tom lowe
1/30/2022
The Seven Churches of Revelation
The seven churches mentioned in the Revelation were physical churches with definite locations. So the letters that John writes to these churches were delivered to the cities/churches, he mentioned. These letters may have less to do with seven different church ages (as some scholars believe) but rather fundamental churches that existed when John wrote to them. If there are similarities between the churches in the last 2,000 years, it may be a message to them, but these tendencies still exist today in churches worldwide. That does not mean they are all lost, but that each Church has its struggles, but this we do know; the churches John writes to have particular strengths and weaknesses, and these same strengths and weaknesses exist in churches today. Can you see the similarities in the churches of today? Do not miss the fact that each church and church age has had its struggles that are unique to them, just as it is with individual Christians.
Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea - The cities of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation are modern-day Turkey. The Seven Churches of Revelation, also known as the Seven Churches of the Apocalypse and the ... island Patmos, and the cities' locations housing the seven churches. The seven churches in the Book of Revelation exist today because some things never change in one form or another.
The Church at Ephesus
The first Church the Apostle John, mentions is the Church at Ephesus. By the time that John writes this, there are already false teachers and so-called "apostles," so Jesus says, "I know your works, your toil, and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false" (Rev 2:2)…so far, so good because churches must be diligent and discerning in keeping out those who label themselves, "apostles" and bring in false teachers, but now Jesus says this Church has "abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first" (Rev 2:4-5a), otherwise "I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place unless you repent" (Rev 2:5b). Having their lampstand taken away may mean that Jesus will allow the Church to die out, especially if Jesus is not the Head of it.
Located in modern Turkey, Ephesus was one of the largest and wealthiest cities in the eastern Mediterranean area. It had a population of about 250,000 people. The temple of the Greek goddess Artemis was located there.
• Ephesus ranked fourth among the most influential cities in the Roman Empire. (The others were Rome, Alexandria, and Syrian Antioch.)
• Along with Smyrna and Pergamum, it was one of the three great cities in Asia.
• Scholars estimate that more than 225,000 people lived there. Although some scholars think the number was misread, this is based on records referring to 40,000 male citizens. It really should read 1,040 male citizens, which would calculate into a population of 6-7,000 people – male citizens, women, enslaved people, children.
• Ephesus was a harbor town and the center of three separate trade routes.
• Because of its location, it was thriving economically and culturally.
• It was also home to the temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. (The temple of Artemis was built in 550 BCE, measuring over 100,000 square feet. It had been destroyed and rebuilt several times but was utterly destroyed in 400 CE.) it was the largest building in the ancient world -- 4 times the size of the Parthenon in Athens and comprised entirely of marble – 425 feet long, 220 feet wide, with 127 pillars that were 60 feet tall.
• It supposedly contained a statue of the goddess Artemis, which fell to earth as a meteorite.
• Ephesus was also a significant financial center since many people came to worship there (and donate money).
• Ephesus also had several other temples built in honor of various emperors.
• Scholars believe a significant Jewish presence in the city was noteworthy, but no synagogues have been excavated yet.
• It is believed that Paul wrote 1 Corinthians from Ephesus, where he claims to have fought with beasts.
• Paul's first visit to the city was relatively brief, but the second time he remained there between 18-22 months (teaching in a hall after being thrown out of the synagogue).
• According to Acts 19, he was responsible for a great riot when the Ephesians chanted, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians."
• Paul met with the Ephesian elders to Jerusalem and gave them his famous farewell address (Acts 20:29-30).
• Most scholars do not think that Paul wrote the Letter to the Ephesians.
The Church at Smyrna
To the Church at Smyrna, Jesus had John write, "I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan" (Rev 2:9). Could this be talking about false converts, since he is a Jew that is one inwardly (Rom 2:28-29), and if you are Christ's, then God sees you as a child of Abraham? The Apostle Paul writes, "Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham" (Gal 3:7). John ends this Letter by warning them that some of them will be thrown "into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life" (Rev 2:10).
