Revelation 1:11

Letters to the Faithful - Revelation 1:11

Berean Standard Bible

saying, “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”

King James Bible

Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

Greek Text:

λέγουσης Ὃ βλέπεις γράψον εἰς βιβλίον καὶ πέμψον ταῖς ἑπτὰ ἐκκλησίαις, εἰς Ἔφεσον καὶ εἰς Σμύρναν καὶ εἰς Πέργαμον καὶ εἰς Θυάτειρα καὶ εἰς Σάρδεις καὶ εἰς Φιλαδέλφειαν καὶ εἰς Λαοδίκειαν.

Transliteration:

Legousēs ho blepeis grapson eis biblion kai pempson tais hepta ekklēsiais, eis Epheson kai eis Smyrnan kai eis Pergamon kai eis Thyateira kai eis Sardis kai eis Philadelpheian kai eis Laodikeian.

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saying, “Write on a scroll what you see

This command emphasizes the importance of recording divine revelation. In biblical times, scrolls were the primary medium for writing, symbolizing the permanence and authority of the message. The act of writing signifies the preservation and dissemination of God's word, ensuring that the vision is accurately communicated to the intended recipients.

and send it to the seven churches:

The number seven often represents completeness or perfection in biblical literature, suggesting that the message is comprehensive and applicable to the entire Church. These churches were actual congregations in Asia Minor, but they also symbolize the universal Church throughout history. The instruction to send the message underscores the communal nature of the revelation, meant for edification, correction, and encouragement.

to Ephesus,

Ephesus was a major city in the Roman province of Asia, known for its significant Christian community and as a center of commerce and pagan worship, particularly the temple of Artemis. The church in Ephesus is commended for its hard work and perseverance but is later admonished for losing its first love, highlighting the need for spiritual fervor and devotion.

Smyrna,

Smyrna, modern-day Izmir, was a prosperous port city. The church in Smyrna is noted for its suffering and poverty, yet it is spiritually rich. This reflects the theme of enduring persecution and remaining faithful, as the believers in Smyrna faced hostility from both Jews and pagans.

Pergamum,

Pergamum was a city known for its cultural and intellectual achievements, housing a famous library and being a center for emperor worship. The church here is praised for holding fast to Christ's name despite living where "Satan's throne" is, indicating the intense spiritual opposition and idolatry present in the city.

Thyatira,

Thyatira was a smaller city known for its trade guilds, particularly in textiles and dyeing. The church in Thyatira is commended for its love, faith, service, and perseverance but is warned against tolerating false teachings and immorality. This highlights the challenge of maintaining doctrinal purity amidst societal pressures.

Sardis,

Sardis was a wealthy city with a reputation for complacency and decline. The church in Sardis is criticized for having a reputation of being alive but being spiritually dead, serving as a warning against spiritual apathy and the importance of genuine faith and repentance.

Philadelphia,

Philadelphia was a city with a strategic location for trade and communication. The church in Philadelphia is praised for its faithfulness despite having little strength, and it is promised protection and an open door, symbolizing opportunities for ministry and evangelism.

and Laodicea.”

Laodicea was a wealthy city known for its banking, textiles, and medical school. The church in Laodicea is rebuked for being lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, reflecting spiritual indifference and self-sufficiency. This serves as a call to repentance and wholehearted commitment to Christ.

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Beloved, let every ear be opened and every heart awakened, for we stand today not at the feet of a man, but before the thundering voice of the glorified Christ, who walks among the lampstands and speaks with authority, glory, and fire. This word, spoken by the Lord in Revelation 1:11, breaks the silence of exile, penetrates the loneliness of Patmos, and rends the veil between earth and heaven. “I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last,” He declares—not as a suggestion, not as poetry, but as divine proclamation. And He commands, “What thou seest, write in a book and send it unto the seven churches.”

Here, my brothers and sisters, is no private vision. Here is no whisper of sentimental religion. Here is a summons from the throne of eternity. Here is the voice of Him who was dead and is alive forevermore. This is not merely John the apostle speaking; it is the Lord of glory revealing. Let us tremble before this Word.

