For over nineteen hundred years, people have studied the letters to the seven churches and as a result many different theories have evolved. What is the meaning of these letters?

Revelation 1:19: “Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.”

The seven letters give us a description of each church and Jesus’ evaluation of each church.

Each letter denotes a time frame in the history of the church and the time frames are in order.

Each church should know which time frame pertains to it.

The key to understanding the letters is this: the letters were all written at the same time and given at the same time to all seven churches.

Only the letter of one church is applied at one time and it applies to all seven churches.

The first letter to the Ephesus Church pertained to all seven churches at that time and fulfilled ‘the things which are’ in Revelation 1:19.

The other six letters revealed to them what the history of the church would be until the return of Jesus.

After the Ephesus Church era comes the Smyrna Church era. When the Smyrna Church era starts, the things set forth in that letter would pertain to all seven churches. This would continue with each church era.

The letters to the Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, and Sardis Churches give us the history of the church during each one’s time frame down through history, and all are in order.

The letters to the Philadelphia Church and the Laodicean Church are for our time which is the last days. These two church eras overlap each other.

Jesus is building only one Church. Anyone who has God’s Holy Spirit in him is part of this Church regardless of where he is.

There are two churches. One is a small church that was started by Jesus Christ and is led by the Lord through Jesus Christ. One is a large church which was started by Satan and is led by Satan.

This church is the Catholic Church and the Christian churches which evolved from the Catholic Church.

The large church was most likely started by Satan through Simon, the Sorcerer.

Study Acts 8:9-24.

The letters to the seven churches are to the little church started by Jesus Christ.

The Lord will use The Little Book to purge all Christian churches.

The Christians who come out of these churches, along with the remnant of the Philadelphia Church, will make up the Philadelphia Church which goes to a place of safety.

Revelation 3:10: (Philadelphia Church) “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”

Revelation 12:13-14

13 “And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.”

14 “And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.”

The Philadelphia Church teaches the ‘Key of David.

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Revelation 3:7-8:

7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;”

8 “I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.”

The Worldwide Church of God had a change of leadership after Mr. Armstrong passed away. Mr. Joseph W. Tkach Sr. became the new leader of the Worldwide Church of God, now the Laodicean Church.

Mr. Gerald Flurry continued the Philadelphia Church. The Worldwide Church of God was the Philadelphia Church while under Mr. Armstrong.

Mr. Joseph Tkach Sr. as head of the Laodicean Church stopped the teaching of the ‘Key of David.’ The Book ‘The United States and Great Britain in Prophecy’ is a basic part of the ‘Key of David’ and Mr. Tkach ruled that the book was racist and had untruths in it.

The Laodicean Church (Worldwide Church of God) finally sold the rights of the book to the Philadelphia Church.

The Philadelphia Church continues to publish and distribute this book in the course of teaching the ‘Key of David.’

One of the main goals of the church under Mr. Joseph Tkach, Sr. was to be accepted by the deceived churches of the world. When you are accepted by a particular group, you become one of them.

Mr. Tkach was successful in his endeavors, and the Worldwide Church of God (Laodicean Church) is now a church of the world called Grace Communion International.

The Laodicean Church and the churches of the world are now the same. When the Lord calls the Christians out of the Laodicean Church, He also calls the Christians out of all the churches of the world.

Jesus tells us the Laodicean Church is lukewarm, and He will spew it out of His mouth. ‘Lukewarm’ means the church is trying to please both God and man, even though the church should try to please God only.

The leaders of the church are running the church the way they desire and are teaching many untruths.

‘Spue (spew) you out of my mouth’ means that He will take His protection off the church and let it go into the tribulation.

In five of the letters to the seven churches, Jesus talks about His coming. Because of this, many scholars of the Bible do not understand the letters and believe parts of all seven churches will exist in the end time church. What is the real meaning of ‘Jesus’ coming’ in each of these letters?

Jesus Christ is the head of the church.

In the letters to the Seven Churches, each letter pertains to a certain church, and to the time of that church’s era and would apply to all seven churches.

THE EPHESUS CHURCH

Jesus tells the church of Ephesus in Revelation 2:1-7 that it has left it’s first love. He tells the church that if the church doesn’t repent and do the first works that He will come quickly and remove it’s candle stick out of it’s place.

This means He will come quickly in spirit and power in their church era or time frame and do what He said He would. He is not talking about His literal second coming.

THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA

Jesus tells this church in Revelation 2:8-11 that it will have tribulation and encourages it to be faithful unto death.

Jesus does not mention His coming in this letter.

THE CHURCH IN PERGAMOS

Jesus tells this church in Revelations 2:12-17 that He has a few things against it because it has there some that hold the doctrine of Balaam and also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans.

Jesus tells this church to repent, or else He will come unto it quickly and will fight against them with the sword of His mouth.

This means He will come quickly in spirit and power in their church era or time frame and do what He said He would.

He is not talking about His literal second coming.

THE CHURCH IN THYATIRA

In Revelation 2:25-26, Jesus said: (To the church in Thyatira) “But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:”

Jesus is telling the faithful in this church to do His work as long as they live, faithful unto death.

This is keeping Jesus’ work unto the end. If you die with God’s Holy Spirit within you, then you have held fast until He comes, the resurrection.

THE CHURCH IN SARDIS

In Revelation 3:2, Jesus said: “ Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.”

In Revelation 3:3, Jesus said: “Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.”

Jesus tells this church to be watchful and strengthen the things which remain; or He will come on them as a thief in spirit and power in that church era. He is not talking about His literal second coming.

THE PHILADELPHIA CHURCH

In Revelation 3:11, Jesus said, “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”

Jesus is telling this end time church to hold fast to that which they have; He is coming quickly. This will be His second coming.

The Philadelphia Church era will overlap with the Laodicean Church era.

THE LAODICEAN CHURCH

Jesus’ evaluation of the Laodicean Church is far from good.

In Revelation 3:14-18, Jesus is speaking to the church as a whole and He describes the church as being ‘lukewarm’.

‘Lukewarm’ means the church is trying to please both the Lord and mankind. All our effort should be toward pleasing the Lord only.

The Lord does not need any help from Satan. The Lord will save mankind Himself.

A yoke is for two and when you put on Jesus’ yoke, it means you walk and work with Him.

He is on one side of the yoke, and you are on the other side. Christ will not be yoked with Satan, the deceived churches of the world in any way, form, or fashion.

We are supposed to follow the Lord and Jesus Christ. We are not to work with the churches of the world in the name of love. It is all in vain and the Lord will not accept this.

In Revelation 3:19-20, Jesus is talking individually to His elect who are in this church. Jesus is calling them out.

Revelation 3:19-20

19 “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”

20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

Jesus Christ is not in this church. He is standing outside knocking on the door. If you understand these letters and the fact you are part of the Laodicean Church, then open the door (repent), and Jesus will come into you and dine with you spiritually.

Jesus Christ is calling you out of this church.

THE TWO END TIME CHURCHES

There are seven churches mentioned in Revelation 2 and 3.

Each church represents a time frame or era in the history of the church, and they are all in order.

The last two churches, the Philadelphia Church and the Laodicean Church, will be here in the end time plus the other Christian churches of the world.

The Philadelphia Church (The Worldwide Church of God) was started in the 1930s under Mr. Herbert Armstrong and was called The Worldwide Church of God.

This church is still here today.

The Philadelphia Church era will overlap with the Laodicean Church era.

The Laodicean Church era was started in the 1980s when Mr. Joseph Tkach, Sr. took over the Worldwide Church of God after the death of Mr. Armstrong. This church is now called Grace Communion International.

Mr. Gerald Flurry and some other members left the Worldwide Church of God. They continued the Philadelphia Church Era as the Philadelphia Church of God.

These are the two end time churches mentioned in Revelation 3: The Philadelphia Church of God led by Mr. Gerald Flurry and The Worldwide Church of God (The Laodicean Church), now called Grace Communion International, led by Mr. Joseph Tkach, Jr.

The Lord will use The Little Book to purge these two churches and all Christian churches. The elect from these churches will make up The Philadelphia Church which goes to a place of safety.

Revelation 3:10: “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”

Revelation 12:14-17

14 “And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.”

15 “And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.”

16 “And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.”

17 “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”