Seven Churches

On the surface, Revelation reads like the fevered dream of someone at the doors of death. In a way, it is.

God sent His angel to John the Revelator (also known as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" in John 13:23) with the details of this final prophecy, and John shares it as He is told.

Though shrouded in mysterious comments, some of the book is simple.

Here are my notes for the simple bits for the The Seven Churches for whom Jesus has direct words.

Ephesus

2:2-5 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.

Though Jesus commends the church for their perseverance, He does point out that their love for Him wanes.

Smyrna

2:9 I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich!

Jesus says nothing bad about Smyrna, but comforts them for the suffering they endure for Him.

Pergamum

2:13 I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, [...] Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolatians.

Jesus commends Pergamum for their endurance, but warns them about accepting the common morals enticing them to live in the material world. He has the same problem with ...

Thyatira

2:19-20 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.

Jesus is proud of Thyatira, but warns them, not against what they are doing, but against tolerating evil in their midst. That's a hard thing to consider, but there it is.

Sardis

3:1b I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.3:4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.

Jesus is pretty upset with Sardis. He is still pleased with some of them, but overall it looks like trouble. The church is doing all the right things on the surface, but does not have a love for Jesus as their motivation. That sounds familiar.

Philadelphia

3:8b I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name

Jesus encourages Philadelphia, and has no criticisms. This isn't such a bad place to be.

Laodicea

3:15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot.

Jesus is upset with them, for they are lukewarm. They lost their zeal for Him. This is common if you don't stay in contact with Jesus.


Bits of thought
I don't know who the Nicolatians are, but I'm glad I'm not them. Jesus mentions them twice. Anyone want to be in that bullseye?

Rev 3:5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels

Does this mean that Jesus might/could/would blot someone's name from the book of life? Baptist theology says something along the lines of "once saved, always saved" yet I am of the opinion that you'd best keep renewing your relationship with God and keep your faith alive - just in case.

After all, if you get complacent you begin to look like Laodicea, or you forget your love for Jesus like Ephesus.

So those are my thoughts on that little bit of Scripture.

Have a blessed day, and thanks for reading.