REVELATION 2-3
THE LORD'S MESSAGES
TO HIS
SEVEN CHURCHES IN ASIA
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We come now to the second division of the book of Revelation ... THE VISION OF JESUS CHRIST MIDST HIS CHURCHES. Following Jesus’ outline back in 1:19, John will now be writing the things which are. This section contains 7 individual letters from Christ to 7 of his local churches that existed in John's day. This section is not just dry history, however. We will discover that the things Christ says to these churches are as relevant to us 21st century Christians as today's newspaper. Doubtless, it is our Lord’s intention that each one of these letters should apply to all his sons and daughters throughout history. That becomes abundantly clear, when at the end of each letter he exhorts the reader ... he that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. In Matthew 13:16, Jesus told his disciples,
But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
He was speaking about his disciples’ ability to receive spiritual truth in contrast to most other Israelites (Jews) who were spiritually blind and closed-minded. In context, he had just quoted Isaiah 6:9-10, which says,
By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 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 would heal them.
Spiritual truth can only be received by spiritual people. That is the Lord's point when he says he that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Cleary, he has many more readers in mind than merely the churches he is writing to here. These letters have become a part of the eternal Word of God and are therefore meant for anyone and everyone of all time ... who have ears to hear.
Also, these letters are not placed at the beginning of the book of Revelation by accident. Jesus, the Head of the Church, put them here for a purpose. I believe His purpose is so that those who continue in Revelation to read its deep, complex, amazing, and eye-opening prophecies are spiritually prepared to receive them. This is very important. Christ's letters to the 7 churches are placed here so that each reader of Revelation might first receive a spiritual tune-up, so to speak, before proceeding on in the book. The Apostle Paul, speaking to the Corinthian church, said,
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto you were not able to bear it, neither yet are you able. First Corinthians 3:1-2 (KJV)
Carnal believers and babes have little appetite for … and little ability to … receive and understand the Word of God. These abilities are tied to the condition of one’s heart. When a believer's heart is right toward God, the Word of God becomes his or her delight and their necessary food for daily living. Here in chapters 2 and 3, the readers of Revelation are going to receive a great blessing. As we read the letters to the churches ... as is also the case with all Scripture ... God will use his letters to the churches to speak to us and renew our hearts. Jesus, the Great Physician, will give us a spiritual examination. He will take our spiritual temperature. There will be no holding back. Then, he will simply tell us his findings and prescribe the cure we need. By the end of chapter 3, if we have heard and obeyed his words, we will be spiritually running on all eight cylinders and ready to receive what the Father so eagerly desires to convey to us. Are you up for this? Ready or not, here we go. It would serve us well to pause and enter these next two very special chapters with the prayer of King David on our lips,
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24 (KJV)
One more thing before we begin … let me quickly point out that there are other views as to how these letters were intended. Probably the most common is that each letter is simply a snapshot of a particular period in Church history. I disagree. I find no indication of that in the text or in church history. The danger here, in my view, is that this view can divert the readers' attention away from what the Lord is saying to us and, instead, sidetrack us away to sort through the dry leafs of church history trying to find a fit or each letter.
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EPHESUS
THE SPIRITUALLY-COLD CHURCH
Rev. 2:1-17
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.’
Ephesus was a beautiful and wealthy cultural center in its day. It used white marble extensively in its buildings. It had a theater that held twenty thousand and an amphitheater with a capacity of a hundred thousand. Historians tell us that, on occasion, one to two million people were inside the city. I suspect that the Ephesian church was a wealthy church.
2:1
THE SALUTATION
First, notice that Christ opens each one of his seven letters with one or more key descriptions of himself. These descriptions are designed to be powerful reminders to his readers of just who the letter is from. In most of the letters, the description that Christ uses to identify himself comes directly out of chapter one. In addition, each unique salutation is tailored specifically for the situation of the church that he is addressing.
The Lord addresses the Ephesian church here as he who holds the seven stars in his right hand... This description emphasizes that Christ is the head of the Church. The Ephesians had heard that before. In Paul's letter to them, he said that Christ is head over all things to the church (Ephesians 1:22b). But they needed to think that truth over again. You will remember that Jesus explained this symbol back in chapter one. He said that the stars represented the messengers of the churches. Using that symbol again here, Jesus is emphasizing afresh that he is the one who gave them their pastor (he came from his hand) and also that he was guiding their pastor as well (he is in his hand). Is that the way you view your pastor? That's the way Christ sees him.
Then, he says that he walks in the midst of the golden lampstands. Back in chapter one, you will remember Jesus said that the lampstands were symbols of the seven churches themselves. By bringing up this second symbol to the Ephesians, Christ is emphasizing his absolute headship over the Church and is reminding them of how intimately he is involved in their day-to-day life. Christ walks in the midst of his churches … controlling, inspecting, advising, encouraging, sanctifying, interceding, nurturing, chastening, coaching, and judging each and every one. Sometimes, a pastor or some church member or board member might begin to think of themselves as the head of their church. When that occurs, it is tragic. Invariably, it leads to bad consequences. Jesus alone is the head of the Church. In real life, when properly understood, the truths portrayed by these two symbols balance themselves in the life of a healthy church.
2:2-3
THE COMPLIMENT
Jesus is very positive about his church at Ephesus. Let's look at his commendations for a moment.
He says:
… I know your works, your labor. They were a working church … busy for their God ... fulfilling the admonition of First Corinthians 15:58,
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
… you cannot bear those who are evil. They were a separated church. They weren't running with the wrong crowd and found those who practiced evil to be both unbearable and unsuitable for fellowship.
… you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars. They were a theologically sound church. They knew their Bibles and were not easily taken in by wolves in sheep’s clothing who came to them bearing lies and false doctrines. Our Lord is pleased with his serving, separated, and doctrinally sound churches.
2:4-5
THE PROBLEM
… Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. How very hard it must have been for the Ephesians to hear these words. He who reads hearts and minds can surely put his finger on a problem, can he not? This sounds serious ... and it is ... very serious. What do you think this first love is that our Lord was so concerned about? No doubt, the Ephesians asked themselves that same question. Well, isn’t it first love that most marriages begin with? When a marriage falls by the wayside, it is certain that someone has left their first love. And, like a marriage, the first love of any believer is his or her first love for the Savior. Jesus is every believer's first love. Somehow, at Ephesus, the entire church had let that relationship slip. Amazing. These folks, who crossed all their doctrinal “ts” just right … and who were separated from the world and busy as bees in the work of the Lord were living out their Christian lives with a fatal flaw. Their hearts had grown cold toward the Savior! Before we jump on them too hard, however, let me say that this is one of the easiest things in the world to happen to a believer. Our relationship with Christ can become cool and stale so very quickly. Have you not found it so? It is a very subtle thing. Frankly, if you and I are not in love with Jesus Christ, everything else we do is simply empty and vain. A heart grown cold toward Christ is a heart in serious trouble.
THE REMEDY
… Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works. The Lord is very practical here. He points the way back from their “spiritual Siberia” in no uncertain terms. For those whose hearts have grown cold toward him, the Great Physician offers a three-step cure.
First, he tells them to Remember. Do you remember what it was like when you first fell in love with your spouse? Finding Christ is very much like that. You just couldn't wait to tell everyone about him or her. Do you remember when you first fell in love with Jesus? Think for a moment. Remember how excited you were about him? Jesus says this is step one … Remember.
Second, he says, repent. Coldness toward Christ is a sin ... therefore, it needs to be confessed and forsaken (First John.1:9). If your relationship with Christ has grown stale, old, and cold ... the way back is to call a spade a spade and repent. It's every believer's own fault if they have allowed their relationship with Christ to deteriorate into frostbite. However, although our love for Christ can wane, his love for us never changes. As we learned back in chapter one, he is loving us this very moment … even while he is calling us to ... repent.
Third, the Lord says, do the first works. The Ephesians were doing many good works, but they weren’t doing the most important ones. They weren't doing the first works. He is speaking here about the kind of things they did when they first fell in love with him. Do you remember your first works? Think for a minute about someone that has recently come to Christ and is all aglow with the fire of his or her newly-found relationship with him. What kind of things do they do? A few years ago, there was a fellow I worked with who came to Christ. His fervency and boundless love for the Savior was almost embarrassing. He talked to Jesus constantly ... and read his Bible … my goodness … sometimes all night long! Also, he talked incessantly about Jesus to anyone and everyone who would listen. A year and a half later, (6/2003), he was still calling me up, all excited about the things he had found in his Bible and just wanting to share them with me. New love just can't keep its mouth shut, can it? How natural it is to tell people when we’ve found that special someone that we’ve fallen in love with. How’s your relationship with the Savior, dear saint? Have you been sitting at his feet to hear his Word? Have you been talking to him about everything ... in prayer? Have you been telling others about him? Those are first works, beloved.
