How did the Seven Churches understand the Book of Revelation written by John?

[Br. Bear]

And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.


Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
Daniel 12:1-10


The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to shew unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by His Angel unto His servant John: who bare record of the Word of God, and of the Testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Revelation 1:1-3



At the start of the Book of Revelation, John makes it clear that he was writing to the Seven Churches.

"John to the seven churches which are in Asia:

Grace be unto you, and peace, from Him which is, and which was, and which is to come *** ;
and from the seven Spirits which are before His throne;
And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.

Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.
Amen.

Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him.

Even so, Amen."

*** I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.


So, John began his 'letter', ie, he was relaying to the Seven Churches that which he was instructed to write....

"I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last"

and,
"What thou seest, write in a book,
and send it unto the seven churches
which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea."

So, the subject of this thread is about what John wrote.
Shortly after he was told to write and send, John wrote a message to each Church.

Most people read those messages and go into all sorts of effort to decypher and place meaning, often with a prophetic leaning, to those seven messages.... BUT.... they usually end there regarding the things that John was to write and send to the Seven Churches.... and it is rare that you will hear anyone talk about or write about the rest of the Book of Revelation as being to the Seven Churches.

My invitation to all, is to discuss and study and engage in mutual conversation through the forum about How did the Seven Churches understand the Book of Revelation written by John?

So.... rather that the usual dissecting each letter and the usual going through the rest of the Book of Revelation as a 'different book', let us have a look at what we might find if we 'read' the rest of the Book of Revelation through the 'eyes' and 'ears' of each of the Seven Churches.... and do so by and through looking and hearing with the 'filters' that have been recorded, which we read in each messages that John introduced the whole message from the Lord to each Church.

Does that make sense?

I shall re-write that in other words so it might be clearer?

John was instructed to write to the Seven Churches. What we see is that he wrote to each Church a Word and within that was also a Word regarding what the Spirit saith to the Churches....

7He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
11He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
17He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh 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 knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
Revelation 2:7,11,17
26And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 27And 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. 28And I will give him the morning star. 29He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Revelation 2:26-29
5He 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. 6He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
12Him 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. 13He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
21To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Revelation 3:5,6;12,13;21,22

He then continues from what we know as Chapter 4 through to Chapter 22.
So, John writes a 'prelude' opening message to each Church. In each 'prelude' is a very sober and distinct Message # to each of the Seven Churches, followed by the words, "to him that overcometh...."

TWO things to note:
First, before we fly past it, note that in every "to him that overcometh" there is a 'promise' (a Word) which can be found in the rest of the Book (chapters 4-22)
and second, but not meaning less important, i would like for us to look at the rest of the Book of Revelation through the 'eyes' of the message each Church would be reading it with, given the initial opening Message that each Church received and see if we can contemplate how each would have taken the rest of the things written and sent, and let us remember,

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.


All feedback and interaction encouraged and (usually) welcome!

======================
and one more try,

If you were in one of those seven churches and you had the solemn word written explicitly to you and your church, then read the rest of the book of Revelation, how would you be taking it all in and what would strike you the most in the book, remembering that those people did not have two thousand years of ideas to tackle but were, in fact, being deeply persecuted for thier faith and were usually under grave pressure to acknowledge the Roman Emperor as lord, under oath... so it was serious, real time, 'it is happening to us' times, then and there.

Are there things written to each Church that come out through the rest of the Book that they would (perhaps) understand better than we do, if we don't acknowledge as they most probably did.... in the same way as if any of us had a stern and solemn word written to us in the introduction of a more detailed message, that 'introduction', if we took it on board, would in some way shape our 'seeing' what the message was telling us.
===================


Bless you ....><>


And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead.

And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me,

"Fear not; I am the first and the last: he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks.
The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches."
Revelation 1:12-20


The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

 

[B-A-C]

At the start of the Book of Revelation, John makes it clear that he was writing to the Seven Churches.

"John to the seven churches which are in Asia:

Which of course, were all Gentile churches.

 

[Br. Bear]

Which of course, were all Gentile churches.

Which would indicate that they did not have a Jewish way of seeing and hearing.... they most probably were not trying to fit things into a set way of thinking as the Jew was brought up to do.


