Seven Churches of Asia

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Seven Churches of Asia
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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Ephesus (21-7)
• City of Ephesus
• Political and economic background
• Foremost city in Asia Minor
• Approximately 250,000 in population
• Large trading center three main roads brought
  trade
• Free city
• Panionian games

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CITY OF EPHESUS
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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Ephesus (21-7)
• City of Ephesus
• Religiously
• Temple of Diana (Artemis)
• One of the seven wonders of the world
• Larger than Pantheon
• About 360 feet long
• Stood during Johns time

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TEMPLE OF ARTIMIS
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STATUE OF ARTIMIS
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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Ephesus (21-7)
• City of Ephesus
• New Testament background
• Paul visited on 2nd missionary journey
• Left Aquila and Priscilla in Ephesus
• They taught Apollos
• Paul stayed two years
• Gospel spread throughout Asia Minor (Acts 1910)
• Paul had a close relationship with Christian
  leaders their (2017-38)

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Ephesus (21-7)
• Description of speaker (1)
• Refers back to Son of Man in 112-16)
• Seven stars seven angels of the churches
• Churches futures are under Christs control

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Ephesus (21-7)
• Ephesus church good works (2-3, 6)
• Know Christ has complete knowledge of their
  situation
• Deeds
• Toils
• Perseverance

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Ephesus (21-7)
• Ephesus church good works (2-3, 6)
• Cannot endure evil men
• Test those who call themselves apostles and are
  not
• Perseverance patient endurance
• Accepting hardships but continuing
• Endured for Christs sake
• Not grown weary

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Ephesus (21-7)
• Ephesus church good works (2-3, 6)
• Hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans (26)
• Nicolaitans nikos and laos meaning conqueror of
  the people

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Ephesus (21-7)
• Several opinions Nicolaitans
• Followers of Nicolas of Antioch
• One of the original deacons of Acts 65
• Jewish proselyte who fell into apostasy
• A sect that lived a life of immorality based on
  misinterpretation of statements by Nicolas
• Gnostic group
• Christians who identified with the emperor by
  burning incense to him

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Ephesus (21-7)
• Ephesus church problems (4-5)
• Left their first love
• Love of God
• Love for one another
• Love for the lost
• Four R for the Ephesians
• Remember - Where they had fallen from
• Repent
• Repeat - Do the deeds they first did
• Remove - Lampstand removed by Christ if they do
  not repent

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Ephesus (21-7)
• Encouragement (7)
• Encouragement for people to listen
• Broader than just Ephesus
• From the Spirit
• The one who overcome
• Granted to eat of the tree of life
• In the Paradise of God

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Smyrna (28-11)
• City of Smyrna
• Political and economic background
• About 40 miles north of Ephesus, western side of
  Aegean Sea, population of about 200,000
• Very good harbor with trade up the valley of the
  Hermus River large paved streets
• Largest public theater
• Third largest library after Alexandria and
  Pergumum birth place of Poet Homer

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Smyrna (28-11)
• City of Smyrna - Religiously
• Temples to the gods lined paved roads
• Temple of Cybele
• Temple of Asclepius goddess Aphrodite
• Emperor worship

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Smyrna (28-11)
• Emperor worship
• Used to unify the conquered people
• Dea Roma goddess of Rome
• Caesar came to represent Rome
• Prior to Caligula emperors were deified after
  death only
• Caligula was the first to declare himself as god
• Domitian continued the tradition by claiming to
  be god in the flesh

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Smyrna (28-11)
• Requirements of emperor worship
• Every citizen was required to put incense on the
  altar and declare Caesar is Lord.
• Receive a token to evidence their participation
  in the ceremony
• Christians would often refuse to participate
• Some Christians began to use mental reservation
  as an excuse for offering incense

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Smyrna (28-11)
• Jewish support for persecution
• Informed on Christians to the Romans
• Polycarp (Bishop of Smyrna) was martyred

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Smyrna (28-11)
• New Testament background
• Not mention elsewhere
• Description of speaker (8)
• Description gives hope under persecution
• Was dead has come to life

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Smyrna (28-11)
• Tribulation as Christians (9)
• Tribulation (thlipsis) pressure brought to bear
  upon someone from without
• Used in a variety of ways
• Calamities of war
• Distress of a woman in childbirth
• Persecution of Christians
• Problems for non-Christians

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Smyrna (28-11)
• Poor but rich
• Poor
• Penia person who could not afford beyond the
  necessities
• Ptoches person who could not afford even the
  necessities, John uses ptoches here
• Rich
• In Christ, will receive a crown (10)
• Reason for poverty
• Blacklisted if they did not have the token for
  offering incense to Caesar.

