Let Him Hear What the Spirit Saith Unto the Churches

2012-11-30

As we enter into the next chapter, we notice that Jesus is continuing the narration, instructing John as to what he is to write to the seven churches. Seven personal messages to the seven churches are written in chapters 2 and 3, and each message follows a similar template. It is good to bring up this pattern so we can be better prepared to study each individual church. Not all the churches have all of these points, but do contain most of them.

First, it is good to notice that these messages are actually addressed to the angels of the churches. Now we know from Hebrews 1:14 that angels are “ministering spirits.” These angels are somehow servants of the churches, but it is difficult to say more than what is said here. In Matthew 18:10, little children have angels. We can see that angels have care over people, and stand before the Lord. Some people say that these could just be human messengers, since the Greek word also means messenger, but there is no good reason to doubt the primary meaning here.

Second, each message to the churches contain characteristics of Jesus Christ. These characteristics are somehow linked to the church’s message in some way. Some of these we saw in Revelation 1:12-16, and some of them are previously unseen characteristics.

Third, immediately following these characteristics, Jesus told his people, “I know thy works.” Good works have an extremely important role in the lives of Christians, and most people take one of two extremes when dealing with good works. They may say that good works are required to either receive salvation, or to somehow maintain salvation. Another camp may say that because they are saved by grace, it does not matter any longer what one does, thus taking advantage of God’s grace and scoffing the cross that broke our Lord Jesus. The best way to settle that dilemma is to remember the famous passage, Ephesians 2:8-10:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

We were saved without any works or effort on our part. However, God expects his people to do the great things to which he has called them.

Fourth, Jesus commends the church on their strengths. Two churches do not have any commendations listed: Sardis and Laodicea.

Fifth, Jesus rebukes the church on what they are doing wrong. Two churches do not have any rebukes: Smyrna and Philadelphia. It is never pleasant to get rebuked, and I often take this hard myself. But we need to learn how to take criticism, especially from the wise, because this is how we grow as people.

Sixth, there is a general encouragement to anyone reading, whether that is the church or otherwise. Every church has the refrain, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”

Also, there is a refrain, “To him that overcometh” followed by a unique encouragement in each of the seven cases. In every case with the exception of the message to Thyatira, these are unconditional promises to believers. We know these are unconditional promises because of 1 John 5:4-5: “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” If you have faith in Christ, you have overcome the world, because he first overcame the world (John 16:33). What a glorious thought! The exception is Thyatira, because this refrain is slightly different there. We will examine that upon coming to that church’s message.

For some reason, the first refrain above is listed before the second refrain in the first three churches, and they switch for the latter four churches. There does not seem to be any apparent reason, but there probably is, isn’t there?