An in-depth study of the seven letters of Revelation, addressed to seven churches (Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia & Laodicea), looking at their possible four-fold application:

• Local – messages to the actual churches (as named) in what is now Turkey;
• Admonitory – general letters to all of the churches at the time, and to all churches through the ages;
• Homiletic – messages to each of us, the church and the body of Christ ("He who has an ear...");
• Prophetic – in their particular order, the letters seem to lay out the history of the church.

If we accept the last of the above, then we have to agree that we are in the "last church age"... the church of Laodicea, where the church is admonished for being lukewarm, wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. Sound familiar? This is also the church that has excluded Jesus... "Behold I stand at the door and knock" is not addressed to unbelievers, but to those IN the church who have excluded Christ from their midst. Perhaps it's time for many in the church to put aside their programmes, their fancy bands putting on "shows" every Sunday, and their soft, fluffy messages designed to satisfy the itching ears of their followers, and come back to solid foundation of the Word of God, shining the light of God on all sin and preaching salvation only through the shed blood of our perfect sacrifice, Jesus Christ!