ACT I — THE LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES

I. PROLOGUE (Chapter 1:1-8):
. . A. Identification (Chapter 1: 1-2): The book is a revelation given by God to Jesus Christ, who made it known by sending
. . . . his angel to John.
. . B. First Beautitude (Chapter 1:3): Blessed is the one who reads, or who listens and heeds, the words of this prophecy.

. . C. Greetings and Doxology (Chapter 1:4-8): John opens in usual letter form, identifying himself and his recipients —
. . . . the seven churches in the province of Asia. He then follows with a multi-verse doxology.

. . D. Jesus Appears to John (Chapter 1:9-16): John sets the scene for the first vision as on the Lord's Day while he was
. . . . committed to the Isle of Patmos because of his testimony to Christ. He hears a loud voice “like a trumpet”, telling him
. . . . to write what he sees on a scroll and send it to the seven named churches. John turns to see who was speaking to him and
. . . . falls on his face as though dead when he beholds the being of the risen Christ which he describes as being “Like a Son
. . . . of Man” (Daniel 7:13):
. . . . 1. In a robe reaching down to His feet,
. . . . 2. With a golden sash around His chest,
. . . . 3. His head and hair were white like wool or snow,
. . . . 4. His eyes like blazing fire,
. . . . 5. His feet like bronze glowing in a furnace,
. . . . 6. His voice like the sound of rushing waters,
. . . . 7. His face like the brilliant sun,
. . . . 8. In His right hand He held seven stars,
. . . . 9. From His mouth came a two-edged sword,
. . . .10. He was standing among seven lampstands.
. . E. John Commissioned (Chapter 1:17-20): Christ touches John with His right hand, reviving him, and then tells him
. . . . that He is the First and Last, the Living One, who was dead but now is alive forevermore, and holds the keys of death
. . . . and Hades. He then commissions John to write “what he has seen, what is now, and what will take place later.” He
. . . . explains that the seven stars in His right hand are the angels of the seven churches and that the lampstands are the
. . . . seven churches.
. . F. The letters are themselves organized into seven parts:

II. LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES (Chapter 2 AND 3):
. . A. Letter to Ephesus (Chapter 2:1-7):
. . . . 1. Ephesus was the largest and most important city in the province of Asia. Paul labored here for more than two years,
. . . . . . and Timothy served here. It is believed that Ephesus was John’s home in his old age.
. . . . 2. The church at Ephesus was probably the first Christian church in the province, and the only one of the seven possibly
. . . . . .to have been established by Paul.
. . . . 3. Acts 20:13-38 tells of Paul’s “last” visit to this church on his way to Jerusalem, where he was imprisoned; and is the
. . . . . . only church of the seven whose letter from Paul survives.
. . . . 4. While Christ praises the orthodoxy of this church, he charges them with having lost their first love. Their orthodoxy
. . . . . . is a cold, unforgiving thing which Christ does not tolerate. He threatens to remove their lampstand if they do not
. . . . . . “remember the height from which you have fallen” and repent.
. . . . 5. To those who overcome, He promises the right to eat from the Tree of Life, which right had been lost to mankind
. . . . . . at the Fall of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:22), but will be restored to the redeemed in Heaven (Chapter 22:2).
. . B. Letter to Smyrna (Chapter 2:8-11):
. . . . 1. Smyrna, some 40 miles north, disputed with Ephesus for the title of “First City” of Asia, as it enjoyed great natural
. . . . . . advantages, including an excellent harbor. It was one of the first (if not the first) city to establish emperor worship,
. . . . . . and won the honor of erecting a temple to him in the reign of Tiberius. The city was destroyed in 590 B.C. and was
. . . . . . rebuilt some 300 years later.
. . . . 2. These Christians would appreciate the attribute Christ gives that He “died anu came to life again.” Christians in Smyrna
. . . . . . were being crushed by affliction and poverty, and were under serious persecution, particularly by the large Jewish
. . . . . . population.
. . . . 3. It was in Smyrna 100 years later that Bishop Polycarp was burnt at the stake for refusing to deny Christ. Even though
. . . . . . the execution was on the sabbath, the local Jews gathered wood for the burning.
. . . . 4. Christ calls these Smyrna Jews “a synogogue of Satan”, no doubt because of their penchant to accuse the Christians of
. . . . . . refusing to deny Christ.
. . . . 5. Christ warns the Christians of even worse persection to come, but promises a crown of life to any who might lose their
. . . . . . lives for His sake.
. . . . 6. He also promises that they will not be hurt at all by the “second death” (Chapter 21:8).

