Studies in Revelation: The Church

There are 19 references to the church in Revelation and they all occur in chapters 1, 2, and 3, except for one in 22:16. That one is interesting:

I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star. (Revelation 22:16, NIV)

The Church Stands Under the Righteous Scrutiny of the Savior

The Revelation is written to the seven churches singled out in Asia Minor, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea, and it contains a message for each of these churches, a message of evaluation, but the remainder of the Revelation is all about the judgment coming upon the earth in the last days. How is this “for the churches”?

Perhaps there are two ways in which this is “for” the churches:

One, the church needs to understand that Jesus’ judgment can come to them also, although not in the form of earthquakes, famine, and pestilence. It can come in the form of removing their lampstand.

Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. (Revelation 2:5, NIV)

What that means, as foreboding as it is, is not clear. Does it mean the church will cease to meet or function, perhaps because all will die, or persecution will disband them, or what? Or though the people of the church will continue to meet is it that Jesus will no longer be among them? Ichabod! The glory will have departed. Jesus doesn’t say, and perhaps it could be different for different churches.

Revelation doesn’t answer the question of whether the church will go through the Tribulation. That is a matter for other apostolic teachers (1 and 2 Thessalonians, in particular).

Two, it is important for the church to understand what God’s plan for the future will be, especially with regard to dealing with all those who have rejected God and have become enemies of the church, have persecuted the church, have caused her a great deal of suffering.

⁹ When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. ¹⁰ They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” (Revelation 6:9,10, NIV)

It is certainly important, also, to give the church hope of Jesus’ return and his righteous government of all the world.

The Church stands under the righteous scrutiny of the Savior. He is evaluating us, lovingly challenging us to holiness and faithfulness. There are really only two churches among the seven he speaks to who have no failing, Smyrna and Philadelphia. And they are suffering extreme persecution. They need commending as much as the others need some correcting.

Jesus Walks Among the Churches and Angels Watch Over Them

“These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands,” (Revelation 2:1, NIV) and with these words Jesus affirms that his presence is with the Church and the stars, the presence of holy angels, is also. Each church is of great importance to Jesus. We matter to him.

Are these churches real churches? Are they meant to represent the church through the ages? They are real churches, but they have been chosen representatively from among all the churches John might have had familiarity with. It is notoriously subjective to decide which church represents which age, and unrealistic. There have been all kinds of quality of churches throughout every age. It is most likely that these are chosen because they are representative of any church in any age.

The Church Is Supposed to Be a Faithful Witness to Christ

The Church must be…

In love with Jesus

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. (Revelation 2:4)

Morally pure

You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. (Revelation 2:20)

Steadfast under persecution

Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. (Revelation 2:13)

Fervent in spirit

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! (Revelation 3:15)

Doctrinally true

There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. ¹⁵ Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. (Revelation 2:14,15)

Jesus longs to be received by every church and will come in to any church that invites him:

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. (Revelation 3:20)