INTRODUCTION
13/04/18 09:58
You will better understand this study if you understand the Purpose of the Book of Revelation. I would recommend starting with the Purpose then returning to this study.
The seven churches are like a list. When we look at lists, we want to look at things that are repeated and also differences. Let's look at these in this list of seven letters to seven churches.
1. Of the seven churches, Yeshua had nothing bad to say about two of them, nothing good to say of one of them, and both good and bad of four of them. An overall summary of this is that it's not what these four churches are doing that will get them to Heaven; it what these four New Testament churches are not doing that will keep them from Heaven.
2. To every church, the letter is addressed to the "angel of the church of...". We often think of angels as this heavenly being but the word "angel" merely meant messenger. What has happened is that we've taken a word of a common linguistic nature and made it into some kind of spiritual word.
Understanding that "angel" merely means messenger, these letters are written to the "messenger" of the church, or more modernly known as the pastor.
3. The seven letters end in " He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." First, notice the plural form. It's evident that all churches were able to read all letters.
Second, the term "He who has an ear, let him hear" is translated today to "If you will listen". We see a phrase similar to this in Matthew 13:
‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;
For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed
(Matthew 13:14-15 NKJV)
The problem is, most people will shut their ears to the truths of this text.
4. To each and every church, Messiah Yeshua says He knows them by their WORKS. I often hear people say "We are saved by Grace and not by works" and I absolutely agree with that. There is nowhere in Scripture that you will find that we are saved by works. At the same time, I dare for anyone to find in Scripture where we are judged by Grace. How do these two work? Quite simply, it revolves around the relationship. I don't buy my wife flowers because it's my duty, I buy her flowers because of my love for her. If we love our God, the works come naturally.
5. To each church, Messiah Yeshua comes in a specific way. Each way that Yeshua comes to the church is listed in chapter one, and that way has to mean to that church.
The seven churches are like a list. When we look at lists, we want to look at things that are repeated and also differences. Let's look at these in this list of seven letters to seven churches.
1. Of the seven churches, Yeshua had nothing bad to say about two of them, nothing good to say of one of them, and both good and bad of four of them. An overall summary of this is that it's not what these four churches are doing that will get them to Heaven; it what these four New Testament churches are not doing that will keep them from Heaven.
2. To every church, the letter is addressed to the "angel of the church of...". We often think of angels as this heavenly being but the word "angel" merely meant messenger. What has happened is that we've taken a word of a common linguistic nature and made it into some kind of spiritual word.
Understanding that "angel" merely means messenger, these letters are written to the "messenger" of the church, or more modernly known as the pastor.
3. The seven letters end in " He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." First, notice the plural form. It's evident that all churches were able to read all letters.
Second, the term "He who has an ear, let him hear" is translated today to "If you will listen". We see a phrase similar to this in Matthew 13:
‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;
For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed
(Matthew 13:14-15 NKJV)
The problem is, most people will shut their ears to the truths of this text.
4. To each and every church, Messiah Yeshua says He knows them by their WORKS. I often hear people say "We are saved by Grace and not by works" and I absolutely agree with that. There is nowhere in Scripture that you will find that we are saved by works. At the same time, I dare for anyone to find in Scripture where we are judged by Grace. How do these two work? Quite simply, it revolves around the relationship. I don't buy my wife flowers because it's my duty, I buy her flowers because of my love for her. If we love our God, the works come naturally.
5. To each church, Messiah Yeshua comes in a specific way. Each way that Yeshua comes to the church is listed in chapter one, and that way has to mean to that church.