Located in modern Turkey, it is now known as Izmir. Smyrna was a city on the Aegean Sea coast of the Roman province of Asia (modern Turkey) north of Ephesus. It had magnificent buildings and was one of the most prosperous cities in Asia Minor. It was a Greek colony that was captured and destroyed by the Lydians in the 7th century B.C. It was built up again in the 3rd century B.C. and later became an ally to Rome. The Gospel eventually spread there from Ephesus.
• Smyrna was another harbor city, located 35-40 miles north of Ephesus.
• Ignatius (second century C.E.) stopped to meet with martyrdom in Rome and wrote several letters.
• It called itself the "first of Asia."
• It is believed that the Jews were quite hostile to area Christians and took advantage of Roman discontent to denounce any connections with them.
• It survives to this day as the modern city of Izmir.
• It was also an important Christian center.
• It was the birthplace of several famous people, including Homer (though some dispute this claim).
• It was the first city to build a temple to the goddess Roma.
• Like Ephesus, it was also destroyed and rebuilt several times over the centuries.
• Non-canonical writings of Paul and the Apostle John speak of visits to this city.
• One inscription gives gratitude to "former Jews" for 100,000 drachmae designated for a building project (123-24 C.E.).
• Scholars estimate its population to have been around 100,000.
• Smyrna also maintained a center for science and medicine.
• The city was renowned for its beauty, pleasing architecture, and fine wine.
• The people of Smyrna had a good relationship with Rome; hence, this site was chosen as a temple to Emperor Augustus.
• According to several inscriptions found there, there was a large Jewish population in this city.
The Church at Pergamum
The Church of Pergamum has an altogether different letter (or problem). John gives them Christ's message, writing, "I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith" (Rev 2:13a), so this Church is not denying Christ before others, so they know that He will not deny them before the Father and all the holy angels (Matt 10:33), however, this Church is seriously watering down the truth about sexual purity, so Jesus says, "I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality" (Rev 2:14-15). Balak was an Old Testament king of Moab, and he tried to bribe Balaam, an Old Testament prophet, to put a curse on Israel. However, he could not since God forbid him, so instead, Balaam persuaded Balak to send women to prostitute themselves and bring down God's judgment on Israel…and it worked…and the Church at Pergamum (and many churches today) were compromising with sexual immorality, and that is a severe sin to God. It cannot be allowed in the Church, and even more, behind the pulpit.
She was also known as Pergamon or Pergamum. The city is in western Asia Minor (modern Turkey), north of Smyrna, about 15 miles inland from the Aegean Sea. It was the capital of the Roman province of Asia for a while.
• The city was brand new and fraught with superstitions.
• This city was 70 miles north of Smyrna and 15 miles inland.
• It was a significant city until 85 BCE, when it was on the wrong side of a war against the Romans. Ultimately, they were defeated, and the city lay in disrepair for almost 100 years. It was during this time that Ephesus gained in importance.
• Pergamum was known as an intellectual center; scholars think it was comparable to Athens and Alexandria.
• They had a library that held over 200,000 items.
• Scholars used to think that parchment writing was invented there.
• They also had temples to Athena and Asclepius (known as the God of healing.)
• After building a forty-foot high altar to Zeus in 230 BCE, priests practiced human sacrifice 24/7 for weeks.
• This city was one of the leading religious centers of Asia.
• Pergamum also had a renowned medical center and was the "Lourdes" of its day.
• Augustus chose the city of Pergamum to be the site of a temple in honor of himself in 29 C.E. This is what put Pergamum on the map.
• It was also the site of the Roman proconsul.
• Needless to say, Emperor worship/loyalty was considerable in this town.
• When Christians refused to participate, it was subversive and resulted in persecutions. They were known as atheists for not worshiping the Roman gods and haters of humanity for not worshiping the Emperor.
• Jews got by with this behavior because they had a 2000 year old history; Christianity
The Church at Thyatira
The Church at Thyatira also received some encouragement from Christ in the beginning. However, again, there are severe issues with sexual immorality in this Church, so Jesus tells them, "I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality" (Rev 2:20-21). Here is what happens if nothing changes in these churches and if a Christian is living in sexual immorality, Jesus says, "I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead. That is not where you want to be as a church or person. Moreover, all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart" (Rev 2:22-23).
