EPHESUS. First phase of Church history. Began at the end of the apostolic age when the Apostle John wrote. Succeeded by Smyrna.
SMYRNA. A period of persecution allowed by God as a voice to the Church, which in the preceding stage had been marked by decline of “first love.” Succeeded by Pergamos.
PERGAMOS. The period marked by the alliance of the Church with the world, beginning about the time of the Emperor Constantine. Succeeded by Thyatira.
THYATIRA. That phase of the Church in which corruption asserted itself, and is seen full blown in Roman Catholicism. Represents the whole Church till Sardis appeared, when Thyatira still pursued her way, but as contemporaneous with Sardis, and later with Philadelphia, and later still with Laodicea.
SARDIS. God in mercy gave a purer testimony to His Word. This resulted in Protestantism. Contemporaneous with Thyatira, and later with Philadelphia, and still later with Laodicea.
PHILADELPHIA. Represents rather a moral than an ecclesiastical movement. It represents a moral recovery from the departure that set in at Ephesus. Contemporaneous with Thyatira and Sardis, and later with Laodicea.
LAODICEA. A moral movement representing the full declension that set in in Ephesus, a n d stands in vivid contrast to Philadelphia. Contemporaneous with Thyatira, Sardis, and Philadelphia. The last phase of Church history.
The seven churches appear to be divided into three and four, inasmuch as the exhortation, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches,” occurs in the case of the first three churches before the reward is held out to the overcomer, as if to indicate that the appeal is made to the whole Church; whereas in the last four churches the exhortation to hear is given after the reward is held out to the overcomer, as if to indicate that it is no longer the Church as a whole that is looked to for response, but rather the overcomer alone.
It is to be carefully observed that as soon as Sardis appears alongside of Thyatira, Church testimony as a whole is gone, never to be revived as long as the Church is upon earth. The testimony of the whole Church under the Thyatira phase was so corrupt that the Lord could not allow it to continue. And yet there was mercy in this, for collective testimony was brought to an end by the introduction of a revived and purified testimony being placed alongside it, even Sardis, answering to the great revival of the Reformation; but more of that anon.
We do not wish to assert that there is not and cannot be effective and practical testimony to Church truths, but it is only a remnant that can give such testimony. The Church, as a whole, will never again give it. Collective testimony, that is the testimony of the Church as a whole, came to an end in the corruption of Thyatira (Roman Catholicism).
Ephesus.
As we intend to keep this book within modest dimensions, the reader must expect a rapid sketch rather than a detailed examination.
Observe in this address to the church at Ephesus the solemn introduction of the Lord as the One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, and walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; His commendation of all that can be praised; the enumeration of their good deeds, not few nor costing little, yet the sad absence of any indication of the spring of these services.
He could speak of their works, their labor, their patience; yet how different is it from the way that the Spirit of God could say to the Thessalonian Christians: “Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father” (1 Thess. 1:33Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; (1 Thessalonians 1:3)). How the Spirit of God loves to give all the credit He can, but gives no more than is strictly due. So the silence of Scripture often discloses sadness, as in this case.
But the feelings of the Spirit of God cannot be restrained. In faithfulness He lays His finger on the sore spot. In remonstrance all the more powerful because of its restraint and brevity He says: “Nevertheless I have... against thee, because thou hast left thy first love” (Rev. 2:44Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. (Revelation 2:4)). The word “somewhat,” printed in italics, should not be in the text. It weakens the sorrowful charge. And then the Spirit adds: “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works” (verse 5). It is as if the Church had fallen from some lofty height, and lay crushed and bleeding at the bottom of some awful precipice.
Behold in this departure from first love the germ of every evil in the Church, whether seen in the unspeakable corruption of Thyatira, or the deadness and self-complacency of Laodicea. The touching reproof and appeal of the Lord speaks to our hearts that He values our love, and it is in the healthful exercise of this bond that we shall be kept. May this have a special voice to each one of us at this present time.
The threat to remove the candlestick evidently had not the effect it should have had, for, viewing things from the prophetic, and not the local standpoint, we find the Ephesian phase passes away to give place to the Smyrna stage —the candlestick was removed.
The overcomer in the Ephesian Church will have the reward of eating of the tree of life in the Paradise of God. The Tree of Life is Christ, and it means that if through God's grace and the supply of His Spirit the believer is able to withstand the chilling influences of the moment, and is characterized by whole-hearted love for the Lord, when heaven comes Christ Himself will be the food and delight of his soul—a full reward indeed for overcoming every difficulty down here.
Smyrna.
To this church the shortest address is given, and in it not a word of rebuke is said. We must not, however, suppose that everything was perfect. God allowed the Church in that period to go through much tribulation. It is as if the Lord, jealous of the affection of His people, permitted the persecution as a means of recovery.
The prophecy is here given that the devil should cast some into prison, and that tribulation for ten days should be their portion. There were indeed ten distinct pagan persecutions, possibly referred to in the prophecy. The following list gives the name of the Emperor under whom the persecution occurred, and the approximate year of its outburst.
1. Nero — AD 54
2. Domitian — AD 81
3. Trajan — AD 98
4. Adrian — AD 117
5. Septimus Severus — AD 193
6. Maximin — AD 235
7. Decius — AD 249
8. Valerian — AD 254
9. Aurelian — AD 270
10. Diocletian — AD 284
Doubtless persecution generally marked the whole period, but there were these ten distinct outbursts.
How encouraging the reward to the overcomer that he should not be hurt of the second death. Man may kill the body, but he has no power to kill the soul.
Pergamos.
The down-grade of that with which the name of Christ was connected is sadly evidenced in this assembly in the statement, twice repeated, that it dwelt where Satan had his seat. In the Smyrna phase we have seen how Satan sought to overthrow Christianity by attacking it from without; here he seeks another method, that of undermining it from within. His former effort had, indeed, under God's overruling hand, only purified the Church, and now what the persecuting emperors, acting as Satan's agents, had failed to encompass, the patronizing emperor—Constantine—accomplished, namely, the ruin of the Church.
Constantine, in the fourth century, was the first emperor to be favorable to the Christians. He repealed the persecuting edicts of former emperors, placed Christians in high positions in place of pagans, and generally corrupted Christianity by his favors and patronage. True he was not actually baptized as a nominal Christian till a few days before his death, but his attitude towards Christianity throughout began that unholy alliance between Church and State. His influence made the Church a political power in the world, thus destroying its proper character and wrecking its true testimony.
Thus was begun that grafting of pagan observances on to Christianity, and the transformation of pagan feast days into Christian feast days, which developed into the depths of corruption seen in Thyatira.
Pergamos, though sound evidently as to the profession of Christian doctrines, tolerated those who held the doctrines of Balaam and of the Nicolaitanes.
We have Scripture to tell us what the doctrines of Balaam were. He was a false prophet who seduced the Israelites into the two sins of idolatry and fornication. Certainly his doctrines, finding root in Christian soil, are seen in full bloom in the idolatry of Roman Catholicism, the canonizing and veneration of saints and of the Virgin Mary, and in the fornication, which, if taken in a spiritual sense, consists in the friendship of the world as cultivated by the Church. Friendship with the world is spiritual adultery. “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?” (James 4:44Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. (James 4:4)).
The origin and doctrines of the Nicolaitanes are wrapped in obscurity, but all are agreed that their doctrines must have been impure and unholy.
Thyatira.
In Thyatira we behold the full-bloom development of the patronage the world showed towards the Church. Up to this point we find the Church sound as to fundamentals. The evil is at worst only tolerated among them. The mass is sound in faith. In Thyatira, however, we strike a more terrible note. Corruption has done its awful work till the whole mass is leavened.
A name of grave import is introduced, that of Jezebel, the shamelessly wicked queen of Ahab, now used, we believe to symbolize the utterly wicked influence of Rome.
No wonder that the infidel historian, Gibbon, in writing the history of those times should say, “The history of the Church is the annals of hell.”
Corruption and wickedness rose to such a height that God came in, and by giving a revived testimony, as the result of the glorious Reformation, took away from Roman Catholicism its testimony as the whole Church. Its testimony was indeed one of wickedness and corruption, and no wonder that God came in and broke up that testimony and divided the professing Church.
Yet even in Thyatira there are those, who have not known the depths of Satan, and upon them is put “none other burden”; that is, they are left where they are. Sincere, and ignorant of the awful system in which they find themselves, they can walk before God in integrity of soul.
Notice this is the first church of the seven in which the hope of the Lord's coming is brought in. “I will give him [the overcomer] the morning star,” and this is one of the proofs that it will go on to the end.
Sardis.
Yet the Spirit of God can speak of the things which remain, but describes them as about to die. He also calls upon the Church to remember how it had received and heard, and exhorts it to hold fast and repent. Evidently it speaks of great recovery in contrast with the awful corruption of Thyatira.
Is this not all seen in the glorious Reformation? What Christian can read the stirring histories of Wycliff, Huss, Luther, Melancthan, Zwingli, Farel, Knox, Calvin, without being moved to his deepest depths in thankfulness to God for such a movement of God's Spirit with which they were connected?
Alas! how has the fine gold become dimmed. As soon as the Reformation in Germany leaned on the arm of princes it ceased to spread vigorously, and much of Germany is mainly Roman Catholic to this day, whilst whole countries such as Austria, Italy, and Spain have been practically untouched by it.
Yet as these lines are penned in a so-called Protestant land, and one rejoices in an open Bible and liberty of conscience, one cannot but thank God for such a work of His Spirit, bearing wonderful fruit even to this day.
