Insight from Revelation 3:<\/p>\n
While each of the letters can be examined individually, there is evidence that John wanted them to be considered as a whole. The letters are not arranged in random order. John intentionally arranged the letters in a pattern. This pattern, which is described below, helps churches see the main point of this section of Revelation.<\/p>\n
John has arranged the seven letters in a pattern called a chiasm. This pattern is named about the Greek letter chi (this is why the pattern is called a chi-asm). The Greek letter chi looks like the English letter X. In the same way that the bottom of an X is an exact copy, in reverse, of the top half of an X, in a chiasm the writer deliberately makes a pattern in which various elements are copied by other elements in a recognizable pattern. In this particular pattern in Revelation 2-3, the first letter (2:1-2:7) is connected to the last letter (3:14-22). The second letter (2:8-11) is connected to the second to the last letter (3:7-3:13). The third (2:12-17), fourth (2:18-28), and fifth (3:1-6) letters all go together.<\/p>\n
1. Ephesus (grave danger)<\/p>\n
2. Smyrna (healthy church)<\/p>\n
3. Pergamum (mixed condition)<\/p>\n
4. Thyatira (mixed condition)<\/p>\n
5. Sardis (mixed condition)<\/p>\n
6. Philadelphia (healthy church)<\/p>\n
7. Laodicea (grave danger)<\/p>\n
When the letters are arranged on a page, they make a pattern. Letter 1 corresponds to letter 7. Letter 2 corresponds to letter 6. They are in line with each other. And letters 3, 4, and 5 correspond to each other. While all seven of the letters belong together, based on the way John has arranged the letters, it appears John wants his readers to see that he has arranged them based on their spiritual health.<\/p>\n
John has focused on the spiritual health of these seven churches because he wants his readers to focus on the spiritual health of their own churches. Elders reading these letters should not, for instance, be focused on the church in Laodicea. They should be focused on the church they are supposed to be shepherding. This focus on the spiritual health of the church is not something that should happen just one time. Elders are to be constantly on the alert. In the same way that Christ is pictured, even today, as walking among the lampstands (Revelation 2:1), so the elders in a local church should be considering the health of the church they are currently watching over.<\/p>\n
Again, the pattern in Revelation 2 and 3 is intended to send a message to all of the churches in all places for all times (not just to the seven churches). The letter to the first church presents a church in great danger. The letter to the last church presents a church in even greater danger. Both churches receive strong rebukes from Christ. Both of these churches are in great danger (from Christ!) of having their lampstand removed!<\/p>\n
The letters to the second church and sixth church are positive. Both churches receive praise from Christ. The second and sixth churches are both struggling because of persecution. These churches are not, however, struggling because of sin in their midst. Both of these churches receive comfort and promises of help from Christ. They are healthy churches.<\/p>\n
The letters to the third, fourth, and fifth churches present a picture of churches in a somewhat mixed condition. They are not quite as bad as the first and seventh churches, but they are not nearly as healthy as the second and sixth churches. If these churches do not repent, they will, like the first and seventh churches, be in danger of losing their lampstand.<\/p>\n
In a pattern like this (called a chiasm), the reader is to, somehow, try to think of the one unified message being proclaimed by the whole pattern. The one message being proclaimed by the seven letters to the churches is that the churches must conquer. They must conquer by obeying all of Jesus\u2019 commands. They must conquer sin from within and they must conquer persecution from without. To conquer sin, they must be actively resisting sin. To conquer persecution, they must remain faithful to Jesus in the midst of the persecution. Only two of the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 are actually doing this. These letters, when taken together, demonstrate the true picture of a conquering church. They also present a picture of a failing church. These letters, when taken together, demonstrate that the greatest danger to a local church is not persecution. The greatest danger to any local church is sin.<\/p>\n
It is significant that in the very middle of the middle letter (letter 4) a verse is directed to all the churches. This verse calls attention to the judgment of Christ: \u201cAnd all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works\u201d (see 2:23). These letters are intended to be a warning to the churches that Christ is, at this very moment, walking among the lampstands! He sees all details. He will punish\u2014or reward\u2014based on what he sees. His desire is that every church might be a conquering church.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_crdt_document":""},"class_list":["post-4740","reading-plan","type-reading-plan","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/am\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reading-plan\/4740","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/am\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reading-plan"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/am\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/reading-plan"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/am\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4740"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}