Application of the Letters to the Seven Churches

Chapters Two and Three

In verse eleven of chapter one, Christ told John to write down those things which he would see in a book and then send this book to the Seven Churches named in the verse. All seven of these churches are in an area then known as Asia Minor, off the coast of which John was exiled on the island of Patmos. But these were not the only churches in that area. Colossae, to whom the Apostle Paul wrote the book of Colossians, was only about 10 miles from Laodicea. Troas was about 60 miles northwest from Smyrna. Antioch was about 140 miles to the east of Philadelphia, with Iconium being even a little further east.¹ Across the Aegean Sea from where John was located, you also had the churches of Corinth, Berea, Philippi, and Thessalonica (see Map 2). That is fifteen churches in the ‘general’ area and there were no doubt more that we do not know about.

So the intent could not have been to write to all the churches of that area, and John certainly did not write to the seven that were closest to him. Neither could his purpose have been to write to all of the churches with problems that needed to be addressed. Certainly others had problems, and besides, two of the seven who were written to were not even criticized. So what was the intent? Certainly these congregations were real, and had real problems, but that just turned out to be a convenient tool for Christ to use to give us a grand view of the Church from beginning to end.

It would make no sense to say that the Lord only intended the book of Revelation to go to those seven churches and no one else. Most of the things contained in the book can only be understood in the light of world history. It could not be understood until after those things predicted had occurred. So those seven churches would not have been able to understand the majority of the book, since the events depicted in it were, for the most part, yet future. Even if they did understand it all, most of it would have done them little good since it depicted things well beyond their lifetimes. This leads to the conclusion that God intended for Christians of all times to have and study this book. It was meant to be a source of assurance to man that God was still in control, as he saw God’s prophesies unfold before him. Once again we note that the number seven represents completeness. This gives us a hint that the Lord had more in mind when He wrote to these seven churches; He was actually writing to all churches of all time.

There is also another item to look at. Why would the Lord include these seven letters in such a grand book of prophesy if all they were meant to be were simple letters. Certainly He could have given them to John separately, or even had someone else write the letters. But the very fact that they appear in this book suggests that there is something very special about them.

There is a phrase that occurs at the end of each letter which also gives us an indication that the Lord had more in mind than just writing ordinary letters to a few churches. The phrase “He that hath an ear, let him hear” is an indication that we should look very closely at what has just been said. It is a clue that some great truth has been indirectly taught. It is like saying “he that has the ability to understand, let him understand.” It’s like when a person says something with the intent of conveying another message, and then winks at someone as if to say “did you get what I REALLY meant?” In the gospels we find Christ using this phrase several times, and each of those times He seems to be telling His listeners to think very closely about what He has just said in order to grasp the intended meaning. For instance, in Matthew chapter eleven, He speaks of John the Baptist. He cites Malachi’s prediction of the return of Elijah who would prepare the way for the Messiah. He then tells them that John was Elijah for whom they had been watching. After all of this He said in verse fifteen “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” What did He want them to hear? Well if Elijah was to precede the Messiah, and John was Elijah, then Jesus must be the Messiah. He did not directly claim to be the Messiah, but there is no mistaking the fact that He did indirectly claim the title for himself. For those who were really paying attention, and were interested enough to think the situation over, it would become obvious that Jesus was claiming to be the Lord’s Christ.

Figure 3

Many times after teaching a parable, Jesus made the statement “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” There were great lessons to be learned from the parables but they were not usually apparent at first glance. He was exhorting the people to consider them in order that they might discover those lessons. A few examples of this are Matthew 13:9, 13:43; and Mark 7:16. There are also several other examples. In our situation here in Revelation, Jesus again wants us to see something that might not be apparent at first. He wants us to look deeper for a hidden meaning.

The seven letters for the most part are fairly simple and do not appear to be harboring any secrets. But let us incline our ears and see just what the Lord was trying to tell us. Let us look at the way in which the conditions at those seven churches paralleled the conditions of the Lord’s Church as it progressed through history.

First let me state that the time periods which follow are only approximate. There are no biblical guidelines for fixing exact dates here. These dates reflect the general conditions and direction of the Church during history as it compares with the descriptions in the letters of Revelation. Certainly these changes within the Church did not occur overnight, but were, in most cases, fairly gradual. So in reality, the break from the Church as described by one letter versus another, would not be sharp, but would be an extended period of time. This implies that the periods described by these letters overlapped to some extent. So again the dates given below are nothing more than “ballpark figures” in many cases. In the places where there were historic events which allow us to be more specific the appropriate explanations will be given.

