The prophecies concerning these individual churches have been fulfilled; so that even infidelity itself bears witness to the “strange verification of Apocalyptic promise and threatening.”  Two of the churches, Ephesus and Laodicea, where no spiritual souls remained, were threatened with utter extinction.  They are now in utter ruins—­forsaken, desolate.  Sardis, too, where only a few names were left, is reduced to a small Turkish village, without a church or a Christian.  Pergamus and Thyatira, where much spirituality remained, but where wickedness also was tolerated, still survive, though but mere remnants of their former greatness.  While Smyrna and Philadelphia, where Christ found nothing to condemn and to whose churches he uttered only words of comfort and promise, remain until the present day and are the brightest spots on the whole scene, standing like erect columns in the midst of the surrounding ruins.

I do not wish, however, to give too much prominence to the cities themselves in the fulfilment of these prophecies.  The churches located in these seven cities of Asia were doubtless the main thing under consideration in the utterance of these promises and threatenings.  Yet it is a singular fact that the subsequent history of the cities themselves has accorded in a remarkable degree with the nature of the prophecies uttered.  It may be that God has preserved Smyrna and Philadelphia because of the piety of their ancient inhabitants.

He who held the seven stars in his right hand and walked in the midst of the seven golden candle-sticks, still possesses the control of his ministers and is present in the congregations of the righteous; but let us all take warning from the example of the churches of Asia, and live such a life of devotion, charity, faith, and patience as Christ, the “faithful and true Witness,” will approve of, that we may “walk with him in white” and have right to the “tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”

CHAPTER IV.

After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven:  and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.

    2.  And immediately I was in the spirit:  and, behold, a throne
    was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

    3.  And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine
    stone:  and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight
    like unto an emerald.

    4.  And round about the throne were four and twenty seats:  and
    upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in
    white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

    5.  And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings
    and voices:  and there were seven lamps of fire burning before
    the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.