These two chapters are the most valuable to us today. They consist of 7 letters to 7 churches. These letters have at least 4 different levels of meaning. 1. Local churches - Letter for each literal church 2. Admonitory - Each letter was sent to all 7 churches so there are elements of each letter in each church. 3. Personal - How many of us have an ear? vs7 says “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” 4. History of the Church - Acts covers the first 30 years of church history. Revelation the rest. If we were to place these letters in any other order, they would not fit the history of the church,
Overview of the 7 letters
1) Name of the Church
Each letter firstly has the name of each church, The meaning of the name turns out to be relevant to the message to that church.
2) Title of Jesus
In each letter Jesus uses a title for Himself, he uses a phrase from chapter 1.
3) Good News Jesus lists all the good points, all your works for Him. All but 2 churches have good news.
4) Criticism
Jesus then goes on to the criticism of the churches. 2 churches have no bad thing said about them.
5) Exhortation Every church has an exhortation
6) A promise to the overcomer
7) Phrase - “He that hath an ear”
This phrase appears in each of the 7 letters. In the 1st three letters the promise is at the end as a post- script after this phrase. The last 4 letters have the promise within the body of the letter, before this phrase.
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