What Do You Know
About LIFE?
What Do You Know
About DEATH?
Do You Know
The TRUTH?
Like the beauty of the world is for all to behold ...
may the information and articles here become precious to you.
Where will you go when it's your time to die?
You need to know this today. Tomorrow may be too late!
HINT: It is NOT through a church, baptism, or good works.
What Does The Future Hold ?
Exciting and EASY Study on REVELATION
Uneed2no.com
Here is a great church to attend in Trumbull County, Ohio
FAITH Baptist Church
1401 Shaw Avenue, Niles, Ohio 44446
(330) 652-8151
10:00 a.m. Sunday School
11:00 a.m. Morning Worship
6:30 p.m. Evening Worship
6:30 p.m. Wednesday Services
Pastor Lenny Towle, with wife, Mrs. Amy Towle
CHAPTER 2
"Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write: These things saith He that holdest the seven stars in His right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;"
In verse 1 here, we see that the Lord is still instructing John to write. The Lord wants us to know about these things. "These things saith He", are the Lord's Words. We need to pay attention to God's Word. God is telling us here about things that are to happen. Our Bible is tomorrow's newspaper and God wants us to know about these things.
He assures John again that He is the One Who holds the seven stars in His right hand (see verse 20 of Chapter 1). He also informs us that He, Jesus (Chapter 1, verse 5), walks in the midst of the churches. The Lord walks among every church age. We are now in the Laodicean church age. The Lord is still here for us. He was here through all the church ages from Ephesus through Laodicea. The Lord says in Hebrews 13:5 that He "will never leave thee, or forsake thee."
First, we are going to go over the seven literal, brick and mortar churches. We are going to see that they were real churches on the earth and then we will learn how they represent each church age.
These seven literal churches were all located in the country of Asia Minor, known as Turkey today. Archaeologists have studied all seven ancient cities of these seven churches. Some of the studies have been very extensive, especially at Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, and Sardis. There is very little left of Smyrna. Smyrna's remains are covered by the city of Izmir in Turkey.
​The church of Ephesus, which you can see by the map, was located near the Aegean Sea. The Aegean Sea is a 'bay' of the Mediterranean Sea. It is located between Europe and Asia and is still used today. In fact, in December of 1992 a Greek oil ship, on its way to Spain, had an accident which caused a lot of ecosystem damage, including damage to the fishing industry.​
​
The church in Ephesus worshipped the statue of Diana, the Roman goddess of nature. This was a clear violation of the Ten Commandments. They forsook God.
Going on with the next church, was Smyrna. Smyrna was also located near the coast just north of Ephesus. Smyrna was a wonderful church. They endured suffering and poverty for being a church which embraced Christianity. Some were thrown into prison, others were tortured, and a lot were put to death. In fact, the Roman Empire had ordered a leader of the church, named Polycarp, to be burned at the stake. Yet, the church of Smyrna remained faithful to their Saviour, Jesus Christ, even when they faced prison, persecution, and death.
Ephesus was a great city of wealth. The governor of Rome even abode there. However, Ephesus had a problem. God gave the world His Ten Commandments in Exodus chapter 20. Verses 3-5 of the Ten Commandments say: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt NOT make unto thee any graven image (statue), or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt NOT bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God".
Next is the church of Pergamos. Pergamos, as you can see on the map, was the third church nearest the sea coast. Pergamos was a capital city of the Roman province in Asia. This was an area of learning and medicine. They had the most important library in the ancient world! This library of Pergamum contained over 200,000 volumes! This city worshipped many statues including Zeus, Athena, and Dionysus. They also worshiped statues of animals like a serpent and a bull. The church of Pergamos stayed loyal to Christ and refused to worship these images. However, the church of Pergamos tolerated the idol worship, heresies, and immorality. They did not take a stand against it.
​
The church of Thyatira was located just a little southeast of Pergamos. Thyatira was a wealthy town on the Lycus River in the Roman province of Asia (Turkey). Thyatira was a center for the purple cloth trade. The purple cloth was made for emperors and kings. (Some churches today drape purple cloths on a cross to signify Christ's kingship.) This city of Thyatira was booming with dyers (coloring) of different cloths, wool makers, leather workers, tanners, pottery makers, and so many other trades. However, this church followed in the steps of Pergamos in that they tolerated idol worship, cults, and immorality.
Then we come to the morbid church, Sardis. It was just about dead. There were very few Christians during this time that kept the faith in Christ. Sardis was founded around 1200 BC. It stood on a high plateau above the Hermus valley. A large temple was constructed and dedicated in Sardis for the goddess Artemis. Not soon after, coins were made commemorating the goddess Artemis. Two hundred years after the birth of Christ, Sardis lay in a heap of decay.
The church of Philadelphia was spiritually alive. Philadelphia was famous for its grape industry. It became a strong fortress and was called the "Gateway to the East". The Christians were very strong for the Lord. Even though most citizens of Philadelphia worshipped the sun and serpent gods, the Christians of Philadelphia stood strong against it.
Lastly we come to the church of Laodicea. Laodicea had no spiritual strengths even though it had accumulated great wealth. Laodicea was a fertile plain south of Philadelphia. Even though Laodicea was known for its banking and manufacturers, it became famous for its medical school and an ear salve made of spices and Phrygian powder. Laodicea was so wealthy that when a massive earthquake destroyed the city in AD 60, it refused aid from Rome and rebuilt at its own expense. Laodicea was neither hot nor cold for the Lord. They were indifferent. They had a 'we could care less' and 'we can do it on our own' attitude. They relied on their own ways and did not realize they were in a 'wretched' spiritual condition. And this is where we are today.
Now we are going to learn about the spiritual application of the seven church ages.
Ephesus
"I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil; and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not,
and hast found them liars:"
First we see here that the Lord is talking to the church of Ephesus. The Lord declares that He knows "thy works". God is not saying here that we are saved by our works. Remember, He is talking to the church. The church is already saved. Ephesians 2:8-9 says: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works". The works that God is talking about here in Revelation refers to how we live AFTER we become a Christian.
