To the Church at Sardis

And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 
“Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 
“Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. 
“You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 
“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. 
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 3:1-6

5. The Church in Sardis (AD 1565-1750)

Smyrna and Philadelphia, the most afflicted, alone receive unmixed praise. Sardis and Laodicea, the most wealthy, receive little besides censure.  Easton

Now there are but very few Christians to be found here, and who have not a place to worship in, nor any to minister to them. Gill

   This message is given by the one who has the seven spirits of God (1:16) to the church that has lost the spirit of life and is dead. 3:1

The Dead Church

   To the church at Sardis, Christ says, you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.  If we suppose that each of these seven churches represents a certain church age this one surely represents the Roman church just prior to the time of the Reformation.  It was a dead church with nothing more than vice and ritual.  The lack of morality and the wickedness that some of the popes and bishops were involved in is absolutely staggering.

Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die.  Or, in other words, If there is any life left in your church watch over it, strengthen those who still believe and live Christlike lives.   If you do not they will lose their faith and die.

    I have not found your works perfect, is better understood as, I have not found your works completely finished. The New American Bible

     Think back, Remember how excited you were when you first received and heard the Gospel; hold fast to that and repent of your cold attitude toward Me.  Therefore if you will not watch, if you insist on sleeping, I will come upon you as a thief comes unexpectedly, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

It is Not to Late to Repent

   You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.  The "men of God" were forced to leave the Roman Catholic church in order to serve God.  Perhaps we could name a few of those: Ulrich Zwingle, George Blaurock, Martin Luther, Micheal Servetis, Conrad Grebel, Hugh Latimer, John Hooper, William Tyndale.

   But He who repents and wakes from his stupor will overcome and shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life.  Even though the church situation looked hopeless, Christ did not give up on her; after all, He died for her and is now interceding for her.   There is hope, the spirit of God moved in the hearts of some men and women and because of the Reformation, the Church came back to life.   

   I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life.  This statement sounds like a good argument against the doctrine of unconditional eternal security which many modern churches teach but which the early church distinctly did not believe.  The set rule for unconditional eternal security is that one must overcome.  (For a fuller treatment of this subject, from my point of view, go to:                               http://wwwthinkagai.blogspot.ca/2012/07/conditional-eternal-security.html

    but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.   While Christ was still teaching on earth He also said,  Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. Matthew 10:32-33.  In the 16th and 17th century millions were killed by the Calvinists (Huguenots) and by the Catholic (Jesuits) because the Christians did not deny their faith in Christ even though their steadfastness to Christ meant death.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  If you have any hearing left at all, listen; listen to the spirit of Jehovah, the spirit is still speaking to the churches.

To the Church at Thyatira

And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, ‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: 
“I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. 
“Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 
“And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. 
“Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. 
“I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works. 
“Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden. 
“But hold fast what you have till I come. 
“And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations— 
‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’— as I also have received from My Father; 
“and I will give him the morning star. 
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 2:18-29  

4. The Church in Thyatira  (AD 538-1565)

the Son of God who hath eyes like unto a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass," stands in contrast to the sun god. Tyrimnas, the tutelary god of Thyatira, represented with flaming rays and feet of burnished brass. Faussett

       

In 1:15 we saw Him who has feet like fine brass (representing judgement); here, in 2:18, He is coming to judge Jezebel ... and her children with death in the church in Thyatira. 2:23. 

   In this period of history it was the church that operated hospitals, orphanages and schools, Signs of the Times^^ so the compliment, given by Christ to this church, I know your works, love, service, faith, the last are more than the first is fitting here. 

   he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations.  This period of church history produced spiritual giants such as St. Francis of Assisi, the Waldensees and John Wycliffe. Signs of the Times^^  This is an interesting thought, but if the other blessings given by Christ are in the eternal realm why would this promise relate to the temporal?

   To the church board He says I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach.  The leaders in the church must know the Bible well enough and have enough moral fiber to allow only those to teach who are spiritually qualified.

   That woman Jezebel was an evil queen in Israel's history.  She was the one who was killing God's people during Elijah's time.  She is a symbol of evil, and as a symbol, she is mentioned here.  In The Apocalypse, the word woman refers to a way of life or to a body of teaching.  An example of this is in 12:1, where the woman symbolizes the moral, upright teachings and manner of life of righteous Jews.  In just such a way, Jezebel represents the evil, degrading teachings of Satan.

