(Revelation 1:10-11) I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, 11 saying, “Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”
Also remember:
- the seven stars in Jesus' hand represent the angels of the seven churches
- the seven lampstands represent all churches
- the fire from the lampstands, that is the seven Spirits, refers to the Holy Spirit
So Jesus and the Holy Spirit has a message for all churches - for all believers...
(Revelation 1:4-8) John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— 6 and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
From these scriptures, one can safely assume that the seven churches represent all churches of every generation. The seven churches which are addressed, were actual churches of John's day, but they include and refer to all the different conditions that churches can find themselves in.
We can also assume that each church probably has a designated guardian angel.
In the following verses, each angel was given a message about their assigned church.
These messages mimic the Bema Seat, which will happen after the rapture. This is where Jesus will judge the good deeds of all believers and reward those deeds which have been done with pure motives.
1. To the angel of the church of Ephesus, Jesus asks that they continue on in listening to the guidance of the Holy Spirit...
(Revelation 2:1-7) “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:
2 ‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; 3 and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent. 6 Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’
2. To the angel of the church in Smyrna, Jesus warns them about a group of people who were saying they were Jews but were really a synagogue of Satan, and because of this, the church was experiencing issues. Jesus encourages the church to remain faithful, because some of the believers were about to be tested by Satan...
(Revelation 2:8-11) “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this:
9 ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’
3. To the angel of the church in Pergamum, Jesus wants them to continue on in listening to the Holy Spirit. Jesus is well aware of what Satan is doing at all times, and encourages believers to remain faithful...
(Revelation 2:12-17) “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write:
The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this:
13 ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. 15 So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth. 17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.’
4. To the angel of the church in Thyatira, Jesus not only wants the church to continue following the Holy Spirit, but He warns them not to tolerate the false prophets who lead some believers astray. There will be consequences to false prophets and those who follow their Satanic ways...
(Revelation 2:18-29) “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write:
The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this:
19 ‘I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first. 20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. 24 But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them—I place no other burden on you. 25 Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come. 26 He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; 27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
5. To the angel of the church in Sardis, Jesus and the Holy Spirit warns the church that many of them are not even believers. Only those who put their faith in Jesus will be saved! For those who have been made righteous, Jesus will confess their names before God and before the angels...
(Revelation 3:1-6) “To the angel of the church in Sardis write:
He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. 3 So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. 4 But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
6. To the angel of the church in Philadelphia, Jesus wants the church to know that those who follow Satan and lie to people will one day bow down at the Church's feet and realize truth; so the church is to continue on in listening to the Holy Spirit's guidance...
(Revelation 3:7-13) “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:
8 ‘I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
7. To the angel of the church in Laodicea, Jesus asks that they seek to hear what the Holy Spirit says, because none of them are believers in Christ...
(Revelation 3:14-22) “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:
15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, 18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. 21 He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
From this we see:
- a message was given to the angel of the church of Ephesus (2:1)
- the message is from Jesus who holds the angels in His right hand, and walks among the churches (2:1)
- the church is to continue on in listening to the Holy Spirit (2:7)
- a message was given to the angel of the church in Smyrna (2:8)
- Jesus warns them about a group of people who were saying they were Jews but were really a synagogue of Satan, and because of this, the church was experiencing issues (2:9)
- Jesus encourages the church to remain faithful, because some of the believers were about to be tested by Satan (2:10)
- the church is to continue on in listening to the Holy Spirit (2:11)
- to the angel of the church in Pergamum (2:12)
- Jesus is well aware of what Satan is doing at all times, and encourages believers to remain faithful (2:13)
- Jesus wants them to continue on in listening to the Holy Spirit (2:17)
- a message was given to the angel of the church in Thyatira (2:18)
- Jesus warns the church not to tolerate false prophets who lead some believers astray. There will be consequences to false prophets and to those who follow their Satanic ways (2:20-24)
- Jesus wants the church to continue following the Holy Spirit (2:28)
- a message was given to the angel of the church in Sardis (3:1)
- Jesus and the Holy Spirit warns the church that many of them are not even believers. Only those who put their faith in Jesus will be saved! For those who have been made righteous, Jesus will confess their names before God and before the angels (3:5)
- angels are witnesses in the Lord's court (3:5)
- Jesus wants the church to continue following the Holy Spirit (3:6)
- a message was given to the angel of the church in Philadelphia (3:7)
- Jesus wants the church to know that those who follow Satan and lie to people will one day bow down at the Church's feet and realize truth (3:9)
- the church is to continue on in listening to the Holy Spirit's guidance (3:13)
- a message was given to the angel in Laodicea (3:14)
- Jesus asks that they seek to hear what the Holy Spirit says, because none of them are believers in Christ (3:18)
Personal experience: those churches who grow spiritually, because they speak God's truths without watering down God's word, will be attacked by Satan at some point.
Recently our senior pastor began a sermon series on the Holy Trinity. Last week, right in the worship services, at least three people became Christians. And then yesterday during the sermon, which was focused on Jesus being God, we came under attack.
In the first service, right at a poignant part of the sermon, the fire alarm went off.
Then in the second service, there was a bumble bee flying around the sanctuary.
One knows that there are people who are hysterically afraid of bees. And for some people, they are deathly allergic to bees. So the potential for some crazy interference was very present. But I am sure there were many people praying during the service for the message to continue on uninterrupted.
Interestingly, the bumble bee only flew around during the message. It remained up front the entire time. And except for landing on the pastor's arm just once, it remained in sight, but remained way up above, far away from any of the people!
Today's takeaway: Satan will use anything to get our attention away from Jesus! Satan and most people do not like to hear the name of Jesus being said - except when it comes to hearing His name being taken in vain.
Jesus's name is precious! And there is power in His name!
When we speak of Jesus, let it never be in vain. Let all our words be poignant, and like a sweet aroma lifted to God!...
(Philippians 2:1-11) Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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