Time Periods of the Seven Churches
Ephesus	30-180
Smyrna	180-313
Pergamos	313-533
Thyatira	533-1400
Sardis	1400-1793
Philadelphia	1793-1948
Laodicea	1948-?
Table II

Letter #1 Ephesus -- A.D. 30-180

2:1 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;

2:2 I know thy works, and thy labor, 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:

2:3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast labored, and hast not fainted.

The Ephesian church is commended by Christ for its abundant labor and stand against false teachers, especially their stand against the Nicolaitanes. “I know thy works, and thy labor, 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” (Revelation 2:2). This was certainly true of the Church during the first century. The Apostle Paul spoke of some being false apostles. “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ” (II Corinthians 11:13).

During this period of time, the Bible had not yet been put together. The only way anyone could know without a doubt what was right or wrong was to consult an apostle or other inspired teacher. This often made it easy for false teachers to deceive others unless they were very wary. An inspired teacher should also have some type of miraculous power to prove his authenticity. The early church was well aware of this and put people to the test by asking them to perform some miracle to prove they were an authorized representative of God.

The early church was also marked by sporadic persecution, mainly instigated by the Jews. Despite this opposition, the early Church grew and spread very rapidly. The Christians during this period of time were very active in spreading the gospel and other labors; for this they are commended.

2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

Although the Ephesian Church was very active and doing many good works, they did have one major flaw; they were greatly lacking in the area of love. Indeed we can see this trend in the early Church, even in the days of Paul. “Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: the one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel” (Philippians 1:15-17). Many simply were not sincere in what they did. I believe this was a spill-over from the Jews who were notorious for their insincerity in religion. Christ often rebuked the scribes and Pharisees for their poor attitudes and their hypocrisy. This had rubbed off on the ordinary Jews and had become a way of life. When many became Christians, they soon relapsed into their former habits.

In I Corinthians chapter thirteen, Paul talks extensively about charity, which is love. That entire book was aimed mainly at correcting problems that existed in Corinth; one of those problems was a lack of love. There, and in many other places, most of the right things were being done, but not always for the right reasons. Love should be the motive for all that a Christian does, but, unfortunately, this is not always the case. This was especially true of the Church during the first 150 years. Under the supervision of the apostles and other great men, the Church did not have a severe problem with the practice of false doctrines. The problem was in getting the people to learn to love one another and the Lord as they should.

2:5 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.

Christ now commands the early church to ‘clean up its act,’ by doing “the first works.” These are the little things which can often be overlooked. Things which love will prompt a person to do, but other motives will not. Even though they were doing many things well, they were still commanded to repent, which shows that the Lord does not accept partial obedience, but is only pleased with complete dedication.

2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.

2:7 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.

The Nicolaitanes take on a very important meaning here. As stated earlier, when we were looking at this verse, Nicolaitanes means “victory over the people” or “victory over Laodicea.” This gives up a picture of the Nicolaitanes as a group who’s goal was to gain a ‘victory’ over God’s people. Since Laodicea represents the church in the end times, it seems that the goal was to completely overcome God’s people before time ended. Would we expect anything different from Satan? After their victory, the conquerors would then rule God’s people and direct the course of the Church. The basic idea of this is some sort of ‘clergy’ who will rule and guide God’s people. No such idea can be found anywhere in the New Testament, yet there have always been those who advocated it. This is exactly what did occur with the rise of the papacy in the sixth century. But we can see that even in the earliest days of the Church there were those who sought preeminence and authority over others. “I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church” (III John 1:9-10). Paul warned the elders of the Church at Ephesus that there would be those from among their own number who would seek to deceive the faithful and pervert the truth. “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20:28-30).

To sum all of this up, Christ is telling us that there will be those during the first 150 years of the Church who will seek power and authority for themselves over God’s people, but during this period of time the Church will reject their efforts. We will see later, however, that the Church does eventually give in to this unscriptural practice and centralization of authority begins, which leads ultimately to the papacy.

I should now offer some rationale for the dates given as the beginning and ending points for Ephesus, namely A.D. 30-180. The beginning is quite obvious, since it was in this year that the Church began. Many people erroneously believe that the Church began in A.D. 33, but this is not the case at all.

