And so, for the remainder of our time this morning i want to do two things as we look at the letter to the seven churches. The letters to the church video series walks with this generation, showing what it can look like to be the church god desires. It is speculated that these letters were circulated to the other churches in asia, but we cannot be sure this is true. They can actually be read with four levels of application. Though they were literal churches in that time, there is also spiritual significance for churches and believers today. Letters to the seven churches to the angel of the church in ephesus write the letters to the seven churches. As one commentator observes, the fixed structure and symmetry of the letters betray a purpose that goes beyond ethical instruction to seven particular churches in the roman province of asia. The opening vision pictures the churches as seven golden lampstands among whom the glorified son of man walks.
What do the seven churches in revelation stand for. Letters to the seven churches of revelation introduction. Thank you so much for your dedication and commitment to facilitate your. The names of the seven churches are symbolic of the church in different periods of the hristian era. Others have suggested that seven is the number of completeness and therefore the seven churches represent all churches. Transmissions of letters in the first century chapter 3. Authority of the writer of the seven letters chapter 8.
The only negative experience we had in our entire visit to the sites of the seven churches in turkey took place in thyatira, called akhisar today. Revelation chapters 2 and 3 are letters to seven literal churches in johns day. Christ directed his letters to seven churches in asia minor that occupied the western third of what is now turkey. This january bible study 2019 expository notes and leader helps is intended to help those who will teach jbs. The answer lies in the realization that the letters of chapters 2 and 3 have a representative as well as a specific purpose. Join francis as he takes you on a journey through the chapters of letters to the church, hear his heart for the bride of christ, and join him as he leans in to gods desire for the church.
Study 2 the letters to the seven churches revelation 2. Before we look at these letters as a whole, lets briefly look at the seven cities where the recipients lived. Letters to the seven churches introduction insights. The letters to the seven churches are distinctly different from the new testament epistles in that they come from jesus himself and, when viewed together as a group, display a stylized structure, chiastic symmetry, and universally applicable themes. Wilson pdf youll find all sorts of theories of how revelation fits together. They are not letters, however, in any sense of the word. Lessons learned from the letters to the seven churches. An introduction to the letters to the seven churches. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. The letters to the seven churches of asia and their place in the plan of the apocalypse by ramsay, william mitchell, sir, 18511939. Lessons learned from the letters to the seven churches 2. Comparison chart s letters to the seven churches of revelation. After a friendly and helpful guard opened the site where the church once stood for us and gave us material that explained what we were looking at, we left to find some lunch, thinking how pleasant.
In chapter 1, jesus is dressed as the high priest in heaven in the midst of 7 lampstands or 7 churches. Welcome to seven, a study of jesus letters to seven of the major churches in early christianity. Our purpose in this talk is to introduce to our thinking the topic of our lords letters to the seven churches of asia minor, as we find them in the book of revelation. For one thing revelation is the final book of the bible of 66 books. The letters to the seven churches of asia in their local setting the biblical resource series. The christian letters and their transmission chapter 4. Understanding the 7 churches of revelation download. Letters to the seven churches wbl the william barclay. We designed this custom study guide to help you understand gods word, engage with the. Teaching plansthe teaching plans, beginning on page 3, are designed for eight sessions using the 2019 january bible study personal study guide, revelation. These seven churches really existed and each was experiencing the particular problem to which the lord referred as he dictated the. The whole book of revelation presents itself as one long letter, as we have seen.
The seven letters are integral to the literary section that begins with johns opening vision on patmos, which continues until the end of the letter to laodicea. The number 7 indicates completeness, and is symbolic of the fact that the messages extend to the end of time, while the symbols used reveal the condition of the church at different periods. In this article, we will analyze each church in revelation, the old testament, and as a. We begin by reading some verses from the beginning of the book and then from the close of the book. Revelation, high priest jesus sending 7 letters to the. In the apostle johns day the seven cities were located in a. Revelation the psychology of the seven letters to the. All of them are located in the asia minor, presentday turkey. The imperial post road, which had been completed by the romans about. Maybe he had preached there or knew the pastors or some of the members. The seven churches of revelation, as described in chapters two and three of that book, have intrigued bible expositors down through the age. Click download or read online button to get understanding the 7 churches of revelation book now. Pergamum thyatira smyrna sardis philadelphia ephesus.
The seven churches of revelation, also known as the seven churches of the apocalypse and the seven churches of asia, are seven major churches of early christianity, as mentioned in the new testament book of revelation. Showing the history and culture of the cities in which the seven churches existed, as well as looking at the original greek language and how it is translated, brings the reader back to the original intent of the letters, and then offers hints on how we can understand those letters in todays churches. He was instructed to write a letter to each of the 7 churches. The letters to the seven churches of asia in their local setting the biblical resource series colin j. There were churches that were much larger, such as in alexandria and rome, but the apostle john had ministered among these. Andreasen, 1957 dh151 reprinted by pilgrims rest beersheba springs, tn 37305 introduction background of elder andreasen and letters to the churches elder milian lauritz andreasen 18761962 was a man of god who loved the historic.
As we begin this study on the letters of the 7 churches of the book of revelation, i have mingled feelings. A briefing package on the seven letters to the seven churches by chuck missler, which also views the seven churches as representing seven periods of church history, can be obtained by contacting koinonia house, po box d, coeur dalene, id 83816 1800khouse1 while all. The seven churches described in revelation 23 are seven literal churches at the time that john the apostle was writing revelation. Were the messages to these churches intended mainly for the congregations to which they were sent during the apostolic period. Relation of the christian books to contemporary thought and literature chapter 6. The letters to the seven churches of asia in their local.
We come to revelation after reading and understanding all the other 65 books and its. Click button to view titles for entire series defines psychology as. Letters to the seven churches introduction revelation chapter 1 indicates that the apostle john, while exiled on the isle of patmos, was given a revelation of yahshua, the messiah in a vision. The book of revelation opens with seven letters to seven churches. Revelation 1 discusses how christ is the almighty god and the heart of the book of revelation. The purpose of the seven letters write what you see in a book 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. Revelation 23 7 letters to 7 churches, part 1 grace. A briefing package on the seven letters to the seven churches by chuck missler, which also views the seven churches as representing seven periods of church history, can be obtained by contacting koinonia house, po box d, coeur dalene, id 83816 1800khouse1 while all of these works are to.
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