. . C. Letter to Pergamum (Chapter 2:12-17):
. . . . 1. Pergamum became the capital of the province of Asia when its last king willed it to the Roman Empire in 133 B.C. Its
. . . . . . large library, said to contain over 200,000 scrolls, necessitated an industry to produce parchment, whose English name
. . . . . . is derived from “Pergamum.” It became a world-famous healing center — a “Lourdes” of the ancient world, from the
. . . . . . worship of the Asclepius, the god of healing. It was the center for emperor worship and had a temple dedicated to
. . . . . . Rome as early as 29 B.C. There were many other heathen temples on a hill overlooking the city.
. . . . 2. Christ identifies Himself as the “One who has the sharp, double-edged sword.”
. . . . 3. He commends the Christians for being faithful to Him even though they live “where Satan has his throne,” and where
. . . . . . Antipas had been martyred (tradition says by being slowly roasted to death in a brazen bull).
. . . . 4. But some of the church people followed the teaching of Balaam, practicing immorality and eating food sacrificed to idols.
. . . . . . Some also followed the way of the Nicolaitans (presumably much the same sort of heresy). Unless they repent, Christ
. . . . . . will fight against them with the “sword of My mouth.”
. . . . 5. To him that overcomes Christ promises to give some of the hidden manna, and a white stone with a new name written
. . . . . . on it, known only to himself.
. . . . 6. These rewards are not explained, and no fully satisfactory explanation has been deduced.
. . D. Letter to Thyatira (Chapter 2:18-29):
. . . . 1. Thyatira was an inland city, important primarily for its many trade guilds. Lydia, converted by Paul in Philippi (Acts
. . . . . . 16:14), came from here. She must have been in the wool-dying business here before moving to Philippi.
. . . . 2. Little is known of this city, so the comments of Christ to it cannot be as readily interpreted as to the other cities.
. . . . 3. With the knowledge that the trade guilds conducted orgiastic feasts in the heathen temples, it is easy to see that the
. . . . . . Christians there would be under severe economic persecution, if not in danger physically, unless they attended.
. . . . 4. Christ praises them for their “love and faith, service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at
. . . . . . first.”
. . . . 5. But they tolerated a woman called “Jezebel,” undoubtedly because she, like Ahab’s wife in ancient Isreal (1 Kings 18:4),
. . . . . . led the people into idol worship. Christ had been patient with her to repent, but since she was unwilling, he was about
. . . . . . to cast her on a bed of suffering. He would also “make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, and will
. . . . . . strike her children dead.” Could there be a parallel here with the affliction of homosexuals with AIDS? It seems likely
. . . . . . that “Jezebel” recommended a compromise with the trade guilds, so that the Christians could practice their trades, but
. . . . . . Christ will have none of it.
. . . . 6. He commends those who have not attempted to probe “the deep things of Satan,” one of the heretical practices of some
. . . . . . . of the false teachers.
. . . . 7. He promises to them that overcome and do His will unto the end, that He will share the authority he has received from
. . . . . . His Father “to rule the nations with an iron scepter, and dash them to pieces like pottery,” a quotation from Psalm 2:9.
. . . . 8. He also promises to give them the morning star. Since Christ is referred to in chapter 22:16 as the “bright and morning
. . . . . . star,” it is His presence that is likely meant.
. . E. Letter to Sardis (Chapter 3:1-6):
. . . . 1. Sardis was at the juncture of five main roads, and was a wealthy commercial city. It had been the capital for Croesus,
. . . . . . who is proverbial for his wealth. The ancient city was located on the edge of an escarpment, whose steep side was
. . . . . . nearly impossible to scale. Accordingly, the city defenders were lax in guarding that approach to the city, and it
. . . . . . had been captured twice in its history (549 and 218 B.C.) by enemies who did scale the cliff. It had been largely
. . . . . . destroyed by an earthquake in A.D. 17 but was rebuilt, partly owing to generous aid from the emperor Tiberius.
. . . . 2. Although the Christians in Sardis were not subject to any known persecution, they are scathingly rebuked by Christ for
. . . . . . “being dead.” Apparently, they had degenerated into a sort of social club, and lost most of their zeal for evangelization
. . . . . . and being a light-bearer. He warns them to remember what they have received and heard, and obey it, or He will come
. . . . . . upon them “like a thief,” at a time they do not expect (like the enemies that captured the city long ago).
. . . . 3. For the few that have been faithful, Christ promises white clothes, so that they may walk with Him.
. . . . 4. He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white, and will never have his name blotted out of the Book of Life.
. . . . . . And Christ will acknowledge his name before His Father and before the angels in Heaven.

