The Seven Letters to the Seven Churches in Revelation
Mr James Thomas Lee Jr
Synopsis "The Seven Letters to the Seven Churches in Revelation"
The seven churches to whom the seven letters of Revelation chapters two and three were written are shown in the below diagram. They are from top to bottom Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Smyrna, Philadelphia, Ephesus, and Laodicea. The Apostle John was exiled to the isle of Patmos because of his stand for Christ. So on the Lord's Day, Jesus came to him and told him to write the words that appear in the book of Revelation. Revelation 1:10-11 says, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice...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." So each of the seven letters followed a simple but consistent pattern. They began with a simple greeting that had stated specific characteristics about Jesus. Those characteristics were given to the specific church based upon what the Lord through John would be saying to the church. Following that characteristic, Jesus reported to each church an assessment of where they were spiritually. He then gave them a prescription for fixing their problems. Lastly, He concluded each letter by giving the people in each of the churches a specific promise to those that overcame. In chapter one of this book, the author, date, and occasion for the writing of the book of Revelation will be given. What evidence exists to actually show that the Apostle John wrote the book? The four most popular approaches for understanding the book of Revelation will also be discussed. Were the seven letters just for the seven churches or is there an expanded viewpoint about their applicability? In chapter two, Proconsular Asia will be discussed. That is where the seven churches were located. So in looking at it, one can better understand when the seven churches were established. One can also better understand the spiritual problems that were prevalent in that region. In chapters three through nine, each of the seven letters will be carefully examined. Then chapter ten will present any final thoughts and conclusions that one might draw from this kind of study. As always, the purpose of this book is to honor and glorify the Lord. He is the beginning and the end, the Alpha and the Omega. He is worthy of all honor and glory.
