Back to   Eschatology Index >>

I have heard many times in studying eschatology that the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3 are types of Dispensations of the church age. True or not who can say for sure, but if not, they are convincingly similar and worth a look. Below is a short version of their correlation.

The history of the Church may be correlated to Revelation 2-3 as follows:

1  -   Ephesus (2:1-7):

the Loveless Church of the late Apostolic Age (to 100 AD),
i.e., "Thou hast left thy First Love" (2:4).

2  -   Smyrna (2:8-11):

the Suffering Church of the period of persecution (100-300 AD),
i.e., "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer" (2:10).

3  -   Pergamos (2:12-17):

the Compromising Church (300-500 AD) that led to the Dark Age,
i.e., "Thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam [diffusing the power of the godly by alliances with darkness]" (2:14).

4  -   Thyatira (2:18-29):

the Worldly Church of the Dark Age (500-1500 AD),
i.e., "Thou sufferest that woman Jezebel [the harlotry of Rome]" (2:20).

5  -   Sardis (3:1-6):

the Barely Alive Church of the Reformation (1500-1700 AD),
i.e., "Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die" (3:1-2).

6  -   Philadelphia (3:7-13):

the Missionary Church of the late Church Age (1700-1900 AD),
i.e., "I have set before thee an Open Door, and no man can shut it" (3:8).

7  -   Laodicea (3:14-22):

the Lukewarm Church of the present apostasy (1900 AD to the present),
i.e., "Because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth" (3:16).

 Back to Top 

<< Back Home