III. THE LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES 2:1-3:22storage.cloversites.com/gracefellowship3/documents... · THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA The Church of Martyrdom (2:8-11) The attributes of the

1 Ted Kirnbauer Revelation 2-3

III. THE LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES 2:1-3:22

The messages that follow are directed to churches in various cities. The people who heard the things written included both genuine believers and those whose relationship to Christ was not yet real. The actual messengers who receive the letters (“the angels”) represent their particular church and reflect the spirit found there.

THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS The Church of Loveless Orthodoxy

(2:1-7) The attributes of the speaker

2:1 "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:

The imagery of Christ is taken from the previous description in 1:13-18. Grasping the stars in His hand and walking about, clearly demonstrates His absolute control and vigilant watchfulness. Because of His position of authority and His comprehensive knowledge, He has every right to remove the lampstand (the church) from its place if He so desires.

Knowledge about the people

2:2 'I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot endure evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; 2:3 and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary. 2:6 'Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

The church at Ephesus was doctrinally sound. It quickly detected the false teaching of the Nicolaitans, and did not tolerate those who lived at a low Christian standard. In addition, the church had no intention of giving up its struggle against evil. For these things Christ praised them. A mystery surrounds the identity of the Nicolaitans. Of the three main views, probably the easiest to accept is that these were followers of Nicolaus of Antioch (Acts ), who were Gnostics (a group who believed that material world is bad, the spirit world is good) that had antinomian tendencies (they believed Christians were free from any moral law and therefore were heavily involved in sexual promiscuity).


The description of the state of the church 2:4 'But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

The church in Ephesus was founded by Paul who had labored among them. The Book of Ephesians goes to great lengths to describe the glory of our salvation found in Christ and the magnificence of His person. Even so, the church as a whole had substituted their love for Christ with dead orthodoxy (2:4). Though He was the central figure in the church (2:1), they had forgotten Him.

The exhortation / warning

2:5 'Remember therefore 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.

They had fallen to a lower spiritual position than they had been in previously. Therefore, Christ commands them to repent and return to the love they formerly had for Him and to once again do those works that are pleasing to God. If they fail to do so before He comes, He will personally destroy the church.

The promise to the overcomer

2:7 '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.'

Though it's possible that the church may be lost, Christ guarantees to the overcomers (the true believers in the group; I Jn. 5:4-5; Rev. 21:3-7) they will gain eternal life (eat of the tree of life; 22:2, 14, 19), and dwell with God and Christ forever (i.e. in the paradise of God).

** When man sinned in Genesis 3, the Lord barred him from eating of the tree of life "lest he live

forever," yet Christ promises that the overcomer will eat of this tree in the future. Thus, man is returned to the state in which he was originally created that was lost through sin. Compare Gen. 2:9; 3:24 and Rev. 22:2, 14, 19. [See 28-32 in Plowshares and Pruning Hooks for the rewards in Revelation 2-3]

THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA The Church of Martyrdom


2:8 "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:

As First and Last, and the One who was raised from the dead, Jesus is the perfect one to give encouragement to a church that faces persecution. He is at the beginning of all things and will be present at the end, and only He can give the hope of resurrection life to all who die for His sake.



2:9 '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.

The church of Smyrna was already suffering affliction, both poverty and having blasphemies leveled against them. But even greater persecution is predicted. For Satan himself, the source of all persecution, will war against the church through unbelieving Jews (Ro. 2:28-29).

The encouragement

2:10 'Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

As a result of persecution, some believers will be cast into prison. Satan's objective is to cause the faith of the church as a whole to waver or fail completely.

In spite of these things, Jesus encourages them not to lose hope. Presently, their faith in God makes them spiritually rich (II Cor. 8:9) though they possess little materially (2:9). In addition, Christ assures them that the coming persecution will be short-lived (10 days = a short length of time) and even though some will lose their lives for His sake, their sacrifice cannot be compared to the eternal life (the crown of life; Ja. 1:12) they will gain in the age to come.


2:11 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.'

Once again, the believer is reminded that as an overcomer there should be no fear of physical death for he will not face the torment of the second death (hell).

Unlike Ephesus, Smyrna wasn't given any incentive for endurance based on Christ's second coming. Soon many would face violent death for which they must be prepared.


