Messages
to the Seven Churches
The Book of Revelation contains ‘special messages’
directed to seven churches in seven specific cities throughout the Roman
province of Asia.
These cities were important trade and communication
centers, which were connected by major roads in New Testament times.
Apostle John addressed the churches from Ephesus north
to Pergamos, then south all the way to Laodicea.
These ‘messages’ which were written to “the seven
churches” in the form of ‘letters’ (or epistles), collectively, are Christ’s
Prophetic Messages and Warnings to God’s people throughout “The Dispensation of
The Spirit.”
They are “what The
Spirit says to the churches” in these last days.
‘The letters’ begin with a Greeting from The Lord
Jesus and from The Holy Spirit to the Seven Churches:
John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you,
and peace, from Him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from The
Seven Spirits which are before His throne;
And from Jesus Christ, who is The Faithful Witness, and The First
Begotten of the dead, and The Prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that
loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own Blood,
And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him
be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and
they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because
of Him. Even so, Amen.
“I am Alpha and Omega, The Beginning and The Ending, saith The Lord,
which is, and which was, and which is to Come, The Almighty.”
Rev. 1:4-8 KJV
Each of ‘the letters’ written to the seven churches in
Asia concludes like this:
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what The Spirit saith unto the
churches…” (Rev. 2:7 KJV).
(Read also Revelation 2:11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22).
John was in The Spirit on 'The Lord's day' (Rev.
1:10), and heard behind him a great Voice, as of a trumpet, saying:
"I am Alpha and Omega, The First and The Last: and, What thou
seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia;
unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto
Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea" (Rev. 1:11 KJV).
The Lord instructed him to write in ‘a book,’ what he
saw written in ‘a scroll,’ and send it to the seven churches. So, John penned
in his own hand-writing these messages in form of letters or epistles,
beginning with greetings and encouragement:
Grace and peace from The One Who is, Who always was, and Who is
still to come; from The Sevenfold Spirit before His throne; and from Jesus
Christ, Who is The Faithful Witness to these things, The First to rise from the
dead, and The Commander of all the rulers of the world.
All praise to Him Who loves us and has freed us from our sins by
shedding His blood for us. He has made us His Kingdom and His priests who serve
before God His Father. Give to Him Everlasting Glory! He rules forever and
ever! Amen! (Rev 1:4b-6 NLT)
Look! He comes with the clouds of Heaven. And everyone will see
Him — even those who pierced Him. And all the nations of the earth will weep
because of Him. Yes! Amen! (v.7 NLT).
After this, John made a presentation of The
Resurrected Christ—in the words he heard Him say to him in a loud Voice:
“I am Alpha and Omega, The Beginning and The Ending,” saith The Lord, “which is, and which was,
and which is to come, The Almighty” (v.8 KJV).
In verse 9, John stated, “I John, who also am your brother, and
companion in tribulation, and in the Kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was
in the isle that is called Patmos, for the Word of God, and for the Testimony
of Jesus Christ” (KJV)
In verses 10 and 11, John wrote:
It was The Lord's Day, and I was worshiping in The Spirit.
Suddenly, I heard a loud Voice behind me, a Voice that sounded like a trumpet
blast. It said, "Write down what you see, and send it to the seven churches:
Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea" (NLT)
Next, after John’s ‘presentation of The Resurrected
Christ,’ he expressed vividly “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” Who revealed
Himself to him in the Island of Patmos:
And I turned to see the Voice that spake with me. And being
turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
And in the midst of the seven candlesticks One like unto The Son
of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a
golden girdle.
His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow;
and His eyes were as a flame of fire;
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 twoedged sword: and His countenance was as the sun shineth 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 have the keys of hell and of death.
Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and
the things which shall be hereafter;
The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in My right hand,
and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven
churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches” (verses 12-20 KJV).
The Apostle by whom these "epistles" were
sent to "the seven churches," Biblically, is referred to as
"angel." In Revelation 22:16
The Lord Jesus said, “I Jesus have sent
mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches."
Each of these ‘seven letters’ sent to “the seven
churches” was addressed to ‘a human- overseer’ of the church (also referred to
as ‘the angel of the church’).
More so, “the angel of the church” (Heavenly angel) takes
note of ‘the message’ delivered to the church.
The main body of these letters which contain “the
Messages to the Seven Churches” are written in chapters 2 and 3.