There are many people out there who believe that the seven churches of Revelations 2 & 3 represent the various church ages throughout history. This is how it was broken down by a gentleman named Gary Cohen:
Ephesus - The Apostolic Church - 30AD-100AD
Smyrna - The Persecuted Church - 100-313AD
Pergamos - The State Church - 313-590AD
Thyatira - The Papal Church - 590-1517AD
Sardis - The Reformed Church - 1517-1790AD
Philadelphia - The Missionary Church - 1790-1900AD
Laodicea - The Apostate Church - 1900AD-Present Day
There may be a remote possibility to this line of thought but it is highly doubtful. It is more likely that if they represent anything other then the actual churches to whom this letter was written, they represent the various types of believers that will be going through part of Daniel's 70th week and are to be taken totally within the context of the final seven year period.
Each church has some things in common besides being an actual church in the time of John. They are written to the "Angel" or "Messenger", by implication it is speaking to the "Pastor" of the church. All have promises made to those that are overcomers. To overcome is to vanquish the enemy, to be triumphant over difficulty.
There are several reasons why I don't believe they represent the various ages of the church.
1. Jesus had nothing against Smyrna and Philadelphia - I don't believe there has ever been an age that could be considered the "perfect" church, until we become His bride. I'm sure during every "age", if that is what they represented, Christ could find some way for us to improve.
2. Christ continuously promised that His return was near - I don't think that Jesus even knew that it would take a couple of thousand years but if they represented the various ages of church history then six of the seven would have been mislead.
3. To be an overcomer is more of an individual goal rather then a group effort.
4. The overcomers in each church are promised things that could only have a post rapture or post judgment of believers significance.
5. For present day churches, the final generation of pre-millenial believers on earth, to be lumped into the lukewarm category, just doesn't fit. Yes, we do have many churches that fit that category but we also have some of the greatest missionary efforts throughout history occurring as well.
6. Some consider the Laodicean church to be the believers that are left behind at the pre-trib rapture, thus there lukewarm state and are aka the "Tribulation" saints. Personally, I believe the Tribulation saints to be the not yet raptured church and are called trib saints because that is what they are experiencing when they do get raptured, but according to scripture many will die for their beliefs and become martyrs. Would lukewarm believers do this?
Utilizing the context of the seven churches, pre-trib rapturists find great significance in these verses, Rev. 3:3b and 3:10 and the fact that the word church isn't used in Revelations after chapter three. The problem is that both verses are cause and effect verses. Rev. 3:3b"...But if you do not wake up (the cause), I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you." (the effect) Interestingly, it implies that if you are awake then you will know the signs of His appearing and won't be taken by surprise, which totally contradicts what pre-trib rapturists believe in regards to the imminence of His return. You can see this as well in Rev. 3:10, "Since you have kept my command to endure patiently,(the cause) I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth." (the effect).
Sincere christians who hold to the pre-tribulation rapture theory often cite this verse, among others, as "proof" that their eschatology is correct. They focus on the second part, ..."I will also keep you from the hour of trial...", meaning they expect to raptured, but ignore the first part of this verse, "Since you have kept my command to endure patiently...". Since you have done this, I will do that. How does one endure patiently and what does it involve? Here are a couple of other references that will give us a clue to what Jesus is telling us. Col. 1:11, "...so that you may have great endurance and patience...", James 1: 3, "... the trying of your faith worketh patience" (KJV) and James 5:10, "Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering..."
The word patience in these verses conveys the idea of "endurance in the midst of adversity." This idea can also be found in the prophetic scriptures of Luke 21:16-19, 2 Thess. 1:4, Rev. 13:10 and Rev. 14:12. One can not assume that because some christians in other parts of the world are being martyred and others are going through various trials of sickness, loss of loved ones, minor persecutions, etc. that these qualify what this verse is talking about. They don't! We have had these problems since the day of Christ's Ascension and will continue to have them. This verse is talking about events that will affect all christians around the world, as the "hour of trial" will affect the whole world.
The word temptation as used in the KJV of this verse, means a time of testing separate from the Day of the Lord's Wrath. His wrath is for those who failed the test! The test is the Great Tribulation, that short time in the midst of Daniel's 70th week that consists of Satan's wrath against and persecution of the church. Those who "keep the word of His patience" (KJV) are those still living believers who will overcome the difficulties of the first 3 1/2 yrs. and the great trib that follows.
As far as the word church not being mentioned after chapter 3, there is a simple explanation. It is found in Rev. 1:19, "Write, therefore, what you have seen (the past - Rev.1,4 & 5 and 12:1-7), what is now (John's present time - Rev. 2 & 3) and what will take place later." (the future - Rev. 6 to the end except for the beginning of chap.12) That the word church isn't used after Rev.3:22 is an accurate statement but somewhat misleading.
Although the word church isn’t used, synonyms for it are.
The word saints is used 13 times depicting the church. Some scholars feel that the word saints is only used for Jewish believers but it is used in the new testament 48 times to describe the church.
Servants
#is used 6 times,
Those who reverence your name
#(Rev.11:18), and #those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testament of Jesus#(Rev.12:17) are two other phrases that indicate the church,
Rev.17:14, uses called, chosen and faithful followers#
While there are a few select verses that speak directly to Israel and/or Jerusalem in Revelations, as gentile believers we are grafted into Israel, (Rom.11:17) and thus share in some of her prophetic future discomforts as well as her blessings.
The importance of realizing that the church will be here for the majority of the 70th week can be found in this statement. "It is impossible to effectively train an army for a major battle if the soldiers are told they will never have to participate."