“Jesus was at the outset (of His ministry) about thirty years of age. His birth took place in the reign of Herod (d. 4 B.C.), and His crucifixion probably in A.D. 29 or 30.”²

The reason that Christ was born in 4 B.C. and not in 1 B.C. or A.D. 1 is because of a four year error which occurred when the calendar was revised for the purpose of beginning with Christ’s birth.

The end of this period is not ‘set in concrete’ as no great event occurred to mark its conclusion. However, there are a couple of very compelling reasons which favor the choice of this date. First of all, in chapter six we will find that the first of the seven seals corresponds to a period ending in A.D. 180 with the ascension of Commodus to the imperial throne. This marks a change in the Roman Empire and also a shift in the character of the Church due to their relations with the Empire. After this point, persecution against the Church began to increase, which is a very prominent characteristic of Smyrna, the second Church.

The next item to consider is even more important. The greatest change the Church has experienced since its inception at Pentecost is the end of the age of inspiration. We know that John lived nearly to the end of the first century, and perhaps did live to even see the dawn of the second. But, regardless, it is safe to say that the last apostle died around the end of the first century. Since only an apostle could pass on spiritual gifts, the last person able to perform miracles would have died around A.D. 180, if he received those gifts as a young man and lived to be as old as John.

We can establish that only the apostles could pass on the power to perform miracles by looking at Acts chapter eight. “Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost’” (Acts 8:14-19).

Notice that the disciples in Samaria did not receive the gifts of the Holy Ghost until an apostle went there to personally lay hands on them. Whoever converted these people may have had miraculous powers, but not being an apostle, they could not impart these gifts to others. Every time we see miraculous gifts given to others it was at the hands of apostles; never do we find anyone else with the ability to do this. The example of Simon gives us the reason why God kept tight reins on this important power. The apostles could be trusted with it, but others might be tempted to abuse it if they received it.

As the age of inspiration ended, and with it the ability to prove your authenticity, something else came on the scene to replace it.

“By the middle of the second century the two chief component parts of the New Testament had taken shape, and the practice of reading apostolic writings in public worship together with selections from the Old Testament Scriptures was preparing the way for the conception of a Canon of Scriptures of the New Testament.”³

The New Testament replaced inspired men as the authority in all spiritual matters. This marked a turning point in the history of the Church, and seems to me to be a good point to close the period of Ephesus and open the period of Smyrna.

It is important to note here that even the names of the Seven Churches have significance. The name Ephesus means “desirable.”⁴ It is certainly easy to see how this term fit the early church. Even though the Church was not without its problems, and they suffered sporadic persecution, it was certainly a wonderful time to be a Christian. Just imagine having been one of those early Christians who had personally known Jesus, who had heard Him teach, or had been witness to the crucifixion.

It would also have been wonderful to have known other great men of the first century. Can you imagine sitting down and having a long conversation with Paul, Peter, or John himself? Or imagine having been there on the day of Pentecost and having witnessed the many miracles that were performed. Imagine the excitement which must have existed among the earliest brethren? It is easy to see why this period of the Church’s history is called desirable.

The reward which God promises to those who are faithful to him through this period of time is that they will be able to “eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” In the beginning, man had access to the tree but lost it when Adam and Eve sinned. Ever since that time man has been mortal and it has been the destiny of all who live to eventually die. Death held dominion over mankind until Christ conquered it and provided man with a way to overcome it. It is in this period of time, which witnessed the birth of the Church, that man regained access to the tree of life. Even though Christians of all ages will have access to the tree in heaven, it is still very fitting that God mentions the tree as the reward for the faithful during this first period of the Church. This forms a pattern that we will see for the remaining six letters; the rewards always match the situations the Churches faced.

Letter #2 Smyrna -- A.D. 180-313

2:8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;

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.

2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

The great distinction of this period was the extreme amount of persecution the Church was subjected to. There had certainly been a good deal of persecution before this time, and there would be much more after it, but overall the Church suffered more during this period than at any other time in history. At first Christianity was more or less tolerated by the Roman government, it was primarily the Jews who were behind the persecution in the first century. But as Christianity began to spread, and its influence grew, Rome began to take notice of it. Rome was fearful of being taken over by the spread of this religion and sought to suppress it. A downturn in the overall health of the Empire also led many people to look for someone to blame for their troubles. It was the Christians who were increasingly the object of the emperor’s wrath.

