Revelation 3:7-13
• It is possible to be part of a church with which the Lord Jesus is pleased. But what kind of church is it? Is it one measured by the size of buildings, member rolls, or financial giving? Jesus commended the church at Philadelphia, but not for meeting our modern standards of success.
The Destination of the Letter
• The word Philadelphia is almost identical to the city we know by the same name, Philadelphia, and means “brotherly love.” The noun and adjective forms of the word occur seven times in the New Testament besides its use as a city name. It is normally translated as “kindly affectionate” or “brotherly love”
• (Romans 12:10; 1Thessalonians 4:9; Hebrews13:1; 1Peter 1:22; 3:8; 2 Peter 1:7).
The Designation of the Lord
• Holy, True, Having the key of David, able to open and shut according to His will.
• The preeminent, holy God, alone qualified to call the Christians at Philadelphia to a life of faith in Him.
• The key of David: Isaiah 22:22 “The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; So shall he open, and no one shall shut; and he shall shut, and no one shall open.”
The Diagnosis
• They have an open door
– 1Corinthians 16:8-9, 2Corinthians 2:12, Colossians 4:3
– Philadelphia was situated at a corner where three regions came together: Lycia, Lydia, and Phrygia. The city was founded in 140 B.C. by Philadelphus, the king of Pergamos. The city was founded to be a gateway for the spread of Hellenism.
• They have a little strength
• They have kept the word
• They have not denied the Lord
– Many church growth experts have identified the four characteristics of the Philadelphia church as characteristics of growing congregations: identification of open doors of ministry, dependence on the Lord for strength, commitment to the Word, and submission to the Lordship of Christ.
The Declaration of Christ to the Church
• He promises to humiliate their enemies
• He promises to keep them from the hour of trial
• He promises to come quickly
– All of the commendable traits will be unprofitable unless we walk through the door God has opened for us.
Questions
• According to 2 Corinthians 12:7-10:
– How was Paul made weak?
– Who was the source of his weakness?
– What was the purpose of his weakness?
– What normal response did Paul have to his weakness?
– What was God’s response to Paul? What was his plan for making Paul strong?
– What was Paul’s response when he understood God’s plan?
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Friday, August 17, 2007
Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth (Sis Edwina Roberts)
Women's Bible Study
Tuesday July 31,2007
Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth
2 Tim 2:15 “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
What is truth? According to Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, truth is conformity to fact, faithfulness to an original or standard. In the Old and the New Testament truth is a moral and personal quality of God.
In Psalm 119:142 the Psalmist declared, "Your law is truth", in Psalm 119:151 "All your commandments are truth" and in Psalm 119:160 “The entirety of your word is truth.”
Because of His perfect nature and will, God has to speak and act in truth; He cannot lie. 1Samuel 15:29, Hebrews 6:18, James 1:17-18
Jesus is the Word of God who became flesh, "the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14) God is truth, the Spirit is truth, and Jesus is truth.
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."(John 14:6) Jesus and the revelation which the Spirit of truth gave through His apostles are the final-ultimate definition of truth about God and man.
"The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." John 1:17
Now that we understand that "truth" is everything that is written in the Bible, we come to the "rightly" dividing of that truth. “Rightly Dividing-Correctly handling the Word of God in both analysis and presentation”, “Analysis-Separation of a whole into its component parts”, and “Presentation-Something offered or given”.
We now know that every scripture is truth and there is a reason and purpose for it.
So in "rightly" dividing, let us go to 1 Cor 14:34-35 "Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. 35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church."
We have already established that if it is in the Bible it is truth. So obviously that scripture means exactly what it says.
The question is why don't we preach it and obey what it says? It is Bible and therefore it is truth.
This is where "rightly" dividing the Word of Truth comes in. In 1 Cor. 14:34-35 the apostle Paul was talking to the Corinthian Church about something that was happening in the Church in that day. So what was happening? It was a question of authority and submission. Women were usurping the authority of the men in their churches by speaking out when it was not appropriate. They were not being respectful or obedient to their "head" their husband. Therefore Paul was telling them to wait and ask their question at home.
How do we know that Paul did not intend for that scripture to be interpreted to mean that women should never speak in Church, although that is what it said, and although it is Bible and although it is truth, because it would have contradicted the following Word of Truth.
Acts 21:8-9 “And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him. 9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.”
Notice; in order to prophesy we have to speak!
Luke 2:36-38 "And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; 37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem."
Some of the finest leaders in Israel were women, in spite of the fact that the culture was male-dominated. God revealed His Word through Prophetesses.
In Acts 18:26 God used Priscilla, a woman and her husband Aquila to explain the way of God more perfectly to Apollos the preacher.
Why would Paul mean that women should never speak in church when clearly according to the Word, according to truth, God Himself used women to help reveal His Word.
Paul was asking the women in the Corinthian Church to be submissive to their husbands in order to preserve order within the Church and to be a witness to outsiders.
This should be a case in point as to what it means to "rightly" divide the truth. If there is a "rightly" then there most also be a "wrongly."
If we had wrongly divided the truth of 1Cor. 14:34-35 look what we would have missed---the anointed ministry of Thetus Tenney, Vesta Mangun, Nona Freeman, Joy Haney, to name a few.
Another case in point; Matthew 28:19: Jesus said, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:"
At first glance it appears that Jesus is saying what is to be said over the individual in baptism. After all it is Bible, it is the Word, and it is truth.
But in "rightly" dividing the truth we find that Jesus is the name of the Father, Jesus is the name of the Son and Jesus is the name of the Holy Ghost.
We also see that in the book of Acts everyone was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. This scriptural truth is validated in the 8th chapter of Acts, 10th chapter of Acts and the 19th chapter of Acts.
The prophet Hosea said, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:" Hos 4:6
We need to be very careful that we "rightly" divide the Word of Truth.
Respectfully,
Edwina Roberts
Tuesday July 31,2007
Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth
2 Tim 2:15 “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
What is truth? According to Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, truth is conformity to fact, faithfulness to an original or standard. In the Old and the New Testament truth is a moral and personal quality of God.