2 Corinthians 5:10 warns us: "For we (Christians) must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."
Saved people will have to stand before God and be judged, but not for salvation. This judgment time is for Christians only. It is called 'The Judgment Seat of Christ'. (See this in the verse above.) What we Christians do on this earth will be judged. You can look at our life on this earth as a testing ground for us. It won't matter how much money we make or how nice we look. The only things that will matter will be what did we do for our Saviour? Christians stand before the 'Judgment Seat of Christ'. There is another judgment time, but it is for the unsaved. It is called the 'Great White Throne Judgment'. Christians will give account to God at the Judgment Seat of Christ. The unsaved will give their account at the Great White Throne Judgment. We will definitely cover that in later chapters here in Revelation.
The Lord goes on here to say that not only does He know our works but also "thy labour, and thy patience." Our Lord always watches us. He sees our labour, He see what we do for Him, and He sees what we go through. 1 Corinthians 15:58 says: "Therefore, my beloved brethren (talking to Christians), be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye now that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."
Then the Lord goes on to praise the church of Ephesus. He is proud of the church for hating evil: "how thou canst not bear them which are evil:". Psalm 97:10 says: "Ye that love the LORD, hate evil:" The Lord also commends the church of Ephesus because they "hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:" This church had people saying they were real apostles. But this church did not believe them. So they judged according to the scriptures which says that a true apostle is someone who actually saw Jesus, and was with Him. That is the proof of a real apostle. The qualification of an apostle is found in Acts 1:22: "Beginning from the baptism of John, unto the same day that He was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of His resurrection." An apostle is someone who was with Jesus from the time John the Baptist baptized Him until the Lord went back to Heaven. This is why there are no living apostles today. Here are some other verses showing that we do not have living apostles today: Acts 1:3 (Apostles were chosen by Jesus on earth); Acts 3:15 (witnesses to Jesus); 2 Peter 1:16 (eyewitnesses). We are warned about false apostles today in 2 Corinthians 11:13-14: "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light."
"And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted."
God continues to commend the church of Ephesus here in verse 3. He saw their patience and labour for Him. The Lord knew that times were very hard for this church age, yet they did not faint. The church did not give up. This church age had the difficult job of proving to people that salvation is by grace through Jesus Christ. The Lord had been crucified on the cross and rose from the dead. The Jewish leaders of that time did not want to accept the fact that Jesus is the Messiah and that salvation is available for all who receive Him as their Saviour, Jew and Gentile. This young church had many spiritual battles, but they did not faint. God commends the church of Ephesus.
"Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love."
Now comes rebuke from the Lord. God was not totally happy with this church because it 'left its first love'. This church is the first church mentioned after the crucifixion. They had a true love and a great zeal for Christ. Have you ever really given deep thought about what Christ went through for us? He was rejected not only by the Jews, but also by His own family. He was an outcast. He was scoffed at where ever He went. The elite elders of cities hated Him and judged Him wrongfully. They spit in His face. He was beaten until He was unrecognizable as a human being. They threw Him in jail. They tied Jesus' arms around a post and scourged Him with a cat o' nine tails.
_edited_edited_pn.png)
By Pearson Scott Foresman - Archives of Pearson Scott Foresman, donated to the Wikimedia Foundation, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2568278
A cat o' nine tails is a weapon used as whip. It usually has nine leather belts on it. At the end of each leather 'belt' would be pieces of glass, metal or bent iron so that it would tear off the flesh when a person was whipped with it. Soldiers were very expereinced with these whips.
The soldiers that were in charge of Jesus, whipped Him so brutally, that it was said that our Lord did not even look human. It was said that He looked like ground meat. This is what Jesus did for you and me. How could we ever think our 'good works' could take this sacrifice of Jesus?
Jesus told this church, "you left Me". Jude 21 says: "Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." Jesus says in Matthew 22:37-38: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with ALL thy heart, and with ALL thy soul, and with All thy mind. This is the first and great commandment." This church was losing its first love for Christ. It did not care about things of the Lord like they use to.
"Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."
God says here that He wants us to remember. He wants us to learn from our mistakes. Keep in mind here that we are talking about saved people. Yes, saved people fall. We mess up. We fall into sin, but God's Word tells us to get back up, repent, and keep going on for Him. Proverbs 24:16 says: "For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again:" You cannot lose your salvation. Proof: John 10:28-29: "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." You, yourself, are not even able to pluck yourself out of God's hand. Once God is your Father, He is always your Father. (also see: John 6:37; John 1:12; Philippians 1:6; Colossians 3:3; Hebrews 9:12)
The Lord also says here "repent". Repent means to 'feel sorrow or regret. To regret so deeply as to change' (dictionary definition). If we keep doing the same thing over and over, then we really haven't repented. We are not truly sorry. God is very patient with us. He says in 2 Peter 3:9: "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
The Lord goes on to instruct this church "and do the first works;" This is NOT talking about working for salvation. Jesus is our Salvation. He already settled that. John 6:28-29: "Then said they unto Him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him Whom He hath sent."
Then the Lord gives this church a solemn warning. He says: "or else I will come unto thee quickly," Most of us have heard from our parents, you'd better ... or else! Even though our parents didn't say what the 'or else' was, we knew we'd be in big trouble. And this is exactly what God is saying here. God means what He says. What God has put in His Word, the Bible, will come to pass. He means every word. He tells of His compassion and of His judgments. We can never say that we didn't know because God told us in His Word. If we don't read the Bible, it is our fault. When we stand before God, we will have no excuse for not reading or knowing God's Word.
​
God also adds the word "quickly". Yes, God is longsuffering, but we should never test how longsuffering God will be with us. If we continue to ignore God's warnings, the Bible says in 1 John 5:16: "There is a sin unto death:" God will take a Christian out of this world if they refuse to repent. The Bible also reminds us that our life is very short. "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." James 4:14.
