Book of RevelationChapter 2 and 3

The Seven Churches

Week Date Topic

1 11 Mar 15 Introduction

2 18 Mar 15 Prologue, Greetings, Doxology, and Vision: Chapter 1

3 25 Mar 15 To the Seven Churches: Chapter 2

4 01 Apr 15 To the Seven Churches: Chapter 3

5 08 Apr 15 The Throne In Heaven: Chapter 4

6 15 Apr 15 The Scroll and The Lamb: Chapter 5

7 22 Apr 15 The Seals: Chapter 6

8 29 Apr 15 144,000 Sealed: Chapter 7

9 06 May 15 The Seventh Seal and Trumpets: Chapter 8-9

10 13 May 15 The Angel and the Little Scroll: Chapter 10

11 20 May 15 The Two Witnesses: Chapter 11

12 27 May 15 The Woman and the Dragon: Chapter 12

13 03 Jun 15 Summary of the Quarter – Look Ahead at Chapter 13-22

Book of Revelation *Revised*

What We Learned Last Week

• Studied Chapter 1

• Learned about the Rome and Jerusalem

• during the time that the Book of Revelation

• was written

• Learned that the book was written on the island of Patmos, not far off the coast from Ephesus

• Learned about the purpose of the book

• Learned about John's vision of the Lord

This Week• Learn about letters to four of the seven churches in

Asia

• See how Christ encourages the churches, but is also realistic as to the problems each church faced

• Discover a pattern to the letters• Greeting• Description of Jesus• Commendation to the congregation• Condemnation of the congregation• A warning and a threat• Exhortation, “He who has ears, let him hear…”

• Transition to next week’s class

Year of the four emperors 69 a.d.• Nero ruled from 54-68 A.D.

• Most of Rome is destroyed by a fire in 64 A.D. • Christians confessed to the crime, but it is not known

whether these confessions were induced by torture • Began the first Roman-Jewish War in 66 A.D. • In 67, Nero dispatched Vespasian to restore order• Nero committed suicide in 68 A.D.

• A civil war followed Nero’s death

• The social, military, and political upheavals of the period had empire-wide impacts

• Four emperors ruled in succession – Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian in 69 A.D.• Galba’s Praetorian Guard killed him in the Forum• Otho committed suicide• Vespasian’s loyalists tracked down and killed Vitellius

• The first Roman-Jewish war ends in 70 A.D. with the Temples destruction

Rome and Anti-Christian Policies• Eusebius, a Roman historian in the late 200/early 300 A.D. wrote

that great multitudes of Christians were killed during the late first century

• Provincial governors in the Roman Empire had a great deal of personal discretion and power to do what they felt was needed in their jurisdiction

• Nero ushered in a new level of violence against Christians, once limited to Jewish on Christian persecution

• During the 60’s A.D., James I executed by the Sanhedrin and Paul is executed in Rome by Nero around 64-67 A.D.

• Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired...Eusebius- Annals XV.44

Ephesus• Most easily accessible city

in the Asian province• Population approaching

225,000 people• Great wealth and culture

as well as political and social corruption

• Paul established the church after Apollos came through and remained there two years (Act 19)

• Timothy was a missionary to Ephesus during the time Paul wrote the two letters to him

• The church was the result of years of evangelism

To the church in Ephesus (2:1-7)• The church is praised (2:1-3)

• Deeds, hard work, and perseverance

• Endured hardship, not growing weary

• Disdain for the wicked

• Not afraid to test those who claim to be apostles

• The church is criticized (2:4-5)• No longer had the love it had when it first started

• Asked to repent and do things as they did at the beginning

• Threat to remove the lampstand from its’ place

• In the church’s favor• They hate the practices of the Nicolaitans

Who are the Nicolaitans?• Heretical sects that plagued the churches at Ephesus

and at Pergamum

• Identified as followers of Nicolas• From Antioch, and a convert to Judaism• One of the seven chosen in Acts 6:1-7 (Read)• Originally considered full of the Spirit and wisdom

• Later, Nicolas moved away from the faith• A “grace only” approach to salvation which transformed

into “unrestrained indulgence” over time• Nicolaitans practiced a form of Gnosticism further refined

down to a twisted form of antinomianism, where there are no moral laws that God expects Christians to obey ultimately allowing man to freely partake in sin because the Law of God is no longer binding

Smyrna• Ancient city conquered the

by Greeks in 1100 BC

• At a strategic location, in the gulf of Smyrna, an inlet reaching 40 miles

• The city changed hands many times, ending up under the Greek confederation

• Center of pagan worship with a host of temples to Greek Gods

• Christians suffered most terribly in Smyrna

• John’s disciple Polycarp was a prominent Christian leader in Smyrna

• Destroyed by an earthquake in 178 AD

To the church in Smyrna (2:8-11)• The Lord was aware of Smyrna’s afflictions and poverty

(2:8)• But He acknowledged their riches

• They were subject of slander by those who claimed to be Jews but were guilty of blasphemy before God (2:9)• They were participating in whatever the had to avoid

persecution by the Romans• The synagogues they met in were serving evil

• They will be tested (2:10)• Call for faithfulness, even to the point of death

• Do not be afraid of the second death (2:11)• All will experience physical death (Heb. 9:27), this could be

called “the first death”• The second death would be that from which the overcomers

are exempt (Rev 20:6)• This would indicate that it is eternal death (Rom 6:23) or

eternal separation from God

Pergamum• Located 30 miles north

of Smyrna, 15 miles from the sea

• Briefly was the Roman capital of Asia before it was transferred to Ephesus

• Home to about 200,000 inhabitants at its peak

• Home of Antipas, tradition holds that John ordained him as a church leader in Pergamum