“Toward the many religious sects of the Empire, the Roman government adopted, on the whole, a policy of toleration. It asked only that veneration be shown on official occasions...to the traditional gods, and to the persons of deceased and deified emperors. This civic religion asked for little more than a public declaration of loyalty and patriotism, but the Christians, as the Jews before them, refused to make even this small compromise with polytheism.

Sporadic persecutions, the severity of which is hard to judge, and long periods of peace marked the history of the Church into the third century. Then only amid general social crisis, did some emperors attempt a systematic suppression of the Christians. Decius in 250-251, Valerian in 257-260, and above all Diocletian in 303-313, sought to extirpate the Christian name; their concern with this menace to the state was a tribute to its now established strength.”⁵

The greatest period of persecution the Church has ever seen was during the ten year period from 303 to 313, under the rule of Diocletian. This ten year period of extreme persecution was predicted in the letter to Smyrna as the following: “Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days.” In prophesy a day is equal to a year of actual time. In 313 the Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Toleration (a.k.a. The Edict of Milan),⁶ which put an end to the official Roman persecution of the Church. This ended the ten year period of persecution which was, by far, the worst the Church has ever seen.

This proclamation announced that Christianity would be recognized and tolerated. Christians were given back property that had been taken away during the time of persecutions and acquired all the rights of normal citizens. Christ described well what life was like for Christians during this period. “I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich)” (Revelation 2:9). Their oppressors took away many of their worldly possessions, but no one could deprive those Christians of the treasures they had laid up in Heaven (Matthew 6:20). This is why He said they were rich even though they lived in poverty.

“The conversion of Constantine to Christianity in 312 marked a revolution in the Church and in its relations with the Roman Empire. The circumstances attending this dramatic event are obscure. In the traditional pious story, first appearing in 318-320, Constantine had a dream on the evening before he was to fight a rival emperor for supremacy over Italy, at the Milvian Bridge near Rome. He was instructed in the dream to decorate the shields of his soldiers with the monogram of Christ: ‘In this sign you shall conquer.’ Constantine won the battle and recognized the divine power in the name of Christ.”⁷

Thus ended one of the saddest chapters in the history of the Church. But amid the suffering and persecution the Church flourished. Not a single thing was said against the Smyrnan Church by Christ. Persecution weeds out the weak and leaves only the strong. The strong are forced to take a firmer stand and become even more resolute in their determination to serve the Lord. They are brought closer together with all Christians and become more of a family. Times of trial benefit the Church, whereas times of ease actually bring about complacency and digression. It is also interesting to note that there was no mention of the Nicolaitanes during this time. Those who were seeking personal gain were not willing to brave the persecution in their attempt to grab power.

“In an age of persecutions, the Church could not tolerate such intellectual luxuries as variations from the accepted faith.”⁸

2:11 He 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.

It is very appropriate that Christ mentions here, as the reward for those who are faithful during this period of great persecution, deliverance from the second death. Although many Christians will face untimely physical deaths (the first death), they have no need to fear the second death (eternal hell). It is as Christ said, “fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). As long as these Christians remained faithful to God, they had nothing to fear from man, even if their lives were taken from them.

The name Smyrna means “myrrh.”⁹ Myrrh was often used in perfumes and as an antiseptic. Like a perfume, the dedication and sacrifice of the Smyrnan Church was a sweet smelling savor to God. An antiseptic, although it might cause pain when applied, cleanses and makes pure by destroying or removing all that would corrupt. Similarly, the persecutions that the Church endured during this period may have been painful, but they purified the Church by driving away all that were insincere and would have otherwise served to weaken the Church.

The end of this period is fairly simple to determine from what we have already seen. This period was marked by great persecution that plagued the Church until the Edict of Milan in A.D. 313. This change in the attitude of the Empire toward the Church makes a fitting end for the period of Smyrna and the beginning of the period of Pergamos.

Letter #3 Pergamos -- A.D. 313-533

2:12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;

2:13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

During this period of time, the persecutions of the second and early third centuries ceased and Christianity became the official religion of Rome. This brought peace to the Church, but not an end to its problems.

“Christianity did not become the established or official religion of the Empire until Theodosius the Great outlawed heresy (381) and closed the pagan temples (391). But the Church had already acquired a privileged juridical status that it would retain, in many Western lands, until the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.”¹⁰

During this time period, the papacy arose, having her official beginning in A.D. 533. This will be discussed in great detail in chapter thirteen. Where “Satan dwelleth” is undoubtedly Rome, since it is the seat of the papacy, the greatest satanic power the world has ever seen. It was here that Antipas was slain. The name Antipas is very interesting and warrants very close scrutiny. According to Strong’s it is from two Greek root words ‘anti’ and ‘pater.’¹¹ Strong’s defines these words respectively as “a primary particle; opposite, i.e. instead or because of (rarely in addition to):- for, in the room of. Often used in composition to denote contrast, requital, substitution, correspondence, etc.,”¹² and “apparently a primary word; a ‘father’ (literally or figuratively, near or more remote):-father, parent.”¹³ We can see from this that Antipas means one who is ‘anti-father.’ The father spoken of here is the pope; the word pope meaning papa or father. It was during this period of time that the hierarchy which was to become the papacy began to take shape. Those who fought against this unscriptural innovation were defeated, that is, Antipas (anti-father) was slain.

With the external enemies defeated, the Church turned upon itself, and men began to vie for power. Already men had exalted themselves to positions as ‘bishops’ of cities and regions. The simple Bible pattern of elders governing each autonomous congregation (Acts 11:30, 14:23, 20:17, 21:18, Philippians 1:1, I Timothy 4:14, 5:17, Titus 1:5, James 5:14, I Peter 5:1) had been forsaken by many. The Church began to drift and digress from the truth. The problem with the Church at Pergamos was not widespread immorality or anything of that nature. Rather, it was the toleration of those who held and taught false doctrines. This is what the Lord’s Church did after 313. They tolerated those men who were beginning to set up a hierarchy which was foreign to the principles of the Bible. This hierarchy was centered at Rome, which is what Christ was alluding to when He said, “I know...where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is” (Revelation 2:13). As will become apparent later in Revelation, Rome was the center of Satan’s evil ambitions for over two-thousand years.

“Before the end of the second century, each city in which there was a Christian congregation had a chief priest who was recognized as its overseer, or bishop. He was selected by the priests of his community, aided by the laity, and he held his position for life. Responsibility and authority in local affairs went increasingly to the bishop. He was ordained to the office by other bishops, and the theory gradually developed that the bishops together constituted the successors of the original apostles.

His area of jurisdiction, known as a diocese, normally included the city in which his Church was located and the surrounding district. The diocese was divided into parishes, each with its local congregation and priest (pastor). Because both clergy and laity were required to obey the bishop, he held full control over the Christian community.

In coordinating their religious activities, the bishops turned to the model of Roman imperial administration. As Diocletian grouped several provinces into a civil diocese, the bishops (reversing the terms) grouped several dioceses into a province. Over this larger jurisdiction reigned the bishop of the chief city in the province. Since a great city was known as a ‘metropolis,’ this bishop took on the higher title of ‘metropolitan’ (later, archbishop).

By the time of Constantine there were five leading metropolitans: the bishops of Jerusalem, Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople, and Rome. Their importance led to their being designated as ‘patriarchs,’ a title and rank above that of other metropolitans.

...many Church leaders felt that the only way to solve the countless other issues, of a more serious nature, that divided the Church was to recognize a final authority at the top of the hierarchy. Each of the five patriarchs believed that the top position rightly belonged to him. Alexandria, Jerusalem, Antioch, and Constantinople offered impressive arguments, but Rome seemed to have the strongest claim. The Roman bishop had several decisive advantages: the Eternal City still enjoyed great prestige among the communities of the Empire.

Roman bishops made the most of the Petrine tradition. They interpreted a passage in the Gospel of Matthew (16:18-19) to mean that Christ had founded his Church upon Peter and had entrusted to him alone the ‘keys of the kingdom of heaven.’ This, they insisted, made Peter supreme among the apostles. Since each bishop of Rome was the direct successor to Peter, the bishop of Rome was clearly supreme among the bishops of the world.

The rival patriarchs rejected Rome’s assertion of supremacy, pointing out that such a sweeping claim could hardly be justified by a brief passage appearing in only one of the gospels. They argued, further, that during the early days of the Church all important decisions were made by a council in Jerusalem, a council in which Peter had participated, but had not ruled. Paul had made no references to Peter as the supreme head, and Peter had made no such claim for himself.

Nevertheless, the position and dignity of Rome and its association with both Peter and Paul won for it a place of primacy in the Christian world. The patriarchs of the East conceded that the successors to Peter had a right to sit at the ‘head of the table’ so to speak, as first among equals. The Roman bishop, however, was not satisfied with this concession; he continued to insist on his supremacy, on being recognized as absolute monarch, the ‘Vicar (Deputy) of Christ’ on earth.

In the West, where there was no rival, Rome achieved that supremacy. By the fifth century the Roman bishop had begun to reserve to himself the title of papa (pope). This word, meaning ‘father,’ had formerly been used to refer to any bishop or priest, but henceforth it was to be used only for the bishop of Rome, in the broader sense of ‘Father of the Church.’ From this usage arose the term ‘papacy’ to refer to the office of the pope.”¹⁴

The nature of men who would so pollute the simple pattern of authority established by Christ can easily be seen in the following. It should come as no surprise that they are much more interested in serving self than God.

“The story of Paul of Samosata, who filled the metropolitan see of Antioch while the East was in the hands of Odenathus and Zenobia, may serve to illustrate the condition and character of the times. The wealth of that prelate was a sufficient evidence of his guilt, since it was neither derived from the inheritance of his fathers, nor acquired by the arts of honest industry. But Paul considered the service of the church as a very lucrative profession. His ecclesiastical jurisdiction was venal and rapacious; he extorted frequent contributions from the most opulent of the faithful, and converted to his own use a considerable part of the public revenue. By his pride and luxury the Christian religion was rendered odious in the eyes of the Gentiles.”¹⁵

There can be little doubt that many during this time still advocated a strict adherence to the Scriptures. They would have demanded the removal of all those in positions of authority not authorized by God and the installation of qualified elders. But just as has taken place in more recent centuries within the Lord’s Church, as well as many denominations, liberal trends take root, gain popularity, and soon become irrevocably entrenched. Eventually those who contend for the truth are left with only two alternatives. They can either abandon their conservative and correct stand for the truth, or they can abandon the congregation and form their own. According to the Apostle Paul, however, they really have only one choice in such a circumstance. “Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself” (I Timothy 6:5).

It was probably during the fourth century that the first, but certainly not the last, mass exodus from the mainstream Church began. As the Church became increasingly liberal and accepted more and more unscriptural teachings and practices, many withdrew themselves and started Churches based on the first century pattern. This occurrence is not to be found in the secular history of that period. History is concerned primarily with the influence of the mainstream Church on the Roman Empire and after its fall the subsequent powers in Europe and Western Asia. Little note would have been taken of those viewed as schismatics, heretics, or fringe cults.

Furthermore, anything written favorably about those who dared to defy the popular trends and defend the truth, would hardly have escaped the editorial review of Catholic monks of later centuries. During the Dark Ages, literacy was almost completely the sole possession of the Catholic clergy. As they consolidated their power and tried to strengthen their claim of authority, anything that cast doubt on their origins would have certainly disappeared if it found its way into their hands. It took five centuries, and finally an emperor’s edict, to enthrone the papacy into a position they now claim was theirs from the beginning. There is an old saying that “history is written by the victors.” This is certainly very true. The victorious will certainly make themselves seem better and their enemy worse than was actually the case. Even when people are trying to be objective, and this is rarely the case, human nature will cause anyone to see mainly good about their side and lots of evil in their adversaries. Even well intentioned monks would have most certainly tossed into the trash anything that spoke well of those early enemies of Rome.

Thus Antipas died. Those who opposed the evolving form of church government, different variations of which now rule most denominations, were outnumbered and were forced to retreat into the shadows of history. There they would remain for well over a thousand years. During this time history was written, again primarily by the Catholics, and the existence of the Lord’s Church based on the pattern of the century went unnoticed. Because of persecution they were forced to hide, but anyone would have to be very naïve indeed to believe that everyone throughout the centuries was a devoted practicing Catholic. Many doubted, and a few even had the nerve to practice their own beliefs handed down through the centuries.

2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

2:15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.

The doctrine of the Nicolaitanes was present in the time of Ephesus but they were strong enough to reject it. It is the doctrine that a ‘clergy’ should lead and dominate the Church; an idea completely foreign to the Bible. This time we find the Church has accepted this idea and is practicing it. This confirms what history has already shown us.

The doctrine of Balaam deals with idolatry. In the case of Balaam, actual fornication was involved, but here we are dealing with spiritual fornication. Spiritual fornication is often referred to as idolatry in the Bible. God accused Israel of committing adultery against Him by committing idolatry “And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also” (Jeremiah 3:8). Now the Lord’s Church had followed suit and committed spiritual adultery by allowing the papacy to arise.

