The Seven Churches

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Stefcui

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My personal view of the seven churches is that they are the end-time churchesthe entire body of believers on earth today. The seven churches in Revelation chapters 2 & 3 demonstrate different beliefs and practices because the churches in the end-times have different doctrines and practices. The entire New Testament is written to the seven churches... The NT letters are broken down into 3 lots of 7. Paul wrote to seven different cities (Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Thessalonians). The seven cities are a symbol of the seven churches. There are seven epistles bearing individuals names (Timothy, Titus, Philemon, James, Peter, John and Jude). The seven individuals are a symbol of the seven angels of the seven churches. There are seven remaining NT books (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Hebrews, Revelation). These seven are a symbol of the message to the seven churches.

I know there are other models of the seven churches, so I want to ask for people to share their beliefs and the reasons for their beliefs. The Book of Revelation generally has 4 different views to describe the prophecies: the Preterist; the Historical; the Allegorical; and the Futurist view. Please mention in the first sentence the view you hold, and try your best to explain why you believe your view to be correct. Try to keep your instruction respectful and brief, with a focus on who the seven churches are within the prophecies of Revelation.

God Bless
Steve
 

rockytopva

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I believe that only the Lord Jesus Christ knows the true geographies and time periods. All we followers can do is speculate. And I would imagine that God the Father has his secrets that he won't disclose to everyone. But, as a history and a bible guy, I just can't help but to see the parallels...


1. Ephesus - Apostolics - Ephesus means discoverer in the Greek.
2. Smyrna - The Foxes book of martyrs testifies of 10 persecutions (Note: You shall have persecution 10 days)!
3. Pergamos - Orthodoxy was a strong force at Constantinople and remains a strong force in many parts of the world to this day.
4. Thyatira - Catholic - The Spirit of Jezebel is to dominate and control. You would not have wanted to speak out against the pope during the glory of the Thyatirean church age!
5. Sardis - Protestants - There was a protestant reformation..
6. Philadelphia - Revivals - There were revivals, unique to its time, at the location of the Philadelphia church (In which the Lord Jesus only knows the true geography and time periods).
7. Laodicea - There is the reality of the charismatic / word of faith church.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXO8Y0vvWT0
 

Stefcui

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Thanks Rockytopva,

The view you presented is called the Historicist view. It was developed by Thomas Brightman (1562–1607). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Brightman

Historicism is held by a small number of denominations today; but it is still believed by the Seventh Day Adventists and some reformed churches. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historicism_(Christianity)

Historicism interprets most bible prophecies as being fulfilled evenly throughout the history of the church... thus, the fulfilment of prophecy is not concentrated in any specific period of time, such as the end-times. Historicism became especially popular in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, as many of the Protestants interpreted the book of Revelation as describing their struggle against the Roman church. The great harlot of Revelation 17 is believed to be the Catholic Church; while the pope is considered to be the antichrist.

Blessings
Steve
 

veteran

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My personal view of the seven churches is that they are the end-time churchesthe entire body of believers on earth today. The seven churches in Revelation chapters 2 & 3 demonstrate different beliefs and practices because the churches in the end-times have different doctrines and practices. The entire New Testament is written to the seven churches... The NT letters are broken down into 3 lots of 7. Paul wrote to seven different cities (Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Thessalonians). The seven cities are a symbol of the seven churches. There are seven epistles bearing individuals names (Timothy, Titus, Philemon, James, Peter, John and Jude). The seven individuals are a symbol of the seven angels of the seven churches. There are seven remaining NT books (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Hebrews, Revelation). These seven are a symbol of the message to the seven churches.

I know there are other models of the seven churches, so I want to ask for people to share their beliefs and the reasons for their beliefs. The Book of Revelation generally has 4 different views to describe the prophecies: the Preterist; the Historical; the Allegorical; and the Futurist view. Please mention in the first sentence the view you hold, and try your best to explain why you believe your view to be correct. Try to keep your instruction respectful and brief, with a focus on who the seven churches are within the prophecies of Revelation.

God Bless
Steve


Maybe you don't intend it, but that is a very 'cornered' approach to understanding God's Word, especially the idea that suggests our Lord's Book of Revelation has 4 main views such as those seminary tradition terms, and that we must fit one of them.

