Unlocking the Sacred Secret - The Great Apostasy

When John wrote Revelation, Christianity was upwards of 60 years old.  At the outset, it had survived 40 years of constant opposition from Judaism.  The the Jewish system received a mortal blow in 70 C.E.  when the unrepentant Jews lost their national identity and what was to them virtually and idol -the temple in Jerusalem.

Nevertheless, the apostle Paul had foretold that there would be an apostasy among anointed Christians, and Jesus' messages show that in John's old age this apostasy was already developing.  John was the last of those who acted as a restraint on this all-out attempt by Satan to corrupt the seed of the woman.  (2 Thessalonians 2:3-12; 2 Peter 2:1-3; 2 John 7-11) So it was the appropriate time for Jehovah's Chief Shepherd to write to the elders in the congregations, warning of developing trends and encouraging right-hearted ones to stand  firm for righteousness. 

How the congregations in 96 C.E. responded to Jesus' messages we do no know. But we do know that the apostasy  developed rapidly after John's death.  "Christians" ceased to use Jehovah's name and substituted  "Lord" or "God"  for it in Bible manuscripts.  By the fourth century, the false doctrine of the Trinity infiltrated the congregations.  During this same period, the idea of an immortal soul was being adopted.  Finally, Roman Emperor Constantine gave state approval to the "Christian" religion, and this led to the development of Christendom, where Church and state joined forces in ruling for a thousand years.  It was easy to become a new-style "Christian."  Whole tribes  adjusted to their earlier pagan beliefs to versions of this religion.  Many of the leaders in Christendom became oppressive political tyrants, enforcing their apostate views by the sword.  

Jesus' words to the seven congregations were completely ignored by the apostatizing Christians.  Jesus had warned the Ephesians to regain the love they had at first. (Revelation 2:4) Nevertheless, members of the Christendom, no longer being united in love for Jehovah fought vicious wars and persecuted  one another horribly.  (1 John 4:20) Jesus had warned  the congregation in Pergamum against sectarianism.  Yet, sects appeared even in the second century, and today Christendom has thousands of squabbling sects and religions. - REVELATION 2:15. 

Next time: Unlocking the Sacred Secret - Conclusion of The Great Apostasy

From the jw.org publications