THE CHURCH OF PERGAMUM The Church of Indiscriminate Toleration

(2:12-17)

The attributes of the speaker 2:12 "And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this:

The description of Christ reveals Him as the One who is invested with the power of life or death. He is capable of and ready to execute judgment upon the unrepentant (also see Isa.11:4; Rev. 1:16; 19:15, 21).


2:13 '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.

Pergamum could rightly be called Satan's throne for it was the old center of emperor worship, and had temples of at least four prominent Greek gods. Because of this, the church faced severe daily persecution. Many Christians were martyred for refusing to worship the emperor. Among them was Antipas, a prestigious church leader, who according to church history was brought before the proconsul and told to offer some incense and declare Caesar as Lord. He refused and was slowly roasted to death in a brazen bull. However, in spite of this hostile environment, the church remained faithful to Christ.

The description of the state of the church

2:14 '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. 2:15 'Thus you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

Unfortunately, the church didn't deal with heresy as decisively as the church in Ephesus had. Within the church both the teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans were tolerated. It is crucial to know the story of Balaam if the seriousness of church’s sin is to be understood. When Israel was at the end of their 40 years of wandering in the desert, they stopped at Shittim, the staging area for the conquest of the Promised Land, Canaan. The armies of Israel appeared undefeatable and appeared to be a threat now to Moab, so the Moabite king, Balak,


asked Balaam (a man who had the reputation of being able to bless and curse others) to curse Israel (Num. 22). However, God intervened and caused Balaam to bless Israel instead (Num. 23:7 ff.). Unable to recant his blessing, Balaam devised another plan for Israel’s defeat and advised the king to seduce the men of Israel into idolatry and fornication (Num. 25:1-5; 31:16). Up until that time Israel had complained against God and His servants, Moses and Aaron. They had grumbled about the lack of food and water. They had doubted the ability of God to deliver the land into their hands. But now, under Balaam’s instruction the men of Israel yoked themselves (Num. 25:2) to a foreign god by participating in cult prostitution with the women of Moab. This was a complete turning from God and the beginning of the worship of Baal which would become the bane of Israel’s experience in the land. There were men in the church of Pergamum who were like Balaam, encouraging the church to compromise with the religions around them. The teaching of the followers of Nicolas also practiced pagan customs (namely, eating meat sacrificed to idols and fornication). But instead of casting the heretics out, the church looked on with indifference (the attitude was similar to the church of Corinth [I Cor. 5:1 ff]).


2:16 'Repent therefore; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.

Christ demands immediate repentance or devastating judgment would follow. The false teachers would bear the brunt of the judgment (“I will make war against THEM”), but the church would also be judged for its leniency.


2:17 '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.'

Again, the overcomer is promised a blessing for endurance. He will eat of the hidden manna and receive a white stone with a new name written on it (Isa. 56:5). The meaning of the hidden manna is much debated. Many see the manna as a reference to Christ (Jn. 6:31-33; 48-51), the true bread. But it seems unlikely that it is Christ, for Christ is the one giving the manna; it would be strange for Him to be both the giver and the thing given. Others see it as a reference to the actual manna given by God that was placed in a pot in the tabernacle (Ex. 16:33-34; Heb. 9:3-4). Other views exist as well. However, whatever view is taken, the common thread among them is that this manna will sustain and fulfill all the desires of the believer. Likewise, the white stone has generated a variety of opinions as to its nature and purpose. The most compelling seems to be that it represents admission and honor. From time to time In the Roman world,


white stones granting admission to special events were issued with peoples’ names engraved on them. For example, these were given to victors at the games as a reward for winning. In other words, the child of God will be both admitted and honored in the coming Kingdom. He will receive a new name denoting

his new position, character, and relationship to God (Isa 62:2; Gen. 32:28; Jn. 1:42 cf. Matt. 16:17-18).

THE CHURCH OF THYATIRA The Church of Compromise


2:18 "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:

The church of Thyatira lacked zeal and godly discipline. It had gone a step further than Pergamum in that it was not just indifferent toward false teaching; its thinking was permeated with it. The diversion from true worship of Christ was so serious that it called for a reiteration of who He is - the Son of God (Ps. 2:7). His eyes as a flame of fire (19:12) and His feet as burnished bronze emphasize His full knowledge of their sins (2:23) and the resulting indignation based on His own purity (see notes on 1:14, 15). Knowledge about the people

2:19 'I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first.