I believe Revelation has allegory, and I believe Christ's second coming is still future, and I also believe some of Revelation was historical, yet I do not hold to any idea of a Pre-trib Rapture theory. So what category am I, since it covers some from a cross-section of those seminary terms?

Men's traditions are like a 'tether' according to Bullinger. A tether is like a rope tied to a stake; it never allows one to reach out beyond the length of the rope. Our Lord Jesus explained it using the idea of wine skins; you don't put the new wine into old wine skins lest they burst, but in new wine skins allowing the wine and skin to expand.

The seven Churches in Asia (Asia Minor) is symbolically supported by Christ's definition of them, not men's traditions. And our Lord Jesus revealed the seven candlesticks in Heaven which John was shown by vision represent the seven Churches (Rev.1:20). To the Church at Ephesus, Christ warned them to repent lest their 'candlestick' be removed (Rev.2). Thus the candlestick pattern given in Zechariah 4 is what our Lord was pointing to. That supports the idea that the seven Churches and candlesticks represent seven 'types' of Churches, all the way up to Christ's return.

And one of the main Messages our Lord Jesus gave in contrasting the seven Churches in Revelation, those stuck on seminary traditions rarely, if ever, get to. It's because Christ Jesus had no rebuke for two out of the seven, which should... be a pointer to what subject He was speaking to those two Churches about. Men's traditions run for fear when it comes to addressing that.
 

HeRoseFromTheDead

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That supports the idea that the seven Churches and candlesticks represent seven 'types' of Churches, all the way up to Christ's return.

Whether types or not, the message to any assembly is a message to all assemblies, which is the assembly, the body, the temple.

Let the one having an ear hear what the spirit is saying to the assemblies.
 

Stefcui

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I do not hold to any idea of a Pre-trib Rapture theory. So what category am?

I do not fit into any of the 4 “categories” either; I simply asked you to state your position and why you believe it, not rave senselessly about subjects that do not say anything.

I would imagine you would find it hard to fit in with most Christians due to your belief in a “billions of years creation” (just as Evolutionist believe), and your belief in an ancient civilization before Adam (see 6 Days Of 15 Billion Years?). While you claim to stick to the bible and follow orthodoxy; you hold to fringe beliefs that are heretical.

The view you believe in, since you were unwilling to state it yourself, is Gap Creationism. Gap creationism was popularized by Thomas Chalmers (1780–1847). I asked this question about “category” for simplification. Obviously you fit into a different category, and you simply could have said so. I also asked the question because the readers have a right to know whether or not you are teaching a form of heresy. I believe you are teaching heresy.

I urged you when I was leaving for Macedonia …to instruct certain people not to spread false teachings.” (1 Timothy 1:3)

If someone spreads false teachings and does not agree with sound words (that is, those of our Lord Jesus Christ) and with the teaching that accords with godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing, but has an unhealthy interest in controversies and verbal disputes.” (1 Timothy 6:3)

These men are dangerous reefs at your love feasts, feasting without reverence, feeding only themselves. They are waterless clouds, carried along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit – twice dead, uprooted; wild sea waves, spewing out the foam of their shame; wayward stars for whom the utter depths of eternal darkness have been reserved.” (Jude 1:12)

I believe that the Genesis Gap Theory is a heresy. I do not wish to debate heresy. It opens up the flood gates for evolutionist, and creates doubt in our creator. It also promotes doctrines of Alien Civilisations. Certain ones creep into Christian love feasts in order to spread their heretical teachings amongst those who are unaware. Like the other Seventh Day Adventists that I have encountered here, false teachers conspire among themselves to join in and hide their true agendas. They do this so that they can spread their lies without being detected. Heretics have this in common. Although I believe in multi-denominations, I also believe Christians need to repent of their heresies, agendas and "the teachings of the Nicolaitans", which Christ hates (Rev 2:6, 15).

