SEVEN CHURCHES—OVERVIEW

1-A STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN OF THE SEVEN CHURCHES
BASED ON REV 2:1-3:22

(Statistics)

1. Twenty-three descriptions of Jesus
2. Four items of what God has done or will do
3. Thirty-two good things
4. Fourteen items of general information
5. Twenty-three bad things
6. Six items that shall happen
7. Twenty-one items of advice on what to do
8. Six reasons to follow God’s advice
9. Eleven warnings
10. Two "ifs"
11. Three promises
12. Two items of what Jesus is doing
13. Twenty-two rewards

2-OVERVIEW OF THE SEVEN CHURCHES: FROM BEST TO WORST

6. Philadelphia Church of brotherly love.
2. Smyrna Church of martyrdom, persecution, and poverty.
1. Ephesus Apostolic, desirable. They left their first love.
3. Pergamos Married to the world. The world infiltrated the church. Mixed doctrines.
4. Thyatira Continual sacrifice. Ungodly doctrines mixed in.
5. Sardis The "dead" church. Few not defiled. The Reformation.
7. Laodicea Church of lukewarmness—spewed out.
It is interesting to note, the first church age was the third best.
Things got even better in the second church under great persecutions.
Then the spiritual decline of the church began as deception set in. The third church was worse.
The fourth continued to get worse.
The fifth church was dead.
Finally, the last church was the worst of all. The best church age of all (# 6) was followed by the worst (# 7).

3-OVERVIEW OF THE SEVEN CHURCHES, CHRONOLOGICALLY

Church 1, Ephesus Apostolic, desirable. They left their first love.
Church 2, Smyrna Church of martyrdom, persecution, and poverty
Church 3, Pergamos Married to the world. The world infiltrated the church. Mixed doctrines.
In the above three: the flesh, the devil, and the world are covered.
Church 4, Thyatira Continual sacrifice. Ungodly doctrines mixed in.
Church 5, Sardis The "dead" church. Few not defiled. The Reformation.
Church 6, Philadelphia Church of brotherly love.
Church 7, Laodicea Church of lukewarmness—spewed out.

4-A LIST OF SOME OF THE PROPHECIES FROM THE FOURTH, FIFTH, SIXTH,
AND SEVENTH CHURCHES PERTAINING TO FUTURE EVENTS

1. I WILL CAST...THEM...INTO GREAT TRIBULATION, EXCEPT THEY REPENT-Rev 2:22, the fourth church. The Great Tribulation.
2. HOLD FAST TILL I COME-Rev 2:25, the fourth church. The return of Jesus.
3. TO HIM WILL I GIVE POWER OVER THE NATIONS-Rev 2:26, the fourth church. The Millennium.
4. HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON-Rev 2:27, the fourth church. The Millennium.
5. AS THE VESSELS OF A POTTER SHALL THEY BE BROKEN TO SHIVERS-Rev 2:27, the fourth church. Armageddon.
6. IF…THOU SHALT NOT WATCH, I WILL COME ON THEE AS A THIEF-Rev 3:3, the fifth church. The Rapture.
7.

IF…THOU SHALT NOT WATCH...THOU SHALT NOT KNOW WHAT HOUR I WILL COME UPON THEE-Rev 3:3, the fifth church. The Rapture.
8. I...WILL KEEP THEE FROM THE HOUR OF TEMPTATION-Rev 3:10, the sixth church. The Tribulation.
9. THE HOUR OF TEMPTATION...SHALL COME UPON ALL THE WORLD-Rev 3:10, the sixth church. The Tribulation.
10. THE HOUR OF TEMPTATION...TO TRY THEM THAT DWELL UPON THE EARTH-Rev 3:10, the sixth church. The Tribulation.
11. I COME QUICKLY-Rev 3:11, the sixth church. The return of Jesus.
12. I WILL WRITE UPON HIM THE NAME OF MY GOD-Rev 3:12, the sixth church.
13. I WILL WRITE UPON HIM THE NAME...OF THE CITY OF MY GOD-Rev 3:12, the sixth church. New Jerusalem.
14. NEW JERUSALEM...COMETH DOWN OUT OF HEAVEN-Rev 3:12, the sixth church. New Jerusalem.
15. NEW JERUSALEM...COMETH DOWN...FROM MY GOD-Rev 3:12, the sixth church. New Jerusalem.
16. WILL I GRANT TO SIT WITH ME IN MY THRONE-Rev 3:21, the seventh church. The Millennium.

5-THE COMING OF JESUS MENTIONED IN THE FOURTH, FIFTH, AND SIXTH CHURCHES

The doctrines of the fourth, fifth, and sixth churches are present with us today in this last Laodicean church age. As a result, we see, in various forms, references made to the coming of Jesus in each of these.

6-AGAINST THE CHURCH

Church 1, Ephesus False apostles.
Church 2, Smyrna The devil, false Jews.
Church 3, Pergamos Doctrine of Balaam and doctrine of the Nicolaitans.
Church 4, Thyatira Jezebel, a false prophetess.
Church 5, Sardis None mentioned. Church already spiritually dead, probably from Jezebel.
Church 6, Philadelphia False Jews.
Church 7, Laodicea Prosperity.