Lesson 4 of Revelation: What Does the Seven Churches Reveal About Jesus?
Lesson 4 of Revelation: What Does the Seven Churches Reveal About Jesus?What Does The Seven Churches Reveal About Jesus?
Commentary'sChrist example of love, service, humility, sacrifice, and obedience are meant to shape the lives of His followers, but Christians cannot successfully imitate His character on their own. Jesus said to His Disciples, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” “I AM the true vine, ye are the branches; He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5). The seven churches of Revelation reveal important clues about how Jesus wants to stay closely connected to His people and fill them with power to know Him and be like him. In the process, they will experience His peace, comfort, and joy and share it with the world around them.
1. EPHESUS: “Unto the angels of the church of Ephesus write. These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the golden lampstands.” Revelation 2:1.
In Jesus’ message to the believers in Ephesus, the seven lampstands represent the church in general, and Jesus walking in their midst points to the wonderful truth that He is constantly present with His people. As the lampstands in the Tabernacle represented the presence of God. 31 And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same. 32 And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side: 33 Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick. 34 And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers. 35 And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick. 36 Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold. 37 And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it. Exodus 25:31-37. See also “2And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof: 3 And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. 4 So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? 5 Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. 6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. 7 Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. 8 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. 10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.” Zechariah 4:2-10. Here they symbolize the presence of Jesus among His people. The seven stars that He holds could be Heavenly beings or human beings.
These descriptions reveal that Jesus has authority over the church on earth and in Heaven. Jesus offers the reassurance that His faithfulness ensures the final victory of the church, and holding on to this will help His people through times of persecution and suffering.
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2. SMYRNA: 8 “And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;” Revelation 2:8.
Jesus uses the phrase “the First and the Last’ three times in Revelation; 1:17.“And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he la9id his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last.” , 2:8. “And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last which was dead and is alive.”, 22:13. “I am Alph nd Omega, the first and the Last.” (Revelation 1:17, 2:8, and 22:13) and it closely matches the description of God in Isaiah; 41.4. Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am he, 44:6. Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God, and 48.12. Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last. (Isaiah 41:4, 44:6 and 48:12). In Isaiah, it is used to express that the Lord is the only true God, so when Jesus uses this phrase in Revelation, he is emphasizing readers the important truth that:
1. He is God and the source and the end of all things.
2. He is sovereign over the entire creation.
3. He is eternal.
Because of Smyrna competition with Ephesus and Pegamum to be the most important city of Asia Minor, Jesus may also be using the description to encourage the believersthere to firmly root their identity in Him—afar more stable and legitimate “first.”
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3. PERGAMUM: “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges.” Revelation 2:12.
The meaning behind Jesus’ description of his “sharp, double-edged sword” is further explained in verse “Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with sword of my mouth. This phrase is related to a prophecy in Isaiah about the messianic servant of the Lord who says, “And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me.” Isaiah 49:2. The contexts of these passages suggest divine judgment. Since rulings for the entire Roman province of Asia Minor originated in Pergamum, Jesus’ message shows the Pergamum believers that he is the true ruler and judge of the church and all of humanity.
4. THYATIRA: “And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;” Revelation 2:18.
“And he that which ye have of ready hold fast till I come. AND HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON; AS THE VESSELS OF A POTTER SHALL THEY BE BROKEN TO SHIVERS; even as I received of my Father.” Revelation 2:26-27.
It’s possible that Jesus calls himself “the Son of God” when addressing the church in Thyatira to make a jab at the false god Apollo and the Roman emperors who were thought to be sons of the god Zeus. Jesus’ powerful description of his eyes and feet is similar to the prophet Daniel’s messianic vision of a great man. “And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel; Then I lifted up mine eyes, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with find gold of Uphaz; His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning; and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.” (Daniel 10:4-6), and Jesus granting “authority over the nations” is similar to the description in Psalm 2 about the Messiah ruling over the nations who wanted to harm him and making them his inheritance. Both of these references further reveal and confirm Jesus’ identity as the Jewish Messiah who will triumph over his enemies and redeem the nations.
5. SARDIS: “AND unto the angel of the church in Sardis write. These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God. And the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.” (Revelation 3:1).
\ This description of Jesus holding the seven spirits of God refers back to “the seven spirits before {God’s} throne” “John to the seven churches which are in Asia; Frace 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 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 wash us from sins in his own blood.” (Revelation 1:4). These seven spirits are listed in Isaiah 11:2, And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.” The number seven here does not represent completeness but divine authority. The seven stars that Jesus is holding refer to the seven messengers who are sent to the churches, carrying the full authority of God to carry out their task. The message to the believers in Sardis is that Jesus, then as now, comes to the church with the fullness of God’s authority.
6. PHILADELPHIA; “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, HE HATH THE KEY OF DAVID. HE THAT OPENETH, AND NO MAN SHUTTETH, AND SHUTTETH, AND NO MAN OPENETH.” (Revelation 3:7).
Jesus’ description of himself as “holy” tells the church at Philadelphia, that, unlike the Roman emperors who are false gods, he is the only one worthy of worship and the only one worthy to judge the world. The description that he is “true” could mean “faithful,” which is the name of the rider on the white horse in Revelation 19:11. Jesus’ message is that he is the steadfast one who never changes, so he expects faithfulness from the seven churches, By using the phrase “the key of David,” Jesus is referring to 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.” Jesus is a descendant of David, and just as he holds “the keys of desth and Hades,” (Revelation 1:18), he also holds the answer for eternal life. Through these descriptions, Jesus communicates to the church at Philadelphia that he is the faithful one who has authority over life and death and all creation.
7. LAODICEA: “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; (Revelation 3:14).
The word Amen means “faithfulness” or “Trustworthiness,” and in the Bible it is often used to emphasize a blessing. By using this description of himself, Jesus might be referring to Isaiah 65:16, where God’s name is used with blessings and oaths:” That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes.” Jesus is telling believers in Laodicea that their blessings and the keeping of the oaths are only made effective by his own trustworthiness. Yhe expression “the faithful and true witness” is similar to the phrase “holy and true” that Jesus spoke to the church in Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7). “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth”. The message Jesus is sharing is that he is “the faithful and true witness” because God is trustworthy and never changes. Hebrew 13:8 confirms this when it says. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”
What do the seven churches have in common?
The short answer to this question, unfortunately, is persecution. After telling his disciples that he would be leaving them soon, Jesus said “Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.” (John 15:20.) What a puzzling thing to say to his confused and grieving disciples! But Jesus’ point was that those who persecute them will only do so because Jesus is present with the disciples. Jesus also said he would not abandon the disciples in their coming sufferings. He promised to send them the Comforter—Holy Spirit: “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.” (John 15:26-16:1). At the end of the first century, when Revelation was likely written, the church was hated by some. The book of Revelation gave assurance and comfort to these believers, and it will continue to do so for future believers who experience suffering and persecution. These themes are crucial in each of the letters to the seven churches. Each letter also assures Christians of God’s final victory over the powers of evil and death. Jesus’ victory is the first decisive step. Christians take the next step by remaining faithful in their devotion to Christ and on sharing the good news of his salvation with the world.
“Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” (Matthew5:11-12).
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