Tallen
Well-known member
Not seven times. The book of Revelation was written to the first century believers and was relevant to them addressing seven real and literal churches..., as well as it was written to the church throughout the church age, and has relevance to them. We are included. It is a revelation of risen and glorified Christ... as the Apostle stated.o in this viewpoint, are the seven churches in some way a chronological view of seven "times" or are they in existence all at the same time?
First we see a vision of the risen and glorified Christ walking among the churches of Asia Minor. There are references to events, people, and places of the time it was written..., therefore relevant to the believers of that time. Second, the values, rebukes, commendations, warnings have value, and values, for believers throughout the church age. This sets a precedence for the rest of the book as the message was intended for both the first century church, and for the church through the rest of time. It's message is relevant still for us in this time.
They are real churches in which we find differing conditions... which are mentioned as both a warning and an encouragement to the reader. Some conditions are quite anti-christ and some conditions are proper values and actions of true believers. This first section tells us about the conditions of the church from Christ's first coming to His Second coming, revealing Him in this age.Are they symbolic of church "ages" or simply church "types," like Philadelphia would perhaps be the charismatics and Laodicea, the Presbyterians?
I think your above statement about "ages" and "types" goes too far and reveals the desire of some folks to read certain hermeneutics, presupposition and theological assumptions into the scriptures. There is nothing within the text that leads us to read these ideas into it.