“I am Alpha and Omega.” He does not say, “I was,” or “I will be,” but “I AM.” The eternal One. The unchanging One. He is the Alpha—the beginning of all things, the source of all life, the Word through whom the worlds were made. And He is the Omega—the end of history, the goal of creation, the Judge of the living and the dead. He was there when light pierced the darkness. He will be there when time surrenders to eternity. Before Abraham was, He is. After the stars fall, He remains. Alpha and Omega—He begins, He sustains, He consummates.

The Church must recover the awe of this proclamation. We do not serve a seasonal God, who comes and goes. We do not follow a teacher whose relevance fades with culture. We do not sing the name of one among many. We worship the First and the Last, the One who stands outside time yet enters into it, the One who holds history in His hand and governs all things by His will.

He is not the product of human thought—He is the source of all truth. He is not a reflection of our desires—He is the refiner of our hearts. He is not the servant of our programs—He is the Head of the Church. And to this Church—yes, this Church in every generation—He speaks.

“What thou seest, write in a book.” O saints of God, consider the weight of this command. The vision of Christ is not to be hidden. The revelation is not to be buried. The message is not for private consumption. What the apostle sees, he must write. And what he writes, he must send. This is the burden of the prophetic call, the fire in the bones of the apostolic witness—that what is seen in the Spirit must be declared in the earth.

The Lord commands that His voice be carried to the seven churches—to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea. And why seven? Because seven is the number of fullness, of divine completeness. It is the fullness of the Church throughout all ages. This is not only a message for first-century congregations—it is a message for the entire Body of Christ, from the first candle lit at Pentecost to the final cry of “Come, Lord Jesus!”

O Church, are we listening? Or have we become dull of hearing, distracted by many things, and distant from the sound of His voice? He speaks not in riddles, but in clarity. Not in vague inspiration, but with piercing purpose. He addresses His Church with both tenderness and fire—with correction, warning, promise, and reward.

Let us not mistake His tone. Though He walks among the lampstands with care, He also walks with eyes like flames of fire. He is both Shepherd and Judge, both Lover and Lord. His Word is not merely to comfort, but to convict. Not only to uplift, but to uncover. He calls us to repentance, to endurance, to faithfulness, to first love. And He does not flatter—He speaks truth, for He loves His Bride and prepares her for glory.

And now, in our day, will we hear Him? Will we receive His Word with trembling and joy? Will we, like John, turn to see the voice that speaks to us? Will we write what we see? Will we speak what we are given? Will we shine as lampstands in a dark world? For He still walks among us. He has not forsaken His Church. He has not ceased to speak. His Word is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword.

Many today want revelation without reverence, vision without repentance, affirmation without transformation. But Christ will not be used. He is not our echo—He is the Voice. He is not our ornament—He is the Lord. And to every generation, He speaks again: “I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last. What thou seest, write…”

So let every pastor, every prophet, every intercessor, every disciple take heed. Let us write what we have seen in the secret place. Let us speak what the Spirit says to the churches. Let us not dilute the truth to be palatable, nor twist the vision to be popular. The message of Christ must go forth—not a message of man’s wisdom, but a revelation of God’s glory.

And let every heart prepare. For the One who speaks is coming. His voice that thundered on Patmos will soon thunder from the clouds. The One who walks among the churches will soon come in the clouds with great power and glory. The One who says “I am the First and the Last” will have the final word. And blessed is he who hears, and keeps, and obeys.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Amen.

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O Holy and Eternal God, Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, we lift our voices in awe and trembling adoration before You. You who were, and are, and are to come—the Almighty—Your glory is beyond measure, Your wisdom past finding out, and Your judgments righteous altogether. You speak and creation listens; You command and the heavens obey. The earth trembles at Your presence, and every creature shall bow before You in the end.

Lord Jesus Christ, You who walked in the midst of the golden lampstands, You who spoke to the servant John on the island of Patmos, we come before You as the Church You purchased with Your own blood. You have declared Yourself the Alpha and the Omega, and we bow under the weight of that declaration. You are the first word and the final word. You are the origin of all things and their perfect completion. Nothing escapes Your hand, and nothing exists outside Your will. You are the Lamb who was slain, yet You live forevermore, crowned with glory and honor, and robed in majesty and power.

