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 Preparation for Heavenly Living Correspondence School 
http://www.geocities.com/bibleloverbill
PFHL Course 151-- Three Revelation 2-3 Studies
(5 pgs.)
 Directions:Carefully read Revelation 1-3 and all of the following information. Then writean essay about what you learned and about what means the most to you. Thisassignment is worth 3 units, so write at least 4 quality pages (single spaced linesand no redundancies).
 Note:This first page information is from the Thompson Chain Study Bible. Revelation waswritten by the Apostle John on the island of Patmos, a rocky and desolate isle located inthe Aegean Sea, twenty four miles west of the coast of Asia Minor, and about seventy miles southwest of Ephesus. The Seven Churches mentioned by John were all founded in theimmediate neighborhood of this city. Ephesus was the leading church of the group wherethe Apostle Paul labored with great success. The other churches may have been theoutgrowth of his missionary work, but there is no record of his doing such. Tradition saysthat Ephesus was the center of John's later ministry, and he probably had the oversight of the Seven Churches.
The Seven Churches of Asia
 
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ypesNames of theChurchesRevelationReferenceVirtues CommendedSins andWeaknessesRebukePromises toOvercomersof HistoricalErasof Conditions inModern ChurchesEphesus
--the orthodoxchurch2:1-7good works, patience,sound doctrine, churchdiscipline, steadfastness,hatred of evilloss of love and backslidingHeavenly foodLate ApostolicAgeactive churches over emphasizingOrthodoxy or religiousceremony, but lackingin spiritual fervor 
Smyrna
--the poor/richchurch2:8-11spiritual endurance andHeavenly treasuresno reproofa Crown of LifeThe EarlyCenturies of Persecutionmissionary and other churches enduring persecution
Pergamos
--the church with bad surroundings2:12-17steadfastnesstolerance of corrupt doctrinesand hereticshidden spiritual blessings, divinefood, and a newnameThe Age of Constantine--TemporalProsperitythe churchessupported by theGovernment
Thyatira
--the church of theevil prophetess2:18-29charity, spiritual service,faith, and patiencelax disciplineand tolerance of a corrupt prophetessspiritual dominionand illuminationThe Age of Papal Apostasythe development of numerous moderncults
Sardis
--the dying church3:1-6none for the majority of the members, a fewcommended for purityextremeformalism,spiritual deathimminent, andinactivitya robe of righteousness,Heavenlyregistration andrecognitionThe MiddleAgeschurches whichmanifest a growingformalismaccompanied byspiritual declension
Philadelphia
--the weak butloyal church3:7-13keeping of "the Word"and testimonynone recordedto become spiritual pillars bearing adivine inscriptionThe Period of theReformation--Luther's timesall earnest spiritualchurches
1
 
 
TypesLaodicea
--the rich/poor church3:14-22none recordedLuke-warmness,spiritual conceit,no consciousneed, spiritual poverty, spiritual blindness, andspiritualwretchednessdivine fellowshipand spiritualenthronementThe Last Dayspopular, self-satisfied,worldly churches
Special Study of Revelation 2-3: For Understanding the Epistles of Jesus Christ(by Bill Stevenson)
 Note:The Evangelical Commentary on the Bible states:
 
“These chapters contain letters to theseven churches. These were local churches in Asia Minor, but they were eachrepresentative of a particular age in church history.” But also what Jesus says about theactual churches can help us understand more about what is God-pleasing Christianity.Much of what is being professed as Christianity is legalistic religion and not “to God bethe glory” behavior. “Each of the letters is addressed to the leader of the church, who iscalled an angel for some uncertain reason.”
Characteristics of Jesus Christ--
1.Who is all powerful: “He Who holds the seven stars in His right hand, Who walks in themidst of the seven golden lampstands.” (2:1) -- This indicates Christ’s intimate involvementin the life of Christian churches.2.Who is all knowing: “I know your works” (2:2, 9, 13, 19, 3:1, 8, 15) -- If individuals believed this, they would not think and do much of what they think and do.3.Who is hoping for professing Christians to learn God’s truth and wisdom, and overcomesinful living: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (2:7,11, 17, 26 & 29, 3:5-6, 12-13, 21-22)4.Who is giving: to the overcomers of the church of Ephesus-- “opportunity to eat from theTree of Life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God” (2:7); to the overcomers of thechurch in Smyrna-- “the crown of life” and “shall not be hurt by the second death” (2:10-11); to the overcomers of the church in Pergamos-- “some of the hidden manna to eat”, “awhite stone” on which “a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it”(2:17); to the overcomers of the church of Thyatira-- “power over the nations… as I [Jesus]have received from My Father” and “the morning star” (2:26-28); to the overcomers of thechurch in Sardis-- permission “to be clothed in white garments” and a promise that his or her name will not be blotted out from the Book of Life but confessed by Him before His Father and His angels (3:5); to the overcomers of the church in Philadelphia-- becoming “a pillar inthe temple of” God with permanent residence in the New Jerusalem (3:12); and to theovercomers of the church of the Laodiceans-- permission to sit with Him on His throne(3:21).5.Who is “the First and the Last, Who was dead, and came to life” (2:8)6.Who has “the sharp two-edged sword” (2:12)7.Who has “eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass” (2:18)8.Who has “the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars” (3:1)9.Who is “holy, He Who is true, ‘He Who has the key of David, He Who opens and no oneshuts, and shuts and no one opens.’” (3:7)10.Who is “the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God”(3:14)2
 
Commendations--
To the church of Ephesus
1.Good works of labor (mentioned twice, 2:2 & 3 with the addition in verse 3 “for My name’ssake and have not become weary”; “name” is this context means character)2.Patience (mentioned twice, 2:2 & 3)3.“Cannot bear those who are evil” (2:2)4.“Tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars” (2:2)5.Persevered (2:3)6.“Hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate” (2:6) -- The EvangelicalCommentary on the Bible states:
 
“Little is known about this group except that they wereactive in Ephesus and Pergamos and that they encouraged immorality and the eating of meatsacrificed to idols…. They seem to have been liberalists or modernists who felt that thechurch was too strict in its standards, and they advised compromise.”
To the church of Smyrna:
Rich spiritually because of “tribulation and poverty” (2:9)
To the church in Pergamos:
1.Living apart from Satan’s rule. (2:13)2.“You hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas wasMy faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.” (2:13)
To the church of Thyatira:
1.“I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and the last are more than thefirst.” (2:19)2.“I will give to each one of you according to your works.” (2:23)
To the church in Sardis:
1.“I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive...” (3:1a)2.“You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shallwalk with Me in white, for they are worthy.” (3:4)
To the church in Philadelphia:
1.“I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for youhave a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.” (3:8)2.Because Jesus Christ loved the Philadelphia Church, He “will make those of the synagogueof Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie” and “will make them come andworship” before the Philadelphia church members’ feet. (3:9)3.“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the Earth.” (3:10)
Condemnations--
 To the church of Ephesus:
 
“You have left your first love.” (2:4) -- See 1 Corinthians 13:1-7.
To the church in Pergamos:
1.“You have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexualimmorality.” (2:14) -- In Balaam’s day, there was a ritual of fornication and of eating of meat sacrificed to idols. (Numbers 15:1-3)2.“You also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.” (2:15)
To the church of Thyatira:
1.“You allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce Myservants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.” (2:20) -- Read 1Kings 16 and 2 Kings 9.2.“And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent.” (2:21)3
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