Revelation: Summary of Letters to the Churches

 Revelation:  Summary of Letters to the Churches

Church at Ephesus:

Attribute Jesus gave them about Himself:  “He that holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks."  
The seven stars and the seven golden candlesticks represent Light.  
The seven stars is the pastor of this church; the seven golden candlesticks is the church of Ephesus and also Christians today spreading his Light into the dark places.

Problem:  Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.  

Solution:  Remember therefore from whence thou are fallen, and repent, and do the first works,

Warning:  or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.  

Reward:  “To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”

 
Church at Smyrna:

Attribute Jesus gave them about Himself:  “the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive”

Problem:  None!  This is one of only two churches that Jesus did not find any fault with.

Warning:  "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer:  behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tried and ye shall have tribulation ten days..."

Reward:   "be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. "

Church at Pergamos:  

Attribute Jesus gave them about Himself:  These things saith He which hath the sharp sword with two edges;"

Problem:  "But I have a few things against you, because thou have there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of  Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication."

Solution:  "Repent

Warning:  or else I will come unto you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth."

Reward:  "He that hath and ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches, to him that overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows saving he that receives it."

Church at Thyatira:

Attribute Jesus gave them about Himself:  "These things saith the  Son of  God, who hath His eyes like unto a flame of fire, and His feet are like fine brass;"

Problem:  "I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest (allows) that woman jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed unto idols."

Warning:  "I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed unto idols."

Solution:  "But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.  But that which ye have already hold fast till I come."

Reward:  "And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers:  even as I received of my Father.  And I will give him the morning star."

Church at Sardis:

Attribute Jesus gave them about Himself:  "These things saith He that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars"

Problem:  "I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead."  "Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die:  for I have not found thy works perfect before God."

Solution:  "Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent."

Warning:  "If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee."

Commending:  "Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white:  for they are worthy."

Reward:  "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before His angels."

Church of Philadelphia

Attribute Jesus gave them about Himself:  "These things saith He that is holy, He that is True, He that hath the key of David, He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;"

Note about the door that He opens and no man shuts and shuts and no man opens:  Once the door is opened, and it now is, anyone can receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  But once that door is shut, judgment is sure.

Problem:  None.    "I know thy works:  behold I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it; for thou hast little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name."

Jesus' promise:  "Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.   Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth."

Reassurance:  "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.  Behold, I will come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown."

Reward:  "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out:  and I will write upon him the  name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God:  and I will write upon him my new name."


And to every church and to all of us the Lord says:  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

These letters act as a mirror for us to look into today.  To see where we need to repent, where we need to make changes, to receive encouragement, to hear and pay attention to warnings of up coming things, warning of what will happen if we don't repent.  These are to be taken to heart.