The "7 Church Ages" Prophecy

[AustinC]

So many times Christ says to the churches..

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. - Revelation 3:22

Therefore a good sermon to this Laodicean bunch would be something like what I picked up in a cassette labeled, "Worldliness or Godliness" and I made a YouTube video out of it... And what do you know it was at a GARBC Regular Baptist revival!

Indeed, let us hear what the Spirit says, not what some huckster selling a church age theory out of his wagon says.

I suggest you get the commentary on Revelation by Robert Mounce.
The Book of Revelation by Robert H. Mounce (9780802825377) | Best Commentaries

 

[rockytopva]

Indeed, let us hear what the Spirit says, not what some huckster selling a church age theory out of his wagon says.

I suggest you get the commentary on Revelation by Robert Mounce.
The Book of Revelation by Robert H. Mounce (9780802825377) | Best Commentaries

Selling the church age theory is the Laodicean thing to do! In which I have not done. Robert Mounce is a Calvinist and I have no interest in reading a perspective from the Sardisean point of view.

19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.- Revelation 1:19-20

1. Candlestick - Make your church the candestick of the last age
2. Stars - Make yourself the angel of the last age
3. The Sale - Convince people they are being disobedient for not holding to your point of view.

Please note the prophecy says these things pertain to the things which shall be hereafter. In which it is the thing to do to arrive at a point of being, "rich, and increased with goods, and in need of nothing." These are indeed Laodicean times!

 

[AustinC]

Selling the church age theory is the Laodicean thing to do! In which I have not done. Robert Mounce is a Calvinist and I have no interest in reading a perspective from the Sardisean point of view.

19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.- Revelation 1:19-20

1. Candlestick - Make your church the candestick of the last age
2. Stars - Make yourself the angel of the last age
3. The Sale - Convince people they are being disobedient for not holding to your point of view.

Please note the prophecy says these things pertain to the things which shall be hereafter. In which it is the thing to do to arrive at a point of being, "rich, and increased with goods, and in need of nothing." These are indeed Laodicean times!

LOL, you are openly rejecting the Bible and what Revelation says while you embrace an entirely speculative conspiracy theory created over 1800 years after the writing of Revelation.

Your "plug and play" theory just doesn't work in reality, but you have twisted your own mind to try make it for for you.

Mounce, in his commentary, is an excellent historian regarding the 7 churches. He is a Covenant Theologian when interpreting Revelation, which means that history and the New Covenant guide him in understanding what John wrote. But, you reject it out of hand and choose the theory of uneducated snake oil salesmen who have grown rich off their hokum

 

[rockytopva]

The "7 church ages" Prophecy. I have heard this prophecy started by "quacks" and agree that this can be true. Especially when such people make themselves the "angel" of the church age as if all knees should bow to them. My beliefs are that the churches came along as follows....

The purpose of Revelation was to reveal what was going to come to pass....

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 1:1

Which all of this was to heavy for just ordinary churches in Asia that did not amount to anything....

The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; - Revelation 1:20 - Revelation 2:1

Ephesus - Messianic - Beginning with the Apostle to the Circumcision, Peter
Smyrna - Martyr - Beginning with the Apostle to the Un-Circumcision, Paul
Pergamos - Orthodoxy formed in this time... Pergos is a tower... Needed in the dark ages
Thyatira - Catholicism formed in this time - The spirit of Jezebel is to control and to dominate.
Sardis - Protestantism formed in this time- A sardius is a gem - elegant yet hard and rigid
Philadelphia - Wesleyism formed in this time - To be sanctioned is to acquire it with love.
Laodicea - Charismatic movement formed in this time - Beginning with DL Moody, the first to make money off of ministry

Candlesticks - Seven church congregations
Stars - Individuals within the congregations, all held in the right hand of Christ
Seals - The seven seals sealed each congregation within the lambs book of life
Angels - The current preacher to the congregation.