The church had been increasing in good works (namely, love, faith, service, and endurance) but their tolerance for false teaching and evil was abhorrent. The description of the state of the church

2:20 '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. 2:21 'And I gave her time to repent; and she does not want to repent of her immorality.

The problem with the church was internal; they had allowed someone in their church to mislead people into idolatry and sexual immorality (I Ki. 18:4, 19; II Ki. 9:22; 33-35). Jezebel was the wife of King Ahab who tried to lead the northern kingdom of Israel to worship Baal and Astarte (2 Ki. 9:22) and to engage in the associated immoralities and practices. Whether the term Jezebel is applied to a specific person or the Jews is hard to say, but the former seems more likely.



2:22 'Behold, I will cast her upon a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. 2:23 '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.

Since she refused to heed prior warning and repent, Christ promised to bring swift judgment upon her and all who follow her. Being cast upon a bed of sickness has a word play in it; she led the people to the bed of adultery; God leads her to a bed of sickness. Furthermore, Christ threatens to cast them into the coming tribulation period (chapts 6-19). The same judgment will befall her followers. It is hard to know whether this is spiritual adultery (Jer. 3:8; 5:7; Ezek. 16:17, 18, 22, 32; Hos. 2:4) or physical acts of immorality.

The children being spoken of are her spiritual progeny who whole-heartedly supported her behavior. Some see “those who commit adultery with her” (v. 22) as a distinct group from “her children” (v. 23), however, it seems easier to see both as the same group who are punished for their participation with her. It seems like the death is literal, physical death (Ezek. 33:27; Rev. 6:8; 18:8).

Christ possesses all the facts necessary to judge righteously. He not only knows the thoughts of the heart and mind, but also sees all men's actions from which the basis of His judgment is formed. To those who fail to repent, His judgment will be severe and complete (2:27; 19:11-21; Ps. 2:8, 9) and none will be able to withstand Him (2:27). But to the repentant and to those who have not participated in satanic activities nor yielded to the pressures of pagan society, blessing instead of judgment awaits. God’s judgment is based on what men have done (Psa. 62:12; Pro. 24:12; Jer. 17:10; 25:14; Matt. 16:27; Jo. 5:29; Ro. 2:5-9; II Cor. 5:10; Rev. 2:23; 20:12-13) including actions done in secret (II Cor. 4:2; Eph. 5:12) and their response to revelation available to them. Those who have received greater revelation will have greater responsibility (Matt. 11:21-24; Lk. 10:12-14; Ro. 2:12-16). Some sins will be judged more severely than others (Matt. 12:31; I Jo. 5:16; I Cor. 6:18). In addition, God will also judge the secrets of the heart (Ro. 2:16). Because God judges according to truth (Ro. 2:2), He includes the motive behind the action as well as the action itself. Men will even be judged on what men say (Matt. 12:36). Each individual and each individual’s sin will be taken into account. This does not imply that there are different conditions of salvation, nor does it mean that relatively good people will be saved. Every sin, no matter how minute it appears to us is a serious offense to God and will be punished.


2:24 '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. 2:25 'Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come.

Verses 24 and 25 continue to give the state of the church, but this time on the positive side of things.


2:26 'And he who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; 2:27 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; 2:28 and I will give him the morning star. 2:29 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

The true believer (who it is assumed will be faithful to good works [contrast vv. 22, 23]) will share Christ's rule with Him (2:26; 20:4-6; 22:3-5). In addition, an even greater gift will be received. Christ (who is also called the Morning Star - Rev. 22:16), will share His glory with the believer (Dan. 12:3; Matt. 13:43; Col. 3:4).

THE CHURCH OF SARDIS

The Church of Complacency (3:1-6)

The attributes of the speaker

3:1 "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.

There is no mention of inward heresy or outward problems with both the church in Sardis and in Laodicea yet they were the least satisfactory of the seven. The danger of lethargy was more serious than the other threats.

As in Revelation 1:4, the Holy Spirit is referred to as the seven spirits who is the source of both physical and spiritual life. Christ is the one who gives the Spirit, and it is His decision to guide or withhold the powers of the Spirit upon which the church's life (the seven stars) depends. The church in Sardis, whose works gave a semblance of life, was in reality dead since the life-giving Spirit was no longer present.