Bless you Brother ....><>

 

[B-A-C]

From my perspective. It seems somewhere around chapter 6, the focus moves to the entire Earth.

Rev 6:1; Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, "Come and see."
Rev 6:2; And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
Rev 6:3; When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come and see."
Rev 6:4; Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.
Rev 6:5; When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come and see." So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand.
Rev 6:6; And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine."
Rev 6:7; When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come and see."
Rev 6:8; So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.
Rev 6:9; When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.
Rev 6:10; And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"

Rev 6:13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind.
Rev 6:14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.
Rev 6:15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,

These plagues do not appear to be an "Asia only" thing to me. (or more to the point, a "Turkey only" thing, as all 7 churches were in modern day Turkey).

Rev 7:2; Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea,

Rev 8:6; So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
Rev 8:7; The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
Rev 8:8; Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood.
Rev 8:9; And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

Rev 8:13; And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, "Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!"

 

[Br. Bear]

Could it be that John was instructed to write and send the book to the Seven Churches, who, as noted, were Gentiles, and it was, for them, the whole narrative (condensed) of what we have in the Bible from Genesis to Acts?
In other words, from how they did or didn't see things, they were given from Him Who instructed John, what they needed to 'get the Gospel' message?

If one reads through it afresh, you can see as sort of what has happened, and is and will including the Life to come for all those who overcome.

On reading it, they would have had a very deep understanding of the Message 'behind' the Gospel that they must have heard in order to be a Church? Who is this GOD and what is this Promise that we have believed?

(can the Book of Revelation - especially from Chapter 4 to Chapter 22 be a 'different' but true summary of the Bible, to a non Jewish believer?)


Bless you ....><>

ps.... back tomorrow, B-A-C
must go now

 

[Reba1]

So many search the Revelation of Jesus Christ, looking for some antichrist many find it

 

[B-A-C]

So many search the Revelation of Jesus Christ, looking for some antichrist many find it

All antichrists may not be the "beast" of Revelation. The the beast himself is bad enough. He is mentioned over 30 times in Revelation.
Likely this is the 4th beast in Daniel 7. ( I know some commentaries, say this is/was Rome, but many do not )

 

[Brad Huber]

Although Paul was the apostle to the gentiles, he would often talk to the people in synagogues, jewish people living outside of Israel. Its one of the places that jews from Israel would go to to seek out Paul and others like him, to stir up people against him and his teachings. So although the seven churches see the adding in of the gentiles, it was by no means "just" the gentiles. Jewish people in these areas also became believers and were part of the church, just not as many.

 

[JerryfromMass]

"If you were in one of those seven churches and you had the solemn word written explicitly to you and your church, then read the rest of the book of Revelation, how would you be taking it all in and what would strike you the most in the book, remembering that those people did not have two thousand years of ideas to tackle but were, in fact, being deeply persecuted for thier faith and were usually under grave pressure to acknowledge the Roman Emperor as lord, under oath... so it was serious, real time, 'it is happening to us' times, then and there.

Are there things written to each Church that come out through the rest of the Book that they would (perhaps) understand better than we do, if we don't acknowledge as they most probably did.... in the same way as if any of us had a stern and solemn word written to us in the introduction of a more detailed message, that 'introduction', if we took it on board, would in some way shape our 'seeing' what the message was telling us."

As my English teacher would often write on my paper: "Those are two very long run-on sentences. Should there be question marks at the end of each? Hmmm."

My response to the post: Here we are 1900+ years later and still no concensus among Christians re: is Revelation a futuristic, or historistic, or idealistic, or preteristic writing?

My response that question: Thank you Lord for MML&J and the 23 eptistles that follow, especially your Word in Ephesians 2:8-9: "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." AMEN

 

[Garee]

7He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
11He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
17He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh 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 knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
Revelation 2:7,11,17

At the start of the Book of Revelation, John makes it clear that he was writing to the Seven Churches.

I would offer. .

At the start of the Book of Revelation 1:1 , John makes it clear that he was writing to the Seven Churches as not only inspired but also signified the language of Parables the gospel.. .The understanding hid from natural unconverted mankind .

Revelation 1 King James Version (KJV) The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

In that way the whole book is a parable similar to Song of Songs. In chapter 2:7 of revealtion it is called the hidden manna.

