The letters to the seven churches share a similar structure with seven features:

1. An address to a particular congregation
2. An introduction of Jesus (some part of the great vision of Christ in Rev. 1:12-20)
3. A statement regarding the condition of the church
4. A verdict from Jesus regarding the condition of the church
5. A command from Jesus to the church
• In the exposition of the letters, the commands must be carefully considered so as to determine precisely the particular nature of the various errors. The thrust of the commands is not in the direction of consolation for persecuted churches - it is rather the opposite.
6. A general exhortation to all Christians
7. A promise of reward

EPHESUS

Revelation 2:1-7 (NKJV)
¹ "To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,
"These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: ²"I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; ³and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary. ⁴Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. ⁵Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent. ⁶But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
⁷"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God."'
(AMP) | (NIV) | (NLT) | (KJV) | (NASB)

Religiously, Ephesus was the center for the worship of the fertility goddess known as "Artemis." or "Diana." Thousands of priests and priestesses were involved in her service with many of the priestesses dedicated to cult prostitution. The temple also served as a great bank for kings and merchant, as well as an asylum for fleeing criminals.

• Ephesus was the city where Paul ministered for three years (Acts 19:1, Acts 20:17-38, NKJV).
• Paul addressed one of his Prison Letters to this church - the Book of Ephesians.
• It was the city where Aquilla and Priscilla, with Apollos ministered (Acts 18:24-28, NKJV).
• It was the city where Paul’s close associate, Timothy ministered (1 Timothy 1:3, NKJV).

"These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:

Verses 2-3: What Jesus knows that the church at Ephesus is doing right:

1. They work hard for the Lord and steadfast endurance (patience).
2. They pursue doctrinal purity.
3. They continued doing these things, without becoming weary.

Notice they have left, not lost, their first love. This denotes a willful act and not an accident. What love did they leave? Love for God or love for one another? Probably both are in mind.

Ephesus was a "working" church.
Sometimes a focus on working for Jesus will eclipse a love relationship with Him.
Ephesus was a doctrinally pure church.
Sometimes a focus on doctrinal purity will make a congregation cold and intolerant.

Verses 5-6: Jesus’ command to the church at Ephesus.

⁵Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent. ⁶But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate."

If they do not repent, Jesus will remove their light and His presence. With their lamp stand removed, they may continue as an organization, but no longer as a true church of Jesus Christ.

Who are the Nicolaitans and what were their deeds? We are not absolutely sure; but it probably refers to followers of Nicolas of Antioch (Acts 6:5, NKJV). Nicolas was one of the first deacons of the Early Church, who apostasized from true Christianity and began teaching that it does not matter if one practices adultery or eats things sacrificed to idols because acts of the body do not affect the spirit. He and his followers lived lives of unrestrained indulgence.

Verse 7a: Jesus’ general exhortation: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." We must hear what the Spirit says to the churches - not just one church.

Verse 7b: The promise of a reward: "To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God." Here Jesus seems to be speaking of the overcoming of the coldness of their hearts and lack of love marked by the leaving of their first love. "Paradise" is a Persian loan word meaning "a park" or "a garden" and is used by the LXX (Septuagint) to translate the Hebrew expression of the Garden of Eden in Genesis 2.

SMYRNA (Currently Izmir)

Revelation 2:8-11 (NKJV)
⁸ "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,
"These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: ⁹"I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. ¹⁰Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
¹¹"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death."'
(AMP) | (NIV) | (NLT) | (KJV) | (NASB)

Once a year the Roman citizen was required to burn a pinch of incense on the altar to the godhead of Caesar; and having done so, he was given a certificate to guarantee that he had performed his religious duty. All that the Christian had to do was to burn that pinch of incense, say "Caesar is Lord," receive their certificate, and go away and worship as they pleased the rest of the year. But that is precisely what the Christians would not do. They would give no man the name of Lord; that name they would keep for Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone. They would not even formally conform. (Barclay)

Smyrna had many martyrs the most famous being Polycarp.¹

Verse 8: Jesus’ description of Himself is one of encouragement for persecuted Christians:

• The Resurrected Christ is in control - not Rome.
• Death could not hold Jesus, and it cannot hold His people.