Yet the record in Revelation 3:1-61And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. 2Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 3Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. 4Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. 5He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. 6He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (Revelation 3:1‑6) only gives us a picture of the present state of Protestantism, that is of utter deadness. Alas! how this characterizes Protestantism today. The Lutheran Church is a striking example of it.
Philadelphia and Laodicea.
Roman Catholicism (Thyatira) and Protestantism (Sardis), together stand for the great ecclesiastical systems into which Christendom is divided. Philadelphia is found rather in a moral movement of the Spirit of God. We may learn much by contrasting Philadelphia with Laodicea. Both, we believe, stand for moral movements in these last times—Philadelphia standing for the greatest moral recovery to what Ephesus was corporately at the beginning; Laodicea standing for the greatest moral departure from the same. Philadelphia is characteristically caught up at the coming of the Lord; Laodicea, spued out of His mouth.
And cannot we see these two lines clearly marked in these days? True it is that we are in Laodicean days, but it is also as true that Philadelphia as a testimony will go on to the end.
The word Philadelphia means brotherly love. The Lord sets before that church an open door, which no man can shut. What a comfort this is to the earnest seeking soul. It is not that any need look for great attainments in themselves, or in others, for Philadelphia is characterized by “little strength.” But there is the keeping of Christ's word and not denying His name. May these features characterize each one of us. To be governed by these is to be Philadelphian in character; whilst to claim to be Philadelphian is the sure road to Laodiceanism, that is to say, any assumption on our part is fatal to true spiritual progress.
Further, there is a great promise given to Philadelphia: “Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Rev. 3:1010Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. (Revelation 3:10)).
This verse settles once and forever that the Church will not go through the great tribulation. Suppose someone, who believes that the Church will go through the great tribulation, argues that the universal hour of temptation is not the great tribulation; we answer, if his contention is true, it can only strengthen our position. It is clear that the “great tribulation” occurs in the second half of Daniel's seventy weeks. And further, the second half of Daniel's seventy weeks brings us to the very end of God's governmental ways on the earth before the personal reign of Christ in the Millennium is set up.
Now if the Church is taken away from the universal hour of temptation, if it is contended that this is prior to the great tribulation, then it clearly follows the Church is taken away before that great tribulation occurs. And if the Church is taken away before the universal hour of trial starts, it is unthinkable that God would replace her on the earth to stand the brunt of the fiercest and last bit of trial. There is not one word of Scripture to give countenance to such an idea.
The language of our verse is most explicit. It does not say, “I will keep thee from the temptation,” but “I also will keep thee from the HOUR of temptation.” Indeed the language could not be more forcible, for it literally reads, “I will keep thee from (εκ Greek — out of) the hour of temptation.” And seeing the trial is universal, there is no haven of refuge by fleeing from one part of the earth to another. The only possible way to be kept out of the hour of trial, is by being taken out of TIME altogether, and that means being put into eternity.
Moreover, the next verse clearly points to the way that this will take place, namely, the coming of the Lord to take His people out of this world. He says: “Behold, I come QUICKLY: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown” (vs. 11).
So that the trials bursting upon this world, as narrated in Revelation 4 and on, the believer will have no part in, but the reward of keeping the word of Christ's patience will be his translation before these judgments occur. Seeing the trials are the governmental judgments of God upon this world because of their rejection of Christ, and especially of the Jew as in the great tribulation, which is distinctly called “the time of Jacob's trouble” (see Jer. 30:77Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. (Jeremiah 30:7)), and seeing that the Christians have on the contrary accepted Christ, and borne rejection by the world because Christ is rejected, it is quite understandable how the Lord will not allow His Church to pass through that universal hour of trial. What a cheer to the heart of the Christian to hold on to the end. The Lord's coming is indeed nigh.
To turn to the contemplation of Laodicea for a moment, one is struck by the entire change of atmosphere.
In Philadelphia we find no assumption; the Lord credits them with the keeping of His word and not denying His name; He gives the promise of His coming; and the beautiful reciprocal attitude of the Lord and His people is to be noted.
In Laodicea we get full-blown assumption: blind people professing to see, naked people professing to be well clothed, poor people spiritually professing to be rich. The whole description is of self-satisfaction, assumption, loud profession without any reality, accompanied by nauseating lukewarmness. Here the Lord speaks as outside the whole thing, as indeed He is, but yet His gracious voice sounds an invitation in case some individual may hear and respond.
Beside standing generally for a loud but empty profession of Christianity, would not such concrete cases as Higher Criticism, Modernism, Millennial Dawnism, Christian Science, Seventh Day Adventism, Mormonism, Christadelphianism, illustrate what Laodicea means? The spueing out doubtless will take place when the Church is caught up, for what is left behind is in reality spued out of Christ's mouth.
Thus in this very cursory examination of these churches we see laid out for us the whole history of the responsible. Church upon the earth from the Apostle John's day to the second coming of Christ.
We are living in the days of “the things that are,” and these close when the Lord comes for His own.