The Book of Revelation contains the story of the "seven churches." The church living in Ephesus received a personal message from Jesus, who "walked" or made his presence known among the churches. Until recently, I didn’t even know all seven churches were located in modern-day Turkey. We are made to understand that the church in general will, for the most part, be a compromising body at the time of the end. Though they were literal churches in that time, there is also spiritual significance for churches and believers today. The seven churches are (1) Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7) - the church that had forsaken its first love (2:4). The seven churches in Revelation are literal churches from the first century AD. The book is written to the seven churches located in Asia Minor (Modern Turkey). Some say they are merely representative churches of the … In His hand, Jesus holds seven stars (Revelation 1:13, 16). On the other hand, Beale finds it “tempting to identify them with the seven guardian angels of the seven churches” (Beale 454). Chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation contain seven letters to these church congregations. From the Island of Patmos, Ephesus is the closest church. Our focus should be on what message God is giving us through the seven churches. Who these seven angels? Revelation 1: 20 . Proof that the Promise to Philadelphia Speaks of a Rapture The Lord's message to Philadelphia is especially enlightening to readers living on the verge of Christ's return (Revelation 3:7-12). While the story is history for the most part, it was prophetic, written in advance to prepare the saints for their trials. Revelation 2:1-29 The book of Revelation is an interesting book. Seven churches in seven cities of Asia Minor were each given a special letter from Christ, and each letter addressed issues going on in that particular church. The first three chapters of Revelation deal with seven first-century historical churches, assemblies of believers in Asia Minor: the church in Ephesus (2:1), the church in Smyrna (2:8), the church in Pergamum (2:12), the church in Thyatira (2:18), the church in Sardis (3:1), the church in Philadelphia (3:7), and the church in Laodicea (3:14). The seven churches are in fact seven types of churches that have emerged at different times in history. By Asia is not meant the great Continent of Asia, or even the whole of Asia Minor, but only its western end. However, the seven churches in Revelation also have spiritual significance for churches and believers today. 5 of the 7 Churches needed to Repent of Jesus’ reprove & discipline or be destroyed by Jesus personally.. His reprove & discipline to these 5 Churches is: Ephesus – Rev 2:4-5 – Abandoned the love you had at first. The trip of a lifetime landed in my lap—visiting the Seven Churches of Revelation. A friend and I flew to Izmir, Turkey, where we rented a car and drove to all seven churches in a quick, three-day trip. Neither were the seven churches named the only churches in that district, for there were at least three other churches: Colosse, Col. 1:2; Hierapolis, Col. 4:13; and Troas, Acts 20:6,7. The book of Revelation opens with seven letters to seven churches. Peekskill, New York – WEBWIRE – Thursday, August 1, 2019. According to Revelation 1:11, the book was written to seven congregations in Asia, modern Turkey. The seven churches of Revelation described in Revelation chapters 2 through chapter 3 are seven literal churches at the time that John the apostle was writing Revelation. Only God fully knows. To visit all seven in order you go in a clockwise direction from Ephesus. The seven churches described in Revelation 2-3 are seven literal churches at the time that John the apostle was writing Revelation. (Revelation 1:19-20 NIV) Then, in Chapter 2 through Chapter 3, we have these remarkable letters to the seven churches. A Brief History of the Revelation. The seven successively span the church's 2,000-year history, culminating with the last three eras extant in the last hundred years. Well, let’s go back and look at revelation, 120, says here that the seven stars of the angels of the seven churches and the seven lamp stands are the seven churches so you have the seven churches and the angel for each of these churches so to Ephesus, Jesus showed up with the one hold. In verse 20 Jesus explains, “The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.” Before we look at these letters as a whole, let’s briefly look at the seven cities where the recipients lived. The seven churches form a horseshoe pattern on the map. John, in turn, passed the message along to “the seven churches which are in Asia” (1:4). Why is Ephesus one of the seven churches of Revelation?Need more Drive Thru History content? Visit our website to subscribe and watch a full episode! The addressees of the book of Revelation were seven churches in the Roman province of Asia. Sardis (Revelation 3:1-6) This letter addresses Sardis, a “dead” church3 Jesus’ oracle to Ephesus challenges a loveless… These seven churches described in Revelation 2-3 are seven literal churches at the time that John… O ur study of the seven churches of Revelation has come to an end, and we are now living in the white space on the