END OF TIME PROPHECIES 035

                          AN OVERVIEW OF THE SEVEN CHURCHES     Part 2

It is important to see how this section, chapters 2-3, fits into the book as a whole, and indeed into the structure of the bible.  The book of Revelation is basically the Old testament re-written!   The book of Malachi ends with unfinished business; the book of Revelation finishes the business. Malachi ends with the threat of a curse, Revelation ends with the curse removed forever (22v3)   It is the repetition of all history, but it is more than that; it is the culmination of all history.  These seven churches retrace the narrative of the Old Testament but have a more glorious ending.  

• Ephesus        We begin with a fallen church (chapter 2v5), "remember from whence thou art fallen".   This corresponds to Genesis 3, the story of fallen man.   The meaning of Ephesus is "desirable" and reminds us of what initiated the fall, "a tree to be desired."   This brought to the world evil and lies, and delusion, a fallen state in the eyes of God.    The promise to the overcomer at Ephesus is access to the tree of life in the paradise of God, which access was forbidden by the presence of the cherubim.  
• Smyrna       The story is of the deep suffering of God's people, and mirrors the suffering of Israel in Egypt  (Exodus chapters 1-11).   Notice the definite time period of the tribulation, "ye shall have tribulation ten days."    This takes us back to Genesis 15v13, "know assuredly that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs and shall serve them and they shall afflict them four hundred years.   A definite time period of suffering predicted to Israel, and now to a church.
• Pergamos        Here we have reference made  to Balaam, the false prophet, and particularly to the doctrine of Balaam.   The narrative is in Numbers chapter 22 - 24, but chapter 25 records the terrible judgment of God because they followed the advice of Balaam.
• Thyatira          Mention is made of "that wicked woman Jezebel"; this reflects the historical narrative of  1st Kings 16v31-34.   Jezebel with her wicked husband king Ahab plunged the nation into spiritual idolatry and caused the Lord to close the heavens for three and a half years.   Once again history is repeating itself.
• Sardis              The name means "remnant", and has links with Old Testament passages to do with the principle of remnant such as in Isaiah chapter 1.  The Lord says to them "thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments.   Another link is in the phrase "I will not blot out his name out of the book of life."   This is a reference to 2nd Kings chapter 14v27, which records a promise to Jeroboam king of Israel .
• Philadelphia      The quotation, (the only actual quotation from the Old Testament in the book), is from Isaiah 22v22,  and refers to the story of Hezekiah in 2nd Kings chapter 19.   The nation was under threat of extinction and it was in that context that the Lord promised "the sure mercies of David"-2nd Kings 19v34,   Divine protection was guaranteed and the threat came to nothing.   Exactly the same is promised to the church at Philadelphia, "I will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth."    Some were asked to go through tribulation, others are delivered from it, as was the case here.  
• Laodicea        The expression "I will spew thee out of my mouth" comes directly from Leviticus 18v28 as a warning by God to His people.   This warning became a fact in 2nd Kings chapter 25, when the last king of Israel, Zedekiah, was blinded by his enemies and the nation was carried into exile.   It is not merely co-incidental that the last king of Israel was blind, and Laodicea, the last church is also said by the Lord to be blind. The Lord speed them out by sending them into exile.  

Clearly, and unmistakably, in these seven churches we have a repetition of the Old testament story.  History repeats itself.   The imagery in Revelation 2&3, as has been proved, spans from Genesis chapter 3 to 2nd Kings chapter 25, which is the entire span of the narrative  history of the Old testament scriptures.   What happened in the old, happens again in the new.   Thus we can see that this Bible is an integral whole and the story is one; that story is of the failure of man and the faithfulness of God; nothing more,  nothing less.  The rest of the chapters 4-22 will complete the picture; the rise of the wicked man of sin, the fall of Babylon, the two "olive tree" witnesses of Revelation chapter 11 (similar to Zechariah chapter 4), the subjugation of all sin and sinners, and the final restoration of all things, is the story of this book and of the bible as a whole.  In this wonderful way the seven churches of Revelation fit into the flow of the entire scriptures of truth.   However there is one difference. and that is God brings it all to a glorious conclusion.   Thus the book of Revelation is the only book which brings meaning to this life of which we are all part. The design of the bible is truly marvellous!