Seven Churches of Revelation

New Understanding

With an Overview of Their Significance

"...Every fact is to be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses."
2 Corinthians 13:1 NASB

The seven churches in Revelation are seven churches that existed in the first century but like most of Revelation they are also symbolic of the end times.

Not Church Ages:

They are NOT seven "church ages" as some have proposed and this can be easily disproved by just reading what the letters say.
In the letter to Sardis for instance, Jesus says, "if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief," but Jesus only comes "as a thief" to those living in the last days.
And to the church of Thyateira, Jesus threatens to throw some, "into great tribulation unless they repent."
The great tribulation is ONLY an end time event.
The letters CANNOT be "church ages." It just does not make sense.

But here is what does make sense
and what the seven churches of Revelation represent:

Each church represents THE CHURCH during each one year period of the tribulation.
Ephesus represents "The Church" during the 1st year of the tribulation.
Smyrna = the 2nd year.
Pergamon = the 3rd year.
Thyateira = the 4th year.
Sardis = the 5th year.
Philadelphia = the 6th year.
Laodicea = the 7th year.

And the letters to each church tell us what they will have to face and endure during each year of the tribulation.
And when we read the letters with this understanding, it all makes perfect sense.

This short video explains:

adapted from
Nelson Walters YouTube channel
"Prophecy of the 7 Churches of Revelation
- The Meaning of Each Letter"
copyright: Nelson Walters

Overview of Each Letter in Revelation

Letter to Ephesus
(First Seal)
"I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. --- Revelation 2:2-4 NASB

After the first seal is broken, Jesus admonishes believers for not putting Him first in their lives. Our first love is Christ, and His scolding implies that we have idols in our lives. Jesus encourages us to repent and return to Him.

Self, money, and pleasure are the most prominent idols in the world today.

"But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money,... lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God," --- 2 Timothy 3:1-4

Note: The Lord allows poverty for believers after the second seal, causing us to rely on Him rather than ourselves by removing the idols of self, money, and pleasure of "things." This poverty forces us to rely on Christ. Something we should have been doing all along. (1 John 2:15-17)

Note: The opening of this first seal causes the WHITE HORSE of Revelation (Revelation 6:2) to ride producing FALSE PEACE by means of a "covenant of the many" (Daniel 9:27).
I believe the sacrifices on the Temple Mount will begin during this year, and the land of Israel will be divided.

Core Understanding: Jesus opens the seals but the resulting action is produced by Satan in response to the seals opening. This is important to understand.

It is also important to note that there are only 4 horses. Why not 7? This "may" be because after the 4th seal, before the midpoint of the tribulation, Satan is thrown down to earth. Satan has lost his perspective from heaven and this affects his abilities to cause trouble on the earth. However, after being thrown down to earth, he causes the Antichrist to do his bidding.
Satan, who is now on the earth, is the "foreign god" (Daniel 11:39) that helps the beast take power.

Understand that this is not punishment for believers but rather designed to purify them and draw them closer to the Lord. Also understand that judgment begins in the household of God. (1 Peter 4:17)

Remedy for the Church at Ephesus: Repent. Let go of worldly things and Abide in Christ.

Letter to Smyrna
(Second Seal)
After the second seal is broken, Jesus explains, "I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), [spiritually rich] and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days."
--- Revelation 2:9-10 NASB

I believe this was foretold in Daniel and serves as a second witness:
"But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the scroll until the end of time. Many will go back and forth and search anxiously [through the scroll], and knowledge [of the purpose of God as revealed by His prophets] will [greatly] increase." (Amplifed) --- Daniel 12:4
Is the book of Daniel now unsealed?

In the end times, Mystery Babylon will imprison believers:
"Then the king [Mystery Babylon] will take ...some of the royal family and of the nobles,... in whom was no defect, ... showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge.." Daniel 1:3-4
These are believers and their wisdom, understanding, and discernment are from God.

Mystery Babylon will take believers possessions and they will be very poor.
"and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god." -- Daniel 1:2
[A parallel to this is Pharaoh acquiring all the wealth of Egypt during the 7 year famine. A careful read will reveal a foreshadowing of the end times: Genesis 47:13-21.]

Christians will be imprisoned and tested (threatened and pressured) for 10 days to defile themselves by agreeing with this end-time world system and thus are participating in their immorality.
"But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself.." -- Daniel 1:8
"and tested them for ten days." -- Daniel 1:14

then put in a "re-education?" facility for 3 years and then (killed?):
"and appointed that they should be educated three years" -- Daniel 1:5

Note: The opening of this second seal causes the red horse of Revelation to ride producing world-wide wars and conflicts. (Revelation 6:3-4)

Remedy for the Church of Smyrna: Trust the Lord and be faithful until death.

Letter to Pergamon
(Third Seal)
"But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.’ "
--- Revelation 2:14-17 NASB

In this letter at the third seal, Jesus is admonishing believers for participating in the sins of Mystery Babylon. Some Christians by the third year are eating food obtained by agreeing with this end-time world system and thus are participating in their immorality. The Nicolaitans refer, I think, to "those who overcome the people," influencing many to go along with the world system.

