REVELATION 2 - 3: ANOTHER VIEW

Over the past seven days, I have shared the Word of God as it is written in Revelation Chapters Two and Three, Clarence Larkin's interpretation of the Seven Churches as representing Seven Church Ages, and "my two cents worth." Larkin's basic premise is accepted by many conservative theologians, although most feel compelled to "tweak" it some; especially since it is clear that the Raptured Church, Philadelphia, is still here.

However, there is another problem with Larkin's suggestion: the Word itself. Prior to John being instructed to write to the seven churches, the Lord provided an outline for the Book of Revelation. John wrote, "Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter" (Rev. 1:19). Based upon this "key verse," Revelation is clearly divided into the three tenses: the past (things which thou HAST seen); the present (things which ARE); and the future (things which SHALL BE hereafter). The past is presented in Revelation 1:1-18; notice the repeated use of the past tense.

The present, the time period in which the seven churches existed, is seen in the constant use of the present tense. Jesus told John, "I know thy works" for each of the seven (2:2, 9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15), and He ended His comments on the churches with the present tense "what the Spirit saith unto the churches" (2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22). There is absolutely no doubt that the Lord wanted to warn His Church that their present condition would come to an end.

Perhaps the clearest evidence of this outline of Revelation is found in the following verse: "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter" (Rev. 4:1). This verse begins the nineteen chapters which have yet to be fulfilled. The Rapture is pictured here (4:1). Chapters six through eighteen describe the future Tribulation. Chapter nineteen deals with Christ's Second Coming. Chapter twenty speaks to the one thousand year reign of Christ on this earth, the Millennium. The remainder of the Book of Revelation, chapters twenty-one and twenty-two, tell us of a new heaven and a new earth, and attempt to describe our eternity in the very presence of God Almighty!

It is possible that both interpretations of the seven churches could be correct. Scripture is replete with prophecies that have more than one fulfillment. The most obvious is that of the coming of the Messiah of Israel. When the final prophecy of the Bible has been literally fulfilled, as are all prophetic fulfillments of Scripture, Israel's Messiah will have come to earth twice. He came the first time as the Lamb of God, to die as our Passover (1 Cor. 5:7), and He will come again, as King of kings and Lord of lords; He will come as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5)! In light of the many dual fulfillments of prophecy, it is both possible and reasonable to believe the seven churches have a dual meaning. We will soon see!