THE SEVEN

CHURCHES OF THE
APOCALYPSE
The mysterious last book of the New
Testament is not “The Revelation of St.
John the Divine,” as it has been
erroneously called. John was merely the
instrument of divine revelation, not its
source. And, if he were here today, he
would be appalled at the title “the
Divine.”

THE SEVEN
CHURCHES OF THE
APOCALYPSE
The mysterious last book of the New
Testament is not “The Revelation of St. John
the Divine,” as it has been erroneously called.
John was merely the instrument of divine
revelation, not its source. And, if he were here
today, he would be appalled at the title “the
Divine.”

The very first verse of the book provides an

appropriate title, and reveals both the source
and destination of the message: “The
Revelation of Jesus Christ”—a perfect title—
“which God gave Him to show His servants
—things which must shortly take place.”
Ultimately, God the Father is the Source of
the message contained in this book. He gave it
to His Son to give to His servants. John was
merely an instrument through which the
message was delivered: “And He sent and
signified it by His angel to His servant John.”

Isle of Patmos - Current Day

John, in turn, passed the message along to

“the seven churches which are in Asia” (1:4).
He was following the instruction Jesus Christ
had given him in a vision while he was on the
island called Patmos: “What you see, write in
a book and send to the seven churches which
are in Asia, to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to
Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to
Philadelphia, and to Laodicea” (1:11).

Once in the possession of the seven churches,

the book of Revelation quickly made its way
to assemblies of God’s people throughout the
known world. It was copied and recopied
countless times, and now, some nineteen
hundred years later, has made its way into our
hands. Obviously, the message to the seven
churches was not meant only for the
assemblies of first-century Asia Minor. It was
meant for every generation of God’s people; it
was meant for us.

So it’s time we pay careful attention to “what

the Spirit says to the churches” (2:7,11,17,29;
3:8,13,22).

T H E ‘ S E V E N AG E S ’ T H E O R Y

Many interpreters—especially
dispensationalists—believe the seven churches
of Revelation 2 and 3 represent seven church
ages, beginning with the time of the apostles
and concluding with the time of the end.
Through innovation and inference, one can
make the descriptions of the seven churches
roughly “match” various movements and
events in the 2,000-year history of
Christianity, thus presenting what appears to
be a plausible sequence of prophetic
fulfillments.

Popular evangelical author Hal Lindsey,

famous for his best-selling book, The Late
Great Planet Earth, follows other
dispensationalists in his interpretation of the
seven churches. He believes that the seven
churches were literal assemblies that existed in
Asia Minor at the time John wrote, and that
they prophetically describe seven ages
extending from the apostolic church to the
church of the last days. He presented the
following associations in There’s A New
World Coming, his commentary on the book
of Revelation:

1. The Church in Ephesus: Apostolic

Church (A.D. 33–100)
2. The Church in Smyrna: Era of
Persecution Under the Ten Caesars
(A.D. 100–312)
3. The Church in Pergamum: Era of
Church-State Union (A.D. 312–590)
4. The Church in Thyatira: Era Spanning
the Middle Ages (A.D. 590–1517)
5. The Church in Sardis: Protestant
Reformation (A.D. 1517–1750)
6. The Church in Philadelphia: Era of
Revival and Great Awakening (A.D.
1750–1925)
7. The Church in Laodicea: Era of
“Higher Criticism” (A.D. 1900–
Tribulation)

Others have come up with different

arrangements, even identifying specific
organizations and movements as “eras.” For
instance, some within the Sabbath-keeping
movement have attempted to identify the
Church of God (Seventh Day) with Sardis;
the Worldwide Church of God (or one of its
offshoots) with Philadelphia; and various
other bodies with Laodicea.

Of course, any such theory is speculative at

best. One cannot prove beyond the shadow of
a doubt that the seven churches represent
seven church ages. One could just as well
argue that the seven churches are seven
organizations or “branches” of the true church
at the time of the end. But that, too, would be
speculative.

The best we can do is believe—accept as fact

—only those things that can be proved, and
leave what cannot be proved in the vast realm
of speculation. Our task, then, is to see what
the Revelator—Jesus Christ—says, and what
He does not say. In chapter 1, the glorified
Christ has seven stars in His right hand, and
is surrounded by seven golden lampstands.
These stars and lampstands are obviously
symbols. But what do they represent? What
are the objects of these symbols?

