Mon.’s Devo - The Seven Churches

Read: Revelation 1-5
Revelation is a book that is being revealed in our lifetime. God is slowly pulling back the veil and bringing its meaning into light. I will give you what I think is revelation but I would encourage you to search out the truths of this book for yourself. Revelation is the revelation of Jesus, himself. He is the one who walks through the candlesticks in all his glory and held the seven stars in his hand. Notice that the churches that this revelation was sent to were all Gentile churches. (Acts 13:44-48; Romans 11:25-29) This is a book given to the Gentile bride. It is the book of her history where each church represents a time in the history of the Church. The messenger of each of the churches was a specific man that God used to bring his main message. The message related to what was going on during that time and what pleased God and what didn’t. It would take a book to talk about each church in detail so I’m going to give you the time frame of each church and let you research the events of that church.
The first church it addresses is Ephesus. The first church represents the time of the early church till 170 A.D. Paul founded the church in Ephesus and he is the messenger. The first church had an enemy - the Nicolaitans. Nicolaitans means “to conquer the laity”. Corrupt leaders sprang up to do this very thing. Each church grows in its good qualities and its bad so this spirit is culminated in the church of Laodecia.
The second church is Smyrna (170 A.D. - 312 A.D.). The messenger was probably Irenaeus who was a disciple of Polycarp. He was militant against formalized religion who served in France. He stood for a unified, Spirit-filled, gift-manifesting local church which manifested the power of God.
The third church was Pergamus (312 A.D - 606 A.D.). The messenger of that time was the bishop Martin who fought against idolatry. He walked in incredible authority, humility and in supernatural power. Meanwhile, the anti-christ spirit was growing more and more in the false church.
The fourth church was Thyratira (606 A.D. - 1520 A.D.). The messenger of the age was Columba of Ireland who walked in the same supernatural power the apostles walked in. He evangelized much of Ireland and Scotland.
The fifth church was Sardis (1520 A.D. - 1750 A.D.). Martin Luther was the messenger of the time. The Nicolaitans had evolved into the Roman Catholic Church which was rising in power and apostasy.
The sixth church was Philadelphia (1750 A.D. -1906 A.D.). The messenger was John Wesley.
The seventh church is Laodicean which means “people’s rights”. Who knows who the messenger is and when it will end but it is our age. Our counsel is to buy of God gold tried in the fire so that we might be rich, and white garments to cloth us and anointing on our eyes so that we might see. Trials bring gold, the blood of Jesus gives us righteousness garments, and the Holy Spirit anoints us to see.
Lord, may we see our condition and repent. May we overcome and be ready when you come again.