„Who says, 'I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. And what you see, write on a scroll and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamum, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.'” – Revelation 1:11.
Asia; this term referred to the Roman province in western Asia Minor, not to the continent of Asia. It included the ancient lands of Mysia, Lydia, Caria, and at times part of Phrygia, as well as the offshore islands. It was surrounded by the Aegean Sea and the provinces of Bithynia, Galatia (which included part of Phrygia), and Lycia. Its boundaries changed many times.
1 – First gathering in Ephesus
Ephesus; one of the Ionian cities in Asia Minor. The city was located at the mouth of the Kaystros River into the Aegean Sea in present-day Turkey.
Praise for Ephesus:
“Write to the angel of the church/congregation in Ephesus: Thus says the One who holds the seven stars in His right hand and who walks among the seven golden lampstands: I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate evil people. You have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and you have found them to be liars. I know that you have persevered and endured hardships for the sake of My name, and you have not grown weary.” – Revelation 2:1-3.
“Yet you do have this: You hate the practices of the nicolaitans (3531) , which I also hate.” – Revelation 2:6.
Bride Dictionary:
“Nicolaitans, a word derived from the name Nicholas, Nikolais, the victory of the people; probably adherents of the view that the more we sin, the more abundant is the grace of forgiveness and the glory of God in pardoning them.”
Biblehub Dictionary:
“Nicolaitans are often associated with moral laxity and idolatry, promoting a lifestyle that compromised pagan practices. The Nicolaitans are believed to have been a heretical group in the early Christian church, probably originating in the first century. Some early church fathers, such as Irenaeus and Hippolytus, suggested that the Nicolaitans were followers of Nicholas, one of the seven deacons mentioned in Acts 6:5, although this connection is disputed. The Nicholases are believed to have espoused a form of antinomianism that rejected the moral law as binding on Christians, leading to practices that the early Church considered immoral and idolatrous.”
Rebuke for Ephesus:
“But I have this against you: You have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember then how far you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” – Revelation 2:4-5
2 – Second congregation in Smyrna
Smyrna, myrrh; a port city in western Turkey on the Gulf of Izmir, capital of the province of (ilu) Izmir.
Praise:
“Write to the angel of the church/congregation in Smyrna: Thus says the First and the Last, the One who was dead and came to life: I know your affliction and poverty, but you are rich. I know the slander of those who say they are Judeans and are not, but are a synagogue of satan. Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will experience affliction for ten days. Be faithful to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.” – Revelation 2:8-10.
Rebuke:
The congregation in Smyrna was not reprimanded.
3 – Third congregation at Pergamum
Pergamon; a city in ancient Mysia, in Asia Minor, capital of the Pergamon Empire, modern: an archaeological site near the city of Bergama in Turkey, located below the ancient acropolis.
Praise:
“Write to the angel of the church/congregation in Pergamum: Thus says the One who has the sharp, double-edged sword: I know where you live — where satan’s throne is. Yet you are holding on to My name and did not deny your faith in Me, even in the days of Antipas, My faithful witness who was put to death among you, where satan lives.” – Revelation 2:12-13.
Rebuke:
“But I have a few things against you. You have some there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block in front of the Israelites: to eat meat sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality. In the same way, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the nicolaitans.” – Revelation 2:14-15.
4 – Fourth congregation at Thyatira
Thyatira is a city in Lydia in Asia Minor near the Lycus River. Today, the Turkish city of Akhisar is located on its territory.
Praise:
“Write to the angel of the church in Thyatira: Thus says the Son of God, the One whose eyes are like a fiery flame and whose feet are like fine bronze: I know your works — your love, faithfulness, service, and endurance. I know that your last works are greater than the first.” – Revelation 2:18-19.
Rebuke:
“But I have this against you: You tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and teaches and deceives my servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat meat sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to repent of her sexual immorality. Look, I will throw her into a sickbed and those who commit adultery with her into great affliction. Unless they repent of her works…” – Revelation 2:20-22.
5 – Fifth Assembly at Sardis
Sardis – an ancient city in Asia Minor, the capital of Lydia, located on the slopes of Mount Tmolus, on the Pactolus River near its confluence with the Hermus River.
Praise:
“I know your works; you have a reputation…” – Revelation 3:1.
“But you have a few people in Sardis who have not defiled their clothes, and they will walk with Me in white, because they are worthy.” – Revelation 3:4.
Rebuke:
“Write to the angel of the church/congregation in Sardis: Thus says the One who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: I know your works; you have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead. Be alert and strengthen what remains, which is about to die, for I have not found your works complete before My God. Remember, then, what you have received and heard; keep it, and repent. If you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you have no idea at what hour I will come upon you. But you have a few people in Sardis who have not defiled their clothes, and they will walk with Me in white, because they are worthy.” – Revelation 3:1-3.
6 – Sixth Assembly in Philadelphia
Philadelphia means: to love the brothers, to cherish the brothers; currently Alaşehir – an ancient city located in the land and province of Lydia, at the foot of Mount Tmolus.
Praise:
“Write to the angel of the church/congregation in Philadelphia: Thus says the Holy One, the True One, the One who has the key of David, who opens and no one will close, and who closes and no one opens: I know your works. Look, I have placed before you an open door that no one can close because you have but little power; yet you have kept My word and have not denied My name. Note this: I will make those from the synagogue of satan, who claim to be Judeans and are not, but are lying — I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know that I have loved you. Because you have kept My command to endure, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is going to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth.” – Revelation 3:7-10.
Rebuke:
The Philadelphia congregation was not reprimanded.
