‘He who has an ear to hear, let him hear, what the Spirit says to the churches'.
It is up to every man how he hears. And we have been warned seven times. How foolish we would be not to hear!
FURTHER THOUGHTS ON THE CHURCHES.
The care with which the letters to the churches were compiled is demonstrated when they are compared.
Firstly. The promises to overcomers follow a direct pattern, reflecting the Old Testament. The earthly Paradise (Genesis 2-3) will be replaced by the heavenly Paradise (Revelation 2:7). The earthly death (Genesis 3 with 5, and 4) will be replaced by the Second Death (Revelation 2:11). The earthly manna (Exodus 16:32-34) will be replaced by the heavenly manna (Revelation 2:17). The earthly stones on the High Priests garments (Exodus 28:9; Exodus 28:12; Exodus 28:15) will be replaced by the heavenly ‘pure white stones' (Revelation 2:17). The earthly judgmental authority over the nations, the sceptre of iron (Numbers 24:17-19), will be replaced by the heavenly authority (Revelation 2:27). The earthly robes of the High Priest (Exodus 28:4; Exodus 28:39) will be replaced by the heavenly robes (Revelation 3:5). Entry in the earthly book of life (Exodus 32:32-33) will be replaced by entry in the heavenly book of life (Revelation 3:5). The earthly Temple (1 Kings 6 on) is replaced by the heavenly Temple (Revelation 3:12). The earthly Jerusalem is replaced by the heavenly Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2). The earthly rule is replaced by the heavenly rule (4-5; Revelation 20:4). It is clear from all this that the earthly has been replaced by the heavenly, and therefore that all seemingly earthly promises should be interpreted in this light.
Secondly. The words to the churches reflect what is described in Revelation 4 onwards. The stress on overcomers and on overcoming (Revelation 2:7; Revelation 2:11; Revelation 2:17 etc) is repeated throughout Revelation (Revelation 12:11; Revelation 15:2; Revelation 21:7), and prepares the churches so that they will prevail in the tribulation that is to come (Revelation 6:9; Revelation 7:14; Revelation 12:11; Revelation 14:4; Revelation 15:2; Revelation 21:7). The Ephesians are in danger of having their lampstand removed (Revelation 2:5), by being decimated. The church in Smyrna is ‘about to suffer' and will ‘have tribulation' (Revelation 2:10). The church at Pergamum dwells where Satan's throne is, preparing us for the descriptions of Satanic activity to come. Their new name is in contrast with those who are marked with the mark and name of the Beast (Revelation 13:17). The church at Thyatira harbours Jezebel, paralleling and preparing us for the scarlet woman (Revelation 17:3-4). The tribulation and killing with death of her followers is illuminated continually in later Chapter s (e.g. Revelation 12:17; Revelation 13:7). The church in Sardis are to be arrayed in white garments reflected in Revelation 6:11; Revelation 7:9; Revelation 7:14. The Philadelphians are warned of the hour of trial that is coming, from which He will ‘keep' them. The church at Laodicea are to obtain gold refined in the fires of tribulation, and white garments (see above). In the light of all these warnings it seems perverse to separate them from what clearly follows in fulfilment of the warnings.
Thirdly. The churches are depicted in terms of the history of the people of God in the Old Testament, from when Adam lost his first love to when the overweening pride of Judah led to its downfall.
· Man lost his first love in Eden (Genesis 3) - the church's first love is lost (Revelation 2:4) - the promise to the overcomer is Paradise restored (Revelation 2:7).
· Man is connected with the assembly of people in Cain's new city, away from the presence of the Lord (Genesis 4:16), who were responsible for the first death (Genesis 4:8) and the second death (Genesis 4:23), who are Adam's seed and yet are not - the church is connected with the ‘assembly of Satan', who say they are Jews and are not (Revelation 2:9) - the overcomer will escape the Second Death (Revelation 2:11).
· Man sets up Satan's throne in Babel, a dwelling place of the gods (Genesis 11:4) - the church dwells where Satan's throne is, a dwelling place of the gods (Revelation 2:13) - the overcomer will share the Heavenly Tabernacle where the hidden manna is hid in the Ark of the Covenant over which is God's throne (Revelation 2:17).
· Israel is taught by Balaam to commit idolatry and sexual perversions (Numbers 25:1-2) - the new ‘Balaam' teaches the church to commit idolatry and sexual perversions (Revelation 2:14) - the overcomer will receive the white stone carrying Christ's new name (Revelation 2:17), they will be clean from idolatry and sexual perversion.
· Jezebel, the foreign queen, teaches Israel sexual perversion and idolatry (1 Kings 16:31; 1 Kings 21:25; 2 Kings 9:7) - a prophetess like ‘Jezebel' teaches the church sexual perversion and idolatry - (Revelation 2:20) - the overcomer will stand in judgment on the nations (Revelation 2:26-27).
· Israel had a name to live but is now dead (Hosea 13:1; Amos 5:2; Amos 7:8; Amos 8:2; Amos 8:10; Amos 9:10; Ezekiel 23:10), its name is blotted out (Exodus 32:33; Psalms 69:28; Psalms 109:13), and it is no more remembered before God (‘our bones are dried up, our hope is lost, we are clean cut off' (Ezekiel 37:11 compare v. 2-3)) - (see 2 Kings 18:11-12; Hosea 1:6-9; Hosea 8:8; Hosea 9:16-17; Amos 7:11; Amos 7:17; Ezekiel 36:19) - the church has a name that it lives and is dead (Revelation 3:1) - the name of the overcomer will not be blotted out but will be remembered before God.
· In contrast to Israel, Judah (under Hezekiah) opens the door of the house of the Lord (2 Chronicles 29:3) which had been shut up (2 Chronicles 27:2; 2 Chronicles 28:24), thus an open door is set before Judah and Hezekiah's steward opens and no man shuts (Isaiah 22:22) - an open door is set before the church (Revelation 3:8) by Him Who opens and no man shuts (Revelation 3:7) - the overcomer will become a pillar in the Temple of God (Revelation 3:12) and will receive a new name.
· But Judah in their pride and arrogance at their wealth (‘I am rich, I have found me wealth' - Hosea 12:8; compare Ezekiel 16:15-17; Zechariah 11:5; Isaiah 2:7; Isaiah 39:2; Hosea 2:5) are advised to buy true wealth (Isaiah 55:2) and not trust their beauty (Ezekiel 16:15) or they will be stripped naked (Ezekiel 16:39; Hosea 2:3). They are poor (Ezekiel 22:18; Isaiah 1:22; Jeremiah 5:4) and blind (Isaiah 59:10; Isaiah 42:18) and naked (Lamentations 1:8) and are therefore defeated and led captive into Babylon and the house of the Lord is destroyed and the walls of Jerusalem broken down (Jeremiah 52:14) and there is no more a throne (Jeremiah 52:10-11). From now on the throne is in Babylon (Jeremiah 52:32). Their wealth and their failure to see their true state has destroyed them and they receive the punishment threatened from the beginning, they are spewed out of the land (Leviticus 18:25-28) - similar accusations are made of the church (Revelation 3:17-18) and a similar fate threatened, they will be spewed out of His mouth (Revelation 3:16) - those who overcome will receive a throne within God's kingdom (Revelation 3:12).
Although there may be controversy over detail the main line is clear.
Fourthly. While the letters are addressed to genuine churches, (and that the letters are to be delivered is suggested by the fact that the churches are in a circular pattern so that a messenger can pass easily from one to the next), it is clear that what is written to them applies to all churches, and that they are selected to cover the wide variety of experience within the worldwide church. Thus the church as a whole is being prepared for the tribulation to come.