We then see what God said He would do if this church refused to repent: "and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent." God said He would 'remove their candlestick'. Jesus said in Matthew 5:14: "Ye are the light of the world." And in Luke 8:16, Jesus says: "No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light." This first church, which started perhaps around A.D. 33, was not shining for the Lord like they should have been. Because this church did not 'shine' like it was suppose to, God removed it around A.D. 100. This was the end of the Ephesus Church Age. God removed their 'candlestick'. But before He did, He complimented and encouraged them in the next verse.
"But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate."
In this verse, God commends this church again. They have pleased God with their action. And what is this action that the Lord is pleased with? He is pleased with the church for hating false and deceitful doctrine. " that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes " This may be hard for some to understand. Why would God be pleased with His children hating? God said in Psalm 97:10 "Ye that love the LORD, hate evil:" This 'deed', this action of theirs, showed their love for their Saviour.
Secondly, God says here: "which I also hate". Wow, God hates???! Let's look at verse 15 here in Chapter 2 of Revelation. It says: "So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate." It is the doctrine that the Lord hates. It is the 'thing' that the Lord hates. God hates false doctrines as He says in these two verses. God hates religious doctrines that contradict God's Word. Proverbs 6:16 states: "These six things doth the LORD hate:" Psalm 26:5: "I have hated the congregation of evil doers;" Hebrews 1:9 shows that we should love righteousness and hate iniquity: "Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." God does hate. He hates sin, but He definitely loves everyone. He loves everyone so much that He died for everyone, and He wants everyone to be saved. Remember, however, that even though the Lord wants everyone to be saved, only those who ask Him will be saved: Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." If you don't ask Christ to be your Saviour, then you don't have Him as your Saviour.
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches;
To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life,
which is in the midst of the paradise of God."
In verse 7, we see the Lord telling us to 'hear'. God wants us to hear what He says. Again, Revelation is not a book that God wrote to confuse us. He wrote it to communicate with us. Amos 7:16 starts off saying: "Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD:" In this verse, God wants us to hear "what the Spirit saith unto the churches". And this applies to every church age. "Unto the churches", not just one church age, but to all the church ages. We can hear what the Holy Spirit of God says through the Word of God.
This is what the Bible says about the Spirit of God: "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." (John 16:13) Keep in mind, we are talking about the churches, not the unsaved world. John 14:17 verifies: "Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." These are Jesus' own words.
Next, God says "To him that overcometh". God is talking to His church - born again people, His children. 1 John 5:4 says: "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." It is our faith in Christ that gives us the victory, not our works. It is faith. Hebrews 11:6 says: "But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."
And what is the reward that is promised here? Being able to eat of the "tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." This is a promise and an encouragement from God. God had given us the opportunity to eat of the tree of life at the beginning of creation in the book of Genesis (Genesis 2:9). But mankind did not eat of the tree of life. God had to take it away from us in the garden of Eden because of our sin. Now He promises to give us this privilege and reward again in Paradise. God tells us about it in the end of His book in Revelation 22:2. Revelation 22:2 tells us precisely where the tree of life will be located. We will be studying this when we cover Revelation Chapter 22. God wants us to look forward to what wonderful things He has in store for us!
Just an added thought ... God put the tree of life in the midst of the Garden of Eden so Adam and Eve could eat of it and live forever. Jesus was hung on a 'tree' in the midst of the world so whosoever will may have eternal life. And just like the tree of life, you have to accept salvation. You can look at it, you can know it is there, but you must take it in order to have eternal life.
In conclusion to the church of Ephesus, the Lord had warned them in verse 5 of Chapter 2, that, if they did not get right with God and repent, God would remove their 'candlestick'. They did not lose their salvation; God removed their candlestick. In other words, God removed the church age of Ephesus around 100 A.D. The church age of Ephesus was approximately from 33 A.D. - 100 A.D. God warned them. He was patient with them. They did not listen. He removed them.
​
With the church age of Ephesus being now ended, we move on to the next church age, Smyrna, the most persecuted church.
Smyrna
"And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead,
and is alive;"
Here we have the Lord addressing the church age of Smyrna. He reminds the church of Who He is ... "the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;" God says in Isaiah 48:12: "Hearken unto me, ... I am He; I am the first, I also am the last."
The time of the church of Smyrna was a period of great persecution. God is reminding Smyrna that He is "the first and the last." He knew they were going through extreme torture, so God reminds this church that He is the first and also the last. He knows the end. God announces that He is alive, encouraging this church age to stand strong for Him. Smyrna is the only church age that God does not rebuke.
"I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich)
and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not,
but are the synagogue of Satan."
God always knows what we are going through. He is verifying to this church age that He knows and understands all that they were going through. He saw the tribulation that they had endured for Him. And even though they were poor in this world's goods, He let this church know that they were truly rich. They were rich in faith and God promises to reward their faith. God promises this to us also. James 2:5 says: "Hearken, (listen) my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which He hath promised to them that love Him?"
Next, God says: "I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not,". Let's understand the meaning of blasphemy first. According to dictionaries, blasphemy is anything that we say that insults God or Christ. Thus, anytime we use God's name in vain or as a swear word, then we are actually blaspheming God. Sadly, we have all done this at one time or another. Back in the day when stoning was a capital punishment, anyone who spoke in this way against Jehovah was stoned to death. When an Israelite heard blasphemy, he would lay his hand on the head of the person who said it. This showed guilt on the person who said the blasphemy. Blasphemy is any insulting language toward God. And using His Holy name as a swear word is blasphemy.
There are a lot of religions in our world today that teach people that they need to keep the ten commandments in order to go to Heaven. So let's look at the second commandment found in Exodus 20:7 "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain." According to the ten commandments, everyone who has used the Lord's name as a swear word is guilty. No one has good enough 'works' to make it into Heaven. This is why Jesus died on the cross. Jesus would not have had to die for our sins IF we could work our way to heaven. Have you ever considered the torture and pain Jesus went through for our sins? How could we even begin to think we could get to heaven by good works? The Bible says that "we are all as an unclean thing, and ALL our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;" (Isaiah 64:6) In other words, the very best we can do still looks like a filthy rag in the sight of a Holy God.
