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Topics Research

Question

Do the seven letters to the churches (Rev 2-3) correspond to sequential eras of church history? What historical evidence from primary sources supports or challenges this reading?

Topics

EPHESUS

  • Paul visits and preaches in ACT 18:19-21; 19; 20:16-38
  • Apollos visits and preaches in ACT 18:18-28
  • Sceva's sons attempt to expel a demon in ACT 19:13-16
  • Timothy directed by Paul to remain at 1TI 1:3
  • Paul sends Tychicus to 2TI 4:12
  • Onesiphorus lives at 2TI 1:18
  • The congregation at REV 1:11
  • Apocalyptic message to REV 2:1-7
  • See Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians EPH 1

LAODICEA

  • (A Phrygian city)
  • Paul's concern for COL 2:1
  • Epaphras' zeal for COL 4:13
  • Epistle to the Colossians to be read in COL 4:15,16
  • Message to, through John REV 1:11; 3:14-22

THYATIRA

  • The hometown of Lydia, a convert of Paul ACT 16:14
  • John given a message for REV 1:11; 2:18,24

PERGAMOS

  • (A city of Mysia)
  • One of the "seven congregations" in REV 1:11; 2:12-17

PERSECUTION

  • OF JESUS: GEN 3:15; PSA 2:1-5; 22:1-21; 69:1-21; ISA 49:7; 50:6; 52:14; 53:2-10; MAT 2:13; 26:3-4,59,67; 27:25-44; JHN 5:16; 7:1; 8:37-59; 10:31; 15:18-25; ACT 2:23; HEB 12:2-3
  • OF THE RIGHTEOUS: PSA 37:32; 44:15-22; 119:51,85-87,157; MAT 5:10-12,44; 10:16-23,28; 24:8-10; MRK 13:9-13; JHN 15:18-19; 16:1-2; ROM 8:17,35-37; 2CO 4:8-12; 2TI 3:12; HEB 11:33-38; 1PE 4:12-14; REV 2:3,10,13; 6:9-11; 7:13-17; 12:11; 17:6; 20:4
  • Diffuses the gospel ACT 8:1,4; 11:19-21; PHP 1:12-14
  • INSTANCES OF: Abel GEN 4:8; prophets martyred by Jezebel 1KI 18:4; Elijah 1KI 18:10; 19; Jeremiah JER 15:10; 18:18; 26; 37; 38:1-6; Daniel DAN 6; John the Baptist MAT 14:3-12; James ACT 12:2; Stephen ACT 6:9-15; 7; apostles ACT 4:3-18; 5:18-42; the church ACT 8:1; 9:1-14; Timothy HEB 13:23; John REV 1:9; Antipas REV 2:13; congregation at Smyrna REV 2:8-10

CHURCH

  • (Hebrew: qahal; Greek: ekklesia)
  • Called GOLDEN CANDLESTICK (lampstand) REV 1:20
  • Backslidden: REV 2:1-6,12-25; 3:1-4,14-20
  • Christ, Head of: REV 1:13; 2:1,9,12,13,18,19; 3:1,7; 5:6; 21:22,23; 22:16
  • List of congregations: Ephesus EPH 1:22; REV 2:1; Laodicea REV 3:14; Pergamos REV 2:12; Philadelphia REV 3:7; Sardis REV 3:1; Smyrna REV 2:8; Thyatira REV 2:18
  • Unity of: ROM 12:4-5; 1CO 12:12-27; EPH 4:4-6
  • Triumphant: REV 3:12; 21:3,10

APOSTASY

  • Described DEU 13:13; HEB 3:12
  • Caused by persecution MAT 24:9,10; LUK 8:13
  • Caused by worldliness 2TI 4:10
  • Shall abound in the latter days MAT 24:12; 2TH 2:3; 1TI 4:1-3
  • Unclassified scriptures: DEU 32:15; JER 17:5,6; MAT 13:20-21; 24:10,12; 2TH 2:3,11,12; 1TI 4:1,2; 2TI 3:1-9; 4:3,4; HEB 6:4-8; 10:26-29; 2PE 2:1,15,17,20-22
  • Instances: Israelites EXO 32; Judas MAT 26:14-16; Hymenaeus/Alexander 1TI 1:19,20

