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An Exposition of the Seven Church Ages: Difference between revisions
An Exposition of the Seven Church Ages (view source)
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=The concept of "church ages"= | =The concept of "church ages"= | ||
Some early dispensationalists (such as [[Plagiarism#Clarence Larkin|Clarence Larkin]]) interpreted the seven churches of Asia (Rev. 1:4) symbolically as seven “church ages,” or stages of church history, though few hold this view today outside of [[The Message|the message]]. For | Some early dispensationalists (such as [[Plagiarism#Clarence Larkin|Clarence Larkin]]) interpreted the seven churches of Asia (Rev. 1:4) symbolically as seven “church ages,” or stages of church history, though few hold this view today outside of [[The Message|the message]]. For the following reasons, this line of interpretation is no more feasible than allegorizing the churches addressed in Paul’s letters: | ||
#Abundant evidence suggests that Revelation addresses seven literal church communities, including items of local color that fit each of the seven letters (see [[Seven Churches In Asia]]). | |||
#A map shows that Revelation addresses the seven churches in the very sequence that a messenger from John, arriving first in Ephesus near the sea, would travel to each of the cities listed, presumably along the main roads of Asia. The average distance between each city was about thirty to forty-five miles. | |||
#Only a forced reading of church history (regularly revised with the passing of time) has allowed this interpretation. | |||
#Finally, if Revelation requires the completion of seven church ages before Jesus’ return, then, in most centuries of church history, Christians had no right to expect the imminent return of the Lord! This would be a curious conclusion for advocates of the seven church ages view, most of whom vehemently emphasize the imminence of Christ’s return.<ref>Craig S. Keener, Revelation, The NIV Application Commentary, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1999), 74–75.</ref> | |||
The burden of proof is clearly upon William Branham to show that these local letters are successive "ages" or "eras". | The burden of proof is clearly upon William Branham to show that these local letters are successive "ages" or "eras". | ||