The Church of Pergamum was surrounded by wickedness in their city, but they held fast to their beliefs. Though they would suffer in this life, God had a reward for them. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” ( Revelation 2:10). Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. The Lord said, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. ![]() Theologians believe many of the laborers of this church were expelled from their labor guilds - and unable to legally work in their craft - because of their conversion. It was not a wealthy church either, with opportunities to flee and take refuge somewhere else. They were mocked and persecuted for their faith, and it was going to get worse before it got better. The Church of Smyrna received words of comfort. He encourages them to find that fire again and continue where they were doing well. They no longer had the burning, consuming passion for their God they had when they were first saved and settled into the routine of the faith. He chided them however, “.you have abandoned the love you had at first” ( Revelation 2:4b). To this church, Jesus commended them for their endurance, their longsuffering, and their dislike of false doctrine and evil behavior. The first church mentioned is the Church of Ephesus. What Are the Seven Churches mentioned in Revelation? ![]() Some theologians ascribe to a combination of these three theories, while others have their own, but these three are prominent. One church may have the hard work and patience of Ephesus, while another the lukewarm attitude of Laodicea.Ī critique of this perspective is that it is too vague, and general for such specific descriptions and prophecies. These seven historical churches also serve as archetypes of churches all over the world throughout history. The other point of view is that each church would represent different kinds of churches through history. Nor does it seem to include Orthodox church movements. It also only includes a western perspective it does not take into account movements in Africa, Asia, or South America. The periods overlap in a way that is messy, pro-Reformation, and can only be applied with difficulty in retrospect. Some criticism of this view include that it is difficult to line up certain movements in the church with the descriptions in Revelation. The Roman Catholic Church ≈ 590 - 1517 A.D. The Compromising Church ≈ 314 - 590 A.D.Ĥ. Each of these periods can be traced and assigned to a specific phase of the growth and change of the body of Christ over time, from its inception, to its decline before Christ’s return.ģ. According to this view, each church mentioned in these chapters represents a period in church history. There is also the chronological perspective. One of the criticisms of this theory is that it dismisses the prophetic nature of the messages, and reduces the significance of the prophecies coming from the glorified Christ. There is one perspective that these messages only applied to those seven specific churches and the messages have no lasting significance. They differ on how these churches may or may not apply to church history, including the modern body of believers. ![]() The three approaches to understanding these churches all agree they were existing churches that received copies of the Revelation at that time. The Church at Ephesus received a letter, the Book of Ephesians, from the Apostle Paul. Only one of the churches is in another part of the Bible. They are represented by seven golden lampstands, and the seven angels – or messengers – of the churches, represented by seven stars in the right hand of Jesus. The seven churches are the primary focus of the first three chapters of Revelation. Where Does the Bible Mention These Seven Churches? These churches were seven real churches at the time, and some believe they represent seven church ages, while others argue they represent seven church types that have existed since the church began, and will exist until Christ returns. The Lord Jesus commands John to write a message to each of these churches. ![]() One such section is at the very beginning, where John addresses the seven churches in Asia - an area in modern Turkey.
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