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The Seven Churches of the 21^st Century

Author’s Preface

The expositions you are about to read are the result of some of the most meaningful study that I have ever done in my years of ministry. In past years I have spent countless hours in the study of Church History and in the study of the doctrine of the Church; I pray that someday a book will come from that study. But in one way this book is a forerunner, for the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3 are truly historical. They are not only historical as having been physical local churches in the first century, but, as we will study in great depth, they were a prophetic picture of the entire future of the Church. I shall never forget the excitement I felt many years ago when I first realized that truth. When that truth is grasped, it fully explains why our Lord dictated these letters to His servant John.

Any study of the seven churches must not be entered lightly or hurriedly. Often a study of Revelation 2 and 3 is done quickly because people want to get to the “exciting parts” of Revelation. But the truth of these two chapters is truly some of the most important that a Christian can know. Admonitions and applications abound! Most of all, however, these letters show us how our Savior Himself views us, what He thinks of the condition of our lives and our churches. These letters are sobering indeed. I pray that God will use them in your life as He has used them in mine, and I pray that He will use these expositions to the glory and advancement of His Church here on earth.

- The Author -

Bibliography

Footnotes are keyed to this bibliography.

Expositions and Commentaries

Barclay, William. The Revelation. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1958.

Barnes, Albert. Barnes Notes on the New Testament (One Volume Edition). Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1974, and electronic edition in The Online Bible.

Brown, Raymond E.; Fitzmyer, Joseph A.; and Murphy, Roland E., Editors. The Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1968. Electronic edition by Logos Research Systems, 1996.

Carson, D.A. (et. al.) Consulting editors. New Bible Commentary, 21^st Century Edition. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1997, 1994. Electronic edition, Logos Library Systems.

Clark, Adam. Adam Clarke’s Commentary: The New Testament, Volume 7, Romans Through Colossians. Originally published in 8 volumes between 1810 and 1826. Electronic edition Ages Software. Albany, OR, 1997.

Darby, John Nelson. Synopsis of the books of the Bible. London: G Morrish, n. d. Collected Writings in 34 volumes. Letters in 3 volumes. Notes and Comments in 7 volumes. Electronic edition, Online Bible.

Falwell, Jerry; Executive Editor; Hindson, Edward and Kroll, Michael, General Editors. KJV Parallel Bible Commentary. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1994.

Gaebelein, Arno C. The Revelation. New York: Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., 1961.

Gill, John. The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible. Modernised and adapted for the computer by Larry Pierce of The Online Bible. Originally completed in 1766.

Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible (Two Volume Edition). Wilmington, Delaware: Sovereign Grace Publishers, 1972, and electronic edition in The Online Bible.

Hendrickson, William. New Testament Commentary: Exposition of Ephesians. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

Hoehner, Harold. Ephesians. The Bible Knowledge Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1984.

Keener, Craig S. IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. Downer’s Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1997.

MacArthur, John. The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Revelation. Chicago: Moody Press

MacDonald, William. Believer’s Bible Commentary. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995.

McGee, J. Vernon. Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee: Old Testament and New Testament Commentary. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1983.

Michaels, J. Ramsey, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series: Revelation, (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press), 1998.

Michaels, J. Ramsey, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series: Revelation, (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press) 1998, c1997.

Newell, William. The Book of Revelation. Chicago: Moody Press, 1935.

Richards, Lawrence O. Bible Reader’s Companion. Colorado Springs: Victor, 1991, 2002.

____________________Bible Teacher’s Commentary. Colorado Springs: Victor, 1987, 2002.

____________________Devotional Commentary. Colorado Springs: Victor, 1990, 2002.

____________________New Testament Life and Times. Colorado Springs: Victor, 1991, 2002.

Roberson, A. T. Word Pictures in the Greek New Testament. Electronic edition in The Online Bible.

Strauss, Lehman. The Book of Revelation. Neptune,NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., 1964.

Wiersbe, Warren. The Bible Exposition Commentary. Victor Books, Wheaton: Scripture Press Publications, 1989.

Study Bibles

Butler Trent C., General Editor. The Disciple’s Study Bible . Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 1988.

Criswell, W. A. The Believer’s Study Bible. Criswell Center for Biblical Studies, 1991

Falwell, Jerry (et. al), Contributing Editors. The King James Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1988.

MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishing, 1982.

Morris, Henry. The Defender’s Study Bible. Grand Rapids: World Publishing, Inc., 1995.

Ryrie, Charles. The Ryrie Study Bible. Chicago: Moody Press,1978.

Scofield, C. I. The Scofield Reference Bible. New York: Oxford University Press, 1909.

___________ The New Scofield Reference Bible. New York: Oxford University Press, 1967.

Sproul, R. C. (General Editor). The Geneva Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishing, 1982. Republished as The Reformation Study Bible.

Language and Reference

Archer, Gleason;.Harris, Laird; Waltke, Bruce. Theological, Wordbook of the Old Testament. Chicago: Moody Bible Institute, 1980.

Baxter, J. Sidlow. Explore the Book. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1960.

Barclay, William. New Testament Words. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1964, 1974.

Bartlett, John and Kaplan, Justin (Gen. Ed.). Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations, 16^th Edition. New York: Little, Brown, and Company, 2002.

Brown, Colin (General Editor). The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (3 Vol.). Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1975.

DeHaan, Dennis J. Windows On the Word: Illustrations from “Our Daily Bread.” Grand Rapids: Radio Bible Class, 1984.

Detzler, Wayne A. New Testament Words in Today’s Language. Wheaton: Victor Book, 1986.

Earle, Ralph. Word Meanings in the New Testament. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1997.

Elwell, Walter A. (Editor). Baker Theological Dictionary of the Bible. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1996.

Hodges C., Zane and Farstad, Arthur L. The Greek New Testament According to the Majority Text. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1985.

Kittle, Gerhard and Friedrich, Gerhard. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (abridged in one volume by Geoffrey W. Bromiley – “Little Kittle”). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1985.

McRay, John. Archaeology of the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1991.

Mears, Henrietta. What the Bible Is All About. Gospel Light Publications, 1953.

Roberson, A. T. A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1934.

_____________ Word Pictures in the Greek New Testament. Electronic edition in The Online Bible.

Strong, James. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. Updated electronic version by The Online Bible.

Tan, Paul Lee, Encyclopedia of 7,700 Illustrations. Garland, Texas: Bible Communications, Inc. 1996.

Thayer, Joseph. Thayer’s Greek – English Lexicon of the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Associated Publishers and Authors, Inc.

Trench, Richard. Synonyms of the New Testament. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2000.

Unger, Merrill and White, William (Editors. Nelson’s Expository Dictionary of the Old Testament. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1980.

Vincent, M. R. Word Studies in the New Testament (One Volume Edition). Grand Rapids: Associated Publishers and Authors, Inc.

Vine, W. E. An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1966. Electronic edition, Logos Research Systems.

Wuest, Kenneth. Ephesians and Colossians in the Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1953.

Zodhiatus, Spiros. The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. Chattanooga: AMG Publishers, 1992.

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