• He knows their afflictions (persecutions).
• He knows their poverty (materialistically speaking).
• They were robbed and fired from jobs in persecution of the Gospel.
• Jesus assessment of them - "But you are rich."
• He knows their problem (trouble from the Jewish community).

Verse 10: Jesus gives no condemnation to this church. He does reveal that the time of testing would continue, even to the death:

^10"Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life."

• In the 1st century Roman world, prison was usually no punitive but the prelude to trial and execution.
• The "tribulation" (persecution) mentioned here is not the common trials that face all mankind but rather is trouble they would not have had if they had not been Christians.
• "That you may be tested."

Verse 11: The general exhortation and promise of reward. This promise is for those who remain faithful in the face of persecution. Dying physically for their Lord is worth eternal life in His presence.

Pergamos/PERGAMUM (Currently Bergama)

Revelation 2:12-17 (NKJV)
¹² "And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,
"These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: ¹³"I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. ¹⁴But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. ¹⁵Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. ¹⁶Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
¹⁷"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it."'
(AMP) | (NIV) | (NLT) | (KJV) | (NASB)

Pergamos has temples to Dionysus, Athena, Ascelpios, and Demeter; three temples to the emperor cult; and a great altar to Soter Zeus. The two main religions seem to have been the worship of Dionysus (Bacchus), the god of wine, and Asclepios, the god of healing and knowledge, represented by the snake.

Verse 12: Jesus describes Himself to the church at Pergamos. This congregation needed some surgery and Jesus was getting ready to do it with His Word.

Verse 13: Jesus' knowledge of the church at Pergamos:

• To proclaim Christ as the one, true God in this polytheistic city would certainly provoke hostility.
• Antipas is called a "faithful witness" - the same term applied to Christ in Rev. 1:5.

• The doctrine of Balaam (Numbers 22-24; 31, NKJV) The doctrine of the Nicolaitans.
• He could not curse Israel directly so he advised to introduce pagan women into the Israelity community resulting in sexual immorality and idolatry. Apparently, the church at Pergamos had members who participated in the sexual immorality and idolatry of the general population of Pergamos.
• Sexual immorality marked the whole culture of the ancient Roman Empire. It was simply taken for granted, and the person who lived by Biblical standards of purity was considered strange.
• Christ’s rebuke is not only against those who hold these doctrines but also to those in the church who allow them to continue.

• "I will come to you quickly" refers to Christ’s judgment - not to His Second Coming.
• Judgment will begin at the house of God (1 Peter 4:17, NKJV)

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it."

"hidden manna" - If you refuse the banquets of the pagan gods, which are so visible in this city, Christ will give you the manna of His great banquet in the Kingdom, which is not hidden.

"white stone…."

• Maybe an invitation to the banquet.
• Maybe an illusion to conquers in the public games who were given a white stone with their name inscribed on it which entitled them, during their whole life, to be maintained at public expense.
• Maybe the believer’s new name or changed character through redemption.

Revelation 2:18-29 (NKJV)
¹⁸ "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write,
"These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: ¹⁹"I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. ²⁰Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. ²¹And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. ²²Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. ²³I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
²⁴"Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden. ²⁵But hold fast what you have till I come. ²⁶And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations--

²⁷"He shall rule them with a rod of iron;
They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels' -- (Psalm 2:9, NKJV)

as I also have received from My Father; ²⁸and I will give him the morning star.
²⁹"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'
(AMP) | (NIV) | (NLT) | (KJV) | (NASB)

Verse 18: Jesus describes Himself to the church at Thyatira. Both descriptions from chapter 1 speak of judgment.

Verse 19: What Jesus knows about the church at Thyatira: They not only possess but are growing in love, service, faith, and patience.

Verses 20-21: What Jesus has against the church at Thyatira:

²⁰Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. ²¹And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent.

• The name Jezebel had a powerful association.
• She was one of the most evil characters of the Old Testament, who attempted to combine the worship of Israel with the worship of the idol Baal.
• She was probably teaching something like this: "The only way to really appreciate grace is to experience sin."
• She probably condoned the participation in the immoral and idolatrous social events put on by the trade guilds.
• This would have had a powerful attraction because being a part of a guild and attending their meetings was essential for success for a tradesman.
• God had given this false prophetess "time to repent" and she would not.
• God’s time to repent is not an unlimited time.
• "Because you allow" - the sin of the church was that they allowed this corruption.

²²Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. ²³I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.

