Why these seven churches?
I did not have a lot of answers to this question, and began a bit of an online search for answers. As one studies this question a set of explanations can be distilled. I came across a website where David Treybig gave some insights I found useful. On his page entitled Seven Churches of Revelation he cited John Walvoord as well as C.I. Scofield. The gist Treybig attributes to these authors is two fold. First, there is a specific message delivered to each church. Second, the churches can be extrapolated to represent eras in church history from apostolic to apostate.
Briefly (again this is not my original work; see the link above for more specifics):
- Ephesus: the church in the first century–the time of the Apostles
- Smryna: the church under persecution–essentially up until Constantine
- Pergamum: the church mixing with the world–Constantine to Middle Ages
- Thyatira: progression of evil and idolatry in the church–especially corrupt Catholicism
- Sardis: the dead church with but a minority of godly people–concluded with the Reformation
- Philadelphia: revival of the church and spiritual advance–Maybe even our era here including evangelists and world missions
- Laodicea: the apostate church
More could be derived from these artificial but potential categorizations, but it seems to be a reasonable answer to the “Why?” of these seven churches. In the context of God’s sovereignty over the world a point that can be made is that God knows and is ready for all eras.
Two advantages
There are two more words that we need to camp out with for a while: grace and peace. In the lesson on the first three verses of Revelation I made a point that the word revelation was a church word. Church words are those which we easily hear and run down our mental hallways to where we have them compartmentalized. When we get to the compartment we look in, say “got it,” and let it go. It is like catch and release fishing. It is important that we stop, look and listen awhile.
Grace | Peace |
Needed for sins | Needed for hearts and minds |
Fixes the leaking ship | Fixes our worries over it |
For the reality of sin | For success in the new reality |
Like antibiotics | Like “chicken soup for the soul”1 |
It is important that we see that sins are first addressed and then comes a settling of the soul. It is rescue first, comfort second.
The week I prepared this lesson there was a story on CNN about a motorist who came upon an police officer being assaulted. Apparently the criminal had shot another person in their vehicle which had crashed. The policeman had stopped and was accosted by the fellow who had caused the death of this other person. Well, when another motorist came along and saw what was happening he stopped. He told the man to stop beating the police officer, but when the beating continued the motorist went to his own vehicle, got his sidearm and killed the fellow assaulting the officer. The motorist then when to the police car and called for help.
Why include that story? Well the officer was in need. The need was addressed and then help for his injuries was given. So, first get the injured officer off the street and then heal his wounds. God came to remove the great threat to us and after providing the cure peace could come to our souls.
But why did John include this?
Is he preaching? Not really. He is not bringing a whole message here, but is quickly applying the foundational things of relationship between God and us. Grace is what John has received and peace is what he has experienced. That is where John functions, where he lives, exists. Churches should also live in this grace. We should also live in this grace. In Leviticus 18:5 Moses wrote that he who keeps God’s decrees and laws will live by them. Well a life of grace and peace is a living, a real living. John lived that way and so in the living, breathing, existing he mentioned grace and peace to the readers.
If we have peace today it is because of grace.
If we have grace today it is because of God.
We have the book of Revelation because of God.
Story time…the weaving of God
So after the above explanation of grace and peace was placed into my mind the kids had gotten up and were bustling around getting ready for school. I went into the kitchen and began getting out the Mini-Wheats and Almond Toast Crunch which I often mix for breakfast. My son was sitting at the breakfast table already plugging away at his cereal. He had gotten up early that day and I did not know why. I asked him if he had been having his devotions. He said he was getting a devotional ready for lunch time. (Surprise! A good one it is when your 18 year old son is up early writing devotionals to share at his school lunch.)
I asked him about the subject matter to which he replied it was “not living in guilt.”
Well, that was a perfect fit with grace and peace. Grace removes guilt and peace is not living there. That was a really cool way in which God shuffled my life’s deck of cards with my son’s. I shared briefly with him about the connection between my lesson and his devotional. Neat it was.
Where do grace and peace come from?
Well, they don’t come from John. He offered it to the seven churches, but he was not the source. Remember verse 1. In that verse can be seen that Jesus received revelation from God the Father. John received grace and peace from God the Father. Jesus shared it with his servants. John shared with the churches. Let’s go back to the receiving. It is trinitarian in scope.
- God the Father: Him who is, and who was, and who is to come
- Seven spirits before the throne: God the Holy Spirit
- Jesus Christ: God the son
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