According to Revelation 1:11, the book was written to seven congregations in Asia, modern Turkey. For 2,000 years scholars have wondered why such an important message would be sent to these churches since they weren’t even the most important of their day, let alone now. True, Ephesus was a leading city of the time, but the church there was small and so were the others. Why wasn’t the book written to the Church in Rome, for example? Surely the Lord knew that Rome would be the capital of Christianity for much of church history, the perfect addressee for such a timeless message.

The answer lies in the realization that the letters of chapters 2 and 3 have a representative as well as a specific purpose. They can actually be read with four levels of application.

Four Levels of Application

The first level is historical. These seven churches really existed and each was experiencing the particular problem to which the Lord referred as He dictated the letters to John. Second, since all the churches were to read all the letters, they were also admonitory to all. Third, since both the challenge and promise with which each letter ends are personal rather than corporate, the letters were for individuals as well as congregations. And fourth, read in the order in which they appear they outline church history and so are prophetic. They chronicle the gap between the 69th and 70th weeks of the prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27. Unbeknownst to us, our visit to the sites of these churches was designed to emphasize the prophetic nature of the letters.

What do you mean by that?

The letter to Ephesus (Rev 2:1-7) describes the 1st century church. Already, within 60 years of the cross, the focus of Christianity was changing from relationship to religion and just like He had done with the Israelites before them (Isa 29:13-14) the Lord warned, “You have forsaken your first love … repent or I’ll remove your lamp stand.” The lamp stand is identified in Rev 1:20 as the church, so removing it means removing the church of Ephesus. Though the ruins of Ephesus are extensive and impressive, requiring half a day to see, and while much remains to be excavated, we found only the faintest traces of a 1st century church in Ephesus.

The letter to Smyrna (Rev 2:8-11) describes the 2nd and 3rd century church, enduring a time of great persecution. Emperor worship was decreed through out the Roman Empire, and for 250 years (10 “days,” the reign of 10 emperors) refusal to bow down and acknowledge the current emperor as a god meant death. The Christian church was driven underground while ingenious and diabolical methods were employed to exterminate believers as a form of public entertainment. The Lord never promised deliverance from this persecution. What He did promise was eternal life for those who were faithful to the point of death.

Where’s Smyrna?

Today a prosperous city called Izmir, third largest in Turkey, stands where ancient Smyrna once was. In an incident that clearly displayed the Lord’s sense of humor while emphasizing the point of the letter, we saw prominent signs on a freeway exit just outside Izmir pointing to Smyrna. Thinking we had found the ancient site, I quickly pulled off. But at the bottom of the short exit ramp was a T intersection with no indication as to which way we should turn. And there were no more signs pointing the way to Smyrna. After an hour of driving back and forth searching in both directions, I gave up and drove on. I didn’t get the point till later after describing the event to our Turkish travel agent. He told me the sign points to where Symrna was. There’s no trace of Smyrna today. The church of Smyrna is in heaven.

The third letter was written to Pergamus, modern Bergama (Rev 2:12-17) and looks forward to the 4th century. Our Lord instructed the Disciples to go into all the world (Matt 28:19-20), but in Pergamus the world came into the church.

In the 4th century the Edict of Milan made Christianity legal and ultimately the official religion of the Empire. The Babylonian religions headquartered in Pergamus (“where Satan has his throne”) were merged into Christianity and pagan festivals became Christian holidays. The Feasts of Saturnalia and Ishtar became Christmas and Easter. This explains why such pagan symbols as the Yule log and evergreen tree, which symbolized the sun dying and being born again at the winter solstice, are associated with Christmas, while fertility symbols like rabbits and eggs are connected with Easter. Ishtar was the Babylonian goddess of fertility.

The impressive ruins on a hill 1000 feet above the surrounding valleys are markedly pagan with remains of great temples to Roman gods and emperors and again only faint traces of the church that was there.

Mixed Marriage

It’s my belief that the churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamus have all disappeared, symbolically and in reality. But the marriage of pagan and Christian beliefs in Pergamus produced 4 offspring that all survive to this day and are represented by the four remaining letters. More next time.