. . F. Letter to Philadelphia (Chapter 3:7-13):
. . . . 1. Philadelphia was located at the junction of the approaches to Mysia, Lydia, and Phrygia. It was founded in 140 B.C.
. . . . . . by Attalus II Philadelphus of Pergamum, from whom it was named, who intended it to be a missionary center for the
. . . . . . Hellenistic way of life. Hot springs existed in the area, and the city was plagued with earthquakes, including the
. . . . . . big one in A.D. 17.
. . . . 2. The church was small, but of good quality, for Christ has only praise for it, like Smyrna. Both suffered from those
. . . . . . who called themselves Jews, but were not, but were synagogues of Satan, and both suffered persecution from the Romans.
. . . . 3. Christ promises that He will make the Jews “come and fall down at your feet — and acknowledge that I have loved you.”
. . . . 4. He also promises to keep them from (or through) the persecution that is about to descend upon them.
. . . . 5. He tells them that He has set an open door before them (to take the Gospel, rather than Hellenistic culture, to the
. . . . . . surrounding nations).
. . . . 6. To him that overcomes, Christ promises to make a pillar in the temple of His God, never again to leave it (the Philadelphians
. . . . . . would leave the city during an earthquake, because of the after-shocks that continued, sometimes for days).
. . . . 7. He also promises to write on him “the name of My God (he belongs to God), and the name of the city of My God, the new
. . . . . . Jerusalem which is coming down out of Heaven from My God (he has citizenship rights);
. . . . 8. and I will also write on him My new name.”
. . G. Letter to Laodicea (Chapter 3:14-22):
. . . . 1. Laodicea was a sister city of Colosse and Heriapolis, and was one of the richest cities in the world. It was the center
. . . . . . of banking, and had warm springs which were famous for healing, but whose water was so heavy with minerals that it was
. . . . . . nauseating to drink. The city was also famous for its eye salve and for its black wool. It was so wealthy that it turned
. . . . . . down the offer of help from the emperor Tiberius to rebuild itself after the earthquake of A.D. 17.
. . . . 2. The church was evidently founded through the preaching of Epaphras (Colossians1:7, 4:12f). Paul wrote a letter to it
. . . . . . (Colossians 4:16), but this is lost (unless it is the Letter to the Ephesians).
. . . . 3. At the time of John's visions, the church had degenerated to the point where it received the severest criticism of
. . . . . . any of the seven by the risen Christ.
. . . . 4. Its people, and the Christians as well, were so complacent that Christ had to use almost violent language — ”spit you
. . . . . . out of My mouth.” They were far worse than the cold church in Ephesus.
. . . . 5. Even though so wealthy in the world's eyes, Christ calls them “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.” He counsels
. . . . . . them to buy from Him "gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; white clothes to wear, so you can cover your
. . . . . . shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.”
. . . . 6. Even after such severe rebukes, Christ makes a tender appeal. “Those I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest,
. . . . . . . and repent.
. . . . 7. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him,
. . . . . . and he with Me.” [This verse was instrumental in bringing me to Christ at age 42.]
. . . . 8. Christ then promises to him who overcomes, to give the right to sit with Him on His throne, just as He overcame (John
. . . . . . 16:33) and won the right to sit with his Father on His throne.
. . H. Comment on Act I:
. . . . 1. It is easy to see the Church of Christ through the centuries reflected in these letters. Some of the praiseworthy and
. . . . . . blameworthy characteristics found here can be seen in almost any church which is at all faithful to the Word of God.
. . . . . . But the church of our day, taken as a whole, seems to be most like that of Laodicea.
. . . . 2. Torrance has put it this way: “The world likes a complacent, reasonable religion, and so it is always ready to revere
. . . . . . some pale Galilean image of Jesus, some meager anemic Messiah, and to give Him a moderate rational homage. The
. . . . . . truth is that we have often committed adultery with alien ideologies, confounded the Gopel with the religions of nature,
. . . . . . and imbibed the wine of pagan doctrines and false principles and deceitful practices. We have sought to bend the will
. . . . . . of God to serve the ends of man, to alter the Gospel and shape the Church to conform to the fashions of the times.”