It is the key is in respect to all the denominations. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; Seven denotes the perfect or complete.

 

[B-A-C]

There are always multiple interpretations of everything. Everyone has their own way of looking at things.
To me the seven churches represent all the churches of the world. Not so much by denomination, but rather where they are in their walk with God.

Five of the seven churches are told to repent... or else. He will remove their lamp-stand, make war with them, spit them out of His mouth, put them on a bed of pestilence, etc...
More than 2/3rd's of these churches had fallen away (so much for OSAS) but Jesus gives them time to repent. (One church did not want to repent - Rev 2:21; )

Seven may be the number of perfection (I have heard this) I don't know of a scripture for this. But what I see more often with seven is judgment and cleansing.
When it started raining during the flood, there was a seven day period before the water reached the ark. ( Gen 7:10; )
There was seven years of famine when Joseph was the minister of Egypt. Gen 41:30;
When some people had diseases (even leprosy) they were isolated for seven days. Leviticus 13 and 14.

Of course the tribulation will also be seven years. There will be seven trumpet judgments, and seven bowl judgments during this time.

The 7 churches of Revelation

The study of the 7 churches of Revelation have been done here before, but it's been a while. Some people view these churches as strictly churches of the past. Some people view them as churches of the future. Many people view them as allegories of all the churches today. For example, you...

www.talkjesus.com

 

[JerryfromMass]

There are always multiple interpretations of everything. Everyone has their own way of looking at things.
To me the seven churches represent all the churches of the world. Not so much by denomination, but rather where they are in their walk with God.

Five of the seven churches are told to repent... or else. He will remove their lamp-stand, make war with them, spit them out of His mouth, put them on a bed of pestilence, etc...
More than 2/3rd's of these churches had fallen away (so much for OSAS) but Jesus gives them time to repent. (One church did not want to repent - Rev 2:21; )

Seven may be the number of perfection (I have heard this) I don't know of a scripture for this. But what I see more often with seven is judgment and cleansing.
When it started raining during the flood, there was a seven day period before the water reached the ark. ( Gen 7:10; )
There was seven years of famine when Joseph was the minister of Egypt. Gen 41:30;
When some people had diseases (even leprosy) they were isolated for seven days. Leviticus 13 and 14.

Of course the tribulation will also be seven years. There will be seven trumpet judgments, and seven bowl judgments during this time.

The 7 churches of Revelation

The study of the 7 churches of Revelation have been done here before, but it's been a while. Some people view these churches as strictly churches of the past. Some people view them as churches of the future. Many people view them as allegories of all the churches today. For example, you...

www.talkjesus.com

Yes, of course Jesus is calling on those in the seven churches that have not repented to come to repentance. But of those that have repented, we are OSAS, for "we are not of them that shrink back unto perdition; but of them that have faith unto the saving of the soul." Hebrews 10:39.

 

[Garee]

There are always multiple interpretations of everything. Everyone has their own way of looking at things.
To me the seven churches represent all the churches of the world. Not so much by denomination, but rather where they are in their walk with God.

Five of the seven churches are told to repent... or else. He will remove their lamp-stand, make war with them, spit them out of His mouth, put them on a bed of pestilence, etc...
More than 2/3rd's of these churches had fallen away (so much for OSAS) but Jesus gives them time to repent. (One church did not want to repent - Rev 2:21; )

Seven may be the number of perfection (I have heard this) I don't know of a scripture for this. But what I see more often with seven is judgment and cleansing.
When it started raining during the flood, there was a seven day period before the water reached the ark. ( Gen 7:10; )
There was seven years of famine when Joseph was the minister of Egypt. Gen 41:30;
When some people had diseases (even leprosy) they were isolated for seven days. Leviticus 13 and 14.

Of course the tribulation will also be seven years. There will be seven trumpet judgments, and seven bowl judgments during this time.

The 7 churches of Revelation

The study of the 7 churches of Revelation have been done here before, but it's been a while. Some people view these churches as strictly churches of the past. Some people view them as churches of the future. Many people view them as allegories of all the churches today. For example, you...

www.talkjesus.com

I would offer.

