The Book of Revelation
In
Words of Understanding
Part 3
We
have learned of the churches of Ephesus , Smyrna and Pergamene as Jesus
spoke of His knowledge of each and of their shortcomings. He has let us
know, in no uncertain language, that it is His Word by which we are to
live our lives and not by the man made rules, laws, and dictates that
are set forth by Denominations and church groups. God is repeating, and
rightfully so, repent! Repent from sin and repent to me.
As
He has set forth in His Word, there are words that are representative
of things we must begin to see the true meaning of. There is the ‘double
edged sword,’ the words, ‘Key,’ and the word, chain or chains.’ The
double edged sword is ‘authority, truth,’ key, ‘Jesus Christ,’ and chain
(s), ‘The Holy Spirit.’ Keep these words in mind and I come across
more, I will make them known.
To the Church in Thyatira AD 1530 until AD 1730
Revelation 2: 18"To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:
These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. 20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. 24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you): 25 Only hold on to what you have until I come. 26 To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— 27 'He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery'— just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give him the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. 20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. 24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you): 25 Only hold on to what you have until I come. 26 To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— 27 'He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery'— just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give him the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Thyatira,
a city with streets pave with fragments of sculptured stone from
wrecked temples. You may picture these fragments as the rules laid down
by men as those that must be followed in order to attain Paradise . Not
so! No man has the right to attempt to enact laws that supercede God’s
will. No denomination has any right to even establish a single act or
ritual that God Himself has not written in the Bible. Possibly this is
the reason that the Roman Catholic Church denied the reading of the
Bible for so many years.
Jesus
appeared as One with eyes like blazing fire and whose feet were like
burnished bronze. The fire in His eyes is His ministry. The burnished
feet are the ministers that deliver His true message with no thought of
altering it to gain a superior stature in the eyes of man. Combined with
the ‘two edged sword,’ you see the faith, as set forth in God’s Word as
being given with a fervor of truth and with no variance or deviation
from God’s eternal Word. The gist of this verse is that God sends men
who will stand up to any that dare challenge His Word and will give them
His almighty protection.
In
seeing and acknowledging the deeds, love and faith, Jesus speaks as a
gentleman; delivering compliment before He points out the need for
change. Where the church had been taught that faith was the way to God,
it had begun to teach that works were more of a way to salvation. More
so the church had began to teach that confession of sin to a man, with
acts of penance being imposed on the confessor, was a path to Paradise .
This is not written in God’s Word and neither is penance. What is
written is, ‘repent.’ That is to ‘turn away’ from sinful ways and ‘turn
to’ God.
Jesus
goes on to speak of Jezebel. Figuratively speaking, He is speaking of
the many churches that claims to be headed by prophets but, in
actuality, is teaching His servants that sexual immorality and idol
worship is acceptable. Sexual immorality is clear in definition while
idol worship must be defined as; lust for wealth, greed and envy and
such evil paths are sinful and evil. Though He has told these
‘so-called’ Christians to cease there ways, they refuse thereby earning
His wrath. Each will receive punishment according to their deeds as will
the churches that arise from their teachings!
Jesus
sees that there are true Christians that observe His wishes and not
those of false teachings. To them He will grant His love and mercies. He
stresses that those must hold fast in their belief as He will come for
them. To those that prevail He will grant the authority to rule over
those that have fallen. If you will recall, we will be kings and He is
the King of kings!
The
birth of the Reformation as well as Protestantism was experienced as
Martin Luther started Lutheranism and other Denominations arose. However
after the death of Luther the elders of the Lutherans began to practice
the very same rituals and false teachings of the RCC.
To the Church in Sardis AD 1730 until AD 1880
Revelation 3: 1"To the angel of the church in Sardis write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. 4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. 4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
The
church of Sardis claimed to be the way of God but was actually teaching
the views of man. Jesus tells that church to ‘Wake up,’ as the Word
amongst them was about to die. This was saying, ‘man is
removing Christ from the church and replacing Him with something other than all that is holy. Although the church of Sardis was initially God fearing it had been changed to conform to what men thought it
should be. There were people found to remain faithful to God and walk in His ways.
