| City | English Meaning of Name | Viewed as a Time Period | Comments about the Scriptures |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Ephesus City in the west | Apasus (Hittite word) City of Mother God Acts 19:35 and where John is believed to have taken Mary - mother of the son of God - to spend her last years | 31AD - 135AD Day of Pentecost to the forced removal of Jews from City of Jerusalem, currently enslaved but on high free the Mother of us all Galatians 4:26. | God-centred & hard working, Fundamentalist, and forsaking first love. |
| 2.Smyrna | Myrrh Bitter Herbs | 64AD - 312AD 10 major government persecutions from Nero to Diocletian | Politically Persecuted and Suffering |
| 3.Pergamon City furthest to the north | Fortified (Up High) A close ally of Rome famous for the Pergamon Altar a luxurious Greek temple. | 313AD - 1452AD Starts with Law passed by Constantine allowing Christian Church to own property — and presenting the Pope, the acknowledged boss (on earth), with the Lateran Palace in Rome, his own residence. Ends with Fall of Constantinople (Eastern Roman Empire). | Politically on Top with "priests" and "pastors" or Nicolaitans who then "rule" the laity Nico-Overcome or Conquer (the laity). |
| 4.Thyatira | Sacrificing continually | 313AD - Today Starts with Constantine as Christian Church and Government powers combine. Worshiping statues and sexual sin. | Charitable but promoting demonic activity through blatant sin. Typified in James I of England who on one level sponsored the King James Version of the Bible, accepted the people's "worship" as head of the church, and took a nobleman to his bedchamber as his "wife". And indeed his son, Charles I was killed "with Death" (he was executed). |
| 5.Sardis | Sardius "precious stone" | 1453AD - Today From the Reformation and the National churches - both Episcopal Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist and Reformed Presbyterian, Congregational, Baptist. Separation of Church & State. | You have the name that "You live" but you are dead "Necrotic" i.e. dry, lifeless. Typified in Europe 1618-1648 by the Click here for some brief notes on the etymology of the English word "school". Typified in England 1653-1658 with Oliver Cromwell's rule. |
| 6.Philadelphia | Love of the Family — connected via the womb | 1738AD - Today From John and Charles Wesley (Methodist Revival) and George Mueller in the following century. | Faithful and Prophetic and with a little power. Five wise virgins "I know your works: behold, I have set before you an open door, and no man can shut it: for you have a little strength, and have kept my word, and have not denied my name." |
| 7.Laodicea City furthest south and east | People's Rights | 20th Century Churches | Man-centred and Positivist but full of lukewarm blather. Five foolish virgins "You are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing' and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked, I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed, and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne." |
Note 1. Ephesus hates but Pergamos allows some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans - which Christ hates. Apparently these were the Gnostics, teaching that Jesus was a holy man having insight or "gnosis". They held to a universalist hermeneutics (interpretation) based on Hermes-messenger of the gods of God's mercy and forgiveness. Whenever fornication occurred "then who are we to cast the first stone" people could bring penance, offerings with prayers before statues (idols) of the saints. See
Note 2 on Thyatira: you allow the woman Jezebel to teach .. to cause my servants to go astray .. to practise idolatry
Jezebel's literal meaning is "unmarried or chaste - as if on a higher plane".
Click here for an excellent map of the Roman Empire in 400AD. Click on Asia (in modern day western Turkey) to see these 7 cities.
Further thoughts Saturday 15th July 2023
| Keys | Without Hiding | Foundation |
|---|---|---|
| Hades | Tree-like Emeth Truth Aletheia | |
| A- dhs | ||
| Alpha - eido | E-meth A-men A-lanthano | bath bathos bottom birth |
| without - sight | Elohim Alpha- Hid | base basileia (kingdom) |
| Thanatos (Grk) | Muwth (Heb) | Without Foundation |
| Death | Die (Mute, Mortal) | Deep Down abyss |
KEYS
Greek Kleio - a "closing" instrument, a conclusion, a clause
Hebrew Mapteia - an opening instrument. The earliest known key (and its corresponding lock) was found in the ruins of Nineveh. This simple key was simply a wooden prodder that could be inserted through a small hole in a door. It worked by lifting a bar of wood placed across the inside of the door. Click here for some ancient pictures.
Isaiah 22:22 And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
Rev 1:18-20
"I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death."
"(Therefore) Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall (are intended - are cared about) coming into being (being generated) hereafter."
"The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels (angelos, messengers) of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands (which you saw) are the seven churches."
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