I consider myself Philadelphian

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; - Revelation 1:1

“things which must shortly come to pass,” or, in other words, ages.

 

John Smyth is believed to have the first church labeled "Baptist" in Amsterdam in 1609. Which would have fell under Sardisean times. Which was 1500 years after the Apostolic time. The church existed in different spirit between those years. Especially as there was a spirit of Jezebel, which was to control and to dominate.

 

Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. - 1 Corinthians 2:13

There are spiritual things to be compared with in the history of the church, which I believe Revelation covers well. If I could step back to the 1970s I would....

1. Enjoy the GARBC youth retreats
2. Partake in the Footwashing-Communion services of the Freewill Baptist church
3. Catch the Pentecostal Holiness revivals
4. Tune into the Pentecostal radio services at night

And enjoy such services knowing they would soon come to an end. And as Christ walked among the congregations (“These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;” - Revelation 2:1) so I would have enjoyed the services of the time.

 

I tried. As a Sardis is a hardened stone so it tends to be unchangeable. With that said, I rest my case.

 

God’s word to the Calvinist...

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. - Revelation 3:5

How’s that for in context?

 

And while I am in context....

God’s word to the Orthodox was against the barbarian....

So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.- Revelation 2:15

God's word to the Catholic was that there was too much control and domination in the form of the spirit of Jezebel, which was to control and to dominate...

Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols..- Revelation 2:20

God's word to the Methodist was that they were in and out of quality Christian conference (which I miss dearly)...

Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. - Revelation 3:12

God's word for today is that if we forsake him he will forsake us! I believe this corona virus thing is a heavenly rebuke and the thing for us to do is to repent!

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. - Revelation 3:19

 

Peter opens his second epistle by saying...

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. - 2 Peter 1:4

And speaks of purity in his first...

Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: - 1 Peter 1:22

I believe Revelation was written to a church that would often times corrupt itself and Christ had to deal with what which would befall us in time. I believe he chose John as it was his will to close the writing of scripture that would end with the death of that John the Apostle. The messages to the churches deal with the virtues and corruption that would befall the church in time. I have experienced wonderfully purifying times in both the Baptist and Pentecostal Holiness church growing up and miss those times dearly, which is why I write so passionately about them/

 

Church age theory... You realize that the Foxes book of martyrs has the Roman persecutions as ten

Smyrna - The Persecuted church - The Second Church - The Apostle Paul

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall 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 a crown of life. - Revelation 2:10

And from the Foxes Book of Martyrs...

Ye Shall Have Tribulation Ten Days…
Time Persecutor Description
67 AD Nero The Smyrna Church Age begins with Nero setting fire to Rome, and then blaming the Christians. Paul was beheaded with this persecution.
81 AD Domitian Declaration that no Christian should be exempt from punishment, Paul’s Timothy died in 97 AD.
108 AD Trajan and Adrian Severe persecution against Christians from 108 to 138 AD during the time of the Bishop Ignatius
162 AD Marcos Aurelius Marcos Aurelius, commendable in study of philosophy, sharp and fierce towards Christians.
192 AD Severus This persecution was carried out by the will and prejudice of the people and extended into Africa.
235 AD Maximus Numberless Christians were slain without trial and burned indiscriminately in heaps
249 AD Decius Began because of the amazing increase in Christianity, and with the heathen temples forsaken.
257 AD Valerian The martyrs that fell during this persecution were innumerable, their tortures and deaths painful.
274 AD Aurelian A brief persecution that ended with the emperor’s assassination.
303 AD Diocletian The last persecution ended with Constantine’s triumph against Rome in 313 AD

You have read church history along with your bible haven't you?

 

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: - Revelation 1

Things which must shortly come to pass - Or in ages.