In Psalm 119:142 the Psalmist declared, "Your law is truth", in Psalm 119:151 "All your commandments are truth" and in Psalm 119:160 “The entirety of your word is truth.”
Because of His perfect nature and will, God has to speak and act in truth; He cannot lie. 1Samuel 15:29, Hebrews 6:18, James 1:17-18
Jesus is the Word of God who became flesh, "the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14) God is truth, the Spirit is truth, and Jesus is truth.
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."(John 14:6) Jesus and the revelation which the Spirit of truth gave through His apostles are the final-ultimate definition of truth about God and man.
"The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." John 1:17
Now that we understand that "truth" is everything that is written in the Bible, we come to the "rightly" dividing of that truth. “Rightly Dividing-Correctly handling the Word of God in both analysis and presentation”, “Analysis-Separation of a whole into its component parts”, and “Presentation-Something offered or given”.
We now know that every scripture is truth and there is a reason and purpose for it.
So in "rightly" dividing, let us go to 1 Cor 14:34-35 "Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. 35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church."
We have already established that if it is in the Bible it is truth. So obviously that scripture means exactly what it says.
The question is why don't we preach it and obey what it says? It is Bible and therefore it is truth.
This is where "rightly" dividing the Word of Truth comes in. In 1 Cor. 14:34-35 the apostle Paul was talking to the Corinthian Church about something that was happening in the Church in that day. So what was happening? It was a question of authority and submission. Women were usurping the authority of the men in their churches by speaking out when it was not appropriate. They were not being respectful or obedient to their "head" their husband. Therefore Paul was telling them to wait and ask their question at home.
How do we know that Paul did not intend for that scripture to be interpreted to mean that women should never speak in Church, although that is what it said, and although it is Bible and although it is truth, because it would have contradicted the following Word of Truth.
Acts 21:8-9 “And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him. 9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.”
Notice; in order to prophesy we have to speak!
Luke 2:36-38 "And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; 37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem."
Some of the finest leaders in Israel were women, in spite of the fact that the culture was male-dominated. God revealed His Word through Prophetesses.
In Acts 18:26 God used Priscilla, a woman and her husband Aquila to explain the way of God more perfectly to Apollos the preacher.
Why would Paul mean that women should never speak in church when clearly according to the Word, according to truth, God Himself used women to help reveal His Word.
Paul was asking the women in the Corinthian Church to be submissive to their husbands in order to preserve order within the Church and to be a witness to outsiders.
This should be a case in point as to what it means to "rightly" divide the truth. If there is a "rightly" then there most also be a "wrongly."
If we had wrongly divided the truth of 1Cor. 14:34-35 look what we would have missed---the anointed ministry of Thetus Tenney, Vesta Mangun, Nona Freeman, Joy Haney, to name a few.
Another case in point; Matthew 28:19: Jesus said, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:"
At first glance it appears that Jesus is saying what is to be said over the individual in baptism. After all it is Bible, it is the Word, and it is truth.
But in "rightly" dividing the truth we find that Jesus is the name of the Father, Jesus is the name of the Son and Jesus is the name of the Holy Ghost.
We also see that in the book of Acts everyone was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. This scriptural truth is validated in the 8th chapter of Acts, 10th chapter of Acts and the 19th chapter of Acts.
The prophet Hosea said, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:" Hos 4:6
We need to be very careful that we "rightly" divide the Word of Truth.
Respectfully,
Edwina Roberts
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Seven Messages to Seven Churches; The Dead Church at Sardis
Revelation 3:1-6
• The fifth letter of Christ to the churches was sent to the church at Sardis. More than anything, it is remembered as the city defeated by a surprise attack, a piece of history which may have prompted Jesus’ admonition to the church to be watchful.
• The Lord designates himself as the one who has control over the pastors of the seven churches. Revelation 3:1
The City of Sardis
• Considered to be one of the most impregnable cities of its day. Situated fifteen hundred feet above the valley floor on the top of a mountain spur, it was surrounded by sheer cliffs.
• The greatest king of Sardis was Croesus, whose overconfidence was his downfall when he went to war with Cyrus, king of Persia.
• Defeated when underground passageway to the city was discovered.
The Denunciation of the Church
• The Church is denounced for its outward profession and inward deadness. Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 23:27.
• The Church is denounced for its incomplete works. Revelation 3:1-2
• “We can have pomp and ceremony, color and ritual, liturgical exactness and ecclesiastical splendor, and yet be offering a worship which is not perfect of ‘fulfilled’ in the sight of God. -John Stott
The Direction to the ChurchRevelation 3:2-3
• Become Vigilant (Ephesians 5:14)
• Become Vigorous (At Sardis there were a “Few” who had not “Defiled their garments”)
• Become Victorious (“Remember what you have received and heard”)
• Become Vibrant (“hold fast…” 1Cor. 15:2; 1Thess. 5:21; 2Tim. 1:13; Hebrews 4:14; 10:23)
• Become Virtuous (“Repent”)
The Declaration to the ChurchRevelation 3:5-6
• To those who are overcoming, they shall be clothed in white: Being clothed in white signifies righteousness. Revelation 19:8
• … they shall be continued in the book: Ancient cities kept records of citizens, if a citizen committed a crime their name was blotted out of the book.
• …they shall be confessed before God: Matthew 10:32
How does a Church Die?
• What we can rule out:
– Death from an outside enemy
– Death by suicide
– Death by abandonment
“A Church is in danger of death when it begins to worship its own past…when it is more concerned with forms than with life…when it loves systems more than it loves Jesus Christ…when it is more concerned with material than spiritual things.”-W. Ramsey
What causes death?
• The church died through the death of its individual members.
• The church died from relying on its past reputation. Spiritual movements go through four stages: a man, a movement, a machine, a monument.
• The church died because it was sensitive to its own spiritual condition.
Questions
According to Matthew 23:1-39, what was a sure sign that the Pharisees were hypocrites? (verse 3b) Who were their works done for? (verse 5)
What is the warning statement about man-centered religion? (verse 12)
What does God always preserve for Himself even in times of spiritual deadness? (Romans 9:27; 11:5)
• The fifth letter of Christ to the churches was sent to the church at Sardis. More than anything, it is remembered as the city defeated by a surprise attack, a piece of history which may have prompted Jesus’ admonition to the church to be watchful.
