Letters to the 7 Ecclesias

Pergamos

“these things saith he that ….” “these things saith he that ….”

• Ephesus - walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands - Ch.1:12 & 20

• Smyrna - Which was dead is alive - Ch.1:18• Pergamos - hath the sharp two edged sword - Ch.1:16• Thyatira - hath eyes like a flame of fire - Ch.1:14• Sardis - hath the seven stars - Ch.1:20• Philadelphia - hath the key of David - Ch.1:18• Laodicea - is the beginning of the creation - Ch.1:8,

The Letters contain:-

Commendation - For works of Love and Faith

Warning - Repent, or the Lampstand will be removed

Encouragement - Always a reminder of future blessings

”Commendation””Commendation”

• Ephesus - much to commend the ecclesia (2:2-3)• Smyrna - poverty, but thou art rich (Ch.2:9-10)• Pergamos - thou holdest fast my name (Ch.2:13)• Thyatira - charity, service, faith & patience (Ch.2:19)• Sardis - a few had not defiled their garments (Ch.3:4)• Philadelphia - thou hast kept the word of my patience

(Ch.3:10)• Laodicea - Nothing to commend the ecclesia

The Lord Jesus Christ warns the EcclesiasThe Lord Jesus Christ warns the Ecclesias

• Ephesus - Thou hast left thy first love - do the first works

• Smyrna - I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan

• Pergamos - Doctrines of Balaam & Nicolaitanes• Thyatira - Jezebel, teaching & seducing the ecclesia• Sardis - “a name that thou livest and art dead”• Philadelphia - The synagogue of Satan• Laodicea - Thou art neither cold nor hot

Ephesus - Thou hast left thy first LoveEphesus - Thou hast left thy first Love

• There was much to commend the ecclesia (2:2)

• “We must understand this in the light of scriptural definitions of love, and not according to the modern notion which limits love to sentiment” (R.Roberts)

• See 2 John 6-7 , John 14:21

• Repent and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick (lampstand) out of his place

Smyrna - A persecuted EcclesiaSmyrna - A persecuted Ecclesia

• Commendation for Smyrna (2:9)

• In Christ, we are Jews Eph.2:11-13, Rom.2:29

• In Smyrna there was the faithful ecclesia which suffered at the hands of false brethren -

• The faithful were to suffer tribulation because of their beliefs (2:10)

Pergamos - False gods, Nicolaitanes Pergamos - False gods, Nicolaitanes

• Balaam - Caused Israel to worship idols & commit fornication - they were unfaithful to their Husband & worshipped false Gods (Idols)

• Num.25:1-5 - Phinehas shows love for God & people (v.11-13)

• Nicolaitanes - ‘Nikos’ (conquest, victory) ‘Laos’ (people) - beginnings of clergy & laity

Thyatira - False doctrines Thyatira - False doctrines

• Some commendation (2:19)

• The seduction of Jezebel “that wicked woman”

• Introduced ‘Baal worship’ into Israel

• She taught & seduced Israel to commit fornication

• See Rev.17:1-3

Sardis - ‘ready to die’Sardis - ‘ready to die’

• A few in Sardis were not defiled (3:4)

• An active ecclesia which was “dead” - activity acceptable to man is seldom pleasing to God

• Remember how thou hast received and heard (They had forgotten the teaching of scripture)

• If therefore thou shalt not watch I will come upon thee as a thief. (See Rev.16:15)

Philadelphia - False doctrines Philadelphia - False doctrines

• Commendation for some - thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

• The Synagogue of Satan was there - (3:9) same as Smyrna

• I have set before thee an open door - For through him we both have access by one spirit unto the Father. (Eph.2:18)

Laodicea - I know thy worksLaodicea - I know thy works

• Thou art neither cold - see Prov.25:13 & 25

• nor hot - see Jer. 20:9

• They were deceived by their riches & goods

• thou knowest not that thou art wretched, miserable, poor, blind, & naked.

• They needed gold tried in the fire to be rich

• They needed white raiment to be clothed

• They needed true vision to see (Prov.29:18)

By carefully looking at the Apocalypse we shall be

encouraged by a glorious vision

“He that overcometh….”

Promise to Ephesus

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. (Rev.2:7)

Fulfilled in the Kingdom

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. (Rev.22:14)

Promise to Smyrna

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. (Rev.2:11)

Fulfilled in the Kingdom

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Rev.20:6)

Promise to Pergamos

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give … a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. (Rev.2:17)

Fulfilled in the Kingdom

and on his head were many crowns and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. (Rev.19:12) and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. (Rev.17:14)

Promise to Thyatira

And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: (Rev.2:28)

Fulfilled in the Kingdom

And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, (Rev.15:2)

Promise to Sardis

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. 6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Rev.3:5-6)

Fulfilled in the Kingdom

These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Rev.7:14)

And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.(Rev.21:27)

Promise to Philadelphia

Him that overcometh …. I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (Rev.3:12-13)

Fulfilled in the Kingdom

And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. (Rev.14:1)

Promise to Laodicea

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (Rev.3:21-22)

Fulfilled in the Kingdom

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Rev.20:4)

Rev. 3:14 These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

Rev. 17:14 ...and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.