The description of the state of the church 3:2 '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.

Though bleak, the situation was not hopeless. Up to this point most of their works were not acceptable to God since they were not done in accordance with faith. But should the church waken from its slumber and strengthen the good things it was doing, it could prevent those works from dying out completely.

3:3 '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.

In addition, they are reminded to turn back to the Apostles’ teaching they had first received and reject anything that did not conform to it . The NT teaches that certain conditions will exist in the world before Christ comes again. For example, Israel will repent (Acts 3:19-21), and the church will be brought to completion. Here, it also seems that at that time, the professing church will be in a deplorable condition, filled with many unbelievers who will be taken completely off guard when Christ comes to judge.


3:4 '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. 3:5 '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. 3:6 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

Although the church had a name of being alive, in reality there were only a few within it who were. Many had indulged in worldly pleasures and sin (i.e. had soiled their garments; Ja. 1:27), standing in stark contrast to the purity of the overcomer who is clothed in white (7:9; 19:8). Those who remain pure will be rewarded with intimate fellowship with the Lord (they will walk with Him), as well as the assurance that they will never be removed from the book of life (similar idea to 2:11; also see 13:8; 17:8; 20:15; 21:27; Dan. 12:1; Lk. 10:20; Phil. 4:3). Furthermore, when that great day of judgment comes, the Judge Himself (Christ) will acknowledge the names of all who are written in the Book of Life as belonging to Him (Rev. 20:15; Matt. 10:32-33; Lk. 12:8-9).

THE CHURCH OF PHILADELPHIA


The Church of Promised Deliverance (3:7-13)

The attributes of the speaker

3:7 "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:

Jesus is both holy and true so His words should be heeded. As the Living One, He possesses authority over Death and Hades (1:18; Hades is the temporary abode of the dead), and as the root and offspring of David (5:5; 22:16), He holds the keys of entrance into the Messianic Kingdom as well (Ultimately, He claims authority over all heaven and earth [Matt. 28:18]). Therefore, all who desire to enter the Kingdom must go through Him, for He alone can open the way or bar it (Isa. 22:22).


3:8 '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.

Because the true believers had demonstrated their faith and loyalty to Christ, they were promised to have an open door into the Kingdom, and thus, deliverance from the coming tribulation (3:8).

3:9 '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.

Strangely enough, the Jews who claimed to have access to the Kingdom had rejected the Possessor of the key and were actively opposing Him. Thus, they could rightly be called the synagogue of Satan. However, someday they will all know that the church was an object of Messiah's love. Some will know this by being given to the church, that is, they become believers themselves. The rest will be forced to come and bow down before God's people, admitting their sins against them (also see Phil 2:9-11). Such a scene is reminiscent of Isaiah 60:14 (also see Isa. 49:23) where the Gentiles will subject themselves to the Jews. Ironically, however, in this case the situation will be reversed.

3:10 '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.

The faithful who follow Christ's example of endurance (I Pet. 2:18-25) are promised other blessings as well. Here they are assured protection from the coming tribulation period. His promise does not mean they will simply be immune to God's judgment at that time, rather, they will be physically removed from the time period altogether (Note the wording. They will be removed “from the hour (the time period) of testing”, not simply “from testing.” It is difficult to conceive of how anyone could be present during the


tribulation and exempt from the time of it. Exemption from the hour implies that they would not be physically present; I Thess. 4:13-18).

Verse 10 also states the purpose of the tribulation itself, namely, to bring judgment upon those who dwell upon the earth (those who have rejected God and His salvation through Christ. Also see Rev. 6:10; 8:13; 11:10; 13:8, 14; 17:2, 8; and Isa. 26:20-21 for a similar example).

3:11 'I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.

Strength to endure present trials comes from the hope that Christ will return soon. Those in the church are encouraged to hold on to what was good. Here, people are encouraged to keep on progressing until they lay hold of the crown of life (eternal life - Rev. 2:10; Ja. 1:12). Although some see this as referring to a loss of salvation, it could also be seen as a potential condition. That is, though they were making progress toward receiving the crown of life, the danger was that they could be hindered, robbed of ever receiving it.