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Smyrna (28-11)
• Blasphemy of the synagogue of Satan
• In N. T. there are examples of Jews speaking
  against the early Christians
• Various types are noted in history
• Cannibalism
• Immorality
• Breaking up of homes
• Atheism
• Political disloyalty
• Incendiarism

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Smyrna (28-11)
• Problems of Smyrna
• None pointed out by Christ
• Only one other church where no problems are
  mention - Philadelphia

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Smyrna (28-11)
• Encouragement through suffering (10-11)
• More suffering to come
• Satan to cast them into prison (leads to
  execution for faithful)
• Be tested
• Tribulation for 10 days
• Symbolic
• Short time
• Human completeness doubled
• Means will difficult but for a short time

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Smyrna (28-11)
• Encouraged to be faithful unto death
• Be faithful which will lead to death
• Given a crown of life
• Diadema crown of royalty
• Stephanos Victory crown at competitions (used
  here)
• Festival crown at weddings and other feasts
• Laural crowns for faithful civic duty

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Smyrna (28-11)
• Encouraged to be faithful unto death
• The one who overcomes
• Not hurt by the second death
• Second death Rev. 206 death Hades thrown
  into lake of fire

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Pergumum (212-17)
• City of Pergamum
• Political and economic background
• Forty miles north of Ephesus, 15 miles inland to
  Caicus valley
• Commercially, not as great as Ephesus or Smyrna
• Historically important
• Bequeathed to the Roman Empire in 133 B. C.
• Second largest library in the Ancient world after
  Alexandria (200,000 volumes).
• Center for intellectual pursuits.

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Pergamum (212-17)
• City of Pergamum - Religiously
• Site of the first temple erected to Caesar,
  Augustus in 29 B. C.
• Trajan later had a temple built here.
• Temples to Asklepios god of healing
• Serpent was the symbol of Asklepios
• Coins from that period have the symbol
• Show the connection between politics and religion
  in that era
• Called the savior Zeus, Dionysus, Athena

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Pergamum (212-17)
• City of Pergamum
• New Testament background
• Only place mentioned

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Pergamum (212-17)
• Description of speaker (12)
• One who has the sharp two edged sword
• Word

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Pergamum (212-17)
• Good works of Pergamum (13)
• Hold fast Christs name
• Did not deny the faith in the days of Antipas
• Unknown person
• Called Christs witness and faithful one
• Could have been a time of persecution they had
  gone through earlier.
• Tradition says Antipas was roasted alive inside a
  brazen bull.

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Pergamum (212-17)
• Good works of Pergamum (13)
• Hold fast Christs name
• Satans throne
• Imply position of power
• Several views of the meaning
• Alter of Zeus that sat on the acropolis
• Temple of Askelepios
• Home of satanic spirits of persecution
• Figurative for the power and influence of Satan
• Worst of all the cities
• Caesar worship was very strong in Pergamum

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Pergamum (212-17)
• Problems of Pergamum (14-15)
• Balaam (see Nu. 22-25)
• Balak would arrange to lead the Israelites into
  immorality after failing to have them cursed.
• Eating things offered to idol
• Usually means participation in pagan worship
• Immorality usually a part of pagan worship
• Note 1 Cor. 1018-22
• Some who follow the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
• Compromise with the world a big problem then and
  now.

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Pergamum (212-17)
• Encouragement (16-17)
• Repent - Tolerated sin in their midst (Balaam)
• The one who overcomes

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Pergamum (212-17)
• Encouragement (16-17)
• The one who overcomes receives
• Hidden manna
• Spiritual food
• Spiritual strength
• White stone
• Symbolized innocence
• Might be given to someone acquitted of a crime
• Given to a slave granted freedom
• Victor in a race
• Triumphant soldier
• Admission to a banquet

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Pergamum (212-17)
• Encouragement (16-17)
• The one who overcomes receives
• New name
• One who receives it will be the only one who
  knows it
• Various views
• Christ, as the most powerful that people refuse
  to recognize now
• Believers new name or changed character
• Victorious Christ himself

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Thyatira (218-29)
• Political and economic background
• Forty miles southeast of Pergamum
• Well know for manufacturing of cloth
• Weaving
• Dyeing
• Making garments
• Center for trade guilds

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Thyatira (218-29)
• Religiously
• Religion associated with trade guilds
• Each guild had its own god
• To be a part of a guild could often include pagan
  worship
• Cup of wine poured out in honor of the god.
• Meal eaten from what was offered to the god.
• Sexual rituals for fertility
• Not participating would hinder people from making
  a living.

