Question About Jesus Letter To The Churches In Revelation

[Open7]

There were 7 churches Jesus wrote a letter to. It seems that these letters were like a report to these church’s on how they’ve done so far.

My question is, do these 7 churches serve as a model for all the churches there have ever been, in that every church is like one of those churches. Like the 7 churches are also 7 categories, and every church today fits into one of these. And because of this, every church can read these letters, and say ‘we are most like Sardis’ as an example, and therefore this is what we need to do to become stronger, because Jesus gave advice in the letter.

Would you say what I’ve said here is accurate or not?

With love

[Deborah_]

The number 7 is a symbol of completeness. So 7 churches stand for all the churches.

I'm not sure that every church can be identified precisely with one of the seven. But between them the letters cover a wide range of problems and threats - so it's likely that every church will find at least one or two elements in at least one of the letters that resonate with them.

[Open7]

1 hour ago, Deborah_ said:

The number 7 is a symbol of completeness. So 7 churches stand for all the churches.

I'm not sure that every church can be identified precisely with one of the seven. But between them the letters cover a wide range of problems and threats - so it's likely that every church will find at least one or two elements in at least one of the letters that resonate with them.

Oh @Deborah_ this is just wonderful, what you said about 7, what an amazing revelation you have given me. No other explanations needed. Bless you. I needed a revelation today so much. Bless you. Much love

[Dennis1209]

Deborah is correct, and in hindsight, we see there is much more. My following notes are lengthy:

THE CHURCH AGE IS WRITTEN IN ADVANCE

Revelation Chapters 2 and 3

Ephesus—famed for the temple of Diana, one of the seven wonders of the world. For three years Paul labored there. He subsequently ordained Timothy superintending overseer or bishop there: probably his charge was but of a temporary nature. John, towards the close of his life, took it as the center from which he superintended the province.¹

¹ Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 2 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 554.

The things that are (the present, when John was writing). The accumulation of things said written to these seven churches personally by Jesus, did not vanish from age to age, but were passed down through the church age, and continue to this day. This is also the prophetic history of the church age, written and documented in advance. Notice the dates assigned.

EPHESUS – From the Cross until 100 A.D. Ephesus (ef’-e-sus) = Desirable; beloved. A giving away; to relax; permitted; loosening. (A city on the western coast of Asia Minor noted for the worship of the goddess Diana.) Full purposed; a throwing at. The Apostolic age. A church can lose its charter. Something good is said about it. They had their priorities wrong. Ephesus was the largest and most important city in the province of Asia. The most famous temple of the goddess Artemis (Diana) was located there. It was also John’s headquarters before his exile. Ephesus served as the “mother” church to the others, all of which were connected by the same Roman road.

SMYRNA – From 64 - 313 A.D. Smyrna (smir’-na) = Bitterness; suffering. Myrrh. Something good was said about the church and nothing bad. A time of great persecution of Christians.

PERGAMOS – From 313 – 590 A.D. Pergamos (pur’-ga-mos) = Citadel; fortified; high tower; height; elevation. A root word from which we get our words bigamy and polygamy. Much marriage. (Idea of a marriage; i.e., a mixture of the Church and the world.). The age of Constantine. Something good is said about them. It was Satan’s seat from Babylon at the time. During this time replacement theology was born in the RCC, that the Universal RCC inherited all the blessings from Israel because of their rejection and murder of their Messiah. During this time the church-state got married together. Balaamism [Numbers 22: - 25:].

THYATIRA – From 590 - 1500’s. Thyatira (thi-a-ti’-rah) = High tower; a castle; feminine oppression; odor of affliction. This was the dark ages when owning a personal Bible was punishable by death. The worship of Mary, works, rituals, ceremonies, and Mass began. The Gospel was added to. A big change of the church structure with Pope’s, cardinal's, bishops and priests. Something good is said. Jezebel, wife of Ahab, source of idolatry in Israel. Leading people astray from divine authority to man. Notice there is no call to repent, only judgment remains and they will go into the Great Tribulation.

  SARDIS – From 1500 – 1700 A.D. [+/- 20 years]. Sardis (sar’-dis) = Remnant; builders’ rule; escaping ones; those who come out; (the idea of restoration). Red ones(?). There’s nothing good said about them. The denominational churches. A dead formalist church with ritualistic worship. Due to the invention of the printing press [1550], the Bible was the first book mass-produced and became available to the common man. During this period the reformation started; Erasmus; Calvin; Zwingli; Martin Luther.

PHILADELPHIA – From 1700’s – 1901 A.D. Philadelphia (fil-a-del’-fe-ah) = Brotherly love. This was a time of great revivals and awakenings. Men like Whitfield; Edwards; Spurgeon and Moody. America arose as a Christian nation and was blessed by God. Many missionaries were sent out globally to spread the Gospel. A soul-winning church with an open door. They had a great report card from Jesus, and nothing negative was said about this church.

