The Structure of the Letters to the Seven Churches

The Structure of the Letters to the Seven Churches

7 letters, 7 sections - "four square"

The seven sections are (1) addressee, (2) identification of the speaker, (3) the "I know" section in which the Lord declares his knowledge of the works of the church, (4) rebuke and warning, (5) encouraging admonition, (6) "He that hath an ear...," and (7) "He that overcometh..." The last two sections are reversed in the last four letters. Section 4 is not necessary for Smyrna and Philadelphia. The letter to Pergamum is lacking section 5.

In each of the first six letters, the Lord identifies himself in terms that are uniquely appropriate for the message that is communicated to the given church. For example, in the letter to the angel of the church in Pergamum, the one who "hath the sharp two edged sword" warns, "I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth."

To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:	And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write:	And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write::	And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write:	And to the angel of the church in Sardis write:	And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:	And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, he that walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks:	These things saith the first and the last, who was dead, and lived [again]:	These things saith he that hath the sharp two-edged sword	These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like unto burnished brass:	These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars:	These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth and none shall shut, and that shutteth and none openeth:	These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God:
I know thy works, and thy toil and patience, and that thou canst not bear evil men, and didst try them that call themselves apostles, and they are not, and didst find them false; and thou hast patience and didst bear for my name's sake, and hast not grown weary.	I know thy tribulation, and thy poverty (but thou art rich), and the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews, and they art not, but are a synagogue of Satan.	I know where thou dwellest, [even] where Satan's throne is; and thou holdest fast my name, and didst not deny my faith, even in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwelleth.	I know thy works, and thy love and faith and ministry and patience, and that thy last works are more than the first.	I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and thou art dead.	I know thy works (behold, I have set before thee a door opened, which none can shut), that thou hast a little power, and didst keep my word, and didst not deny my name.	I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot:
But I have [this] against thee, that thou didst leave thy first love. Remember therefore whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I come to thee, and will move thy candlestick out of its place, except thou repent.		But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there some that hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also some that hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans in like manner. Repent therefore; or else I come to thee quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth.	But I have [this] against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess; and she teacheth and seduceth my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her time that she should repent; and she willeth not to repent of her fornication. Behold, I cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of her works. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he that searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto each one of you according to your works.	Be thou watchful, and establish the things that remain, which were ready to die: for I have found no works of thine perfected before my God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and didst hear; and keep [it], and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.		I would thou wert cold or hot. So because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art the wretched one and miserable and poor and blind and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold refined by fire, that thou mayest become rich; and white garments, that thou mayest clothe thyself, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest; and eyesalve to anoint thine eyes, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I reprove and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
But this thou hast, that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.	Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer: behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life.		But to you I say, to the rest that are in Thyatira, as many as have not this teaching, who know not the deep things of Satan, as they are wont to say; I cast upon you none other burden. Nevertheless that which ye have, hold fast till I come.	But thou hast a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments: and they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy.	Behold, I give of the synagogue of Satan, of them that say they are Jews, and they are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou didst keep the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of trial, that [hour] which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown.	Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.	He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.	He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.	And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to shivers; as I also have received of my Father: and I will give him the morning star.	He that overcometh shall thus be arrayed in white garments; and I will in no wise blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.	He that overcometh, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out thence no more: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and mine own new name.	He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne.
To him that overcometh, to him will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.	He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.	To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth but he that receiveth it.	He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.	He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.	He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.	He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.