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Thyatira (218-29)
• New Testament background
• Lydia the seller of purple at Philippi (Acts
  1614).

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Thyatira (218-29)
• Description of speaker (18)
• Son of God
• Direct identification is made
• Eyes like a flame
• Feet of burnished bronze
• Strength and splendor

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Thyatira (218-29)
• Good works of Thyatira (19)
• Know your deeds
• Greater than the first
• Deeds of love
• Deeds of faith
• Deeds of service
• Deeds of perseverance

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Thyatira (218-29)
• Problems of Thyatira (20-23)
• Tolerate the woman Jezebel
• Background found in 1 Kg. 1629-34 181-6 2
  Kg. 91-8
• Calls herself a prophetess
• Teaches and leads Christs bond-servants astray
• Commit acts of immorality
• Eat things sacrificed to idols

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Thyatira (218-29)
• Problems of Thyatira (20-23)
• Views of Jezebel
• Not a particular women but a tendency of some of
  the members in the church to compromise their
  faith and participate in pagan activities.
• Actual women considered to be a prophetess by
  some and leading some of the members astray with
  false teaching

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Thyatira (218-29)
• Problems of Thyatira (20-23)
• Fate of Jezebel and her followers
• Great tribulation if they do not repent
• Bed of sickness
• For those who commit adultery with her
• Her children killed with pestilence

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Thyatira (218-29)
• Encouragement (24-29)
• Those who do not hold to the teachings of Jezebel
• Those who do not know the deep things of Satan
  hold fast until Jesus comes
• The ones who overcome
• Keeps Jesus deeds until He comes
• Receives authority over the nations rule with
  an iron rod
• Receive authority as Christ did from God
• Receive the morning star, Christ (Rev. 2216)

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Sardis (31-6)
• City of Sardis - Political economic background
• Had been ancient capital of Lydia
• Declining during this time period
• Center of a thriving woolen industry
• It was know for its decadence and luxury

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Sardis (31-6)
• Religiously
• Major religion was the goddess Cybele (Artimis)
• Fourth largest building in ancient times
• Large Jewish synagogue (A. D. 200)
• New Testament background
• Not mentioned elsewhere in N.T.

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Sardis (31-6)
• Description of speaker (1a)
• Has seven spirits
• Has seven stars

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Sardis (31-6)
• Problems of Sardis (1b-2)
• Name they are alive but are dead
• Reputation of being alive possibly well known
  church
• Possibly known for her wealth
• Materialistic outlook
• Strengthen the things that remain
• Told to wake up because there were things
  remaining to make their faith stronger
• Deeds not completed
• In Gods sight

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Sardis (31-6)
• Encouragement (3-6)
• Remember
• What they have received and heard
• Keep what they have received
• Repent
• Return
• Christ will come like a thief
• Some times used for second coming (1 Thess. 52
  2 Pet. 310)
• Judgement is in mind here

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Sardis (31-6)
• Encouragement
• Those who have not soiled their garments
• Few had remained faithful
• Walk with Jesus in white
• They are worthy

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Sardis (31-6)
• Encouragement
• Those who overcome
• Clothed in white garments
• White purity
• White garment worn by victorious contestants
• Seven time in Revelation
• Rev. 36 Rev. 79
• Rev. 318 Rev. 713
• Rev. 44 Rev. 1914
• Rev. 611

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Sardis (31-6)
• Encouragement
• Those who overcome
• Name not erased from the book of life
• Christ will confess his name before his Father
  and His angels
• See Mt. 1032

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Philadelphia (37-)
• Philadelphia - Political/economic background
• City of brotherly love
• Known as the gateway to the east
• Greek cultured passed through her to the east
• Founded only 150 years before Christ
• Got its name from Attalus II who had great
  loyalty to his brother.
• Founded on a great volcanic plain that was very
  fertile and was world famous for its wines.
• It was a prosperous city because of trade and a
  lot of springs that were thought to have a lot of
  medicinal waters

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Philadelphia (37-)
• Philadelphia - Religiously
• History of strong Jewish opposition
• Ignatius mentions the Jews in his letter to the
  church at Philadelphia
• New Testament background
• No other mention in N. T.