God has created denominations (where the sparks fly) he came to bring dicision .He signified by the word Abraham is the father of many (all) nations in that way

A nation or family two or three that gather together under the hearing of faith as it is written the same applies when two or three thousand get under the hearing of faith

What applies to one denomination or sect applies to all who have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying .In the way churches are denominations. The kingdom does not come by observing the temporal things seen. And neither is our God served by human hands as a will .We walk by faith the signified understanding found in parables it works in us to both will and empower us yoked with Christ.

Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

 

[Br. Bear]

Greetings,

may i try again?

can we imagine for a little while?
Can we imagine for a little while that we are (collectively or as an individual) one of the Seven Churches?
Can we imagine for a little while that we are (collectively or as an individual) one of the Seven Churches and we read the 'book' of Revelation,. that was sent to us from John?

Can we imagine for a little while that we are (collectively or as an individual) one of the Seven Churches and we read the 'book' of Revelation,. that was sent to us from John and we come to the bit that was expressly written to us?

Can we imagine for a little while that we are (collectively or as an individual) one of the Seven Churches and we read the 'book' of Revelation,. that was sent to us from John and we come to the bit that was expressly written to us, for example, to the Church in Ephesus...
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." (Revelation 2:7) when they come to "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." (Revelation 22:14) after reading, "And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. Revelation 22:1-5)?

same question... simply a bit longer...

Can we imagine for a little while that we are (collectively or as an individual) one of the Seven Churches and we read the 'book' of Revelation,. that was sent to us from John and we come to the bit that was expressly written to us, for example, to the Church in Ephesus...
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." (Revelation 2:7) when they come to "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." (Revelation 22:14) after reading, "And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. Revelation 22:1-5) and then the penny drops, so to speak, and you exclaim... that's us/me!!? That is what John told us would be ours if we overcame!!! and then you read on and then because of the excitement that in that book it expressly related to us (remember you are imagining that you are collectively or as an member of on of the Seven Churches) you re-read the book with extra keenness or eagerness to learn and understand the message = because you were 'touched' by the 'personal' application from the 'prelude' that John sent with the letter/book to you (being one of the Seven Churches- collectively and/or as an individual of one of the Seven Churches) ?

OK.... if you have got this far, good...

so, the thread is asking How did the Seven Churches understand the Book of Revelation written by John?
and so, with my question above i shall re-do the question by asking, given the above scenario, that i slowly expanded for those who prefer shorter questions, how would they (you can continue to imagine that you are one of them) read and understand the whole contents of the Book of Revelation and in this case as an example, the Church of Ephesus would have the part we find in Revelation Chapter 2...

"Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate."

which means, (the question, that is) having read that, how would you then read the 'book' that John faithfully wrote and sent to you... and understand it?
point being that, given the 'prelude' part expressly to you (one of the Seven Churches) you would be mindful of that when reading the 'book', if you were somewhat 'normal', that is.

And for those who might have been familiar with the Scripture due to their ethnic background (Jewish - of the Children of Israel) this would come to mind also with all it's applied connections and meaning (prophecy)...

And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine. (Ezekiel 47:12)


The same goes for the letter to the Church in Sardis when they get to the part in Revelation chapter 6....

"And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled."

and Revelation Chapter 7...
"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."

especially after reading ...
"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." (Revelation 3:5)

and then reading the book sent to them faithfully by John after reading:
"And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; 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. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. 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. 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. (Revelation 3:1-4)

and not forgetting, He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. which was how their introductory/prelude.preface expressly to them finished.

Have a look, you ought to be able to see that each of the Seven Churches had something written to 'him that overcometh' that 'appeared' in the book that John sent them, and again, given the other points mentioned in each letter to the particular Church about them, would they 'see' the book in that light or through that 'filter' and it most likely would be the case for us, if it happened to us, or, better put, if we were them amidst and in that day that they were in.

What other 'points' might they 'pick up' as they read the Book of Revelation/letter sent to them by John?

Please try to keep to this question in answering. I know there are lots of things that we have all come across about things in the Book of Revelation but i am expressly asking this question (see either version of the question above or in post #1 or the title to the thread)


Bless you ....><>

[thank you for your patience and longsuffering, trying to grasp my question and your perseverance, if you managed to read it all and get to this last little addition!] and please excuse any typos

 

[B-A-C]

and so, with my question above i shall re-do the question by asking, given the above scenario, that i slowly expanded for those who prefer shorter questions, how would they (you can continue to imagine that you are one of them) read and understand the whole contents of the Book of Revelation and in this case as an example, the Church of Ephesus would have the part we find in Revelation Chapter 2...