• The Lord designates himself as the one who has control over the pastors of the seven churches. Revelation 3:1
The City of Sardis
• Considered to be one of the most impregnable cities of its day. Situated fifteen hundred feet above the valley floor on the top of a mountain spur, it was surrounded by sheer cliffs.
• The greatest king of Sardis was Croesus, whose overconfidence was his downfall when he went to war with Cyrus, king of Persia.
• Defeated when underground passageway to the city was discovered.
The Denunciation of the Church
• The Church is denounced for its outward profession and inward deadness. Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 23:27.
• The Church is denounced for its incomplete works. Revelation 3:1-2
• “We can have pomp and ceremony, color and ritual, liturgical exactness and ecclesiastical splendor, and yet be offering a worship which is not perfect of ‘fulfilled’ in the sight of God. -John Stott
The Direction to the ChurchRevelation 3:2-3
• Become Vigilant (Ephesians 5:14)
• Become Vigorous (At Sardis there were a “Few” who had not “Defiled their garments”)
• Become Victorious (“Remember what you have received and heard”)
• Become Vibrant (“hold fast…” 1Cor. 15:2; 1Thess. 5:21; 2Tim. 1:13; Hebrews 4:14; 10:23)
• Become Virtuous (“Repent”)
The Declaration to the ChurchRevelation 3:5-6
• To those who are overcoming, they shall be clothed in white: Being clothed in white signifies righteousness. Revelation 19:8
• … they shall be continued in the book: Ancient cities kept records of citizens, if a citizen committed a crime their name was blotted out of the book.
• …they shall be confessed before God: Matthew 10:32
How does a Church Die?
• What we can rule out:
– Death from an outside enemy
– Death by suicide
– Death by abandonment
“A Church is in danger of death when it begins to worship its own past…when it is more concerned with forms than with life…when it loves systems more than it loves Jesus Christ…when it is more concerned with material than spiritual things.”-W. Ramsey
What causes death?
• The church died through the death of its individual members.
• The church died from relying on its past reputation. Spiritual movements go through four stages: a man, a movement, a machine, a monument.
• The church died because it was sensitive to its own spiritual condition.
Questions
According to Matthew 23:1-39, what was a sure sign that the Pharisees were hypocrites? (verse 3b) Who were their works done for? (verse 5)
What is the warning statement about man-centered religion? (verse 12)
What does God always preserve for Himself even in times of spiritual deadness? (Romans 9:27; 11:5)
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Thyatira; The Adulterous Church
• The destination of the letter: Unlike some of the other cities Jesus addresses, the city was not known for its grandeur, culture, or learning. But it was known for its commerce.
• The designation of the Lord: Rev. 2:18
– The Son of God: Authority
– The All-Seeing God: Knowledge (John 2:24)
– Feet like fine brass: Judgment (Deut. 28:23)
• Thyatira was a…
– Laboring church
– Loyal church
– Longsuffering church
– Maturing, Progressing, Growing Church
• There more recent works, Jesus said, are more than the first. In other words, this was a church that was maturing, progressing and growing-a church making progress in sanctification. While this was a commendable church in many respects, that in which they were failing overshadowed the good.
• “If the devil cannot conquer the church by the application of political pressure or the propagation of intellectual heresy, he will try the insinuation of moral evil. This was the dragon’s strategy in Thyatira.”-John Stott
• The woman Jezebel
– Wife of Ahab
– Priestess of Ashtaroth, (a.k.a. Aphrodite and Venus)
– Persuaded Ahab to build a temple, supported 850 false prophets, and systematically killed the prophets of God. Elijah ran for his life from her.
• The Message to the Cult: Rev. 2:21-23
• The Message to the Christians: Rev. 2:24-25 (keep on doing what you’re doing)
• The Message to the Conquerors: Rev. 2:26-29
– The right to rule and reign with Christ
– Possession of the Morning Star
– “I Jesus…am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.”-Rev.22:16
• The designation of the Lord: Rev. 2:18
– The Son of God: Authority
– The All-Seeing God: Knowledge (John 2:24)
– Feet like fine brass: Judgment (Deut. 28:23)
• Thyatira was a…
– Laboring church
– Loyal church
– Longsuffering church
– Maturing, Progressing, Growing Church
• There more recent works, Jesus said, are more than the first. In other words, this was a church that was maturing, progressing and growing-a church making progress in sanctification. While this was a commendable church in many respects, that in which they were failing overshadowed the good.
• “If the devil cannot conquer the church by the application of political pressure or the propagation of intellectual heresy, he will try the insinuation of moral evil. This was the dragon’s strategy in Thyatira.”-John Stott
• The woman Jezebel
– Wife of Ahab
– Priestess of Ashtaroth, (a.k.a. Aphrodite and Venus)
– Persuaded Ahab to build a temple, supported 850 false prophets, and systematically killed the prophets of God. Elijah ran for his life from her.
• The Message to the Cult: Rev. 2:21-23
• The Message to the Christians: Rev. 2:24-25 (keep on doing what you’re doing)
• The Message to the Conquerors: Rev. 2:26-29
– The right to rule and reign with Christ
– Possession of the Morning Star
– “I Jesus…am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.”-Rev.22:16
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Pergamum; The Church at Satan's Seat
Rev 2:12 "To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:
These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. 13 I know where you live--where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city--where Satan lives.
14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. 15 Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
17 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. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.
This capital city is where Satan has his throne, the serpent, the symbol of healing of the pagan god Asclepius was everywhere in the city. It was also a centre of Caesar worship, it had a temple dedicated to Rome and it also had many heathen temples.
v12 - "To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. - The double-edged sword is a reference to the Word of God, Heb 4:16 see also Rev 1:16, 19:15. He will use this sword to fight against the Balaamites and Nicolaitans in v16.
v13 - I know where you live--where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city--where Satan lives. - In the case of the other church (except Smyrna) Jesus says 'I know your deed' here he says 'I know where you live--where Satan has his throne', he knows that they are living where Satan seemingly reigns, this must bring comfort to the church. Pergamum was a centre of both pagan religion and Caesar worship, Asclepius the serpent God of healing was worshipped there and so the city can truly be described as one where Satan reigns, i.e. has his throne. However this is precisely the place where Christians are to witness, c.f. 'Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified' (11:8). The Greek word used here for witness is martys, thus by the witness of his life and death Antipas bore witness to Jesus, becoming an example for much of the book later. Jesus knows our circumstances, he knows that the church at Pergamum is where Satan has his throne, he knows about the martyrdom of Antipas this should bring comfort to the saints. Jesus is the faithful witness (1:5), Antipas is one who followed the example of Jesus and remained faithful unto death (2:10, 14:12), just as Christ remained faithful until death, and is called here my faithful witness; being faithful under persecution is one of the key messages of revelation. But after death Christ rose again, just as the two witnesses came to life again (11:11). In Revelation we find those who died for the sake of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus, but they are alive in heaven and will live for eternity as they drink from the waters of life. Just as Christ's death brings many sons to glory so the death of the martyrs is a necessary part of God's plan for the world. The martyrs are the seed bed of the church and the death of the martyrs acts as a testimony to men and will result in some people coming to repentance. The testimony of God's people through their life and death is a part of God's plan, just as the life and death of Jesus was.
v14 - Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. - While the church coped with the external threat of persecution it did not deal with the threat from within the church. They had been infiltrated by Satan's servants who introduce destructive heresies. The book of Revelation is largely about the external enemies of the church yet we must not forget the false prophets within the church. The word of God warns us about false prophets, Mat 7:15, 24:24, 2 Pet 2:1, 1 John 4:1. In the letters to the seven churches Jesus is purifying his church so that it will cope with the coming persecution. For Balaam the false prophet see Numbers 22-25:3, 31:16, 2 Pet 2:15. He enticed God's people to commit sexual immorality and bow down and eat food offered to idols, Num 31:16. These sins all involve spiritual and physical compromise with the world, the church of God is to be blameless and holy (11:2, 14:4-5, 20:6, 21:2). Idols are mentioned because God wants to purify his church of anything that resembles idolatry (2 Cor 6:12-7:1 cf. Rev 18:4) which is the fundamental sin of those who worship the beast and his image (cf. 13:14-15, 14:7, 9-12).
v14 - eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality - These are the same things mentioned in the letter to Thyatira, there they tolerated the woman Jezebel, who called herself a prophetess, but who by her teaching misleads God's servants into sexual immorality and eating food sacrificed to idols, Rev 2:20. Paul covers these topics in 1 Cor they are also mentioned in Acts 15:28, these are clearly matters that troubled the Christians of the time, see Acts 15:28-29, 1 Cor 6:18, 8:1. They involve compromise with the world; the church is to be holy and separate from the world, in the world but not of it. John was clearly concerned by idolatry (1 John 5:21).
v15 - Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. - For the relationship between the Nicolations and Balaam see Rev 2:6 in the letter to the Ephesians. They permitted compromise with the world. This heresy is one that all God's people are tempted with throughout church history, it is nothing new. Another OT figure, Jezebel, is used while describing the same sins in Rev 2:20 again she compromises with the world. The saints are to be pure for they are the bride of Christ, Rev 14:4. False teaching is one of Satan's main weapons against the church, see his river of lies (12:15). If he cannot destroy the church from without he will try to destroy it from within, in 2 Cor 11:13-15 Paul talks about Satan's servants masquerading as apostles of Christ.
v16 - Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. - Christ first commands them to repent, that is the whole church for allowing this sin within and in particular those actually committing the sin, but if they do not then He will fight against them, that is those who hold to the teachings of the Nicolations, not against the church as a whole. He will fight against them with the word of God, compare with the description of Christ at his second coming in Rev 19:15 in which he will strike down the nations with the sword that comes out of his mouth. This could therefore be a reference to the second coming which is also mentioned in the letter to the church in Sardis (3:3), or it could refer to some other judgment.
v17 - 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. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it. - Note the formula: 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches', we need to heed what is being said here. Manna was the daily food for the Israelites in the desert (Exo 16:31, Psa 78:24), it alludes to the proper heavenly food that is Christ (John 6:57-58) in contrast to the food offered to idols. There could also be a connection to the fruit of the tree of life, 'If anyone eats of this bread (i.e. Christ), he will live forever' (John 6:51). In the ancient law courts white and black stones were used for registering the verdicts of Juries, black for condemnation and white for acquittal. This would mean that the Christian is acquitted in God's sight because of the work of Jesus Christ. In the ancient world there was a common custom to carry a charm or amulet. It could be just a pebble on which there was a sacred name.
To know a God's name was to have a certain power over him and to summon him in times of difficulty. It was thought to be doubly effective if no one else knew the name inscribed on it. Lang remarks that Pergamum was tempted to eat defiled food, but he who defeated this temptation should eat of the sacred food of heaven, Christ, now hidden from men. Each who held fast the profession of His name, when it meant death to do this, shall receive His right to use His new name in the kingdom. Isaiah said that God would give his people a new name (Isa 62:2). As well as a new name in Revelation there are references to the New Jerusalem (3:12, 21:2), a new song (5:9, 14:3), a new heaven and new earth (21:1) and in 21:5 God says 'I am making everything new'. The new name would be appropriate to a new life and status in God's new creation and society. The old order of things has passed away, the saints will live in a new body and the new name signifies the demise of the old life lived in a decaying body amidst a corrupt world and the start of a new incorruptible life. The new song could only be learned by those redeemed from the earth and the new name is part of ones reward for remaining faithful to Jesus while on the old earth. It is interesting to note that Sarai, Abram and Israel all were given a new name by God to denote a change from their old life to a life after some new revelation of God (Gen 17:5, 15, 32:28).
