Welcome back to part four of our Introductory study of the Book of Revelation. In this lesson, I will be overviewing chapters 2 and 3 which are the letters to the seven churches of Asia Minor. But first less consider this quick review:
In the Book of Revelation, John under the influence of the Holy Spirit, gives us a panoramic view of the return of Christ, the establishment of God’s Kingdom, and the culmination of God’s wonderful and merciful plan of redemption for the human race who had originally fell in the Garden of Eden. In other words, Revelation is the culmination, the climax or the consummation of God’s epic redemption story that began in the Book of Genesis and is still ongoing now. The story that involved the birth, sacrificial death, resurrection, and His glorious SECOND coming. And in the climactic scene, we see the NEW Jerusalem and the NEW Heaven and NEW Earth, in which there will be no more sorry, no more pain, and most importantly, no more death.
The Book of Revelation also assures us of a future that is better than the past or the present. God has a glorious plan for His people. And those of us who are believers in Jesus Christ, will enjoy life forever in a place called Heaven. It will be life eternal with Christ in a matter and a state that will actually be incomprehensible to our current natural human understanding.
And finally, while there are several admonitions in the bible that encourage believers to read and study God’s word, and the corresponding blessings, The Book of Revelation is also the only book in the Bible that promises a special blessing for those believers who reads the book, understands it, and then does the things that are written in it.
The Author
John exiled to the Isle of Patmos. A small island in the Aegean Sea about 13 miles in size, about 71/2 miles long, and 6 miles wide at its widest point. Patmos was a Roman colony that was used for banishment of political prisoners or people who were considered to be a threat to the empire (IF THEY WEREN’T EXECTUTED FIRST). In 86 AD, Empire Domitian, a Temple was built to Domitian in Ephesus, and the citizens were ALL required to MAKE SACRIFICES to Domitian in the Temple. In 94 AD, (the 14th year of Domitian’s reign, word got back to Domitian that THESE CHRISTIANS refuse to obey, and the leader was this guy named JOHN, [who was THE BISHOP of Ephesus at the time]. John was then banished to Patmos, and THREE YEARS LATER in 97AD, John received the Revelation.
Purpose and Theme of Revelation • The purpose of the Revelation is to jolt those Christians who are compromising with idolatry out of their spiritual anesthesia so that they will perceive the spiritual danger they are in and repent.
• It is also designed to comfort and encourage the faithful, witnessing church in its struggle against the forces of evil.
• Assurance is given that: God sees their tears (7:17; 21:4);
• Their prayers rule the world! (8:3-4); death ushers them into a glorious heaven (14:13; 20:4);
• Their final victory is assured (15:2); their Christ lives and reigns forever, who governs the world in the interest of His church (5:7-8);
• And that He is coming again to take his people to Himself (chapters. 21-22).
• The ULTIMATE THEME of the book is the victory of Christ and of His church over the dragon (Satan) and his helpers. The theme is stated in 17:14: “They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with Him are called and chosen and faithful.”
The Divine Outline of Revelation
We also learned that God intended for His people to read and understand the book [Revelation 1:3], and that there is a THREE PART OUTLINE, or THREE SECTIONS that the book of Revelation is divided into [Revelation 1:19-20]. To put it another way, The Book of Revelation is the only book which also has a divinely inspired outline included. Jesus Himself has provided the key to the structure of the book:
He told John to write:
1. the things which thou hast seen, and
2. the things which are, and
3. the things which shall be hereafter.
The “things which thou hast seen” refers to the vision of our risen Lord just experienced previously in Chapter 1. The “things which are” refers to the seven churches which were existing at that time in Chapters 2 and 3. Interestingly, the Lord’s letters to the churches in these two chapters are the most relevant part of the book for you and me today. The “things which shall be hereafter)” refers to the remainder of the book which include prophecies that are still awaiting future fulfillment.
