely holy and without fault. Anything added to it or taken away is corruption and must be dealt with. This led to the final warning about accepting the way of the Nicolaitans, which involved sexual immorality.
In vs. 16 He advises them to repent, lest they find themselves fighting against the Lord Himself. The hope and offer to those that overcome is "hidden manna" and a new name written on a white stone. The manna represents the Bread of Life (Jn. 6:35) which is Jesus Himself, and the new name is indeed an amazing honor put forth, a name testifying to our eternal standing and purpose forever with God.
The fourth church is the church at Thyatira. (Rev. 2:18-29) Here Christ speaks of His eyes like a flame of fire and his feet of fine brass. The brass in scripture represents something tried in the fire that has come forth pure and holy. This purity and holiness would be needed by Thyatira for the struggle at hand.
The Lord lists these things that the church in Thyatira was doing well...
- deeds (good works)
- love
- faith
- service
- perseverance
- deeds growing greater, signifying spiritual growth
There was a problem in the church at Thyatira. They permitted a woman here symbolically called Jezebel, who described herself as a prophetess (as though she spoke directly from the Lord) to lead the people astray into fornication and partaking of things sacrificed to idols.
Jezebel was the wife of King Ahab, King of Israel. She introduced extreme forms of idolatry to Israel, even going so far as to try and slay all the prophets of the Lord in Israel (1 Kings 18:13). She would stand for all time as a symbol of wickedness connected to idolatry. So, the church at Thyatira, instead of trying and throwing out this false prophetess (as we read of the church in Ephesus doing) had allowed her to stay and spread her false teachings. This should never be allowed in any church, ever.
The church is warned that she and her followers will be dealt with harshly, even unto death. However, the rest of the church had endured enough, and would be encouraged only to hold fast until the Lord did come. To those who did hold fast, they would be given power to rule with Christ Jesus over all the nations (Ps. 2:8-9, Ps. 149:5-9) and the morning star, which is none other than Jesus Christ Himself (Rev. 22:16).
The fifth church is the church at Sardis. (Rev. 3:1-6) Here Christ reminds them that He is the One who holds the seven Spirits of God (Rev. 5:12 for what the seven Spirits are) and the seven stars (angels of the churches). This is a warning to the church at Sardis that they stand in danger of losing that part of the Lord Himself that is most precious.
The only positive thing mentioned for the church of Sardis is they have begun some good works, but we read in Rev. 3:2 that their works are "imperfect", that is incomplete or done from impure motives. These works fall short of God's standard.
Sardis is one of two churches (Laodicea being the second) that are short of positive qualities and in severe difficulty as a body. Sardis does not have a specific problem troubling it like the symbolic figures of Jezebel, Balaam and the Nicolaitans mentioned earlier. It simply has a name in the world but nothing spiritually to support that name. In addition, it's good works fall short of any merit in the Kingdom. (Read 1 Cor. 3:11-15 for the measure by which all works of the church will be judged.)
The Lord warns the church of Sardis that if they don't repent and watch, He will come upon them like a thief. As we read in 1 Th. 5:1-11, the Lord will come in that way upon the world that is not awake and looking for Him in the last days. The true and faithful church will not be taken by surprise at the Lord's return, as they "walk in the light", and will be prepared. Do not be fooled by modern-day religious myths. The children of God are instructed to know the time and the seasons of the Lord's return and to be prepared. (Matt. 24:32-33, 44-47) We will not know the "day and the hour", but we will know enough to walk in the light (1 Th. 5:4-5).
Sardis is noted for having "some" who have not soiled their garments (with things and ways of the world). To those who overcome, the Lord will give white garments, symbolic of His righteousness, and He will leave their name in the Book of Life, where all believers have their names written.
The sixth church is the church of Philadelphia. (Rev. 3:7-13) To the church of Philadelphia Christ presents Himself as the One who is holy, true, has the key of David (representing the right to rule) and opens doors that no one can shut, shuts doors that no one can open. He decides the way, the times, the opportunities, the direction of the lives of the faithful.
The Lord begins by noting their deeds, but then quickly notes their great faithfulness with the little that they had been given. Perhaps little in power, little in numbers, little in money, but certainly not little in faithfulness. They have kept His word and not denied His name (in persecutions and testimony). One of their persecutors, the "synagogue of Satan", those who believe they are favored due to their birth as Jews will actually worship (Jesus) before them and be made to know that He loves them (the church) unconditionally.
Because the church here has kept the word of the Lord in great patience of trials, He will keep them from the hour of testing that will come upon "all the world". This is clearly a prophetic reference for the trials that the faithful church will be delivered from in the future.
The great promises here in overcoming include becoming a pillar of God who shall dwell eternally in the Presence of God, having written upon them the Name of God, the Name of New Jerusalem and Jesus new Name. What incredible riches await the faithful believer that forevermore follow the way of the church of Philadelphia!
The final church mentioned here is the church of Laodicea. (Rev. 3:14-22) Here Jesus presents His attributes of being the Amen (eternal truth), the Faithful and True witness and the Beginning of creation. This addresses the immediate spiritual needs of the those of this church, who desperately need the full truth of God as well as His power to create. (This last reference may also refer to many in the churches today who have denied that the Lord did indeed create the world as He said in Genesis.)
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| Jesus knocks on the door of the lukewarm church |
There are no positives for the church of Laodicea. Their deeds are "lukewarm", and they think they are rich (in goods) but are spiritually poor, miserable, wretched, blind and naked. Not good. Worldly wealth is NEVER a measure of spiritual strength or blessing. Faithfulness, obedience and the fruits of the Spirit are evidence of spiritual strength and God's blessing. Jesus' did say "blessed are the poor" (Lk. 6:20) but never "blessed are the rich". Wealth is perhaps the deadliest of all worldly temptations, leading believers astray into every manner of ungodly habit and behavior through laziness and sloth. There are wealthy Christians faithful to God, but they are rare. They are full of zeal, discipline and sacrifice. There are abundantly more poor who will enter by the narrow way.
The Lord is very direct with this church. First, they must be zealous. Zealous is intense, passionate, fiery hot. This is the antidote to lukewarmness. The second thing is to repent of their ways. They must turn from their love of wealth and worldly things to follow the words and ways of the Lord. This is the way of Life eternal.
Rev. 3:19-20 gives hope to even the most back-slidden believer. The Lord chastens those He loves, and He stands at the door and knocks. All we have to do is open the door of our heart to Him. Here lies the answer to salvation, to zeal, to repentance. To let Jesus Christ enter and rule in our hearts and minds. Rev. 3:20 is one of the great witnessing verses in all of scripture.
The church of Laodicea can buy the holy garments they have need of to be clothed in their nakedness, but they must be obtained by going through the fire (1 Pet. 1:7). This fiery trial of faith is quite difficult, but all things are possible through Christ Jesus our Lord. Their is hope even for the arrogant, bloated, prideful church.
The great promise here to the church is that if they can overcome, they will be allowed to sit on the very throne of Jesus Christ, from which He will rule as Lord of Lords and King of Kings. What a lasting and exciting promise to encourage believers in the trials and hardships they may face.
For guidance and encouragement in overcoming the trials you will face, read Romans 8:31-39 and 12:21.