• Before Jesus tells the Christians in Thyatira what they must do, He first tells them what He will do -- chastise this Jezebel and cast her into a sickbed along with those who follow her. Those who followed her were guilty of adultery, both sexual and spiritual. It’s as if Jesus says, "You love an unclean bed. Here, I will give you one - a sickbed."
• What is the purpose of this chastening?
• To bring them to repentance.
• To give an example to the other churches
• "I will kill her children with death": refers to the second death (hell).

Verses 26-28: The promise of a reward: The proof of authentic trust in Jesus is steadfastness of belief and continuance in the will of God till Christ returns or death comes. The word for "rule" means literally "to shepherd."

Verse 29: A general exhortation to all who hear.

SARDIS (Currently Sart)

Rev. 3:1-6 (NKJV) 
¹ "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,
"These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. ²Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. ³Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. ⁴You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. ⁵He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
⁶"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'
(AMP) | (NIV) | (NLT) | (KJV) | (NASB)

Sardis was also a city known for its softness and luxury. It had a well-deserved reputation for apathy and immorality. The people of Sardis were notoriously loose-living and pleasure-loving. Even on pagan lips, Sardis was a name of contempt because of its decadence.

The geographical situation of Sardis was ideal for defense, as it stood high above the valley of Hermus and was surrounded by deep cliffs almost impossible to scale. Twice, however, it fell to enemies due to overconfidence and failure to watch.

Verse 1b: Jesus describes Himself to the church at Sardis.
Verse 1c: What Jesus knows about the church at Sardis: "You have a name that you are alive"
Verse 1d: What Jesus has against the church at Sardis: "But you are dead" - It wasn’t that the church at Sardis was losing the battle - they had lost the battle and the fight was over. The church at Sardis was a perfect model of the inoffensive church.

Verses 2-3: What Jesus wants the church at Sardis to do: 

• "Be watchful" 
• "strengthen the things which remain"
• "I have not found your works perfect before God"
• God is more interested in the intent and purpose of our works.
• Clarke: "They performed their duties, but not completely. They were constantly beginning,  but never brought anything to a proper end."
• "Remember… hold fast and repent"

• "Even in Sardis…": remarkably, there are some faithful ones - even in this environment.
• "And they will walk with me in white"
• The garments that Jesus gives are always white - purity.
• White was also the color of triumph to the Romans.
• "Walk with me": forsaking sinful compromise results in a closer, more intimate walk with Jesus.
• "I will confess his name before My Father…"
• It makes sense that we should be willing to confess the name of Jesus.
• It is amazing that He would not be ashamed to confess us!
• "And I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life"
• In the ancient world, death or criminal conviction could blot out the name of a citizen from the city’s book of the living, which was the city register. The emphasis here is on assurance, but, at the same time, we should carefully consider what the Word has to say about the Book of Life.

1. Rev. 20:12 (NKJV): "And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. "
• There is a Book of Life, and it will be opened and referenced on the Day of Judgment. This means that the Book of Life is real, and will be read.
2. Rev. 20:15 (NKJV): "And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire."
• There is a Book of Life, and it determines if we go to heaven or hell. This means that the Book of Life is important.
3. Luke 10:20 (NKJV): "Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." 
• There is a Book of Life, and knowing our names are written there should bring us great joy.
4. Exodus 32:32-33; Psalm 69:28; Rev. 3:5; Rev. 22:19 (NKJV):
• There is a Book of Life, and there are five different references to people being blotted out of the Book of Life. This means that the idea of being blotted out of the Book of Life should be taken seriously.

Rev. 3:7-13 (NKJV)
⁷ "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,
"These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens": (Is. 22:22, NKJV) ⁸"I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. ⁹Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie--indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. ¹⁰Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. ¹¹Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. ¹²He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
¹³"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'
(AMP) | (NIV) | (NLT) | (KJV) | (NASB)

Verse 7b: Jesus describes Himself: "He who has the keys of David…." - Quotation from Is. 22:20-23 (NKJV) which expresses His power and authority, especially to admit and exclude.

Verse 8: What Jesus knows about the church of Philadelphia.