The Things Which Are: The Letters to the Seven Churches [Chapters 2 and 3]
The Seven Churches of Revelation refer to seven churches referenced by location in Asia Minor in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. The Seven Churches of Revelation, also known as the Seven Churches of the Apocalypse and the Seven Churches of Asia, are seven major literal churches of early Christianity that had been started by the Apostle Paul during one of his three missionary journeys recorded in the book of Acts. All of these were located in Asia Minor, or present-day Turkey.
Historically these locations were considered major cultural hubs for various reasons such as trade, military and hedonism. The seven Churches are named for their locations. The Book of Revelation provides descriptions of each Church. In these chapters lie both a correction and a warning to believers within the church but also words of praise as God understood what they were going through and provided them with encouragement.
These particular seven churches may have been chosen to receive Christ’s apocalyptic message because, geographically, the churches were located along an established, circular trade route that brought together the most populous and influential parts of the province. Once the apocalyptic message was given to the churches in these prominent cities, the message would spread to the Christian communities in the rest of the province. Although the seven letters in Revelation are tailored to the named churches, these churches and their stated deficiencies can symbolize all churches in one respect or another. The instruction given to Revelation’s congregations, therefore, is valuable to Christian congregations today.
It is interesting to note, while most Christians know Israel as the “Holy Land”, fewer know that Turkey has more Biblical sites than any other country. Over 60% of all places mentioned in the Bible are located in Turkey, also known as the Second Holy Land. This includes the sites of the Seven Churches of Revelation.
• Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7) – The church known for having labored hard and not fainted and separating themselves from the wicked; admonished for having forsaken its first love (2:4). • Smyrna (Revelation 2:8-11) – The church admired for its tribulation and poverty; forecast to suffer persecution (2:10). • Pergamum (Revelation 2:12-17) – The church where ‘Satan’s seat’ or ‘throne’ is; needed to repent of allowing false teachers (2:16). • Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-29) – The church known for its charity, whose “latter works are greater than the former;” held the teachings of a false prophetess (2:20) • Sardis (Revelation 3:1-6) – The church that has a good name; cautioned to fortify itself and return to God through repentance (3:2-3). • Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7-13) – The church steadfast in faith, that had kept God’s word and endured patiently (3:10) • Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22) – The church that was lukewarm and insipid (to God) (3:16).
There are Four Distinct Levels of Application to Each Letter:
These were seven literal church communities that existed in the first century that were dealing with very real issues and circumstances that these letters addressed head on. Which means that these letters had very valid local applications.
Each letter ended with the admonition of: “he that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit has to say to the Church[es]” churches being plural. In other words, every church was to pay attention to the messages in each letter. Which means that the messages in each letter, were not only meant to have local application for the church in which the letter was addressed, but they were intended to have application for all of the churches that existed at the time, as well as every church in history, up until and including modern day. It is important also to note, that every church in history, will have ELEMENTS of each of these seven letters, contend with. Some to more or less extent than others.
In addition to corporate applications, each of these letters also contain PERSONAL applications for every believer on an individual level. In short, God selected these seven congregations to give timeless instruction for His people throughout the centuries, both collectively, as well as, individually.
4. And finally, and somewhat controversially, many theologians believe that these seven letters in the order that they are given, include the lay out of the chronological history of the church age. Now while I won’t be going into a lot of detail about this idea, I will however just note, that the premise of this argument centers around the question, “Why these particular seven churches?”
In other words, there were over 75 church communities at this time and some were in the general vicinity of the seven churches. For instance, Colossae was only about five miles SE of Laodicea. There was also such locations as, Corinth, Thessalonica, Galatia, Antioch, and so on. So, why did God choose these particular seven churches and not any of the others?
The argument is that if you trace Church history beginning at the first century, you will see a pattern that chronologically mirrors the messages given in these seven churches. While this is an argument worthy of follow up, there are many bible teachers who reject this view as over spiritualization of the text. Now like I mentioned, I won’t be going into much specific detail on this aspect at this time, but I may come back to it in some future study.
The Churches report card – Each letter Contains these 7 elements or reports:
1. Name of the Church. 2. Description or title that Christ chooses for Himself. 3. Exhortation. 4. Concern. 5. Exhortation. 6. Promise to the Overcomer. 7. Closing phrase: “he that has an ear, let him hear, what the Spirit says to the churches”.
A Quick Historical Overview of Each Church
As the first chapter of the book of Revelation explains, the apostle John was given a vision of end-time events leading up to the return of Jesus Christ. Part of the instruction that John received was: “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea” (verse 11). The order of these cities in modern-day Turkey corresponds to “the route along which a courier from Patmos [where John received the vision] would have carried the scroll” (ESV Study Bible, Revelation 2:11). Over these next two lessons, I will take a take a quick overview of some of the background of each of the seven churches, beginning with Ephesus, Smyrna and Pergamos:
Ephesus The Loveless Church (Revelation 2:1-7)
First-century Ephesus
Located near the mouth of the Cayster River and the island of Samos, Ephesus was called “the first and greatest metropolis of Asia” by the Romans. “With an artificial harbor accessible to the largest ships, and rivaling the harbor at Miletus, standing at the entrance of the valley which reaches far into the interior of Asia Minor, and connected by highways with the chief cities of the province, Ephesus was the most easily accessible city in Asia, both by land and sea.
“Its location, therefore, favored its religious, political and commercial development, and presented a most advantageous field for the missionary labors of Paul. The city stood upon the sloping sides and at the base of two hills, Prion and Coressus, commanding a beautiful view; its climate was exceptionally fine, and the soil of the valley was unusually fertile” (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 1939, “Ephesus”).
By the time Paul arrived in the 1st century AD, Ephesus was the capital of the Province of Asia, had an estimated population of about 200,000, and was one of the greatest cities in the Roman Empire, eclipsed only by Rome and Alexandria, with Antioch and Corinth close behind (Strabo, Geography; Acts 18:19, 19:1). The city was well-known for its temple of Diana and for its theater—the largest in the world, seating 50,000 people. Given its prominence, it was not surprising that a number of Jews resided in the city. Since it was a major center of travel, the apostle Paul came through the city; and in keeping with his custom, he “entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews” (Acts 18:19).
Paul then left Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus while he went to Jerusalem to observe one of God’s holy days. A gifted speaker named Apollos soon came to the city and began to speak accurately and boldly “the things of the Lord” (verses 24-26). Assisted by the husband-wife team of Aquila and Priscilla who gave him a more accurate understanding of God’s way, Apollos “vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ” (verses 28).
After an initial visit, Paul went back to Ephesus in about 52 AD during the reign of Claudius, making it his temporary home (Acts 19:1-20:1). During his approximately 30 years of traveling ministry, Ephesus was one of the places in which Paul stayed the longest time. On his second visit to Ephesus, Paul lived there for over 2 years and 3 months, perhaps 3 years in the Province of Asia (Acts 19:8-10, 20:1, 31). In this premier city of Asia, Paul brought the Gospel, taught extensively, helped start the local church, mentored church leaders, performed miracles, opposed paganism and magic, wrote 1 Corinthians, and may have even faced wild beasts in the arena (Acts 18:19-20, 19:8-20:1; 1 Corinthians 15:32; 1 Timothy 1:3; 2 Timothy 4:12). A tradition suggests that Paul wrote 1 Corinthians from the “Paul Tower” near the harbor, but even if he was imprisoned for a short time in Ephesus, it is more likely that he would have been in a house arrest situation similar to Rome.
The church of Ephesus
The initial visit by Paul to Ephesus and the powerful preaching of Apollos marked the beginning of the Church of God in Ephesus (called simply the “church of Ephesus” in Revelation 2:1). The next time Paul came through the city, he found that some people, including “about twelve” men, had become disciples (Acts 19:1, 7). Paul then spent three years in Ephesus (Acts 20:31)—a comparatively long time compared to the lengths of his stays in other areas—preaching the gospel. He began by first speaking in the synagogue and then later teaching daily in the school of Tyrannus “so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks” (Acts 19:10).
Several notable events took place in Ephesus. “Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them” (verses 11-12). These miracles and an attack by an evil spirit against someone other than Paul attempting to cast it out created quite a stir.
