Revelation:  Things Which Are
	Event	Scripture	Hist. Interp.	Time Of	Historicist	Fut. Interp.	Futurist	Book
Chapter 3	Title	References	Strength	Occurrence	Interpretation	Strength	Interp.	References	Comments
This spreadsheet is meant to be used with the Revelation Puzzle Pieces Series of Articles.  Please go to the Revelation Puzzle Pieces series at http://usaprophet.com/propheticsuperpages.html	The 7 Churches								INTRODUCTION:  The primary or preferred interpretation of the discussion of the seven churches is that these conditions were present in these churches that were extant during the time of John.  This is indicated by Revelation 1:19.  One secondary interpretation, and probably just as important as the first,  is that these conditions may be applied to individual churches or to individuals by the Holy Spirit throughout history as He sees fit.  A third method ascribes church ages since 90AD to fit each church.  Elliott finds this method flawed and wanting, as do I.  Those seven ages and their associated time periods are:  Ephesus (30-100), Smyrna (100-13, Pergamos (313-590), Thyatira (590-1517), Sardis (1517-1790), Philadelphia (1790-1900), and Laodecia (1900-date).  I have the most problem associating the blotted out Sardis church with the Reformation Era churches.
Rev 3:1  And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.	5) Sardis	Exo 3:14, Isa 11:2		John's Time				Elliott, Horae, Vol I, p 77	Read the article:  "Signs In The Pleiades"   http://www.usaprophet.com/prophecy/today05212003.html
Rev 3:2  Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
Rev 3:3  Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.		Mark 13:35-37, Luke 21:36, 1 Thess 5:2-9, 2 Pet 3:10, Rev 16:15
Rev 3:4  Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
Rev 3:5  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.		Rev 12:11, Rev 20:12, Rev 21:27, Phillip 4:4							3:5    The star position that should be occupied by a star, to be associated with Sardis, is occupied by empty space in the astronomical constellation of the Pleiades, or "The Seven Stars".  Hence, it too has apparently been blotted out.
Rev 3:6  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Rev 3:7  And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;	6) Philadelphia	Isa 22:22							3:7    There was still a Christian Church existing in Philadelphia near the close of the 20th century.
Rev 3:8  I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
Rev 3:9  Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and 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.
Rev 3:10  Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.						Moderate	Yes		3:10    Futurism, through the pre-tribulation rapture prophecy, takes this promise made to the church of Philadelphia in John's time, and stretches it to all confessing believers.  Revelation 1:19 restricts this prophecy to this church as it existed during the time of John, at least in terms of primary interpretation.  Internally though, it does refer to an hour of temptation that will come upon the whole world, which expands the reach of it far beyond Philadelphia.  Whatever this "kept from the hour" promise refers to, it availed nothing to the more than fifty million who perished at the hands of  the papacy; neither to the more than twenty million who died by order of Chinese Chairman Mao (most all of whom were pre-tribuation rapture believers)
Rev 3:11  Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
Rev 3:12  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.		Rev 12:11
Rev 3:13  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Rev 3:14  And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;	7) Laodecia
Rev 3:15  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
Rev 3:16  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Rev 3:19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Rev 3:20  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.
Rev 3:21  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.		Rev 12:11, Rev 20:4							3:21    A millenial promise.  Revelation 20:4 restricts it to martyred saints in the KJV, but the NASB includes all who are in Christ and  the Greek is too difficult to make a ruling either way.  Early church fathers mostly believed that all the resurrected saints would rise in the resurrection unto life, prior to the millenium.  The scripturally unanwered question:  when do the raptured saints rise?  When will Jesus Christ return?
Rev 3:22  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.