6 "But this thou hast, that thou 'hatest' the deeds of the Nicolaitans which I also hate." Here Paul's "wolves" are called Nicolaitanes. The significance of this warning is seen in the commendation of the Message, vs. Also of your own selves shall men arise, 'speaking perverse things,' to draw away disciples after them." Acts 20:29, 30. "I know this, that after my departing shall grievous 'wolves' enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Paul, who founded it, warned it of what should happen, in his parting message. ![]() The complaint that Christ makes against this Church is that it "had left its First Love." Its character is seen in its very name, for Ephesus means to "let go," "to relax." It had become a Backslidden Church. We will now consider each message separately. It also must not be forgotten, that, that which is a distinctive characteristic of each Church Period, does not disappear with that Period, but continues on down through the next Period, and so on until the end, thus increasing the imperfections of the visible Church, until it ends in an open Apostasy, as shown on the chart "The Messages to the Seven Churches Compared with Church History." The churches are given in the order named, because the peculiar characteristic of that Church applied to the period of Church History to which it is assigned. So we see that at the close of the First Century the leaven of "False Doctrine" was at work in the Churches. While the character of these Seven Churches is descriptive of the Church during seven periods of her history, we must not forget that the condition of those churches, as described, were their exact condition in John's day. This interpretation of the "Messages to the Seven Churches" was hidden to the early Church, because time was required for Church History to develop and be written, so a comparison could be made to reveal the correspondence, if it had been clearly revealed that the Seven Churches stood for "Seven Church Periods" that would have to elapse before Christ could come back, the incentive to watch would have been absent. 96, down to the taking out of the Church, or else we have no "prophetic view" of the Church during that period, for she disappears from the earth at the close of chapter three, and is not seen again until she reappears with her Lord in chapter nineteen. 1:19.Īnd which includes chapters two and three, must be a description or prophetic outline of the "Spiritual History" of the Church from the time when John wrote the Book in A.D. The "Key" to the interpretation of the Book of Revelation is its "Threefold Division." Rev. Thus Christ looks upon the churches as not the Light, but simply the "Light Holder." The use of the figures "Lampstands" and "Stars," which are only for service in the night, indicates that we are living in the "Night" of this Age. onsuming, while a "Lampstand" is simply the "Holder" of a lamp whose light is fed from a reservoir of oil, thus typifying the oil of the Holy Spirit. A "Candlestick" requires a light which is self. "Lampstand" is a better translation for the word "Candlestick," and is so given in the margin of our Bibles. He heard behind him a "great voice," as of a trumpet, and when he turned he saw "Seven Golden Candlesticks," and standing in their midst one like unto the "Son of Man," who held in His right hand "Seven Stars." He was told that the "Seven Stars" were the "Angels" (Ministers or Messengers) of the Seven Churches, and the "Seven Candlesticks" represented the Seven Churches. John when he received his message was a prisoner on the Isle of Patmos. These Seven Churches then must be representative or "typical" churches, chosen for certain characteristics typical of the character of the Church of Christ from the end of the First Century down to the time of Christ's return for His Church, and descriptive of Neither were the seven churches named the only churches in that district, for there were at least three other churches: Colosse, Col. The Book is addressed to the "seven churches which are in Asia." By Asia is not meant the great Continent of Asia, or even the whole of Asia Minor, but only its western end. There is no blending, but sharp contrasts, and a long protracted conflict that ends in victory for the good. ![]() Earth touches heaven, and alas it touches hell also. The clouds roll away, thrones, elders, and angelic forms are seen harps, trumpets, cries from disembodied souls, and choruses of song are heard. The Book is full of "action." Earth and heaven are brought near together. It is the Book of Consummation and its proper place in the sacred canon is where it is placed, at the end of the Bible. Or order, in which these events are to happen.
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