Seven letters dictated by Jesus to John to seven churches. Some churches received a commendation, heard what His concerns are, how to correct those concerns, a promise to the overcomer and an admonition “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the seven churches.” The seven churches represent the church through the ages and provide examples of good and bad attributes.
Ephesus - The Loveless Church - “my darling”
Smyrna - The Persecuted Church - “myrrh,” death
Pergamus - The Compromising Church – “mixed marriage”
Thyatira - The Corrupt Church - consort of Nimrod, the first world dictator.
Sardis - The Dead Church - “remnant” the denominational church
Philadelphia - The Faithful Church – “brotherly love”
Laodicea - The Lukewarm Church - “the rule of the people.”
The church at Ephesus was so busy bringing people into the Kingdom that they didn’t spend enough time in their devotional life.
The church at Smyrna was pretty much told to hang in there through horrific persecution. Nero even used Christians to light his gardens at night and to entertain the citizens by feeding the Christians to the lions. The Christians at Smyrna had nothing negative said about them. He (Nero and his ilk) that is born once dies twice; he (the people of the Smyrna church) that is born twice dies once.
The church at Pergamus compromised with pagan beliefs such as the doctrine of Balaam. Children were sacrificed to idols; the people ate unfit food and committed acts of sexual immorality. Sounds like today with 50 million aborted babies and same sex marriage gaining public approval.
The church at Thyatira is the church of the Dark Ages, the Roman Catholic Church. The Nicolaitians of the Roman Catholic turned legalism into a money pot. Their doctrine denies that Jesus did it all on the cross so the church members must recite masses and earn/buy indulgences to limit their time spent in purgatory. Then there is the pope…the church at Thyatira will likely go through the Tribulation. Will this be the One World Church of the Tribulation? The Jezebel who rides the beast?
The church at Sardis is told they are dead but to be watchful, hold fast and repent. Jesus had nothing good to say about them.
The church at Philadelphia, like the church at Smyrna has no indictments from Jesus and will be Raptured before the Tribulation.
The church at Laodicea is neither hot nor cold and Jesus says, “I will vomit you out of My mouth.” Wow, not what one would want to hear. This church is typical of many today, whatever brings the “Name it and claim it” members of the me generation. Jesus had nothing good to say about them.
More concerning the church at Pergamus.
I was too hard on the church at Pergamus. Although it was the compromising church in a “mixed marriage” with paganism I didn’t find any mention of children sacrificed to idols. The doctrine of Balaam was “to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel,” to cause them to be unfaithful to God so He would then “turn His hand against them.” Unlike Daniel and his friends those at Pergamus ate “things sacrificed unto idols.”
I’ll admit I’m confused by Revelation 2:17, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.”
Does this mean they will go through the Tribulation and the stone is akin to having their names written in the Book?” By the expression “they are eating the hidden manna” does that imply that they’ll escape the worst of the Tribulation by being in Petra? I’m looking for clarification when I enroll in Revelation this summer.
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