Thyatira was a city in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) on the Lycus River. Located in modern Turkey, it is now known as Akhisar. While in Philippi, Paul and his companions were invited to stay at the house of Lydia (after she and her household were baptized). This was possibly the least important city among the ones mentioned. Little archeological work has been done because the modern city, Akhisar, was built on this site.
• It was located 40 miles S.E. of Pergamum and was a commercial town on the Lycus River.
• It was militarily strategic in that it was founded as a "buffer town" by Seleucus I in 300 BCE. Since wars were fought there, it was typically unsettled and politically unstable.
• With the arrival of the Romans, peace was more common.
• The city was located on a major trade route; they had many guilds.
• The guilds included shoemakers, dyers of cloth, and bronze smiths. (Lydia was from Thyatira – she was a dealer of purple goods.)
• These guilds were social as well as commercial centers.
• Each guild had its area. Since towns were laid out in squares, it meant that each guild had its square.
• Each guild would also have its own God or goddess as a patron. This put Christians in a challenging situation. There was much pressure for them to participate in idol worship. Refusing meant losing one's place in the guild.
• The primary God in this city was Apollo; he was a sun god and the son of Zeus.
• The city also had a temple to Artemis.
• It probably was not that involved in Emperor Worship.
The Church at Sardis
To the fifth Church, the Church at Sardi's, Christ says, "I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God" (Rev 3:1b-2), possibly showing that the Church is not walking in the works that God had prepared long ago for them to walk in (Eph 2:10), such things as serving others (Matt 25:34-39), as doing it unto Him (Matt 24:50), or doing nothing at all for Him (Matt 25:41). If they do not repent of their spiritual laziness, lacking works for God, Christ says, "I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you" (Rev 3:3).
Sardis was west of Asia Minor (Turkey), 50 miles east of Smyrna, and 30 miles southeast of Thyatira. It was formerly the capital of Lydia and became part of the Roman Empire in 129 BC. Paganism flourished in Sardis. The Christian community was small and weak, and many of them returned to their original religions.
• Sardis was located 40 miles S.E. of Thyatira.
• Historically, it was a very glorious city.
• It was founded in 1200 BCE, atop a 1500 foot precipice.
• The citizens believed themselves impregnable and grew through commerce and trade.
• In 546 BCE, the city was conquered through a fluke. The enemy climbed up unseen and opened the city gates.
• After that, "conquering Sardis" became a catchphrase for doing what was thought to be impossible.
• The citizens were again conquered in 214 BCE, not learning from their history, and Sardis never regained its stature after that. They lived in the shadow of Pergamum.
• In 17 C.E., the city was destroyed by a massive earthquake. Rome assisted in its rebuilding.
• In gratitude, the citizens offered to build a temple to Caesar (but it was awarded to Smyrna instead).
• Sardis did, however, have a temple to Artemis.
• The citizen's particular interest was in death and immortality (possibly a by-product of their warring history).
• Their religion was based on nature worship and cycles of fertility.
• They had a sacred spring in town – thought to be the "god of the underworld."
• One of the most prominent synagogues was excavated in Sardis, leading scholars to think a huge Jewish population was there.
The Church at Philadelphia
This Church is one of love since the name means love, but this is the only Church where Jesus does not rebuke it. Instead, He tells them, "I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one can shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name" (Rev 3:8), so this Church is walking through doors that God has opened to them for the Gospel. Could this be the great age of revival and the height of the missionary movement?
• Philadelphia was 30 miles S.E. of Sardis and along the main trade route.
• It was known as the "gateway to the east."
• It was the most recent of all the cities, founded in 189 BCE.
• Legend has it that it was founded by the king of Pergamum, who called it Philadelphus in honor of his love for his elderly brother.
• Hence, it is also known as the city of "brotherly love."
• The city was plagued by earthquakes but had great volcanic soil and a thriving agricultural market (notable for its grape industry).
