The Seven Churches of Revelation

Now then, let us hear the Lord Yeshua, the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last Word of Yahweh God's creation, as He Speaks to each one of His seven churches.  But know this, that John is commanded to write in one book the testimony of God, which is intended to be for the edification of all the seven churches - Ecclesia's.  Write the things which you have seen (in the past), and the things which are (now), and the things which shall come to pass. John is commanded to write the revelation letter, and to send it to all of the 7 assemblies: Write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia, unto Ephesus, unto Smyrna, unto Pergamos, unto Thyatira, unto Sardis, unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. As such, the letter that John is commanded to write, is to bring a correction to the mind set of all 7 of these types of churches that exist in time, and hopefully they will hear the Words that Yahweh God's Spirit is Speaking and they would all respond in repentance to the Apostle John's letter.  John, in his faithfulness to Yahweh God, is called to write the revealing letter to the churches of his time and to those that will exist going forward in time. The letter will remain open throughout time, for it is an admonishment to the exclusive thinking of the various assemblies of any day in the history of time.

John begins his writings as he is commanded to address the Church at Ephesus; Unto the church of Ephesus write: These things says He that holds the seven stars in His Right Hand, (and) who walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.  Jesus Christ holds all things in the Power of His Right Hand, and it is His fiery angelic stars that are all walking in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. The seven churches are being examined in the fiery Light of the Spirits of God to see if the churches are true to their calling.

The Incarnate WORD of Yahweh God speaks at the very end of the Revelation Letter: I Jesus/Yeshua have sent My angels to testify unto you of these things in the churches.  I AM the Root, and the Offspring of David, and the Bright and Morning Star. ^{(Revelation 22:16.)} Now, it should be obvious to the reader that which is called the church is to be a singular church in principle, but Jesus Christ is testifying to all of the churches through His Own human messenger, the Apostle John, who testifies IN the One Eternal Spirit of Yahweh Almighty God. To be absolutely clear, the Revelation letter is not written exclusively to any one of the 7 revelation churches of the first century, but is written to all of the Ecclesia's though out the centuries. 

The Spirit of the Lord [Yahweh God] shall rest upon Him: The Spirit of ¹Wisdom and ²Understanding, the Spirit of ³Counsel and ⁴Might, the Spirit of ⁵Knowledge of the fear of the Lord;  and shall make Him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and He shall not judge after the Sight of His Eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of His Ears: But with ⁶Righteousness shall He judge the poor, and ⁷reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and He shall smite the earth with the rod of His Mouth, and with the Breath of His Lips shall He slay the wicked. And ⁶Righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and ⁷Faithfulness the girdle of His reins. ^{(See Isaiah 11:2-5.)}

Even though Christ Jesus seemingly addresses the differing sin issues that exist within each of the seven assemblies in Asia Minor, the corruption of sin is not singular to only a specific assembly, but needs to be seen through out time as common to all assemblies.  All sin needs to be confessed to Yahweh God's Mediating High Priest, Yeshua/Jesus the Christ of Yahweh God.  Then, in Covenant order, the confessed rebellious sin of the flesh that is repented of, will be forgiven and then cleansed by Christ's flowing LIFE Giving Communion Blood given by the Holy Spirit of Yahweh God within the One Holy Body of our Living Lord Jesus Christ.  This Covenant Grace of Yahweh God is evident in the Ecclesia of Philadelphia, for this church has kept Christ's WORD of Sanctification and is given an open Door by the Holy One Who holds the Key of freedom in Salvation, for He opens and no man can closes, and Jesus closes and no man can open the DOOR to the Throne Room of the Almighty Yahweh God. ^{(See Revelation 3:7-8.)}

No one comes to the Father except by Me. 

