Read with Me
Revelation 2-3
Listen with Me
Chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation are composed of seven personalized notes to each of the seven Churches over which John acted as a kind of “District Superintendent”. All seven of these Churches were in the west and southwest of the Roman province of Asia, what is now Turkey. The order in which these Churches are addressed form a sort of horseshoe shape, from Ephesus on the southwest coast, north to Smyrna and Pergamum, then curving to the east and south through Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.
Each of these individualized notes follows the same general format:
- Each is addressed to the “angel” of the specific Church. In John’s mind this did not refer to a “guardian angel” of the Church, or any supernatural being, because it would be strange to address a physical letter to a spiritual being. Instead, this was the leader of the congregations in each city that together made up “the Church”. He (at this point they would all be men) would ensure that this entire circular letter was delivered to and read in each of the congregations in the city before it was sent on to the next city on the list.
- Next, there is one or more titles of the risen and glorified Jesus, each title directed to the specific situation in that city’s church. With the exception of those used in the final two notes, the ones to Philadelphia and Laodicea, the titles given are taken from visions recorded in the first chapter of the book.
- Next, there is a list of positives for the Church in that city preceded by the words “I know”. There are two exceptions to this among these letters: the Churches in Sardis and Laodicea, about which nothing positive is said.
- Next are listed the problem area or areas for each congregation, very specific and very pointed. In some of these notes, they are identified as things which Jesus holds against that congregation. In others they are simply identified as things that the exalted and glorified Jesus knows. Two exceptions here are the Churches in Smyrna and Philadelphia, about which nothing negative is said.
- Finally, there is a call to repent or to overcome, often preceded or followed by the phrase “he who has an ear, let him hear”.
As these individual notes are studied, it is helpful to note places in which the pattern is broken or modified, as that indicates particular points of emphasis.
It is important to remember two things as these letters are read and studied. First is that these letters are designed to serve as encouragement to the Christians in areas in which they demonstrate strengths. This encouragement will enable them to make it through this time of testing and tribulation. And they were designed to serve as warnings to the Churches with severe weaknesses or rebellion in their midst., because those weaknesses and points of rebellion provide an open door for the enemy to sow seeds that will lead to their destruction. The second thing to remember is that even though John is acting as a scribe here, he is not the author of these notes. They are being dictated by the risen and exalted Jesus Himself who walks among the seven lamp stands, and therefore knows intimately the strengths and weaknesses of each Church in ways that even John, their faithful over-shepherd, never could.
Pray with Me
Father, this is a good introduction to these “notes”. Help me to keep all this in mind as I study these letters, so that I can not only see what they say, but also understand what they mean, so that I can understand how they apply to my own life. Amen.