Messages to the seven churches in Revelation is how God prepares us for Eternal Life

 

 



I was looking for a brief yet interesting way to interpret the meanings of the messages to the seven churches in the book of Revelation. Instead of mentioning each church name I have listed the main good and bad characteristics of each church. These represent our human nature and how God works His character and nature into each of us throughout our lives if we yield to His wisdom. Read Revelation 2 and 3 as you go through this exercise.


The Good

1. Works, patience, cannot bear them that are evil, tried those who say they are apostles, labored and not fainted, hate the deeds of Nicolaitans.


2. Works, tribulation, poverty but rich, suffering, imprisoned.

3. Holding fast my Name where Satan’s seat is, not denied faith even when martyred.

4. Works, charity, service, faith, patience. Hold fast the good you have.

5. Some have not defiled garments are worthy.

6. Works, set before you and open door, have a little strength, kept my word and not denied my name. Synagogue of Satan will worship at your feet and know I have loved you. I will keep you from the hour of temptation coming upon the world. Hold fast that which you have.

7. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten, be zealous and repent.
 
The Interpretation

The character God would work into his people through their troubles in life are patience, good works, charity, service, and faith. This will be accomplished throughout our lives by the things we suffer. Some of these sufferings will be easier than others. Each of us will grow according to how much we can yield to the Lord and allow Him to work His character in us. This is His way of rebuking and chastening us--it is how He teaches us and transforms us into His image. Hold fast and do not run from this--learn to embrace it.

 
The Bad

1. Left first love. Remember from where you have fallen and repent and do the first works or I will come quickly and remove your candle stick.

2. None

3. Hold doctrine of Balaam, eat things sacrificed to idols, commit fornication, some who hold Nicolaitans doctrine. Repent or I will come against you with the sword of my mouth (the Word).

4. Suffer that woman Jezebel to seduce and teach you to commit fornication and eat things sacrificed to idols. Repent or I will kill her children with death. I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

5. You have a name and are dead. Your works are not perfect before God. Hold fast and repent, if you are not watchful I will come upon you as a thief.

6. None

7. You are neither hot or cold, but lukewarm. I will spit you out of my mouth. Think you are rich because increased with goods but you are wretched, miserable, and poor, blind and naked. Buy of me gold tried in fire that you may be rich. Buy white raiment that you may be clothed and the shame of your nakedness not appear. Anoint you eyes with salve that you might see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten, be zealous and repent.

The Interpretation

Never allow our love to grow cold. Pray to learn how to love. When you fall or sin--repent and confess to the Lord. Seek the truth and ask the Lord to show you the mixture that has crept into your life. It will not be easy to hear the truth. The Lord wants the pagan mixture out. Spiritual fornication equals mixture. Things sacrificed to idols equal traditions of men. Balaam and Jezebel represent the false church and her teachings. Spiritual life comes from learning the truth--the truth will set you free. Ask the Lord to reveal the mixture.

If we walk in the traditions of the apostate church the Lord will come upon us as a thief in the night. We will not be prepared. The Lord will spit us out of His mouth. We will be tried, clothed, and anointed by the setbacks we suffer. This is how we learn.

As many as He loves, He rebukes and chastens, be zealous and repent. It is a private matter between you and God.


The Promise

1. I will give a tree of life in the midst of the paradise of God.

2. He that overcomes will not be hurt of the second death.

3. He that overcomes will eat of hidden manna, and I will give a white stone with a new name written that no man knows except he to whom it is given.

4. I will put no other burden on you--hold fast what you have. He who overcomes and keeps my works unto the end will have power over the nations. He will rule them with a rod of iron. They nations will be shattered like the vessels of a potter broken to shivers, as I have received of my Father. I will give you the morning star.

5. He that overcomes shall be clothed in white raiment. I will not blot out his name from the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and his angels.

6. He that overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of God. He shall go out no more. I will write upon him the name of God and the name of the city of God--the New Jerusalem which comes down from heaven. I will write upon him a new name.

7. I stand at the door and knock--open and I will come in and sup with you. He that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne even as I have overcome and now sit with my Father in His throne.


The Interpretation

In spite of all our failures and shortcomings we are exhorted to be overcomers! He is our tree of life, feeds us the hidden manna, gives us a new name, and will put no other burden on us. It will become a joy to walk with Him and understand His gentle chastening.

He will cloth us in righteousness--white linen. He will write our names in the book of life and confess our name before the Father--He is our advocate. We will become pillars in the congregation of saints--His temple or body. We will rule and reign over the nations with Him in the Millennial Kingdom (MK) and sit with Him in His throne!

All these promises are ours. Not because we ourselves are righteous--but simply because He loves us. If we obey and draw close to Him we will be transformed. All our trials are preparation to reign with Him in the MK. There are rewards for obedience. Our positions in the MK are determined by our obedience in this life. “In my house I have prepared many mansions for you.” Heaven is not our goal--our position in the MK is what we are being prepared for. The MK is the eternal life he which He has promised us.


Summary

The messages to the seven churches are God’s instruction to us on how God builds His character and nature into us through our daily lives. All that we experience--both good and evil--is part of how he teaches us and draws us to Him. We can resist and rebel or listen and yield. He is showing us the fruit He desires to work into our character in the messages to the churches.

Life is about the choices we make. To draw closer to Jesus we need to understand His desire toward us. The messages to the churches are clear and concise. Seven is the number of perfection and God perfects us through our trials and tribulations--IF we allow it.

The disciples asked Jesus when the kingdom would be restored (Acts 1.6). The plan of God is to restore the earth as it was in Adam’s time before he and Eve sinned. The Bible is the unfolding story of how it will be done. The goal is to rule and reign with Jesus in the Millennial Kingdom. That is when the earth and kingdom will begin to be restored.

Heaven is where God and His angels now dwell. When we are resurrected from the dead at the sound of the final trumpet we will enter into the Millennial Kingdom here on earth. Until then we are asleep in the grave waiting to be resurrected into eternal life. The resurrection is at the end of this age (John 6.39-45).

We will rule and reign with Christ during the MK. The law will go forth from Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2.3). This is what the messages to the seven churches is foretelling. He that overcomes will rule and reign in the MK. “Eye has not seen nor ear heard that which God has prepared for us…”