What does Revelation 1:11 mean?
John is describing how he came to be given this revelation from Jesus. While "in the Spirit," John is surprised with a loud, powerful voice, like that of a war trumpet. The person who spoke with this authoritative voice commanded John to write what he saw in a scroll and send it to seven churches. This is the first of twelve commands in the book of Revelation. The rest appear in Revelation 1:19; 2:1, 2:8, 2:12, 2:18; 3:1, 3:7, 3:14; 14:13; 19:9; and 21:5.The churches listed in Revelation 1:11 were actual churches located in what is today the country of Turkey. Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamum lay along the coast of the Aegean Sea, with Ephesus being the closest city to the island of Patmos. Smyrna was north of Ephesus, and Pergamum was north of Smyrna. The other four churches were situated in the interior of the country. From south to north they were Laodicea, Philadelphia, Sardis, and Thyatira. Many interpreters see strong similarities between the exhibited characteristics of these churches and the historical characteristics of the worldwide Christian Church from Pentecost to the rapture.