May we take a minute here? Would you be willing to take a bit of a spiritual inventory along with me? When was the last time you or I told Jesus that we loved him? Has it been a while? My, how we believers can so easily be infected with the spiritual cold virus! And, when we do, it affects virtually everything we say and do, and everyone around us as well. When our love for Christ turns cold, then, in the church we become like a window left open in winter ... freezing everyone else in the room! Don’t be a window letting the cold in. Be a heater that keeps your loved ones, home and church warm for Christ. Above all else, beloved, we must keep our first love as warm as the first day we came to know him. This is primary in the Christian life. If the Spirit is speaking to you about this, would you like to take a moment and repent and then just throw your arms around his neck, as it were, and tell him that you love him? Good. Now, we can get back to doing the first works, aye?!
THE WARNING
How important is this? If their first love is not restored, Jesus says, I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place. When coldness toward Christ becomes a church-wide problem, it is a disaster. The Head of the Church is threatening to shut the Ephesian church down if their first love is not restored. I believe entire denominations are being shut down by the Head of the Church today because they have left their first love. Where once mighty congregations thrived on the Word of God and prayer and telling others the good news about Christ, there is now little left but empty pews. God forbid that it should happen to you or me ... your church or mine.
2:6-7
THE ADMONITION AND THE PROMISE
After this painful but profitable expose', the Lord returns to speaking about the things that pleases him about his saints at Ephesus. He begins by commending their hate for the deeds of the Nicolaitans ... which, he says, I also hate. I know of no solid historical information about this sect. Exactly what the Nicolaitans practiced or believed, we do not know. Suffice it to say that Jesus is pleased when his churches stand firmly against groups, clubs, sects, and cults that preach bold heresies and practice immorality and wickedness. It's a good thing, beloved, to hate what Jesus hates.
Our Lord's closing words to the church at Ephesus instructs those who have read his words to them to hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Then, he closes with a promise saying, To him that overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God. An overcomer, by the way, is anyone who is a true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. As you have it in First John 5:5,
Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Christ's promise to his overcomers is that the day will come when they will eat from the tree of life in the midst of God’s Paradise. I'm up for that. How about you? We’ll take a closer look at this tree when we come to chapter 22.
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SMYRNA
THE SUFFERING CHURCH
Rev. 2:8-11
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
THE SALUTATION
Christ addresses his Smyrna church as the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life. So, he not only greets them as their God, but also as a fellow human who, himself, was dead (human) ... and came back to life. It is good for suffering believers to be reminded that they are following in the footsteps of their God and suffering Savior, Christ Jesus. And, like Christ himself, even though they too might be killed for their faith, their future is truly bright and secure. These truths can be of great comfort to Christ's saints who are enduring fiery trials for their Lord's name's sake. Philippians 1:29, comes to mind ...
For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake…
2:9
THE COMPLIMENT
Jesus tells them, I know your works, tribulation and poverty. The works of the saints at Smyrna did not lack the solid foundation of love for the Savior that was the case at Ephesus. These Smyrnites were a bunch of on-fire believers for Christ. But in their day to day lives, this had brought about great difficulty. Persecution was the order of their day and it had complicated their lives with economic loss and destitution. It is comforting to know that our Lord sees and cares about every situation and trouble of his children. Christ tells them that he is aware of their tribulation and poverty. Jesus knows all about these things, by the way. He told a scribe who was thinking about following him,
The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. Matthew 8:20
Our Lord's words to his believers at Smyrna indicate they had lost material possessions for his name's sake, possibly even their homes and livelihoods. If they were alive today, some misguided soul might say to them, It is because you aren't tithing! (Sic). What error those misguided purveyors of the Law and the Prosperity Doctrine are promoting. It is not uncommon for God's people to suffer poverty for his name's sake. But Christ assures his believers at Smyrna that they are rich. I once had the privilege of visiting a little town in Mexico called La Cuba. It's a tiny little village set in the bottom of a gully along a small stream ... about seven hours drive south of Juarez. We were struck with how poor our Lord’s saints were who lived there. Yet, how proud they were of their dirt floored church building that doubled as a place to shelter their livestock at night! But, oh my, how rich in faith they were in the Lord. The only true wealth we believers possess in this world is Christ Jesus himself, beloved. Amen? Proverbs 13:7, says,
There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; and one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches.
The church at Smyrna was of the latter.
Jesus continued, I know the blasphemy of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Satan is always the one behind the persecution of the Christ's saints. When Jesus was on earth, he said to a group of Pharisees who were persecuting him,
Why do you not understand my speech? Because you are not able to listen to my word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. John 8:43-44a
2:10
THE INSTRUCTION
Our Lord counsels his impoverished saints at Smyrna, do not fear any of these 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. Jesus knows all about persecution and the people that Satan uses to bring it. For the most part ... I fear we believers here in America know very little about these things. Doubtless, however, we surely will, more and more, as our nation continues its downward spiral into paganism. First, Jesus tells these Smyrna believers not to fear. Then, he assures them their trial will only last ten days. I believe ten days is a figure of speech meaning a brief period of time. Suffering and persecution may seem to last forever while it is occurring but, in light of eternity, it is truly very very brief indeed and considering the rewards it will bring, it is priceless. Are you suffering for Christ, dear saint? Then, you are greatly blessed! It is a huge honor and an unspeakable privilege to suffer for his name's sake. First Peter 4:12-13, says,
Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 8:18,
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:11-12,
Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
2:11
THE PROMISE
Christ continues: ...be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. Now, he is not talking about salvation here. He is promising that one day he will bestow kingly rewards upon all of his suffering saints (Second Corinthians 5:10). The suffering saints at Smyrna are scheduled for crowns! In the New Testament, crowns always refer to rewards. Let's take a moment and list the crown awards found in the New Testament.
There is the:
Crown of life … This crown is found here in the letter to Smyrna and in James 1:12. It awaits those who suffer and endure temptation, persecution, and trials.
Incorruptible Crown … This crown is found in First Corinthians 9:25. It awaits those who have run their race well in living for Christ.
Crown of Rejoicing … This crown is found in First Thessalonians 2:19. It has been called the soul winner’s crown. It awaits those who have faithfully helped to get the Word of God out and have been instrumental in helping precious souls come to Christ.
Crown of Righteousness … This crown is found in Second Timothy 4:8. It will be given to those who love his appearing ... those who are eagerly watching and waiting for Christ to come.
Crown of glory … This crown is found in First Peter 5:4. It is the teacher and/or pastor's crown. It will be awarded to those faithful saints who have diligently fed God’s people with the Word of God.
Jesus had nothing negative to say to his church at Smyrna. She was his suffering church. People and churches who suffer for Christ and his gospel ... almost without exception ... are spiritually right where they are supposed to be. He promises them a crown.
The Lord concludes, He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death. Hebrews 9:27, says,
…it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment…
This scripture is speaking about physical death which all mankind experiences. The second death is defined in Revelation 20:14,
Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
The second death is eternal and irreversible. It is the end and final circumstance of all the wicked of all time. Their final destination is the lake of fire. There, they will find themselves eternally separated from God. That is true death, brother. For multitudes, the second death begins at their physical death. It is the state that awaits all who are not overcomers by faith in God's Son. It is the final outcome of everyone who cannot justify themselves with there life's actions at the Great White Throne judgment found in Revelation 20. There, we read that all who were not found written in the Lamb's Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire. Avoiding the second death is what Jesus was talking about when he said to Martha,
I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die [experience the second death]. Do you believe this? Jn.11:25-26
D. L. Moody, speaking of this, said, He who is born once will die twice, but he who is born twice will die once. Christ assures his suffering believers at Smyrna that, as overcomers, they will never be hurt by the second death … that disastrous loss that all human beings truly need to fear.
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PERGAMOS
THE HERETIC-INFESTED CHURCH
Rev. 2:12-17
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.’
Pergamos was located about fifty-five miles (89 km) northwest of Smyrna and fifteen miles (24 km) inland from the sea. It was a Roman city that sat on a mountainside. It got its name from the paper (pergamena) that was produced there. It is said that Caesar Augustus loved to come to this mountain retreat to dry out. Pergamos had a 20,000-volume library which Mark Anthony later gave to his Egyptian lover, Cleopatra. Ultimately, it became the foundation of the great Egyptian library at Alexandria. There was also a medical school at Pergamos. For nearly seven hundred years, people traveled to its hospital for treatments. In addition, it was a city filled with idol temples. Akepiros, the god of healing, had a temple there. Zeus, Athena and Dionisius had their temples there and was a center of emperor worship with a temple dedicated to Octavius Caesar.
2:12
THE SALUTATION
Jesus addresses this church as he who has the sharp two-edged sword. This is an obvious symbol for the Word of God. The church at Pergamos had the fault of tolerating heretics among them along with their false teachings. Such people, by the way, are best scattered by the sharp two-edged sword of the Word of God.
2:13
THE COMPLIMENT
Like the churches at Ephesus and Smyrna, Christ begins by noting that the church at Pergamos was busy working for him. We should never underplay the importance of good works. Good works glorify our Father who, himself, is constantly doing good things for others (James 1:17). Titus 2:13-14, speaks to this saying,
…looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for himself his own special people, zealous for good works.
Also, as you have it in Titus 3:8, 14,
This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.
Jesus said,
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be my disciples. John 15:8
Our Lord is pleased when his children are engaged in good works. He compliments the saints at Pergamos for theirs.
