Page 3 - 03b The Seven Churhces-Smyrna

THE STORY OF THE SEER OF PATMOS

Stephen N. Haskell

“Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at
hand” Revelation 22:10.

looks upon the earth as one vast mission field,

and the church is a beacon light in the midst of

darkness. The incarnation of Christ drew the

sympathies of all the universe earthward, and

“the whole creation groaneth,” waiting for our

adoption. Christ, attended by the host of

heaven-His ministering spirits-is always

found in the midst of the church, and he that

toucheth the church, toucheth the apple of the

eye of Christ.

The first message which John was bidden to

deliver was to the church of Ephesus. There

were other churches in Asia Minor, but there

were reasons why Ephesus was first

addressed, and why it should be taken to

represent the church in general during the

first years of its existence. The word