And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. - Revelation 5:4

If this interpretation is not correct why all the ado? And... If you have a better interpretation please post your info! I dont mind for people to disagree with me and may end up learning a thing of two! I believe the churches came down as seven and each congregation is different in their generation!

Because of my understanding of the seven church congregations I consider myself part Baptist. I also consider the Messiamic, Orthodox, Catholic, Denominational Protestant, Pentecostal, and Charismatic congregations Christian as well. The congregation I most grieve over is the Methodist and I have often thought that the Baptist do not believe in backsliding but the Methodist practice it!

 

[LaGrange]

There are four churches that influenced my life....

1. Catholic - My dad was at one time a Franciscan Monk and talked about it all the time.
2. Baptist - A Baptist church bus driver was most effectual to the point the whole family became Baptist.
3. Pentecostal Holiness - I had wonderful experiences here as a young adult
4. Charismatic - I am currently going to the local Charismatic church

In the Pentecostal Holiness church

1. Revival - Our minister's choice of evangelist was excellent as he at one time was into evangelism.
2. People - All seemed sanctified with wonderful love, warmth, joy, and Spirit.
3. Church - Beautiful church sanctuary with a great young peoples ministry.

That was until they opened up the mountain in front of the church for real estate development. You could buy 5 acres of land in the 1980's for $20,000 an acre. It seemed after that to come to a place of arrival included two cars, a garage, and a nice home on the mountain. I have also noticed the old Baptist church I attended have split from the GARBC to have become Independent Baptist. I worry that the lack of doctrine of the Charismatic church I now attend will invite sinful things and the leader there has already announced he is single again (not knowing what all that means). This all seems to me like issues of the Laodicean church age.

Pictured: The Pentecostal Holiness church back in the times of the Philadelphian Church Age...

Hi rockytopva,

The 7 Ages of the Church I believe is possible and a good Catholic View of this is one that the Ven. Bartholomew Holzhauser had in the 1630’s. Hopefully soon I will be putting a Catholic Version of the End Times on a thread. When you say you go to a charismatic church, which church are you talking about?

 

[rockytopva]

Hi rockytopva,

The 7 Ages of the Church I believe is possible and a good Catholic View of this is one that the Ven. Bartholomew Holzhauser had in the 1630’s. Hopefully soon I will be putting a Catholic Version of the End Times on a thread. When you say you go to a charismatic church, which church are you talking about?

Thanks for the reply. When I say Charismatic I am thinking of TV ministries. Reading into the prophecy, though, I believe it is referring to people identifying themselves as Christian, but not getting involved in a whole lot.

 

[rockytopva]

Hi rockytopva,

The 7 Ages of the Church I believe is possible and a good Catholic View of this is one that the Ven. Bartholomew Holzhauser had in the 1630’s. Hopefully soon I will be putting a Catholic Version of the End Times on a thread. When you say you go to a charismatic church, which church are you talking about?

Keeping in mind...

There was a Catholic church before there was a Protestant
There was a Orthodox church before there was a Catholic

And... A lot of change!

 

[LaGrange]

Keeping in mind...

There was a Catholic church before there was a Protestant
There was a Orthodox church before there was a Catholic

And... A lot of change!

Agree with the first line. Don’t agree with the second line. Don’t need to argue. May God bless.

 

[LaGrange]

Thanks for the reply. When I say Charismatic I am thinking of TV ministries. Reading into the prophecy, though, I believe it is referring to people identifying themselves as Christian, but not getting involved in a whole lot.

Ok. Usually when I hear the word “Charismatic” I think of the Catholic Church because that is the term we use. By the way, we have a retreat center near me that is run by the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate.

 

[rockytopva]

Ok. Usually when I hear the word “Charismatic” I think of the Catholic Church because that is the term we use. By the way, we have a retreat center near me that is run by the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate.

God bless the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate! I have nothing against other Christian denominations. Especially as the issues of my congregation are that we are in and out of revival.