Jesus Christ answers:

“The seven stars are the angels [messengers]

of the seven churches, and the seven
lampstands which you saw are the seven
churches” (Revelation 1:20).

Remember, the symbols are the stars and the

lampstands; the objects of those symbols—the
things they symbolize—are the seven angels,
or messengers, and the seven churches. There
is no good reason to assume that the seven
angels (symbolized by the seven stars) are
themselves symbols of something else; nor is
it reasonable to assume that the seven
churches (symbolized by the seven golden
lampstands) are symbols of church ages. The
Revelator says plainly that the seven golden
lampstands (obvious symbols) ARE the seven
churches, and He identifies those seven
churches as “seven churches which are in Asia”
(1:11).

Jesus Christ is the infallible Revelator. He

alone can infallibly interpret the symbols of
the book of Revelation. Here, He reveals the
meaning of the symbolic stars and
lampstands.

Now if the infallible Revelator tells us that the

seven lampstands ARE the seven churches of
Asia, then we should simply believe it. All of
us—including the dispensationalists—should
be able to agree on this. And most—if not all
—do agree on this point. As noted above, Hal
Lindsey believes that the messages of
Revelation 2 and 3 were sent to, and received
by, seven literal churches in Asia Minor. The
Sabbath-keeping “Church of God” groups
that teach “church eras” also accept this. The
problem is that some move beyond the
Revelator’s own interpretations and begin to
teach as doctrine things the Revelator did not
say.

Jesus Christ did not say that the seven

lampstands are seven church ages. He said
plainly that the lampstands ARE the seven
churches of Asia—churches located in
Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis,
Philadelphia, and Laodicea. Therefore, if we
say that we believe that the seven lampstands
(churches) are something other than, or in
addition to, what Christ plainly says they are,
then it is imperative that we admit that we are
speculating!

We can all say with certainty that the seven

churches really existed, that they were located
in Asia Minor, and that John wrote to them.
But we cannot say with certainty that the
seven churches represent seven church ages
spanning some 2,000 years; nor can we say
with certainty that the seven churches
represent seven organizations or movements
in the time of the end.

But this we can say: The messages to the

seven churches are for anyone “who has an
ear” and is willing to “hear what the Spirit
says to the churches” (2:7,11,17,29; 3:6,13,22).
So rather than engage in the unfruitful
practice of labeling churches with “Laodicea”
or “Philadelphia” or “Sardis,” let’s hear what
the Spirit says to us in these seven messages.

C O M M E N DAT I O N S

The seven churches had their share of

problems, but they also had some important
positive attributes. Christ commends them for
their strengths, and His commendations
should be both motivating and instructive for
God’s people today.

The strengths Christ identifies in the seven

churches can be summarized under three
main categories: (1) vigilance, or watchfulness;
(2) perseverance; and (3) improvements in
performance.

V I G I L A N C E , O R WATC H F U L N E S S

To the church of Ephesus, Christ says, “I

know your works, your labor, your patience,
and that you cannot bear those who are evil.
And you have tested those who say they are
apostles and are not, and have found them
liars” (Revelation 2:2).

The Ephesians had done a good job of

following the apostle Paul’s exhortation to
their elders: “For I know this,” Paul warned,
“that after my departure savage wolves will
come in among you, not sparing the flock.
Also from among yourselves [the leaders] men
will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw
away the disciples after themselves. Therefore
watch, and remember that for three years I did
not cease to warn everyone night and day with
tears” (Acts 20:29–31).

Paul’s admonition to the Ephesian elders

probably took place several decades before the
book of Revelation was written. Christ’s
message to the church of Ephesus shows that
the Ephesians had taken Paul’s exhortation
seriously. The “wolves” had come, but the
“flock,” being vigilant, recognized them for
what they were.

The Ephesians, it seems, had become quite

proficient in recognizing, and rejecting,
heretical movements. “But this you have,”
Christ says, “that you hate the deeds of the
Nicolaitans, which I also hate” (Revelation
2:6). The precise identity of the Nicolaitans is
uncertain, but we know for sure that they
advocated a philosophy that made
compromise with falsehood seem acceptable
—a doctrine similar to the phony “grace” (or
license to sin) some popular evangelists
proclaim today. The Ephesians would not
stand for it!

PERSEVERANCE

The Christians of Smyrna had endured

tribulation and poverty, and Christ urges them
to face the new trials that would soon come
upon them with faith and courage. “Do not
fear any of those things which you are about
to suffer,” He urged. “Indeed, the devil is
about to throw some of you into prison, that
you may be tested, and you will have
tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death,
and I will give you the crown of life”
(Revelation 2:10).

