I continued to study about the ten letters for the ten churches. ChristineES asked, WHO DO YOU THINK THESE CHURCHES REPRESENT? (12-12-2013, 02:23 PM).
At the time when Jesus asked John to write these seven letters, a Christian congregation had been established in each of the seven cities named. These cities were so located on interconnecting Roman highways that it was possible to visit each of them in the order in which they are listed. The Roman Imperial Post may have regularly visited them in this order in the course of handling mail. All the Seven Cities stand on the great circular road that bound together the most populous, wealthy, and influential part of the Province of Asia.
But in a book like Revelation that abounds with symbols, are we to assume that the seven congregations in these seven cities were the only audiences to whom the messages were directed? Or do the seven churches represent, let us say, different conditions of different churches at any and all times? Are the seven messages general admonitions intended for everybody? Do they, perhaps, stand for seven successive phases in the experience of the whole church from John's day to the end of the world? Are the messages in all the letters perhaps intended for everybody? Let us look at these possibilities. What the Bible says in this regard?
[1]. FOR LOCAL CONGREGATIONS. The seven letters speak of some things that had already happened or that were in process of happening at the time Revelation was written. "YOU [in Ephesus] have abandoned the love you had at first." Revelation 2:4. "YOU [in Pergamum] have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam." Revelation 2:14. "YOU [in Thyatira] tolerate the woman Jezebel." Revelation 2:20. "YOU [in Philadelphia] have kept my word and have not denied my name." Revelation 3:8. "YOU [in Laodicea] say, I am rich." Revelation 3:17.
Obviously, these statements must have been true in respect to the local congregations at the time John wrote; otherwise, when the letters arrived, the local Christians would have said, "John surely doesn't know what he's talking about!" So, yes, the letters do deal with conditions in local congregations in John's day.
CONCLUSION. In that period of time there were more than only seven Asian Christian churches. Why did God send His letters only to those seven and not to all? If we go deeper in this study, we will understand that the seven cities were representative for some special details of the prophetic design of God.
[2]. FOR EVERYONE. The ending of every letter contains the words, "HE who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." The lessons in all the letters apply to everyone everywhere. And so do the promises. Jesus introduces the promises again and again with the phrase, "HE who conquers." He says, for example, that "he who conquers" will receive of the hidden manna, "He who conquers" will walk with Him in white, and "He who conquers" will sit down with Him in His throne, and so on. The promises were intended for everyone in need of encouragement for everyone facing pressures today as well as for martyrs facing wild beasts long ago. They are for EVERYONE who "has an ear," that is, for EVERYONE who is willing to listen.
[3]. FOR DENOMINATIONS AND RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS. But though the promises are for everyone who is willing to listen, the letters as a whole are addressed to "CHURCHES." They are directed primarily to GROUPS. As social beings, we are all organic parts of the organizations we belong to, influencing them and in turn being influenced by them. We are all more or less responsible for the faults of the groups with which we identify and are worthy of their rewards. For this reason, as we observed in Daniel 9, the prophet Daniel confessed the sins of his GROUP, sins that he had not committed personally, and he asked God to forgive "US."
So, just as the letters applied to seven local churches at one time, and just as they apply to individuals every¬where and at all times, it is evident that they also apply to the various condi¬tions of the church that is, to the var¬ious conditions of congregations, denominations, and movements at all times.
[4]. I think we need to resolve a difficulty before discussing about a fourth possibility:
The Bible says, Then Peter opened his mouth and said: In truth I perceive that GOD SHOWS NO PARTIALITY. Acts 10:14 NKJV
When some waves of Roman persecution came, all the seven churches were persecuted in the same time. In this case, why did God warned only the church in Smyrna, Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.? (Revelation 2:10. In symbolic prophecies, a prophetic day means a real year; therefore Smyrna was to suffer a special period of cruel persecution 10 years /303-313/ under Diocletian). If God shows no partiality, why all the seven churches were not alike alerted to the Diocletian persecution which they were all to experience? Why only Smyrna? How can we resolve this difficulty of interpretation?