Sandford says the following about the white stone; "Alchemists were fond of speaking of the 'lapis lazuli,' or white stone (actually a rich azure or sky-blue)... ...Alchemists sought by science and discipline to build themselves into perfected stones - actually to become the white stone by which they could possess total knowledge and wisdom... ... On the island of Patmos, whether or not John was aware of alchemy, the Holy Spirit certainly was, and the Lord promised, [quotes Rev. 2:17]. In Hebrew culture, a white stone was given to a man who had been forgiven great sins. Wearing the stone was a sign that he had been forgiven. But the Holy Spirit may also be saying something like this: 'To him who overcomes will I give a perfected soul; no one has to study alchemy to achieve it.' Every Christian is in the process of being transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ, which will finally be accomplished in 'the twinkling of an eye' (1 Cor. 15:52) - as a gift and not by alchemic science or its modern counterpart, New Age humanism."
These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. 13 I know where you live--where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city--where Satan lives.
14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. 15 Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
17 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. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.
This capital city is where Satan has his throne, the serpent, the symbol of healing of the pagan god Asclepius was everywhere in the city. It was also a centre of Caesar worship, it had a temple dedicated to Rome and it also had many heathen temples.
v12 - "To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. - The double-edged sword is a reference to the Word of God, Heb 4:16 see also Rev 1:16, 19:15. He will use this sword to fight against the Balaamites and Nicolaitans in v16.
v13 - I know where you live--where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city--where Satan lives. - In the case of the other church (except Smyrna) Jesus says 'I know your deed' here he says 'I know where you live--where Satan has his throne', he knows that they are living where Satan seemingly reigns, this must bring comfort to the church. Pergamum was a centre of both pagan religion and Caesar worship, Asclepius the serpent God of healing was worshipped there and so the city can truly be described as one where Satan reigns, i.e. has his throne. However this is precisely the place where Christians are to witness, c.f. 'Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified' (11:8). The Greek word used here for witness is martys, thus by the witness of his life and death Antipas bore witness to Jesus, becoming an example for much of the book later. Jesus knows our circumstances, he knows that the church at Pergamum is where Satan has his throne, he knows about the martyrdom of Antipas this should bring comfort to the saints. Jesus is the faithful witness (1:5), Antipas is one who followed the example of Jesus and remained faithful unto death (2:10, 14:12), just as Christ remained faithful until death, and is called here my faithful witness; being faithful under persecution is one of the key messages of revelation. But after death Christ rose again, just as the two witnesses came to life again (11:11). In Revelation we find those who died for the sake of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus, but they are alive in heaven and will live for eternity as they drink from the waters of life. Just as Christ's death brings many sons to glory so the death of the martyrs is a necessary part of God's plan for the world. The martyrs are the seed bed of the church and the death of the martyrs acts as a testimony to men and will result in some people coming to repentance. The testimony of God's people through their life and death is a part of God's plan, just as the life and death of Jesus was.
v14 - Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. - While the church coped with the external threat of persecution it did not deal with the threat from within the church. They had been infiltrated by Satan's servants who introduce destructive heresies. The book of Revelation is largely about the external enemies of the church yet we must not forget the false prophets within the church. The word of God warns us about false prophets, Mat 7:15, 24:24, 2 Pet 2:1, 1 John 4:1. In the letters to the seven churches Jesus is purifying his church so that it will cope with the coming persecution. For Balaam the false prophet see Numbers 22-25:3, 31:16, 2 Pet 2:15. He enticed God's people to commit sexual immorality and bow down and eat food offered to idols, Num 31:16. These sins all involve spiritual and physical compromise with the world, the church of God is to be blameless and holy (11:2, 14:4-5, 20:6, 21:2). Idols are mentioned because God wants to purify his church of anything that resembles idolatry (2 Cor 6:12-7:1 cf. Rev 18:4) which is the fundamental sin of those who worship the beast and his image (cf. 13:14-15, 14:7, 9-12).
v14 - eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality - These are the same things mentioned in the letter to Thyatira, there they tolerated the woman Jezebel, who called herself a prophetess, but who by her teaching misleads God's servants into sexual immorality and eating food sacrificed to idols, Rev 2:20. Paul covers these topics in 1 Cor they are also mentioned in Acts 15:28, these are clearly matters that troubled the Christians of the time, see Acts 15:28-29, 1 Cor 6:18, 8:1. They involve compromise with the world; the church is to be holy and separate from the world, in the world but not of it. John was clearly concerned by idolatry (1 John 5:21).
v15 - Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. - For the relationship between the Nicolations and Balaam see Rev 2:6 in the letter to the Ephesians. They permitted compromise with the world. This heresy is one that all God's people are tempted with throughout church history, it is nothing new. Another OT figure, Jezebel, is used while describing the same sins in Rev 2:20 again she compromises with the world. The saints are to be pure for they are the bride of Christ, Rev 14:4. False teaching is one of Satan's main weapons against the church, see his river of lies (12:15). If he cannot destroy the church from without he will try to destroy it from within, in 2 Cor 11:13-15 Paul talks about Satan's servants masquerading as apostles of Christ.
v16 - Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. - Christ first commands them to repent, that is the whole church for allowing this sin within and in particular those actually committing the sin, but if they do not then He will fight against them, that is those who hold to the teachings of the Nicolations, not against the church as a whole. He will fight against them with the word of God, compare with the description of Christ at his second coming in Rev 19:15 in which he will strike down the nations with the sword that comes out of his mouth. This could therefore be a reference to the second coming which is also mentioned in the letter to the church in Sardis (3:3), or it could refer to some other judgment.
v17 - 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. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it. - Note the formula: 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches', we need to heed what is being said here. Manna was the daily food for the Israelites in the desert (Exo 16:31, Psa 78:24), it alludes to the proper heavenly food that is Christ (John 6:57-58) in contrast to the food offered to idols. There could also be a connection to the fruit of the tree of life, 'If anyone eats of this bread (i.e. Christ), he will live forever' (John 6:51). In the ancient law courts white and black stones were used for registering the verdicts of Juries, black for condemnation and white for acquittal. This would mean that the Christian is acquitted in God's sight because of the work of Jesus Christ. In the ancient world there was a common custom to carry a charm or amulet. It could be just a pebble on which there was a sacred name.