Last time, I stated my view that the churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamus have all disappeared, symbolically and in reality. One would be hard pressed to find a congregation like the first century church today. Likewise, while there are many places in the world where Christians meet secretly in violation of civil laws and even suffer persecution, (3000 die for their faith each day), the widespread public murder for sport of Christians solely because of their beliefs is no more. But the marriage of pagan and Christian beliefs in Pergamus produced 4 offspring that all survive to this day and are represented by the four remaining letters. Thyatira represents the Catholic Church, Sardis the Protestants, Philadelphia the Evangelicals, and Laodicea the liberal and apostate church of the last days.

Come Meet the Children

The letter to Thyatira (Rev 2:18-29) predicts conditions that were manifested in the “Holy Roman Empire” known later as the Catholic Church, and gives the clearest picture of the integration of pagan ritual into Christian worship. The title “Queen of Heaven” by which many Catholics refer to Mary, was first used of Semeramis, wife of Nimrod the founder of Babylon and mother of Tammuz. Semeramis declared herself a goddess, claimed that Tammuz was born of a supernatural conception involving the Sun god, and began the first counterfeit religion. She is symbolically called Jezebel in the letter, leading people away from the truth into idolatry. The Lord often equates false worship with sexual infidelity and eating impure foods.

Birth of a Legend

According to legend, while out hunting one day Tammuz was killed by a wild animal. Semeramis mourned for 40 days at the end of which Tammuz was raised from the dead. A celibate priest hood was formed and the chief priest was declared infallible. The 40 day mourning (now called Lent), the Yule log, evergreen tree, mistletoe and hot cross buns were all used in rituals commemorating the event, and the mother-child cult was begun. Later the Romans adapted these to the death and re-birth of the Sun at the winter solstice, but in the 4th century the traditions surrounding Semeramis and Tammuz were attributed to Mary and Jesus and came almost unchanged into Catholicism, where they remain to this day.

But don’t confuse the system with the people. In verses 22-24 the Lord warned that some from the Church in Thyatira will face the tribulation while others will be rescued and share in rewards that are uniquely reserved for true believers. The inescapable conclusion is that in the Catholic system as in most religious systems claiming to be Christian, some are saved and some are not.

A Real Life Parable

The only negative experience we had in the whole trip took place in Thyatira, called Akhisar today. After a friendly and helpful guard opened the site for our inspection and gave us material that explained what we were looking at, we left to find some lunch thinking how pleasant our time there had been. Down the street, we spotted an open-air shop where a vendor was selling the barbecued chicken sandwiches that are so popular in Turkey, and that we had come to enjoy as well.

Waiting for our sandwiches, we were approached by a man who appeared to hold some position of authority. His manner was most unfriendly, and his questions conveyed an air of suspicion. We left there quickly wondering if he was a policeman, a government agent, or an official from a religion unfriendly to Christians. Driving away we also discovered our food was not edible. The chicken was bad, as if the innards hadn’t been removed before cooking. Re-reading the letter we were struck by the contrasts between good and evil, in the letter and in our visit.

The Letter to Sardis (Rev 3:1-6) speaks of dead orthodoxy and points to the protestant reformation. After 1500 years of concealing the truth and introducing traditions that made the Lord’s completed work at the cross seem insufficient, the Catholic Church was finally challenged. Martin Luther and others took up the battle cry from Habakkuk 2:4; “The righteous shall live by his faith,” and called for a return to the Doctrine of Grace. But in their determination to regain the Truth of the Lord, the reformation churches somehow lost the Spirit of the Lord. They had the reputation of being alive but were dead. The Lord admonished them to wake up, remember what they had heard, and obey it.

Remember and Obey What?

I always think of John 3:3 when I read this. “No one can enter the Kingdom unless he is born again.” You rarely hear a sermon on that verse in main line churches today, but as in the letter to Thyatira, a few have found the truth and are promised the believer’s reward while the others are warned of the coming tribulation.

The most significant site in Sardis today is the huge abandoned synagogue and gymnasium (school). As I stood there I was reminded how the protestant church has abandoned its Jewish roots and ignores the Old Testament, even doubting its veracity. Having learned what the Lord did but not fully understanding why He did it, they’ve lost both Spirit and Truth.