Then the Lord goes on to state that people were claiming to be 'Jews'. That is similar to what people do today. People say they are 'Christians', but many are not. At funerals, people tend to become very religious. However, once a funeral is over, people go right back to using the Lord's name in vain. Jesus' own words in Matthew 7 are: "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;" (verse 21) "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord," (verse 22) "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (verse 23) These people are not only lying to God, but they are also lying to themselves. They know deep down inside that they do not have the security of a home in Heaven. This is a tragic state to be in. Please do not be one of those people who 'hope' they have a home in Heaven but end up in a place called Hell.
Lastly in this verse, God says: "but are the synagogue of Satan." A synagogue is defined as a religious assembly. Yes, Satan has a 'religious assembly'. Satan is very religious. Remember, he is a fallen angel. He is an antichrist. He tries his best to copy God. 2 Corinthians 11:14 says: "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." Does Satan hold religious assemblies? Of course he does. Satan's main goal is bringing souls to hell. Seances (attempting to communicate with demons), Ouija boards (a spirit board), white witches (pretending to be 'good'), horoscopes, divination and the list goes on. All these, and more, are tools of Satan. 2 Corinthians 2:11 says: "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices."
"Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."
The Church Age of Smyrna, which went from about 100 A.D. through 316 A.D. This was the most persecuted church of the seven church ages. God told them to not be afraid of what they had to endure. "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." (Isaiah 41:10). The city of Smyrna was an important commercial place in the days of Alexander the Great. It was a very flourishing city. There was a Christian who was saved and taught by the apostle John in Smyrna. His name was Polycarp. He was an elderly leader. In 155 A.D., Polycarp was burned alive in Smyrna as persecution broke out against Christians. Some believers were fed to wild beasts in an arena. Others were burned alive while others were cast into prisons and tortured.
God strengthens the Christians of Smyrna by letting them know what is going to happen and saying: "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison," God was also letting the Christians know that it is Satan who is actually responsible for tribulation. The devil uses people to do his jobs. Satan possesses or greatly influences people to do his will. We need to acknowledge that all people need the Lord. Those who do the persecuting are being used by the devil. We need to pray for those people to be saved.
God also gives the reason why He is permitting these persecutions. He says: "that ye may be tried". God 'tests' us to see how much we love Him. It is not enough to just say we love God; He wants to see that we love Him. I Peter 1:7 shows us: "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:"
The Lord continues to inform this church age that "ye shall have tribulation ten days:" According to the Bible in Ezekiel 4:6 and Numbers 14:34, ten days is interpreted as ten literal years. According to History, this would fall perfectly into place with the persecution of Christians in Smyrna. The most severe imperial persecution was from 303 A.D. - 313 A.D. under Diocletian and his successor Galerius, emperors of Rome. These ten years were the most severe years for Christians as attempts were made to destroy scriptures, destroy church buildings, and imprison, torture, and kill Christians. Diocletian's first decree against Christians was in 303 A.D. when he ordered Christians' eyes to be gouged out and had their bodies horribly maimed in unimaginable ways. In February 313 A.D., exactly ten years after the beginning of these persecutions, the western Roman Emperors, Constantine I and Licinius, agreed to change the policy towards Christians. The new policy was called the Edict of Milan which gave Christians legal status and relief from persecution. This document is found in Eusebius of Caesarea's History of the Church.
The Lord then makes a promise to the church of Smyrna. He said: "be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." Jesus promises this to us today also. This promise is found in Matthew 25:23: "His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."
The Christians who went through this horrible period of persecution have been promised by the Lord a "Crown of Life". The Crown of Life is given by the Lord to people of any church age who have endured trials and persecutions. Some people call this the Martyrs Crown. This crown is for those who bravely endure persecutions, even unto death, for Jesus Christ. The Church of Smyrna endured great persecution.
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death."
The Lord says here "He that hath an ear, let him hear". Almost everyone can hear. However, there are those who are deaf. Some people are deaf physically, while others are deaf spiritually. The Lord is talking about spiritual hearing. People who are deaf physically can definitely hear spiritually if they choose. There are people who can hear just fine physically but are deaf spiritually.
​
We know that the Lord is talking about spiritual hearing because He says: "hear what the Spirit saith". When Jesus taught on this earth, He instructed people over and over to listen spiritually (Matthew 11:15; Matthew 13:43; Mark 7:16; Mark 8:18; Jeremiah 13:15; Isaiah 28:23 and many more verses). God knows that there are people who will not listen to His Word. He says in Matthew 13:15: "For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them." God wants everyone to be saved, but that is everyone's own choice. God gives everyone a free choice. In fact, Jesus warns people in Matthew 7:13-14: "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." In other words, more people follow the world's ways instead of God's Way. 2 Corinthians 4:4 says: "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."
We also see in this verse that the S is capitalized. It is capitalized because it is referring to the Holy Spirit. Here we can see the trinity of God - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. We went over this in Chapter 1, verse 6. Here the Holy Spirit is speaking to the churches, yet it is the Lord speaking this to John. This is another glimpse of the trinity of God.
​
In verse 11, we read: "the Spirit saith unto the churches". He is not talking to the world. He is not talking to the unsaved. He is talking to the children of God. Romans 12:5 says: "So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another." and 1 Corinthians 3:16 says" Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" So the Spirit of God here is talking to the Christians in all of the church ages. Not just to one church age. The Spirit is not talking to just the church of Smyrna. He is talking to all seven of the church ages. If He was just speaking to the church of Smyrna, the verse would have read 'the Spirit saith unto the church. The Holy Spirit of God is talking to all of the church ages, including the age we are living in now ... the Laodicean church age.
He is talking to us, too, so hear Him. "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear" ! (Matthew 11:15)
Lastly, in this verse, we read "He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death." 1 John 5:4 says: "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world: even our faith." How do we overcome? The answer is found in Revelation 12:11: "And they overcame him (Satan, verse 10) by the blood of the Lamb." Jesus is the Lamb Who died for our sins. Our faith in accepting Jesus as our Saviour is how we overcome the world.