Steve
 

Angelina

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This is just my opinion dear brother but since God is outside of time and space, he is looking backwards from the end to the beginning [in rest] and intervenes accordingly. We are set within a time-line that God has ordained for all mankind. Within that time-line, I believe that Revelation speaks [figuratively] of various events throughout the whole entire bible including the last days. Every event on earth has been activated in the heavenlies first. Matthew 6:10. This is just a theory but I believe that these seven Churches are relating to the seven conditions and struggles of God's Church during it's lifetime. The last one being the Church of the Laodiceans...that state that the Church seems to be in right now...[in general]

These conditions are very much like ourselves in the sense that we are in a continued process of sanctification until the day we are redeemed by the Lord himself in the second coming. Hebrews 9:27

PS: I could be wrong... ^_^ Blessings!
 

veteran

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I do not fit into any of the 4 “categories” either; I simply asked you to state your position and why you believe it, not rave senselessly about subjects that do not say anything.

I would imagine you would find it hard to fit in with most Christians due to your belief in a “billions of years creation” (just as Evolutionist believe), and your belief in an ancient civilization before Adam (see 6 Days Of 15 Billion Years?). While you claim to stick to the bible and follow orthodoxy; you hold to fringe beliefs that are heretical.

I focused on who the seven Churches represent and who those seven Messages were for today, which is what you asked. But you claim that was some senseless rave?

You'd be surprised at how many Christian Pastors that are studied in God's Word understand the Gap idea that's written in Genesis 1. Lot of them simply do not cover it to their congregations. It's a strong meat teaching; not a milk teaching that most believers are on.

And it has absolutely nothing... to do with the theories of evolution; doesn't even propose any ideas of evolution. What it does propose is how God once destroyed the surface of this earth before, a time Apostle Peter called "the world that then was" which perished (2 Pet.3). Without understanding it, Paul's teaching in Romans 8 of how God placed His creation in a state of "bondage of corruption" for this present world will not be understood.

But, nice try to paint me as an evolutionist in order to try and group me with those who disagree with God's creation, something I'm not a part of, nor have I ever been.


The view you believe in, since you were unwilling to state it yourself, is
Gap Creationism. Gap creationism was popularized by Thomas Chalmers (1780–1847). I asked this question about “category” for simplification. Obviously you fit into a different category, and you simply could have said so. I also asked the question because the readers have a right to know whether or not you are teaching a form of heresy. I believe you are teaching heresy.


What I see as heresy taught from Genesis 1 is how some force a creation of "dry land" into the Scripture where it does not belong, when the Scripture is simply describing existing waters being moved upon the earth to make dry land appear that was already underneath those waters, created back at Gen.1:1. God even said in Isaiah 45:18 that He did not create the earth in "vain" (tohuw), which is the same Hebrew word mistranslated to "without form" in the KJV of Gen.1:2. Jeremiah 4:23-28 is a comparative Scripture that tohuw is not pointing to some nothingness state of water vapor gas like you and many others try to insert into the Scripture, just so you can follow your own tradition.

As a matter of fact, it's a lot of scientists and evolutionists that DO... tend to agree with your nothingness gas vapor state interpretation of Gen.1:2. So you're a lot closer to men's theories of evolution by that than you probably realize.


I urged you when I was leaving for Macedonia …to instruct certain people not to spread false teachings.” (1 Timothy 1:3)

If someone spreads false teachings and does not agree with sound words (that is, those of our Lord Jesus Christ) and with the teaching that accords with godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing, but has an unhealthy interest in controversies and verbal disputes.” (1 Timothy 6:3)

These men are dangerous reefs at your love feasts, feasting without reverence, feeding only themselves. They are waterless clouds, carried along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit – twice dead, uprooted; wild sea waves, spewing out the foam of their shame; wayward stars for whom the utter depths of eternal darkness have been reserved.” (Jude 1:12)

You have yet to prove Biblically what I stated about the Genesis creation being false, and have already let loose your own judgments, misusing God's Word to do that.


I believe that the Genesis Gap Theory is a heresy. I do not wish to debate heresy. It opens up the flood gates for evolutionist, and creates doubt in our creator. It also promotes doctrines of Alien Civilisations. Certain ones creep into Christian love feasts in order to spread their heretical teachings amongst those who are unaware. Like the other Seventh Day Adventists that I have encountered here, false teachers conspire among themselves to join in and hide their true agendas. They do this so that they can spread their lies without being detected. Heretics have this in common. Although I believe in multi-denominations, I also believe Christians need to repent of their heresies, agendas and "
the teachings of the Nicolaitans", which Christ hates (Rev 2:6, 15).

