While in exile on the Island of Patmos, the Apostle John received this instruction from Jesus: "Write what you see into a book. Send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea" (Revelation 1:11; The Message Bible). Jesus then proceeds to dictate to the apostle personal messages to each of the seven churches. The content of these messages does not contain the opinions, or instructions of a pastor, deacon, elder or governing church council. These messages were sent directly from Jesus and reveal his assessment of each church. This in itself should be sufficient reason for taking the time and exerting the energy to do an exhaustive study of the seven churches. But there are additional reasons as well which are dealt with extensively in this book. The messages reveal what is acceptable and unacceptable to Jesus in the life of a church. They also reflect seven periods of church history. In addition, the messages explain a Christian's relationship to the group of believers with which they are associated. Furthermore, they stress the responsibility of every Christian to protect the spiritual welfare of the local church. Finally, these messages provide the proper perspective of what Jesus values most in a church. At the end of each message Jesus makes this statement: "Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches!" (Revelation 2:7; New Living Translation). The messages to the seven churches of the Apocalypse are as relevant today as they were when John received them. They are intended for anyone who has ears to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

The final book of the Bible, Revelation prophesies the ultimate judgement of mankind in a series of allegorical visions, grisly images and numerological predictions. According to these, empires will fall, the "Beast" will be destroyed and Christ will rule a new Jerusalem. With an introduction by Will Self.

While in exile on the Island of Patmos, the Apostle John received this instruction from Jesus: "Write what you see into a book. Send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea" (Revelation 1:11; The Message Bible). Jesus then proceeds to dictate to the apostle personal messages to each of the seven churches. The content of these messages does not contain the opinions, or instructions of a pastor, deacon, elder or governing church council. These messages were sent directly from Jesus and reveal his assessment of each church. This in itself should be sufficient reason for taking the time and exerting the energy to do an exhaustive study of the seven churches. But there are additional reasons as well which are dealt with extensively in this book. The messages reveal what is acceptable and unacceptable to Jesus in the life of a church. They also reflect seven periods of church history. In addition, the messages explain a Christian's relationship to the group of believers with which they are associated. Furthermore, they stress the responsibility of every Christian to protect the spiritual welfare of the local church. Finally, these messages provide the proper perspective of what Jesus values most in a church. At the end of each message Jesus makes this statement: "Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches!" (Revelation 2:7; New Living Translation). The messages to the seven churches of the Apocalypse are as relevant today as they were when John received them. They are intended for anyone who has ears to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Inspired by the complimentary feature film documentary series, The 7 Churches of Revelation, The Mysteries of the Apocalypse by Jean-Marc Thobois and Christophe Hanauer looks at the book of Revelation through the lens of biblical history, archaeology, and culture, giving readers a more accurate—and fascinating—understanding of the end times. The book of Revelation, written by the Apostle John, opens with a set of seven letters sent to a community of seven churches located in present-day Turkey. The term apocalypse has acquired a negative connotation over the centuries that has taken it away from its original meaning to evoke a cataclysmic and destructive event. This word has become popular for the wrong reasons. In Ancient Greek, it means a disclosure or revelation of great knowledge. The first key to better understand the mysteries of the prophecies of Revelation is to refer to Old Testament scriptures. In order to understand the New Testament, one should ask how the people of Israel understood and interpreted the teachings of Jesus and the apostles in their day. The second key is to consider the historical and political context of the time of writing of the text. In the first century, the Roman Empire persecuted, sometimes with extreme violence, the followers of Jesus Christ. Finally, the third key proposed is to regard the book of Revelation as a sort of synthesis, a summary of eschatological prophecies present throughout the Bible. Far from claiming to provide absolute truth, these three major keys help to decipher the true meaning of the text and better grasp its allusions and other symbolisms. Thus history, archeology, and culture anchor the book in reality. This unveiling gives context that speaks with great interest to our generation.

With a new foreword by David E. Aune, this modern classic by Colin J. Hemer explores the seven letters in the book of Revelation against the historical background of the churches to which they were addressed. Based on literary, epigraphical, and archaeological sources and informed by Hemer's firsthand knowledge of the biblical sites, this superb study presents in the clearest way possible a picture of the New Testament world in the later part of the first century and its significance for broader questions of church history.

The theme of the book of Revelation is derived from its opening sentence: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.” John, the beloved disciple, is the recipient of this revelation; but Jesus Christ, the Alpha and the Omega, is its author. The major corpus of this letter to the seven churches of Asia Minor has Jesus Christ as its principal subject. Christ’s message to the seven churches of the Apocalypse (Revelation) transcends the barriers of time and space. Whatever criticisms and commendations were pronounced upon the churches of Asia Minor, the same are applicable to all churches which presently dispense similar attitudes and characteristics. The message of the Apocalypse, while couched in visions and symbols and numbers, is simply this: the final judgment of God will be pronounced upon Satan and sin, and his redeemed children will be victorious over the power and dominion of Satan. It is my hope that you will be challenged to read and study about the seven churches in the book of Revelation. Utilize the bibliography as a guide to additional resources on the subject.