What Is the Significance of the Seven Churches in Revelation?

[Indentured Servant]

You're coming, I think, very close to Gnosticism, or to Kabbalism. In order to avoid literal meanings, some religious groups try to insert "spiritual meanings" into literal items in order to read into the image whatever they, as so-called "prophets," wish to say.

Certainly, God uses symbolism. The Tabernacle was a reality with real uses in its own time. But it also symbolized final redemption that took place through Christ in the NT era. How specific the details of this building was! Clearly, there were reasons for every detail God required?

But when the Revelation indicates that 7 literal churches were being addressed, he did not say that the 7 churches were purely symbols of something else, marking the "allusion" more important than the specific objects. This is something you're saying, contrary to the guidelines given in the Revelation, that we should not "add" nor "subtract" anything in the book.

It's a warning I think we should take seriously. And it's not like I wish to be overly contentious with you. It's just that I don't want others to be shamed into thinking it is "less spiritual" to view things as literallly true, as opposed to some supposed "spiritual revelation" reserved for the initiated.

With due respect, I think we've reached an impasse. You expressed some measure of a thought that you feel responsible to protect others from considering something other than literal.. to avoid seeking the meaning of parables or visions, of which, Revelation is.

I know nothing of gnosticism nor kabbalism... I only know what I've asked Him to show me.

I am truly sorry to have caused such great concern. You either believe I've received information from an unclean Spirit, or you do not trust that I know God... Or both...

I plead 1 Corinthians 2:15.

Thank you for allowing me to dialog with you. I must be going now.

 

[for_his_glory]

Your statements and mine are not in contention with one another, based on what you just wrote. They may be speaking from different perspectives.

Who are they? How can there be different perspectives when scripture makes it perfectly clear that we need to be like the Church of Philadelphia. It's not about the Church being a building with a name above it's door, but that of the collective body of Christ in obedience to His commands.

 

[RandyK]

With due respect, I think we've reached an impasse. You expressed some measure of a thought that you feel responsible to protect others from considering something other than literal.. to avoid seeking the meaning of parables or visions, of which, Revelation is.

I know nothing of gnosticism nor kabbalism... I only know what I've asked Him to show me.

I am truly sorry to have caused such great concern. You either believe I've received information from an unclean Spirit, or you do not trust that I know God... Or both...

I plead 1 Corinthians 2:15.

Thank you for allowing me to dialog with you. I must be going now.

I'm sorry--I have to be frank in judgments like these. If we lose our anchor in the literal meanings of biblical statements we have no further basis by which to judge what is being said, and we can make anything into a symbol of what we want to believe.

So it is that important to me, as is maintaining civility and friendliness among believers. I have no hostility in this, and no condemnation--I'm big on symbolic meanings, as well. I just think the literal meaning holds primacy, in order to control excesses. The only exception would be if the Scripture itself is claiming the meaning is designed to be exclusively symbolic, and is interpreted as such. Then we would have no doubt.

The book of Revelation is highly symbolic, as I've noted elsewhere. I believe it was because John was a Roman captive and was not allowed, by God, to more explicitly attack the Roman government who were not in a position to understand the spiritual ramifications. They would see any attack on them as seditious, and the Gospel is designed to both judge and reach out to sinners.

I do see value in looking at symbolism because this is a normal linguistic tool to show parallels between one thing and another. For example, to call the 7 churches 7 lampstands is designed to show a parallel between the light in God's Temple and the light Christian assemblies are to emit.

But in this case, the symbolism is obvious, and it is does not render the literal application to 7 historical churches invalid. On the contrary, the prophecy is rooted in history and forms a precedent for future generations of Christian assemblies.

 

[locust]

The seven Churches in Asia Minor were real, but yet each one given specific instructions that are even for today within the Church and also within each of us to show forth the seven Spirits of God.

Isa 11:2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD

Rev 1:4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne

These are the seven Spirits mentioned in both these verses given to the Church and also each individual that are God's own.

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

“Signified it” is a verb phrase that means to make something known through signs, speech, or action.

its symbolism,the whole book is symbolism ,very little of it to be taken literally.

 

[for_his_glory]

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

“Signified it” is a verb phrase that means to make something known through signs, speech, or action.

its symbolism,the whole book is symbolism ,very little of it to be taken literally.

Revelation was given to John in visions as prophecies that had their beginnings in the Old Testament, being fulfilled in the New Testament and yet much to be fulfilled in future events before the great and terrible day of the Lords return.

Revelations is given to all nations and tongues that live throughout the whole world as in Jew and Gentile. Israel is mainly mentioned, but not all of Israel is Gods chosen people. Those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb are joined as a branch with Israel as God is the root of that branch and those who are sealed by His Holy Spirit are His own who find favor in Him, Romans 11:11-31. This is why our attention needs to be on those things that are happening in Israel especially Jerusalem as being Gods Holy City.

Revelations is full of symbolism that is literal where it needs to be and Spiritual where it needs to define that of the literal. These revelations are given as a warning to those who have yet to accept Jesus as Messiah. Gods chastisements are to draw those back to him in repentance before that door of salvation is closed forever when Jesus returns and Gods true Church is gathered up to be with the Father forever.

 

[miamited]

Personally, I've always seen them as teaching tools. Just as Jesus speaking in parables was a teaching tool. Jesus left us and his disciples began spreading the gospel and building what was, and has, become the 'church' among the people of the world. Those who are called out by God for their faith and repentance in Jesus and their sinfulness. Jesus wrote these letters fairly soon after he left us, (within 60 years) to show us how we were going to go astray, even among the practices of the 'church'. I don't believe that they represent any age or passage of time from his resurrection to his second coming. I believe he is just giving us fair warning to be careful what we hear and believe within our congregations of believers.

But I believe that it is worth noting that most of the 'churches' were veering off the path, but a few were staying pretty loyal.