“Seven Churches of Asia” From Dictionary of Biblical Words:
These give in Rev. 2 and 3. a panoramic history of the Church of God, from the apostolic times to the Lord’s return. Thus, briefly, Ephesus represents the first departure of the Church from love to Christ, Smyrna the terrible persecutions which followed under the Roman emperors, Pergamos is the early Catholic Church, when the emperors no longer persecuted but patronized it. Thyatira, Roman Catholicism. Sardis, Protestantism, while Philadelphia and Laodicea respectively represent those that are faithful and unfaithful to Christ immediately before His return, differing from the other churches in the fact that, while they get both praise and blame, Philadelphia gets only the former, and Laodicea only the latter. It may be remarked that the four last churches are only characterized by the words, “Till I come,” showing that all four go on together until Christ’s return.
“Seven Seals” From Dictionary of Biblical Words:
These are better understood if we remember that bound books are unknown in Scripture, and that the seven-sealed book in Rev. 5 was really great roll fastened at intervals throughout its length with seals in such a way that only the part from the first to the second seal could be unrolled by the breaking of the first, and so on. The interpretation of the seals hardly belongs to our province. Generally, they represent the successive dealings of God In judgment with this world after the church is seen complete in heaven in ch. 4; that is after the Lord’s return, according to 1 Thess. 4, and before His coming in 1 Thess. 5
Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:
A favorite, and often symbolic, number among Hebrews
(Gen. 2:2; 7:2; 41:2-3). Used as a round number (1 Sam. 2:5; Matt. 12:45). Type of abundance and completeness (Gen. 4:15,24; Matt. 18:21-22). These references, and other places, show a seventh day and seventh year sabbath and a seven times seventh year of Jubilee; also sacrificial animals limited to seven, and the golden candlesticks. Seven priests with seven trumpets surrounded Jericho for seven days, and seven times on the seventh day. In the Apocalypse we find seven churches, seven candlesticks, seven stars, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven vials, seven plagues, seven angels.
Concise Bible Dictionary:
See NUMBERS AS SYMBOLS.
Strong’s Dictionary of Greek Words:
Meaning:
a primary number; seven