Revelation Study

[Richard_1]

The Revelation of Jesus Christ study introduction.

The book of Revelation is the only book in the Bible that has a blessing included with reading it. So often you hear people say how difficult the book of Revelation is but receiving a blessing is not hard. The book of Revelation has its own built in outline so it is not hard to follow. The book of Revelation is based on three things that was revealed to John, the things seen, the things present, and the things to come. People say that the book of Revelations is hard to understand and is sealed up but the word revelation means literally an unsealing of, making known. People say that Revelation is hard to understand because of the imagery that is in the book. The imagery is not what makes Revelation hard to understand but it is the speculation of what the imagery means. So often man has tried to make the book fit their time and not seen that it can only take place in Gods timing.

The chapter 1 of Revelation is a description of the authority and the character and the person of who is relating this vision to John. It is a revelation of things that are and have been observed by the Lord that covers the whole period of the history of the Church and then covers those things after the history of the Church. In chapters 2-3 we see the whole scope of what the Lord views in the history of the Church. Which each message you can see how this would have applied to the Church in the beginning and how it has changed of the passing of time and how the final estate of the Church is in the last days of Church history. You can put just about everything that has happened to the Church and those things still to come for the Church in two chapters.

It is in chapter 4 that the revelation changes locations on a new direction. No longer is John on the island Patmos but is taken up into heaven. In the very first verse John is told that He would be shown the things that would come after those things he saw in a vision on Patmos. In verse 1 of chap 4 John writes

After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

From this point on in Revelation John sees things from the perspective of heaven.

Let us approach the book of Revelation with the heart of receiving a blessing from God as we are told in the beginning of the book. Over the next few weeks I will be presenting a series of studies on Revelation.


Revelation Chapter 1

In the very first chapter here we have this announcement to John in a vision

Revelation 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

The word Revelation is the word apokalypsis and it is the word from which we get apocalypse which we understand to mean (a prophetic revelation, esp. concerning a cataclysm in which the forces of good permanently triumph over the forces of evil, any revelation or prophecy.). This book is the vision given to John that was to reveal the work of Jesus in the last days of this world.



There is an identification of an angel speaking to John, at other times the Lord directly speaks to John and the elders also speak to John concerning what he saw. Most of what is in the book of John came by way of a vision. An easy way to explain a vision is that it is an insight into the spiritual realm that God functions in. A vision is usually related to a person through God's perspective. A lot of the time a vision is of things in the invisible realm that we can not normally see with our naked eye. The thing about the spiritual world it is an eternal realm and is not bound in time as we are bound in time so it is possible to see past, present, and future through a vision. So John in this vision is shown many things that have not yet taken place.

In verse we we see the scripture that promises a blessing for reading and hearing the words of this prophesy. So we know that from our reading and studying this book we will be blessed. That this book is not just an effort in symbolism and allegory, but one of blessing.

Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Also we are told to keep those things that are written in this prophecy. The one thing that has come down through history is the continual assault on the validity of the prophecies in this book. There have been many doctrines formed to try an explain why and how the prophesies here are not literal. How that all this is but allegorical and spiritual symbolism. But we are instructed to keep these prophesies and to not forget them so I believe that it is time that a more literal approach to the book of Revelation is necessary.

Then it says for the time is at hand. The one thing in dealing with God is that man has always had a hard time understanding Gods timing. Even the disciples questioned Jesus about His return. Man has been setting dates for all kinds of things in this book so I hope that we will just let things fall into their own time without reading to much into it. But the one thing you know that there is a people or generation that is going to read this when the actually calendar time has arrived for all this to take place.

In verse 4 John starts relating what he has recorded of the Revelation that he was shown. The first thing that John does is write and identifies who he was writing this beginning of the revelation to. But lets stop and ask a question at this point,why does John only identify seven Churches when there were many more than just seven Churches in Asia. One thing we can look at is the number seven. Seven has always been known as a number of completion, and it is a number considered as perfect in the sense that it completed so many things and it was the number people associated with God for when He completed creation. Seven is also known to stand for the eternal nature of God. Also the number seven is used to describe the Spirit of God in this by saying the seven spirits (or completeness of the work of the Holy Spirit) of God. So by mentioning the number seven John could have meant he was writing to all the Churches in Asia. But this is just speculation and for what reason John just wrote to the seven Church's only speculation and might always be just a point of speculation. The important thing is what these messages say to the Church and how they apply to us. The thing to remember that in God there is no time as we measure time. God exists in the eternal realm so the messages that are revealed to John can carry the past, present and future in their meaning because is all three at the same moment.

In the study next time we will deal with different aspects of the Churches in regards to present and continuing and future Church history. We will look at the different ways in which these messages can be interpreted and we will lay out a scenerio for these ideas. In these we will cover some things about Preterism, amillennialism, premillennialism in relating to the Church.

[Bloodbought]

You can never understand a book by reading only the last chapter. Thats how some people treat Revelation. All the images used in Revelation are either explained in the book of Revelation or are used elsewhere in the Bible.

To understand Revelation read the rest of the book first.

[Richard_1]

Revelation 1:5-9

Verse 5

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Here in Revelation 1:5 John establishes who it is that the Revelation is from and in so doing he covers many aspects of the character of Jesus. He calls Him the faithful witness, but just what faithful witness is that? It is the faithful witness of what and who God is. Jesus is the clear record of what God is. When you look at Jesus you see God. When Jesus was talking to Philip He said

John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

Verse6

And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Then John says that Jesus is the first begotten of the dead. The first to be resurrected from the grave, the first fruits of the resurrection. This establishing our way into heaven, our being passed from death unto life through the One giving the Revelation. And with our being passed into heaven He has made us kings and priests to God our Father.

Verse 7

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

John tells the Churchs that this same faithful witness will come again and we will see Him coming in the clouds and that this time no one will be ignorant about who is coming and for some that will not be a nice realization.

In the next verse John then establishes one of the most revealing scriptures about the trinity. He says that this faithful witness Jesus is the Alpha and omega, which literally means beginning and the ending.

Verse 8

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Also mentioned here is that Jesus is called the Almighty. In the scriptures we have another time that someone was described as the beginning and the ending and that person was the God of Israel.

Isaiah 44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

And Jesus adds to this idea by saying

John 10:30 I and my Father are one.

This has significant meaning when compared to what is said here in Revelation. The other point is the Almighty which again describes Jesus but also is used like this in other scriptures to describe God as the Almighty

Genesis 35:11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;

Verse 9

9I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

John then identifies the place where this vision started. He was on the island Patmos where it is thought that he had been banished to for preaching the gospel. It was on this island that John received the vision. John was taken into the day of the Lord by this vision. We sometimes are so stuck in linear time in our minds that it is hard to see how God could take you in a vision into the timeless realm of the Spirit. Here in that realm all things and events would be taking place and in this vision God took John to the events that were to come, the events of the end of the reign of the corruption that had been placed on this world.

In the next study we will see the beginning of the vision and the things which John sees and describes to us of where this vision emanated from.

[Richard_1]

Now John says that He was in the Spirit on the Lords day. This could mean Sunday or it could mean that the vision took John into the Lords day. So the first thing that John heard was a voice like a trumpet and that voice said

Revelation 1:11 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.

We have seen that the identity of the Alpha and Omega is Jesus and it clearly states that what Jesus is giving John in this part of the vision is for the Churches. Later we will see that after the Lord gives him the messages for the Churches John is called up into heaven to witness the things that come herafter or as the Greek words used (meta tauta) literally say "after these things". This we will see later how they affect the Revelation John is receiving.



Then John does something that none of the other writers in the New Testament have done. John then starts to describe Jesus as he saw Him in this vision. He also describes the surroundings that are there with Jesus. He sees seven golden candlesticks and they are later identified as the seven Churches.

Revelation 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks

And standing in the midst of the candlesticks (the Churches) is standing Jesus. John then describes the appearance of Jesus as he saw Him there.

Revelation 1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

This appearance of Jesus is quite different than the last time John saw Jesus before He ascended up to heaven. Here Jesus is no longer the servant that came but is in His glory and rightful authority as the Alpha and Omega.



There is one thing to notice here that is quite important.

Revelation 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength

Also it is mentioned that Jesus holds the keys that control hell

Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Jesus held the keys because death and hell were no able to keep Him. That by His resurrection he has conquered death and hell.



From Jesus mouth was the two edged sword which we know will divide between soul and spirit. Here we see that Jesus is also in the place of discerning mans intentions and heart. That nothing is hidden from the power of Gods word. We also see the seven stars, which are the angels, and are the messengers to the Churches. The messengers of God throughout the Bible have generally been actual angels so I would think here that these seven stars are actually angels.



Then Jesus gives John the commission to write this book.

Revelation 1:19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

Here also we are given the key to studying Revelation. It comes in three parts

1) the things seen (things that are past)

2) the things which are or the present ( history of the Churches)

3) and the things hereafter (meta tauta or literally after these things)

If you can keep these in their right place then it is not hard to see how Revelation unfolds as we read and study.



In the next study we start with the messages to the Church.

[Onesiphorus]

EXCellent, waiting with anticipation of some very interesting revelations of Revelation

[Richard_1]

In the message to the Church of Ephesis we have the person giving the message identified

Revelation 2:1 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;

Most people understand that It is the same person that is speaking that was identified in the first chapter as Jesus. I write this to reinforce the fact it is Jesus speaking to the Church's because later on this fact will become quite important.



Now one thing that we can look at in these messages to the Churchs is that even though there were many Churchs at that time there are only seven spoken of here. Now some say that this applies to just the Churches of that time, and some say that each Church message represents a period of Church history., and some say that this applies to the Church in our time. The fact is that all these ideas have merit because in our reading of the scriptures we find multiple meanings to many scriptures. So as we study this we can look and see how this applies.



I am going to take look at and talk about how these can be periods of Church history. Now we can see the existence of this seven Churchs today and we can see them in Johns day and we will see then in history.



The one thing that Jesus says to each Church is "I know thy works". In each message Jesus speaks of knowing their works and I believe it is more than just knowing what the works are but knowing the motives of their hearts that generate these works. Sometimes we as the Church loose sight of exactly what has motivated what we do and become blind to our motives. Jesus in writing to the Churchs sees the truth about this and speaks to every Church in the messages about their works.



To Ephesus He speaks

Revelation 2:2-3 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: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

Jesus says He knows there works, and their labor. Then He says this to them which I feel is part of the identifying that the Ephesus message was to the first period of Church history. Jesus says "and thy patience" to them. One of the things of the early Churchs was their belief that Jesus was coming back any minute. The Apostles and Jesus brother even thought that Jesus would come back in their life time

James 5:8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.



Romans 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed

Peter speaks of this eminency of the return of Jesus when he speaks of the thief in the night. This belief in the eminent return of Jesus was prevalent in the early Church. By the time John wrote this received this vision the church has been around for 60 yrs give or take. And most of the Church was starting to realize that Jesus might not return in their lifetime, that they would have to have patience in waiting on the return of the Lord. John even speaks of being a fellow companion in this patience

Revelation 1:9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

You can see that slowly the idea of patience in waiting on the return of Jesus was developing in the Church. Peter starts exhorting towards patience, So by the time John is writing the Church has started to realize that the coming of the Lord was probably not in their lifetime. So the patience of the Church was starting to be part of their identity. This did not come easy because as they got further away from the time of the cross the more people would scoff at the idea of His coming again. Their would have been those who would say "where is the promise of the Father and the coming of Jesus". The Church would have had to have great patience to listen to this and continue to believe in their heart about the coming of the Lord. They had to develop a patient waiting for the coming of the kingdom just as Jesus was patiently waiting for the fulfillment of the times of the Gentiles. Lets look at another historical point about the Church message to Ephesus.

Revelataion 2:2b how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles,

In the early church there were ministers who went from church to church who said they were apostles (they claimed apostleship and the authority of apostleship). But the early Church (first 80-120 yrs) were close enough to the original apostles for the Church to remember what true apostleship was and were more able to discern who was actually an apostle or not. They had been exposed to the true apostles (the apostles were generally the founders of the early Churches). Most of the early Churchs had seen what a true apostle was like and were able to discern this fact quite well. In Ephesus the Christians exercised discernment on those who came in and claimed to be apostles but were not. "You found them to be liars." The Lord commended them for their discernment. Later on in Church history it would have been harder for the Church to discern this having not seen the true office of apostleship demonstrated by the first apostles.



One of the other historical facts of the early Church was their dealing with poison or evil in the Church. In the early Church there were many false brethren and false teachings arise. Even Jesus said that this would happen. In the early Church there arose many who would write and stand against this evil coming into the Church. The first apologist were from this early Church. It is a sad thing when a Church can no longer purge the poison that can arise in it. Look at your body, when it gets an infection and the natural anti-bodies aren't working properly the body gets very sick and can even die.



You can see that the early Church was quite involved in labor in the Lord. There was a great period of Church building and much traveling and spreading the message of the Gospel in new areas. Paul was one that traveled much and was always going to areas that had not heard the Gospel before. Philip, Peter, Barnabas and many others were also traveling to new places and ministering the Gospel as Paul did. Yes there was a lot of labor and working in the early Church. But they also were told by the Lord that even in all that they had left their first love.

Revelation 2:4-5 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 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.

I think all Christians at one time or another fall into doing so many things for the Lord that after a while they find that that enthusiasim starts to fad a little and they find that things can become a chore instaed of the exciting adventure of serving the Lord. Sometimes we need to remember those days of the first touchh of the Lord in our life when we were so thrilled and overwhelmed by a love for Jesus that there was nothing more important than just fellowshipping with the Lord.



Jesus was telling this Church that they had fallen from this place, that that first love wasn't the center of their vision. We can forget that the Lord isn't so intent on our works for Him but wants us to just stop, and fellowship with Him. To stop and let love be the center of our actions and life. He also tells this Church that they should return to this love or He will take their candlestick away. The Lord is not going to continue to abide in a loveless Church. He will remove His Spirit from that work and all they will become is dead and lifeless. Let us all remember that first love and return to having a love relationship in our Churchs and our lives.



The last thing that the Lord brings out to them is their hate for the deeds of the Nicolaitans

Revelation 2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

We can determine what a Nicolaitan is by just defining the composition of the Greek word used in that scripture

Nikolaïtēs--- this is a compound of two words nike and laitos. Nike was used in describing victory or triumphing over someone. The word laitos meant people. So the literal meaning is triumph over the people. Jesus hated this and so did the Church and to see how it applies just look at the priesthood of Israel where eventually they became the rulers over all the people. What God started out as servants in the temple became the rulers over the people. Jesus came to do away with this idea and He called His apostles and disciple to become servants to one another not taking pre-eminance over one another.

In some charismatic Churchs you have what is called the shepherding doctrine where the shepherd of the flock or Church has the authority over the people. He can tell them who to marry, what to tithe, where they can live etc. Though this doctrine isn't as prevalent now you can still see the idea in the "touch not gods anointed" crud that some teachers are spouting when they are protecting their ministering and works. They see themselves as something special over the common Church member.



Our biggest example is the Catholic Church and its system of priesthood and laity. The exercise of authority over the people. The abuse of power and separation of the rulers (priests) and the commoners (laity). You will see as history progresses when the Nicolaitans infect the Church.



Then the Lord gives the Church of Ephesus this exhortation

Revelation 2:7 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.

[/quote]



Let us hear what the Spirit says and we to shall eat of the tree of life.

[Onesiphorus]

First rate study Richard_1

[Richard_1]

As we look at the message to the Church in Smyrna you will see that it is a Church of persecution. The Lord speaks of this persecution to them right from the start of His message to them. We will look at the historic place of Smyrna in the history of the Church in these messages.



It is believed that historically, Smyrna is the church that followed Ephesus. The Church suffered persecution at the hands of the Roman government and from the instigation of persecution by the Jews early on. After a peroid of time the Roman government became the main persecutor. This continued for the next couple of centuries (second to fourth centuries) and went through such tremendous persecution from the Roman government. It is thought that perhaps as many as six million Christians were martyred for their faith during the Roman government's attempt to wipe out Christianity.



Jesus begins His message to Smyrna by showing His eternal nature. That He rose from the grave and lives evermore

Revelation 2:8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;

Jesus was aware of the great affliction being suffered by the saints at Smyrna. He as the One who was dead and came alive to give them strength in the knowledge of His power over death and life. When you are at the hands of a persecutor and many are losing their life it is good to receive comfort and encouragement. Here Jesus is telling them of His power over death so that they when faced with death will have comfort that He went there first for them and that death can not hold them as it could not hold Jesus.