Steve

The Gap idea that's in Genesis 1 is not a heresy, nor is it against God's Holy Writ. I could just as well use those Scriptures above towards you for wrongly believing the Genesis 1:2 verse is about some ether vapor state of nothingness hanging in outer space. Instead per the Hebrew, Gen.1:2 is about the earth in a state of vanity and waste. But you won't address the Hebrew of that Scripture, nor comparative Scripture that God gave about it in other places like Jer.4, because you'd obviously rather hold to the old tradition that the creation is only around 6,000 years old.

The 6,000 year-old Young Earth earth theory (which you've preached on another thread) actually shot off the strongest with Ussher's 17th century Bible chronology. He couldn't go any farther back in history than Adam, and placed God's creation of Adam at 4004 B.C. And later many in the Church began 'assuming' it meant that's also when God created the earth. The early Church didn't know about the fossil record. So that tradition just kept going. And thus Young Earth creationists try to include eveyone else into the same group of evolutionists and such, including those who are 'given' to understand about the Gap idea in Genesis.

What is really ironic is how Young Earth creationists try to put God's creation of dinosaurs within that 6,000 years time-span, with some of them even trying to prove that dinosaurs STILL EXIST AMONG US TODAY! Both those and evolution theorists represent extremism and are heeding heritical doctrines of men, and not what God's Word states as written.
 

veteran

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Back to the main topic of this thread, the seven Churches of Asia per Revelation.

Will this thread ever get to the point of addressing Christ's Messages to the Churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia, in contrast to His Messages to the other five Churches?


Angelina,

Please consider a problem created by treating the seven Churches as 'Church Ages'. If that's how our Lord meant it, then His Messages to all Churches except Laodicia would no longer apply for today. That would mean what for the seven candlesticks in Heaven which John was given to see?

Another problem created by that is how Christ's Messages also include time markers for His second coming. (I'll exclude the part of His Messages to many of them about the idea of overcoming in Him to receive His reward, but will point out specific time markers He gave to some of the Churches that point directly to their days and then all the way up to the time of His return...)

To the Church at Pergamos -

Rev 2:16-17
16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
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.
(KJV)

Both of those above verses are time markers for Christ's future second coming.


To the Church at Thyatira -

Rev 2:23-28
23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am He Which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.
25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of My Father.
28 And I will give him the morning star.
(KJV)

Hold fast till He comes? Keep His works unto the end? Those are direct statements by our Lord Jesus about His future second coming, and admonition to remain doing His work till the end of this present world.


To the Church at Sardis -

Rev 3:3
3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
(KJV)

Apostles Paul and Peter linked the time of Christ's return with that "as a theif" metaphor with the "day of the Lord" events. Our Lord Jesus also used that "as a thief" time marker for His return just prior to the 7th Vial of Rev.16.


To the Church at Philadelphia -

Rev 3:10-11
10 Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
(KJV)

That hour of temptation is a time marker for the tribulation He warned of for the last generation per Matt.24 and Mark 13. Christ mentions His coming within that, even though that generation at Smyrna in John's days is already over.

So how are those items our Lord Jesus mentioned there not about end time events for the last generation? That's the problem the Church Ages theory creates, suggesting that we pay special attention to what was happenning in the last Message to the Church at Laodiceia.
 

Stefcui

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Veteran,

If you read my comments properly; I stated that I do not believe in a literal 6,000 years creation, (I stated this in 6 Days Of 15 Billion Years?). I believe that each day lasted 1000 years.

2Peter 3:8 – “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”

I certainly do not believe in an Alien Civilisation that existed between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. The translation of “formless and void” to mean another earlier civilisation is one of the most bizarre teachings there are, and it rivals the logic and biblical manipulation of the JW’s and the Mormons. Yours is an interpretation that is extremely flimsy. It is not a bible teaching. The translation into the Greek translation, which is 500 years older than the Masoretic, also does not allow for your “private interpretation”.