To know a God's name was to have a certain power over him and to summon him in times of difficulty. It was thought to be doubly effective if no one else knew the name inscribed on it. Lang remarks that Pergamum was tempted to eat defiled food, but he who defeated this temptation should eat of the sacred food of heaven, Christ, now hidden from men. Each who held fast the profession of His name, when it meant death to do this, shall receive His right to use His new name in the kingdom. Isaiah said that God would give his people a new name (Isa 62:2). As well as a new name in Revelation there are references to the New Jerusalem (3:12, 21:2), a new song (5:9, 14:3), a new heaven and new earth (21:1) and in 21:5 God says 'I am making everything new'. The new name would be appropriate to a new life and status in God's new creation and society. The old order of things has passed away, the saints will live in a new body and the new name signifies the demise of the old life lived in a decaying body amidst a corrupt world and the start of a new incorruptible life. The new song could only be learned by those redeemed from the earth and the new name is part of ones reward for remaining faithful to Jesus while on the old earth. It is interesting to note that Sarai, Abram and Israel all were given a new name by God to denote a change from their old life to a life after some new revelation of God (Gen 17:5, 15, 32:28).
Sandford says the following about the white stone; "Alchemists were fond of speaking of the 'lapis lazuli,' or white stone (actually a rich azure or sky-blue)... ...Alchemists sought by science and discipline to build themselves into perfected stones - actually to become the white stone by which they could possess total knowledge and wisdom... ... On the island of Patmos, whether or not John was aware of alchemy, the Holy Spirit certainly was, and the Lord promised, [quotes Rev. 2:17]. In Hebrew culture, a white stone was given to a man who had been forgiven great sins. Wearing the stone was a sign that he had been forgiven. But the Holy Spirit may also be saying something like this: 'To him who overcomes will I give a perfected soul; no one has to study alchemy to achieve it.' Every Christian is in the process of being transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ, which will finally be accomplished in 'the twinkling of an eye' (1 Cor. 15:52) - as a gift and not by alchemic science or its modern counterpart, New Age humanism."
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Perseverance outlast Persecution; the letter to the church at Smyrna
Rev 2:8 "To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9 I know your afflictions and your poverty--yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11 He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.
Smyrna is today called the city of Izmir; it lies about 35 miles north of Ephesus on the Aegean coast of Turkey. It has an excellent harbor. It had a strong allegiance to Rome and in 195 BC it became the first city in the ancient world to build a temple in honor of Emperor worship. Later in 23 BC, Smyrna won permission to build a temple to the emperor Tiberius. The strong allegiance to Rome plus a large Jewish population which was actively hostile to the Christians made it exceptionally difficult to live as a Christian in Smyrna. The most famous martyrdom of the early church fathers was of the elderly Polycarp, the 'twelfth martyr in Smyrna', who, upon his refusal to acknowledge Caesar as Lord, was placed upon a pyre to be burned. Christians in those days were known as atheist because they refused to worship Caesar. Polycarp was given an opportunity to recant simply by pointing to the other Christians that were with him and saying the words, “away with the atheist.” Instead he pointed to the legions gathered to witness the executions in the coliseum and said “away with the atheist!” Polycarp knew who the true Lord of Glory was and refused to worship any other.
v8 - "To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again - This a repetition of his self designation, see Rev 1:17-18. He is the first and the last word in human history and therefore is sovereign over what is in between. Through him the world was created and human history will end when he comes again. He died and came to life again and hence conquered death, he is the firstborn of many brothers, this should be of comfort to those in Smyrna who are about to be persecuted and some will die.
v9 - I know your afflictions and your poverty--yet you are rich! - For the other churches (except Pergamum) Christ says 'I know your deeds' but here he says 'I know your affliction and your poverty - yet you are rich'. They were physically poor but spiritually rich contrast this with the Laodiceans who thought that they were rich but were poor, 3:17 (Jam 2:5). Physically the church in Smyrna suffered from persecution from the Jews and they were poor, they had few luxuries and possessions, yet spiritually they were rich in the sight of Christ. Jesus sees their affliction; he knows about it, this must be of comfort to this persecuted church.
v9 - I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. - Again he says 'I know the slander...' he sees their situation, he is aware of it and its injustice, once again this must bring comfort to this church. These Jews follow Satan in slandering God's people, the word Satan means accuser (12:10), but the Devil means slanderer. Behind these Jews stands Satan; it is he, not Abraham, who is their spiritual father, John 8:44. Slander, that is telling lies to blacken the character of people, is one of Satan's weapons against the church; see the river of lies, Rev 12:15. Again in the letter to Philadelphia there is a reference to those who claim but to be Jews but are liars; they are actually a synagogue of Satan (3:9). See also other examples of Jewish antagonism in Acts 13:45, 14:2, 17:5, 18:6, and 25:7. Paul defines a real Jew not as one physically circumcised but as one circumcised in the heart by the Spirit (Rom 2:29) and who believes God just as Abraham believed God (Gal 3:6-7).
v10 - Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. - Here we find John's first warning concerning the persecution of the Church, the second occurs in the letter to the church in Pergamum. First Christ counsels them not to be afraid of what they are about to suffer. Christ by telling them beforehand is indicating that, as the all knowing God, it is part of his plan and under his control. In John 16:33 Jesus tells his disciples that in world they will have tribulation, but to take courage; he has overcome the world, cf. 3:21, 5:5. In Luke 12:4 Jesus warns us not to fear man who can kill the body but do no more, we should fear God who, when the body is dead, can cast us into hell. 1 Pet 3:13-18 tells us not to be afraid if we suffer for doing right, we have the example of Jesus who died for doing right but he was raised again (cf. 1 Pet 2:19-25, Isa 51:7-8). Ten days is a limited, but complete, period of time known by God, note that Daniel asked to be tested for ten days to see whether he would still look well on a diet of vegetables (Dan 1:12). The devil will put some of them in prison to test them, not the devil himself but using his human subjects just as he uses the beast to wage war against God's servants later, 11:7, 13:7. The Lord encourages them to be faithful by stressing the reward that this will bring them just as he did in Mat 5:10-12 in which those who are persecuted because of Him will have a great reward in heaven. There were in fact ten periods of persecution during the time of the Roman Empire until the 'conversion' of Constantine in 316 AD. Christ is aware of what is about to happen to them, but he does not intervene because it is for their ultimate good that they be tested even unto death so that they will receive the great reward of the crown of life spoken of by James. Just as Jesus overcame by dying, so the saints overcome by being faithful even to the point of death. The church of Pergamum did not renounce their faith in the face of martyrdom, 2:13. The fact that Christ died and came to life again (v8) also ensures that even though they die they will live again.
