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The church is the mystery of God’s eternal economy. This mystery was hidden throughout the ages in God, who created all things. It was not made known in the Old Testament times to the sons of men. However, the church as a mystery has been revealed to the New Testament believers, and many prophecies concerning the church are recorded in the New Testament. In this lesson we will see the prophecies concerning the building up of the church and the stages of the church.
In Matthew 16:18 the Lord Jesus said, “I will build My church.” The Lord’s word here is a prophecy that concerns practice; it is a prophecy concerning the building up of the church. Twenty centuries have passed since the Lord spoke this word, but the building up of the church has not been completed. Therefore, up to this day Matthew 16:18 remains a great prophecy yet to be fulfilled.
The building up of the church began at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4, 41-42). At the first Pentecost after the Lord’s ascension, the compound Spirit was poured out upon those who called on the Lord’s name, as prophesied in Joel 2:28-29, and the church was produced (Acts 2:16-18). Before that time there were only the Jews and the Gentiles, but through the Triune God pouring Himself out, the church was produced (1 Cor. 10:32).
In Ephesians 4:13 Paul says, “Until we all arrive at the oneness of the faith and of the full knowledge of the Son of God, at a full-grown man, at the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Then in verse 16 he says, “Out from whom [Christ, the Head of the Body] all the Body, being joined together and being knit together through every joint of the rich supply and through the operation in the measure of each one part, causes the growth of the Body unto the building up of itself in love.” These verses are Paul’s prophecy concerning the building up of the church and are a continuation of the Lord’s prophecy in Matthew 16:18. This prophecy is being fulfilled in the church age. Without the fulfillment of this prophecy and without the church being built up, the Lord does not have a way to come back. Believers should yearn to see the fulfillment of the Lord’s prophecy concerning the building up of the church.
The seven epistles to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 are prophecies concerning the stages of the church (1:3-4). Seven is the number for completion in God’s operation. Hence, seven churches signify the complete stages of the church. In His sovereignty God specifically chose seven churches among the churches existing in Asia at that time to apply these prophecies so that they would accurately represent all churches, thereby making known His purpose throughout the ages for the church. Therefore, these seven epistles are not merely a record of the actual situation existing in the seven churches at the time these epistles were written (vv. 19-20), but they also contain signs with a prophetic nature, prophetically signifying the seven stages of the church. Even though what is recorded in these seven epistles has become history, the seven epistles were prophecies at the time John wrote the book of Revelation. In these seven epistles the Lord repeatedly proclaims that He will come quickly, without explicitly indicating that the seven epistles are stages of church history because He wants the believers to be watchful (Mark 13:35) and not settle in the world and thus lose the nature of being a sojourner on the earth and the hope of the Lord’s coming.
The first epistle was to the church in Ephesus (Rev. 2:1-7). It provides a picture of the church at the end of the initial stage, during the last part of the first century. The word Ephesus in Greek means “desirable.” This signifies that the initial church at its end was still desirable to the Lord; the Lord still had much expectation in her.
The church in Ephesus had works, labor, endurance, and much discernment, being able to try the false apostles and to reject them (v. 2). These false apostles were those whom Paul referred to in 2 Corinthians 11:13, which says, “Such ones are false apostles, deceitful workers, transfiguring themselves into apostles of Christ.” The last time Paul met with the elders of the church in Ephesus, he told the elders to beware of these persons, saying, “I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. And from among you yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverted things to draw away the disciples after them” (Acts 20:29-30). Because the apostleship is very important in the Lord’s church, unlawful ones pretend to be apostles.
False apostles were already present before the apostles passed away. After the apostles’ departure, there were even more false apostles. At the end of the initial stage of the church, false apostles were not accepted by the believers. The church in Ephesus tried those who called themselves apostles and were not and found them to be false. The trying of the false apostles, together with their works, labor, and endurance were all approved by the Lord.
The New Testament reveals that the church, as the bride of Christ (John 3:29), is a matter of love. In his Epistle to the church in Ephesus Paul prays for the saints to be strengthened that they might be rooted and grounded in love to know the knowledge-surpassing love of Christ (3:16-19). He also says, “Peace to the brothers and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in incorruptibility” (6:23-24). However, in the epistle to the church in Ephesus in the book of Revelation, the Lord rebuked them for having left their first love (2:4). According to The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, an ancient book written approximately ten or twenty years after the writing of Revelation, the church at the end of the initial stage still held the pure faith and hoped for the Lord’s second coming, but she had left her first love toward the Lord. A sentence in the book says, “If you have wealth, give with your own hands, that your soul may have its ransom.” This refers to the giving of wealth as payment for sins; it does not refer to the Lord’s redeeming blood. What a degradation! Hence, the Lord admonished the church in Ephesus to “remember therefore where you have fallen from and repent and do the first works”; otherwise, the Lord would come to her and would remove her lampstand out of its place unless she repented (v. 5).