These two children defined Christianity until the 1800′s when the Lord again did a remarkable thing and the Church was born again in the 3rd child of Pergamus. More next time.

Let’s recall the depth of the 7 letters in Rev 2-3. I’ve mentioned that our visit to these ancient sites was orchestrated to emphasize their prophetic nature, but in the 1st century these 7 cities contained living viable congregations experiencing the very circumstances the Lord referenced in His letters. The fact that each letter was also meant for all 7 congregations and each of their members; and that all are also applicable to every congregation and believer throughout the church age gives you an indication of their importance. Perhaps you will want to review the 2 preceding articles before reading this one. You may have noticed that we’ve provided an easy way to print the articles so you can have hard copies, too.

The Letter to Philadelphia

The letter to Philadelphia, (Rev 3:7-13) is indicative of the evangelical church that with Pentecostal, Fundamentalist and Charismatic variations began appearing in the middle 19th century. It was a time called “the Great Awakening” by church historians, and included a renewal of Messianic hope. For centuries scholars had taught an allegorical interpretation of scripture, especially prophecy, but in the mid 1800′s the rank and file was energized by a return to the literal interpretation. The pre-tribulation rapture and 1000 year reign of the Lord on Earth, views that were prevalent during the 1st century but abandoned with the allegorical interpretation were once again popular.

Then came the re-emergence of Spiritual Gifts, supposedly withdrawn with the canonization of Scripture centuries earlier. The body was torn apart by two forces; the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit for those who experienced it, and the cries of heresy by those who didn’t. Slowly at first but then in droves believers left the main line denominations that with their documentary hypothesis and modern rationalism had denied the inspiration of scripture, the miraculous power and even the deity of Jesus, and the validity of predictive prophecy. The true church was born again.

The Incomparable Riches of His Grace

There is no criticism of the church in Philadelphia, symbolic of the fact that for those saved by grace through faith, it’s as if no sin was ever committed. Also, the clearest promise in all of Scripture that true believers would not experience the Great Tribulation, but would dwell in the House of the Lord forever is given in Rev 3:10- 12.

It was a clear and beautiful day when we arrived in Philadelphia, modern Alashehir, just after lunch. Perfect timing, I thought, since historical sites in Turkey often close at 3:00 PM. We spotted the signs pointing the way and arrived without difficulty about 1:30. It was a quiet neighborhood and the site itself was like a park, neat and clean. The sign on the gate told us we were there during visiting hours and, as at the other sites we had visited, there was a little office for collecting fees and distributing literature. But unlike every other place, though we stayed for almost an hour, we saw neither visitor nor employee. It was as if everyone had vanished, just like the Lord promised (Isa 26:20-21).

The Letter to Laodicea

The 7th letter (Rev 3:14-22) was written to Laodicea, today called Pamukkale. Laodicea represents the post rapture church at the end of the age. Wait a minute you say, doesn’t the church disappear in the rapture? The true church yes, but there is a group calling itself the church at the end of the age and described as the great harlot in Rev 17:3-6.

As we saw in the letters to Thyatira and Sardis, not all who claim to be saved really are (Matt 7:21). In those two letters believers are distinguished from unbelievers and receive different admonitions. But from the Church in Philadelphia all are promised rescue while in Laodicea all are warned of rebuke and discipline. Individuals who hear the Lord’s call and respond will gain fellowship with Him and receive eternal rewards, but none will escape the coming Tribulation.

And the First Shall be Last

The church in Laodicea has every thing backwards. They think they’re rich but are really wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. That’s certainly true of the big liberal denominations of today, and will become more so as the true believers are separated out and taken in the rapture, further proof that salvation is individual not corporate. It doesn’t matter what the sign on the church door says. What matters is the spiritual condition of the hearts of those inside.

Pamukkale boasts beautiful thermal springs surrounded by impressive Greek and Roman ruins. It’s a famous resort, clean and prosperous, with a great selection of luxury spas and hotels and visitors from all over Europe and the Middle East. Across a small valley, at the other end of the aqueduct that brought water from the hot springs and totally ignored today is what’s left of Laodicea. With a little effort, the ruins of Laodicea will be major attraction, but today they lie untouched in a large pasture.

As we stood beside the Greek amphitheater there and looked across the valley at Pamukkale the contrast was striking. Like most resorts, Pamukkale is a celebration of hedonistic wealth and pleasure, its inhabitants outwardly lacking for nothing, while the Church at Laodicea is an abandoned and forgotten pile of rocks.

In recent articles, we’ve focused on the prophetic nature of the seven letters of Revelation 2-3. Now let’s shift to another level of application. I’ve offered the opinion that all the letters are applicable to all congregations through out the church age and to each member of those congregations. The challenges and promises that end the letters are to individuals, so the criticism found in the letters is meant to be taken personally, not just corporately.

On the congregational level, it’s necessary to view the churches symbolically and focus on the 4 “children” Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. I’ve made general comparisons of these churches with the Catholics, Main-line Protestants, Evangelicals, and Liberal, or “new age” church, but we can’t stop there. If each letter is meant for all congregations, and if the challenge and promise are always intended for individuals, then these modern groups must contain members of all four symbolic churches.

What Religion Are You?

It’s too easy for us to label people, automatically condemning them because of their affiliation. But in the letter to Thyatira, the Lord described Himself as “He who searches hearts and minds” criticizing the practices of some, while encouraging others to “hold on to what you have until I come.” This means He found the hearts of some in Thyatira to be given over to pagan ritual, while others remained faithful and true. He and only He can look into the hearts of individuals and determine if they’re His or not (1 Cor 4:5, Hebr 4:12).

He made the same distinction in the letter to Sardis, saying that among those He was warning to wake up and obey what they had received and heard, there were a few people who had not “soiled their clothes” but were worthy to walk with Him, dressed in white. In both letters He distinguished non-believers from believers, warning some of tribulation and promising others escape. Today there are many we would label Catholic or Protestant that He calls His.

The church in Laodicea didn’t think they needed a Savior and that’s why the Lord called them luke-warm and spit them out. Even so, some liberals today hear His knock on the door to their hearts and invite Him in. The rest remain after the rapture because they worship a God they don’t believe in, lending His name to imposters. A few will repent and be saved during the Tribulation.

The Deciding Factor

But Philadelphia received no criticism and no threat of punishment, only encouragement to “hold on to what you have.” There’s just one thing that differentiates believers from non-believers, and that one thing is central to the teaching of the evangelical church. It’s the passage from John 3:3-18. It means that we’re all sinners, hopelessly estranged from God, powerless to redeem our selves, and condemned to eternal death. But by believing that His death on the cross paid the full penalty for all our sins, we are born again and inherit eternal life.

We’re Not Perfect, Just Forgiven

You’ll see just about every departure from Christian Doctrine ever practiced in today’s evangelical church. The extreme legalism of some Fundamentalists, the Pharisaical demand for signs and prideful exhibitionism found among Charismatics and Pentecostals, and the stubborn refusal by most to believe the Lord’s prophecies about our time are just a few examples. You’ll also discover every kind of sin; broken marriages, illicit sex, greed, substance abuse, racial and religious intolerance, you name it. But all that is irrelevant when placed alongside the one and only condition imposed by the Lord for salvation. “For my father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day (John 6:40).”

Let’s Get Personal

As you sat in your pew this morning, regardless of the sign on the church door, you were joined by folks from Thyatira. They’re the ones who add to the Gospel: Jesus plus someone or something else, grace plus works, scripture plus tradition. There were also some from Sardis. They subtract from the Gospel. “You don’t need to be born again, just join the church, give some time and money, you’ll be fine.” And then there’s the group from Laodicea. “Jesus was a great man and teacher, and lived a life of such gentleness and grace that it’s ALMOST as if he was God. Just love everybody like he did. The good life you live is an obvious sign of your favor with God, and everyone knows there’s no real heaven, I mean come on.”

But if you know you’re a sinner and have given your heart to Jesus because He gave His life for you, then you’re from Philadelphia. There may be some others there with you, but you’ll never really know for sure how many till you all vanish together some day soon. And don’t be surprised when you’re joined by some who were Catholic, some who were Protestant, some conservatives and some liberals and even some who didn’t appear to belong to any church at all.