page between Revelation 3 and 4. Before we dive into each of the seven churches of Revelation, let’s talk a little about how Revelation came to be. So, although there may be some truth to the seven churches representing seven eras, there is far too much speculation in this regard. Revelation 2:14 No one in today's greater church of God overtly teaches we should worship idols of wood or stone (Exodus 20:3-5) and eat meat offered to them, as occurred among the early churches Paul administered.Nor does anyone openly teach fornication as a personal or religious practice, as happened in the Temple of Diana at Ephesus. (2:509). The seven churches represent the world at large, the condition of the church and more specifically the individual attitudes and behavior of people towards Christ. Revelation 9 does not identify them. All seven existed as church congregations in physical cities in the first century. There is a gap of time between chapters three and four. For 2,000 years scholars have wondered why such an important message would be sent to these churches since they weren’t even the most important of their day, let alone now. In the end, we saw a lot of rocks. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; Revelation 1:13 The seven churches mentioned in the Book of Revelation were actual physical churches in the names of the locations John gives, so the letters that John writes to these churches were actually delivered to these cities, so these letters may have less to do with seven different church ages (as some scholars believe), but rather real churches that existed at the time John wrote to them. Revelation 1:12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. It is often rarely preached out of it, because of the severity of the judgment and tribulation. The church … These were not the only churches in the area, but these seven letters give us a picture of the spiritual condition of the church in the Roman province of Asia at the time the book was written. Chapter 3 ended with the last of the seven churches (about A.D. 100). The seven churches of the Revelation have become a pilgrimage site for many modern Christians. For believers, it should be an encouraging book. In this book, although what John saw were mostly visions, we should not attempt to spiritualise these seven churches … As for the MYSTERY of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, AND the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars ARE the ANGELS of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands ARE the seven churches. The seven churches of Revelation may include at least three fulfillments: 1. He knew their hard work and their unwillingness to put up with those who teach false doctrine or who want to be considered important in the church (Revelation 2:2). Read on to learn more about these churches and where they are today. Are these the “the seven archangels who occupy a very particular role in the angelic hierarchy,” as David Aune suggests? The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches." SEVEN CHURCHES . Indeed, the primary purpose for John writing his letters to the seven churches was to deliver Christ’s "report card" for the churches of that time. The Lord Jesus knew the experiences each stage of the church would have. This is the mystery of the seven stars you saw in My right hand and of the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. He was following the instruction Jesus Christ had given him in a vision while he was on the island called Patmos: “What you see, write in a book and send to the seven churches which are in Asia, to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea” (1:11). To the Church in Sardis - Revelation 3:1-6 .....'And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; these things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. When Jesus addresses the seven churches in Revelation, His primary appeal is a call to repentance. THE SEVEN CHURCHES OF REVELATION — Introduction — Untold numbers of professing Christians have been taught, as I was, that the seven churches of Revelation are somehow related to the body of Christ. Seven is a number of completion and perfection, so Jesus is IN the midst of the entire Global Church, HIS BODY. 3. Revelation 3:1 "To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of the One who holds the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars. It should be a book of hope to them who believe. 2. Though they were literal churches in that time, there is also spiritual significance for churches and believers today. Let’s test their claim. For many, it is not that happy of a book. Only 2 of the 7 Churches, Smyrna & Philadelphia received no reprove or discipline. The revelation which our Lord gave the apostle John on the island of Patmos was instructive and insightful on multiple levels. Firstly, we need to understand that the seven churches mentioned above are literal physical churches that were well known among the believers at the time of writing of Revelation. The fifth study about the seven churches of Revelation is concerning the letter to the church at Sardis. Why People Must Know about the Seven Churches in Revelation Pastor guides readers through the seven churches of Asia Minor.