Things to Come (4)

What is the two-fold purpose of the book of the Revelation?

Revelation 1:1 KJV 1900

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

The first purpose of the book of the Revelation is to reveal Christ.

The second purpose of the book of the Revelation is to “shew [make known] unto his servants [not just John] things which must shortly come to pass.”

Within Revelation chapter 1, we have the description and declaration of Jesus Christ, the Son of Man.

How would you sum up the description and declaration of Jesus Christ?

I shared this last week from Warren Wiersbe:

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter One: A Very Special Book (Revelation 1)

This vision of Christ was totally different in appearance from the Saviour that John knew “in the flesh” when He was ministering on earth. He was not the “gentle Jewish carpenter” that sentimentalists like to sing about. He is the risen, glorified, exalted Son of God, the Priest-King who has the authority to judge all men, beginning with His own people (

Before we get to chapters 2 and 3, let’s take a look, for just a moment at the apostle John.

Revelation 1:9–10 KJV 1900

I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

It was nearing the end of the first century. It had been about 50 years since Christ’s death, burial, resurrection, and return to glory.

Christ had not yet returned as He had said He would and as Paul had taught that He would (which I’m sure was a little discouraging).

John is old and physically worn. John was the “last one left.” All the other apostles were gone - including Paul. Sure, there were other Christians but all of his close friends that had been there at the very beginning; Christ’s disciples who had spent 3.5 years with him were all gone. He had no one to remenince with; to talk about the “good ole days” with!

John was lonely.

Because of this, I’m sure that John just wanted “to go home.”

John is suffering physical persecution. (He had been exiled to the Isle of Patmos.) Things had not gotten better for Christians; they had increasingly gotten worse.

Not only was their physical persecution but the church was facing downright heresy. (Which both Paul and John had dealt with in their writings.)

The battles that John faced were physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental.

But John was also faithful. At the time it may not have seemed to be significant. This old man, on the Isle of Patmos, by himself having a “church service,” but it led to one of the greatest books of the Bible - the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ!

This consideration of the apostle John is important because it parallels how many Christians are “feeling” today (and I have had some Christians lament of these very same things to me).

We believe that Christ will return but He hasn’t yet!

As we get older, we begin to see friends and family go on to glory ahead of us and we begin to get a little lonely.

As we get older, we do get tired in spite of God’s admonition to us…

Galatians 6:9 KJV 1900

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

We see the world getting worse and worse and although we believe in the power of God to change lives, we begin to doubt that there will be a wholesale change and return to God in our country much less across the entire world.

Christians are drifting further from the truth. At the same time, Satan is being more effective than ever before of using error to keep people away from the truth.

As Christians, we are tired and we just want to go Home!

We feel, in many ways, as did Jacob when, in Genesis chapter 47, Pharaoh asked him, “How old are you?”

Genesis 47:9 KJV 1900

And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.

But, as with the Apostle John, we must stay faithful and we must remember, and take to heart God’s admonition (which I shared just moments ago)…

Galatians 6:9 KJV 1900

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Now we come to Revelation chapters 2 and 3…

In these two chapters we are introduced to 7 literal churches.

Revelation 1:11 KJV 1900

Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

The Seven Churches of Revelation

These 7 churches were real congregations facing genuine struggles during the first century in Asia Minor.

Most Bible scholars understand that, while these 7 churches were real congregations, that they were also representative of 7 different, distinct periods of church history.

At the time, John and these 7 churches would not have understood that but it is much easier for us to understand that as we look back at church history.

Note: We are not going to take the time to study through these two chapters. Church History encompasses a great deal and it is an amazing study to undertake. (Preacher Boys in college will spend at least an entire year studying Church History.)

Briefly, though, a look at these 7 churches and their correspondence to church history…

Ephesus: A.D. 70-A.D. 170

This mirrors the time of the Apostolic Church. However, because of doctrinal error, the Apostolic Church had begun to drift away from the Truth.

Smyrna: A.D. 170-A.D. 312

The name Smyrna means crushed.

This mirrors the time of great persecution against Christianity which lasted until the time of the Roman emperor, Constantine.

Pergamos: A.D. 312-A.D. 606

The name Pergamos means married. And that is exactly what the Roman emperor did; he married Christianity with the Roman Empire. Christianity became the “official” religion of the Roman Empire.

From there we have the beginnings of the Roman Catholic church.

Thyatira: A.D. 606-A.D. 1520

In world history, this corresponds to and includes what we call, in history, the Dark Ages.

Sardis: A.D. 1520-A.D. 1750

The name Sardis means escaping one.

This time period corresponds to the time of the Reformation.

Martin Luther, a Catholic priest, after studying the Bible for himself, came to the realization that “the church” was wrong and, on October 31, 1517, he nailed his 95 Theses on the church door at Wittenberg, Germany.

