Period Two “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The words of the first and the last, whodied and came to life” (Revelation 2:8. Texts are from the Revised Standard Version). by Jeffrey Earl About 40 miles north of the ruins of Ephesus lies the modern city of Izmir on the Aegean coast in western Turkey. The city has an ancient history dating back to the initial settlement around the 11th century BC. It changed hands numerous times due […]
Church Three “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write …” (Revelation 2:12 NASB). by Daniel Szarkowicz Interesting Facts About Pergamum When the Apostle John wrote his letter, Pergamum was very prosperous and one of the most influential cities in the Roman Empire. It was well known as a major center of culture and art. Today, impressive monuments echo the splendor of this city atop a windswept mountain along the Turkish coastline, looking boldly over the azure Aegean Sea. The […]
Church Four “I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first” (Revelation 2:19). by David Rice Thyatira was a bleak period of church history, from 1157 to 1517. It was not bleak in warm Christian discipleship but bleak with burdens and trials of faith upon the followers of Jesus. This was the period of greatest dominance by the papacy, represented by Jezebel, the wicked queen who […]
Church Five, Sardis “Remember herefore how thou hast received and didst hear, and keep it, and repent” (Revelation 3:3. Scriptures from Revised Version Improved and Corrected). By Len Griehs Sardis1 was the capital of the powerful kingdom of Lydia (western provinces of Turkey), conquered by Cyrus in 547 BC. Paganism flourished in Sardis. John the Revelator lamented over many Christians who had returned to former beliefs. Thus verse three, “remember therefore how thou hast received and didst hear: and keep it, and […]
Messenger to the Church in Philadelphia (1667-1874) “The way of taking up the cross is an entire resignation of soul … The way is narrow indeed, and the gate very strait … they that can not endure the cross must never have the crown” (William Penn)1 by Richard Doctor A freshly printed “blasphemous book” titled The Sandy Foundation Shaken reached the hands of the Bishop of London. It was a direct attack on the Trinity, asserting, “that the Father, Son, and Spirit, […]