My guess is... they probably didn't read it all collectively. At least not at first. Let us take Ephesus in your example.

The book of Ephesians is a contemporary of Revelation. They were written within a decade of each other.

Paul starts off writing to the Ephesians as saints.

Eph 1:1; Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:

He tells them they were predestined to be sons of God.

Eph 1:5; He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,

He tells them they are seated in the heavenly places with Christ.

Eph 2:6; and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

...all good news right? (Well even in Ephesians 4, Paul tells them they are responsible for their walk with God)

So then we move the Revelation 2:1-7; If I was a church member at Ephesus, this is the part of Revelation, I would mostly be concerned with.
Less than a decade after Paul writes his letter to this church, John says...

Rev 2:1 "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:
Rev 2:2 'I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false;
Rev 2:3 and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary.
Rev 2:4 'But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
Rev 2:5 'Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.
Rev 2:6 'Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Rev 2:7 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.'

So what happened to this church? The same thing that has happened to many churches in the world. They have left their first love.

We don't have letters to the other six churches anywhere else but here in revelation, Ephesus was the exception. But I think we can assume they were all once
in a similar place as the Ephesians in the letter to the Ephesians.

 

[Garee]

Greetings,

may i try again?

can we imagine for a little while?
Can we imagine for a little while that we are (collectively or as an individual) one of the Seven Churches?
Can we imagine for a little while that we are (collectively or as an individual) one of the Seven Churches and we read the 'book' of Revelation,. that was sent to us from John?

Can we imagine for a little while that we are (collectively or as an individual) one of the Seven Churches and we read the 'book' of Revelation,. that was sent to us from John and we come to the bit that was expressly written to us?

Can we imagine for a little while that we are (collectively or as an individual) one of the Seven Churches and we read the 'book' of Revelation,. that was sent to us from John and we come to the bit that was expressly written to us, for example, to the Church in Ephesus...
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." (Revelation 2:7) when they come to "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." (Revelation 22:14) after reading, "And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. Revelation 22:1-5)?

same question... simply a bit longer...

Can we imagine for a little while that we are (collectively or as an individual) one of the Seven Churches and we read the 'book' of Revelation,. that was sent to us from John and we come to the bit that was expressly written to us, for example, to the Church in Ephesus...
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." (Revelation 2:7) when they come to "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." (Revelation 22:14) after reading, "And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. Revelation 22:1-5) and then the penny drops, so to speak, and you exclaim... that's us/me!!? That is what John told us would be ours if we overcame!!! and then you read on and then because of the excitement that in that book it expressly related to us (remember you are imagining that you are collectively or as an member of on of the Seven Churches) you re-read the book with extra keenness or eagerness to learn and understand the message = because you were 'touched' by the 'personal' application from the 'prelude' that John sent with the letter/book to you (being one of the Seven Churches- collectively and/or as an individual of one of the Seven Churches) ?

OK.... if you have got this far, good...

so, the thread is asking How did the Seven Churches understand the Book of Revelation written by John?
and so, with my question above i shall re-do the question by asking, given the above scenario, that i slowly expanded for those who prefer shorter questions, how would they (you can continue to imagine that you are one of them) read and understand the whole contents of the Book of Revelation and in this case as an example, the Church of Ephesus would have the part we find in Revelation Chapter 2...

"Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate."

which means, (the question, that is) having read that, how would you then read the 'book' that John faithfully wrote and sent to you... and understand it?
point being that, given the 'prelude' part expressly to you (one of the Seven Churches) you would be mindful of that when reading the 'book', if you were somewhat 'normal', that is.

And for those who might have been familiar with the Scripture due to their ethnic background (Jewish - of the Children of Israel) this would come to mind also with all it's applied connections and meaning (prophecy)...

And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine. (Ezekiel 47:12)


The same goes for the letter to the Church in Sardis when they get to the part in Revelation chapter 6....

