Christ’s message to the seven churches in the book of Revelation can be interpreted on multiple levels.
First, they are specific letters to seven literal first century churches in the Roman province of Asia Minor, now western Turkey.
Second, Christ’s message also applies to today’s readers, giving both commendation and warning, with application to various modern practices, attitudes, and actions. As Jesus states, we are blessed if we read and apply His word to our daily lives.
Third, the seven messages can be used as an inventory to examine and diagnose the health of our own modern church assembly. It has been said that every church includes some measure of each of the attributes, both good and bad, spelled out to these seven churches. This allows a checkup of each church’s spiritual health and effectiveness. Incorporating the learnings from these messages will improve a church’s overall health, and is time and effort well spent.
Finally, there is fourth, more controversial application of Christ’s discourse to these seven churches – as an historical record and prophecy of seven distinct eras which make up the two-thousand-year-old Church Age.
Our current Church Age is interpreted by many Biblical scholars to be a lengthy interruption and mysterious inclusion into God’s plan and program for His chosen people, Israel. This interruption began when the religious leaders of the day rejected Christ as their Messiah, influencing their people to join with them condemning Jesus before Pontius Pilate. At this point, to use the prophecy of Daniel, the Messiah was “cut off” – Christ was crucified, died, raised from the dead on the third day, and ascended into heaven forty days later.
God’s plan of eternal redemption for all humankind hinged upon this event. He began by calling out a people to Himself through Abraham, which became the nation of Israel. These were to serve as a kingdom of priests and a light to the Gentile nations, revealing to the whole world the wonders of a loving God.
This pre-church period was built around the law of Moses, the prophets, and the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants.
When the religious leadership of Israel totally rejected their Messiah, Jesus Christ, and put Him to death on a cross, the second major time began, the Time of the Gentiles. The risen Christ initiated this mystery, the Church, made up at first by believing Jews, and soon after, by believing Gentiles in ever increasing numbers.
The apostle Paul wrote of it to the church at Ephesus:
1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. Ephesians 3:1-7 (NKJV)
Upon the end of the Church Age will be the Kingdom Age, including both believing Jews and Gentiles together. The transition between the two will be a time of unprecedented trial on the entire face of the earth, brought about by God as both an instrument of corrective judgment against wickedness and a mechanism to return the hearts of Israel towards Him and open them to recognizing Jesus as His Messiah.
As Paul wrote to the Romans:
25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
“The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
27 For this is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins.”
28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Romans 11:25-28 (NKJV)
Reflection
After its first three chapters, the focus of the book of Revelation shifts from the church to Israel, specifically to events relating to its final days leading up to Christ’s return. It is a challenging account to read, a battle between good and evil, heaven and hell. May the Lord use it to make us all more aware of His presence, power, and tremendous love for us. So great a love that He went to the cross to allow us to live with Him forever, totally forgiven and clothed by His righteousness. Let us not waste this precious gift He is offering because of stubborn unbelief.
Lord, help us to more fully understand Your precious word. Write Your truth upon our hearts such that it changes us, makes us more devoted to You and to Your kingdom. Lead us to love others so much that we would be willing to share You with them, no matter the cost to us. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Times and Seasons - The Book of Revelation FOR TODAY 