In
not having ‘soiled their clothes,’ what is being said is, there were
some without sin. Among those was a man by the name of John Wesley who
founded Methodism. He was traveling about teaching true
Christianity
and was successful in gaining many followers. As the reward to those
who followed His Word in learning from Wesley, and following it
faithfully, He will name them in the Book of Life. However,
upon
the death of John Wesley, just as the Lutherans had done, and began
false teaching of doctrine that were not in God’s Word, our Bible. Jesus
again warns of the need to repent of man’s false religions
and
repent to God. In saying, ‘he who has an ear, let him hear what the
(Holy) Spirit says,’ Jesus is clear in meaning and in content.To the Church in Philadelphia AD 1880 until AD 1930
Revelation 7"To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
The
location of the church in Philadelphia was on the mountainside which
signifies that, being so, is being ‘spiritually ascended’ from the
others.
Jesus
tells the church of Philadelphia that He has opened a door,
Christianity, which if followed, cannot be taken from man. To any that
have not and do not denied His Holy Name and kept it Holy will be
kept
from the trials that are to be. He warns of people that ‘claim to be
Jews though they are not,’ which is to warn against false prophets and
heresies.2 Corinthians 11:4. A church group calling themselves “The
Church of God,” was formed and gained notoriety. Soon after the demise
of it’s founder, like other man made religions, it began to teach
doctrines that were not Christian.
Where
Jesus is portrayed as a meek and gentle man while on earth, it must be
understood that as He dictated the letter to these churches He is seen
with ‘blazing eyes,’ with ‘as sword coming from His
mouth,’
with ‘feet of bronze’. This hardly portrays a God of meekness but it
does portray a God of decisiveness and strong in purpose. His bearing is
of One who is stirred by wrongs of those claiming to
be
religious but actually are not. He has set before us an ‘open door that
no one can shut.’ In saying this He has made it clear that He will not
be kind to any that denies Him His will. He is God, there is no
other God and as such He will not abide false religions.
He
is clear in His Word respecting any that hear His Word, live by His
Word and live by the Holy Spirit will be grant life in the New
Jerusalem.
To the Church in Laodicea AD 1930 until the End of Time
Revelation 3:14"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
The
city of Laodicea was named after a heathen. There was, as in Ephesus , 2
rivers about and 3 roads that joined in the middle of the city. These
roads represent Paganism, Papalism, and Protestantism.
We
are told that most are seen as “Neither hot nor cold.” This is to
say…instead of being fervent and dedicated Christians they are
“lukewarm.” Where God wishes to see us as fervent He sees us as
spiritually
lazy, more interested in worldly goods than furthering His Word. Most
would rather listen to Pastors that entertain them rather than teach
them the needs to repent unto God.
He,
Jesus Christ tells man that you cannot be just contented with life and
worldly goods but must heed His Words (gold) in order to realize true
wealth, that being salvation. In opening their eyes to God and
partaking
of His Mighty Word, they will be recipients of, “white clothes,’ and
have salve to put on your eyes,” representing ‘righteousness and wisdom’
to learn and will learn to obey His will. His “rebuke
and discipline,’ is Jesus saying hear my message as it is designed to allow you to hear truth. Isaiah 30:21, Hebrews 12:13 and Romans 14:10. He almost pleads as He says, “I stand at the door and knock,
”meaning,
‘I am here, let me into your hearts.’ Those that do hear Him and repent
unto Him will join Him in a meal and rule with Him as the King of kings
in Paradise .
(Closing prayer)
Father
in heaven, Almighty God, thank You for You Word and for the wisdom You
choose to impart as we seek to learn of Your mighty works. Lord, we
praise You and are so happy that You have
chosen
us to be Your servants. We worship You and pray that the love we have
in our hearts is seen as our gift to You forever. Holy, Holy, Holy,…Holy
are You Lord, God Most High.
Lord,
we ask that You protect our military, our elected officials, our
judges, our police and those charged with keeping our nations secure. We
also pray that You will keep our brothers and sisters all over
the
world safe from harm and spread Your mighty wings of protection to
shield them from harm. Touch the hearts of people everywhere and allow
them to hear our words which will be Your Word that You
have etched into our hearts and minds. Father, to You be the glory.
In Jesus’ name we pray, who is one with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever,
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