​
Then we read that anyone that overcomes (anyone who knows Christ as their Saviour), will "not be hurt of the second death". Now this brings us to the question what is the 'second death'? We find this answer in Revelation 20. (Remember, God wants us to know this. This is why He put it in the Bible.) Verses 11 & 12 "And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." This describes God sitting on His throne. He is judging all the people who were in hell, which is located in the center of the earth (Luke 16). These are unsaved people. They have not accepted Christ as their Saviour. God brings them up out of Hades to stand before Him to be judged according to their works. Their works are not good enough because they have refused to trust Jesus as their Saviour. Then God goes on to tell us what He is going to do with these people in verse 14 of Revelation 20: "And death and hell (unsaved) were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death." The second death is simply saying, all people die once, but unsaved people die twice. Christians die and go to Heaven (eternal life). Unsaved people die and go to Hades in the center of the earth. That is their first death. Then God brings them up out of Hades, judges them, and then casts them into the Lake of Fire. This is their second death.
There is a saying that goes:
​
Born Once - Die Twice
Born Twice - Die Once
​
In other words, born into the world as a baby, don't ask Jesus as Saviour = Die Twice (die physically, and also die by being cast into the Lake of Fire) Born One - Die Twice.
Born into the world and then also born into God's family by accepting Jesus Christ as Saviour = Born Twice (Physically and by accepting Christ as Saviour) and die once (physically) Does not die twice. Does not go into the Lake of Fire. Born Twice - Die Once
​
Pergamos
"And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith He which hath the sharp sword with two edges;"
Now we are in the third church age. This church was located in a very dangerous place. The time period spans from about 313 A.D. - 538 A.D.
Verse 12 is again reminding us that God is talking to His church, His saved people. When God says something, we need to pay attention; and when He repeats what He says, we had better pay attention and do what He says! He reminds us again that He has a two-edged sword. We learned about this two-edged sword in Chapter 1, verse 16, of Revelation. Remember, the sword is God's Word. It is His Word and it cuts deep (Hebrews 4:12). God's Word is so sharp that it cuts the soul and the spirit. It cuts our thoughts and the intents of our hearts.
"I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth."
The Lord is encouraging His people. He knows what we do for Him. However, this church age was in a very dangerous location and God knew it. God knows where we are and He also knows where the enemy is. 1 Peter 5:8 warns us: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" This church age was living right in the center where Satan had his throne!
Pergamos was located about 50 miles north of Smyrna. Pergamos was the capital city of Greek dynasty. Pergamos reached its greatest height of achievements under Eumenes II. Pergamos became a major religious Roman center. It erected beautiful temples in honor of four major pagan gods: Zeus, Dionysus, Athena and Asclepius.
The next part of verse 13 says: "thou holdest fast my name, and hath not denied my faith," The church of Pergamos held fast to their Lord Jesus. They did not bow to or go along with the worship of idols. This was a very dangerous stand for these Christians. The largest part of Pergamos worshipped idols. The persecutions against these Christians were great. It took a lot of courage to refuse to worship the idols. It took even more courage to proclaim the name of Jesus. And when these Christians were given the choice of worshipping the idols or die, they kept their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and chose death.
The last part of verse 13 says: "even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth." The Lord Jesus is commending the Christians of Pergamos for being so strong even when Antipas was killed among them. Antipas was martyred because of his faith and faithful witnessing during this evil and very satanic era. Some have said that the idol worshipers took a life-size idol of a bull that was hollow and put a fire under its belly. Then when Antipas refused to renounce his faith in Christ Jesus, they roasted him alive in the bull idol. Matthew 10:28 says: "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
VERSE 14 : (Chapter 2)
Pergamos
"But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel,
to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication."
Even though the Lord commended the Christians in Pergamos, He still points out their sin. He says: "But I have a few things against thee," God is a holy God. He cannot tolerate sin because He is holy. God also wants us to get sin out of our own lives so He can use us. Just think about a dirty cup or plate. If it was all covered with mire, would you want to drink or eat from it? Proverbs 25:4 says: "Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer." We are the vessel. God is the finer. When we pray and ask God to take away our dross, we can become a vessel for the Lord to use. A nice prayer to pray to God is found in Psalm 51:10: "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."
Now let us see what the Lord had against the church of Pergamos. He tells us right here in the verse. Remember, God reveals. And that is what Revelation is about, it is what His Bible is about. The reasons: "because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication." Here are four of the five reasons why the Lord was not happy with the church of Pergamos. Let's look at these reasons.
First is the fact that God does not want Pergamos to have anything to do with the 'doctrine of Balaam'. There were Christians who were practicing this doctrine in the church of Pergamos. Some Christians even do this today. What is the 'doctrine of Balaam'? It is simply believing that a little sin doesn't hurt. Perhaps, even white lies. The 'doctrine of Balaam' teaches the humanistic thinking that it's ok to tell a 'fib' or deceive someone especially for a personal or financial benefit. They felt it was alright to 'stretch the truth' for a gain of some sort, especially if they would get paid for it. This is sin.
Next we have the phrase "who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel" . Balac was the king of the country of Moab. Moab was an ancient country which is no longer in existence today. It was located in southern Jordan. Balac (also spelled Balak), the king of Moab, with all the people of Moab were exceedingly afraid of the Israelites that were traveling to their God-given promised land. The whole country of Moab were afraid that the Israelites were going to conquer their land. This is why Balac went to Balaam and tried to bribe him to curse Israel. Balac tried everything in his power to hinder Israel. This is "the stumblingblock" that Balac was trying to achieve. The country of Moab also worshipped many idols like Pergamos. The people of Moab offered animals upon their altars. The people of the pagan temples ate of the meat of the animals. But to make matters worse, the rulers, for the gain of monies, would take the leftover meats and sell it in their markets. Balac and the rulers tried to defile the diet of the Israelites by trying to get them to eat the meat that had been used in a pagan idol worship ceremony - meat that had been offered unto a pagan god ("to eat things sacrificed unto idols,"). Balac also tried to cause the Israelite people "to commit fornication" with the Moab people. Not only is the act of fornication sin, but it was also sin for an Israelite to marry anyone other than another Israelite. These were all stumblingblocks that Balac tried to use to stop the children of Israel. Perhaps these attempts against Israel are why the country of Moab is no longer in existence. Isaiah 60:12 says: "For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee (Israel) shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted." God warns us that He will curse people/nations that curse or try harm to Israel: "I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee:" (Genesis 12:3). God warns nations that if any nation messes with Israel, they are messing with God. In Zechariah 2:8, God says, "he that toucheth you (Israel) toucheth the apple of His eye." Israel is God's chosen nation.
