Continuation of the 7 Churches in Revelation (Day 6)

To the Church of Smyrna

Revelation 2:8-11 ⁽⁸⁾“To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. ⁽⁹⁾I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. ⁽¹⁰⁾Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown. ⁽¹¹⁾Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death. (NIV)

            John wrote that God knew the weaknesses and the lack that many of them encountered, but they were still considered as being rich in His eyes. This goes a long way from the ideology of what is taught in many churches today, which gives the indication to many that you lack faith if you do not have material possessions. However, this is far from the message that Jesus taught while down here on earth. . Matthew 6:19-21  ⁽¹⁹⁾“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ⁽²⁰⁾But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ⁽²¹⁾For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (NIV) Jesus was not saying that it is wrong to have nice things, but He did not want you to be consumed by the things of this world where you lose your soul.

 

            There were many who claimed to be followers of Christ but were not during that time and even today. God was so clear about it that He called them out as being from the church of Satan. John 8:44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (NIV) There are many in the church today who have the look of a Christian…if there is such a thing, talk like a Christian, and are in various ministries, but their heart is far from what Christ desires. Therefore, if you do not have the heart of Christ, then you have the heart of the devil and he is the father of deception.

 

 

            The church was to grow through much persecution as we are seeing many go through in other countries today. However, God told them to remain faithful and they would receive a crown in Heaven. Matthew 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (NIV)

 

To the Church of Pergamum

Revelation 2:12-17 ⁽¹²⁾“To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. ⁽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, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. ⁽¹⁴⁾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. ⁽¹⁵⁾Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. ⁽¹⁶⁾Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. ⁽¹⁷⁾Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it. (NIV)

 

 

          God was aware that Pergamum were amidst devils and yet, they remained true to Him. They remained faithful even after God’s servant Antipas was put to death. There is not much known about Antipas, but God described him as being faithful for being a witness of the Gospel. How many are willing to die for the cause of Christ? In order to be a true follower of Christ, we must be willing to forsake all even if that means the giving of our lives. Luke 17:33 Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. (NIV) Despite their faithfulness, God had a few things against them. They held on to the teachings of Balaam.

 

 

            King Balak was fearful of the Israelites because they were growing in number. He called on the prophet Balaam to put a curse over them. However, God told Balaam that He was not to put a curse on the Children of Israel. Despite what God said, Balaam still wanted to do as he saw fit. God spoke through the donkey that Balaam was on and he was not able to curse Israel, but was only able to bless them. Numbers 24:1 Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not resort to divination as at other times, but turned his face toward the wilderness. (NIV) Unfortunately, Balaam was not done and was responsible for leading the children of Israel into idolatry. God hates idolatry of any form and Israel suffered as a result of it. Numbers 31:16 "They were the ones who followed Balaam's advice and enticed the Israelites to be unfaithful to the LORD in the Peor incident, so that a plague struck the LORD's people. (NIV)

            God likened the teachings of Balaam to that of the Nicolaitans. Therefore, there were things that were creeping into the church during that time and it caused the church to compromise their standards with regards to the laws of God. God wanted them to repent and turn from their wicked ways. There were going to be rebuked by the sword of His mouth, which was the Word of God.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (NIV) Those who are faithful, God promised to give hidden manna— that is food from Heaven. And they will have a new name upon a stone given to them only understood by the one to whom it is given.

 

 

 

 

To the Church of Thyatira

Revelation 2:18-29 ⁽¹⁸⁾“To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. ⁽¹⁹⁾I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. ⁽²⁰⁾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. ⁽²¹⁾I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. ⁽²²⁾So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. ⁽²³⁾I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. ⁽²⁴⁾ Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, ⁽²⁵⁾except to hold on to what you have until I come.’ 26 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— ⁽²⁷⁾that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’—just as I have received authority from my Father. ⁽²⁸⁾I will also give that one the morning star. ⁽²⁹⁾Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (NIV)

          God commends the church of Thyatira for the good deeds of service that they have rendered and their endurance through love and faith. However, Thyatira tolerated the deeds of Jezebel who taught His servants to be sexually immoral and to eat food sacrificed to idols. Now, God was describing the acts of sin that was taking place in the Body of Christ and being allowed to persist. No one was standing up to what they had seen, but turned a blind eye to it in order to be what today would consider as “politically correct.” 1 Corinthians 5:1-3 9 ⁽¹⁾It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. ⁽²⁾And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this? (NIV) Paul was saying that when there is sin in the Body of Christ, do not stand by and go along with it. You must speak out and condemn the evil practice.