As the Bible explains, “This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed” (verses 17-20).
When Paul arrived back in Ephesus in about 52 AD, there was already a small Christian community developing. Ephesus, as the largest and most important city in Asia Minor, preoccupied with wealth and steeped in paganism, would present obstacles for the Christians and the spread of the Gospel, but ultimately the church there would become strong. As was his typical practice, Paul went to the synagogue to teach and reason that Jesus was the prophesied Christ, building on the knowledge of the Bible that the Jews and God fearers there had (Acts 19:8).
The message to the church of Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7)
Analyzing this instruction from Christ, we note that Jesus told the members at Ephesus that He knew their works, patience and attitude toward those who practiced evil—an apparent characteristic of the Nicolaitans. Christ knew that a great work had been done in their city and that they had been an example to all of Asia. He also acknowledged that members of this congregation had seen through the words of false teachers claiming to be apostles and had remained faithful to God.
In other words, the Church of Ephesus, had many positive qualities; Christ commended them in five specific ways—they were, dynamic, dedicated, determined, disciplined, and discerning (Revelation 2:2-3). But verse 4 reveals where they went wrong. “Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” Everything about the Ephesian church looked good on the outside, but inwardly they had heart trouble. Their devotion to Christ was waning. However, after praising the church of Ephesus for the good works it had done, Jesus then told them that He had something against them. They had lost their “first love” (verse 4).
The meaning of “first love” in this passage (Revelation 2:4) is more than likely that the zeal and commitment to God these first century Christians had when they initially learned of God’s way of life. As the congregation began in Ephesus, it must have been exciting for these members to see the miracles that God performed through Paul and to witness the powerful impact the preaching of the gospel had upon their city and the region. As the scriptural record explains, “all the Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus” heard of these miracles and many burned their books on magic and turned to God (Acts 19:17-20). What often happens, even with believers today, is that over time, we have the natural human tendency to become complacent and apathetic. Especially, if you reside in an area in which there is prosperity and life is good, which was the case in Ephesus, which was a major metropolitan and economic hub in the first century.
Smyrna The Suffering Church (Revelation 2:8-11)
First-century Smyrna
Acts 19:10 suggests that the church there was founded during Paul’s third missionary journey. Smyrna sat 35 miles north of Ephesus, built near the ruins of an ancient Greek colony destroyed in the 7th century BC. Lysimachus, one of Alexander the Great’s generals, rebuilt Smyrna as a new Hellenistic city in the 3rd century BC. The city was later established as a Roman commercial center with a port on the Aegean Sea. Scholars believe the city grew to about 100,000 by the time of the apostles Paul and John. Due to the fact that the port city of Izmir houses the second largest population in Turkey today, the site of ancient Smyrna has been little excavated. Excepting the agora, theater, and sections of the Roman aqueduct, little remains of the ancient city.
Similar to Ephesus, Smyrna had many visitors. Boasting an excellent harbor and the beginning of a well-traveled road to the interior, Smyrna regularly had travelers passing through it. This great trading city, founded by Alexander the Great, continues to this day as the modern Turkish city of Izmir with a population of approximately 2.8 million. In Roman times, Smyrna was considered the most brilliant city of Asia Minor, successfully rivaling Pergamos and Ephesus. Its streets were wide and paved.
It was celebrated for its schools of science and medicine, and for its handsome buildings. Among them was the Homerium, for Smyrna was one of several places which claimed to be the birthplace of the poet. “On the slope of Mt. Pagus was a theater which seated 20,000 spectators. In the 23 AD year a temple was built in honor of Tiberius and his mother Julia, and the Golden Street, connecting the temples of Zeus and Cybele, is said to have been the best in any ancient city” (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 1939, “Smyrna”).
Smyrna was a beautiful, wealthy city, but it was also an official site of emperor worship, resulting in a close association with Rome. Emperor worship consisted of acknowledging Caesar as lord and burning a small amount of incense to him. Worshiping the emperor was required for voting, owning property, and trading in the market. In some instances, non-worshipers were persecuted. Smyrna also was the home for a huge Jewish synagogue and its participants partook in persecuting believers.