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Philadelphia (37-13)
• Description of speaker (7)
• Only description not related to the description
  of the Son of Man in Chapter 1
• Holy
• True - the genuine compared to the counterfeit
• Has the key of David
• Access to the place of the king (Isa. 2222)
• Problems
• None pointed out

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Philadelphia (37-13)
• Encouragement
• Open door before them
• Because they have little power (Small church?)
• Open door to evangelize
• Gateway to the east to spread Christianity
• Have kept his word (not denied his name)

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Philadelphia (37-13)
• Encouragement
• Opposition from the synagogue of Satan
• Christ will bring them to bow down before them
• Because of their faithfulness he will keeping
  them from the hour of testing
• The hour that is coming on the whole world
• This probably means God will see them through the
  trials
• Philadelphia was a Christian presence into the
  15th century after the Muslims took Turkey

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Philadelphia (37-13)
• Encouragement
• Hold fast to what they have
• Christ is coming quickly - Judgement
• No one will take their crown - Victors crown
• These Christians were already reigning (Rev.
  15-6)

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Philadelphia (37-13)
• Encouragement
• The one who overcomes
• Pillar in the temple of God
• Will write on him the name of God
• Write the name of the city of God, New Jerusalem
• Write my new name

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Laodicea (314-22)
• Laodicea - Political/economic background
• One of three cities in the Lycus valley
• Founded in the third century B. C. by Antiochus
  II and name for his wife, Laodice.
• Famous health resort
• Famous banking center
• Very wealthy and proud of her wealth

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Laodicea (314-22)
• Laodicea - Religiously
• Zeus was the cities patron deity
• Other temples included Apollo, Asclepius, Hades,
  Hera, Athena, Serapis, and Dionysus

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Laodicea (314-22)
• Laodicea - New Testament background
• Mentioned by Paul in his letter to Colossae
• Told the Colossians to read the letter to
  Laodicea and they were to read the letter to the
  Colossians

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Laodicea (314-22)
• Laodicea - Description of speaker (14)
• The amen
• Faithful and true witness
• The beginning (source or origin) of the creation
  of God

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Laodicea (314-22)
• Laodicea - Problems of Laodicea (15-17)
• Christ knows their deeds
• Neither hot nor cold
• Say they are rich and need nothing
• Christ tells them they are really wretched and
  poor

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Laodicea (314-22)
• Laodicea - Encouragement (18-22)
• Look to Christ for riches
• Buy their Gold from Christ to be spiritually
  rich
• Buy their white garments from him not to shamed
  by their nakedness
• White in contrast to the black wool industry of
  Laodicea which gave them their physical wealth
• Buy their eye ointment from him - Spiritual
  blindness healed by Christ
• The eye salve of Laodicea could not help them

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SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA

• Laodicea (314-22)
• Laodicea - Encouragement (18-22)
• Gods love means (Phileo) He reproves and
  disciplines, corrects, and Trains
• Called to repent
• He is at the door waiting to be let in
• Calls for them to open the door of their heart
• One who repents will sit with him on his throne
• As he sat down with his father on his throne (see
  2 Tim. 211-12)

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Behold a Door Open in Heaven
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THRONE OF GODChapter 4

• God rules as creator
• Twenty-four elders before the throne
• Representative of the redeemed-overcomers
• Those who overcome in heaven (see 321)
• Sit on thrones (321)
• Dressed in white (35)
• Have gold crowns (210)
• Four living creatures before the throne
• All recognize Gods sovereignty

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WORTHY IS THE LAMBChapter 5

• Worthy is the Lamb for redeeming people
• Breaking the seals represents the execution of
  Gods plan
• Sacrificial Lamb worthy
• Divinely sealed
• Divinely opened
• Worthy means moral standing
• Lion of Judah Abrahams offspring
• The root of Jesse line of David
• Has overcome so opens the book