 

[rockytopva]

Ok. Usually when I hear the word “Charismatic” I think of the Catholic Church because that is the term we use. By the way, we have a retreat center near me that is run by the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate.

Here is a service I attended last Sunday which I would consider “Charismatic.”

 

[robycop3]

The whole "7 church ages" thingie is horse feathers. Jesus dictated 7 letters to 7 churches that existed at the time, knowing there'd be types of each of them around after the originals were gone. (The only one still existing is in Alasehir, priginally Philadelphia, Turkey.) This nonsense was started by Darby in England & spread here by such charlatans as William M. Branham. While there are still types of all 7 of those old churches around today, the doctrine of church ages is false.

 

[rockytopva]

I do believe....

The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; - Revelation 1:20 - Revelation 2:1

Ephesus - Messianic - Beginning with the Apostle to the Circumcision, Peter
Smyrna - Martyr - Beginning with the Apostle to the Un-Circumcision, Paul
Pergamos - Orthodoxy formed in this time... Pergos is a tower... Needed in the dark ages
Thyatira - Catholicism formed in this time - The spirit of Jezebel is to control and to dominate.
Sardis - Protestantism formed in this time- A sardius is a gem - elegant yet hard and rigid
Philadelphia - Wesleyism formed in this time - To be sanctioned is to acquire it with love.
Laodicea - Charismatic movement formed in this time - Beginning with DL Moody, the first to make money off of ministry

Candlesticks - Seven church congregations
Stars - Individuals within the congregations, all held in the right hand of Christ
Seals - The seven seals sealed each congregation within the lambs book of life
Angels - The current preacher to the congregation.

And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. - Revelation 5:4

If this interpretation is not correct why all the ado? And... If you have a better interpretation please post your info! I dont mind for people to disagree with me and may end up learning a thing of two! I believe the churches came down as seven and each congregation is different in their generation!

Unfortunately we also have names such as William Branham, whom I believe was trying to make himself the leader of the church. An angel is a messenger. Any of us can be a messenger. I do not wish to elevate a preacher or denomination.

 

[rockytopva]

And I believe the advantage of the Baptist church is that they have their roots in three ages…

Sardis - Solid biblical doctrine
Philadelphia - A few good evangelist
Laodicea - Several large churches

 

[rockytopva]

I gave my best defense here. I can’t blame folk for not liking names such as William Branham as I don’t care much for the guy either. I got a taste of the old Philadelphian church from the old timers who have long departed this earth. If I could go back in time I would love to sit in church once again with them.

 

[AustinC]

Well, rocky, your defense is the equivalent of a sieve trying to hold water. Not very good.
It's clear you are going to keep believing in the hokum of the 7 church age theory that has zero biblical support.
Just keep it to yourself so others don't have to be exposed to its foolishness.

 

[rockytopva]

Well, rocky, your defense is the equivalent of a sieve trying to hold water. Not very good.
It's clear you are going to keep believing in the hokum of the 7 church age theory that has zero biblical support.
Just keep it to yourself so others don't have to be exposed to its foolishness.

Rockytopva... Held in the right hand of Christ!

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

 

[AustinC]

Rockytopva... Held in the right hand of Christ!

As is anyone God has chosen to redeem.

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

Great verse. It has zero to do with a church age theory that was entirely made up in the 1800s.

rocky, place your faith in God's word instead of some person's theory from the 1800's.

 

[rockytopva]

As is anyone God has chosen to redeem.


Great verse. It has zero to do with a church age theory that was entirely made up in the 1800s.

rocky, place your faith in God's word instead of some person's theory from the 1800's.

I am not into anyones personal theory and dislike William Branham. . It does have something to do with the church age...

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

The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.- Revelation 1:20

 

[AustinC]

I am not into anyones personal theory and dislike William Branham. . It does have something to do with the church age...

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

The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.- Revelation 1:20

You really don't understand the Revelation Jesus gave to John. I cannot help you understand. Let go of your dispensationalism.