John recorded seven letters to the churches given to him by Our Lord Jesus Christ!
These seven churches provide a concise summary of the church age at multiple levels. In their specific order, they provide a history of the last 2,000 years. They provide the condition of those churches at the time they were given. Further, they reveal seven different conditions found in churches today. They also reveal the conditions of believers at the individual level.
The churches who thought they were doing well. weren’t. The churches who thought they were not doing well, were. Each church was somewhat surprised.
The Beloved Disciple recorded what Jesus spoke in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 specifically for the benefit of you and me. In every epistle, He declared “I know thy works” which is also the case for us as well. There is nothing hidden from Him.
To anyone who reads, HEARS, and keeps this Revelation is promised a special blessing:
Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the Words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
No other Book of the Bible declares a special blessing like this. The time is now! We need to quit spending time on nonsense. Nonsense is communication, via speech, writing, or any other symbolic system, that lacks any coherent meaning. Sometimes in ordinary usage, nonsense is synonymous with absurdity or the ridiculous.
The world wants us to focus on anything other than the Absolute Truth given to us Our Heavenly Father.
Jesus spoke in John chapter 14:
1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus said to him, “I am The Way, The Truth, and The Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Jesus declared that He would come again for us, His Bride. I assure you that He is not going to let His Bride suffer for seven years through the great tribulation and then present His Bride bruised and battered to Our Heavenly Father.
In these two chapters, Jesus warns us seven times:
Revelation 2:
7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”‘
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.”‘
17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”‘
29 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.“‘
Revelation 3:
6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”‘
13 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”‘
22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”‘”
How many times do you and I need to be warned to heed the Words of Jesus? Notice once again that He says “churches”, not just “church”. His Words apply to all churches and every believer, no matter what their spiritual state. Nobody can claim ignorance or have an excuse.
Jesus declared to anyone found in the Laodicean church:
Revelation 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 dine with him, and he with Me.
Jesus was on the outside wanting in. If we truly open the door to our hearts, He will enter in and dine with us. He wants our individual commitment and stands at the door waiting (in spite of the church).
Gabriel spoke to Mary in Luke chapter 1:
30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.
32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom there will be no end.”
Where is the throne of David located? It is on earth, not Heaven. This clarifies what Jesus spoke in Revelation chapter 3:
21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My Throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His Throne.
Jesus will ultimately return to rule and reign on earth where He will sit on His Throne as promised to Mary.
The seven lampstands (the churches) are now in Heaven beginning in chapter 4. Chapter 4 begins with the phrase meta tauta. This phrase is translated after this which denotes the future.
Chapters 4 through 22 give the specifics of the future. The true church is now in Heaven and observing the seven-year tribulation referenced many times in Scripture.