THE CHURCH THAT ABANDONED ITS FIRST LOVE All the letters to the churches begin with a salutation to the angel of the church and a description of Jesus. One can readily see Jesus' authority over the churches because He holds the seven stars, or angels, in His right hand. His walking in the midst of t... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THE PERSECUTED CHURCH Smyrna was located 40 miles to the north of Ephesus. It was a town originally founded by Alexander the Great. It was the home of the olympic games and there was a large library there which was later transferred to Alexandria. As early as 23 B. C. this city built a temple to... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THE COMPROMISING CHURCH Pergamos was the capital of the province of Asia. It was built on a large conical hill overlooking a broad fertile valley 30 miles north of Smyrna and 15 miles inland from the sea. The sharp two-edged sword out of Christ's mouth would seem to be His word, with which He def... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THE CORRUPTED CHURCH Forty miles southeast of Pergamum was the city of Thyatira. The city was famous for its purple dye, which Lydia sold (Acts 16:11-15). It was the home of numerous trade guilds, the ancient forerunner of modern day unions. Each guild had its own god and worshiped it. One was ex... [ Continue Reading ]