The church of Smyrna The Suffering Church (Revelation 2:8-11)
Smyrna along with Philadelphia, were the only two churches that did not receive any condemnation, rebuke or warning from The Lord. Yet, little is known of the first-century congregation that met in Smyrna. Other than the references to this church in Revelation 1:11 and Revelation 2:8, the Bible offers no additional information. Historians, however, offer some interesting insights regarding Polycarp, a student of the apostle John and the one who later became the bishop of Smyrna during the second century, and Polycrates, a younger contemporary of Polycarp who served as the bishop in Ephesus.
Two well-known historians of the early centuries, Ignatius and Irenaeus, said that Polycarp was taught by the apostle John. His link to the apostolic age is clearly evidenced in the difference between the Christians in Asia and those in Rome over the observance of Passover, one of God’s annual festivals. The leaders of the congregations in Asia, led by Polycrates, decided that they would remain faithful to the practice they had received from the apostles of the first century. Explaining their decision, Polycrates wrote the following to Victor:
“We observe the exact day; neither adding, nor taking away. For in Asia also great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again on the day of the Lord’s coming, when he shall come with glory from heaven, and shall seek out all the saints. Among these are Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who fell asleep in Hierapolis; and his two aged virgin daughters, and another daughter, who lived in the Holy Spirit and now rests at Ephesus; and, moreover, John, who was both a witness and a teacher, who reclined upon the bosom of the Lord, and being a priest, wore the sacerdotal plate. He fell asleep at Ephesus.” Because of his defiance to the Roman edict, Polycarp would eventually become one of the more famous early Christian martyrs when he was burned at the stake.
The message to the church of Smyrna
In the letter to Smyrna, John remarks that the Christians in Smyrna have experienced oppression and that they are “poor” but also rich, alluding to the reputation of the city as pagan and wealthy (Revelation 2:8-9). The letter then goes on to mention blasphemy by Jews who are actually part of a “synagogue of Satan,” and in the future that some of the Christians will be thrown into prison, but that they must be faithful until death (Revelation 2:9-10).
Written during the time of Domitian and Christian persecution, the church at Smyrna faced even more opposition than most, due to the strong influence of emperor worship in the city, which at that time was required by law and punishable by imprisonment or death. An interpretation of the reference to the “synagogue of Satan” is tentative, but it may refer to Jews who not only opposed Christianity, but also participated in the imperial cult. Like many other cities of Asia Minor, there was a significant community of Jews, including at least one synagogue (Revelation 2:9; Josephus, Antiquities).
Unfortunately, many of these Jews were fiercely opposed to Christianity, and just as Paul and his friends had been opposed and attacked by Jews in other cities, the Christians in Smyrna also faced persecution from not only the pagans, but the Jews. Polycarp, who was the Bishop of Smyrna and who had known and been taught by John the Apostle, was martyred in Smyrna at the instigation of Jews in about 156 AD (Martyrdom of Polycarp; Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History). The 2nd century Church bishop and apologist Irenaeus was born in Smyrna, and knew Polycarp in his youth, although he relocated to Lyon in Gaul to lead the local church there.
The wording of the message to the church of Smyrna is: “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, ‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death” (Revelation 2:8-11).
Be Fearless
“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer” (Revelation 2:10). Because Christ is Lord over all of life’s circumstances, we have nothing to fear. Paul wrote that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:35-39). Fear is a natural human response, but we live supernatural lives through the power of Christ in us.
Be Faithful
“Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). Given the intensity of the persecution in Smyrna, I believe Christ was saying, “Yes, you may lose your life for My sake, but be faithful until the end.”
Pergamos The Compromising Church (Revelation 2:12-17)
Pergamum was an inland city located in western Asia Minor, first mentioned by Xenophon in his time with the Ten Thousand mercenaries in the service in of Cyrus the Younger about 400 BC, but at this time it had not yet become a significant metropolis (Xenophon, Anabasis). Centuries later, after its growth and development into a prominent city and capital of a kingdom, Attalus III, ruler of the Kingdom of Pergamum, granted his entire kingdom to Rome upon his death in 133 BC, and the city became the capital of the Province of Asia (Strabo, Geography). ).