v10 - Be faithful, even to the point of death and I will give you the crown of life. - By dying they will gain their (eternal) life (John 12:25). He who stands firm to the end will be saved. Martyrdom is a common theme in the book, but there is also a promise that he will receive the crown of (eternal) life. Jesus had already conquered death, he came to life again, verse 8. They will be tested; this is in harmony with the rest of scripture, after which they will receive the crown of life, Jam 1:12. They must be faithful unto death to receive the crown of life, a wonderful Christian paradox, John 12:25. The word for crown used here is the victors’ crown, rather than the royal crown, which is appropriate for those who have overcome i.e. won the victory. The crown of life is eternal life, which is signified by the water of life and the tree of life later in Rev 22:1. Here in one line is the message of the book of Revelation: Be faithful, even to the point of death and I will give you the crown of life. This message is further expanded in the death of the two witnesses (11:7) and later when the beast wages war on the saints and overcomes them (13:7), but in both cases God vindicates his servants because the two witnesses are raised to life again (11:11) and we find those who are victorious over the beast praising God in heaven (15:2).
v11 - He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. - Note the formula: 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches', we need to heed what is being said here. This verse again emphasizes the reward for being faithful, even to the point of death; the far worse second death will not hurt them (21:7-8). The second death is contrasted with the crown of life of v10; the second death is lake of fire, Rev 20:14. It takes only a short while to endure the pain of the first death even as a martyr, the pain of the second death lasts for eternity. Those who endure to the end (Mat 10:22, 2 Tim 2:12) and are faithful to the death will be saved from the lake of fire. Note how the saints in 12:11 overcome Satan, who is mentioned here as the devil v10, 'by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death'.
The lesson we can take away from this church, is that we too will face persecution and adversity but God is faithful.
These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9 I know your afflictions and your poverty--yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11 He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.
Smyrna is today called the city of Izmir; it lies about 35 miles north of Ephesus on the Aegean coast of Turkey. It has an excellent harbor. It had a strong allegiance to Rome and in 195 BC it became the first city in the ancient world to build a temple in honor of Emperor worship. Later in 23 BC, Smyrna won permission to build a temple to the emperor Tiberius. The strong allegiance to Rome plus a large Jewish population which was actively hostile to the Christians made it exceptionally difficult to live as a Christian in Smyrna. The most famous martyrdom of the early church fathers was of the elderly Polycarp, the 'twelfth martyr in Smyrna', who, upon his refusal to acknowledge Caesar as Lord, was placed upon a pyre to be burned. Christians in those days were known as atheist because they refused to worship Caesar. Polycarp was given an opportunity to recant simply by pointing to the other Christians that were with him and saying the words, “away with the atheist.” Instead he pointed to the legions gathered to witness the executions in the coliseum and said “away with the atheist!” Polycarp knew who the true Lord of Glory was and refused to worship any other.
v8 - "To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again - This a repetition of his self designation, see Rev 1:17-18. He is the first and the last word in human history and therefore is sovereign over what is in between. Through him the world was created and human history will end when he comes again. He died and came to life again and hence conquered death, he is the firstborn of many brothers, this should be of comfort to those in Smyrna who are about to be persecuted and some will die.
v9 - I know your afflictions and your poverty--yet you are rich! - For the other churches (except Pergamum) Christ says 'I know your deeds' but here he says 'I know your affliction and your poverty - yet you are rich'. They were physically poor but spiritually rich contrast this with the Laodiceans who thought that they were rich but were poor, 3:17 (Jam 2:5). Physically the church in Smyrna suffered from persecution from the Jews and they were poor, they had few luxuries and possessions, yet spiritually they were rich in the sight of Christ. Jesus sees their affliction; he knows about it, this must be of comfort to this persecuted church.
v9 - I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. - Again he says 'I know the slander...' he sees their situation, he is aware of it and its injustice, once again this must bring comfort to this church. These Jews follow Satan in slandering God's people, the word Satan means accuser (12:10), but the Devil means slanderer. Behind these Jews stands Satan; it is he, not Abraham, who is their spiritual father, John 8:44. Slander, that is telling lies to blacken the character of people, is one of Satan's weapons against the church; see the river of lies, Rev 12:15. Again in the letter to Philadelphia there is a reference to those who claim but to be Jews but are liars; they are actually a synagogue of Satan (3:9). See also other examples of Jewish antagonism in Acts 13:45, 14:2, 17:5, 18:6, and 25:7. Paul defines a real Jew not as one physically circumcised but as one circumcised in the heart by the Spirit (Rom 2:29) and who believes God just as Abraham believed God (Gal 3:6-7).
