Even though the 7 letters were for the actual churches at the time it
always seemed strange to me the Jesus included these letters in His
Revelation of the End days. The closer I looked at these letters
and noticed that the 6th letter spoke of those that would be raptured,
and the 7th fit well with the Jewish nation that would have missed the
rapture and yet those that come to believe after the rapture will still
sup with the Lord. Then I began to line them up with the rest of the
views of the end days from beginning to end. I believe that each letter
is also to THE church overall as it progresses though
the last days. By the point Philadelphia, in this time
line, all that must overcome and will have already been refined,
stripped of false teachings and ready to meet the Lord in the air.
The
church of Philadelphia is the church at the time of the Rapture, the
bride, those that have overcome the problems with the church in the
first 5 letters.
What is left of the church after this time is the Laodiceans who if
they repent and believe in Messiah Jesus will enter the 1000 years as
flesh and blood.
1. Ephesus- remember your first love-(gospel of Jesus) church threatened by false teaching within the church.
2. Smyrna- tribulation and poverty, (persecution of christians) martyrs killed.
3. Pergamum-living in the midst of persecution. Two false teaching threatens to tare apart the foundation of the church, one threatens the Messianic Jew, a stumbling block, Perhaps trying to place them back under the law, the other are the gentile Christians with a new age attitude. Overcomers get hidden manna and white stone=like a pass to get in to an event. (Remember to stick to the simple salvation message.)
4. Thyatira-warning you are stronger in faith than when you began but some of you are still tolerating Jezebel, (the final and worst false teaching, the most deceptive and the most damaging to the church. Some have overcome, but the other bond-servants haven't).
5. Sardis-last warning to wake up. What you have left is about to die, strengthen what is still alive (Belief in Jesus). Or I will remove your name from the book of life. (This is a warning to strengthen your faith and do the deeds that are listed throughout the letters before the rapture takes place).
6. Philadelphia- Time for the rapture at the end of tribulation.
7. Laodicea- Jesus would rather they were HOT (which is believing in Jesus as their Messiah) or COLD (believing in nothing) But these are the LUKEWARM, as the Jews are because they believe in God but not in Jesus as their Messiah. They are half way there. Jesus spits them from His mouth- these will go through the wrath of God if they don't repent when they see Him, the One they pierced, or they will be trampled in the wine press. I believe the Parables of the 10 virgins and also the wedding guests apply to the Laodiceans.