Daniel, John - Secret Societies and Their Infiltration of the Seven Churches of Revelation

Excerpt:

Biblical text: Revelation 1-3

Why These Seven Churches?

The seven churches in Revelation were named after the seven cities in Asia Minor (Turkey) where they were headquartered. First was Ephesus, followed in order by Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.

Why did Jesus instruct the Apostle John to write to these seven particular churches in this particular order? There were other churches Christ could have chosen. South of Laodicea was Colosse. In Greece there were three churches, Philippi, Thessalonica, and Corinth. There were also churches at Galatia, Hierapolis, and Troas. Why these particular seven?

Many theologians agree that these seven churches were selected by Christ because they exemplify seven ages through which the prophetic Church has now historically passed.

First Proof. The Greek meaning of the name of each city where the churches were headquartered defines a peculiar characteristic that we find in each of seven historic church periods.

Second Proof. Each church in Asia Minor was plagued with a pagan problem peculiar to that city where it was headquartered. The pagan problem was a mystery religion, or in our modern vernacular, a secret society. Each church in Asia Minor reacted to these secret societies in a specific manner. These same reactions toward secret societies can also be recognized in seven distinct historic church periods spanning the last 2,000 years.

Third Proof. As each of the seven churches in Asia Minor was located in a city with a peculiar characteristic and secret society, so too each historic church period was headquartered within a country having those same peculiar characteristics and secret societies. These countries are Asia Minor, Rome, northern Europe, England, and America.