To the church in Pergamum(2:12-17)• He acknowledges the challenge of the church there

• Where Satan has his throne• Rome, the great Satan, Pergamum his provincial capital

• Praise for the church (2:13)• They remain true to Him• They did not renounce their faith

• Acknowledges the faithfulness of Antipas, who was put to death

• The church is vilified (2:14-15)• Holding to the teaching of Balaam (Num 22-23), determined

self-will• Holding to the teaching of the Nicolaitans

• Call to repent (2:16)

• To the victorious, hidden manna, white stone

Hidden Manna – White Stone• Hidden manna

• Pot of manna placed in the Ark of the Covenant (Ex 16:33-34, Heb 9:3) reminding the faithful of God’s care

• Not even the priests were permitted to eat of this manna

• Gnostics claimed access to the hidden manna of higher knowledge

• However, God says ordinary faithful Christians will have this access

• White stone• In ancient courts, verdicts were rendered by use of a

black or white stone

• Christ says that those who remain faithful to Him will be granted a white stone of innocence, known only to that person

Thyatira• City midway between

Pergamum and Sardis

• Small, wealthy

• Clothing, linens

• Production of dyes, center for indigo trade –a blue dye extracted from plants (blue of blue jeans)

• Paul and Silas likely visited this area during the second and third journey

To the church in Thyatira (2:18-29)• Praise for the church (2:19)

• Good deeds• Love and faith• Service and perseverance• Now doing more than they did when first established

• The church vilified (2:20-24)• Tolerated “Jezebel”• Her teachings lead to sexual immorality, idol worship• Unwilling to repent• Promise not to impose the burden on those that do not follow

her

• Victory to the one [church] who does God’s will (2:25-28)• They will be given authority over the nation• Given the morning star (Christ, see Num 24:17)

Who is Jezebel?• Symbolic name for an apostate teacher in Thyatira

• False prophet, leading God’s people astray

• Jezebel's story is found in 1 and 2 Kings• She was the daughter of Ethbaal, king of Tyre/Sidon and

priest of the cult of Baal, a cruel, sensuous and revolting false god whose worship involved sexual degradation and lewdness

• Ahab, king of Israel (Northern Kingdom), married Jezebel and led the nation into Baal worship (1 Ki 16:31)

• Led the people of God away, chasing after other religions or doctrines to the point of being unfaithful to God

Sardis• Capital of the Lydian

empire and one of the greatest cities of the ancient world

• Lydia was part of the Persian empire

• Later became a seat of a proconsul under the Roman Empire (Acts 13:17)

• Strong militarily as it was a major crossroads in Asia minor

To the church in Sardis (3:1-6)• First, the church is only mentioned in Revelations;

the name appears nowhere else in the Bible

• The church had an outside reputation that it was alive, but was dead internally (3:1-3)• Christ could find little evidence of finished deeds

• Call to repent and threat of punishment

• Recognition for the few that remain faithful (3:4-5)• They walk with Christ and are faithful

• Paul to the Philippians – work out your salvation (Phil 2:12), each will be called based upon obedient faith

• They will be acknowledged before the father

• All call to listen to the Spirit (3:6)

The Book of Life• God’s record of Those who are in the church are

those whose names are written in heaven• But their names could be removed

• Sometimes known as overcomers

• Old and New Testament references• Ps 69:28

• May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous

• Mal 3:16-18• A scroll of remembrance for those who feared the Lord and

honored His name

• Phil 4:3• …at my side in the cause of the gospel…whose names are in

the book of life

Philadelphia• Founded in 189 BC

• King of Pergamon named it the “city for the love of his brother”

• Originally a province of Lydia

• Center of wine production

• Like many Asian cities, a number of Jews lived there

• Synagogue from the period still exists

To the church in Philadelphia (3:7-13)• Christ’s authority is emphasized and Christ

acknowledges the opportunity they have seized (3:7-8)• The church in Philadelphia is depicted as having little

power, yet is sufficient to do good works• They had not denied His name

• Speaks about the Jewish synagogue (3:9-10)• Refers to the Jewish assemblies being of Satan, as they

have rejected Christ• “Synagogue of Satan” also seen in Rev 2:9• Jesus referred to their father as being the devil because

they rejected the Lord’s words (John 8:44)• Reward for keeping His commands

• New Jerusalem is coming, a new age (3:11-13)

Laodicea• Strong ancient Greek city

• Once called the city of Zeus

• Acquired a high degree of prosperity, falling under Roman control in 133 BC

• Became one of the most vibrant cities in Asia Minor

• Chief city of Roman conventus

• Paul asked that his letter be read to the church (Col 4:16)

To the church in Laodicea(3:14-22)• He was aware of their deeds – they were neither hot

nor cold (3:14-18)• Lukewarm, will be spit out

• Think they have it all, but missing their spiritual center

• Unwillingness to stand convicted and reject the false doctrines of their day

• Nearly the opposite of the church at Smyrna

• They are directed to make a spiritual investment in the true treasure – knowledge and wisdom

• God disciplines those whom he loves (3:19)

• Call to repent and sit with the Lord in his throne (3:20-22)

Summary• Learned about letters to the seven churches in Asia

• We learned that Christ encourages the churches, but was also realistic as to the problems each church faced

• We see a pattern to the letters as well• Greeting

• Description of Jesus

• Commendation to the congregation

• Condemnation of the congregation

• A warning and a threat

• Exhortation, “He who has ears, let him hear…”

• Next week – Chapter 4, the Throne in Heaven