   My servants…eat things sacrificed unto idols.  Jezebel is used as a type of false teachers who, as the Church of Rome developed, wedded Christian doctrine to pagan ceremonies. Unger.++  There are many instances throughout the history of the Roman Church where the church did not convert non-Christians to Christ, but rather adopted their pagan ways into church practises and beliefs. 

   Verses 14-15 may well refer to physical licentiousness, but Jezebel in verses 20-21 refers to spiritual adultery, the picture of which is very clearly given by Hosea, a minor prophet. Hosea 3:1. 

   The thought that this refers to spiritual adultery rather than physical adultery is further portrayed in these words, that woman Jezebel, which calls herself a prophetess, is allowed to teach and seduce.  Prophecy and teaching have to do with the mind and the spiritual state and not with physical fornication.  Although false Bible teachings, in many cases, do leave the door wide open to carnal freedoms.  You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. James 4:1 NIV 

   Now, having said that about spiritual adultery, I will also insist that spiritual adultery often leads to sins much more physical:

   1. they commit sexual immorality and 

  2. eat things sacrificed to idols.  Even if the Christians had no conscience pangs about this, how could they talk about their faith to the Greeks who saw them eat food that was sacrificed to the idols?  We, modern day Christians, should be more careful about our lifestyle.  So many of us watch the same movies; get just as ridiculously excited about professional sports; own cars and houses which are just as expensive as those of non-Christians; how can we with any effectiveness witness to them about Christ?

   I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her.  If she and her adulterous friends really want to spend their leisure time in "immoral" beds, I will let them have their way, but in judgement for sins I will cast her into a sickbed.  One might say, "The punishment suits the crime".

   I will kill her children with death.  This is a Hebrew phrase which is very emphatic. That is, I will certainly destroy her offspring and memory, and thereby ruin her designs. Clarke.   

  Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden.  This sounds like a continuation of the idea that Christ, is here condemning spiritual fornication, such as Satan worship and idolatry rather than physical fornication.

   Mr. Uriah Smith** says that the words, great tribulation, refer to past historical incidents.  These found their fulfillment in such tragedies as the bubonic plague (which started in 1334 AD) which killed forty percent of the population of Europe, and ...The Thirty Years war which in Germany alone is estimated to have caused ten million deaths out of a population of eighteen million! Signs of the Times, Mar. 1998.   

   Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, could perhaps be read as, to you, the preacher, the one to whom the letter was sent, and to the faithful followers of that assembly.  However, most translations checked, concerning this, have completely omitted the words and the meaning of, Now to you I say.

  I will give him the morning star.  These words are a good example of the symbolism found in The Revelation.  The morning star, Venus, is the brightest object in our sky, next to the sun and the moon.  This, symbolically, is the star that persevering Christians will receive as a reward.   Certainly, this cannot be taken literally, because the morning star is not a star at all, it is merely a planet of our own solar system.  Obviously, we are forced to use figurative analysis. 

_______________________________ 
** A Commenatry of Daniel and the Revelation by Uriah Smith, Seventh Day Advantist. 
^^ Signs of the Times Magaizines: What the Revelation says about. March 1998. David C. James 
++ Unger’s Bible Dictionary, Merrill F. Unger 

To the Church in Pergamos

   And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, ‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: 
   “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 
   “But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. 
   “Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 
   ‘Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth. 
   “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it. 2:12-17

 3. The Church in Pergamos (AD 313-538)

   

   Pergamos is now called Bergama, and has a population of some twenty thousand, of whom about two thousand profess to be Christians. Parchment (q.v.) was first made here, and was called by the Greeks pergamene, from the name of the city.  Easton Bible Dictionary

   It is He, who has the sharp sword, in 1:16, that will come and fight against the wrongdoers in the church at Pergamos as seen in 2:16.  It was in 313 AD, that Constantine removed the church from physical persecution.

Sexual immorality in the Church

   Pergamos…where Satan’s throne is. The city that was greatly addicted to idolatry, and it's grove, which was one of the wonders of the place, was filled with statues and alters...Pergamos became a city of temples, devoted to sensuous worship. Unger’s ++

   If sensuous practices were so prevalent in the city it is perhaps not surprising that the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which was based on sexual immorality, had attained such a strong foothold in the early church at Pergamos, as is shown in verse 15; you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.  

