Page 504 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

PROPHECY

Messianic kingdom; He came to die for man’s sin; but (Re. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22). (3) To give a foreview
He did show Himself as the Messiah. His rejection was of church history. By the divinely inspired order of the
necessary for the fulfillment of prophecy (Is. 53:3). (2) letters to the seven churches we see the same pattern of
He was publicly rejected by Israel’s leaders and increasing apostasy which is revealed in other ways in
representatives (Mt. 11-12. See especially 12:22-28). the N.T.
(3) Christ then offered Himself to anyone who would The seven churches viewed prophetically:
come—Jew or Gentile. It was not until chapter 11:28-30 Ephesus (Re. 2:1-7) -- The apostolic church leaving its
that Christ made this offer. (4) Having turned to the first love. The early churches as a whole gradually began
Gentiles, Christ now reveals the “mystery” period of the to abandon their wholehearted zeal for Christ and His
kingdom (Mt. 13:11). This mystery refers to the course Word; they gradually ceased living by faith and settled
of the age during the time of His absence from this earth down comfortably in the world rather than walking as
and His temporary rejection by Israel. This period was pilgrims in a strange land. “Ephesus means ‘desirable,’
not foretold in O.T. prophecy, and this is why it is called such a term as a Greek applied to the maiden of his
a mystery. Compare Mt. 23:34-39; Ho. 3:4-5; Ro. choice. Ephesus gives us a picture of the church as it
11:25-26. The O.T. prophecies of the kingdom revealed was in the beginning, when the Lord held the stars (His
that Christ would suffer (Is. 53) and would reign (Is. servants) in His hand and controlled their ministry. He
9:6-7). Nothing is mentioned, though, in O.T. prophecy sent them here and there, just as He would, to proclaim
about a period in between these two great events in the glad gospel of His grace and to minister to His
which God would temporarily set aside the nation Israel saints. ... The early church was walking in separation
and build a church composed both of Jews and Gentiles. from the world. ... In the days of Ephesus, believers
1. The Sower (Mt. 13:1-23). The Gospel begins to be could not bear those who were evil. ... More than that,
preached worldwide and falls upon every kind of soil— they were loyal to the truth” (Ironside).
people and nations. Smyrna (Re. 2:8-11) -- Persecution and poverty and
2. The Tares (Mt. 13:24-30). Satan puts false the synagogue of Satan. For more than 200 years the
Christians and false teachers among the true churches churches were persecuted by the Roman emperors.
and Christians. Christ mentions 10 days of persecution, and there were
3. The Mustard Seed (Mt. 13:31-32). The church 10 major periods of persecution under 10 principal
experiences abnormal growth and becomes the home of pagan persecutors (Nero, Domitian, Trajan, Marcus
evil things. A seed intended to produce a vegetable Aurelius, Severus, Maximum, Decius, Valerian, Aurelian,
plant becomes a tree. The birds are revealed as evil in and Diocletian). There was also much poverty, because
verse four. They are demons and professing Christians during this period the believers often had to live hand to
and teachers controlled by demons. Compare I Ti. 4:1 mouth and in hiding due to the persecution. Judaism
and 2 Co. 11:13-15. This is exactly what has happened was also rampant throughout the Roman Empire and
in Christianity. The simple church that Christ established the Jews continued to hate the Christians and to
has become the largest religion in the world. It is mostly torment them as they did during Paul’s day. It is written
apostate and full of demonic teachings and activities. in church history that the Jews provided the wood to
4. The Hidden Leaven (Mt. 13:33). Christendom will burn Polycarp in Smyrna. “Smyrna means ‘myrrh.’
gradually increase in error until it is entirely apostate. Myrrh had to be crushed for it to emit its fragrance. This
“Till the whole was leavened.” The final apostate description sets forth the period when the church was
“church” is pictured in Re. 17 as the Great Harlot. That crushed beneath the iron heel of pagan Rome, yet it
which professes to be the pure and faithful bride of never gave out such sweet fragrance to God as in those
Christ is actually a prostitute with the world and the two centuries of almost constant martyrdom” (Ironside).
devil. Pergamos (Re. 2:12-17) -- Nicolaitanism was
5. Immediately after the parable of The Hidden developed into a doctrine and Balaamism was rampant.
Leaven, Christ describes His return to earth and the “Nicolaitan” means “to conquer the people” and refers
destruction of the apostate religious system (Mt. to the rise of the unbiblical hierarchical doctrine of
13:36-43). [See also Parable.] church government. By the days of Constantine in the
Characteristics of the Last Days—Revelation 2-3 fourth century the bishop of Rome was exalted, together
The threefold application of the messages. with his cohorts, and Nicolaitanism was well on its way
to producing the papacy. In the early seventh century
(1) To instruct the particular churches to which they Gregory the Great solidified the papacy, becoming “the
are addressed. (2) To instruct all churches. The first of the proper popes” (Schaff, History of the
instruction given to the seven churches of Asia in the Christian Church, I. 15), and later that century Pope
first century applies to every church of every century Theodore I was the first pope officially called sovereign

504 Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity