Chapter Two

The Seven Churches.

Introduction.

In Rev. 1:4 we find the message addressed to "The seven churches which are in Asia." So the first logical question which we must settle is, "What is meant by the word `churches'?" If we don't understand this, then we are not going to be able to properly apply the message. We may just as well write a letter to a friend, and post it with only his name on the envelope but with no address.

The word `Church' used here is translated from the Greek word `ekklesia'. It means literally, `the congregation of the called out ones'. It was primarily used of the nation or `congregation' of Israel as the `called of God'. For example, in Acts 7:38 we read;

"This is he, (Moses), that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the Mount Sinai ...."

From this it is clear that the original application of the word `church' in the Bible was to Israel as a nation. Then when we study the locations of the seven churches nominated in Rev. 1:11, we find that they are all in the geographical area occupied by the dispersed twelve tribes of Israel at that time. So we find that messages to the "seven churches" were in fact addressed primarily to congregations of Israelites, although those of non-Israel stock in these areas who had accepted the Lord would be included. But while the messages may have been literally sent to the Israel congregations in each of these seven areas, the SYMBOLISM of the situation is the important thing to understand. It is apparent from the subsequent descriptions of the various "churches" in chapters 2 and 3 that these "churches" represent different consecutive periods of time starting from, and future to, the time the Revelation was given.

We thus have before us a description of the spiritual condition of Israel in its various stages from that time onwards right up to the time of the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here we have the pre-written history of Israel's relationship with her God from that time to the present day.

But a study of chapter one reveals a very important detail. It reveals the Lord Jesus Christ in His very special relationship to these people of Israel. Look at the descriptions given of Him in verses 1 to 6.

He is:-

The One which is, which was, and is to come.
The faithful witness.
The first begotten of the dead.
The Prince of the kings of the earth.
The One who loves us.
The One who has washed us from our sins.
The One who has made us kings and priests unto God, His Father.

Then in verses 8 and 11 we have three other descriptions given of our Lord. They are;

The Alpha and Omega.
The Beginning and the Ending.
The First and the Last.

It is important that we understand the full meaning of these three last titles. They are as follows.

"Alpha" and "Omega" are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. Thus our Lord Jesus Christ is shown to encompass everything that can be written or said. He is literallly THE WORD, whether written or spoken.
The word "beginning" means "the origin". The word "ending" means "the fulfilment or completion of anything. It does NOT refer to its cessation. It denotes strictly, "not the ending of a departed state, but the arrival of a complete or perfect one."
This means that in being "the beginning and the ending", our Lord is showing that He is not only the origin, or originator, or creator of all things from the beginning, but that He is also the originator of the final state of perfection and completeness for which we are all looking and waiting.
The word "first" means "foremost. The first of place, order, time, and dignity." The word "last" means "the extreme or most remote. That which concludes anything."

Thus He can say that He is "from everlasting to everlasting".

Put together, we have this wonderful and powerful description of the ministry and position of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"He is THE WORD, embracing everything said or written. From the beginning, He created all things, and will continue in this work until total and complete perfec-tion is finally reached. He is the first, the highest, and the foremost in all things."

What a wonderful Lord and Saviour we have. No wonder we are warned in Hebrews 2:3;

"How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation."

We note that following the above description of Christ's ministry and Person, the very first promise and the very first prophecy made, (verse 7), is that Jesus Christ is to return to this earth, and that everyone, both from the present and the past, will see Him. This is the culminating factor of the entire prophecy. Without this grand conclusion, the rest of the book would be absolutely superfluous. The tremendous fact that we must accept is that the whole of history is heading towards, and has been ordained by God, for this one great climax. Every event which has occurred, or which is yet to occur, is inescapably tied into this pattern and programme. Nothing that man can do, nor any decision that man can make, will alter the decision and intent of Almighty God to this end. It is already recorded in the annals of eternity. It is as certain as the very existence of God Himself. The very presence of Christ in the unbelievable glory which will accompany Him as He sits upon the Throne of David, and with His glori-fied Elders takes the reins of government, will completely shatter the rest of the world. Every man-made system upon which man now depends will come under the immediate judgment and sentence of the King of Kings. Men shall wail, or beat their hands on their breasts in sheer grief, at the destruction that comes upon them. But what is to be, will be. Amen. It is as inescapable as yesterday's dawn.

Thus does the beloved disciple John introduce and record the revelation which his beloved Lord gave him. And as he was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, a voice suddenly sounded behind him, with the clarity of a trum-pet. As he turned to see who it was who spoke to him, he saw a sight which no other person had to that time, nor has since, seen. He saw a vision of the Priest, complete in His linen robes, all gleaming white, standing in the Tabernacle, as evidenced by the seven golden candlesticks. But this was no ordinary priest. This was the new High Priest. Here was Jesus Christ, the High Priest of the Order of Melchisedek, consecrated to all eternity, standing there in all the glory and purity of His exalted position. He stood in the midst of the seven candlesticks, which we are told in verse 20 represent the seven churches, or congregations, of Israel. And here was the great truth which He showed forth. That throughout the entire period of the seven stages of the future religious and spiritual life of His peo-ple Israel, He was going to be there, as God's High Priest, interceding on their behalf. John was told to write down what he saw. Let us invite the Holy Spirit to open our understanding, and the eyes of our heart, as we share together this glorious sight;

"In the midst of the seven candlesticks was one like unto the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the breast with a golden girdle.
His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow;
And His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters.
And He had in His right hand seven stars.
And out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword.
And His countenance was as the sun shining in his strength.
And when I saw Him, I fell at his feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, FEAR NOT. I am the first and the last. I am He that liveth, and was dead. And behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen. And I have the keys of hell and death."

(Rev. 1:13-18).

Now it is not our intention to burden the reader with so much detail that he becomes lost. This, unfortunately, has been all too often the result of some attempts to explain the meaning of this wonderful Book. But there are a few basic rules which I feel should be reiterated and remembered as we study. Firstly, the entire Book of the Revelation is presented in signs and symbols. Whilst there could be a legitimate literal application, the primary application of everything that is stated is symbolic, and this symbolic meaning and application is the one which we must seek and understand.

Secondly, in relation to the message to the seven churches, these periods which are represented do not have clearly defined starting and finishing points of time. Each period overlaps the other to some degree. The dates quoted are only indicative of the time frames concerned. And thirdly, and most interestingly, the specific conditions applied or related to each period, whilst being the main feature of their respective period, are found to exist in differing degrees throughout other periods. For example, whilst the final period is that of the `lukewarm church' as the predominant condition, there was a degree of `lukewarmness' in some of the other periods. So we find that as well as studying these periods separately, we must also recognise this aspect of integrated and intertwined conditions.