When I started writing about these letters my son Loran asked me, “Did the angels (messengers of the churches) come to pick up their letters, or did John mail them?” You know, I don’t know. I had always pictured John’s putting them in charge of someone like Timothy, or Titus, or Silas, or Luke, or perhaps John Mark on board a ship headed for the coast of the province of Asia, and then that person would deliver them to the messengers. But there are other possibilities. Since the whole book of Revelation was addressed to all seven churches (1:11), it is possible that the whole thing was sent at once, and then passed around from church to church, where they probably copied it so that each church would have its own copy. Each would have not only its own letter, but they would be able to read all the others as well. Jesus wanted them to read all of the letters, because in each letter the Spirit was speaking to the churches, plural. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22). However the letters were sent, you can be sure each church got its letter, plus all the rest of the book of Revelation.
I. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SEVEN LETTERS
A. Addressed to Whom?
A closer look lets us know that these letters are intended for the whole church, not just seven congregations. Each letter ends with the admonition for everyone who has an ear to pay attention to what is said. These seven churches with their problems represent the whole church. Seven is a symbol of fullness, completeness, perfection, just as seven days make up a complete week; so, the Lord chose seven congregations with their problems to represent the whole.
The problems that existed in the first century churches were prophetic, in that they deal with the same problems that have plagued the church in every
generation since then. We see all those problems in one form or another in the churches of our day. We can say that John was writing “the things that exist” in our own generation. Each congregation can find itself in one or more of these letters. So the seven letters addressed to the seven churches of Asia are intended for the whole church throughout the age.
B. Symbolism from Chapter One.
In each of the seven letters of chapters two and three, Jesus refers to one or more of the description given of Jesus in the vision of 1:9-18.
Letter 1. 2:1--He holds the stars (angels or messengers) in His hand, and walks in the midst of the lamp stands (churches).
Letter 2. 2:8--He is the first and the last, the one who was dead but came back to life, and now lives forevermore.
Letter 3. 2:12--He is the one who has the two-edged sword coming out of His mouth. This sword is His word. It is sharp, and can cut where and when it is needed.
Letter 4. 2:18--He is the one whose eyes burn like fire. He can look into the hearts to see and know the conditions in a church or individual, and what corrections are needed. His feet are highly polished bronze, brilliant and glorious. He wants to share His glory with His people.
Letter 5. 3:1--He is the one who has the seven-fold Spirit of God. He is the one who gives the Holy Spirit Who is the source of light, revelation and knowledge.
Letter 6. 3:7--He is the one who is trustworthy, faithful and true. He holds the keys of death and Hades. He also holds the key (authority) of the king. Just as He opens the gates of death, so he can open the doors of opportunity and of salvation.
Letter 7. 3:14--He is the Amen (the one who makes it so), the faithful and true witness, the one who was here in the beginning and is the source of all creation.
II. THE THEME OF REVELATION IN THE LETTERS
The seven letters are connected to the overall theme of the book of Revelation---i.e., through persecution and tribulation to victory. "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 15:57). "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ" (2 Cor. 2:14). The letters are calling His church to repentance, to remembrance, to purity, and to perseverance. The victory is Christ's, but those who participate in that victory must persevere in their faithfulness to Him and not give in to the pressures of the world or to the trials of Satan who wants to turn us aside from the faith and cause us to be lost. The Devil himself has no power to make us fall. He can only tempt us. If we fall it will be because we choose to yield to those temptations.
A. Three Kinds of Temptation:
In these letters we can see three ways Satan tempts us.
1. The Appeal of the World to Entice us. Satan uses the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life to lure us into his kingdom.
2. The Pressures of Persecution. He uses persecution to try to force us into yielding to him.
3. The Deceit of False Teachings. He sends false teachers who teach the doctrines and philosophies of men (in truth, the doctrines of demons) to delude us and cause us to believe and practice lies. These three weapons of Satan are seen in the seven letters, and are represented in the drama of the things that are to take place after this.
B. The Prevalence of Temptation:
These temptations are still much in evidence today. Peter wrote in 1 Pet. 5:8-9:
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
1. Allurements of the World Everywhere. In our own day the senses are bombarded with images on radio, TV and the movies that lure us into impure thoughts and immoral practices. Billboards, magazines, and even store window displays, etc., also add to this temptation.
2. Persecution in Many Forms. In the work place and in school those who are considered religious fanatics because they believe in Christ and His way of living are often ignored, or laughed at, ridiculed, and shunned while in parts of the world believers suffer the worst kinds of persecutions, torture and death.
3. False Teachings Rampant. Television, radio, books, magazines, schools and other public forums, and even pulpits are busy spewing out all kinds of doctrines and philosophies that turn the minds of people to every conceivable belief system, from eastern mysticism to spiritism, new age religions and philosophies, animism, pantheism, atheism, etc. People don't know what to believe. Even the saints are not immune to the influence of such teachings, especially when they come in the guise of science and scholarship. Paul said that false teachers would show lying signs and wonders so as to deceive even the elect (2 Thess. 2:9-10; Acts 20:29-30; Mark 13:22). These letters warn us to be watchful so as to avoid such deception. They also admonish us to stand firm in the face of persecution and enticements.
These things all relate to the messages that are found in the letters. For a study of each of the letters, click on the following links:
