Seven Churches in Asia

In chapters 2 and 3 of the book of Revelations, there are letters to seven churches in Asia Minor, which is modern day Turkey.

The letters seem to follow a pattern:

• The salutation is a description of Jesus. It describes his position, character, and role, to the  church being addressed.
• The body is a description of the church, its situation, its character, its successes, and its failures.
• It closes with a promise to the overcomer. Meaning, if the church deals effectively with it situation -- it grows, enhances the successes, and corrects the failures -- Jesus gives these churches a promise of how God will look at them, and interact with them.

Some people think each church represents an age of the church. That is, the situation of this particular church is a description of the universal church in a particular era. I recognize that this could be a possibility. But I could not say at this time, that this is true.

But it does seem that these churches are types of churches. These churches have characteristics that current day churches have. And God feels the same about these current churches, as he did those seven churches. And his assessment, and his promises, are the same then, and now.

So, of course, the next little series will be about these churches, where we will highlight the pattern I discussed above in each church.