THE LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT SARDIS. Sardis was a little more than 30 miles SE. of Thyatira: formerly a city of great importance, at this time it had become a town of the second rank. It had been destroyed by an earthquake in A.D. 17, and though rebuilt it had not recovered its former glory. REVELA... [ Continue Reading ]
REVELATION 2:1 TO REVELATION 3:22. THE LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES. These letters are addressed to individual churches, but their messages are intended for the Church as a whole. In every letter there occurs the phrase, He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT PHILADELPHIA. Philadelphia was about 30 miles SE. of Sardis. Like Sardis it was subject to frequent earthquakes, and consequently never attained any great size. The condition of the church seems to have been satisfactory; the difficulties arose from Jewish rather than pag... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT LAODICEA. Laodicea was 40 miles SE. of Philadelphia and near Colossæ. It was famous for its wealth, and when it was overthrown by an earthquake in A.D. 60, it disdained to receive a subsidy from Rome, preferring to restore the damage out of its own resources. It was, acco... [ Continue Reading ]