The 7 Churches of Revelation - Introduction

FYI Point:

Apocalypse- from the Greek meaning “revelation”; thus the final book of the New Testament can and is often called the Apocalypse to St. John.  Apocalyptic literature is a special genre where by the author claims unique revelation from God, often through a vision, regarding special events usually involving the end of the world and renders that revelation in vivid, pictorial, symbolic ways.  Daniel, Ezekiel and Zechariah contain apocalyptic portions in their writings as well as the Book of Revelation by St. John as examples of apocalyptic literature.

“Apocalypse” should not be confused with “Apocrypha” which is those books not included in the Christian canon of Scripture but are accepted by some confessions such as the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches.  Most of those books were written in the Hellenistic-Roman period and were first included in the Old Greek Jewish scriptures.  Apocrypha means “to hide” or “to uncover”.

Introduction to Revelation

John received his revelation while in exile on the island of Patmos.  He was caught up in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day (1:9, 10).  John makes clear from the start that the revelation he received is delivered as the testimony of no less than Jesus Himself.  This is therefore a related but a unique inspiration for the writing of Holy Scripture.  Characteristic to apocalyptic literature, John uses numbers and graphic imagery in a symbolic way and prophetically focuses upon the coming end of the world.  But while John does follow suit in many ways with Old Testament motifs of apocalyptic writing such as referring to Babylon, Jezebel, Jerusalem as the city of God, Mt. Zion, the rainbow throne and the slain lamb, horns,  trumpets, beasts and weeks—John’s revelation is much more than an elaboration of Old Testament prophecy.  There are striking differences in Revelation from the norm of apocalyptic writing.

Very striking is the way John’s Revelation uses the familiar images.  They are neither used only a historical backdrop nor a futuristic sneak-peek; they are both.  Revelation has a past, present and future sensibility in its overall presentation.  It deals with what God has done, is doing and will do.  This point is vital to a proper understanding of Revelation.  John virtually tells the history of the world’s salvation seven times over.  In support of this, John claims his own authorship rather than relying on bolstering the credibility of the vision by claiming it to be one given to some notable figure from the past like Isaiah or Moses.  Moreover, John offers no speculation of times and fulfillments as do other apocalypses.  He doesn’t what to satisfy our curiosity but instead wants to tell us as God’s people for all time to hang on in the face of earthly persecution.  To wit John quotes Jesus, “Yes, I am coming soon” (22:20); “soon” is not explained.

But the greatest distinction of Revelation from its apocalyptic cousins is its evangelical center.  Revelation, when properly understood, in no way detracts from the historical event of Christ’s incarnation, death on the cross, resurrection, ascension and return to gather the faithful for heaven (the “wedding feast” of 19:1-10).  These, in fact, are the core messages albeit given in veiled terms.  Revelation certainly looks to the future end of the world but always in the context of the atoning work of Christ who is the fulfillment of prophecy and whose cross is the consummation of the victory over evil, sin, death and the devil.  The purpose of Revelation is not to be some millennial blue print of what is going to happen.  It is the reassurance to the Church Militant of all times that the victory is already ours; don’t give up for we will soon be the Church Triumphant as our Lord is now!

Admittedly, Revelation is not evangelical in the way that the Gospels and Epistles are.  John was writing around the censuring eyes of the Roman authority.  It may be true that it is difficult to express the centrality of the cross in apocalyptic terms but it is not impossible.  John’s Revelation makes clear that the Lamb, the Child, the Rider on the White Horse are one and the same victors over the beast, the whore of Babylon, the antichrist and the armies that follow them.  The Parousia, the Second Coming, is not the gospel itself but if it is not included in the proper context of Christ’s work finished already in time on the cross, the gospel’s comfort is lost.  It is to the first seven churches of Asia Minor, referring to the Church of all time, that Revelation offers this comfort.  Revelation is God’s exclamation point to the Gospel and as such fittingly comes at the end of our Bible.

Our Primary Study

For the next several weeks we will take a closer look at the seven churches of Revelation, chapters 2 and 3, which are first listed in 1:4 and 11.  John is to record on a scroll what Jesus will now show him and then deliver this message to these identified churches.  This is the first vision of Revelation delivered to John. This vision is different from the cycle of the others that follow in Revelation as it serves as a preparation for attentiveness and repentance for what was happening to the Church and would continue until Christ returned. 

Interpretations of the seven churches have ranged from being a summation of the church for all time (seven means completeness- see also 7:9-17 to understand the scope of Revelation) to being metaphors of church types or churches of various times throughout New Testament history.  These were indeed, however you take their meaning, actual churches that existed in the first century.  They were also prominent for one reason or another and as such were under a greater level of persecution.  The general pattern to each was commendation, complaint and correction.  The message from Christ was addressed to the “angel” of the church, either the “spirit” of the church in Christ or a divine messenger that watches over each particular congregation.

Some commentators have noted a progression of the sins done by each church; from Ephesus’ neglect of its first love to Laodicea becoming lukewarm.  One sin begets the next.  Certainly there is truth in that but the ordering of the seven churches and their corresponding sins may be a general warning to all Christians with no particular sequence.   In sum, stay vigilant.  Repent, less faith grow weak and die. And do not be idle for we are to be a church on the move in forward march.  Go and make disciples, Jesus said to us (Matthew 28:19, 20), while there is yet time.

Homework- read Revelation 2:1-7 and pray about the meaning in verse four of Ephesus’ forsaking her first love.