The Church, The Book Of Revelations, And Today books and publishers

The quantity seven is the number of completion and fulfillment and within the book of Revelations we clearly read about seven churches, that are: The church of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. These seven churches are collectively referred to as the Asia Minor churches of John's day. The author in the Book Of Revelations will not mention other churches inside the same area, such as the church of Collosse, why, what is it about these seven churches that spans pretty much 2000 years from the death / resurrection of Christ till these days. The author John clearly states the following inside Revelation chapter 1 vs 10-11:

"I was within the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, (11) saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega. the initial plus the Last," and, "What you see, write inside a book and send it to the seven churches that are in Asia: to Ephesus, Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."

The above verses are a clear and concise directive from Jesus also John, as He identifies Himself as the "Alpha along with the Omega, the initial and the Last". The Lord directs John to these particular churches, all of which span a church age of approx 90 years, in the time of John's writing. If we're to think these churches are gentile and established following the death and resurrection of Christ then he is writing also these churches about 94 (AD) and based on strong and consistent historical church traditions, the Apostle John ministered in at the very least one of the churches, Ephesus.

I believe these seven churches are extremely relevant to us as people mainly because every single one depicts us as sinners, looking for a righteous walk with Christ. We ought to discern the spiritual truth about every church (which I discussed in an early posting) from the time of John's writing to nowadays.

The churches from Ephesus to Laodicia;

Ephesus "The backslidden spirit" Smyrna "The persecuted spirit" Pergamous "The licentous spirit" Thyatira "The lax spirit" Sardis "The spiritual dead" Philadelphia "The favored spirit" Laodicea "The lukewarm spirit"

The sins from the church nowadays are represented by every Asia Minor church of John's day, this maybe the cause Jesus focused His attention on these 7 churches, figuring out that the "sinner" on the church from inception, growth and departure could be represented by these 7 churches of Asia Minor.

I believe the culmination of the Church age is also represented by these same churches, as Jesus's owns words may hint towards my conclusion. The eleventh verse of chapter 1 starts with Jesus's words, "I am the Alpha plus the Omega. the very first plus the Last", these words may not only represent Christ as the savior with the world,books and publishers, from birth to death to resurrection, it may well encompass the Pentecostal Church of Acts chapter two from birth to death to rapture, let's assessment the Acts chapter two Church age over the past 1900 years and what the Asia Minor churches may possibly also represent.

Ephesus represents the "Apostolic Church Age" which covers the period of time prior to 110 A.D Smyrna represents the "Age or Church Persecution" which covers the period of time from 110 A.D to 320 A.D. Pergamos represents the "Church's Imperialistic Age" which covers the time frame from 320 A.D to 600 A.D. Thyatria represents the "Church Papacy Age" which covers the time frame from 600 A.D. as well 1520 A.D. Sardis represents the "Age of Church Reformation" which covers the time period from 1520 A.D to 1720 A.D. Philadelphia represents the "Age of Church Missionaries" which covers the time frame from 1720 A.D to 1910 A.D. Laodicea now represents "Age of Greed, and Apostasy" which covers the time period from 1910 to at this time. (disclaimer: Time periods will not be definitive because overlapping is expected)

The church age at this time is certainly one of greed, apostasy and getting lukewarm,Mystery Shopping Business, it is difficult to distinguish among the sins from the world (non-believer) plus the sins with the church (believer). The worldly message within this Church Age (Laodicea) is described inside Revelations three:16 which reads; "Because you say, I am rich, have become wealthy, and have require of nothing' and do not know that you're wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked" This Church Age is full of material wealth, and spiritual emptiness, confirmed by the Church's silence against the sins of this Age, the exact same silence identified within the Laodicea church of John's time.

Christ may have laid out the prophetic history from the Church inside the messages for the 7 churches of Asia Minor in His opening statement of Revelations two:11 "I am the Alpha as well as the Omega, the first and the Last". He's the initial Like of Ephesus and the Last Appreciate in Laodicea". The initial Like of the "Apostolic Age" and the Final Like inside the "Apostasy Age".

Jesus Christ will move within this Age (Lukewarm Age) to separate the "Wheat from the Tare" as we read in Matthew 13:30;

'Let each develop together till the harvest, and in the time of harvest I will say for the reapers, "First collect with each other the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn."'"

The way to burn a "Tare" (lukewarm believer) within this Church Age, will be to destroy their wealth, thier way of life, make them naked just before the Lord, showing them that their wretched, miserable, poor and blind without having Christ. Jesus is moving within this Church Age, the lukewarm age of materialism, separating the "Wheat from the Tare". The first and Last, Alpha and Omega is going to destroy many lukewarm ideologies and lifestyles within the pretty close to future, preparing His "Wheat" for entrance into the kingdom of Heaven, the rapture.

Welcome to the Revelation!!