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Mark Finley: If you're going through trial, going through difficulty, and going through challenges, it will only be for a limited period of time. Jesus always puts a time limit on our suffering, and Jesus will deliver you from it.

Guest (Male): This is Hope Lives 365 with Pastor Mark Finley. Today's message: Revelation's 7 Churches. Enjoy and remember you can always catch up with past messages and stay up to date with Hope Lives 365 and Pastor Mark by going to HopeLives365.com. And now, Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: There are many false interpretations that are floating around the world about the book of Revelation. Many people are really confused. They have read books, they've looked at certain commentaries, they've listened to YouTube videos, they've listened to sermons at church, but they still are quite hazy about the book of Revelation.

Yet, there is a master key to unlock Revelation that I'm going to share with you in this program. Once you understand that master key, it'll be very helpful for you to understand Revelation. It reminds me that in the United States Treasury building here in America, there are 1,800 doors, I'm told. I have not counted them, but that's what I've been told. I think if you were printing money, you might want a lot of doors that you could lock.

I'm told that there are some rooms you can walk in the United States Treasury, and in that room, you might see $1,000 bills stacked to the ceiling or $100 bills stacked to the ceiling. But I'm also told that there's a master key, and if you have that master key, you can unlock all 1,800 doors. Wouldn't you like that master key? Well, I'm going to give you a master key to understand the book of Revelation. If you know that master key, it'll help you understand the prophecies of Revelation clearly.

If Jesus were to give you a master key, don't you think it would be right in the first chapter? Because you're going to need it in the second chapter, you're going to need it in the third chapter, and fourth, and so forth. So, here's the master key. In Revelation chapter 1, verse 17, it says this: "When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, 'Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.'"

Then He says in verse 19, and here's your master key: "Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this." Notice what He says: write the things that you have seen, and the things that are, and the things that will take place hereafter. Take that verse and then put your finger in verse 19 and go back to verse 8. Jesus is speaking and Jesus says, "I am the Alpha and the Omega."

What does the word "Alpha" mean? It's the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and "Omega" is the last letter. I'm the beginning and the ending, who is and who was and who is to come. Now, here's the key. The Bible prophecies of Revelation always begin where the prophet is. They take you from the prophet to the end of time.

So Jesus was, Jesus is, and Jesus is to come. Some of the prophecies were fulfilled, some are being fulfilled, and some will be fulfilled. Jesus was the Alpha, the beginning, but He covers the whole alphabet of prophecy to the ending. That's why Jesus said to John, "Write the things that you have seen, the things that are, and the things that will be." Past, present, future.

When you read Revelation, you read, for example, the seven churches. Some of the truths of the seven churches would be applied in John's day. Some would be applied in succeeding generations, and some at the end of time. There's a sequence. We don't take these prophecies and say, "Here are all these prophecies, let's stick them all there at the end." No, you have seven churches. They tell us something about the period of time from John's day to the end of the first century and take you down each century—100 AD, 200, 500—to the end of time.

That's the master key He gives you here. He says, and it's so plain: "Write the things you've seen, the things that are, and the things that will take place." There are not only seven churches, but there are seven seals. They start in John's day and they unfold down the stream of time. There are seven trumpets. They start in John's day and they fold down the stream of time.

Now, when you study these sequences of sevens—and we'll study them together—there are three things to remember. There's always a message for the church that's living in that day, the church living in the time of when that church applies. When the churches read these messages, they can understand them for that time. There'll be an application always to you and me who are living in our day. When we read them, we can understand them for ourselves. But they'll ultimately, finally, and completely take us when we come to the end of those sequences of seven to the coming of Jesus.

If you look, for example, at the seven churches, I should read here in Revelation chapter 1. Jesus says in verse 11, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last." In other words, He's going to take you down the stream of time. "What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."

These were very real churches in very real cities that had very real challenges or very real problems. John's message from Jesus to these churches applies to their day, but also, each of these churches represents a historical period of time that starts in John's day and takes us to the time of the end.

Guest (Male): You're listening to Hope Lives 365. We'll be right back. And if you like what you're hearing, we invite you to check out our website, HopeLives365.com. There you can find many ministry resources, encouraging messages, and even a link to our Hope Lives 365 YouTube ministry. And, of course, an opportunity to sow into this valuable ministry. Find out more by going to HopeLives365.com. That's HopeLives365.com. And now, back to Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: The messages to the seven churches will ultimately, finally, and completely take us down to the coming of Jesus. Where do they end? With a church called Laodicea, which means what? Some people say Laodicea means lukewarm. Well, not quite. Laodicea means a people judged. So it takes you from John's day down to the judgment hour.

When you look at the sequence of the seven seals, where do they end? With a group praising God up in heaven. When you look at the sequence of the seven trumpets, where do they end? With the second coming of Christ, where every nation and kingdom give praise to the Jesus who's come. So every prophecy in the book of Revelation always ends in the same place.

If you look at what the psychics and fortunetellers are teaching, they're talking about gloom, doom, and disaster. But they're wrong because what these prophecies indicate is that Jesus is going to come. There will not be a climactic destruction of Earth. Sure, there are going to be trouble, difficulty, and challenges. But Jesus is coming again. The book of Revelation is much more helpful.

In Revelation 1, the last part of verse 20, it says, "The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches." What are the seven lampstands? They're the seven churches.

Where is Jesus predicted, and where is He pictured? In verses 12 and 13 of Revelation 1: "Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands." What are the golden lampstands? They're the churches. Where's Jesus? It says in scripture, "In the midst of the lampstands stands one like the Son of Man."

Where is the Son of Man? He is among the churches. Why doesn't it say the Son of God? Why does it say the Son of Man? Was Jesus the Son of God? He certainly was. Was He also the Son of Man? Definitely. Why is "Son of Man" used here? When the Bible uses the term "Son of Man," it's using an expression to let us know that Jesus, the divine Christ, left heaven and came down here.

He knows what it's like to get tired. He knows what it's like to get hungry. He knows what it's like to be rejected. He knows what it's like to feel betrayed. He knows what it's like to be poor. He knows what it's like to not have enough money to buy food. He knows what it's like to have nails through His hands and blood running down His face and have physical pain like at times we have.

The Son of Man understands the physical, psychological, and emotional pain. He understands our temptations. He understands what it's like to be tempted by the evil one. You say, "I was betrayed." So was Jesus, by Judas. "Oh," you say, "I was rejected." So was He, by many of His own people. "They're just crucifying me all the time," somebody says. Well, Jesus was too. "I don't have much money; I can't pay my bills." Neither did He. Sometimes He said, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have their nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."

The book of Revelation presents Jesus, the Son of Man, and the one who understands every need, every heartache, and every longing as walking among the churches down among His people. Jesus is walking among His people in every generation from the first century to the last. He's walking among us even now. He knows those heartaches, those longings. He walks among His people. He lights the lampstands.

When the lamp of your life flickers in discouragement and darkness begins to sweep over you, Jesus the living Christ walks to where you are and gives you the light of life again. That's why Jesus says, "I am the light of the world." So He's walking among the lampstands. Those lampstands were seven specific churches, and He names them: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.

These were seven churches in Asia Minor. Seven churches were built on these sites. Each of these churches has characteristics that apply in the first century. The messages from John were to churches in that century to lead them closer to the Savior. But also, these churches have messages to our lives today. Each church represents also a particular church in a particular age. It represents the Christian church in a large geographical sense, a general sense in that age.

What I'd like to do is just spend a few moments looking in the Bible at each of these seven churches and pull out from the Bible some of the characteristics. Then I want to share with you to get fixed in your mind the deep spiritual lessons of these churches. So let's go to Revelation chapter 2. This is what I want you to be thinking about: in these seven churches, do any of these messages apply to me? Do any of these messages in the seven churches apply to my life?

Secondly, if we look at the church from the days of John to the end of time for the last 2,000 years, which church applies to which age? Well, I'll explain it as we go. In Revelation 2, verse 1, it says: "To the angel of the church of Ephesus." Now, Ephesus is the first church. The word Ephesus means desirable. In the first century, in the first epoch of church history, the Christian church was faithful to Jesus Christ.

Guest (Male): You're listening to Hope Lives 365 with Pastor Mark Finley. We'll be right back. If you like what you're hearing, we invite you to check out our website, HopeLives365.com. There you can find many ministry resources, encouraging messages, and even a link to our Hope Lives 365 YouTube ministry. And, of course, an opportunity to sow into this valuable ministry. Find out more by going to HopeLives365.com. That's HopeLives365.com. And now, back to Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: Here's a hard-working church. Here's a church that worked to the point of exhaustion. Here's a church that was indefatigable for Christ. This is the first-century church. The disciples were very, very hard-working people. The gospel went everywhere. It went into the Roman armies, it went into the Roman navies, it went into the educational institutions.

"I know your works and your labor. You cannot bear those that are evil." The disciples had pure doctrine. They fought against evil and apostasy. It says here, "You've tested those who say they are apostles and are not and have found them liars." So here you have a church that is doctrinally pure. "You have persevered and have patience, and you've labored for My name's sake and have not become weary," the Bible says.

Then: "Nevertheless, I have something against you. You have left your first love. Remember from where you have fallen, repent and do the first works." What do we see in the church of Ephesus? We see a period in church history where the church is doctrinally pure. The apostles go out and preach the gospel powerfully. We see a church where duty is substituted for devotion, a church that leaves its first love.

Here you have people who are Christian, who are working for God, but they forgot and forget about the God that they're working for. They're doing the work of God, but they forget about the God of the work. They think Christianity has to do with duty. They think Christianity has to always be with the hustle and bustle of activity.

And here our Lord says, "Remember from where you have fallen." When you lose your first love, how do you get it back again? Was there a time when you became a Christian, you just couldn't wait to pray, but after a while, prayer became kind of dull and boring and you fell asleep, and your prayers went to the ceiling and bounced back? Was there a time when Bible study was so exciting that you couldn't wait to open the scriptures, but then your Bible study became not very exciting anymore and you neglected it day after day?

How do you get it back again? You think back to those days when you first became a Christian. You think back to how excited you were when Christ transformed your life and the joy you had in your life. You look back to that prayer and devotional life and Bible study then, those sweet experiences that you had with Jesus. You remember from where you have fallen.

The first church we talk about is Ephesus, a church that was powerful in its doctrinal purity, but a church that must do three things: it must remember, it must repent, and it must return. Remember from where you have fallen, repent of your spiritual complacency, and return and do the first works. This was a church that would fight anybody over false doctrine. But it's a church that drifted and left its first love. That was the first-century church, a church filled with duty and doctrinal purity, but a church that became loveless.

In verse 8, we look at the second church, the persecuted church. Where Ephesus means desirable, Smyrna means sweet-smelling savor. The church was going forth in power from about 31 to 100 AD. But from 100 to 200 AD, the church is going forth in glory and power. It's moving the world in those early centuries. But what happened? The devil says, "I've got to do something."

Verse 8, the angel of the church, this is Revelation 2, verse 8, of the church of Smyrna, write what? What does the scripture say? It says: "I know your works. These things say the First and the Last, the one who was dead and came to life. I know your works and your tribulation, your poverty, but you're rich."

Here you have a church that's persecuted by the Roman government. God says, "I know your works. I know the trouble you're going through. I know how poor you are, but you're rich. You're rich in faith. I know the blasphemy of those who say they're Jews and not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Don't fear anything that you're about to suffer. The devil is going to throw some of you into prison; you're going to be tested and have tribulation 10 days."

In Bible prophecy, one prophetic day equals one literal year. You can read that in the book of Ezekiel chapter 4, verse 6, or Numbers chapter 14, verse 34, where the Bible says, "I've given you a day for a year." Every time you read a day in the Bible, it's not a year, but you read in the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation where you have symbolic language, one prophetic day equals one literal year.

So what about these 10 days? The church of Ephesus went forth powerfully to conquer. Christianity was going everywhere, but they lost their first love. The devil said, "I've got to do something about this Christian church. I know what I'll do: I'll persecute it." He offered them up like incense in the Smyrna period. He raised up pagan Roman emperors. One of their names was Diocletian, who ruled from 303 to 313, 10 years. That's really when the period of greatest persecution of his reign was. Those 10 years were terrible. Christians were martyred. They were thrown to lions, they were burned at the stake.

Jesus said, "Do not fear the things that you will suffer. Indeed, the devil will throw some of you into prison, and you'll have tribulation for 10 days," or 10 years. Now, notice something very interesting. Every church has Jesus say something to them before He gives them their message. Smyrna was the church that would suffer. Smyrna was the church that would face death. Smyrna was the church where the Christians would be torn apart.

But notice how Jesus introduces Himself to them in Revelation 2, verse 8: "And to the angel of the church of Smyrna write, 'These things says the First and the Last, who was dead and came to life.'" To a church that would face persecution and suffer death, Jesus says, "Don't worry, because I went into the grave and I can give you eternal life."

What does this say to you and me today? What does it say to us when tribulation comes, when the beast power passes a death decree, as we will study later in Revelation 13? It says that when we can anchor our faith in the one who went into the grave and came out, we will be secure. That if I face death today, I need not fear because the Christ that conquered death will give me victory over the grave if I'm faithful to Him.

It tells me that if church and state unite in the future and a death decree is passed, that I need not die of a heart attack before the death decree comes because I'm so afraid it's coming. But I can anchor my faith in the living Christ who says, "I am He that was dead and is alive." Now go back to Ephesus, for example. Who is the one that speaks to Ephesus? He says in Revelation 2:1, "These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the candlesticks."

To a church in Ephesus that was doctrinally pure but left its first love, Jesus says, "I'm walking among you wanting to embrace you, leading back to that intimacy." It's the living Christ who addresses each church, who has in Himself everything the church needs. Jesus has in Himself everything, my friend, that you need.

Look at chapter 2, and we go into that third period of church history. The first church is the church that's doctrinally pure but left its first love. The second church is the church that's persecuted, but Jesus promises eternal life no matter what it faces. There is one other interesting thing I think we should notice. The persecution in Smyrna was for a limited period of time. It suffered. There was no condemnation to the church at Smyrna; it was faithful in its suffering.

If you're going through trial and going through difficulty, going through challenges, it will only be for a limited period of time. Jesus always puts a time limit on our suffering, and Jesus will deliver you from it.

We're looking at the third church. It says: "To the angel of Pergamos write." The word Pergamos means exalted. The church of Ephesus in the Ephesus period lasted from about 31 AD to 100 AD. That was the period of church history where the church really grew. The disciples went forth powerfully. Satan then became angry. We go to the Smyrna period, where Satan persecuted the church from about 100 to 300 AD. He tries to destroy the church through these mighty persecutions.

Satan couldn't do that, so what does Satan do? In the Pergamos period, he exalts the church. Compromise comes in. Satan tries to exalt the church and make it popular with the world. But who addresses the church that's exalted, that compromises truth? "These things says He who has the two-edged sword." What's the two-edged sword? The word of God.

So Jesus, with the word of God, addresses the church in the Pergamos period, where there is compromise of biblical truth. He says, "I know your work where you dwell, where Satan's throne is, and you hold fast to My name and you don't deny My faith." There are some who still don't deny His faith in the compromise period.

This is what He's saying: "I have a few things against you because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel." Who was Balak? He was a king, a heathen king. Who was Balaam? He was a false prophet. Balaam, the false prophet, comes to Balak, the king. Balaam representing the church comes to the king Balak representing the state. They unite, and he bribes him, and the children of Israel are led down to a great party where there's drinking and immorality.

What are we talking here about in Balaam and Balak? We're talking about a prophet in the church who goes to the king and bribes the king and leads the king to compromise the faith of Israel. The message here is clear: in the Pergamos period, there would be a union of church and state, and the church would be exalted during this period. Compromises would come into the church. The immorality of the world would come into the church, the idols of the world would come into the church, the false doctrines would come into the church in this period.

What does God say to the church in this period? He says in verse 16, "Repent or else I will come against you quickly and fight against you. He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I'll give hidden manna." God says, "I want to give you hidden manna of My word. I want you to feast on My word." Remember what Jeremiah says in Jeremiah 15, verse 16: "Thy words were found and I did eat them, and they were the joy and rejoicing of my heart."

God says to the church in the compromise period, "Feast on My word, leave the false doctrines."

Guest (Male): You've been listening to Hope Lives 365 with Pastor Mark Finley. We hope you've enjoyed today's message and remind you that you can find more in our many ministry resources at HopeLives365.com. And you can support this ministry by going to HopeLives365.com/donate. And now, a final thought from Pastor Mark.

Mark Finley: Whatever trial you're going through, whatever difficulty, whatever so-called persecution you may be going through, Christ is with you there. It'll be limited. Hang on. Be strong in Jesus, be faithful.

The third period is the Pergamos period from about 300 AD to 500 AD. Constantine in 321 AD, the pagan Roman emperor, was baptized. When his armies were baptized, we are told that they rode through the river on their horses with the bishops and prelates standing on the other side declaring that they were baptized. Hoards of pagans came into the church from 300 to 500 AD.

At this time, image worship came into the church. Images were renamed after the saints. They used to be named Venus, but now Mary. They used to be named Apollo, but now Peter. All the images brought into the church were renamed. The worship of the spirits of the dead came into the church, incense and masses to the dead came right into the church.

The church was exalted. The church and state are united at this time in the Roman government and the Roman church are united at this time. It's just like the Bible says: the church was exalted, but it is like Balaam and Balak. False doctrines were coming in. The pagans were worshipping the sun god, so sun worship influenced the church. All these things were flooding into the church like a mighty flood. That takes us from 300 AD to 500 AD.

The appeal is to be faithful to Christ. The appeal is to choose the word of God over the traditions of men. The appeal is to open our hearts and say, "Jesus, whatever you want me to do, I'm your man, your woman. I want to do it."

Let's pray. Father in heaven, we thank you for these messages of Revelation as we continue to study the seven churches in our next broadcast. I pray that you'd be with us. I pray the Holy Spirit would guide us. I pray, Father, that we'd be faithful to you always. In Christ's name, amen.