The religion of the pope can be considered idolatrous in a couple of ways. First of all, the pope sets himself up to be in the place of God here on earth. He is, in effect, placing himself on a par with God. The pope, being in the place of Peter, is subject to be worshipped, just as are the apostles, Mary the mother of Jesus, and many other ‘saints.’ Twice in Revelation John fell down before an angel to worship him and was severely rebuked. “And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, ‘See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God’” (Revelation 19:10). Man cannot be worshipped under any circumstances, nor can angels; only God can be worshipped.

Secondly, the pope’s religion involves numerous idols and images. One only needs to walk into any Catholic church or many Catholic homes to prove this. Statues and images of various persons will be found everywhere. These images are worshipped contrary to the commandments of God. Very early in His relations with man, God let it be known how He feels about idols. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth” (Exodus 20:4). This idea was confirmed to us by John himself, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (I John 5:21).

2:16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

2:17 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 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.

The sword which Christ speaks of is the Word of God. It is the Word that the Church has now forsaken by allowing this unscriptural hierarchy to arise. Christ warns that He will come and fight against this error with His Word unless they repent. We will see this actually happen later in our study. The end of this period, A.D. 533, is given because it is the ‘official’ beginning of the papacy. Pergamos is the time when it arose to prominence, and Thyatira will be the time of its supremacy over Christendom.

The name Pergamos means “citadel,”¹⁶ “height, or elevation.”¹⁷ Even though the Church had its problems during this period, and a great digression from truth really began to take shape, this period is still the greatest height that the Church has ever reached. In terms of membership and influence, the Lord’s Church reached its zenith during this period.

The reward that God promises to those who are faithful during this period is twofold. First, God will give them “to eat of the hidden manna.” One of the accusations which God makes against this Church is that they “eat things sacrificed unto idols.” For those who abstain from this evil, God is promising a much better food source.

This is similar to the situation of the Children of Israel wandering in the wilderness. They saw no apparent source of food which could possibly sustain such a large group of people. Many doubted God and longed to return to bondage in Egypt where they at least had food to eat. But the faithful trusted God and had no desire to turn back but were willing to follow God anywhere. In the case of the Church in Pergamos, many abandoned God’s way for man’s. They returned to the bondage of sin, while the faithful continued to follow God’s plan.

The second reward that is promised is “a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.” The Greeks commonly gave white stones to the victors in their athletic contests.¹⁸ Similarly the white stones God gives the faithful represent victory, but a different kind of victory. Christians are victorious over Satan and all of his evil devices. But more importantly, the children of God are victorious over death. This is an appropriate reward for God to mention since the faithful of this time period, represented by Antipas, have been defeated by those who sought to change God’s Word to suit their own ideas and eventually created the papacy.

Letter #4 Thyatira -- A.D. 533-1400

2:18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;

2:19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.

2:20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

No one can fault the Catholics for their charity. Even today, they are widely known for all of the ways in which they help the poor and needy. This was also a characteristic of the Church during the time of Thyatira and is pointed out in verse nineteen. However, no amount of good works can justify error. As Samuel pointed out to Saul, king of Israel, “Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” (I Samuel 15:22). Good intentions are not what pleases God; obedience does.

The problem with the Church during this period is that they were allowing a prophetess named Jezebel to teach some false doctrine. Jezebel is an allusion to the wife of Ahab an ancient king of Israel. She was very notorious for her evil ways. She was a bad influence on her husband and caused him to be much worse than he would have been otherwise (I Kings 21:25). She was an avid supporter of idolatry and “slew the prophets of the Lord” (I Kings 18:13).

Jezebel is used here to represent the papacy, which came into being at the beginning of this period and for centuries was the dominant power in Europe. She is also synonymous with the great whore of Revelation chapter seventeen. History shows that Pope John II finally received the recognition that the bishops of Rome had claimed and desired for many decades. Emperor Justinian I officially recognized him as “Lord of the Church” in A.D. 533.¹⁹

The similarities between the two are unmistakable. Just as Jezebel was very evil and fought against God, so did the papacy. Both supported idolatry and sought to extirpate the true supporters of God. The papacy embodies all of the foul and evil characteristics of Jezebel, being willing to stoop to any depths to satisfy her own desires. Both were harlots selling themselves without shame in order to further their own agendas.