 

 

            God let the church know that they needed to repent. God was going to hold them accountable for their lack of taking a stand and allowing this sin to creep into the church. He would throw them onto a bed of suffering, which is in hell if they failed to repent. Psalms 139:8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. (NKJV) God was going to make an example out of them if they did not turn from their wicked ways, so that the other churches would see how serious this matter was. They were going to be judged with even the things that they thought no one else knew. 1 Peter 4:17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God's household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (NIV)

            God let them know that there were some in their mist who was doing the right thing. This threat of judgment did not apply to them as long as they remained steadfast in Him. There will always be a remnant of people who will do the will of God. For those who do, they will see God and enjoy the place that God has prepared for His children. God will ultimately destroy all who refuse to do His will give authority to those who remain faithful to rule over the nations. 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 ⁽²⁾Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? ⁽³⁾Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! (NIV)

To the Church of Sardis

Revelation 3:1-6 ⁽¹⁾“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. ⁽²⁾Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. ⁽³⁾Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, 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 to you. ⁽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. ⁽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. ⁽⁶⁾Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (NIV)

 

            God let the church of Sardis know that they had a “reputation” for being alive when they were actually dead. There are many churches of today with this same dead spirit as well. On the exterior they look as if they are on fire for Christ when in it is on the contrary. The church of Sardis was going through the motions, but were actually empty inside. It reminds you of takes place when a person dies. The heart of the individual no longer beats. Regardless of whether you have the physical body present, if there is no heartbeat, there is no life. This is how the church in Sardis was. They had the physical body of the church and may have been doing Christian deeds, but their heartbeat had slowed down and was almost none existent. They needed a heart defibrillator. They needed juice from the Source of Life to restore them. Ezekiel 37:3 He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "Sovereign LORD, you alone know." (NIV)

            God told Sardis to wake up. They were almost dead and they had an incomplete task waiting for them. They had to repent and turn around. However, if they did not then He would be as a thief unto them. 1 Thessalonians 5:2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. (NIV) Everyone in Sardis were not found stained. God declared that they would be found worthy and would be dressed in the robes of righteousness. Their names would remain in the book of life, which keeps the names of all who are saved. Philippians 4:3 Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. (NIV)

 

To the Church of Philadelphia

 

Revelation 3:7-13 ⁽⁷⁾“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. ⁽⁸⁾I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. ⁽⁹⁾I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. ⁽¹⁰⁾Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. ⁽¹¹⁾I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. ⁽¹²⁾The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. ⁽¹³⁾Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (NIV)

           

           God was aware of the deeds of Philadelphia. God reminded them that when He opens a door, no one can shut it and when He closes one, no one can open it. Isaiah 22:22 I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. (NIV) This is good for the Christian to remember because what God has for YOU is for you. No one can take it away once God opens the door for you to receive it accept for Him. Philadelphia had gone through a lot and their strength felt depleted, but they still remained faithful to the name of God.

            They were aware of the pretenders of the faith, but God promised to make their enemies their footstool. Psalm 110:1 Of David. A psalm. The LORD says to my lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." (NIV) God will take care of those who come against the ones who are dedicated to doing His will. One never need to worry when they are persecuted for Righteousness sake for in the end, there is a great reward.

            God promised to keep them from the hour of testing because of their patient endurance. Many within the body of Christ take this scripture to mean that the church will not be persecuted in the last days. However, this is not what God was saying for the body at large. Psalm 121:5-8 ⁽⁵⁾The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand; ⁽⁶⁾the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. ⁽⁷⁾The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; ⁽⁸⁾the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. (NIV)

 

 

The Bible lets us know that there will be Christians who will be persecuted just as we are seeing today in the news. However, this particular church was not going to endure the persecution that others would go through. Many of us will face persecution for the sake of Christ and may have to offer up our lives, however, there is a reward in the end that is greater than the fleshly vessels that we currently occupy. For those who will not go through the great persecution, they will have to be in constant prayer for those who do. Mark 13:11-13 Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. 12 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 13Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. (NIV)

 

To the Church of Laodicea

Revelation 3:14-22 ⁽¹⁴⁾“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. ⁽¹⁵⁾I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ⁽¹⁶⁾So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. ⁽¹⁷⁾You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. ⁽¹⁸⁾I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. ⁽¹⁹⁾ Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. ⁽²⁰⁾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 that person, and they with me. ⁽²¹⁾To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. ⁽²²⁾Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (NIV)

            God did not like the condition of the Laodicea Church. They were in a lukewarm state. God desired for them to either be hot or cold, but they couldn’t be in between. This meant that they either had to choose God or Satan, but there was no way to worship both nor would He accept them doing such. God detested it to the point of saying that He would vomit them up because He found it to be repulsive. 1 Corinthians 10:21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons. (NIV) There are many in the Body of Christ today who try to hold on to the world while claiming that they are a Christian. They feel that they can do both when in actuality one can’t. You have to make a choice. You either have to serve God or the devil. You either have to be black or white, but gray will not do. Joshua 24:15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." (NIV)

Laodicea thought that they were self-sufficient and they were not in need of God. They looked to themselves as having it all together. God, however, called them worthless, pathetic, deprived, blind, and bare. They thought that they were balanced and good, but were living in a state of delusion. God wanted them to lean on Him and wear the garments of His righteousness, so that their eyes could be opened to see. Romans 1:28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. (NIV)

 

 

God loves His children and therefore rebukes them when they are in err. He called the Church of Laodicea to repentance and He desires the same for His church today. Proverbs 3:11-12 ⁽¹¹⁾My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, ⁽¹²⁾because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. (NIV) When we hear the voice of God, we are to answer it and obey His commands with a humble heart. To all who are victorious, they will sit with our Heavenly Father. Let us be sure to listen to what God said to the churches then and apply them to our lives as Christians today.

We Will Study Further Into the Book of Revelation on Tomorrow. Thank you for reading! If you would like to have the Lesson Series, "Revelation: Removing the Prophetic Veil Bible Lessons 1-10," They are Available on AMAZON.COM.