Letter to the Seven Churches

John starts the Book of the Revelation saying that he is on the Isle of Patmos because of witnessing for Christ.  One day, on the Lord's day, he was in the spirit, when he heard a voice, a very loud voice.  He turned to see who spoke to him, and saw seven golden candlesticks, and the Son of Man walking among the candlesticks, and goes on to describe him.  The Son of Man, Jesus, told him to write the things that he saw to the seven churches in Asia.

The seven churches were churches in Asia Minor, which had several ports on the Mediterranean Sea.  The Isle of Patmos is one of the islands near this area.  John had lived in Ephesus, where the first church of the seven was located.  The churches are each written individual messages in the order that they lie on a circular route, starting in Ephesus.  I estimate this route to be about 75 to 100 miles long.

Part of the description of Jesus in Chapter one is that he is holding seven stars in his right hand.  He said that the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven candlesticks are the seven churches.

I liked the description of the angels as stars.  I see that angels live in heaven, which is in the sky, like the stars.  Also the light of the stars would be like the light of the angels' holiness.  I guess.  The churches being described as candlesticks and representing the seven churches uses the light idea again, coming from candles, being the light of the holiness of the churches.  It's a beautiful description.  I like to think of each church in the world having their own special angel.

Each of the churches is addressed, "To the angel of the church in ..."  Then "these things saith ..." he that walks among the candlesticks, holds the seven stars, has the two edged sword, etc.  The description of him in the first chapter is used again as an introduction to the churches.

To each church he says, "I know thy works..."  Ephesus has done good works, and can not tolerate evil people.  They "tried" those who called themselves apostles and were not and found them liars.  They hate the deeds of the Nicolaitanes.  BUT!  There's one thing.  They have lost their first love.  Repent or their candlestick will be removed.  Then to each of the churches he says, "He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."  He also says that overcomers of various sorts will be rewarded with things such as fruit from the tree of life, the morning star, rule over nations, and others.

Probably the most interesting message to the churches for me was to the church in Thyatira.  "Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, that thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to to teach and seduce my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed unto idols."

After addressing each of the churches, the Book of the Revelation continues on to write the churches about the complete vision seen by John.