Disciples Global Network

The salutations from the throne highlight key themes of the book, especially the victory and present reign of Jesus .  The next paragraph presents greetings to the “ seven churches ” from the “ throne ” - from God, Jesus, and the “ Seven Spirits of God .” It stresses Christ’s current over the earth. His sovereignty is based on his death and resurrection. The recipients of the book   are identified as the “ seven churches ” from key cities of the province.

The vision of the “ Throne ” is the theological center of the Book and sets the stage for all that follows. In Chapter 4, John sees the Divine “ Throne ” and the “ One Who Sits on it ” reigning from the center of the Creation, and in Chapter 5, he sees the “ slain Lamb ” take the scroll “ sealed with Seven Seals ” from the “ Throne ” followed by all creation declaring him “ worthy ” to break its seals and open the “ Sealed Scroll .”

The city of Sardis was situated approximately sixty kilometers south of Thyatira, near the crossroads between Smyrna and Pergamos, and commerce was vital to its economic and cultural life. Sardis is mentioned in Obadiah, with the name “ Sepharad ” being its Hebrew form (“ They of the captivity of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad shall possess the cities of the South ”).