3:12 '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. 3:13 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

The last promise is directed only to overcomers. Like the pillars of the temple, Christians will continue on permanently throughout all eternity. They will no longer be subject to trials and temptations and will always abide in the presence of God. Each of them will have the name of the city of God (right to citizenship in the Kingdom), the name of God, and Christ's new name (which expresses the fullness of His nature revealed at the second coming - 19:12) written upon them as a mark that He is their possession.

THE CHURCH OF LAODICEA The Church of Lukewarmness


3:14 "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:

The message to the church of Laodicea is the most solemn of the seven churches. Jesus calls Himself "the Amen" which in Hebrew refers to that which is "true" or "unchangeable." As such, all that He says to the church will surely come to pass. In addition, He is the "Faithful and True Witness” of every Divine revelation (1:5; 19:9, 11; 21:5; 22:6), which gives even more reason to carefully consider His words.


Lastly, He calls Himself "the beginning of the creation of God." That is, He is the preexistent source, the origin of all creation. He is the head of the universe and nothing exists apart from Him ( for the same ideas see 1:18 - the Living One; 3:21, 5:13; Col. 1:15-18; Jn. 1:3).


3:15 'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 3:16 'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.

Christ again claims to have complete knowledge of the church, both of their good and bad works (cf.2:2, 9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8). The works of a Christian are much more than outward actions. They refer to the general lifestyle, conduct, and attitudes of the person. In each of the messages they are used as indis-putable evidence that prove what the individual is in reality (i.e. truly saved or not). It is these works that form the basis of judgment (Rev. 20:12, 13; 22:12; Ps. 62:12; Prov. 24:12; Matt. 16:27; Ro. 2:5-8; II Cor. 5:10). Though judgment is one of the primary themes of the book, it should be remembered that Christ also sees the good and is quick to offer praise and unequaled blessing to those who are responsive to Him.

Unfortunately, as a whole, the Laodician church had nothing worth His commendation. Spiritually speaking, they were not hot (truly saved) nor cold (openly antagonistic to Him). They were lukewarm. That is, they confessed Christ but were complacent in their service for Him. They may have really thought that they believed but their works demonstrated the opposite. Such a condition was utterly repulsive to Christ.

3:17 '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,

Their self-appraisal of their own spiritual condition was completely opposite of what Christ saw to be reality. They thought that they had gained for themselves a wealth of spiritual blessings when in reality, they were completely destitute of the grace of God (contrast Smyrna 2:9). They were blind (lacking any ability to discern spiritual truth) and naked (lacking any righteousness).

3:18 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.

Their smug satisfaction was confronted with Christ's counsel to obtain things which they felt they had no need. With deep sarcasm, He tells this "wealthy" church to buy what could not be purchased with money (Isa. 55:1-2): true spiritual wealth, garments of righteousness (19:8) to cover their nakedness (that is their shameful sinful condition; Rev. 16:15; Nah. 3:5; Ezek. 16:23-26, 30-43 [37,39]), and the


illumination of the Holy Spirit, which like an eye salve, could cure their spiritual blindness (as in Jn. 9:35-41). Such things, of course, could only be gained through a real relationship with Him.

3:19 'Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. 3:20 '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.

Christ addresses as one group both lukewarm unbelievers and believers who appear lukewarm. If an individual is really saved, he will be disciplined (Heb. 12:4-13; Prov. 3:11, 12), see his need of repentance, and begin serving the Lord again. (3:19). In contrast, the unbelievers would receive no such discipline. They first needed to make their professed relationship a reality, for Christ was still standing outside of their lives. Upon doing this, they will experience the joy of fellowship with Him, both then and at the great Messianic banquet to come (Matt. 26:29; Rev. 19:9; Luke 22:29, 30).


3:21 '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. 3:22 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"

Again (cf. 2:26, 27), the believing are promised that they will rule with Christ in the Kingdom. As certain as it is that Messiah is now co-ruling with the Father (Heb. 8:1; 10:12,13; 12:2), so will this promise be fulfilled when Christ comes to earth and rules from the throne of David (Ps. 122:5; II Sam. 7:13; Lk. 1:31-33; Matt. 25:31).

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III. THE LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES 2:1-3:22storage.cloversites.com/gracefellowship3/documents... · THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA The Church of Martyrdom (2:8-11) The attributes of the