LAODICEA – From 1901 – until the Rapture. Laodicea (la-od-i-se’-ah) = Greek, laos - people; laity; and dicea - opinion; custom; opinion or custom of the people; = justice of the people; ruled by the people; rule of the majority; democratic; i.e., peoples right or opinions, the people’s rights. Laodicea is the worst of the churches, and the church age we are now living in during these end-times. This church (and age) is virtually worthless to the Kingdom of God.

Something good is said about the church of Ephesus, however: It’s people have come under Christ’s discipline for having left (not lost) their first love or former devotion to Christ. They lost their personal communion and relationship with Jesus.  

A church can lose its charter [candlestick] and be removed. The solution to this condition is threefold: (1) remember your former devotion to Christ; (2) repent of the present lack of love and devotion; (3) return - that is, do the things that were characteristic of the devotion of the church in its earlier years. Today, Ephesus is in ruins, its church gone, and is under Islamic control. 

 

[teddyv]

14 hours ago, Open7 said:

There were 7 churches Jesus wrote a letter to. It seems that these letters were like a report to these church’s on how they’ve done so far.

My question is, do these 7 churches serve as a model for all the churches there have ever been, in that every church is like one of those churches. Like the 7 churches are also 7 categories, and every church today fits into one of these. And because of this, every church can read these letters, and say ‘we are most like Sardis’ as an example, and therefore this is what we need to do to become stronger, because Jesus gave advice in the letter.

Would you say what I’ve said here is accurate or not?

With love

I'd agree with @Deborah_ here.

They are letters written to real churches that existed. These words were, along with the the rest of Revelation, written first and foremost to John's contemporary audience(s). There will always be principles that can be taken away from these letters and applied in our day and age.

[AnnaGrace]

14 hours ago, Open7 said:

There were 7 churches Jesus wrote a letter to. It seems that these letters were like a report to these church’s on how they’ve done so far.

My question is, do these 7 churches serve as a model for all the churches there have ever been, in that every church is like one of those churches. Like the 7 churches are also 7 categories, and every church today fits into one of these. And because of this, every church can read these letters, and say ‘we are most like Sardis’ as an example, and therefore this is what we need to do to become stronger, because Jesus gave advice in the letter.

Would you say what I’ve said here is accurate or not?

With love

All 7 letters contain important messages from God to His people—all His people throughout all ages. These letters were never intended to be conceptualized in a merely historic way or in a way that exclusively applied to literal, physical congregations... “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” They were written to be understood spiritually & personally by each and every believer. No official congregation necessary for those who are in Christ.  

Edited May 9, 2023 by AnnaGrace

[Vine Abider]

14 hours ago, AnnaGrace said:

All 7 letters contain important messages from God to His people—all His people throughout all ages. These letters were never intended to be conceptualized in a merely historic way or in a way that exclusively applied to literal, physical congregations... “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” They were written to be understood spiritually & personally by each and every believer. No official congregation necessary for those who are in Christ.  

Yes! And when we went through Revelation last year, this was one of the things that came out: "hear what the Spirit says to the churches."  This was at the end of each letter - churches in the plural.  Therefore we should all pay attention to what is written and all may apply to us in some way, both corporately and individually.

[Vine Abider]

I must say I got quite excited about the letter to Philadelphia, so much so that I was asked by my assembly to give a message on it last year.  The saints depicted there were/are doing good things and the Lord makes awesome promises to them!

Philly was/is the "normal" church of the seven, and basically operating as the Lord intended.  They were not doing a bunch of "big" things but they had "a little strength" to be "faithful in a few things" that is, operating in simple love and keeping His word of endurance and not denying His name.

The Lord promises these ones that He will keep them "from the hour of trial which is coming on the inhabited earth."  

[JohnD]

On 5/8/2023 at 5:29 AM, Open7 said:

There were 7 churches Jesus wrote a letter to. It seems that these letters were like a report to these church’s on how they’ve done so far.

My question is, do these 7 churches serve as a model for all the churches there have ever been, in that every church is like one of those churches. Like the 7 churches are also 7 categories, and every church today fits into one of these. And because of this, every church can read these letters, and say ‘we are most like Sardis’ as an example, and therefore this is what we need to do to become stronger, because Jesus gave advice in the letter.

Would you say what I’ve said here is accurate or not?

With love

Dr. Chuck Missler said that all seven letters apply to most Churches.

I would say most of the seven letters are also like the phases of the Christian walk.

[R. Hartono]

On 5/8/2023 at 5:29 PM, Open7 said:

My question is, do these 7 churches serve as a model for all the churches there have ever been

The present day churches could be worst.

https://www.worthychristianforums.com/topic/261275-the-greatest-scam-by-the-church-tithe/

 

Edited May 10, 2023 by R. Hartono