   Peer pressure is not easy to withstand.  We find a somewhat similar situation in modern day churches concerning divorce and remarriage, which Christ condemned.  Modern churches even accept "alternate lifestyles".  The phrase, "alternate lifestyles" is really just a euphemism so that that which the church allows does not sound as shameful or so sinful.

   Those who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans are given a warning; Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth. 2:15.  It is worth noticing that Christ says He is coming to you, but that His fight will be only with them who hold the false doctrine.  Christ loves His followers and He will not destroy them when He comes in vindication to destroy those who say they are Christians but do not live like it.

Hidden Manna and a White Stone for an Intimate Friend

   The statement, in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, seems like a straight forward thought but still, it allows for several opinions. 

   Dr McGee* puts it simply by writing, Antipas was a martyr about whom we know nothing at all.  However, Mr Smith** sheds a new opinion on that Bible text by taking a totally different direction, by quoting William Miller.  It is supposed that Antipas was not an individual, but a class of men who opposed the power of the bishops, or popes, in that day. “Antipas” being a combination of two words, ‘anti,’ (opposed), and ‘Papas,’ (father), or pope; and many of them suffered martyrdom because of their anti papal beliefs at that time. 

  This, however, seems most unlikely because, in Christ's words it was one individual, not a group of people.  We must also remember that, even though some believe that the different churches represent different church ages these letters were actually written to churches in the first century, consequently people would not have been martyred for withstanding the pope because the papal age did not come until a few hundred years after that.

     To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat.   In John 6 Christ said, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 

    And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.  Dr McGee* writes, it is helpful to learn that the people of Asia Minor to whom John was writing had a custom of giving to intimate friends a tessera, a cube or rectangular block of stone or ivory, with words or symbols engraved on it.  It was a secret, private possession of the one who received it.  Well, Christ says that He is going to give to each of His own a stone with a new name engraved upon it.  Such a stone is given only to intimate friends - can we imagine that He will give us one?

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++ Unger’s Bible Dictionary, Merrill F. Unger

*  Through the Bible with Dr J Vernon McGee. 
**Daniel and The Revelation, Uriah Smith

  

To the Church at Smyrna

And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, ‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: 
“I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 
“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. 
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death. 2:8-11

2. The Church in Smyrna  (AD 100-313)

Easton Bible Dictionary indicates that the name Smyrna comes from the word myrrh.  Myrrh was one of the gifts brought to Jesus at His birth.  The city of Smyrna is about 40 miles north of Ephesus and now has a population of about 200,000 and about 33% of them are said to be Christian.

   The one that is speaking to the church in Smyrna calls Himself the first and the last, many scholars insist that this statement indicates a reference to age.  If Christ is the first, of course, He is eternal and therefore God Almighty.  

Why insist that this statement has any reference to time?  Paul puts a very meaningful slant to Christ being the first and the last.  And he is the head of the body, the congregation.  He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that he might become the one who is first in all things. Col. 1:18 NW

  Alpha and Omega: The description that was applied to God the "Almighty" in 
2:8 is here applied to Christ, showing that Christ is God. The King James Version Bible Study.  What that Bible study does not mention is that only very few translations, mostly the offshoots of King James versions of the Bible, include these words I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last in verse 1:11.  So there is no argument from these words that Christ is divine!

   The idol Dionysus at Smyrna was believed to have been killed and come to life; in contrast to this lying fable is Christ's title, "the First and the Last, which was dead and is alive. Fausset's Bible Dictionary.  Christ says, v.10, I was dead and I came back to life, I will also bring you back to life and when I do you will never again face death.

     Christ has nothing negative to say to this church; He uses only words of praise!   Could it be that the Church was virtuous because that was a period of intense persecution?  Christians in North America have it so easy, and consequently, we are very lackadaisical in our stand for Christ.

Christ knows

   While speaking to this church, twice Christ says.  I know.   The hurting "church of martyrs" needed that encouragement. 

   1. I know that some of you will suffer imprisonment and that some of you will become martyrs, but stand true to your convictions and you will receive the crown of life.  As stated before, an average of approximately 160,000 Christians are being martyred every year.  It has also been calculated that more Christians have been martyred in the last one hundred years than in all the rest of the history of Christianity combined.

   2. I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Matthew Henry wrote, He knows the wickedness and the falsehood of their enemies: ... that is, of those who pretend to be the only peculiar covenant-people of God, as the Jews boasted themselves to be, even after God had rejected them; ... For the synagogues of Satan to give themselves out to be the church or Israel of God is no less than blasphemy. God is greatly dishonoured when his name is made use of to promote and patronize the interests of Satan; and he has a high resentment of this blasphemy, and will take a just revenge on those who persist in it.