III. SUMMARY OF THE LETTERS TO SEVEN CHURCHES
. . A. Summary of Christ's attributes, commendations, condemnations, warnings, exhortations, and promises to His Church,
. . . . as gleaned from these seven letters:
. . . . 1. Christ’s attributes:
. . . . . . (Ephesus) He is in full charge of His Church and knows all that goes on.
. . . . . . (Smyrna) He is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.
. . . . . . (Pergamum) He has a sharp, double-edged sword (by which to execute His judgments).
. . . . . . (Thyatira) His eyes can blaze like fire (with anger), and He can stamp out what He hates.
. . . . . . (Sardis) He holds the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars in His hand.
. . . . . . (Philadelphia) He holds the key of David. What He opens no one can shut and what He shuts no one can open.
. . . . . . (Laodicea) He is the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.

. . . . 2. What Christ commends (in His Church):
. . . . . . (Ephesus) Hard work, perseverance, intolerance of false teachers, willingness to endure hardship for His sake,
. . . . . . . .not becoming weary, hating heresy.
. . . . . . (Smyrna) Willingness to be poor (in this world’s goods) if rich in spiritual blessings; willingness to endure
. . . . . . . . slander (for Christ’s sake).
. . . . . . (Pergamum) Willingness to live (and witness) where Satan has his throne; remaining true to Christ’s name, not
. . . . . . . . renouncing Christ’s name in the face of persecution, even to death.
. . . . . . (Thyatira) Practicing love and faith, service and perseverance; willingness to do more and more (for Christ).
. . . . . . (Sardis) Not soiling one’s clothes.
. . . . . . (Philadelphia) Keeping Christ’s word, not denying His name; keeping Christ’s command to endure patiently.
. . . . . . (Laodicea) No Comment.

. . . . 3. What Christ condemns (in His Church):
. . . . . . (Ephesus) To forsake our first love — all other virtues are subordinated to our love for Christ and our fellow
. . . . . . . . saints.
. . . . . . (Smyrna) No comment.
. . . . . . (Pergamum) No comment.
. . . . . . (Thyatira/Philadelphia) Tolerating those who teach and/or practice compromise with the world; accepting
. . . . . . . . society’s anti-Christian practices — “eating food sacrificed to idols”; marital and spiritual infidelity —
. . . . . . . . “committing sexual immorality.”
. . . . . . (Sardis) Being “dead” to spiritual things — witness, service, worship, prayer.
. . . . . . (Laodicea) Being lukewarm in faith and practice of Christianity; thinking that one is rich (in this world’s goods
) . . . . . . . . and therefore needs nothing, not realizing one’s bankruptcy in spiritual things.
. . . . 4. Christ’s warnings, exhortations, and promises to His Church:
. . . . . . (Ephesus) Remember the height from which you have fallen . . . Repent and do the things you did at first . . .
. . . . . . . . (or) I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
. . . . . . (Smyrna) Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer . . . Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I
. . . . . . . . will give you the crown of life.
. . . . . . (Pergamum) Repent . . . (or) I will soon come to you and fight against (the Nicolaitans) with the sword of my
. . . . . . . . mouth.
. . . . . . (Thyatira) All the churches will know that I am He that searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you
. . . . . . . . according to your deeds.
. . . . . . (Sardis) Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die. Remember what you have received and heard;
. . . . . . . . obey it and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I
. . . . . . . . will come.
. . . . . . (Philadelphia) I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world to test those who live
. . . . . . . . on the earth . . . Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
. . . . . . (Laodicea) Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.

. . . . 5. Christ’s promises to “him that overcomes”:
. . . . . . (Ephesus) I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
. . . . . . (Smyrna) (he) will not be hurt at all by the second death.
. . . . . . (Pergamum) I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written
. . . . . . . . on it.
. . . . . . (Thyatira) I will give authority over the nations (Ps.2:9). I will also give him the morning star.
. . . . . . (Sardis) (he) will be dressed in white. I will never erase his name from the Book of Life, but will acknowledge
. . . . . . . . his name before My Father and His angels.
. . . . . . (Philadelphia) I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God.I will write on (him) the name of My God
. . . . . . . . and the name of the city of My God and also My new name.
. . . . . . (Laodicea) I will give (him) the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My
. . . . . . . . Father on His throne.

Go to Act 2 (Chapters 4-7)
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