​
"So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate."
If you will notice, these exact words from the Lord are found in verse 6 of Chapter 2 of Revelation also. The doctrine of the Nicolaitanes was/is very deceiving. We've seen that it is the worship of idols and committing fornication. The Nicolaitans also taught that people were to follow man instead of God. Going through a man to pray to God instead of going through the Lord Jesus Christ. John 14:6 says: "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." We are to pray directly through Jesus only, not the way of the doctrine of the Nicolaitans - those who teach people to pray to saints, statues, etc.
"Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth."
All through God's Word, He tells us to "repent". The Lord says in Luke 13:3 and Luke 13:5 the exact same words. Remember, when God says something twice, we'd better do it! These verses in the Lord Jesus' own Words say: "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." This is both verse 3 and verse 5. Twice.
Next, the Lord says: "or else I will come unto thee quickly," How many of us have had parents that said 'You'd better or else!" ? We knew they meant it. And we knew we would be in a heap of trouble if we didn't do what we were supposed to do. God doesn't pull any punches. He said "or else". He said "I will come unto thee quickly". He doesn't mess around. He says He "will fight". The Lord even tells us what His weapon is - "the sword of my mouth". We already studied in Revelation Chapter 1, verse 16 about the Word of God being the 'sword'. When we stand before God at the Judgment Seat, it will be God's Word that will be used to judge us. We will be covering that in later chapters.
Hebrews 4:12 tells us what this sword is: "For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Ephesians 6:17 also verifies that the 'sword of God' is His Word, the Bible: "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God:"
Isn't it something that verse 16 of Chapter 1 and verse 16 of Chapter 2 of Revelation both talk about God's sword?! That shows divine inspiration of God's Word. There are many more proofs, but they are too many to list here. It is really interesting to do a numeral study of the Word.
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it."
At the end of each church age, the Lord says these words: "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches;" We see this phrase repeated in Chapter 2, verse 7, verse 11, verse 17, & verse 29. It is repeated also in Chapter 3, verse 6, verse 13, & verse 22. Seven verses total repeat that God wants us to hear Him. What God has said to one church, He wants all seven of the church ages to hear. That is why He says "churches", not just church. The brick and mortar churches were at totally different times. This shows that God was not speaking to just a specific church in a specific area at a specific time. He was and is talking to all the church ages from at least 33 A.D. to our present time. Today we are in the Laodicean church age. We will cover that very soon.
Next we see that the Lord makes another promise. He says: "To him that overcometh". First, I ask 'what do we need to overcome?" The Bible tells us in Revelation 12:11: "And they overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb". John 1:36 states that Jesus is the 'Lamb of God'. So this part of the verse is simply saying people can overcome Satan by asking Christ to come into their heart and be their Saviour, trusting the blood of Christ to cover all their sins.
Then we see the Lord say "I will "give to eat of the hidden manna" . Manna is bread. Jesus says in John 6:51 "I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." Jesus is not saying here that we have to literally eat His flesh. He is saying that He gave His life on the cross so anyone who will accept His sacrifice will have eternal life. You may ask, 'what about the word hidden?' The Lord Jesus died openly for all so that all have the chance to be saved from their sins. However, the Bible also tells us that some people refuse to believe and accept the gospel - that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose from the grave for our sins. There are people that will not acknowledge the fact that Christ died for their sins. There are others who do not believe that Christ rose from the grave. There are many who just will not take the time to ask Christ to forgive their sins and come into their heart. 2 Corinthians 4:3 says: "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:" The manna is hid from the unsaved. Remember, Jesus broke bread with the disciples behind closed doors.
Manna is sweet communion with our Lord. 1 Corinthians 11:23 - 26 teaches us: "That the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread: And when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till He come." This is communion. This is sweet communion with our Lord. We do this in remembrance of His death. We focus on how the Lord died for us. The bread definitely does not turn into the actual flesh/body of Christ. That is a false doctrine. We are told in His Word that it is the "remembrance" of His death on the cross for us.
Our Lord goes on to give us even more precious gifts. He says that He "will give him a white stone". A white stone stands for approval. That's precious! Who doesn't want the Lord's approval?! The approval of parents or others is nice, but could you just imagine the Lord saying to you: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant:" ?!!! (Matthew 25:21) That would be precious!
Then even more exciting, the Lord says: "and in the stone a new name written." When we have accepted Christ as our own personal Saviour, He transforms us on the inside into a whole new person. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." Before we accepted the Lord into our hearts, we were of this world. We all have sin. There are many of us who are very ashamed of our sins, and rightly so. But the Lord has washed ALL our sins away with His blood He shed on Calvary for us. The Bible teaches that those who have little sins forgiven loveth little and those who have had much sins forgiven loveth much (Luke 7:47) . Psalms 103:12 states that: "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us." God has transformed us into new creatures. We are given a new name. We are now Christians. 'Little Christs'. In John 1:42, Jesus changed the name of Simon, the son of Jona, to Cephas. Simon was saved that day, and that same day Jesus gave him a new name. The name Cephas means 'a stone' - approved.
As per the part that says: "which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it." Isaiah 62:2 says: "...and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name." This will be between you and your Heavenly Father. He will pick the new name for you and present it to you personally. Let's make sure we live up to the name Christian.