"And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled."

and Revelation Chapter 7...
"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."

especially after reading ...
"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." (Revelation 3:5)

and then reading the book sent to them faithfully by John after reading:
"And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; 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. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. 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. 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. (Revelation 3:1-4)

and not forgetting, He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. which was how their introductory/prelude.preface expressly to them finished.

Have a look, you ought to be able to see that each of the Seven Churches had something written to 'him that overcometh' that 'appeared' in the book that John sent them, and again, given the other points mentioned in each letter to the particular Church about them, would they 'see' the book in that light or through that 'filter' and it most likely would be the case for us, if it happened to us, or, better put, if we were them amidst and in that day that they were in.

What other 'points' might they 'pick up' as they read the Book of Revelation/letter sent to them by John?

Please try to keep to this question in answering. I know there are lots of things that we have all come across about things in the Book of Revelation but i am expressly asking this question (see either version of the question above or in post #1 or the title to the thread)


Bless you ....><>

[thank you for your patience and longsuffering, trying to grasp my question and your perseverance, if you managed to read it all and get to this last little addition!] and please excuse any typos

I would add and suggest .

The ethnic background (Jewish - of the Children of Israel) does not affect those who have ears to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying. A Jew is not one according to ethnicity but one inwardly born again .Some Jews had put hope in their flesh were not considered Jew or the new name the father named of a Christian a demonym … a word that identifies a group of people (inhabitants, residents, natives) in relation to a particular place. Previously he called His bride Israel as in all Israel is not born again Israel. Christian a more befitting name to represent all the nations of the world as his bride prepared as the eternal city as to the residents named after its founder and husband Christ.

Revelation 2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

Revelation 3:9 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.

Those who lost their first love. . . the Spirit of God working in them giving his understanding . It was given over venerating the leader Nicole the founder of the sect the Nicolaitanes. They were commanded to repent. . they must do the first works believe God not seen and not Nicole seen .

Revelation 2: 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.

 

[JerryfromMass]

The book of Ephesians is a contemporary of Revelation. They were written within a decade of each other.

Paul's letter to the Ephesians was written around 62 and John's Revelation written sometime nearer to 95 (although I admit this date is contended among theologians).

 

[JerryfromMass]

Greetings,

may i try again?

can we imagine for a little while?
Can we imagine for a little while that we are (collectively or as an individual) one of the Seven Churches?
Can we imagine for a little while that we are (collectively or as an individual) one of the Seven Churches and we read the 'book' of Revelation,. that was sent to us from John?

Can we imagine for a little while that we are (collectively or as an individual) one of the Seven Churches and we read the 'book' of Revelation,. that was sent to us from John and we come to the bit that was expressly written to us?

Can we imagine for a little while that we are (collectively or as an individual) one of the Seven Churches and we read the 'book' of Revelation,. that was sent to us from John and we come to the bit that was expressly written to us, for example, to the Church in Ephesus...
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." (Revelation 2:7) when they come to "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." (Revelation 22:14) after reading, "And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. Revelation 22:1-5)?

same question... simply a bit longer...

Can we imagine for a little while that we are (collectively or as an individual) one of the Seven Churches and we read the 'book' of Revelation,. that was sent to us from John and we come to the bit that was expressly written to us, for example, to the Church in Ephesus...
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." (Revelation 2:7) when they come to "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." (Revelation 22:14) after reading, "And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. Revelation 22:1-5) and then the penny drops, so to speak, and you exclaim... that's us/me!!? That is what John told us would be ours if we overcame!!! and then you read on and then because of the excitement that in that book it expressly related to us (remember you are imagining that you are collectively or as an member of on of the Seven Churches) you re-read the book with extra keenness or eagerness to learn and understand the message = because you were 'touched' by the 'personal' application from the 'prelude' that John sent with the letter/book to you (being one of the Seven Churches- collectively and/or as an individual of one of the Seven Churches) ?

OK.... if you have got this far, good...

so, the thread is asking How did the Seven Churches understand the Book of Revelation written by John?
and so, with my question above i shall re-do the question by asking, given the above scenario, that i slowly expanded for those who prefer shorter questions, how would they (you can continue to imagine that you are one of them) read and understand the whole contents of the Book of Revelation and in this case as an example, the Church of Ephesus would have the part we find in Revelation Chapter 2...

"Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate."

which means, (the question, that is) having read that, how would you then read the 'book' that John faithfully wrote and sent to you... and understand it?
point being that, given the 'prelude' part expressly to you (one of the Seven Churches) you would be mindful of that when reading the 'book', if you were somewhat 'normal', that is.

And for those who might have been familiar with the Scripture due to their ethnic background (Jewish - of the Children of Israel) this would come to mind also with all it's applied connections and meaning (prophecy)...

And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine. (Ezekiel 47:12)


The same goes for the letter to the Church in Sardis when they get to the part in Revelation chapter 6....

"And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled."

and Revelation Chapter 7...
"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."

especially after reading ...
"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." (Revelation 3:5)

and then reading the book sent to them faithfully by John after reading:
"And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; 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. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. 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. 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. (Revelation 3:1-4)

and not forgetting, He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. which was how their introductory/prelude.preface expressly to them finished.

Have a look, you ought to be able to see that each of the Seven Churches had something written to 'him that overcometh' that 'appeared' in the book that John sent them, and again, given the other points mentioned in each letter to the particular Church about them, would they 'see' the book in that light or through that 'filter' and it most likely would be the case for us, if it happened to us, or, better put, if we were them amidst and in that day that they were in.

What other 'points' might they 'pick up' as they read the Book of Revelation/letter sent to them by John?

Please try to keep to this question in answering. I know there are lots of things that we have all come across about things in the Book of Revelation but i am expressly asking this question (see either version of the question above or in post #1 or the title to the thread)


Bless you ....><>

[thank you for your patience and longsuffering, trying to grasp my question and your perseverance, if you managed to read it all and get to this last little addition!] and please excuse any typos

Since these churches were geographically relatively close to one another, and all were taught the same gospel message in the beginning, that it might be that they convened a synod of sorts to discuss Revelation collectively. Perhaps even consoling one another over that which Jesus directed toward them individually.

If I were, say, Thyatira, I would have insisted that the Jezebel preacher be put out of the church and that the church stick to that which Jesus taught and commanded in MML&J, and that the church discipline itself according to Paul's guidance on pastoral oversight.

 

[Hekuran]

Greetings,

may i try again?

can we imagine for a little while?
Can we imagine for a little while that we are (collectively or as an individual) one of the Seven Churches?
Can we imagine for a little while that we are (collectively or as an individual) one of the Seven Churches and we read the 'book' of Revelation,. that was sent to us from John?

Can we imagine for a little while that we are (collectively or as an individual) one of the Seven Churches and we read the 'book' of Revelation,. that was sent to us from John and we come to the bit that was expressly written to us?

Can we imagine for a little while that we are (collectively or as an individual) one of the Seven Churches and we read the 'book' of Revelation,. that was sent to us from John and we come to the bit that was expressly written to us, for example, to the Church in Ephesus...
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." (Revelation 2:7) when they come to "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." (Revelation 22:14) after reading, "And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. Revelation 22:1-5)?

same question... simply a bit longer...

Can we imagine for a little while that we are (collectively or as an individual) one of the Seven Churches and we read the 'book' of Revelation,. that was sent to us from John and we come to the bit that was expressly written to us, for example, to the Church in Ephesus...
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." (Revelation 2:7) when they come to "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." (Revelation 22:14) after reading, "And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. Revelation 22:1-5) and then the penny drops, so to speak, and you exclaim... that's us/me!!? That is what John told us would be ours if we overcame!!! and then you read on and then because of the excitement that in that book it expressly related to us (remember you are imagining that you are collectively or as an member of on of the Seven Churches) you re-read the book with extra keenness or eagerness to learn and understand the message = because you were 'touched' by the 'personal' application from the 'prelude' that John sent with the letter/book to you (being one of the Seven Churches- collectively and/or as an individual of one of the Seven Churches) ?

OK.... if you have got this far, good...

so, the thread is asking How did the Seven Churches understand the Book of Revelation written by John?
and so, with my question above i shall re-do the question by asking, given the above scenario, that i slowly expanded for those who prefer shorter questions, how would they (you can continue to imagine that you are one of them) read and understand the whole contents of the Book of Revelation and in this case as an example, the Church of Ephesus would have the part we find in Revelation Chapter 2...

"Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate."

which means, (the question, that is) having read that, how would you then read the 'book' that John faithfully wrote and sent to you... and understand it?
point being that, given the 'prelude' part expressly to you (one of the Seven Churches) you would be mindful of that when reading the 'book', if you were somewhat 'normal', that is.

And for those who might have been familiar with the Scripture due to their ethnic background (Jewish - of the Children of Israel) this would come to mind also with all it's applied connections and meaning (prophecy)...

And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine. (Ezekiel 47:12)


The same goes for the letter to the Church in Sardis when they get to the part in Revelation chapter 6....

"And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled."

and Revelation Chapter 7...
"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."

especially after reading ...
"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." (Revelation 3:5)

and then reading the book sent to them faithfully by John after reading:
"And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; 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. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. 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. 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. (Revelation 3:1-4)

and not forgetting, He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. which was how their introductory/prelude.preface expressly to them finished.

Have a look, you ought to be able to see that each of the Seven Churches had something written to 'him that overcometh' that 'appeared' in the book that John sent them, and again, given the other points mentioned in each letter to the particular Church about them, would they 'see' the book in that light or through that 'filter' and it most likely would be the case for us, if it happened to us, or, better put, if we were them amidst and in that day that they were in.

What other 'points' might they 'pick up' as they read the Book of Revelation/letter sent to them by John?

Please try to keep to this question in answering. I know there are lots of things that we have all come across about things in the Book of Revelation but i am expressly asking this question (see either version of the question above or in post #1 or the title to the thread)


Bless you ....><>

[thank you for your patience and longsuffering, trying to grasp my question and your perseverance, if you managed to read it all and get to this last little addition!] and please excuse any typos

I think this is a very helpful way to read the Book of the Revelation. We tend to dive into the apocalyptic scenes and try to decipher them for our age, missing the fact that it is a pastoral letter with a pastoral purpose for seven ancient churches.

Ephesus for example. The part of the letter written directly to that church highlights that they were righteous, persevering and faithful throughout persecution and hardship. But in great spiritual danger because they had lost their first love.

How does the apocalyptic section of the letter address this pastoral situation? Throughout the visions there are accounts of the saints enduring persecution, even martyrdom for Jesus' sake. Until we get to the final chapters or passages such as in Revelation 15

And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name. They held harps given them by God and sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb:

“Great and marvellous are your deeds,
Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
King of the nations.
Who will not fear you, Lord,
and bring glory to your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

So perhaps the text gave the strength of hope to the Ephesian church, that their patience would not be in vain. And also inspire them to shake themselves out of the spiritual rut they are criticised for, and to follow Jesus with fresh love and commitment.

I'm curious about the lampstands in Chapter 2; they enter the vision again at chapter 11, which clearly refers back to Zechariah. I would assume that they have special significance for the Ephesian church, but don't know what it might be. I'll do a bit of digging into the text.

 

[Garee]

I think this is a very helpful way to read the Book of the Revelation. We tend to dive into the apocalyptic scenes and try to decipher them for our age, missing the fact that it is a pastoral letter with a pastoral purpose for seven ancient churches.

Ephesus for example. The part of the letter written directly to that church highlights that they were righteous, persevering and faithful throughout persecution and hardship. But in great spiritual danger because they had lost their first love.

How does the apocalyptic section of the letter address this pastoral situation? Throughout the visions there are accounts of the saints enduring persecution, even martyrdom for Jesus' sake. Until we get to the final chapters or passages such as in Revelation 15

And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name. They held harps given them by God and sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb:

“Great and marvellous are your deeds,
Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
King of the nations.
Who will not fear you, Lord,
and bring glory to your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

So perhaps the text gave the strength of hope to the Ephesian church, that their patience would not be in vain. And also inspire them to shake themselves out of the spiritual rut they are criticised for, and to follow Jesus with fresh love and commitment.

I'm curious about the lampstands in Chapter 2; they enter the vision again at chapter 11, which clearly refers back to Zechariah. I would assume that they have special significance for the Ephesian church, but don't know what it might be. I'll do a bit of digging into the text.

The lamp stands represents the law and the prophets ( sola scriptura) the one witness of God .