Philadelphia: A.D. 1750-A.D. 1900

This period in church history was known for the revivals that were experienced and the missionary zeal which was seen as a result.

Those revivals began with George Whitefield in 1739, followed by John Wesley, Charles Finney, D.L. Moody, and others.

In 1793, William Carey, the father of modern missions, sailed for Indian and found an open door which Christ spoke of in Revelation chapter 3:

Revelation 3:8 KJV 1900

I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

It is interesting to note that this period of revival corresponds with the founding of the United States of America. That is no coincidence.

Laodicea: A.D. 1900-Rapture of the Church

This is the church, in Revelation that we probably have heard more preaching on than any other and it is probably the one “church description” that we, as Christians, fear the most.

Revelation 3:15–16 KJV 1900

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

This is the time, in church history, that we are currently living in.

One Bible scholar, about this time period, wrote:

Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages” VII. The Message to the Church at Laodicea (Rev. 3:14–22)

There is nothing more disgusting or nauseating than “tepid” water.

Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages” VII. The Message to the Church at Laodicea (Rev. 3:14–22)

So there is nothing more repugnant to Christ than a “tepid” church. He would rather have a church “frozen” or “boiling.”

Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages” VII. The Message to the Church at Laodicea (Rev. 3:14–22)

Our churches today are largely in this “lukewarm” condition.

Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages” VII. The Message to the Church at Laodicea (Rev. 3:14–22)

There is very little of warm-hearted spirituality.

Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages” VII. The Message to the Church at Laodicea (Rev. 3:14–22)

There is much going on in them, but it is largely mechanical and of a social character.

Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages” VII. The Message to the Church at Laodicea (Rev. 3:14–22)

Committees, societies, and clubs are multiplied, but there is an absence of “spiritual heat.”

Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages” VII. The Message to the Church at Laodicea (Rev. 3:14–22)

Revival meetings are held, but instead of waiting on the Lord for power, evangelists and paid singers are hired and soul winning is made a business.

Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages” VII. The Message to the Church at Laodicea (Rev. 3:14–22)

The cause of this “lukewarmness” is the same as that of the Church of Laodicea—Self-Deception.

Each of the letters to these churches follows a consistent pattern:

Christ identifies Himself based upon the revelation of Himself that we see in chapter 1.

Christ commends the church (with the exception of the church of Laodicea).

Christ points out concerns within the church.

Christ offers a method of correction.

Christ gives a call: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches…”

Christ offers a promise to those who overcome.

The emphasis, in the New Testament, is upon the local church - not the universal church.

We see this, I believe in the fact that Christ addresses each of these 7 churches independently. He just doesn’t lump them all together.

Turn to and read Revelation 3:19-22.

Christ knows the local church.

While Christ identifies Himself to each of these churches based upon the revelation of Himself that we see in chapter 1, He does so differently.

For example…

Revelation 2:1 KJV 1900

Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

Revelation 2:8 KJV 1900

And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;

However, there is one characteristic of Christ, that we see is the same.

Any idea what that is?

To each church, Christ says, “I know thy works…”

In God’s omniscience, He knows exactly what is going in each local church.

He knows the needs that they have.

He knows the struggles that they have.

He knows how to meet the needs of the local church.

He knows how to help each local church face and overcome the struggles they face.

Christ loves the local church.

Ephesians 5:25 KJV 1900

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

We see this from the fact that Christ took the time to address each local church.

He didn’t write these churches off as too far gone.

He pointed out their needs and then lovingly instructed them in how to address those needs.

Christ desires to be a vital part of the local church.

Revelation 3:20 KJV 1900

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Charles Larkin in his excellent book (which I will share with you in the future) wrote:

Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages” VII. The Message to the Church at Laodicea (Rev. 3:14–22)

Excluded from His own nation, for they Rejected Him; excluded from the world, for it Crucified Him; excluded from His Church, for He stands outside its door Knocking for Entrance.

How did Christ come to be outside the local church?

Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages” VII. The Message to the Church at Laodicea (Rev. 3:14–22)

The reason is summed up in one word—Worldliness.

The local church is made up of individuals.

To each local church Christ states, “To him that overcometh…,” and “He that hath and ear, let him hear…”

It’s not so much how the “church” responds to Christ but how the “individual” responds to Christ.

Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages” VII. The Message to the Church at Laodicea (Rev. 3:14–22)

But how is Christ to get back into His Church? Does it require the unanimous vote or invitation of the membership? No. “If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to Him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.”

Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages” VII. The Message to the Church at Laodicea (Rev. 3:14–22)

That is, the way to revive a lukewarm church is for the individual members to open their hearts and let Christ re-enter, and thus open the door for His reappearance.

In your daily life, how will you respond to Christ?