Christ is the light.īearing His light in the world is the Church’s primary purpose. The churches do not create the light they reflect it.
Christ was standing in His rightful place amid the churches.Įvery church-then and now-has the opportunity to be a lampstand shining forth Christ’s light in a dark world. John’s vision was a physical representation of this imagery. Jesus came as the “light of the world” (John 1:9 8:12) and then commissioned us to be “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). Standing among them was “One like the Son of Man” (verse 13). When Christ appeared to John, he saw seven lampstands representing the seven churches. In this context of persecution, John received the most detailed vision of things to come given to any apostle. Exile was a horrible sentence, second only to the death penalty. Having been the overseer of the churches in Asia Minor, he was banished from society by the Romans to reduce his religious influence (verse 9). In Revelation 1, we find the apostle John in exile on the tiny island of Patmos. 1 The Role of the Churches (Revelation 1:9-13) Estimates place the current number of Christians at about two percent of Turkey’s population. Persecution has been an ongoing threat to Christianity in Asia Minor, particularly since Constantinople fell to the Ottomans in 1453. It was also known for its medical school and costly fabrics. Laodicea, the ancient capital of Phrygia, gained wealth through trade and banking. Philadelphia, the “Gateway to the East,” was renowned for its grapes, textiles, and leather goods.ħ.
SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD EXPLAIN SERIES
Sardis, the ancient capital of the Lydian kingdom, was situated atop a plateau and sustained a series of foreign conquests.Ħ. Lydia, one of Paul’s converts, came from this region (Acts 16:14).ĥ. Thyatira, founded under Alexander the Great, was noted for its trade, particularly purple dye. Pergamos, the location of Rome’s provincial capital, was a major cultural hub that housed a library rivaling the famed Alexandrian library.Ĥ. In the second century A.D., Rome martyred Polycarp, its bishop.ģ. Smyrna, the home of Homer and the temple of Athena, was a beautiful, bustling seaport. Founded by Paul, this was the most prominent church in Asia Minor.Ģ. Ephesus, the loveless church, was located at a major harbor on the Aegean Sea and housed one of the seven wonders of the ancient world (a temple to Artemis). Named for their geographical locations, the churches were strategically located along a major Roman road.ġ. What Are the Seven Churches of Revelation?Įphesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea were literal churches that existed in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) during the first century A.D.
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