Chapter 2 THE LORD OF THE CHURCH THE OF JESUS CHRIST - CHURCH. CH.2-3 A. His church at Ephesus. 2:1-7 B. His church at Smyrna. 2:8-11 C. His church at Pergamos. 2:12-17 D. His church at Thyatira. 2:18-29 I. Ch.2-3 is Christ’ s last Scriptural words to His Church. (It’ s not Matt.Ch.28 or Acts Ch.1) II. The messages of Christ to the churches are built upon: 1. The Counsellor 2. The Commendation 3. The Chastening 4. The Counsel 5. The Challenge. III. The 3-fold application of the messages to the 7 churches: 1. Local application - They were real churches and their different messages were applied to the addressed church. 2. Historic application - They are prophecy of Church history and their different messages can be applied to specific Church periods. 3. Personal application - They are individual received by the Church of all ages and their messages can be applied of all churches and believers. IV. In the historic application - Prophecy, this following observation is worth noticing: 1. The 3 first letters are connected and the 4 last letters is connected to each other. 2. In the 3 first letters the sentence “ He who has an ear …” is mentioned before the promise and in the 4 last letters “ He who has an ear …” is mentioned after the promise. V. The difference between the churches: 1. The 1st and 7th church is in much Danger, 2nd and 6th church is much Dedicated, 2. 3 + 4 + 5 churches have both good and bad sides. International Bible School - 26 - International Bible School 2:1 3. The 2nd and 6th church only good is spoken about them, the 7th church only bad is spoken about them. 4. The 2nd and 6th church are not told to repent while the five other churches are told to repent. VI. To all the 7 churches Jesus reveals some of the characteristics about Himself as seen in the first chapter. VII. Jesus warns 5 of these 7 churches: The inscription on the cathedral in Lubeck, Germany states: Thus speaketh Christ our Lord to us: Ye call Me Master and obey Me not. Ye call Me Light and see Me not. Ye call Me Way and walk Me not. Ye call Me Life and choose Me not. Ye call Me Wise and follow Me not. Ye call Me Fair and love Me not. Ye call Me Rich and ask Me not. Ye call Me Eternal and seek Me not. Ye call Me Noble and serve Me not. Ye call Me Gracious and trust Me not. Ye call Me Might and honour Me not. Ye call Me Just and fear Me not. If I condemn you, blame Me not.