Jesus conquered the worst that life can do, He triumphed over pain and death and He offers us the way to victorious living. This letter was intended for the benefit of the Smyrna Christians to encourage them to be faithful unto death, or martyrdom, with no fear of the consequences.



Jesus then tells them that He knows what they are facing and what they are going through

Revelation 2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

The estimate of ourselves is one thing, but His estimate of us is far different. The estimate of the church of Smyrna of themselves was that of poverty. Jesus said, "Thou art rich." "Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith?" (James 2:5). This time of Smyrna was probably a very hard time. here they were believers in a way that made all the Jews made and that also frustrated and scared the Roman government because they were so given to Jesus that the government could not keep them in their control.



The brethren at Smyrna were probably ostracized by most society and it was probably hard to even work and make a living at times. Because persecution was so massive they were probably even unable to live in places very long before the people and the government rose up against them and they had to endure poverty and a lack of physical necessities. Polycarp was a disciple of John and the Bishop of Smyrna, and was martyred in 155 ad. It is significant, in a church whose members should suffer persecution and tribulation and have many martyred, that even the bishop of the church was put to death, he shared in the trials and sufferings with his flock. This condition of the Church persisted for several centuries before the persecutions eased up.



The Lord said "I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, they endured the blasphemy, slander and misrepresentation of the Jews who reviled, railed, and showed contempt against the Christians in Smyrna. The Jews considered themselves as the "synagogue of God" here though it says "but are the synagogue of Satan". Most of the early persecution that came in the early church was instigated and inspired by the Jews. Wherever Paul went, the Jews followed him and stirred up agitation in each city against him.



The term "Jew" refers to one who practices Judaism, and it isn't just a nationality. You can actually proselyte and become a Jew, that is, a worshiper of God through Judaism. Some Jews were claiming to be worshipers of God but they were not. They had their synagogues, but Jesus said of them that they were the synagogues of Satan.



Jesus tells them that they will be persecuted by the Jews

Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

The one thing you can say about the historical period of the Church of Smyrna is that they are remembered for the many who gave their lives for the Gospel and the Lord. There was not much in they way of divisions and strife during this time. A Church in persecution is always a strong Church. The commitment to the Lord is supreme and the life of the disciple reflects that commitment. There are two Churchs in the messages to the Church who were not called to repentance (Smyrna and Philadelphia). Tribulation never hurts the church. It always had a purifying effect. Smyrna is a church that was purified by persecution and Jesus is encouraging them to be faithful unto death and He will give them a crown of life.



Then Jesus tells them

Revelation 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

One thing often missed in this scripture is the statement he that has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says. The book of Revelation was meant to be read and that if you listened to the Spirit you would know what it was saying



When Jesus comes again to reign upon the earth and establishes His kingdom, Satan shall be bound for one thousand years and placed in the abyss. During this period Jesus will reign upon the earth in righteousness. The church will be reigning with Him as kings and priests. At the end of the thousand years, Satan will be loosed for a short season and will go throughout the world again to deceive the nations. He'll gather a great army to try to destroy Christ and to drive Him out of Jerusalem. This short period of time will be a trial for those who have never had a trial as far as their Christian walk is concerned. Those who have been forced to live righteously during the kingdom age will be given an opportunity to do otherwise. Then comes the judgement and the second death If we are faithful and perservere the persecutions and trials that we will over come the second death. The second death is explained to us in Revelation 20, when all the world (excluding Christians) stands before the Great White Throne Judgment of God. Death and hell will give up the dead and who's name is not found written in the Lamb's Book of Life shall be cast into the lake of fire, the second death. Those who overcome shall not be hurt of the second death. "Blessed and holy is he, who hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power" (Revelation 20:6).

[Gamin]

Revelation is one of my most favorite books, for it speaks of our future, and the hope we as Christians have in it.

The letter to the churches is not only letters to the church of that day, but represents the Church age, Churches of our day, and also individual characters in the church.

WE are close to the end of the Church age, making us, I believe ,the Philadelphia Church.
The Laodicean Church will be the one that enters the tribulation.

Is that the way you see it also?

I would not want to be one, who God desires to spew out of his mouth, in other words this Church makes him want to vomit .

[Onesiphorus]

Dear Gamin , why not open a thread concerning the 7 churches of revelation in theology ,I am sure it will be a well posted thread