Christ continues … and did not deny my faith even in the days in which Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was killed among you. Christ further commends these brothers and sisters for their courage and perseverance. He knew how difficult it was to live for him in Pergamos. The violent death of Antipas, one of their church members had occured there. All we know about this man, Antipas, is what is written here. Jesus calls him my faithful martyr. That is enough, is it not? The Greek word here for martyr is μάρτυς (martus). It has been transliterated into our like sounding word, martyr. The root meaning of the word is witness. Antipas was a good witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. That was probably why he was killed. It pleased the Lord that the church at Pergamos continued to stand firm even though one of their own was murdered for his testimony ... right in their midst. Christ's words indicate that the enemies of the gospel had come right into a church meeting and cut Antipas down. Remember that name ... Antipas. He is a member of a very elite group in the Church of Jesus Christ. You will want to get acquainted with him one day. He is one of Christ's faithful martyrs.
I take this phrase, where Satan’s seat is, to be literal. The word translated seat is the Greek word for throne. I believe that Pergamos was Satan’s headquarters on Earth at the time of the writing of the book of Revelation. The prolific idol and man-worship that took place at Pergamos speaks loud and clear of Satan’s dominion there. Talk about a tough place for believers! The Bible teaches that Satan is the god of this world. He rules over all the nations of his dark kingdom, and he manipulates all their lost peoples as he sees fit (Matthew 4:8-9; Luke 8:12; 1 Peter 5:8-9; Ephesians 2:2). Satan is not in Hell, as popular secular opinion often states. He is loose ... in Heaven as well as on the earth ... and he has hordes of demons at his beck and call. This statement that Satan’s throne was at Pergamos is one of a number of indications in Scripture that Satan’s dominion on Earth is organized into specific geographic territories. You might recall that the demons which Jesus cast out of the man of Gadara in Mark 5, begged him not to send them away out of the country. Why did they request that? The only reason I can think of is because they had been assigned there and would get into hot water if they left and went anywhere else.
In the book of Daniel, we read that an angel (probably Gabriel) was hindered from coming to Daniel by a demonic being called the Prince of Persia (Dan.10:13). Clearly, there was an evil demonic principality over the nation of Persia in Daniel's day just as, I might add, there still is today. This explains why America is having such a go of it today with the nations of Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. The thing that is at stake is not the war on terror ... but rather, whether or not those nations will open up so the freeing gospel of Jesus Christ can be preached there! Satan and his demons would not be happy about that and most surely they have pulled out all the stops to prevent it. Ephesians 6:12, says,
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (KJV)
Our Lord continues his compliment of the believers at Pergamos by noting that they were holding fast to my name. That is, they were holding firm to the truth of who Jesus Christ truly is. They were standing firm on both the humanity as well as the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. First Timothy 2:5 and 3:16, could have been inscribed on the wall of their church,
…For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus… (KJV)
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.
When believers are fuzzy about who the Lord Jesus Christ truly is, it is spiritually debilitating. He is the God/Man ... both the Son of God and the Son of Man ... not half God and half Man, but fully God and fully Man ... simultaneously. The church at Pergamos had this truth down pat and, as a result, were able to hold fast to his name.
2:14-15
THE PROBLEM
… But I have a few things against you, because you have those who hold the doctrine of Balaam and those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which I hate. In spite of the many good things practiced at the church at Pergamos, the Lord points out that there was a serious spiritual cancer they needed to deal with. They were tolerating heretics in their midst. How subtle Satan is. What he couldn’t accomplish from outside ... through persecution and intimidation ... he was accomplishing from inside by maliciously planting heretics in the church. This tactic has plagued Christ's Church from its inception. The Apostle Paul exhorted his beloved Ephesian elders about this with tears at his last meeting with them, saying,
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Acts 20:29 (KJV)
Heretics are people who join churches in order to teach their lies and half-truths to God’s people. The Lord commands that his churches confront such people and, if they won’t repent, expel them. As we have it in Titus 3:10-11,
A man that is an heretic αἱρετικὸν (heretikon), after the first and second admonition reject; knowing that he is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself. (KJV)
There were prominent people in the church at Pergamos who held serious deviations from the moral and/or central doctrines of the Word of God. They should have dealt with them, but didn’t so the Lord put his finger on them naming their teachings specifically ... those who were putting forth the teachings of the Balaamites and the Nicolaitans. Doubtless, the believers at Pergamos knew exactly who Jesus was referring to. Their teachings are a bit tougher for us. Let's take a moment and take a closer look at these two herecies.
Balaam
In Numbers 22-25 and 31, we read about a prophet named Balaam who, for money, advised the king of Moab how to destroy God's people, the Israelites. He advised the king of Moab that all he had to do was simply intermarry with the Israelites. Intermarriage with heathens was strictly forbidden by God's Law because that would lead the Israelites away into idolatry. Baalam knew that God would then judge his own people and they would be destroyed.
Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? Second Corinthians 6:14-15
Nicolaitans
This is the same sect mentioned in the letter to the Ephesians (2:6). Again, we do not know what their doctrine entailed. Perhaps it was a secret organization like the Masons that is so invasive in many congregations today. Many church members are members of the Masons as well and there is a great deal of praise for their good works. However, the core doctrines of this organization are an abomination. Masons teach that there is a brotherhood of all religions. They allege all religions have come from one pure but previously lost, original source. Hence, it is irrelevant whether a Bible or a Koran are placed on a Masonic altar. This rediscovered god of man's original religion they call The Great Architect (in lower levels of Masonry). Higher up, however, they teach that this god's secret and original name was Jebulon ... a composite name made up of the Jehovah of the Hebrews, Baal of the Canaanites and Osiris of the ancient Egyptians. It is said that Masons in the higher levels worship Jebulon around their altar.
If we could ask our Lord how he feels about his pure covenant name, Jehovah, being lumped together with the pagan idols of Baal and Osiris with their abominable child sacrifices and historic immorality ... he would undoubtedly say it is a doctrine which thing I hate. As with all of man's false doctrines and religions, Masonic teachings negate and obscure the truth of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only way to God (John 14:6) and his universal Church alone is the one pure and true religion on planet earth.
For those who might like to investigate Mason teachings for themselves, most Christian bookstores offer books on the subject. The Secret Teachings of the Masonic Lodge by John Ankerberg and John Weldon, Moody Press, is one that comes to mind. We 21st Century churches need to be very careful that we too are not tolerating those who teach and promote the things that our Lord hates. Peter says,
But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. Second Peter 2:12
Someone has said, The Church in America is overrun with heresy and heretics today. I believe that is true. Believers today must stand upon the fundamental truths of the Word of God when confronting them (Jude 3-4), and not allow their teachings to go unchallenged if they are being promoted in the Church.
2:16
THE INSTRUCTION AND THE WARNING
Christ’s remedy for these believers who were tolerating heretics is the same as the remedy he prescribed to the Ephesian church. He tells them to repent. Repentance means to change your mind and direction … do a one-eighty. The Pergamos believers needed to tell the Lord, We were wrong for tolerating heresies and not dealing with the people who were teaching them. Lord forgive us.
The Lord warns, if they will not hear ... I will come to you quickly and fight against them with the sword of my mouth. The Lord himself will take measures against a church's heretics if it refuses to act. What measures might he take? He says he will simply use his sword against them. The one who speaks the Word of God can easily deal with a church's heretics. He is a jealous God (Exodus 34:14). He will act. He is jealous of truth and his sacrifice on the cross and his blood bought people. Well then, should a church just let the Lord take care of it? By no means. The church should repent and take care of its heretics long before the Lord is forced to do so. It's a matter of obedience and urgent necessity before many precious blood-bought believers have been severely damaged.
2:17
THE PROMISES
In conclusion, he says, he who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The Lord follows up with two more wonderful promises to his overcomers...
...hidden manna. I believe this is best understood in the light of John 6:48-58, where Jesus said, I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever. Jesus is God’s hidden manna. Blessed indeed, are all who continuously partake of him. They will live forever in a continuous spiritual feast on Christ.
...a white stone on which a new name which no man knows but him who receives it will be written. I believe this stone will be a literal one. At the time John was writing this book, in Asia it was the custom to give an intimate friend a tessara which was a small smoothed stone or piece of ivory with writing on it. It became the secret private possession for the one who received it from the one who gave it. In like manner, I believe Jesus is speaking of a heavenly tessara that will be inscribed with a secret and private new name that he will give each child of his own one day. These stones will eternally remind us of the intimate and utterly unique relationship that we each enjoy with the Lord Jesus Christ. I suspect these special names will not be for everyday use but only on those occasions when we are enjoying one on one fellowship with the Lord himself. That great old hymn hit the nail on the head when it said, There’s a new name written down in glory and its mine! Oh yes, it's mine!
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THYATIRA
THE IMMORALITY-INFESTED CHURCH
Rev. 2:18-29
And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, ‘These things say[s] 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 [NU omits: a few things] against you, [NU omits: because you allow] that you tolerate 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, [NU omits: 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 [NU omits: 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.’
Thyatira sat at a crossroads between two valleys. It was a military and commercial center. Its coins depicted a warrior on a charger armed with a battle-axe. Its major claim to fame was its commercial guilds (unions), which are mentioned in the inscriptions found there. Lydia, the merchant-lady who Paul won to the Lord at Philippi, was from Thyatira. She was selling turkey-red dye when Paul first met her (Acts 16:14).
2:18
THE SALUTATION
The Lord addresses this church as the Son of God who has eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet like fine brass...
This is additional proof that the One whom John saw in chapter one was indeed the Lord Jesus Christ. He specifically calls himself the Son of God here. His reference to his eyes and his feet both speak of judgment. He alone is the Judge of the Whole Earth ... of both believers and non-believers. The Bible says that God has committed all judgment to the hands of the Son (John 5:22). Concerning we believers, Second Corinthians 5:10, says,
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
This is further emphasized in First Corinthians 3:11-15,
For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
Dr. McGee, commenting on this Corinthian 3 passage, says, Some Christians leaving the judgment seat of Christ will smell like they were bought at a fire sale! Many of the Thyatira believers were like that. They were carnal people who spent their lives stacking wood, hay and straw on the foundation of Christ. We all would do well to examine each of our walks with Christ carefully and prayerfully lest we find ourselves following in their footsteps.
2:19
THE COMPLIMENTS
Nevertheless, the Lord finds 6 virtues in this church. He commends them for:
… their works. These are the credentials of all true believers, by the way (James 2:17-18).
… their love. This is another wonderful characteristic of real believers. It is a fruit of the Spirit.
… their service. The Greek word here is διακονίαν (diakonian), it's the word from which we get our word deacon which speaks of ministry. It literally means one who makes a dust by hastening. They were a ministering church (James 1:27).
… their faith. They were a believing church, trusting completely in the Lord Jesus Christ.
… their patience. Patience only comes as the result of walking through the fiery trials of life (Romans 5:3). The Thyatira believers had been up the creek and over the mountain, as Louis L’Amour would say.
… their works. Their works were increasing ... the last are more than the first. It is a healthy sign when a church’s good works are continuously increasing. Wow! I wouldn't mind belonging to a church like this, would you?
2:20-21
THE PROBLEM
Nevertheless, he says, 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. The Lord goes right to the source of the problem at Thyatira. The church was allowing a woman named Jezebel to teach them and to lure them into committing sexual immorality.
Isn't it amazing how often churches refuse to discipline their people? The Corinthian church looked the other way while one of its members openly practiced incest in their midst (1 Corinthians 5:1). Likewise, the church at Thyatira was looking the other way while Jezebel was teaching their saints to engage in sexual immorality!
By the way ... scripturally speaking ... if Jezebel was a married woman, she shouldn't have been teaching the church in the first place. God's Word prohibits married women from taking that authority to themselves over the church, their husbands and others (I Timothy 2:11-14). First Corinthians 13:34-35, says,
Let women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but to be under obedience, as also says the Law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. (KJV)
The key to understanding this prohibition lies in the way the early Church meetings functioned before the New Testament scriptures had been written and the canon of God's Word completed. At that point in church history, the Lord communicated directly to his churches through prophets and, sometimes, through those who had the gift of languages (tongues, KJV). This was very different from how the Lord speaks to his churches today now that his Word has been given and completed. In light of this, let's look a bit more into the subject. The Greek word used in the First Corinthians passage above, translated women, is better translated wives ... which is also consistent with its context. The Apostle Paul goes on to say that if they (the wives) want to learn anything they should ask their husbands at home. Again, this prohibition is in light of the manner in which the early church conducted its meetings. The rule Paul imposed under the leading of the Holy Spirit (this being God's Word) was that a married woman was not to speak out in a worship service because thereby she would be taking authority over her husband.
However, this prohibition did not apply to single women and widows. Their status, as unmarried and not under the authority of a husband, freed them to speak to the church if so led because they were not thereby taking rule over a husband. In the larger context of Corinthians, Paul had laid out the rules for single women to speak and teach in the church since some unmarried women held the role of prophetess (see I Corinthians 11:5; Luke 2:36 and Acts 21:8-9). When they married, however, they had to set aside that role and ministry and assume a new role of submitting to their husbands in godly obedience and honor. "Not PC!" Yes, I know. But since when does the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ operate according to what is popular, secular "PC"?
Someone is bound to ask, Are there exceptions to these principles today? Yes. I believe there are. If a married woman is asked by the elders of her church to teach... and she has the approval of her husband … she certainly can speak to and teach the saints. Scripture also states that married women can and should be teaching other women and children in the church (Titus 2:3-4). Some may disagree with everything I have said here. And, it is a knottier issue in some circles than others. Bottom line though … in the context of the church at Thyatira ... Jezebel had not only "taken the bit in her teeth" to teach the church but she was teaching them blatant immorality as well!
Continuing with our text, some say that Jezebel was not this woman’s actual name. However, I take it that it was. The famous Jezebel of the Old Testament was the wicked wife of King Ahab found in First Kings 16. She introduced idol worship and its accompanying sexual immorality to Israel. These two biblical Jezebels were two peas in a pod. The words and eat things sacrificed to idols ... suggests that Jezebel was luring the saints to the local idol temples where sacrifices were offered to idols followed by feasting and drinking and consumated with unbridled sexual immorality.
Jezebel had a logical justification for this practice and promoted herself as a prophetess. There are only two other mentions of this word prophetess, by the way, in the New Testament. One is where it is used of Anna, a godly widow who was present at the dedication of the baby, Jesus (Luke 2:36). The other is where it is used in the plural, referring to Phillip’s four virgin daughters in Acts 21:9. Jezebel's character was certainly the opposite of those five dear saints. She was of the false prophet school that Peter so explicitly warns about in Second Peter 2:1, 14, 18-19...
But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you…
…having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children.
For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.
The Lord says that he gave Jezebel time to repent of her sexual immorality, but she refused. This is amazing, is it not? Our Lord Jesus is gracious and long-suffering even toward the Jezebels who are polluting his Church!
2:22-23
THE WARNING
In verses 22 and 23 the Lord confronts Jezebel and her associates.
First, he warns her that he will cast her into a bed of sickness. The Lord tells Jezebel he is going to punish her with sickness ... a vivid contrast to her warm, sensuous bed of adultery and fornication. At one time, I thought Jezebel might be a carnal Christian. However, I've ruled that out. The way Christ deals with her accentuates her deep depravity and betrays her claim to be a Christian. As we have it in Jesus' own words in Matthew 7:16-20,
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Second, he says that he will cast … those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds.
Christ is emphatically warning the other unsaved people in the church at Thyatira, that he will cast them too into great tribulation if they do not turn away from their wicked deeds.
Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. He who sins (habitually) is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
By way of application to the Church today, let me just say that after the Rapture occurs, its unsaved Jezebel element will find itself left behind and on a fast track to the Great Tribulation ... right along with all their lustful and adulterous unsaved chums. If the Rapture were to occur today, phony Christians who play "church" but practice ungodliness, are doomed to enter the 7-year Tribulation ... which will rapidly worsen into its final 3 1/2-year, great tribulation period. Reminds us of the parable of the wheat and the tares in Matthew 13, does it not?!
Third, Christ says he will kill Jezebel's children with death. Now, I take this to refer to her truly Christian followers who had been duped by her teachings and were practicing her immorality. As such, they were, metaphorically, Jezebel's children. This is a stern warning to them indeed. One of our Lord's options in dealing with his believers who go too far into sin is physical death. First Corinthians 11:30-32 demonstrates this. Some believers at Corinth had gotten sick and others had even died because they had been so thoughtless and abusive of the Lord's table (the holy sacrament of Communion). We read there,
For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep (have died). For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
James also speaks to this in James 5:19-20,
Brethern, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him (turns him back); let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. (KJV)
The Lord closes with, and all of 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. Clearly, Christ is saying that he is dealing here with true believers who had been duped into following Jezebel and her lustful practices. He says his discipline of them will not go unnoticed by all the churches (reminds us of the case with Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5, does it not?). The other churches will indeed hear about this ... not only through the "grapevine" ... but, for sure, when they receive their copy of Revelation. God is a holy and just God and a loving disciplinarian. He will not hesitate to discipline those he loves and, if necessary, take them home rather than allow them to continue destroying themselves and others. As you have it in Hebrews 12:5-6,
And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to son ‘My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.’
2:24-25
COMFORT
Jesus continues, Now unto 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. Let's keep in mind that these letters were addressed to the individual pastors of the churches. So, when Christ says, Now unto you, he is speaking to the pastor at Thyatira. Standing with him were the rest of the saints who were not participating in Jezebel’s immorality. The phrase, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, tells us about Jezebel’s teaching and her justification for it. Have you ever run across someone who said, You really need to experience evil to truly know and understand it! This was Jezebel’s line. She taught that everyone needed to taste the depths of Satan so that they could fully know and appreciate Good from Evil. Watch out, beloved. That is an old lie from the pit. Satan used it on Eve in the Garden of Eden. He is still using it today.
Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ Genesis 3:4-5
But ... Eve didn’t end up knowing good and evil like God knows it, did she? No, she ended up knowing evil in an experiential way with all its disastrous trappings. It cost Eve both her spiritual and her physical life. We don’t need to experience evil to know it, nor to know what is truly good. Our sinless Lord never experienced sin in order to know it nor to know what was good. God’s Word was sufficient for him to know good and evil, and it is sufficient for you and me as well.
One more thought before we move on here. Heretics love to boast about their superior spirituality. Jezebel went around pronouncing that she was a prophetess. With this boast, she gathered a following. Watch out for people who want you to be a part of their little, exclusive, super-spiritual club. All too often, those groups wind up being a one-way street to Jezebel City. The Church of Jesus Christ is the exact opposite of this. It is a ... completely open … all-inclusive … everyone knowing and growing … unified … body of believers. Sectarian secret societies, prejudicial, spiritually proud and exclusive, have no place in the lives of God's people. STAY AWAY FROM THEM. Those who promote these little clubs are too often proud and fleshly. They can really turn out to be be hazardous and toxic to one’s spiritual health.
Finally, Christ says, Hold fast what you have till I come. Dear believer, if you are in the midst of a mess like the one that was being played out at Thyatira, Jesus' word here is for you. Hold fast until he comes. Keep looking up. Your redemption draws nigh. As you have it in James 5:7,
Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.
2:26-29
THE PROMISE
Christ adds two more promises here for the overcomers who keep my works until the end. Christ's works are always in stark contrast to the things that the Jezebel element promotes.
First, he promises that they will have power over the nations and shall rule them with a rod of iron. This is not the only place our Lord has promised this to his people, by the way. Second Timothy 2:12a, says,
If we endure, we shall also reign with him.
And again, in First Corinthians 6:2, we read,
Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
What an exciting and exalted future awaits the Lord’s overcomers. They will be given power over the nations to rule them with a rod of iron. He is speaking of his Millennial (1000-year) reign and the strict compliance to his laws that will be enforced against those who deside to pursue lawlessness, disobedience, and cause harm to others.
Second, the Lord promises his overcomers the Morning Star. This name refers to Christ himself. It is rooted in an Old Testament prophecy found in Numbers 24:17a,
I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; a Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel…
In that prophecy, Moses foresaw the arrival of Christ to rule and reign on Earth one day. Here in Revelation, Jesus adds the word Morning to it, which he also does in Revelation 22:16,
I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.
Christ’s reference to himself as the Morning Star magnifies the certainty of his future visible presence on Earth as well as in eternity. Have you ever wondered what that day will be like … that glorious day when we will physically see Jesus and walk with him by sight? If you have ever gone out very early in the morning and seen the last and brightest star … still shining, it will be something like that. Throughout his Millennial reign and throughout all of eternity, our Lord will always be there, always visible … always beautiful … always shining in unquenchable and matchless glory. This is the unspeakable treasure that awaits his overcomers. As he put it to Abraham in Genesis 15:1b,
Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceeding great reward.
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SARDIS
THE VIRTUALLY-DEAD CHURCH
Rev. 3:1-6
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 my 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. Nevertheless, you have a few names [NU omits: 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.
Sardis was the capital of the province of Lydia and was the first city to mint gold and silver coins. It was also known for its arts and crafts. The Lydian kings were so rich that they were legendary. An earthquake leveled Sardis in AD 17 and it never fully recovered afterward, even though the Romans gave it ten million sesterces (1/4 of a denarius each) in relief.
3:1
THE SALUTATION
Christ addresses the church at Sardis as the one who has the seven spirits of God and holds the seven stars. This is a reference to the same seven spirits that greeted us back in chapter one. Later in the book, we will learn that they are the angels of the Trumpet Judgments who will carry out the Lord's final judgments of the Great Tribulation and beyond. When they finish blowing their trumpets, everything will have been neatly wrapped up. Our Lord refers to them here because they speak of his approaching judgments. As the one who holds (controls) these seven spirits, Christ is emphasizing that he is the one who is about to intervene on planet earth and set things straight.
As for the seven stars, you will remember that they are symbols of the messenger/pastors of the seven churches. Since Christ also holds the pastors of the churches in his hand, it follows that he holds the members of their churches accountable for their pastor's teaching and example. These twin concepts ... judgment and accountability ... are themes that are often found in the New Testament. For example, Christ judged several people at Corinth because of their careless and blasphemous attitude toward the Lord’s Communion Table. We discussed this in our analysis of the church at Thyatira.
Now, as for a church’s accountability to the leadership that Christ sends it, Hebrews 13:17, says,
Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
At the Judgment Seat of Christ, I would not want to be the pastor who must give an account for the sorry condition of the church at Sardis. Nor would I want to be a member of that church, or any church that deliberately chooses not to heed their godly pastor’s teaching and leadership.
THE PROBLEM
Sadly, there is no compliment here for the dead church at Sardis. There was nothing to compliment. So, Christ simply goes directly to their problem.
He says, I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. What a rebuke. This church was a shell, a phony. I once lived in a little eastern Oregon town near the Eagle Cap wilderness where the movie Paint Your Wagon was made. After the filming was over, the producer invited the public to come up and tear down the sets and haul away whatever materials they could use … free of charge. So, a fellow pastor and I got a big truck and drove up to the site to get whatever we could use for our denomination's church camp. After the long drive on a mountainous dirt road, we came to a beautiful high mountain valley and the first thing that met our eyes was a magnificent waterwheel turning slowly in the stream below us. Then, all along the stream was what looked, for all the world, to be an actual old mining town ... right out of the Old West. My pastor-friend, Fred, and I drove our truck down to its main street and parked in front of a building that had a sign that read, General Store. Then, we got out and opened its door and stepped inside. Immediately, however, we began to laugh. Once inside, we found ourselves standing right back in the forest! The whole structure was just a front. It was not a building at all. The water wheel had the same problem. It turned and turned, but it wasn't doing anything! The church at Sardis was like that mockup town. It had a name that it was a living, breathing church but it was just a sham. I fear there are far too many churches like that.
By its very presence in a community, a church building says something to all who see it. It declares, This is a place where God is known, loved and served. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Our genuine Lord will judge such churches for their hypocrisy. Dead churches do a great deal of damage to the cause of Christ. They seek to fool their community and sometimes even manage to fool themselves, but they can't fool the head of the Church. The church at Sardis probably said, The Bible is the Word of God, but they didn’t read it, love it, study it, meditate on it, obey it, or experience its life-changing power. They may have had a plaque on the wall that said, Prayer changes things, but they never met together for prayer. They probably said, Jesus saves! but never shared him with poor lost souls that they knew or encountered. They probably said, We love one another, but were notorious for fighting …about everything. The great identifying mark of a dead church is its hypocrisy. Jesus said to his church at Sardis, you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.
3:2-3
THE INSTRUCTION
What an optimist our wonderful Savior is. Even his dead churches, he never sees as hopeless! There is no such thing as a hopeless church if it is willing to hear Christ Jesus and follow his instructions.
Christ’s words to the dead church at Sardis are fourfold.
...he says, be watchful. The first thing a dead church needs to do is to open its eyes ... wake up … and honestly evaluate itself. If it is willing to do that, it will discover many unpleasant things, but each one will be good for it. For example, it will discover that it hasn’t really been seeing anything, hearing anything, or doing anything that truly matters! The first step back for a dead church is to be watchful. Wake up! Ephesians 5:13-16, says,
But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore he says: ‘Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.’ See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
...he says, strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die. After waking up, a dead church needs to ask itself, Exactly what do we have left that hasn’t gone down the drain? Do we still believe in justification by faith, the authority of the Word of God, and our obligation to the Great Commission? What’s left? Jesus instructs this church find out what they still possess that is authentic Christianity and then strengthen and build on the things.
...he says, remember therefore how you have received and heard. Another essential step for a dead church is to remember how they heard and got saved in the first place. Peter says,
…having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever. First Peter 1:23
Dear saint, have you forgotten how you received Christ and heard about him? It was through the communication of the Word of God, was it not? The Sardis church was not reaching others with the Word of God like they themselves had been reached. Somewhere along the line, they abandoned that priority. When a church stops preaching and evangelizing with the Word of God, it has become a dead church. Any church that continues to be obedient in getting the Word of God out to lost people around them will never come to the sorry state of deadness that the church at Sardis was in. No one will ever hear the Lord say, Well, where you went wrong was … you spent too much time, energy and resources getting the Word of God out to poor lost sinners so that they could be saved!
...he says, hold fast and repent. There is no healing for a patient until he or she agrees with the diagnosis of their physician and submits to the remedy he or she prescribes. Christ’s prescription for the church at Sardis was repent. Any dead church that is willing to take that medicine has taken a giant step to restoring their calling as Christ's ambassadors and are on the road to a glorious comeback.
THE WARNING
He says, Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief. When a dead church persists in its hypocrisy and refuses to wake up, it opens itself up to the Lord's judgment. He told his church at Sardis that he will come upon them like a thief in the night. This certainly will be true for many people at the Rapture. Someone has said, The Rapture will not be rapturous for the disobedient and slothful. Although it will be a day of rejoicing and reward for many, it doubtless will be a bitter day of regret for others. First John 3:18-19, says,
My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
Authentic Christianity brings about a loving assurance in believers toward their Lord ... both in the here and now, as well as when they stand in his presence one day.
3:4
THE COMPLIMENT
He says, You have a few names, even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments. Generally, not everyone in a dead church is dead. Even in the deadest churches, a few good people can usually be found who are obedient and have a real walk with the Savior. Such was the case at Sardis. A few, he says, have not defiled their garments. A few were living their lives separate from the world and from the spiritual deadness of their church.
Now, it’s an axiomatic truth that deliberate disobedience to the revealed will of God leads to impurity of life. These two things go together like bread and butter. When people do not obey the Word of God and abide in Christ, there is only one other alternative … they are caught up in carnality and sin. A victorious Christian life is a Christ centered, Word centered, Spirit filled and empowered way of life. Where this is not taking place, flesh and sin always take over. We read in Galatians 5:16,
I say then: walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
May we step aside for a moment. The Bible says there are three different lifestyles in the world today. First Corinthians 2:14-3:3, lays them out for us.
First, there is the natural man. This is the unsaved man. He cannot receive the things of God because they are foolishness to him.
Second, there is the spiritual man. He is a saved man. He enjoys a consistent walk with Christ and is able to discern all things.
Third, there is the carnal man. He too is a saved man. But, he has continued to live and build his life apart from Christ. Therefore, he continues to act like the natural man he was before he got saved.
It is very important to understand that all three of these are chosen lifestyles. Every believer either chooses to be a spiritual man or a carnal man. The spiritual man is the one Jesus addresses here at Sardis in verse four. He was in the vast minority. He was living a life of purity, and the Lord speaks in glowing terms of his future. Jesus says,They shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. I believe he is speaking of a position of future privilege in eternity where his purposefully spiritual saints will enjoy a deeper and more intimate relationship with Christ. Apparently, not everyone will know such a high privilege. The child of God who has walked with Christ down here, will one day enjoy a level of fellowship and service with their Savior that many disobedient and carnal believers may never know. This is the center of our Lord’s promise and comfort to the handful of spiritual saints at Sardis who had not soiled their garments.
3:5-6
THE PROMISE
In closing, the Lord sets forth three more wonderful promises to his overcomers.
...he says, they will be clothed in white. Although all of Christ’s saints will one day be clothed in white (Romans 4:22-25), the white garments spoken of here will be quite different. We will discuss these garments further when we get to The Marriage Supper of the Lamb in chapter 20.
...he says, I will not blot his name from the Book of Life. Some have been quick to jump on this statement thinking it proves that Christians can lose their salvation. In reality, however, it is teaching the exact opposite. This is actually a wonderful verse on assurance. The Greek word Jesus useg here is a double negative. That's very significant because it literally means, never ever, surely not ever, never, never, never, never, never, never (ad infinitum) blot out any overcomer’s name from the Book of Life! So, this verse is a great anchor verse for eternal security! It teaches that a believer's position in Christ is permanent, irrevocable, and eternally secure. NO believer's name recorded in this book will ever be blotted out. We have the living Word of God on it.
...he says, I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. Jesus also told this to his disciples.
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
Isn't that a wonderful promise? Can you picture it? One day, the Lord Jesus himself … standing before the awesome presence of his Holy Father and all of his mighty angels … will confess each and every one of his saints ... individually ... by name (Luke 12:8-9). That will certainly be a red-letter day in the life of each of us believers, will it not? What a moment that will be in your history and mine. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
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PHILADELPHIA
THE BIBLE-CENTERED ... BIBLE-BELIEVING CHURCH
Rev. 3:7-13
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says he who is holy, he who is true, he who has the key of David, he who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens: I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, [NU omits: and] which no one can shut [NU omits: it]; for you have a little strength, have kept my word and have not denied my name. Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie; indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Because you have kept my command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. [NU omits: Behold] I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God. And I will write on him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
The Greek word for Philadelphia is Φιλαδελφείᾳ (filadelfia). It means brotherly love. Philadelphia was a Lydian city founded by King Attalus II, which he named Philadelphus because of his devotion to his brother. It was located at the foot of Mount Tmolus but, unknown to King Attalus, it was situated on a major fault that caused it to be prone to earthquakes. The great earthquake of AD 17 completely devastated the city. Afterwards it was re-named, Neocaesarea. Philadelphia was situated in a great vine growing area. Down through the centuries a Christian witness remained strong at Philadelphia. No doubt that was because it was so well grounded in the Word of God. The church remained there throughout medieval times and, despite the Moslem invasion and takeover of the area, Christians were still found there into modern times.
3:7
THE SALUTATION
We come here to a marked change in the opening salutations of Christ to his churches. It is the first church that Christ doesn't use a description of himself from chapter one. I believe that is because of the very special relationship the Lord enjoyed with these Philadelphian believers. Let's look at it.
First, he says, These things says he who is holy. When the angel announced Jesus' birth to the virgin Mary, he said,
…the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Luke 1:35b
Those who enjoy a deep personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ are very aware that he is the holy one of God (Mark 1:24). Christ once challenged the Pharisees saying, which one of you convinceth [can convict] me of sin? His question was met with stony silence. They couldn't think of anything. The Psalmist, prophesying about Jesus' death and resurrection said,
For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will you allow your Holy One to see corruption. Psalm 16:10
The Apostle Paul says of Christ,
For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him. Second Corinthians 5:21
The writer to the Hebrews proclaims,
Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens… Hebrews 7:25-26
Many Christians know very little about the holy nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's not too uncommon to even run across a believer who thinks that Jesus may have sinned a little! That's abysmal ignorance, brother and sister. Abysmal! The Philadelphian believers were not of that group. When Christ addressed them as he who is holy ... they immediately recognized it was the Lord Jesus who was addressing them.
Second, the Lord addresses them as He who is true. Jesus said in John 14:6,
I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
The Apostle John says,
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14
The believers at Philadelphia were intimately acquainted with the One who was Truth incarnate ["Truth in the flesh"].
Last, he addresses the Philadelphians as, He who has the key of David, he who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens. As soon as their Pastor read that to them, I can picture someone in the congregation saying, "That's Isaiah 22:22! It's from our Lord, alright!" In that passage in Isaiah 22, God says of his Son,
The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; so he shall open, and no one shall shut; and he shall shut, and no one shall open. I will fasten him as a peg in a secure place, and he will become a glorious throne to his father's house. Isaiah 22:22-23
Holy … true … keeper of ... the key of the house of David [owner and heir to the throne of David] … who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens … these are the warm words of special greeting Jesus used to greet his believing church at Philadelphia.
3:8
THE COMPLIMENTS
Christ begins … I have set before you an open door. This statement in itself is a great compliment. Someone has said, Prayer moves the hand of God. The fact that Jesus had opened a door for the Philadelphians is moot testimony to the prayer life of this church. Being a people of The Book, they knew and understood the Lord's will and so, prayed accordingly. Which, in turn, caused the Lord to open a door on their behalf. The Apostle Paul asked the Collosian church... Colossians 4:3,
… meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the Word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains…
The great Apostle Paul needed the Colossian believers to pray for him so that the Lord would open a door for him to speak the mystery of Christ? You know what ... only spiritual people would ever think to ask for such a thing! It's praying according to the will of God, dear saint. A Bible knowing and believing church is a praying church and, having come to know God's will in his Word ... it petitions the Throne accordingly. The Lord set an open door before these Philadelphian believers because they were in sinc with their Lord and working hand in hand with him. Do you ask God to open doors for you and your church to get the Word of God out ... to share the mystery of Christ with poor, lost sinners?
Now this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of him. 1 John. 5:14-15
Christ continued ... you have a little strength. I take this as another great compliment. These Philadelphian believers would be the first to tell you that they were weak and that their strength only came from the Lord. People of The Book KNOW they are weak ... but he is strong. Therefore, they operate exclusively in the strength of their Omnipotent Lord. As the Apostle Paul put it,
But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence. First Corinthians 1:27-29
Again, in Second Corinthians 12:9-10, the Apostle Paul testifies,
And he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
And again, in Ephesians 6:10,
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
So, when Jesus said to his Philadelphian believers that they had a little strength, it was a compliment. In relation to he who holds all things together by the word of his power (Hebrews 1:3), it was little … but the little strength they possessed came from him and therefore was no small thing because they were being strengthened with all might according to his glorious power (Colossians 1:11)!
Then, Christ says, ... you ... have kept my word. What a wonderful thing it was to hear that from their Lord! Twice, he says they have kept his Word (v.8 and v.10). In my opinion, this tells us that the Philadelphia church was the most spiritual of the 7 churches. They had to have known the Word of God ... in order for them to keep it. And, oh my, the raw power the Word of God has in the life of a believer and church! It cannot be ovestated. No doubt about it, it is the Word of God that produces spiritual people and spiritual churches. It is the key to the new birth, Christian maturity, wisdom, knowledge, understanding, freedom, the filling of the Holy Spirit, spiritual growth, sanctification (purity), and a fruitful walk with Christ. Let’s look at a few scriptures and see if this is not so.
…having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever… First Peter 1:23
You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. John 15:3
As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby… First Peter 2:2
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. Psalm 1:1-3
The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding… Proverbs 1:1-2
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed him, ’If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ John 8:31-32
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be my disciples. John 15:7-8
Now, let's compare two verses. Take note of the relationship between the intake of the Word of God in the life of a believer and the filling of the Holy Spirit.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Colossians 3:16
And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord… Ephesians 5:18-19
Do you see the connection? Do you see that the result of letting the Word of God dwell in one’s life richly and being filled with the Spirit are identical? That’s because they are two sides of the same coin. The filling of the Holy Spirit and the intake of the Word of God are inseparable. You cannot have one without the other. How can someone be filled with the Holy Spirit and not be filled with the Holy Spirit's Word? There is no substitute in the life of a believer for the Word of God. No experience can duplicate its multifaceted and indispensable work. Have you been reading your Bible? It's the life-changing, sanctifying, Word of God you know. It can and will change your life when you take it in, cherish it in your heart, and let it take deep root. Jesus, praying to his Father for you and me in John 17:17, requested, Sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth.
Although there are things that contribute to one's spiritual maturity, there is no other essential foundation than the Word of God. None at all.
3:9-10
THE PROMISES
The Lord promises two things to his Philadelphian believers.
First, he says he will vindicate them in the presence of their enemies. Like the church at Smyrna, this church was suffering at the hands of ungodly Jews in their city. The Lord aims a thunderbolt at them, calling them the synagogue of Satan. Wow. That's calling it like it is, aye?! He spoke similarly of the Jews who were persecuting his believers at Smyrna saying ... they say they are Jews and are not, but lie (2:9). This parallels the thought in Romans 2:28-29,
For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.
A true child of God ("Jew"), then, in God’s eyes, is anyone who is in real relationship with him. The Jews who were persecuting the believers at Philadelphia and Smyrna were merely Jews on the outside but not God’s chosen people on the inside ... or they would have acted like God’s chosen people. The Lord's promise to the Philadelphians is that one day he will compel those phony Jews to fall at their feet and worship and know that I have loved you. What an occasion that's going to be, aye?! When Jesus vindicates his suffering saints, it certainly will be in no uncertain terms.
Second, Christ promises, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Eschatologically speaking (doctrine of end things), these words of Christ are very important. The Greek word he used is translated from here. It is the word ἐκ (ek), which means "out of". The import of this little two letter word is great. Christ is promising his Philadelphian believers they would be kept out of ... that future time-period itself. We know from scripture; Christ will accomplish this by removing his saints from the earth before the great Day of God’s wrath on earth begins. I take his words, the hour of trial, to refer to the entire 7-year Tribulation Period which will commence after the Rapture of the Church. This word to the Philadelphians is further confirmation that Christ's universal Church will not be on Earth when God's future day of wrath comes.
Now, the church at Philadelphia has long since vanished from the scene ... yet the coming hour of trial has yet to arrive. One might ask, How could this have been relevant to them then? You will remember that Jesus said he did not know the timing of his Second Coming (his coming at the end of the 7 year Tribulation). And that only his Father had that information. That being the case, it follows that Jesus also does not know the exact timing of the Rapture of his Church. However, he, his angels, and you and I know know from scripture that the Rapture of Christ's Church is eminent (could occur at any time). Therefore, all believers from the first century down to this 21st century have been looking for it! This is another strong proof for the pre-tribulation Rapture of the Church. In essence, Christ is teaching here that no church of his will ever enter into the coming day of God's wrath on earth. This is in line with the whole of scripture on this subject. For example, as we have it in First Thessalonians 1:10,
… And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
Third, the Lord further clarifies what he means by ... the hour of trial ... by saying it will be sent ... to test those who dwell on the earth. The coming Tribulation will test mankind under the severest conditions imaginable. It will be designed to see which way men and women will turn under extreme conditions. It will be a time of refining for Jews and Gentiles alike. Out of those days, God will wring out every last drop of willing to be saved people for his kingdom. Every possible man, woman and child who will turn to the Savior and be saved will come to him during those terrible dark days on earth. Millions will respond to Christ during God’s great day of testing. It will bring about the greatest revival the world has ever seen. In chapter 7, we are introduced to those believers who come out of the Great Tribulation. A passage from Isaiah’s prophecy is very helpful to see what our Lord means by testing. Because of its importance, let's look at Isaiah 24 in its entirety...
Behold, the LORD makes the earth empty and makes it waste, distorts its surface and scatters abroad its inhabitants. And it shall be: as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the creditor, so with the debtor. The land shall be entirely emptied and utterly plundered, for the LORD has spoken this word. The earth mourns and fades away, the world languishes and fades away; the haughty people of the earth languish. The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell in it are desolate. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left. The new wine fails, the vine languishes, all the merry-hearted sigh. The mirth of the tambourine ceases, the noise of the jubilant ends, the joy of the harp ceases. They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink is bitter to those who drink it. The city of confusion is broken down; every house is shut up, so that none may go in. There is a cry for wine in the streets, all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone. In the city desolation is left, and the gate is stricken with destruction. When it shall be thus in the midst of the land among the people, it shall be like the shaking of an olive tree, like the gleaning of grapes when the vintage is done. They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing; for the majesty of the LORD they shall cry aloud from the sea. Therefore glorify the LORD in the dawning light, the name of the LORD God of Israel in the coastlands of the sea. From the ends of the earth we have heard songs: "Glory to the righteous!" But I said, "I am ruined, ruined! Woe to me!" The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously, indeed, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously. Fear and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth. And it shall be that he who flees from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit, and he who comes up from the midst of the pit shall be caught in the snare; for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth are shaken. The earth is violently broken, the earth is split open, the earth is shaken exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall totter like a hut; its transgression shall be heavy upon it, and it will fall, and not rise again. It shall come to pass in that day that the LORD will punish on high the host of exalted ones, and on the earth the kings of the earth. They will be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and will be shut up in the prison; after many days they will be punished. Then the moon will be disgraced and the sun ashamed; for the LORD of hosts will reign On Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before his elders, gloriously.
Our world is truly scheduled for an hour of trial indeed.
3:11
THE WARNING
Christ ends with a three-part warning to his church at Philadelphia.
First he says, behold, I am coming quickly. The Rapture of the Church will be an instantaneous event. There will be no time to prepare. As we have it in First Corinthians 15:51-52,
Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed; in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Second he says: hold fast what you have. The Philadelphians were a spiritual and fruitful people. The greatest danger to a Bible reading and practicing church is that it can become a non-Bible reading, unspiritual, and fruitless church by way of simple neglect. Hold fast to what you have is very good advice then, both for them and for you and me as well.
Third he says: that no one take your crown. As I have mentioned before, crowns will be given as rewards. The Philadelphians were to be careful not to let anyone influence them to let the Word of God slip. This could result in tragic loss of rewards for them. Paul likewise warns in Colossians 2:8,
Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
Employment, money, family, friends, professors, and teachers and a host of other things can sidetrack believers from what is really important in life. Don't allow it to happen to you, dear saint. Hold fast until he comes.
3:12
THE PROMISES
Christ closes his letter with two more promises to his overcomers.
First, he says, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out no more. Pillars are the very visible, ornate, and supporting structures in great buildings and palaces. So it will be with the child of God in his Father’s house. The Greek word for temple here is ναῷ (naoh from naos). It is the term for the Holy of Holies in the temple of God. It was inside the naos that the Ark of the Covenant stood and where God himself dwelt between the golden cherubim of its lid (the Mercy Seat). One day, you and I will regularly walk in an entire city (chapters 21 and 22) that will be the naos of God … side to side and top to bottom … a Holy of Holies … in the very visible presence of God. We will be pillars there ... fixtures ... if you please, in that holy and awesome city. Peter, using similar analogy, says of us believers,
Coming to him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. First Peter 2:4-5
Second, he says, I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God ... and I will write on him my new name. This is precious. I don't know about the visibility or location of these identifying marks, but we learn here that they will be written on the child of God with the finger of Christ himself. The implication is that they will be visible for all to see. They will display our identity and declare our legitimacy in Christ throughout eternity. God’s name, the city, (New Jerusalem), and Christ’s new name … all 3 will be written on God's children! What an honor it will be to bear them. Do you know Christ's new name? No? Neither do I, but we will, one day. It will be written upon us. As Christ’s overcomers, we will uniquely display who we are before all created beings throughout the new heavens and the new earth.
One more thought before we leave the church at Philadelphia. Let's you and I resolve to be Word-centered people. Let's get to know our Bibles. Let's be a people of the Book. Have you read your Bible today? Out of it, stems all that God has for us. You and I will one day spend eternity with the Living Word of God who spoke each and every word of it. Treasure it, study it, memorize it, cherish it, and do not let it slip.
