Week 52 Revelation 2-3
I was pretty sure the seven churches named in Revelation 2 & 3 were in seven real geographic locations but checked a bible map anyway (not everything in Revelation is always as it seems to be and I didn’t want to get lulled into thinking that City A was an actual real-life city but then find out later that City A was only a stand-in name for what was maybe City B or maybe Non-City B or maybe something else completely. So I checked.)
The map I looked at in my bible had Paul’s three missionary journeys highlighted in orange & magenta & yellow. A title also said “The Seven Churches of Asia” with the churches located in bold red type. The seven were scrunched together in western Turkey – all within maybe a 100-mile radius of each other (I put a one-dollar Canadian coin on the map and it covered all seven cities).
I’m interested in the seven churches for a couple of reasons but mostly for one personal reason: I go to church. And even though I usually don’t think about it from time-to-time I wonder how my church is doing.
So I figure it’s worth thinking about the Seven Churches and about John’s assessments of their Strengths & Weaknesses. Plus any Recommendations he has for them.
Then I can think about my church and see whether there’s any potential points of application.
I’d be crazy to think my church is perfect. And crazy not to listen to any possibly useful advice.