Our final look at the seven letters of Revelation 2-3 takes on a personal note. Once again we’ll look at the letters symbolically to reveal the admonitions the Lord gave to each of us. Remember, the challenges and promises that ended the letters were to individuals, and this can only mean that the criticism found there is to be taken personally, not just corporately.

We all like to think of ourselves symbolically as the Church in Philadelphia, free of any defect or shortcoming, and in the judicial sense we are. When we gave our hearts to the Lord, He wiped the slate clean; past present and future. Accepting His death on the cross allows Him to see us now as if we had never sinned at all. He has made us as righteous as He is (2 Cor 5:21). One day soon we will become in fact that which we already are in His sight … perfect forever (1 Cor 15:51-52). But until then, having incurably wicked hearts (Jere 17:9) we are subject to all our human failings, so there’s a little of each church in the heart of each believer.

What Do You Mean By That?

The Church in Ephesus was told they had forsaken their first love. Working so hard in the service of the King, they no longer had any time for Him. The relationship He had died for was already turning into another religion. Recall the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42). When the Lord visited their home Mary dropped everything to sit at His feet, but Martha was distracted by all her work. When she asked the Lord to discipline Mary for not helping, He gently rebuked her. Martha was working so hard to make His visit a success that she was in danger of missing it altogether. Today its committee meetings, Sunday school lessons, fund raising, you name it. Nothing wrong with these things, but are they interfering with (or substituting for) your time with Him?

The Church in Smyrna was admonished to be faithful even to the point of death. It’s not likely that you and I will be called upon to die for our faith. Our challenge is to express our faith in the face of an unbelieving world that responds more and more with criticism, ridicule and persecution. Can (or would) you tell a friend or associate what you believe and why? Are you afraid of the reaction you might get?

Pergamus was warned against accommodating the world with its false teaching. The most often publicly quoted Bible verse used to be John 3:16. Now it’s Matt 7:1 “Judge not lest you be judged.” It’s generally used by people who don’t know anything about the Bible to warn Christians not to condemn “alternative life styles”, “freedom of choice” or revisionist views of God. We are told that so far as possible we’re to live in peace with our neighbor, but does that mean we have to accept ideas or even laws that directly contradict biblical truths in the name of tolerance?

The believers in Thyatira were encouraged to “hold on to what you have” and that “I will impose no other burden.” The simplicity of the Gospel: “For what I received, I passed on to you as of first importance.” Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures. He was buried and rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures (1 Cor 15:3-4). Or “if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom 10:9). How we love to impose other burdens upon our brothers and sisters, demanding behavioral standards of them that we ourselves could never attain. I guess the Pharisees aren’t all dead yet.

The Church in Sardis had the opposite problem. They had received and heard the simple Gospel, but refused to obey it. Whereas we love to add to the gospel where others are concerned, we often subtract from it when it’s our behavior we’re evaluating. Next to refusing to believe His promises, I think our most grievous error is our failure to apply all of Matt 18. We are quick to call attention to another’s sin (vs. 15-17), but slow to forgive in others that which has been forgiven in us (vs. 21-34). In this way, we bring much unnecessary trouble into our lives (vs. 35).

Laodiceans were luke warm, not at all passionate about their faith. A famous race driver, sponsored by STP oil products, was asked if he really used STP in his race car. “I use enough to get the sponsorship money,” he replied, “but not so much as to hurt the engine.” Do we have enough faith to be saved, but not so much as to cramp our lifestyle? Are there parts of the Gospel we just give lip service to? Are we God’s secret agents, so far under cover even our neighbors wouldn’t guess we’re believers?

We’ve Met the Enemy, and They Are Us

There’s a lot to think about in these letters, and the personal application requires much introspection. If we ask Him for help He’ll bring to light what is hidden in darkness and expose the motives of our hearts (1 Cor 4:5). Then in a moment of extreme candor we can confess, be forgiven and purified from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9), and our heavy burdens will be suddenly lighter (Matt 11:28-30)