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LAODICEA
THE WISHY-WASHY CHURCH
Rev. 3:14-22
And to the angel of the church [NU omits: of the Laodiceans] in Laodicea write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'; and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked; I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with me on my throne, as I also overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
Laodicea was probably the wealthiest of the seven churches. It was situated on a major trade route and was a commercial banking center. It had so much money that, after the great earthquake of AD 17, it refused aid from the Roman Senate. Like the Laodicean church, the city itself seemed to have need of nothing. Laodicea also had a medical school that produced and marketed a famous eye salve. Jesus alludes to it in his comments to this church.
3:14
SALUTATION
Christ addresses this church as:
...the Amen. This is the only place in the Bible where this name for Christ is found. Amen means, so be it, it is true. In effect, he is saying, The one who is writing you is the one who is the source of truth about everything ... the final word ... like a period at the end of a sentence. Now, complacent people and complacent churches are notoriously arrogant in their coldness, apostasy, and compromising lifestyles. They live as if they have no accountability. Therefore, it is the Amen who addresses them. They will do well to listen for this is the One who will have the last word on every person and every church throughout all time. All will give account to him. He is God, the Amen.
...the Faithful and True Witness. Jesus never "pulled a punch" on anyone. He always told it straight just like it was. He is God’s Faithful and True Witness. When he was here on earth, he said,
...When you have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. Jn. 8:28-29
... the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Jn. 14:10b
Jesus never once deviated from doing his Father's will and speaking his Father's words. He was always faithful and true. His Laodicean believers were far from that ... yet as his followers they had been called to walk in his footsteps. His words here are designed to cause them to examine themselves ... to ask themselves, Am I Christ's faithful and true witness? In John 20:21b, Jesus said,
Peace to you! As the Father has sent me, I also send you.
And, in Acts 1:8, we read,
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
...The Beginning of the creation of God. The Greek word here for beginning is ἀρχὴ (arke). It means the origin of or the original cause of something. Contrary to the beliefs of the Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses who teach this verse says Jesus was a created being, it is actually saying just the opposite ... that Christ Jesus is the Creator himself! The scriptures also clearly testify to this fact. Here are a few of them.
Speaking of Jesus, Colossians 1:15-16, says,
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through him and for him.
Hebrews 1:2-3, says that God...
…has in these last days spoken to us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…
Christ Jesus is the Creator ... the originator of all things. Yet we live in a day when secular society (and often, ho-hum Christianity) has chosen to adopt the theory of Evolution and its claim that matter is eternal as their preferred explanation of the origin of all things. The Word of God disagrees. As you have it in Exodus 21:11,
For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
And again, in Hebrews 11:3,
By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
I don't know what theory of creation the Laodicean church held. It wouldn’t surprise me though if many of them held the popular Greek myth of their day which taught that the earth was hatched by a giant chicken! Jesus points out to his lukewarm church that he is the Creator … with all that that implies.
3:15-16
THE PROBLEM
The Lord begins by saying, I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. Because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Well, that's getting right to the point, isn’t it? Jesus didn’t mince words. The simile he uses is a vivid one. It's the picture of someone who thinks they are getting a cool drink of water but discover it is like warm saliva and they immediately spew it out of their mouth. Lukewarm churches sicken the Head of the Church. Let’s look at it a bit more closely.
...hot? I would define a hot church to be one that is fervent in Bible study, prayer, witnessing, good works, love for one another ... and most of all, love for the Savior.
...cold? A cold church is one that possesses none of the above.
...lukewarm? A lukewarm church is a group of saints who claim to be a hot church but are so wishy-washy and indifferent that they seldom give the things which make up a hot church a second thought. Therefore, they perform Churchianity as opposed to living Christianity. Jesus says, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Christ is threatening to dissolve their church as an involuntarily physical reaction on his part. This is not just a threat to disolve their church, like he threatened to do to the Ephesian church. This church's further existance is far more critical. He is saying, "Frankly, I can't stomach you!"
3:17
THE WARNING
Christ continues, Because you say I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing...
The root of the problem at Laodicea was pride rooted in materialism. These things in the life of a church or individual Christian are paralyzing and devastating. They have a way of creeping up on people. They bring a false sense of security and independence from God that totally distracts from real living and walking with the Savior. Consider these scriptures.
No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (money). Matthew 6:24
And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. First Timothy 6:8-10
As proud materialists, the Laodiceans thought they had it made, but the Lord says they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. What an indictment. Many have likened this church to the Church in America because of our culture's obsession with materialism.
Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny you, and say, ’Who is the LORD?’ Or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God. Proverbs 30:8-9
That is very good advice. The writer to the Hebrews also pointedly speaks to this issue.
Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented; of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise… Hebrews 11:36-39
The lives of the majority of God’s greatest saints have not been marked by health and wealth, brother. They have been marked by faith and sacrifice, poverty and suffering, and yes … even sickness. The Laodiceans confused riches and prosperity with God’s blessing … an error the Pharisees also held ... as did Job’s misguided friends.
3:18
THE INSTRUCTION
The Laodiceans were of “the shop til you drop” crowd, so Jesus advises to get a couple of important things while they are out and about. He counsels them:
...buy from me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich. He is saying, If you want true riches, come to me. I have them all and I'll show you how to get them. Faith, the fruit of the Spirit, laboring under duress, suffering in the fires of persecution, serving under thankless conditions, and sacrificing along with Christ, is where true riches lie. Those are things that will remain. Those are things that are gold tried in the fire.
...acquire white garments from me so that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed. Saints who are long on materialism and short on righteousness will find themselves very underdressed in Heaven one day and it will be to their shame. Christ is referring to those days, following the reward seat of Christ, when the saints' literal clothing will reflect the things they accomplished for, with, and through Christ when they were alive on Earth. If there was precious-little kingdom living down here, there will be precious little to show for up there. Revelation 19:7-8, says,
Let us be glad and rejoice and give him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
...drop by my pharmacy and get some eye medicine and anoint your eyes with eye-salve that you might be able to see. Doubtless, these words struck home with the Laodiceans because there was a world-famous eye-salve factory in their city. What's he getting at? I hate to keep pounding the drum on the importance of the Word of God ... but it’s the only eye-salve I know of that opens blind eyes ... saved or unsaved!. Meditate on these verses and see if it isn’t so.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105
The entrance of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. Psalm 119:130
So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Acts 20:32
No doubt about it, the cure for poor, blind, lukewarm, believers is liberal applications of the Word of God. This was Jesus’ formula for a wonderful turn-around for these proud, materialistic Laodiceans.
THE CALL
3:19-20
The final words of Christ to his, lukewarm church at Laodicea are surprising, touching, and deeply moving. He says:
...As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: therefore be zealous and repent. These are loving and marvelously gracious words, are they not? Up to this point, if I were a part of the Laodicean church I might have been tempted to throw in the towel. But listen, in spite of the sorry condition this church was in, Jesus, the Head of the Church, does not hesitate to declare his love for them. Amazing. As you have it in Hebrews 12:6-9,
For whom the LORD loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?
...Behold, I stand at the door and knock. Not only does he declare his love for them, but he also offers them his fellowship! This is a wonderful word picture. This verse is often quoted to persuade non-Christians to come to Christ, but it was nat spoken to unbelievers ... rather, it was Christ's words to believers. Jesus tells his Laodiceans that he is knocking on their door, and He desires entrance and fellowship with them. This is a wonderful truth about Jesus. He desires our fellowship … even when we don’t desire his! The English artist, Holman Hunt, painted a famous picture based on this verse. It pictures Christ knocking on a door. It is said, when he first displayed it, a woman told him that he had forgotten to put a handle on the door. He replied, "This door is a picture of the human heart. The handle is on the inside." This is true of every believer. No matter how badly we foul up, Christ still desires our fellowship. But, it is entirely up to us. At any point in time, Jesus is either fellowshipping with us or he is ... knocking on our door.
To sum up, the Lord's cure here for ho-hum Christianity is threefold … repentance … followed by liberal application of the Word of God … followed by genuine fellowship with him. All who take him up on this remedy will surely bless the day they did. They will be transformed from lukewarm to warm ... then from warm to hot ... all for Christ Jesus' name sake and for the glory of God.
3:21-22
THE PROMISE
We come now to Christ’s final promises to his overcomers here in the book of Revelation. He says that he will grant them, power over the nations and to sit with me on my throne. Say what!? Can you believe this? What an honor. No one knows the full import of this promise. But, at a minimum, it speaks of reigning with Christ in his glorious Kingdom on earth one day. What an amazing promise ... and found here in his words directed to such a poor excuse for a church, aye? That's grace, brother. We saw these same promises back in Revelation 2:26-27,
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…
This brings us to the end of this section, THE VISION OF JESUS CHRIST MIDST HIS CHURCHES. Christ is in the midst of your church and mine. All that he has said in chapters 2 and 3 is directed to us as well. I believe he placed these chapters here so that we might be 100 percent in fellowship with him when we move on to see the unfolding mysteries he so wants to impart to us in the following pages of Revelation. There certainly is much to think and pray about. Perhaps the most important thing was his words to the Ephesian church... since he put them first in the order of his churches. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.
All rights reserved.
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