Note: The opening of this third seal causes the black horse of Revelation to ride producing world-wide famines and hyper-inflation. (Revelation 6:5)
These famines will likely cause some believers to seek food from Mystery Babylon which is food "sacrificed to idols."
However, believers need to rely on God only and remember that the Bible says, "To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna..." -- Revelation 2:17
Believers need to trust the Lord for their provision. He will provide!

In Revelation 18, after Mystery Babylon is destroyed (Revelation 18:2) by the Antichrist, these Christians are told to:
"Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; ..." --- Revelation 18:4

Jeremiah is a second witness: (Jeremiah 51:6)

Remedy for the Church of Pergamon: It is best not to participate from the beginning, but for those who have embraced the world system, REPENT and cling to Jesus!

Letter to Thyateira
(Fourth Seal)
"But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.
I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds."
--- Revelation 2:20-22

In this letter at the fourth seal (fourth year), Jesus is warning believers who are still aligned with Mystery Babylon that if they do not come out now, they will enter the great tribulation under the Antichrist system.
This is Jesus last warning before the Antichrist sits in the temple in Jerusalem and declares himself to be God. This three and a half year mark of the tribulation is called the "Abomination of Desolation." and begins the "great tribulation."
(Matthew 24:15–16 NASB, Daniel 11:31 NASB, Daniel 12:11 NASB, Mark 13:14 NASB, Matthew 24:21)

Note: The opening of this fourth seal causes the Pale horse of Revelation to produce death and pestilence. At the midpoint, the Antichrist sits in the temple and declares himself to be God.

Remedy for the Church of Thyateira: REPENT and come out of her. (Revelation 18:4)

Letter to Sardis
(Fifth Seal)
"I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.
--- Revelation 3:1-3 NASB

By the fifth year of the tribulation, the Antichirst is fully in control.
In this letter at the fifth seal (fifth year), Jesus is telling the church that many think they are alive but they are really dead.
They are alive physically but dead spiritually.
This is sobering! and difficult to discern. I believe these dead ones may be believers that have taken the mark of the beast and thus are spiritually dead. OR they could be the 5 foolish virgins who let their lamps go out.
Notice "their deeds" are not complete in God's view. This makes me think they are part of the foolish virgins.
Jesus tells the Church to wake up and strengthen those who have NOT DIED SPIRITUALLY. There are some that are about to die.
These may be at risk of taking the mark of the beast which is a unforgiveable sin. OR perhaps they are part of the 5 foolish virgins who let their lamps go out. (Revelation 12:11)

(see web page: OUR TESTIMONY for more complete explanation)
(see web page: MARK OF THE BEAST for more complete explanation)

Note: With the opening of this fifth seal, the Antichrist is in power and we see martyrs:
"When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained." --- Revelation 6:9

Remedy for the Church of Sardis: REPENT and cling to Jesus (Deuteronomy 13:4)

Letter to Philadelphia
(Sixth Seal)
"I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name." --- Revelation 3:8

"Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown."
--- Revelation 3:10-11 NASB

NO REPRIMAND for the church at the sixth seal!
These Christians have made it all the way to the sixth year and this church is PURE!
And because they have endured and persevered, God is going to keep them from the hour of testing (the wrath of God) which comes upon the whole earth in the 7th year.
God's wrath lasts one year and 10 days just like God's first wrath (the flood). (Matthew 24:37)

God's wrath will last from Feast of Trumpets (the feast associated with the rapture) to the Day of Atonement (the feast associated with the second coming of Christ) the next year. A length of time of one year and ten days!

Note: The opening of this sixth seal causes great terror and the ungodly hide themselves saying, "the great day of their (triune God) wrath has come, and who is able to stand?" -- Revelation 6:17

Remedy: for the Church of Philadelphia: No reprimand from Jesus, no remedy needed. Still giving their testimony to the lost and waiting for the rapture right before the seventh seal.

To understand the importance of ENDURANCE and PERSEVERENCE, see webpage on: "Commentary: Garden of Gethsemane and the Sleeping Church."
Of interest is the fact that the Apostle John is stated to have "patient endurance" (Revelation 1:9) and is the only Apostle not martyred.

Letter to Laodicea
(Seventh Seal)
"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.
Because you say, 'I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,' and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,
I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.
Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.
--- Revelation 3:15-20

There are some in the end times who missed the rapture (right before the seventh seal) yet have not taken the mark of the beast as to be damned.
They are not believers (hot) nor have taken the mark (cold). They are luke warm, blind to the gospel and righteously naked. Jesus tells them that they still have hope if they will only open the door and let Him in.

Note: The opening of this seventh seal of Revelation causes the WRATH OF GOD to be poured out.

Remedy for the Church of Laodicea: REPENT and open the door and dine with Jesus. They do not enter the door but rather Jesus comes back through the door and dines with them. They are saved but have missed the "marriage supper of the Lamb" (Revelation 19:9) in heaven.