1. Ephesus
Who is speaking?
Rev. 2:1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.
Rev 1:16 In his right hand he held seven stars,
Rev 1:20 As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Jesus holds the angels of the churches (Ownership and compassion) and is in, with, and by his churches.
What is his main message? Lost their love “I know your works”
“you have abandoned the love you had at first.” LOVE 1:5, 3:9, 3:19
What solution does he command?
“Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.”
What reward does he promise?
“To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”
2. Smyrna
Who is speaking?
“The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.”
“Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.” Revelation 1:17–18
Jesus is eternal, and without beginning or end. He conquered death.
What is his main message? Severe brief suffering is coming.
“I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation.”
What solution does he command?
“Do not fear, … Be faithful unto death”
What reward does he promise?
“I will give you the crown of life…The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.
3. Pergamum
Who is speaking?
“The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.”
“from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword,” Revelation 1:16
Jesus has powerful war wining words.
What is his main message? There are some who hold false teaching in you church.
‘I know where you dwell, they had been faithful through some severe persecution
14 “But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. 15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.”
What solution does he command?
16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.
What reward does he promise?
“To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.”
4. Thyatira
Who is speaking?
“The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.”
“His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace”
Revelation 1:14–15
What is his main message? You are tolerating a false teacher, and her teaching.
‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. BUT “you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.”
What solution does he command?
No solution available to Jezebel:
“I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. Revelation 2:21–23
24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. 25 Only hold fast what you have until I come.
What reward does he promise?
“The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, 27 and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star.”
5. Sardis
Who is speaking?
“The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.”
“Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.” Revelation 1:4–5
“In his right hand he held seven stars,” Revelation 1:16 “the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches,” Rev 1:20
What is his main message? You seem to be alive, but you are dead.
“ ‘I know your works.. “You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. … I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Rev 3:1–3
What solution does he command?
Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, …Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent.” Rev 3:1–3
What reward does he promise?
4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.
6. Philadelphia
Who is speaking?
“The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.”
“the ruler of kings on earth.” Rev 1:5 “I have the keys of Death and Hades.” Rev 1:18
“And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. And I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father’s house.” Is 22:22–23
What is his main message? I have given you an open door. You are weak, but faithful.
I know your works “Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” Rev 3:8
What solution does he command?
None really, there is no problem for them to repent of.
“I will make those of the synagogue of Satan”… “behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.” Rev 3:9
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
11 “I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.”
What reward does he promise?
“I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world,
The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.” Rev 3:10–12
7. Laodicea
Who is speaking?
“The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.”
“from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead,” Rev 1:5
What is his main message? You are neither cold not hot, I will spit you out. You are ridiculously self-sufficient.
“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Rev 3:15–19
What solution does he command?
“I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.”
“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21
What reward does he promise?
“The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.”
Ephesus: I know your works
Smyrna : I know your tribulation and your poverty
Pergamum: I Know where you dwell
Thyatira: I Know your works
Sardis: I know your works
Philadelphia: I Know your works
Laodicea: I Know your works