The church in Ephesus hated the works of the Nicolaitans, which the Lord also hated (v. 6). Nicolaos is composed of two words, one meaning “conquer or be victorious over” and another meaning “common people, secular people, or laity.” Thus, it means conquering the common people, being victorious over the laity. Therefore, Nicolaitans must refer to a group of people who esteem themselves higher than common believers. According to church history at the end of the initial stage, the Nicolaitans intervened among the saints, producing two classes: the clergy and the laity. This system was gradually adopted by the Roman Catholic Church and has been retained by the Protestant churches. Today the priestly system of the Roman Catholic Church, the clerical system of the state churches, and the pastoral system of the independent churches are a mediatorial class that spoils the universal priesthood of all believers in the proper church life (1:6; 5:10; 1 Pet. 2:5, 9).
In the second century Ignatius wrote to the church in Ephesus, saying, “It is very obvious that as we honor the Lord Himself, we should also honor the bishop [i.e., overseer].” The word bishop here is singular. According to the New Testament revelation, an overseer in a local church is an elder (Acts 20:17, 28). Two titles refer to the same person—elder, denoting a person of maturity, and overseer, denoting the function of an elder. However, Ignatius taught that an overseer, a bishop, is higher than an elder. This erroneous teaching was the source of the episcopal system of ecclesiastical government from which came the hierarchy of bishops, archbishops, cardinals, and the pope in the Roman Catholic Church. In the Lord’s eyes these are the works of the Nicolaitans and are abominable. The church in Ephesus hated what the Lord hated. They sympathized with the Lord and were truly pleasing to Him.
The second epistle was written to the church in Smyrna (Rev. 2:8-11). In Greek Smyrna means “myrrh,” which in typology signifies the sweet suffering of Christ. Thus, the church in Smyrna was a suffering church, prefiguring the church under the persecution of the Roman Empire from the latter part of the first century to the early part of the fourth century. The persecuted church suffered in the sweetness and fragrance of Christ, that is, in the tribulation of Jesus and in the fellowship of His sufferings, and thereby became the continuation of His suffering (Col. 1:24).
During the period prefigured by the church in Smyrna, there were Jews outside the church who were persecuting the church. The Lord said that they “call themselves Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan” (Rev. 2:9). They were Jews only in the flesh, not Jews in spirit (Rom. 2:28-29). They joined hands with the Gentiles who persecuted the church to persecute the believers by driving them out of the synagogues, casting them into prison (Rev. 2:10), preventing a supply of material needs to them, and even killing them. Furthermore, at that time there were also Judaizers within the church such as the Nazaraeans and Ebionites, who were Judaic Christians. These Judaizers stubbornly insisted on keeping their Judaistic system, consisting of the Levitical priesthood, the sacrificial rituals, and the material temple. Under Satan’s manipulating, maneuvering hand, the Jewish synagogues opposed the Lord Jesus (Matt. 12:9-14; Luke 4:28-29; John 9:22), the apostles (Acts 13:43, 45-46, 50; 14:1-2, 19; 17:1, 5-6), and the churches (Rev. 2:9). Hence, the Lord called the Jews, in particular the Judaizers, “a synagogue of Satan.” The overcoming church must not care about the slander of the Judaizers nor for any religious systems or ways but simply pursue and follow the Lord in spirit and in life.
The Lord also prophesied that the church in Smyrna would have “tribulation for ten days” (v. 10). Ten is a number of fullness. Ten days signify a period of time that is full yet brief (Gen. 24:55; Jer. 42:7; Dan. 1:12-14). Here it signifies that the affliction of the suffering church was full yet short-lived. As a sign, ten days indicate prophetically the ten periods of persecution that the church suffered under the Roman emperors, beginning with Caesar Nero in the second half of the first century and ending with Constantine the Great in A.D. 313, when he decreed the edict at Milan that proclaimed freedom of religion. These two hundred years were a period of martyrdom of the church. Severe persecutions were continuously instigated by the devil, Satan, through the Roman Caesars, who did their utmost to destroy and eliminate the church. However, they could not subdue and terminate the church. Although the believers suffered afflictions, they were faithful unto death and were more than victorious by the resurrection life. The Lord also promised them, “Do not fear the things that you are about to suffer...Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10). History demonstrates that the church of the living Christ, who became dead and lived again, withstood the persecutions victoriously and multiplied flourishingly by the indestructible resurrection life.
The third epistle was written to the church in Pergamos (vv. 12-17). The Greek word Pergamos means “marriage,” implying union, and “fortified tower.” The church in Pergamos prefigures the worldly church that entered into a marriage union with the world. It lasted from the time that Constantine the Great accepted Christianity to the latter part of the sixth century when the papal system was established.
