Jesus addresses the churches at Smyrna and Pergamum. As with all seven churches that John is told to write to we can relate to their hardships, what they get right, and the sin they have as well. Smyrna has been afflicted and are about to suffer more. They are encouraged to remain faithful. Faithful, even to the point of death. Jesus points out those who think they are God's people because of their outward profession, but are not. He says to Pergamum that they live where Satan has his throne. They are told to be aware of their surroundings, what they listen to, and to repent. Those who overcome will get God’s hidden nourishment!

In John’s vision of Jesus, He is among the lampstands. Here we have a picture of Jesus as the Great High Priest trimming the wicks and filling the lamps with oil, drawing heavily from Old Testament pictures. He reveals that the symbolism used of lampstands and stars represents His Church—the light of the world. This teaching prepares the way for the next few weeks where we look at the seven churches that Jesus tells John to write to. He is moving among the churches and will give His assessment of what He sees.

What a daunting task it is for many of us to start to study and understand the Book of Revelation. How can one make sense of the great imagery of the only prophetic book in the New Testament? In week one we established what the subject and object of the book is. Now we turn our attention to how we must read the Revelation; learning to position ourselves to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in our study. We are promised that those who read it, hear it, and those who keep what is written in this book will be blessed.