7 – Seventh Assembly in Laodicea
Laodicea – the law of the people; an ancient city in Phrygia, a dozen or so kilometers away from Hierapolis, a modern archaeological site in southwestern Turkey, in the province of Denizli.
Praise:
The assembly in Laodicea received no praise.
Rebuke:
“Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea: Thus says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the originator of God’s creation: I know your works, that you are neither cold (5593) nor hot (2200). I wish that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm (5513) , and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out (1692) of My mouth (4750) . For you say, ‘I’m rich (4145) ; I have become wealthy (4147) and need nothing,’ and you don’t realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor (4434) , blind, and naked. I advise you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be zealous and repent.” – Revelation 3:14-19.
Summary
|
Assembly |
Praise |
Rebuke |
|---|---|---|
| Ephesus | – Deeds, effort and patience (Rev 2,2) – Discovery of false apostles (Rev 2,2) – Hatred for the deeds of the Nicolaitans (Rev 2,6) –Perseverance and patience for the name of Christ(Rev 2,3) |
– abandoning first love (Ap 2,4) |
| Smyrna | – Perseverance in tribulation, in works and in poverty (Rev 2:9) – Spiritual wealth (Rev 2:9) – Blasphemies from the synagogue of satan (Rev 2:9) – Enduring the trial of prison for 10 days (Rev 2:10) |
– Smyrna was not rebuked |
| Pergamum | – Here is satan’s throne, here is satan’s dwelling (Rev 2:13) – Being faithful to the name of Christ (Rev 2:13) – Holding on to faith in the face of persecution (Rev 2:13) |
– Tolerating the teachings of balaam (Rev 2:14) – Tolerance of the teachings of the nicolaitans (Rev 2:15) |
| Thyatira | – Works, love, faith, service and perseverance (Rev 2:19) –Your last deeds are better than your first (Rev 2:19) |
– Tolerating the prophetess Jezebel who misleads the faithful (Rev 2:20) – Encouraging fornication and eating food sacrificed to idols (Rev 2:20) |
| Sardis | – You have/hold the name(Rev 3:1) – The few who did not stain their garments (Rev 3:4) |
– you are alive, but you are dead (Rev 3:1) – No deeds completed before God (Rev 3:2) – Lack of vigilance and the proximity of spiritual death (Rev 3:2-3) |
| Philadeplhia | – Keeping the Word and Faithfulness to Christ (Rev 3:8) –You have not denied My name (Rev 3:8) – The synagogue of satan will fall at their feet (Rev 3:8) – Maintaining Perseverance (Rev 3:10) – Receiving the promise of protection from trial (Rev 3:10) |
– Philadelphia was not rebuked |
| Laodicea | – No praise | – Spiritual lukewarmness – neither cold nor hot (Rev 3:15-16) – False sense of wealth and self-sufficiency (Rev 3:17) – Spiritual blindness, nakedness and poverty (Rev 3:17) – If they do not change their minds, they will be rejected (Rev 3:17) |
Why is it so important to:
• fight for the name of Christ,
• fight to keep the faith,
• fight to reject false teachings?
“Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches/congregations. To the one who conquers, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” – Revelation 2:7.
“Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches/congregations. The one who conquers will never be harmed by the second death.” – Revelation 2:11.
“So repent! Otherwise, I will come to you quickly and fight against them with the sword of my mouth.” – Revelation 2:16.
“Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches/congregations. To the one who conquers, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name is inscribed that no one knows except the one who receives it.” – Revelation 2:17.
“…Only hold on to what you have until I come.” – Revelation 2:25.
“The one who conquers and who keeps My works to the end: I will give him authority over the nations” – Revelation 2:26.
“In the same way, the one who conquerswill be dressed in white clothes,and I will never erase his name from the book of lifebut will acknowledge his name before My Father and before His angels.” – Revelation 3:5.„I am coming soon.Hold on to what you have,so that no one takes your crown.“The one who conquers I will make a pillarin the temple of My God, and he will never go out again. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God — the new Jerusalem,which comes down out of heaven from My God — and My new Name.“Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches/congregations.” – Revelation 3:11-13.
“See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me. “To the one who conquers I will give the right to sit with me on My throne, just as I also conquered and sat down with My Father on His throne. “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches/congregations.” – Revelation 3:20-22.
Addition
Given that these churches were located in trading cities, the inhabitants of these cities lived relatively close to each other. In comparison, the distances between cities today can be easily covered in a few hours by car. In Roman times, these distances were covered on foot, by horse or by cart, which could take anywhere from a few days to about a week. The closest to each other were Sardis and Philadelphia (30 km), and the furthest from the others was Laodicea (125-150 km from the other cities). If you take into account the route that connects all these places, it would look like a pilgrimage route with a total length of around 600-700 km, depending on the exact route.
|
No. |
Congregation Name |
Modern City Name |
Distance to next city(km) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ephesus | Selçuk | 80 km to Smyrna (Izmir) |
| 2 | Smyrna | Izmir | 105 km to Pergamum (Bergama) |
| 3 | Pergamum | Bergama | 65 km to Thyatira (Akhisar) |
| 4 | Thyatira | Akhisar | 45 km to Sardis (Sart) |
| 5 | Sardis | Sart | 30 km to Philadelphia (Alaşehir) |
| 6 | Philadelphia | Alaşehir | 125 km to Laodicea (Denizli/Eskihisar) |
| 7 | Laodicea | Denizli/Eskihisar | 150 km to Ephesus (Selçuk) |
Photo: trzybiada.pl
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