According to church history, in the first three centuries Satan tried his best to damage the church through the persecution of the Roman Empire. Eventually, Satan’s persecution caused the church to multiply flourishingly. Therefore, Satan in his subtlety changed his strategy from persecuting the church to welcoming her. In the early part of the fourth century, Constantine the Great accepted Christianity. Initially, many of Constantine’s soldiers were Christians. Thus, when he conquered Rome and became the emperor, he accepted Christianity as the legitimate state religion. His motive was a political one, because his goal was to prevent his country from falling into confusion because of religious issues. The welcoming of the church by the Roman Empire caused the church to become worldly. Such a union of the church with the world is considered spiritual fornication in the eyes of God. Furthermore, through Constantine’s encouragement and political influence, multitudes of unbelievers were baptized into the church, and the church became monstrously great. Constantine also made use of his royal position to promote Christianity. By the end of the fourth century, Christianity was officially made the state religion of the Roman Empire, obtaining a prestigious position and becoming a fortified tower. According to the prophecies in Matthew 13:31-33, like a mustard seed that grew into a great tree and like fine flour that was leavened, the church with its changed nature has become a huge organization—Christendom.
The church in Pergamos still held fast the Lord’s name, the reality of the person of Christ. According to history, the church at that time was still orthodox. This was the time of the first Nicene Council in A.D. 325. The church still adhered to the faith of the Triune God, believing in the Lord’s divinity and humanity and opposing the heresy of Arianism, which denied the divinity of Christ. The church still held fast the Lord’s name and did not deny the Lord’s faith amidst difficult circumstances. This was known to the Lord and approved by Him (Rev. 2:13).
Nevertheless, when speaking to the church in Pergamos, the Lord said, “I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is” (v. 13). Satan’s dwelling place is the world. Because the church entered into union with the world and became worldly, she began to dwell where Satan dwells—in the world. The dwelling place of the church in Pergamos was where Satan’s throne is. This indicates that the church at that time was in the sphere of Satan’s rule. For example, at the Nicene Council Constantine the Great utilized his imperial authority to eliminate contentions and to establish the creed. Customs, power, and authorities of the world were brought into the church, and this interfered with the administration and the faith of the church and manipulated God’s serving ones. As a result, the church began to rely on worldly power and thus lost her heavenly position and status as well as her spiritual nature and content.
In His word to the church in Pergamos the Lord prophesied that the church that entered into union with the world would hold the teaching of Balaam and the teaching of the Nicolaitans (vv. 14-15). Balaam was a Gentile prophet who caused God’s people to stumble. For the sake of reward (2 Pet. 2:15; Jude 11), he enticed God’s people into fornication and idolatry (Num. 25:1-3; 31:16). Balaam’s teaching turned the worldly church to idolatry, which issued in fornication. The teaching of the Nicolaitans, that is, the teaching of hierarchy, destroys the function of the believers as members of the Body of Christ, thus annulling the Lord’s Body as His expression.
After the church entered into union with the world, she began to accept many heathen ceremonies and festivals, such as worshipping Mary, worshipping angels and ancient saints, being superstitious concerning holy communion, and celebrating Christmas. All these became part of Christian worship and Christian festivals. Due to the teaching of the Nicolaitans, the church also began to have a hierarchy to rule over the laity. Those who were wise, capable, and powerful were elected to be leaders. Thus, the church, having changed in nature, became organized like a worldly organization. The genuine church life as revealed in the New Testament, however, always holds and enjoys Christ as the unique person. Moreover, the church is not a human organization but an organism with all the members functioning according to life so that the Body of Christ may be built up. Hence, the Lord warned the church in Pergamos that she needed to repent. But if she would not repent, He would come to her quickly and would make war with them with the sword of His mouth (Rev. 2:16).
The building up of the church remains a great prophecy yet to be fulfilled. The building up of the church began at Pentecost, and this prophecy is being fulfilled in the church age. Believers should yearn to see the fulfillment of the Lord’s prophecy concerning the building of the church.
The seven epistles written to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 are a prophecy of the stages of the church. The first epistle to the church in Ephesus provides a picture of the church at the end of the initial stage during the last part of the first century. At the end of the initial stage the church was able to try false apostles. The works, labor, and endurance of the initial church were approved by the Lord. The church in Ephesus also hated the works of the Nicolaitans, which the Lord also hated. But they left their first love toward the Lord.
The church in Smyrna prefigures the suffering church under the persecution of the Roman Empire from the latter part of the first century to the early part of the fourth century. The persecuted church was the continuation of Christ’s suffering. They were slandered by the Jews and persecuted by the Roman Empire, but the church of the living Christ, who became dead and lived again, withstood the persecution victoriously and multiplied flourishingly by the indestructible resurrection life.
The church in Pergamos prefigures the worldly church, which lasted from the time that Constantine the Great accepted Christianity to the latter part of the sixth century when the papal system was established. The worldly church entered into union with the world and became a fortified tower. Although they held fast the Lord’s name and did not deny the Lord’s faith, the Lord rebuked them for dwelling where Satan’s throne is and for holding the teaching of Balaam and the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Hence, the Lord warned the church in Pergamos that she needed to repent. If she did not repent, He promised to come to her quickly and make war with her with the sword of His mouth.