"And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath His eyes like unto a flame of fire, and His feet are like fine brass;"
The church age of Thyatira went from about 538 A.D. - 1514 A.D. As you can see from the previous church ages, God still talks to His children in all the church ages. He commends them for the right they have done, and warns and encourages them to repent of the wrong they do.
In this verse, the Lord also reminds them of Who He is. He states that He is the Son of God. 1 John 5:10 says: "He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son." He repeats His attributes that we covered in Chapter 1, verses 13 - 16 of Revelation.
Verse 18 goes on to describe our Lord: "Who hath His eyes like unto a flame of fire". We also saw this description in Chapter 1 of Revelation verses 13-16. Remember that fire refines. It burns off the bad and leaves the silver or gold. Isaiah 48:10 says: "Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." God tries all His children. In Zechariah 13:9 God says: "And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God."
We are also reminded again that "His feet are like fine brass". Brass symbolizes judgment and strength. Brass also signifies the Lord's power and supremacy. The Lord will judge each of us and He will judge this earth. We will be studying the judgments of God on our earth in our study of Revelation.
"I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first."
Thyatira was located in the smallest city of the seven churches that we are studying. Thyatira was initially founded as a military outpost. It became a wealthy town of the Roman province. The church of Thyatira had 'good works'. They had 'charity'. They gave and gave. They offered their 'services' to others. They had strong 'faith' in the Lord Jesus Christ. They were 'patient' with people. This city, and cities beyond, knew the good 'works' of Thyatira.
Let's talk about how good works fit into a Christian's life. God teaches us about this topic in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15. First, the Lord makes it very clear that we cannot work our way into Heaven. This is found in verse 11: "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." Acts 4:12 states: "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." You can only be saved through the Lord Jesus Christ. He died on the cross for our sins. If we could get to heaven by 'good works' then Christ wouldn't have had to die. He had to die because He is the only way to heaven. He is the Foundation.
Knowing that Jesus is the Foundation and that we cannot go to Heaven by our 'good works', let's read 1 Corinthians 3:12-15. This passage explains our 'good works' and why they are important.
"Now if any man (you) build upon this foundation (Jesus) gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved;" (1 Corinthians 3:12-15)
The Lord Jesus is our Foundation. However, the Lord gives every Christian the opportunity to 'build'. In other words, it is up to you how you live your life. It is up to you to live for the Lord or not live for Him. You have the freedom to get up every day and live for the Lord, or you decide not live for the Lord. You have the freedom to read your Bible every day. You can win souls for the Lord. You can sing unto Him and serve Him in a Bible teaching church. Or ... you can get up every day and forget that He is even there. You can go through your day and never give a thought to the Lord. You can get caught up in your job and not ask the Saviour to help you. You may be ashamed to witness for the Lord. You may seldom pick up your Bible or ever study it. Each day is your choice. Every day, if you are a Christian, you are putting a building block on the Foundation. What are you giving to Jesus? What are you building ... gold, silver, precious stones; or are you giving Him wood, hay, and stubble? When Jesus looks at you with His fiery eyes, will what you did as your 'good works' shine forth as bright gold and silver, or will your 'good works' be all burned up? This is all up to you. Jesus laid the Foundation. Every day is the day God gave you to build. Will your works shine or will they be burned up?
​
Yes, you will be in Heaven just like God says here: "he shall be saved" (verse 15). It is the blood of Jesus that allows us to enter the gates of Heaven. Will your head be down in shame, or will you be excited to see our Lord?
"Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols."
After the Lord had commended the church of Thyatira for their good works, He continues to reveal to this church age what He, their Lord, had against them. The Lord was displeased with His people at this time period because they were allowing His servants to be seduced by Jezebel. God's servants were fallen prey to "that woman", and the Lord was very angry about this. So let's find out about Jezebel first.
Jezebel was a Phoenician princess who married the prince of Israel, named Ahab. This couple eventually became the king and queen of Israel. Jezebel worshipped idols. She soon caused the children of Israel to also worship Baal and other idols. Jezebel murdered anyone who protested against Baal or any of her statues. She then killed all the prophets of the Lord (1 Kings 18:4). She also killed a man just to take possession of his vineyard (1 Kings 21:1 thru 22:53). Jezebel also threatened to kill Elijah, God's prophet (1 Kings 19).
​
Jezebel called herself a prophetess. She taught the people of Israel to worship her idols. She instigated fornication and also caused the children of Israel to eat the meat offered to her idols (we covered this subject in verse 14 of Chapter 2). Jezebel was a very evil queen. However, the Lord was upset with the church of Thyatira because they refused to stand up against her. The Lord wants His people to stand up against sin. Most Christians today don't want to make a 'wave'. Most Christians today do not stand up against the sins in our times. No wonder the world is in the shape it is in.
"And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not."
As evil and seductive as Jezebel was, God still was patient with her and wanted her to repent of her sins. God says in this verse that He "gave her space to repent". In 2 Peter 3:9, it says that God "is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." But Jezebel, like many people, "she repented not". God does not want anyone to spend eternity in Hell.
"Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds."
In the temple of idols, there were bed chambers. The position of a bed chamber was in the most secluded part of the temple. Both physical and spiritual adultery went on in the temple of Jezebel. Physical adultery, defined by the Jewish law, is the unlawful intercourse of a man with a married or engaged woman. Spiritual adultery, which God will not tolerate, is the worshipping of anyone or anything else except for the Lord Jehovah Himself. People worshiped idols. Some idols were made in the image of animals like a bull or a calf. Some were made in the image of people, like Athena, Zeus, or saints. "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness, of any thing that is in the heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth." (Exodus 20:4) This is the first of the ten commandments!) Today, some people 'worship' material possessions like cars, boats, homes, and money. These are all examples of spiritual adultery.
_edited.png)
You can't plant Skunk Cabbage and expect to harvest wheat !
There is a saying that says "What Goes Around Comes Around". This is actually a biblical principle. It is found in Galatians 6:7: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."