And the fossil record does not support this theory (I am a student of Earth Science, and I know the fossil record does not support this theory of yours). The scriptures clearly state that water was on day 1, and land was on day 2. You need to twist the scriptures to understand this any other way.

Day 1: “The Spirit of God moved over the water” (Genesis 1:2)

Day 2:let the dry land appear.” (Genesis 1:9)

It is not worth discussing further because it is ridiculous. Stating that others also agree with the ridiculous does not give it any greater support.

Please keep these opinions off this thread. They have nothing to do with the topic.

Steve
 

veteran

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Veteran,

If you read my comments properly; I stated that I do not believe in a literal 6,000 years creation, (I stated this in 6 Days Of 15 Billion Years?). I believe that each day lasted 1000 years.

2Peter 3:8 – “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”

I certainly do not believe in an Alien Civilisation that existed between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. The translation of “formless and void” to mean another earlier civilisation is one of the most bizarre teachings there are, and it rivals the logic and biblical manipulation of the JW’s and the Mormons. Yours is an interpretation that is extremely flimsy. It is not a bible teaching. The translation into the Greek translation, which is 500 years older than the Masoretic, also does not allow for your “private interpretation”.

And the fossil record does not support this theory (I am a student of Earth Science, and I know the fossil record does not support this theory of yours). The scriptures clearly state that water was on day 1, and land was on day 2. You need to twist the scriptures to understand this any other way.

Day 1: “The Spirit of God moved over the water” (Genesis 1:2)

Day 2:let the dry land appear.” (Genesis 1:9)

It is not worth discussing further because it is ridiculous. Stating that others also agree with the ridiculous does not give it any greater support.

Please keep these opinions off this thread. They have nothing to do with the topic.

Steve

I also believe that the Genesis events past verse 2 were most likely 1,000 year periods, per 2 Peter 3:8.

And further, you were the one who brought that particular subject up on this thread to me 'personally', so don't start trying the ownership thing like you own and run this Forum.

And like I said before, will this thread ever get to the point of addressing the content of Christ's Messages to the only two Churches He had no problem with?
 
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Stefcui

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...I believe that these seven Churches are relating to the seven conditions and struggles of God's Church during it's lifetime.

I agree with this theory too (mostly). I don’t think the Seven Churches are a countdown, from the Apostles to now, but a development…

The Catholic Church was the first institutional development, and the Catholic Church is still here in the last days (I believe the first church, Ephesus, to be the Catholics). Even if you accept Rockytopva’s “church ages” theory…, the Catholics, the church of Thyatira, are still here, so then that church (Thyatira) still exists today. Sardis, too, is the Protestant (according to his church age theory). The Protestants still exist today, so the church of Sardis must still exist today too. The church of Philadelphia and Laodicea are the same…

So the churches appear to be the developing church throughout time, plus they appear to all exist today at the end-times. If they all exist today, then it demonstrates the different doctrinal divisions that exist within the world today.

God Bless
Steve

I also believe that the Genesis events past verse 2 were most likely 1,000 year periods, per 2 Peter 3:8.

Well there you go; there is hope for us yet. I apologise for my strong defence against your opinion. Sometimes the written word is an obstacle to our intentions.

God Bless
Steve
 

Angelina

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Did you write post #8? Read it! It's the Church Ages Theory.

Tom...just because I wrote something that I believe...does not mean that I have knowledge of other theories relating to my post? :huh:
"Church age theory" means nothing to me...

I agree with this theory too (mostly). I don’t think the Seven Churches are a countdown, from the Apostles to now, but a development…

I agree that it is a development over a period of time...the countdown I see is when Jesus comes or at the end of all things...

Bless you!!!
 

rockytopva

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This is just my opinion dear brother but since God is outside of time and space, he is looking backwards from the end to the beginning [in rest] and intervenes accordingly. We are set within a time-line that God has ordained for all mankind. Within that time-line, I believe that Revelation speaks [figuratively] of various events throughout the whole entire bible including the last days. Every event on earth has been activated in the heavenlies first. Matthew 6:10. This is just a theory but I believe that these seven Churches are relating to the seven conditions and struggles of God's Church during it's lifetime. The last one being the Church of the Laodiceans...that state that the Church seems to be in right now...[in general]

These conditions are very much like ourselves in the sense that we are in a continued process of sanctification until the day we are redeemed by the Lord himself in the second coming. Hebrews 9:27

PS: I could be wrong... ^_^ Blessings!