LUKEWARMNESS

  • FIGURATIVE: JER 9:3; EZK 13:5; 16:30; HOS 6:4; 10:2; HAG 1:2,4-11; 2:15,16; MAT 26:41; REV 2:4; 3:2,15,16
  • See BACKSLIDING; BLINDNESS, SPIRITUAL
  • INSTANCES OF:
  • Reubenites (Deborah's time) JDG 5:16
  • Jews under Nehemiah NEH 3:5; 13:11
  • Pergamos REV 2:14-16
  • Thyatira REV 2:20-24
  • Sardis REV 3:1-3
  • Laodicea REV 3:14-16

PERSEVERANCE

  • General scriptures: JOB 17:9; PSA 37:24; PRO 4:18; MAT 10:22; 24:13; JHN 6:37,39,40; 10:28,29; 15:4-9; ROM 8:30,33-39; 1CO 1:8,9; 15:58; PHP 1:6; 2TI 1:12; HEB 6:11,12; 10:23,35,36; 12:1-15; JAS 1:4,12; 1PE 1:4-7; REV 2:7,10,11,17,25-28; 3:5,11,12,21; 14:12; 16:15; 21:7,8; 22:11

FAITHFULNESS

  • Exhortation to: PSA 12:1; 31:23; PRO 20:6; 28:20; MAT 10:22; 1CO 4:2; REV 2:10
  • Instances: Abraham GAL 3:9; Moses HEB 3:5; David 2SA 22:22-25; Elijah 1KI 19:10,14; Job JOB 1:21,22; 2:9,10
  • OF GOD: See GOD, FAITHFULNESS OF

CROWN

  • Prescribed for priests EXO 29:6; 39:30; LEV 8:9
  • Worn by kings 2SA 1:10; 12:30; REV 6:2
  • Of thorns MAT 27:29; MRK 15:17; JHN 19:5
  • FIGURATIVE: ISA 28:5; 1CO 9:25; 2TI 4:8; JAS 1:12; 1PE 5:4; REV 2:10; 3:11
  • SYMBOLICAL: REV 4:4,10; 6:2; 9:7; 12:1,3; 13:1; 14:14; 19:12

NICOLAITANES

  • General scriptures concerning REV 2:6,15

JEZEBEL

  • Daughter of Ethbaal, wife of Ahab 1KI 16:31
  • Idolatress and persecuted prophets of God 1KI 18:4,13,19; 2KI 3:2,13; 9:7,22
  • Vowed to kill Elijah 1KI 19:1-3
  • Wickedly accomplishes death of Naboth 1KI 21:5-16
  • Death foretold 1KI 21:23; 2KI 9:10
  • Death at hand of Jehu 2KI 9:30-37
  • FIGURATIVE: REV 2:20

BALAAM

  • (Son of Beor) From Mesopotamia DEU 23:4
  • A soothsayer JOS 13:22; A prophet NUM 24:2-9; 2PE 2:15,16
  • Balak sends for, to curse Israel NUM 22:5-7; JOS 24:9; NEH 13:2; MIC 6:5
  • Anger rebuked by his ass NUM 22:22-35; 2PE 2:16
  • Counsel of, an occasion of Israel's corruption with Midianites NUM 31:16; REV 2:14,15
  • Covetousness of 2PE 2:15; Jude 1:11
  • Death of NUM 31:8; JOS 13:22

DOCTRINES (FALSE)

  • General scriptures: JHN 7:16,17
  • FALSE: MAT 5:19; 15:9,13; ROM 16:17,18; GAL 1:6-8; COL 2:4,8,18-23; 1TI 1:3,4,6,7,19; 4:1-3,7; 6:3-5; 2TI 2:14,16-18; 3:6-9; TIT 1:10,11,14; HEB 13:9; 2PE 2:1-22; 1JN 4:3; REV 2:14,15,20

PARADISE

  • The place of glorified spirits LUK 23:43; 2CO 12:4; REV 2:7
  • See EDEN

MANNA

  • General scriptures: EXO 16:4-35; NUM 11:6-10; DEU 8:3,16; JOS 5:12; NEH 9:20; PSA 78:24; JHN 6:31,49,58
  • Preserved in the ark of the testimony EXO 16:33; HEB 9:4
  • FIGURATIVE: JHN 6:48-51; 1CO 10:3; REV 2:17

TREE

  • Of life GEN 2:9; 3:22,24; REV 22:14
  • Of knowledge GEN 2:9,17; 3:3-6,11,12,17
  • FIGURATIVE: PSA 1:3; JER 17:8
  • SYMBOLICAL: DAN 4:10-12