December 26th~To the Victorious

Jude 1:1-25

Revelation 1:1-2:29

We were alerted once again of false teachers, this time by Jude, the brother and servant of Christ. He challenged his readers to “defend the truth of the Good News, because godless people have wormed their way in...” (3, 4). Jude’s counsel was to “continue to build your lives on the foundation of your holy faith, to pray as you are directed by the Holy Spirit, to live in such a way that God’s love can bless you, and to show mercy to those who are wavering” (20-23).

The second half of our passage today was John retelling of “everything he saw” of the revelation of Jesus Christ while on the island of Patmos. Not only was he allowed to see into heaven and behold many wondrous things, he was given messages for the churches in Asia Minor, as well as glimpses of events in the future. While these things are difficult to interpret and understand, “God blesses the one who reads them, listens to them, and obeys them” (Revelation 1:3).

The Lord’s messages to the seven churches have been interpreted by scholars in three ways, as messages meant for each individual church for that time, as descriptions of issues that every local body of believers faces, and, finally, as depictions of distinct eras in Church history. For example, as William McDonald suggests, the message to Ephesus describes the first century, as the Church was just getting started. The message to Smyrna describes the first to fourth centuries, when Christians experienced Roman persecution. The message to Pergamum describes the fourth and fifth centuries, when Christianity became the official religion of the Empire. The message to Thyatira describes the sixth to fifteenth centuries, when the Roman Catholic Church dominated the Western world. The message to Sardis describes the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries after the Reformation. The message to Philadelphia describes the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries with the great revival and missionary movements. Finally, the message to Laodicea describes the modern era, in which the Western Church is apathetic and corrupted in its doctrines, practices, and associations.

Daily Reflection

Whatever the correct interpretation of these letters to the churches, one thing is true — we are battling the same issues today. Which letter, so far, describes your church best? Explain why.

Did you notice that, at the end of each letter, Christ promised something to ”everyone who is victorious.” What were they?

 “Everyone who is victorious” refers to those faithful followers of Christ who fight through the challenges that face the Church. God rewards faithfulness! What challenges are facing your church? How can you be used of God to battle through them and gain victory over them?

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