Even as the Standard of TRUTH is Eternally set in the solid WORD of Yahweh God, it should be understood that the whole of the reproof in the Word's of Jesus Christ is amplified 7 times, for beginning with the church of Ephesus and ending with the church of Laodicea, the Lord Jesus says to each of His Ecclesia born in time: He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the ecclesia/churches/assemblies.   The Lord of Glory, first encourages His people in their accomplishments, and then He calls for their repentance from sin within all of His ecclesia/churches of yesterday and today. 

Christ is speaking to Thyatira, but remember, in essence He is speaking the TRUTH to all of the churches.

And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write these things Says the Son of God Whose Eyes are like a flame of fire: I know thy ^1st works of love, and service, and faith, and thy patience; and thy works and the last (works) to be more than the first.

The spirit of Jezebel resides in this church, and her teachings seduce  God's servants to commit fornication and to eat things that are sacrificed to demonic idols.  God in His patience gives the church a time of grace, so that she may repent of her fornication, but she remains stead fast in her presumptive self serving sins.  Unless the seduced ones repent of their rebellious deeds, then those that are fixated in Jezebels fornication will remain in her bed and will find the troubling works of death.

I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I AM He, Who searches the reins (wills) of the hearts: For I will give unto every one of you (the churches) according to your works. But I say unto you (the churches) and the rest of Thyatira who do not hold to this doctrine of Jezebel, and have not known the depths of Satan, I will put upon you no other burdens. But that which you already have; hold fast until I come. ^{( See Revelation 2:18-25.)} 

What is it that the churches have that they are to hold on to?

He that has an ear let him Hear what the Spirit says unto the churches. ^{(Revelation 2:29.)}

Cause and effect are laid in the balance of Yahweh God's justice, for His justice is tempered with His Grace and Mercy to those that are "IN" the Body of Christ Jesus, and practice His Commandment.  The cause that initiates Yahweh God's justice, is renegade sin, which has its ending in corruption and death.  Without the remediation of the LIFE giving Blood of Jesus Christ, the Just Incarnate Man of Yahweh God Almighty, then death will have its end in death.

The historical violence of sin in the world has been mitigated in times past because of Yahweh God's merciful interventions that would temper the destructive force of sin in the world.  Even so, the enemies of the only Yahweh God of the Living, are relentless, and the renegade destructive force of sin and death will continue to accumulate in the earth, until it finally explodes into the catastrophic events at the end of this age.

There is only the One Body of Salvation, whereby a man must be saved, and LIFE resides IN the Lord Jesus the Christ of Yahweh God.   The Savior of all of mankind, is not divided into Jewish believers and Gentile believers:

For as the (human) body is one, and has many members (cells), and all the members  (cellular structures) of that one (human) body, being many, are one body: So also is Christ. For by One Spirit [of Living Grace] are we all baptized into the One Body (of Christ), whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have all been given of the One Spirit to drink.  For the Body (of Christ) is not one member, but many. ^{(See 1st Corinthians 12:11-14.)}  And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: Them also I must bring, and they shall hear My Voice; and there shall be one fold, and one Shepherd. ^{(See John 10:15-17.)}

Whether we are Jew or Gentile believers, we are all spiritually baptized with the Fire of the Spirit of Yahweh God, into the One Living Body of Christ Yeshua.  For the LIFE of Christ is established by Yahweh God's New Covenant through His Holy Spirit of Grace, for Grace is administered in Yahweh God's New Covenant Drink Offering IN the LIFE giving Blood of Christ.  Now, if there shall be one fold and one Shepherd, then there is only the one ecclesia (church) body that listens to the Voice of its One Master.  The Body of Christ, is the church/ecclesia IN Christ, and the ecclesia/church Body of Christ is made up of the many 'called out' persons living with IN the One Faith of Christ Jesus.  It makes no difference whether they are Jew or Gentile believers:  For There is One Body, and One Spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, One Yahweh God and Father of all, Who is above all, and through all, and IN you all. ^{(Ephesians 4:4-6.)}

