A number of expositors (especially dispensationalists) believe that the seven churches in Revelation chapters 2-3 represent seven stages or church ages in history, beginning with the time of the apostles and concluding with the time of the end of the church age. This view is known as the Historical-Prophetical view. Scofield Reference Bible supports this view. Hal Lindsey, author of the best-selling book, The Late Great Planet Earth, in his commentary on Revelation (There’s a New World Coming) presented the seven stages beginning from the Apostolic Church (A.D.33-100, represented by the Church in Ephesus) to the era of “Higher Criticism” (A.D.1900-Tribulation represented by the Church in Laodicea). Popular evangelical author Tim Lahaye in his book Revelation unveiled highlights seven periods prefiguring seven aspects of the professing church. Others also have come up with different arrangements as to the prophetic revelation in these letters (e.g. J. Dwight Pentecost, Things to Come; John Philips, Exploring the Future; J. Allen in his profound commentary on Revelation in the series What the Bible Teaches).

Those who see successive stages of church history in the seven letters in Rev.2-3 also believe that the seven churches were literal congregations that existed in Asia Minor (now modern Turkey) at the time John wrote, and they describe the conditions that actually existed in the seven local churches. Most of the Brethren commentators embrace the seven stages of church history view, though some are more guarded and cautious. But the identification of the seven stages has never been unanimous.

What we can say with certainty is that the seven churches were actual, historical assemblies in Asia Minor in the first century. What Christ says to these churches is relevant to us today and to the churches in all times. Throughout church history, all seven types of churches will be present. Characteristics of the seven congregations are remarkably typical of those prominently displayed by local congregations in every era. The message to the seven churches, though historically conditioned, is applicable in every era.

We do not know why only seven churches were selected out of the many that existed at that time. Their location was within a convenient transportation network linking different parts of the region. One probable reason these churches were selected is because of the lessons they provided for all the churches in all times; not because they represent seven stages in church history. These seven churches were representative of types of churches in all generations. They were the best examples of the truths the Lord was imparting to His people. Notice that at the close of each letter the Spirit was speaking to the “churches” (in the plural; 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22). All of the churches are commanded to hear and obey the messages in all of the letters (“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”). Each of the seven churches describes issues that could fit the church in any time in church history. It is also applicable for the individual believer who faces parallel situations in his own life.

The view that the seven churches represent seven consecutive periods in the history of the church has no basis in the letters to the seven churches. This is only an inference, not the stated teaching of the passage. Nobody is able to accurately pinpoint when each age began and ended. Variations in the conclusions and charts of different expositors prove that there is no consensus among them. Various suggestions have been put forward. Some expositors try to find various ecclesiastical organizations and movements in some of these stages, thus trying to insert too much prophesy into it. All attempts at this seem to be speculative and subjective. There is no objective hermeneutical guideline in reaching such conclusions. Nothing of this sort can be proved from the text. It has no exegetical validity.

We are called to listen and obey what the Spirit says to us in these messages. There is no need to label and identify churches as relating to specific time periods in history. The Lord of the churches did not say that the seven lampstands are seven church ages. He clearly said that the lampstands are the seven churches of Asia.

John Walvoord, the great prophetic scholar, admits that “The prophetic interpretation of the messages to the seven churches, to be sure, should not be pressed beyond bounds, as it is a deduction from the content, not from the explicit statement of the passage” (The Revelation of Jesus Christ, 52). J. Allen also admits that “sometimes prophetic interpretation can be pressed too far and owe much to the imagination of the commentator.” But in support of the prophetic view, he writes that “to deny its existence here is to exclude a line of thought that Christ meant to become clearer as the age move to its climax: His coming for the church” (Revelation, 138). But the most important thing to bear in mind is that no prophetic interpretation of the letters to the seven churches can be made without the imagination of the commentator!

One may find a progression of Christian experience in these letters corresponding to some periods in church history. Some degree of correlation here and there between successive periods of church history and the messages to the seven churches cannot be made into a definite interpretive scheme. Indications of historical progression within these messages cannot be pressed too much as it is very obscure. That is the reason interpretive approaches in regard to progressive history of the church have become subjective and speculative.

There may be some valid observations in relation to the similarities between periods of church history and the seven churches. But far too much speculation in this regard will be a futile attempt to make Scripture mean more than what is intended by the Holy Spirit. To prove the prophetic foreshadowing in the seven churches, one has to read too much into the text. Our focus should be on the lessons and message God is giving to us through the seven churches.