​
Romans 1:28 says: "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;"
​
Jezebel was sowing destruction to herself. Christians who were in sin with her would also sow physical destruction. Nahum 3:4-6 can also be applied to Jezebel and anyone who partakes in her sins. "Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts. Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts; and I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame. And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazingstock."
​
"And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am He which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works."
Jezebel had a grisly death. 2 Kings 9:30-37 tells us of her death. When Jezebel had prettied herself up, she stood gazing out her window that overlooked the city. Two or three eunuchs grabbed Jezebel and threw her out the window. Verse 33 says: "some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses." She was then trampled by the horses. Verse 35 says that when they went to bury her, they only found her "skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands" because dogs had eaten the rest of her (verse 36). What goes around, does come around. Galatians 6:7: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."
The Lord continues saying... "And I will kill her children with death". Jezebel has no lineage, no ancestry, no family history.
Then the Lord talks about the churches. Notice here that God says 'churches'. He is talking to all seven churches or all seven church ages. He says this to us even today: "all the churches shall know that I am He which searcheth the reins and hearts". First, He says here that we will know. God does not hide His judgment. Psalm 7:11 says: "God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day." 1 Timothy 5:20 says: "Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear." Proverbs 1:7 says: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Not only did the church of Thyatira hear of the judgment of God on Jezebel, but all the church ages have heard of God's judgment on Jezebel and idol worshippers. Here we are today, in the Laodicean church age, still hearing about how God judged Jezebel for her refusal to repent.
So why does God want all of us to know about Jezebel? Simply to show us that even though He is long suffering, God does not tolerate sin. The Lord does not want His churches or His children to be in sin. He warns us that He will judge us for our sins. Remember, we reap what we sow.
"I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."
​
Jeremiah 17:10
​
"But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden."
Here the Lord is talking to the Christians that have not fallen into the sin of worshiping idols, which is the doctrine of Jezebel. He is talking to those "which have not known the depths of Satan". Remember, Satan is the antichrist. He wants worshipped. He receives a lot of his worship through those who worship and pray to idols. And people still do that all over the world today. Beware of groups and organizations that seem 'good'. Some organizations are made up of 'higher authorities, and once you get 'in', you can't get out very easily - especially organizations which have sworn 'secret rituals' or 'secret societies'. These organizations may say it is 'God honoring' or for the 'moral good', but God says: "But I say, that the things which Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils" (1 Corinthians 10:20). We are warned about this in 2 Corinthians 11:13-14: "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light."
Lastly in this verse, we read that God says: "I will put upon you none other burden". God understands our burdens. He wants us to come to Him with our burdens. Look what God says in Psalm 55:22: "Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and He shall sustain thee:" "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heaven laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) We don't need to turn to idol worship or 'secret societies' to find comfort and fulfillment, we just need to come to Jesus alone. A King James Bible holds the key to true happiness. In it you will find all the answers and comfort God has prepared for you. God gave His Only Begotten Son (John 3:16) as the Gift to you so you can have a full life here on earth and eternal life in Heaven. You cannot get that from a society.
"But that which ye have already hold fast till I come."
God has already given us His salvation. We are to hold fast on to our Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews 10:23 says: "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised;) In 1 Corinthians 16:13 we are encouraged to: "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong." The Lord wants us to have strong faith in Him, especially in these last days.
"And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:"
Have you overcame this world and Satan? 1 John 5:4 tells us: "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." Have you overcome this world? Have you accepted Christ into your heart so you have that saving faith - the faith that takes you to Heaven when you die.?
Next we read: "and keepeth my works unto the end". When Jesus was on this earth He said this to His disciples: "I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." (John 9:4) This is what we should be doing. We should be winning souls to the Lord while we are still able. The time will come when we will not be able. We all are given only so much time on this earth. What you do for the Lord must be done while you are here. When you are gone, it will be too late. You cannot undo yesterday.
The Lord says here: "to him will I give power over the nations:" God wants us to know how to judge righteously. He even tells us that Christians shall judge the world in 1 Corinthians 6:2: "Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?" The Lord is going to give those Christians who are 'worthy' (those who know how to judge righteously) power over the nations. The book of Psalms even tells us in Psalm 149:9 that saints have the privilege: "To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints."
"And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father."
All the nations shall be ruled with a rod of iron during the Millenium time. There will also be twelve higher thrones of judgment upon which the twelve apostles preside. We will be studying this in future chapters here in Revelation, but I'd like to point out here how much our Holy Bible intertwines with itself, especially from the Old Testament to the New Testament. Look at Psalm 2: 6-11: "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling." God the Father gave this honour to His Son, and the Son has given this honour to Christians as Psalm 149:9 says.
"And I will give him the morning star."
In this short verse, we see that Jesus "will give him". The him is the Christian. "The morning star" is our Lord Jesus Christ. Some theologians say that Satan is the morning star, but remember Satan is the antichrist. He is a copycat of Jesus. However, this verse is referring to our Lord. The Lord is rewarding the Christians here. Jesus would not give the devil as a gift to a Christian. Nor could a Christian take a devil gift into Heaven. This verse is definitely speaking about our Lord and what a sweet Gift our Saviour is. To have sweet fellowship and close communion with our Saviour is joy beyond all joy. 2 Peter 1:19b says: "...and the day star arise in your hearts:" It is the Lord Who is in our hearts - Holy heartburn!
In Revelation 22:16, the Lord calls Himself the bright and morning star: "...I am (Jesus) the root and offspring of David, and the bright and morning star". Jesus is also called the Light of the world (John 8:12), and the True Light (John 1:9). What a Gift our Lord Jesus Christ is! He gave Himself for us.
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."
The Lord says this in the last verse of each of the seven church ages. He is pleading with His churches to please "HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAITH" !!! This is important. This is vital. And the Lord is saying this to us today. We are in the Laodicean church age; and, yes, the Lord says it to our church age also. Please listen. See what God's Word is saying. He is pleading with us. This is very important. Listen. Hear what He is saying. It is all in His Word, the Bible.