Many of the believers of the church in

Pergamos persevered in the faith even during
times of severe persecution (verse 13). The
faithful of the church in Thyatira, known for
their patience and works of love and service
(verse 19), were urged to “hold fast what you
have till I come” (verse 25)—to persevere in
love and good works in spite of the apostate
movement spreading among believers in
Thyatira.

Christ has only positive things to say about

the Philadelphian Christians. “Because you
have kept My command to persevere,” He
promises, “I also will keep you from the hour
of trial that shall come upon the whole world,
to test those who dwell on the earth”
(Revelation 3:10). This “hour of trial” appears
to refer specifically to the end-time Day of the
Lord—a major theme of Revelation—but in
principle includes any time of divine
intervention and wrath. This does not mean
that the church in Philadelphia symbolizes a
particular end-time assembly of the faithful. It
simply means that the message is not
restricted to the believers of late first-century
Philadelphia; it is universal (as “whole world”
suggests). It tells us that just as Christ called
on the Christians of Philadelphia to persevere
in the faith, so He calls on all His brethren
everywhere to “Hold fast what you have, that
no one may take your crown” (verse 11).

IMPROVEMENTS IN PERFORMANCE

The faithful believers within the troubled

church in Thyatira are commended for their
good works and improvements in
performance. “I know your works, love,
service, faith, and your patience; and as far as
your works, the last are more than the first”
(Revelation 2:19).

Each of the letters to the seven churches

promises divine blessings for the one “who
overcomes” (2:7,11,17,26; 3:5,12,21). To
“overcome” is to prevail, or conquer.
Overcoming, by its very nature, is an
improvement in performance. We overcome
when we conquer bad habits, successfully
resist temptations, and take control of our
thoughts.

The internal qualities of faith, love, and hope

influence our behavior—our “works,” our
service to others. But it’s important to realize
that our external works—the things we do—
have a powerful effect on the internal qualities
of faith, love, and hope. The internal qualities
and external works go hand-in-hand.
Improving one results in improvements in the
other—but deterioration of one means
deterioration of the other. When we find
ourselves short on faith or love, we need to
follow the admonition Christ gave to the
church whose love had waned: “Remember
therefore from where you have fallen; repent
and do the first works” (2:5).

PROBLEMS AND ADMONITIONS

Christ’s commendations for the seven

churches are motivating and instructive, but
His admonitions are equally important. The
problems in the seven churches range from a
loss of love and general apathy to full-scale
apostasy. The following are the problems
Christ identifies in His messages to the seven
churches:

LO S S O F F I R S T LO V E

The church in Ephesus was known for its

good works and perseverance, but somewhere
along the way a problem developed: the
church had lost its “first love” (Revelation 2:4).
Christ knew that this problem would lead to
the church’s inability to bear light to the world
(verse 5) and would open the door to apostasy,
though up to this point the Ephesian church
had performed remarkably well in exposing
false apostles (verse 2).

The church’s waning love had already affected

its performance as a light-bearing instrument.
For this reason, Christ warned, “Remember
therefore from whence you have fallen; repent
and do the first works, or else I will come to
you quickly and remove your lampstand from
its place—unless you repent” (verse 5).

Christ is the One “who walks in the midst of

the seven golden lampstands” (verse 1), as if
moving from one to the other to monitor
their performance and even remove lamps
that had become so defective that they could
no longer bear light. His coming to “remove
your lampstand from its place” is not the
Parousia, or Second Coming, but is a divine
judgment occurring within the church age.

T H E T E AC H I N G S O F B A L A A M , T H E
N I C O L A I TA N S , A N D J E Z E B E L

Some of the members of the church in

Pergamos had exhibited their loyalty to Christ
and His truth even in times of severe
persecution and martyrdom (Revelation 2:13).
But other members of this church were not so
faithful. They are identified as two groups.
One held the “doctrine of Balaam” (verse14),
and the other held the “doctrine of the
Nicolaitans” (verse 15).

In the Old Testament, “Balaam” is a diviner

hired by the Moabite king, Balak, to curse the
people of Israel, but God causes him to bless
Israel instead (Numbers 22–24). Unable to
curse Israel directly, Balaam taught Balak how
to seduce the men of Israel to commit
idolatry, thus causing them to bring a curse on
themselves.