• Along with Laodicea, Philadelphia was destroyed by the earthquake in 17 C.E.
• Because of so many earthquakes, the city was unsafe. The city walls were constantly cracking, and many people slept outside the city, which was safer.
• After the big earthquake, Rome exempted Philadelphia from paying any taxes for five years.
• The city had a good and close relationship with Rome.
• This changed somewhat during the time of Domitian, who needed more grain for his army and ordered the city to cut its grapevines (which take many years to regrow and mature). This decimated the grape crop and led to bitter divisions with the Emperor.
• The patron of the city was Dionysus, the God of wine.
• There is no evidence of any Jewish population (to date).
• There is no record of when a Christian church was founded.
The Church at Laodicea
This Church is very much like the churches we see today. I am not saying they are all this way, or even most, but undoubtedly many churches are neither hot (on fire for God) nor cold (refreshing to those who are thirsty). Jesus rebukes them by saying, "I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth" (Rev 3:15-16). Lukewarm soft drinks are not widespread, and neither is cold coffee (with a few exceptions), so when Jesus spews them out of His mouth, it is as if they make Him sick to His stomach. In having the most incredible wealth in human history, today, we have more than all of our ancestors combined in wealth, so Jesus tells them to say, "I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked" (Rev 3:17). They are financially wealthy, especially compared to most of the world, but spiritually and morally bankrupt. Blinded by Satan (2nd Cor 4:3-4), thinking they are rich, yet in God's eyes, they are "wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked."
• This city was 45 miles S.E. of Philadelphia and 100 miles east of Ephesus along a main Roman route.
• Its location made it critical for trade and communications.
• It was founded in 253 BCE by Antiochus II and for 150 years grew in importance.
• There were three sister cities: Laodicea, Hierapolis, and Colosse. By 188 BCE, Laodicea was under Roman rule, and Laodicea remained loyal when other cities joined together in a rebellion against Rome.
• When those other cities were destroyed, Laodicea thrived.
• It had a flourishing wool market (black wool), which led to great prosperity.
• It also had a large school of medicine and a temple to the God of healing.
• Like Philadelphia, Laodicea was earthquake-prone.
• The city was virtually destroyed in 60 C.E., but it was so prosperous that it could rebuild without Rome's assistance.
• The main problem, however, was that it had no water supply.
• Any water had to come through an aqueduct 6 miles long.
• That left the citizens vulnerable to weather and enemies, who would simply cut off their water supply.
• Religiously speaking, the citizens had both local and Roman gods.
• They worshiped Zeus and Apollo, also Men Karou (another god of healing)
• Judaism was quite prominent.
• The Church, like the city, had grown complacent and fat.
• It had much money but lacked any spiritual depth.
• John's Letter has nothing good to say about Laodicea – it is even worse than Sardis.
Conclusion
Did you notice that Jesus always comes out with something positive before He corrects the Church? Jesus is encouraging them, and I would say, encouraging us to keep the faith and rekindle that first love. Remember when you were first saved? I do, and even though I was a bit overzealous for some time, it was because of the joy of being set free in Christ and having been reconciled back to God and awaiting the Day of His Return. If you are in a solid church, thank God, and if not, do not give up…Christ is coming, and He has already sent the churches a letter ahead of time…the question is, will they read it?
The seven churches mentioned in the Book of Revelation were actual physical churches, having the names of the locations (or cities) that John mentions, so the letters that John writes to these churches were delivered to the appropriate cities; therefore, the letters may have less to do with seven different church ages (as some scholars believe). However, instead of fundamental churches that existed when John wrote to them. If there are similarities between the churches in the last 2,000 years, then it may be a message to them, but these tendencies still exist today in churches worldwide. That does not mean they are all lost, but that each Church has its struggles, but this we do know; the churches John writes to have particular strengths and weaknesses, and these strengths and weaknesses exist in churches today. Can you see the similarities in the churches of today? Do not miss the fact that each church and church age has had its struggles that are unique to them, just as it is with individual Christians.