We worship You, O Christ, for Your voice is like the sound of many waters. You speak, and the dead are raised. You speak, and the Church is called out from complacency. You speak, and mysteries are unveiled. You speak, and the hidden things are brought into the light. Your words are fire; they burn away the chaff. Your words are light; they scatter the darkness. Your words are life; they quicken the soul. Speak, Lord! Speak again to Your Church! Let the sevenfold Spirit of God illuminate every heart. Let Your voice resound from heaven into the depths of our being.

We confess, O Lord, that we have not always listened. We have too often filled our ears with other voices—voices of the age, voices of fear, voices of compromise and comfort. But now we silence them all. We cast down our idols. We renounce every counterfeit revelation and every self-exalting word. Let Your voice be the only one that we heed. Let Your Word be written not only in books but upon the tablets of our hearts. May Your truth be engraved into our minds and sealed into our spirits, that we may walk as sons of light in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.

You said to John, “What thou seest, write in a book.” Lord, open our eyes to see! Open our spirits to receive the vision of the glorified Christ. Let us see not as men see, but with the eyes of the Spirit. Let us behold Your majesty, even in the fire of trial. Let us behold Your beauty, even in the ashes of brokenness. Let us behold Your sovereignty, even in the shaking of the nations. And let us not only see, but obey. Let us not only hear, but declare. Let us be messengers, not just hearers—faithful scribes of what You reveal.

Send Your word again to the seven churches. Send it to every corner of Your Body. Send it to the weary, the compromised, the faithful, the fearful, the bold, the broken, the cold, and the fervent. Let Your voice awaken those who sleep. Let it call to repentance those who have wandered. Let it strengthen those who remain. Let it refine the gold and burn away the dross. Let Your word to the churches come with clarity, with fire, with power, and with grace. Shake what must be shaken. Build what must be built. Restore what must be restored.

And we, Lord, will not refuse Your correction. We will not harden our hearts. We will not act as though Your words are for others and not for us. Speak to us. Deal with us. Purify us. Confront our lukewarmness. Rebuke our pride. Heal our apathy. Break our self-reliance. Clothe us with white garments, and anoint our eyes with salve, that we may truly see. Teach us to fear Your name and to treasure Your word above all else. Let Your Church be ready—clean, watchful, burning with holy love—for the return of her King.

O Alpha and Omega, call forth again Your end-time witnesses. Call forth the ones who will not bow to Babylon, who will not be bought, who will not be silenced, who will not dilute the truth. Call forth apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers who walk in humility and fire. Raise up scribes like John who will write what they see, not what the world wants to read. Raise up churches like Philadelphia who will keep Your word and not deny Your name. Raise up voices crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord!”

We pray for holy boldness, Lord. That we may carry Your message with faithfulness, not trimming the edges, not fearing the faces of men. Give us a heart like John—to receive revelation even in isolation, to be in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day even when exiled from comfort. Give us endurance, Lord, to carry the testimony of Jesus even when it costs us everything. Let Your word in our mouths be as a sword in our hands. Let the fire of Your Spirit consume every word we speak until only what is born from heaven remains.

And now, Lord Jesus, You who hold the keys of death and Hades, walk again among Your lampstands. Inspect us. Test us. Love us enough to discipline us. Refuse to leave us in mediocrity. Reveal Your glory to Your people again. Awaken Your bride. Revive Your house. Pour out the Spirit of prophecy. Ignite a holy fear. Set a trumpet to our mouths. And let us be ready for the day when the heavens split, and You descend in power and great glory.

We declare: You are the Alpha and the Omega. You are the First and the Last. You are the Lord of the Church and the Lord of the harvest. You are the Word made flesh, and the Word that speaks still. We hear You, we love You, we follow You, and we long for You.

In the name above every name—the name of Jesus Christ, risen and reigning forever—we pray, and all the saints say: Amen.