Seven Letters, Seven Churches: Revelation 2-3

To the angel of the church in Ephesus write...

Seven letters. Seven churches. Each addressed by the glorified Christ. Each receiving praise or rebuke or both. Each promised reward for overcoming.

To Ephesus: I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. You have tested false apostles and found them liars. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.

Ephesus—doctrinally sound, hard-working, discerning. But loveless. The first love had cooled. Orthodoxy without affection. The warning: repent, or I will remove your lampstand.

To Smyrna: I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor's crown.

Smyrna—suffering, poor, yet rich. Persecution coming. No rebuke, only encouragement. Be faithful unto death. The crown of life awaits.

To Pergamum: I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name.

Pergamum—where Satan's throne sat, likely the great altar of Zeus or the imperial cult center. Faithful despite the address. But some held false teaching—Balaam's way, Nicolaitan doctrine. Repent, or face the sword of my mouth.

To Thyatira: I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance. Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel.

Thyatira—growing in love and faith and service. But tolerating a false prophetess who led people into immorality and idolatry. Judgment coming for her and her followers. Hold on to what you have.

To Sardis: I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up!

Sardis—reputation without reality. Famous for life, actually dead. A few names had not soiled their clothes—they would walk with Christ in white. But the church needed to wake up before Christ came like a thief.

To Philadelphia: I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.

Philadelphia—weak but faithful. No rebuke. An open door. Protection from the hour of trial coming on the whole world. Hold on. The new Jerusalem awaited.

To Laodicea: I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Laodicea—lukewarm. The wealthy city that needed nothing, spiritually wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, naked. The counsel: buy gold refined in fire, white clothes, eye salve. The invitation: Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.

Seven churches. Seven conditions. Some praised. Some rebuked. All given promises to those who overcome:

Eat from the tree of life.

Not be hurt by the second death.

Receive hidden manna and a white stone with a new name.

Authority over nations.

Dressed in white, name never blotted from the book of life.

Made a pillar in God's temple.

Sit with Christ on his throne.

The letters were written to first-century churches. They speak to twenty-first-century churches. Every congregation finds itself in these seven—either in the praise or in the rebuke or in both.

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.