• "I have set before you an open door…"
• Evangelistic opportunity: the purpose of spreading Hellenism created an open attitude toward ideas that created an open door for the church.
• Open door to God’s Kingdom having been excluded from the Jewish synagogue.
• "And no one can shut it…"
• The emphasis is on unhindered openness
• Since Jesus is the one providing the open door then all glory goes to Him as well.
• "For you have a little strenth…"
• The term used for "little strength" does not imply weakness, but real strength.
• They were weak enough to be strong in the Lord.
• Look at the features of the church in Philadelphia:
• Evangelistic opportunity
• Reliance on God
• Faithfulness to Jesus
• In some ways, these features seem "unspectacular". They should be commonplace among churches. Yet Jesus was completely pleased with this church. He has nothing negative to say to the church at Philadelphia.

• "I will make them come and worship before your feet…"
• "I will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world"
• Most Bible scholars see this hour of trial as a prophetic reference to the Tribulation.
• "To test those who dwell on the earth"
• This phrase is used nine times in the Book of Revelation referring to unbelievers.
• The test (Tribulation) is for unbelievers, not Christians.

• "Hold fast to what you have"
• "I am coming quickly": suddenly, not necessarily immediately.
• If they fail to hold fast (persevere), their crown might be given to another (not stolen).
• This is a crown of victory. Jesus encourages His saints to finish their course with victory, to "play the second half" just as strongly as they "played the first half".

• The overcomer will have a place of permanence and stability with God (in contrast to the earthquakes experienced in Philadelphia).
• A double-minded person in unstable.
• These names are marks of identification showing who we belong to. They are marks of intimacy, because it shows we are privileged to know Him in ways others are not.

Rev. 3:14-22 (NKJV)
¹⁴ "And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,
"These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: ¹⁵"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. ¹⁶So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. ¹⁷Because 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-- ¹⁸I 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. ¹⁹As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. ²⁰Behold, 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. ²¹To 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.
²²"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"
(AMP) | (NIV) | (NLT) | (KJV) | (NASB)

It was also a noted commercial center, and some its goods were exported all over the world. Famous for a special black wool. Famous for a popular eye-salve. One of their problems was a poor water supply that made them vulnerable to enemy attacks.

Verse 14b: Jesus describes Himself:  "Beginning of the creation of God" - The idea behind the word for "beginning" is "ruler, source, or origin", not of sequential order.

Verses 15-16: What Jesus knows about the church of Laodecia.

• This picture of lukewarmness would immediately get their attention because the water they drank every day was lukewarm. Just as this water tended to make them sick, just so their lukewarmness was making Jesus sick.
• Scholars disagree on the meaning of "hot and cold and lukewarm".
• Some see them as describing spiritual condition.
• Others see them describing compromise with both hot and cold being good and lukewarm as being useless or undesirable.
• Hot water was "committed" - useful for healing.
• Cold water was "committed" - useful for refreshment
• Lukewarm water was "uncommitted" - useless and nauseating.
• Refusal to change will result in Jesus "spewing them out of His mouth".

• They looked at their condition and said "rich", "wealthy", "we need nothing".
• They were the opposite of the "poor in spirit" of Matthew 5:3 (NKJV).
• They were spiritually blind.
• Jesus looked at the church of Laodecia and said "wretched", "miserable", "poor", "blind", "naked"
• The contrast is alarming.

• "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten"
• The Greek word for "love" used here is phileo (friend).
• It signifies an intense personal affection.
• "Therefore be zealous and repent"
• Respond to my love and make a willful decision to repent.
• "Behold, I stand at the door and knock…"
• Jesus is urging them to agree with His assessment, not theirs.
• If they invite Him - He will come in!

• "As I overcame"
• How did Jesus overcome? By submitting to His Father’s will in the Garden of Gethesemane and going to the Cross.
• We, too, must die to flesh to be overcomers.

Notes:
¹In 156 AD, a great man of God, Polycarp, was arrested because he was a Christian and brought before the proconsul. Listen to the commitment of this man and his refusal to compromise:

Proconsul: "Swear and I will release thee; reproach Christ."

Polycarp: "Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never once wronged me. How then shall I blaspheme my King Who hath saved me?"

Proconsul: "I have wild beasts; and I will expose you to them unless you recant."

Polycarp: "Call for them. Bring on the beasts.!"

Proconsul: "I will tame thee with fire since you despise the wild beasts, unless you recant."

Polycarp: "Why do you delay? Do whatever you please."