Many Bible teachers also believe that the conditions in these seven churches represent the chronological development of church history viewed spiritually. They note that Ephesus seems to be characteristic of the apostolic period in general and that the progression of evil climaxing in Laodicea seems to indicate the final state of apostasy of the church in the last days. There is certainly some merit to this view, although it is a deduction from the text rather than being stated explicitly.