Within the One Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is impossible to have the many exclusive divisions that think of themselves as being superior to another prideful sect or denomination.  This carnal thinking is with the mind of dying flesh, and that mind will develop its own doctrine of superiority.  Now being possessed by this individualistic mindset, you can pick and choose to follow the doctrine of the Catholics, or of the Orthodoxy or of Luther, or of Calvin, or of Wesley, or of the Messianic believers, and even those who think they are of Paul or Apolios.  Oh yes, and now you can choose the doctrine of the early rapture, and the left behind.  Not withstanding the prejudices of the splintered church, there remains only the One Body and Spirit of Christ Jesus that consists of the One Faith and Baptism of both the Jew and the Gentile peoples of faith residing IN Christ Jesus. ^{(See again Ephesians 4:4-6.)} If any one, Jew or Gentile, is in the Body of Yeshua/Jesus the Messiah, then they are also being knit together as One in Spirit with the One Yahweh God and Father of all, Who is above all, and through all, and in you all.  All that are called of Yahweh God will be tried in the tribulation of sin's own making. 

In the finale trial of faith, the faithful will wash their garments in the Blood of the Lamb of God:  Notwithstanding, the Jewish nation with its people, will be at the forefront of Satan's persecution during the great trials seen in the Revelation of John, even as the trials were previously prophesied by the prophets of old.  God Almighty's Word is from everlasting and the culmination of the Tribulation time will be the fulfillment of the Eternal Word of God, and bring forth the Day of the Lord's retribution against the wicked who will not repent.

MG 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in My Name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Then John says: And I saw in the Right Hand of Him that sat on the Throne, a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.  And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice: Who is worthy to open the book, and loose the seal thereon?  John wept much until it was revealed by an elder that the Lion of Judah, the Root of David was worthy, for He stood in the midst of the Throne of God as a Lamb slain, but having great Power. And He (The Lamb) came and took the book out of the Right Hand of Him that sat on the Throne. ^{(See Revelation 5:1-10.)}

Before we go on, let us look at John's ending Words of Prophesy to the churches, and witness the ending of John's Letter to the churches: I Jesus/Yeshua have sent My angel to testify unto you of these things IN the churches.  I AM the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.  ^{(Revelation 22 verse 16.)}

Now when we read chapter 5 thru 6 we should logically understand that the prophecy is for the eyes of John alone. The Apostle John is called upon to be Jesus Christ's witness, writing to Christ's sheep, of the Revelation of the Lamb of God, Who was born the Lion of Judah. Therefore, we are to see, through the eyes of John, God's Spirit of Prophesy revealing of that which has happened and is to happen in flow of God's creation of time.  As seen in a vision of time, John alone is called up in the Spirit of Prophesy to witness for the people of Faith, the Words of Christ Jesus.   It is not any one of the seven representative churches that are depicted in time, and will disappear from the earth or be raptured away before a coming time of great trouble. 

Witness The Word of the Lord to the Church of Philadelphia: Because you have "kept" the Word of My Patience ^(endurance), I will also "keep" thee from the hour (of the time) of temptation (testing), which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. (For the four angels were loosed which were prepared for 'an hour', and a day, and a month and a year to slay the third part of men.) ^{(See Revelation 9:14-15.)} Behold I come quickly: Hold that fast which thou hast that no man take thy crown. ^{(See Revelation 3 verse 10 thru 12.)} The word "kept" and the word "keep" are both translated from the Greek word 'Tereos' (Strongs G5083.) Do not be confused. This is not a premature rapture event, but the Lord Jesus Christ is reassuring the faithful within the Church that He will "keep" the people secured in their patience during the time of great testing that will come upon all that are living upon the earth.  Then those who remain faithful, will be taken out of the way God's Day of wrathful judgment against the wicked.

2nd Thessalonians 2:¹ Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him, ² That you be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the Day of Christ is at hand. ^{( See Mounce Greek interlinear 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3.)}