In this slideshow we will look at the 7 churches of Revelation.

1. MESSAGE 9

2. Introduction
• The book is not “Revelations”
• The apocalypse of Jesus Christ
• The Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ
• Think about what you think when you hear “Revelation”
• Anti-Christ
• Tribulation
• God’s Judgement
• End of the World
• Saints barely hanging on
• WHO IN THE WORLD WOULD WANT YOU TO FOCUS ON
THAT?

3. Unveiling of What?
• The Book of Revelation is to “Unveil, reveal” Jesus
• What does this mean? Wasn’t he revealed when he was
resurrected?
• WHAT WAS VEILING A FULL REVELATION OF JESUS?

4. 2 Corinthians 3:7-18
• 7 Now if the ministry that brought death, which was
engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the
Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses
because of its glory, transitory though it was, 8 will not the
ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the
ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how
much more glorious is the ministry that brings
righteousness! 10 For what was glorious has no glory now
in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what
was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the
glory of that which lasts!

5. 2 Corinthians 3:7-18
• 12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very
bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over
his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of
what was passing away. 14 But their minds were made
dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old
covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only
in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses
is read, a veil covers their hearts.16 But whenever anyone
turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is
the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is
freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces
contemplate[a] the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into
his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from
the Lord, who is the Spirit.

6. THE REVELATION OF
JESUS CHRIST
Is about the removal of the Old Covenant and the fully
unveiled New Covenant

7. 1 Peter 1:6-7
• 6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little
while, if necessary, you have been distressed
by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your
faith, being more precious than gold which is
perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to
result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of
Jesus Christ;
• 13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in
spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought
to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

8. Who were the authors talking to?
• Why would he tell them to be ready for the Revelation of
Jesus Christ if they wouldn’t have a chance to see it?
• It would be like someone telling us today to get prepared
for the Space Shuttle excursions to Alpha Centuri 2000
years from now.
OR
It would be like us currently reading about Paul Revere
shouting “the British are coming, the British are coming”
and we run into our houses, blow out our candles and get
our guns to fight”

9. 2 Thessalonians 1:6-7
• 6 For after all it is only just for God to repay with
affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to give relief
to you who are afflicted and to us as well when
the Lord Jesus will be revealed from
heaven with His mighty angels in flaming
fire, 8 dealing out retribution to those who do not
know God and to those who do not obey the
gospel of our Lord Jesus.

10. Romans 2:4-6
4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of
His kindness and tolerance and patience,
not knowing that the kindness of God leads
you to repentance?5 But because of your
stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are
storing up wrath for yourself in the day of
wrath and revelation of the righteous
judgment of God, 6 who WILL RENDER TO
EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS:

11. ARGUMENT:
Why would the Romans care? Rome wasn’t
affected by AD 70
Romans 2 was written to whom?

13. Hebrews 8:13
• 13 When He said, “A new covenant,” He has
made the first obsolete. But whatever is
becoming obsolete and growing old
Is ready to disappear.

15. How this translates in Revelation
• Revelation 2-3 – Details the History of Israel in light of the
7 churches.
• Revelation 4-19 – Details the destruction of the Old
Covenant
• Revelation 20-22 – Details the finalization of the New
Covenant as the only one in existence
• NOW READ REVELATION 1:1 and it should make sense

16. Revelation 1:1
• 1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him
to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon
take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel
to His bond-servant John, 2 who testified to the word of
God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that
he saw.

17. Another View
• Revelation was written to seven first-century churches as
a spiritual wake-up call because of events that were
“about to take place upon the whole world [oikoumenē]”
(Rev. 3:10).
• The use of oikoumenē instead of kosmos indicates that
the events that were about to unfold were confined to the
Roman Empire. The same word is used in Matthew
24:14, Luke 2:1, andActs 11:28.

18. • Revelation is not describing a worldwide apocalyptic
conflagration. Revelation is a prophetic symbolic
description of what Jesus prophesied would happen to the
temple, the capital city of Israel, and the old covenant
world made of things that were destined to pass away.
Jesus is the new everything. He’s the better temple,
sacrifice, priest, and guarantor of a new covenant:
• But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good
things to come, He entered through the greater and more
perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say,
not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats
and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the
holy place once for all, having obtained eternal
redemption (Heb. 9:11–12).

21. Futurist view
• The church at Ephesus describes the church
during the apostolic period until about 100
A.D.
• Smyrna represents the church from 100 –
313 A.D. as it suffered under a succession of
Roman emperors.
• Pergamos characterizes the carnal and
false-doctrine-riddled church from
Constantine’s Edict of Toleration (313 A.D.)
until the rise of the Papacy (about 500 A.D.).

22. Futurist View
• Thyatira is seen as the Papal church until
the Reformation (500 – 1500 A.D.).
• Sardis is the church during the
Reformation (1500 – 1700 A.D.).
• Philadelphia depicts the missionary-
minded church from 1700 A.D. – present.
• And Laodicea describes the lukewarm,
liberal and backslidden church of modern
times.

24. SQUARE PEG
ROUND HOLE
Futurist- Look back and
make fit to fit their theology
This is different than
looking back to see what
actually happened.

25. Preterist View- History of Israel
• Ephesus- Symbolic of the Garden of Eden
• Smyrna – Symbolic of the Patriarchs (Abraham, Issac and
Jacob and being Egypt’s control
• Pergamum – Symbolic of the Wilderness Journey
• Thyatira – Symbolic of the Monarchs
• Sardis – Symbolic of the Prophets
• Philadelphia- Symbolic of the rebuilding of
Jerusalem/Temple
• Laodicea – First Century Jews

26. The Churches
The Church Message
• Ephesus- Garden
• Smyrna- Patriarchs/Egypt
• Pergamum – Wilderness
• Thyatira – Monarchs
• Sardis – Prophets
• Philadelphia –Rebuilt
Temple
• Laodicea-I am rich and in
need of nothing
The OT References
• Left first love, Tree of Life
• 10 Days of persecution
• Balaam, Hidden Manna a
New Stone
• Quotes about David
• Remnant in the time of
the prophets
• Pillar in the temple
• Condition of jewish nation

27. Poor Laodicea
• I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you
were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot
nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. 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, 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. 19 Those
whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous
and repent. 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. 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. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit says to the churches.’”

28. HOT
SPRINGS
Ice Cold
WaterOR God would rather have you
be a atheist and go to hell than a
mediocre Christian
Arrive lukewarm,
putrid and
Nauseating

29. Conclusions about the letters
• 1. These were actual churches with real issues
• 2. Whether or not they refer symbolically to Israel’s history
matters not
• 3. To make them fit each church age is really stretching it
• 4. There is a desire from Jesus for relationship in each of
the churches.
• 5. Quit picking on Laodicea!
• WHY WOULD JESUS TAKE THE TIME TO WRITE TO
THEM IF IT DIDN’T MATTER TO THEM?