Revelation is written to 7 churches in Asia Minor, which today is western Turkey.
Revelation 1:10-11 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, saying, "Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea."
Chapters 2 and 3 contain 7 letters from Jesus which John wrote to these specific churches.
When you study these letters, there are common elements to each:
1. Each letter begins with a unique title with which Jesus refers to Himself; every title can be found in the first chapter of Revelation.
2. A commendation from Jesus to that specific church
3. A criticism from Jesus to that specific church
4. A correction Jesus tells each specific church to make
5. A warning if that church does not repent and correct the mistake
6. A promise to "the one who overcomes"
7. The phrase "to him who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches
I believe John defines elsewhere who is the one who overcomes:
1 John 5:4-5 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
The one who overcomes is one who believes Jesus is the Son of God and is born again.
The phrase "to him who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" makes the content of each letter universal to any who read it and heed its contents. In the upcoming posts each one of the seven letters will be reviewed.
Revelation 1:10-11 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, saying, "Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea."
Chapters 2 and 3 contain 7 letters from Jesus which John wrote to these specific churches.
When you study these letters, there are common elements to each:
1. Each letter begins with a unique title with which Jesus refers to Himself; every title can be found in the first chapter of Revelation.
2. A commendation from Jesus to that specific church
3. A criticism from Jesus to that specific church
4. A correction Jesus tells each specific church to make
5. A warning if that church does not repent and correct the mistake
6. A promise to "the one who overcomes"
7. The phrase "to him who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches
I believe John defines elsewhere who is the one who overcomes:
1 John 5:4-5 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
The one who overcomes is one who believes Jesus is the Son of God and is born again.
The phrase "to him who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" makes the content of each letter universal to any who read it and heed its contents. In the upcoming posts each one of the seven letters will be reviewed.