Angelina... I agree... Read the prophecy of Laodicea... It fits the time we live in tooth and nail!
 

veteran

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So what about our Lord's Messages to the other Churches other than Laodicea? What about the end time markers He put in them?

The Church Ages theory can be dangerous, simply because it suggests concentrating specifically on our Lord's Message to the Church at Laodicea, and disregard His Messages to the others. It's easy to know that's a wrong concept outside the Scripture because it suggests denying the end time pointers He gave within His other six Messages.

And I see it as a method to use specifically against learning why Christ had NO... rebuke for the Churches of Philadelphia and Smryna.
 
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Stefcui

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So what about our Lord's Messages to the other Churches other than Laodicea? What about the end time markers He put in them?

It is sad that our words, or lack of clarity, sometimes let us down… I did not understand that this was your point of view.

The end-time markers you mention are a very good example, and it is clear that the Laodicean Church cannot be the only church in a string of “church ages”. Christ mentioned that the churches would exist at the time of His return…

To the Church of Pergamos: “Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.” Pergamos exists when Christ comes with the sword of His mouth…

To the Church of Thyatira:And he that overcomes, and keeps my works to the end…” Thyatira exists at “the end.

To the Church of Sardis:If therefore you shall not watch, I will come on you as a thief, and you shall not know what hour I will come on you.” Sardis exists at the end when Christ comes as a thief…

To the Church of Philadelphia: I also will keep you from the hour of temptation, which shall come on all the world.” Philadelphia exists at the end at the hour of temptation…

All of the above churches exist at the end-time. The Laodicean church is commonly believed to exist too… so all of the churches are a picture of the end-time churches; not just the Laodicean church. All of the seven churches demonstrate different beliefs and influences, just as the churches today do. The message of repentance is prophetic to the churches today, because all of the churches today are in need of repentance; from error, from immorality, from worldliness, from political involvement, from covert agendas, from divisions, from commercialism, from Jezebel… Those who belong to a particular church and who believe that only their church is correct will strongly oppose what I am saying. They will probably want to dispute also with Jesus when He comes... We are all in the same boat. We all need to repent!

God Bless
Steve
 
The seven churches were seven churches that actually existed in John’s time. Not only did they exist in those times, but they were just as John described them. It is also interesting to note that the order of these churches is the same order that they followed the post road. Epistles were also written to the churches of Thessalonica, Phillipi and Colosse but they were not included because they did not follow the post road. Could it be that the order of these churches on the post road is also the order or pattern that the churches have followed throughout the Christian era?
Ephesus 32-95AD “Lost your first love…” Rev2-4 heresy enters the church: Marcionites, Gnostics, Nicolations, Balaamites etc….
Smyrna 95 – 321AD “Persecuted ten days….” Rev2:10 suffered major persecutions under 10 Roman emperors. 1) Domitian 2)Trajan 3) Hadrian 4) Antonius Pious 5) Marcus Arelius 6) Septimus Severus 7)Maximin 8) Decius 9) Valerian 10) Diocletian Pergamum 321 -450 AD “Where Satan’s throne is….” Rev2:13 Constantine makes Christianity state religion. Church Hierarchy begins.
Thyatira 450 -950AD “That woman Jezebel….” Rev2:20 Beginning of Mary worship. Idols brought into churches. Bishops rise to power.
Sardis 950 -1450AD “But you are dead…” Rev3:1 Dead Catholic formalism. Bible taken from the people. Persecution of the brethren intensifies.
Philadelphia 1450 -1948AD “You have kept My Word…” Rev3:8 The Reformation, Protestant churches rise, the Puritan movement and foreign missions founded.
Laodicea 1948 - ?? “You are neither hot nor cold….” Rev3:15 Lukewarm church of today. Great so called works but spiritually cool.