v10 - Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. - Here we find John's first warning concerning the persecution of the Church, the second occurs in the letter to the church in Pergamum. First Christ counsels them not to be afraid of what they are about to suffer. Christ by telling them beforehand is indicating that, as the all knowing God, it is part of his plan and under his control. In John 16:33 Jesus tells his disciples that in world they will have tribulation, but to take courage; he has overcome the world, cf. 3:21, 5:5. In Luke 12:4 Jesus warns us not to fear man who can kill the body but do no more, we should fear God who, when the body is dead, can cast us into hell. 1 Pet 3:13-18 tells us not to be afraid if we suffer for doing right, we have the example of Jesus who died for doing right but he was raised again (cf. 1 Pet 2:19-25, Isa 51:7-8). Ten days is a limited, but complete, period of time known by God, note that Daniel asked to be tested for ten days to see whether he would still look well on a diet of vegetables (Dan 1:12). The devil will put some of them in prison to test them, not the devil himself but using his human subjects just as he uses the beast to wage war against God's servants later, 11:7, 13:7. The Lord encourages them to be faithful by stressing the reward that this will bring them just as he did in Mat 5:10-12 in which those who are persecuted because of Him will have a great reward in heaven. There were in fact ten periods of persecution during the time of the Roman Empire until the 'conversion' of Constantine in 316 AD. Christ is aware of what is about to happen to them, but he does not intervene because it is for their ultimate good that they be tested even unto death so that they will receive the great reward of the crown of life spoken of by James. Just as Jesus overcame by dying, so the saints overcome by being faithful even to the point of death. The church of Pergamum did not renounce their faith in the face of martyrdom, 2:13. The fact that Christ died and came to life again (v8) also ensures that even though they die they will live again.
v10 - Be faithful, even to the point of death and I will give you the crown of life. - By dying they will gain their (eternal) life (John 12:25). He who stands firm to the end will be saved. Martyrdom is a common theme in the book, but there is also a promise that he will receive the crown of (eternal) life. Jesus had already conquered death, he came to life again, verse 8. They will be tested; this is in harmony with the rest of scripture, after which they will receive the crown of life, Jam 1:12. They must be faithful unto death to receive the crown of life, a wonderful Christian paradox, John 12:25. The word for crown used here is the victors’ crown, rather than the royal crown, which is appropriate for those who have overcome i.e. won the victory. The crown of life is eternal life, which is signified by the water of life and the tree of life later in Rev 22:1. Here in one line is the message of the book of Revelation: Be faithful, even to the point of death and I will give you the crown of life. This message is further expanded in the death of the two witnesses (11:7) and later when the beast wages war on the saints and overcomes them (13:7), but in both cases God vindicates his servants because the two witnesses are raised to life again (11:11) and we find those who are victorious over the beast praising God in heaven (15:2).
v11 - He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. - Note the formula: 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches', we need to heed what is being said here. This verse again emphasizes the reward for being faithful, even to the point of death; the far worse second death will not hurt them (21:7-8). The second death is contrasted with the crown of life of v10; the second death is lake of fire, Rev 20:14. It takes only a short while to endure the pain of the first death even as a martyr, the pain of the second death lasts for eternity. Those who endure to the end (Mat 10:22, 2 Tim 2:12) and are faithful to the death will be saved from the lake of fire. Note how the saints in 12:11 overcome Satan, who is mentioned here as the devil v10, 'by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death'.
The lesson we can take away from this church, is that we too will face persecution and adversity but God is faithful.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Losing our first love; the message to the church in Ephesus
"But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first."-Revelation 2:4 ESV
This letter is addressed to the angel, or messenger, or the church at Ephesus, which is probably a reference to the pastor or elders of the church. Unlike today, in the first century church the Bible was read in community, so it could be discussed and properly understood. I believe the church of today would do well to return to this practice. We do glean from God's word any time it is opened and read, but together we can answer questions and learn together which is often much more effective than going it alone.
Ephesus was the most prominent city in Roman Asia Minor, serving as a religious and commercial center for that part of the world. It was home to one of the seven wonders of the world, the temple of Diana, a Greek/Roman goddess. The temple was able to seat 24, 000 people and was a center of immorality which included a bank and an art gallery. Great revenue was derived from the sale of statues of Diana.
The Church in Ephesus was established by the Apostle Paul on his second missionary journey, and he would later spend three years there. The letter which we know as Ephesians was written by Paul to Christians in the city. Later Paul established Timothy as the pastor of the church, and the two letters written to Timothy from Paul were received by him while he was there. It is also likely, that John the Apostle became leader of the church following Timothy's ministry. The point is that the church at Ephesus was not lacking in quality leadership.
The message to the church begins in Revelation 2:1 and concludes in verse seven. The challenge to the church is a challenge to us as well. "Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left your first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works, or else I will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."(Revelation 2:4-5 KJV) This church in spite of the good qualities and leadership it possessed was in danger of losing their place of influence because they had abandoned their first love. They were commanded to remember their former place of dedication, repent of their present place of apathy, and repeat the works they did in the beginning when their love for God was em passioned.
We would all do well to take a lesson from the Ephesians and ignite the passion for Christ in are lives afresh and anew.
This letter is addressed to the angel, or messenger, or the church at Ephesus, which is probably a reference to the pastor or elders of the church. Unlike today, in the first century church the Bible was read in community, so it could be discussed and properly understood. I believe the church of today would do well to return to this practice. We do glean from God's word any time it is opened and read, but together we can answer questions and learn together which is often much more effective than going it alone.
Ephesus was the most prominent city in Roman Asia Minor, serving as a religious and commercial center for that part of the world. It was home to one of the seven wonders of the world, the temple of Diana, a Greek/Roman goddess. The temple was able to seat 24, 000 people and was a center of immorality which included a bank and an art gallery. Great revenue was derived from the sale of statues of Diana.
The Church in Ephesus was established by the Apostle Paul on his second missionary journey, and he would later spend three years there. The letter which we know as Ephesians was written by Paul to Christians in the city. Later Paul established Timothy as the pastor of the church, and the two letters written to Timothy from Paul were received by him while he was there. It is also likely, that John the Apostle became leader of the church following Timothy's ministry. The point is that the church at Ephesus was not lacking in quality leadership.
The message to the church begins in Revelation 2:1 and concludes in verse seven. The challenge to the church is a challenge to us as well. "Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left your first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works, or else I will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."(Revelation 2:4-5 KJV) This church in spite of the good qualities and leadership it possessed was in danger of losing their place of influence because they had abandoned their first love. They were commanded to remember their former place of dedication, repent of their present place of apathy, and repeat the works they did in the beginning when their love for God was em passioned.
We would all do well to take a lesson from the Ephesians and ignite the passion for Christ in are lives afresh and anew.
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