The papacy can definitely be spoken of as a ‘prophetess,’ since the pope claims to speak for God here on the earth. His words are supposed to carry as much weight as the Holy Scriptures themselves. So he is actually claiming to be a prophet of God, although nothing could be further from the truth. The pope is, in reality, a prophet of Satan.

Again we find mentioned here the commission of fornication and the eating of things sacrificed to idols. This is the same thing which was termed the doctrine of Balaam in the time of Pergamos. It refers to the idolatrous and adulterous relationship of the Church with the papacy.

2:21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.

2:22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.

2:23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

The Lord has warned the purveyors of this unscriptural hierarchy in the past to repent of their evil ways or face His judgment, but His words have fallen on deaf ears. He has given them ample time to realize their error and amend their ways, but to no avail. They have went right own building their spiritual empire with no one’s authority but their own. The Lord now becomes more graphic in His warnings to these charlatans. He promises to cast this whore, together with all who partake of her evil, into a bed. This will not be a bed of pleasure, but a bed of “great tribulation.” But the longsuffering Lord still gives them an out if they will only repent and renounce their evil ways. He also promises to kill “her children.” The children of the papacy are all those who teach or follow the evil doctrine put forth by this great harlot. Not only will the Lord bring down the organization, but He will also bring down those who support it.

Not only do the above verses have the spiritual application mentioned above, but they also point to another very dramatic occurrence. As will be discussed in detail in chapter ten, the way for the Reformation was paved by something that devastated Europe in the 50 years preceding it. During this time almost one quarter of the population died. Above in verse twenty-two Christ says He will “cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her.” This literally occurred during the last half of the fourteenth century when an estimated twenty-five million people became bed ridden and died from the Black Plague. Christ literally did “kill her children with death.” Much more will be said about the effects of this event on Europe in chapter ten.

2:24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.

2:25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.

Despite the seemingly universal acceptance of the Roman system, there were still some left who were faithful to the Lord. Those who “have not known the depths of Satan,” as He called the doctrine of the Roman Church. He exhorts those faithful ones to remain as they are until He comes. They still had the truth, but were up against very severe odds. They had no hope of overthrowing the papacy, so they were simply told to hold on to what they had. It is here that the Lord first speaks separately to the faithful; He also does this in the next letter to Sardis. This signifies to me a change in His attitude toward those in error. He no longer groups them with the faithful, but gives them their own separate ‘repent or else’ warning.

2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

The great problem of the Christians during this period of time is that the nations have power over them. The papacy controls the nations and directs them to crush any group that would teach any form of doctrine in opposition to that emanating from Rome. The Lord now promises to turn the tables on the papacy by allowing Christians to have “power over the nations,” thus freeing them from the tyranny imposed upon them by the papacy, and, as we shall soon see, inflicting great strife on the papacy. Christians are also to rule the nations “with a rod of iron.” This rule is not to be literal, but symbolic. It will be discussed extensively in chapter twenty.

2:28 And I will give him the morning star.

2:29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Another blessing Christians of this period are to enjoy is the gift of the ‘morning star.’ Earlier we said that this literally means being in the presence of Christ. That will be fine for an eternal reward, but it has a much more dramatic meaning here in the period of Thyatira. Christ has spoken often of the impending judgment upon Rome unless she repented of her evil ways. She has not repented and as the period of Thyatira closes we see the judgment beginning. It is important to note that Christ said “he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give...” In the literal sense, this implies an individual being faithful unto the end of his life. But here in the figurative sense, it means those who are present at the end of the period of Thyatira.

The word ‘give’ in verse twenty-eight is from the Greek “didomi” which Strong’s defines as, “a prolonged form of a primary verb (which is used as an alternate in most of the tenses); to give (used in a very wide application, properly or by implication, literally or figuratively; greatly modified by the connection):-adventure, bestow, bring forth, commit, deliver (up), give, grant, hinder, make, minister, number, offer, have power, put, receive, set, shew, smite (+ with the hand), strike (+ with the palm of the hand), suffer, take, utter, yield.”²⁰ As you can see, this word has a wide variety of meanings, the proper interpretation of which must be determined by the context.

The term ‘morning star’ is used by Christ to refer to Himself in Revelation (22:16). But He is not the only one to be described this way. “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!” (Isaiah 14:12). Lucifer is, of course, Satan. The wo