The book of Revelation: So powerful, yet so mysterious. The book begins with letters written specifically to seven churches in what was then known as Asia Minor. It is said that in ancient times, the leading council of Asiarchs met each year in a revolving succession...
"To the angel of the church of Ephesus write..." (Rev. 2:1a) Ephesus was considered to be the capital of the region referred to in the Bible as "Asia". It was also the centre of Paul's missionary work.* Thus it would be critical that the church of Ephesus truly shine...
"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write..." (Rev. 2:8a) Smyrna, in John’s day, was a port on the western coast of Asia, and it remains a great city, even today, known by its modern Turkish name, "Izmir". Due to its location at the head of the gulf, it boasted a...
"To the angel of the church in Pergamum write..." (Rev. 2:12 NIV) Pergamos, also called Pergamum in some translations, meant "Citadel". It is now known by its modern name, Bergama. It is located about 15 miles inland and is situated on a hill about 1000 feet above the...
"To the Angel of the church in Thyatira write..." (Rev. 2:18a) Thyatira is known today as the modern city of Akhisar, a city in the province of Asia on the boundary of Lydia and Mysia. It apparently had no illustrious history, but coinage suggests that it was a...
"To the Angel of the church in Sardis write..." (Rev. 3:1a) Sardis is the same city as the modern-day city of Sart. It was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia and was a city of great wealth and fame. Sardis was filled with sophisticated paganism. It stood...
"To the Angel of the church in Philadelphia write..." (Rev. 3:7a) Philadelphia, known today as Alashehir, was named after its founder, Attalus II Piladelphus. Piladelphus was known for his devotion to his brother, Eumenes, thus it is quite fittingly that Philadelphia...
"To the Angel of the church in Laodicea write..." (Rev. 3:14a) Laodicea was a city in Asia Minor, near the modern city of Denizli. Founded by Antiochus II, it lay on one of the great Asian trade routes and was considered to be the wealthiest city of Roman times. It...