    You will have tribulation ten days.  Yet history tells us that the church suffered persecution from 100-313 AD or 213 years!  How does this number equate with ten days?  Mr Smith** answers this way, Since a prophetic day stands for a literal year, the ten days would denote ten years … the last and most bloody of the ten great persecutions of the Christian Church continued just ten years from A.D. 303 to 313.   This was during the reign of the wicked Roman ruler, Diocletian. Constantine, a "supposed" Christian, became ruler in 313 AD and stopped persecution in all of Rome.

    He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.  Later on, in our studies, we will consider the idea that martyrs for Christ are the only people who will not be required to be present at the White Throne judgment.  By their death, they have proven their loyalty and that is the supreme test for a Christian!

________________________________
** A Commentary of Daniel and the Revelation by Uriah Smith, Seventh Day Adventist.

To the Church at Ephesus

C) Letters to the Seven Churches, 2:1-3:22    

 

   In the first few verses of chapter 12 is recorded the birth of The Church; chapters two and three record the continuation of the Church throughout Christian history if we accept the theory that each church represents a period of time.  That is the stance I am taking in these posts.

   About each of the seven churches, Christ says, I know.   It is good to know that He knows.  However, this thought is also perplexing; if He knows, why is there so much carnality found in the churches?  

   
   In addressing the churches, in each case, the speaker (Christ), refers to a characteristic of His which is suitable for that particular church.   We first noticed these characteristics of Christ in chapter one.  In each case, Christ comes to take care of the problem, if there is a problem in that particular church because He is the one who is qualified to do so.

   Towards the end of each introduction, Christ says, He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  He is so keen for us to listen to Him, to pay attention to His advice because He knows the outcome if His advice is ignored.  The writer of Hebrews says, Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart. Hebrews 3:7.  Pay attention to what Christ has said!

    If, as some say, the church age is divisible into seven periods, Ephesus, the first church that is named, represents the church in the years from AD 31 to 100.  In these posts, the dates represented by each church are noted at the beginning of each section.  The dates given for the various church ages are from The Signs of the Times magazine.^^

  

To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 
“I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 
“and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 
“Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 
“Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. 
“But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” 2:1-7

1. The Church in Ephesus (AD 31-100)

   The meaning of the word Ephesus is desirable and it is the first church in a group of seven.  Was it named first because Ephesus was the capital city of its province? 

  Or, maybe, it was addressed first because the church in Ephesus best represents the church in its first stage.  Just in passing, notice, that, in the New Testament, Paul wrote letters to seven different churches.  However, the only church to which Paul wrote a letter that is also included in this group of seven is the church at Ephesus.  

   It is He, who stood in the midst of the seven lampstands, 1:13, that tells this church to repent…or else I will…remove your lampstand from its place.

   He…walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: Is it not a wonderfully comforting thought that Christ himself, in a spiritual sense, is walking among the saints?

   After naming all those wonderful traits of the church, Christ says, I have this against you, that you have left your first love.  Does it sound as if the church had become ritualistic? They did what they always used to do, but now their heart was not in it anymore.  The church service has form and ritual but no real life.  Jehovah wants the heart of His people much more than He wants the ritual in worship services.

   Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place.  It is sad when Christ says about a church, “your church” rather than "my church".  Was that church no longer Christ's?  

   History indicates that they did not repent and turn to their first love; the church was probably removed from its place when the Goths destroyed Ephesus in 262 AD.

   Asimov^ suggests that the Nicolaitans were probably the followers of Nicolas, who was one of the seven deacons, appointed by the apostles, as recorded in Acts 6.  The idea presented by Asimov is that Nicolas took the early Christian's idea of 'communism' so far as to teach wife sharing with other church members.  The term used by Asimov is free Love.  This sounds like a plausible theory and the Lord says he hates these deeds.

   To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.  We remember hearing about the tree of life from the story of the garden of Eden.  The Bible does not record that anyone has ever eaten the fruit of that tree, but Christ says, if you overcome, I will give you fruit to eat; fruit from that tree.

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^^ Signs of the Times Magaizines: What the Revelation says about. March 1998. David C. James

^ Guide to the Bible, Isaac Asimov