Ephesus: Apostolic Age First Seal: Purity
31 CE – c. 100 CE
Spirituality
“I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that
you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves
apostles, and they are not and you found them to be false; and you have
perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown
weary. But I have this against you; that
you have left your first love. Therefore
remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at
first…To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in
the Paradise of God.”
Rev. 2: 2-7
The early church, from Jesus’
ascension into heaven until the death of those who knew Jesus personally, is
often called the Apostolic Age. Here
they are commended for their work and tenacity that was motivated by love for
Jesus. But as time went on their
motivation changed and was replaced by something else, perhaps a sense of
duty. Jesus’ promise to them is that they
will be in paradise.
Experience
“…the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and…I looked,
and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was
given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.” Rev. 6: 1, 2
(see Appendix 2 for an explanation of horses in prophecy and in visions)
The white color of the horse denotes
the purity of the early church, and the rider represents the apostles spreading
the word and conquering paganism.
Smyrna: Martyrdom
Second Seal: Roman
Persecution c. 100 CE – 312 CE
Spirituality
“I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are
rich)…Do not fear what you are about to suffer.
Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you
will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you
the crown of life…He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.” Rev. 2: 9-11
The
church during this time may have been poor when it came to money and power to
protect itself, but it was rich spiritually.
There was fear in the church due to the persecutions but Jesus says they
will have eternal life.
Experience
“…He
broke the second seal…And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on
it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one
another; and a great sword was given to
him.” Rev. 6: 3, 4
The red
color of this horse denotes the spilling of the blood of the saints. Beginning with Nero, the Roman Emperors often
persecuted Christians for one reason or another. But late in the first century CE, the emperor
Domitian demanded everyone within his empire to worship him as divine, but Jews
and Christians refused. This began a
full-scale persecution and makes it easy to identify the rider of the red horse
as the office of Emperor.