By the time John wrote to the 7 churches of Asia Province near the end of the 1st century AD, Pergamum, the 3rd city to be addressed, was no longer the capital, but it was still the second most important Roman city in Asia Minor behind Ephesus, and probably had a population of over 100,000 inhabitants (Revelation 1:11, 2:12-17; Pliny, Natural History). Pergamum had a community of Jews from at least the 1st century BC, but no evidence of a synagogue has been found, and nothing directly relating to Jews is mentioned in the letter to Pergamum (Josephus, Antiquities; inscriptions and artwork found at the city).
During the Roman period, Pergamum was built on a two-tiered acropolis, with the remainder of the buildings west and south of the acropolis. The acropolis, where most of the temples were located, also had a theater of 80 rows with a seating capacity of 10,000, which is known as the steepest theater in the ancient world. Temples and shrines on the acropolis were dedicated to Dionysus, Zeus, Athena, the kings of Pergamum, the Emperor (Trajan, but there was a temple of Augustus somewhere), Demeter, and Hera.
The main temples and gods at Pergamum are also known from coins of the city, which depict Zeus, Dionysus, Asklepius, Athena, and the deified Emperor. On the acropolis, in the 2nd century BC King Eumenes II had the famous Pergamum Altar constructed, which was U shaped and one of the largest altars in the ancient world, measuring 112 feet by 118 feet, and 40 feet high. The grand altar was carved with depictions of mythological scenes about the Olympian gods, Giants, and Telephus, the legendary founder of Pergamum (Strabo, Geography). Although it is unclear if the altar was dedicated to a particular deity, it appears to have been associated with Zeus, or possibly Zeus and Athena (Lucius Ampelius, Liber Memorialis). Sacrifices were made at the altar, but little else is known about its specific use in antiquity (Pausanias, Description of Greece).
The message to the church of Pergamos (Revelation 2:12-17)
Pergamos was nicknamed “Satan’s City.” The Christians in Pergamos were surrounded by pagan beliefs and practices. In spite of their faithfulness in some areas, the Christians in Pergamos had compromised their faith. They had allowed idolatry to creep into their congregation. In the letter to Pergamum, some of the members of the church there are reprimanded for the teaching of Balaam, sacrifices to idols, and immorality, which were all related to paganism (Revelation 2:14). The verb typically translated as “to eat things sacrificed to idols,” composed of the elements “idol” and “sacrifice,” may be rendered as “memorial meals for the dead,” which were a typical ritual in Hellenistic and Roman paganism (Kennedy, “The Cult of the Dead at Corinth”). The “immorality” cited could even refer specifically to spiritual harlotry, or worshipping false gods in addition to or instead of Jesus Christ, the true God (cf. Old Testament usage).
Regardless, some of the Christians in Pergamum were participating in pagan rituals and the worship of false gods, which were apparently practices that the sect of the Nicolaitans taught (Irenaeus, Against Heresies; Tertullian, Against Heretics).
In the concluding section of the letter, the ones who “overcome” will have a new name written on a white stone, which contrasts with the temporary nature of parchment which the city was so famous for (Revelation 2:17). In the 3rd century AD, an earthquake severely damaged Pergamum, and the city was also sacked by the Gaul's. No significant building was done after this time, and therefore many of the Hellenistic and Roman period ruins were very well preserved.
In closing this first half of a two-part lesson on the seven churches of Revelation Chapters 2 and 3, I would like you to keep in mind that it is not my intention with these lessons to do a thorough verse by verse exegesis of Revelation. Instead, it is my prayer that you will receive just enough to motivate and inspire you to begin your own individual journey through the book of Revelation and become captivated like the Bereans and develop as I have, a hunger for searching for yourselves, the awesome richness of God’s Word.
In the next lesson, I will briefly examine the final four of the seven churches: Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.
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