3. The letters to the churches (Rev.1-3)
The first chapter of the book of Revelation begins with a greeting of grace and peace from God our Father to us all, as spoken through John. After this, in a vision, John sees Jesus Christ in his heavenly glory. Then he receives the commandment to write a book, which in clear terms proclaims how with time evil will be broken so that justice and righteousness can ultimately prevail on earth.
Therefore, we can rest secure, for it is not evil and the devil which have the ultimate power in their hand, but it is Jesus Christ. He who is both the alpha and the omega will himself both begin and end that which will happen. In Chapters 2 and 3, Jesus sends greetings to his struggling church.
The letters to the churches can be applied in at least three different ways:
- First, they are of course a description of conditions at the time of the writing.
- Then they give timeless examples of problems which always come up during the time of the church on earth.
- Finally, some maintain that the letters even describe the historical development of the universal church on earth.
Note that Jesus begins each letter by commending that which is good. Then, with great love, he states the truth about the church's mistakes and shortcomings, for he understands exactly how difficult it is for each church. Further, he warns about the consequences of continuing on the wrong path. The figurative language of the letters connected with the recipients through well-known, commonplace situations in their own regions. Since Jesus always desires to purify and lift up his church, he ends the letters with exhortations to repentance, and gives rich promises to the overcomers.
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In a similar way, Jesus wants to give each and every one of us a feasible way out of every weakness and shortcoming.
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Main feature of the church:
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Period in church history
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Year (AD)
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1.
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Ephesus - good activity, but they had lost their first burning love to Jesus.
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Apostolic church
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33 - 100
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2.
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Smyrna - the persecuted church
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The Martyr church, becoming
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100 - 312
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3.
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Pergamum - too tolerant of sexual immorality.
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The State Church, with power
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312 - 590
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4.
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Thyatira - serves faithfully, but makes compromises through spiritual fornication with the whore
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which degenerates espec. under
The Dark Middle Ages
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590 - 1517
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5.
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Sardis - most are spiritually asleep
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The Reformation and
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1517 - 1750
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6.
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Philadelphia - has great potential
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revival times begin
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1750 - 1900
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7.
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Laodicea - spiritually lukewarm and self-satisfied
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Every type of church remains in our day
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The apostolic church and the martyr church overcame the devilish evil and were spread across the entire Roman Empire. When Christianity became recognized as the state religion, it was defeated by success and the lust for power.
The decay of Christianity would even anyway have hardly been possible if the Bible had always been commonly known and read. But since the Bible had for a long time only been readable by a few, such as priests and monks, Christianity could go astray more and more under the strong misleading influence of traditions.
God had authoritatively declared that through Christ each person could individually take a stance towards his offer of salvation.
Therefore, that which occurred after the 1500's is a progressive return to what God had intended from the beginning. But first, printing technology and increased literacy would be necessary to make the Bible more readily accessible.
Then, the Reformation and revival movements could take it to the people, as they exposed any area in which tradition stood in conflict with the message of the Bible.
Laodicea, which perhaps more than any other symbolizes aspects of the end time church, means "people's choice", or "democracy". Consequently, it is here that personal freedom is highly valued.
Therefore Jesus speaks directly here to the individual, in a more pointed way than in the other letters.
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Jesus promises an intimate fellowship with the one who will repent, even if the church in general refuses to open its heart to him. This offer of Jesus applies to you even today!
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