These seven churches prophetically spoke about the dispensation of the grace period or the gentile dispensation or the Church Age which begun at the close of the 69th week of Daniel. The gap between the 69th week and the 70th weeks was the dispensation of Churches. God ordained Seven church ages to exist until the completion of the salvation of the gentiles.
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
John saw Jesus Christ in all His glory standing amidst the Seven golden candlesticks which represented the Seven churches located in Asia minor (present Turkey regions) and He was holding Seven stars in His right hand which represented the seven Messengers (Angels) to the seven Churches. Whenever I read this portion of the scriptures, I get confidence in the Lord seeing that our Jesus Christ is standing in the midst of His church. He has never left His church. He is the same yesterday, today and forever more.
These seven churches prophetically spoke about the dispensation of the grace period or the gentile dispensation or the Church Age which begun at the close of the 69th week of Daniel. The gap between the 69th week and the 70th weeks was the dispensation of Churches. God ordained Seven church ages to exist until the completion of the salvation of the gentiles.
God picked these seven churches of Asia to give a picture and to reflect on how the church would behave generation after generation. Each church had an absolute character that reflected the character and beliefs and behavior of the church in the future generations from Ephesus to Laodicea. Each church was a description of a church age in a generation. Each church was given one messenger to give it a doctrine and to direct it back to the original word of God. God promised rewards to everyone in the church that overcomes. Also God gives a warning to whoever shall not hearken to what saith the spirit of God unto the churches.
The Ephesus Church Age (The beloved church)
1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
The word Ephesus is by interpretation the Beloved One.
The Ephesus Church marked the beginning of the First Church Age which existed in the first century AD. This was the Church that was born in the upper room on the day of the Pentecost (Acts 2). It was a Spirit-filled church that walked in the mighty power of God and in the truth of His Word. This was the Church where the twelve Apostles ministered.
Jesus introduces Himself to this church as One standing in the midst of the seven candlesticks and who holds the seven stars in his right hand. In this church, Jesus was fully manifested to all men and did mighty signs and wonders through them.
Though they faced a lot of persecution, they didn't deny the faith (Romans 8:35-39, Acts 4). Many times they were cast into prisons, chastened, beaten, threatened, and killed, yet they steadfastly continued preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ in power and signs following them.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
They always tested every spirit and rebuked the spirit of the antichrist /devil's agents who had entered the church; the wolves in sheep's clothing (1 John 2:17-18, 1 John 4:1-3, Acts 8:9-22, 1 Timothy 1:20).
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
The church prayed daily, fasted and studied God's Word daily and evangelism was daily. Many souls were added to the church during this church Age.
The messenger to this Church Age was Apostle Paul who laid the foundation for the doctrine to all churches. The messenger or Angel to the church is the one whom God sends with the doctrine or message for the entire generation. Now remember that when we talk about the Church in Revelation, we do not mean a denomination or local churches but we mean the universal Body of Christ worldwide. This church age was the most beloved of all the church ages.
This church Age hated the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which Jesus also hated. The word Nicolaitans has a Greek background. Nico ~means to conquer and laity ~ means people. It generally means ~~to conquer the laity (People). The doctrine of the Nicolaitans was focused on the number of people attending church but not conversion. It was all about a man taking advantage of his followers, building a big denomination was the idea of the Nicolaitans. My church is the best, is the biggest, has the highest technology, highest theological degrees, best building, biggest church attendance, etc. This kind of doctrine Apostle Paul fought and warned the next generation about the same.
God warned this church about loosing the first love it had from that day of Pentecost and encouraged it to turn again to the truth.
The overcomer in this church was promised to eat from the tree of Life in the midst of the paradise of God.
AWAKENING THE SLEEPING BRIDE
Read More
Follow us @ www.ctmchurches.com
Fb: @CTMChurches
Fb: @CTMLawrence
Twitter: @CTMChurches
Email: christtrumpetministries@gmail.com