The “doctrine of Balaam,” then, is a teaching

that permits mingling idolatrous practices
with the worship of God. Apparently this
teaching provided a philosophical
“justification” for compromising with evil
under certain circumstances. It was especially
attractive in a time when refusing to
participate in pagan rites and emperor
worship could result in severe economic
privation or even the death sentence.

Both “Balaam” and “Nicolaitan” can mean “to

conquer the people.” The Balaamites and
Nicolaitans were apparently two distinct
groups who held essentially the same
philosophy. As Balaam of old taught Balak
how to “conquer the people” through
seduction, the Balaamites and Nicolaitans in
Pergamos attempted to conquer the people of
God (for Satan) through encouraging them to
compromise with paganism.

Christ’s warning is clear: “Repent, or else I

will come to you quickly and will fight against
them with the sword of My mouth” (verse
16).

In Thyatira, “that woman Jezebel” (verse 20),

named for the idolatrous wife of King Ahab
(1 Kings 18–19), appears to have taught the
same philosophy. She apparently urged
Christians to participate in trade-guild
festivals (which involved idolatry) in order to
prevent economic hardships. But to do so,
Christ warned, would lead to a much greater
loss:

“Indeed I will cast her [ Jezebel] into a

sickbed, and those who commit adultery with
her into great tribulation, unless they repent
of their deeds. I will kill her children
[followers of Jezebel] with death, and all the
churches shall know that I am He who
searches the minds and hearts” (verses 22–23).

Today, the long-accepted, time-tested Judeao-

Christian standards of morality are being
challenged and maligned. Many are caving in
to pressures, rejecting the authority of
Scripture and redefining biblical morality.
Christ’s call to faithful endurance is the same
today as it was in the first century.

S P I R I T UA L D E AT H A N D
“ L U K E WA R M N E S S ”

The church in Sardis had a few faithful

members, but it was essentially a dead church
(Revelation 3:1,4).

But how does a church “die”? Some clues are

in the text.

Christ said, “You have a few names in Sardis

who have not defiled their garments; and they
shall walk with Me in white, for they are
worthy” (verse 4). Apparently, the others—the
members who made up the “dead” part of this
church—had “defiled their garments.” This is
a metaphor for the works of iniquity. The
church in Sardis “died” because its members
had let down their guard and let the enemy
come in.

Christ warns, “Be watchful, and strengthen

the things that remain, that are ready to die,
for I have not found your works perfect before
God” (verse 2). To be “watchful” means to be
vigilant —to remain at all times in a state of
preparedness. This is what the Christians at
Sardis had failed to do.

Christ’s warning remains valid for God’s

people today: “Remember therefore how you
have received and heard; hold fast and repent.
Therefore if you will not watch [be vigilant], I
will come upon you as a thief, and you will not
know what hour I will come upon you” (verse
3).

Members of the church in Laodicea thought

they were in good shape spiritually, but their
condition was similar to the condition of the
church in Sardis. They were “lukewarm” (verse
16). Apparently, their complacency and self-
delusion had led to an attitude of
compromise.

Christ said, “I know your works, that you are

neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were
cold or hot. So then, because you are
lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will
vomit you out of My mouth” (verses 15–16).

Cold water is good for quenching thirst, and

hot water is a valuable aid to healing and pain
relief. Spiritually, the Laodicean church was
neither cold nor hot—could neither quench
spiritual thirst nor provide spiritual healing.

Christ’s admonition to the Laodicean church

is timeless: “I counsel you to buy from Me
gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich;
and white garments, that you may be clothed,
that the shame of your nakedness may not be
revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve,
that you may see” (verse 18).

In other words, get rid of impure thoughts

and actions; remove the spots and stains of sin
from your life; and stop deceiving yourself.
And remember… “As many as I love, I rebuke
and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If
anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I
will come in to him and dine with him, and
he with Me” (verses 19–20).

‘ H E W H O H A S A N E A R …’

The book of Revelation—the Apocalypse—

directs our attention to the end of this age and
the establishment of the everlasting Kingdom
of God on this earth. It points to the future
reality of the New Heaven and New Earth—
the restoration and transformation of the
cosmos—but it admonitions and exhortations
are timeless. It is a message from God to His
people—all His people at all times. And the
letters to the seven churches of first-century
Asia Minor are for the churches of God today.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit says to the churches.”

Visit our Prophecy study page to read more

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