Original subtitles

Monsignor's

Okay, we are now in hour 22 of Learn in the Bible 24 Hours, and we're going to address

the first three chapters of the book of Revelation. And for a number of reasons that will become

evident, I think this is the high ground of the Bible in some respects, and it's certainly the

book of Revelation is one of the favorite books of anyone that takes the Bible seriously, and secondly

it is the most relevant parts of the book of Revelation for you and me is the chapters 2 and 3.

So this is going to be fun stuff as we go here. We've gone through the whole New Testament of

course, what I call the five Gospels using Luke volume 1 and volume 2, acts as the volume 2 so

to speak. We went through the 13 epistles that are scribed to Paul, we went through the eight

epistles that are the so-called Jewish Christian epistles, but now we come to that book which among

all the other books ties it all together. Everything that started in Genesis is wrapped up in the

book of Revelation. In fact, one of the most astonishing discoveries that I hope you're in the

process of making as we do these things is to recognize, discover the unity of the entire package.

66 books penned by 40 guys over virtually 2,000 years, and yet it's integrated in its design.

There are aspects throughout the book that anticipate what needs to be there in order for

Revelation to make sense. And so here we go. It's interesting that the Old Testament of course,

Christ appears in prophecy. In the Gospels, Christ appears in history. In the book of Acts,

Christ appears in the church. And of course in the epistles, we see Christ in actual experience.

And then of course in the apocalypse, we're going to see Christ coming in glory.

So in a sense, the Old Testament said behold, he comes, the Gospel say behold, he dies.

Access behold, he lives. Pissles behold, he saves. And we're going to see behold, he reigns. Christ is

actually going to reign in this book. Anyone that wants to deny that has huge problems with

Revelation, that's why many pastors try to avoid the book because it confronts some issues they're

not prepared to deal with. I want you to first notice the name of the book. It's a singular,

not plural. You often, for some reason, you always see people say revelations. Whenever you hear

that s, when you see it as a plural, you know immediately they have never taken a study of the book.

All they know is somehow a collection of visions, so that's why they think it's plural. No,

it's singular. It is the unveiling. The word Revelation, the apocalypse means the unveiling.

And it is the consummation of all things. It's the only book in the Bible that has the

audacity to say, read me, I'm special. No other book in the Bible has the

hutzpah, if I can use the Jewish term, to say, read me, I'm better than the other guys.

Lots of places in the Bible that says, search the scriptures, study the word of God. All those

the phrase always embrace the whole thing. This is the only book that says, hey, read me, and you

are entitled to a very special blessing. So if you're really in the mood for a blessing,

no matter how down you are, no matter what you're doing, if you would need just one of those days,

you need a blessing. Stop, read the book of Revelation. It doesn't take long. It's not a big deal.

And watch what happens. Now, one of the reasons the book is such a mystery to so many is because

they haven't done their homework. Most Christians don't know their Old Testament. The book of Revelation

consists of 404 verses that include allusions to over 800 items from the Old Testament.

In other words, two to one. Two to one. For every verse in Revelation, there's in effect

two allusions to the Old Testament. So if the book seems strange to our ears, it's because we

haven't spent time in the Old Testament. The more you know your Old Testament, the more comfortable

this book reads. And it is, of course, the climax of God's plan for man. And that's exciting

for lots of reasons. Let's just take a look at what is. Let's read just the first sentence.

The Revelation singular of Jesus Christ. What is it revealing? Jesus Christ.

Which God gave unto him. Whoops. Wait a minute. Time out. God gave this to whom?

Jesus. If this sounds a little strange, look who the address he is. The Revelation of Jesus Christ,

which God gave unto him. There was a time in Mark 13 verse 32, no man owes a name on an hour,

not the end of the heaven, not the Son, but the Father only. Strange verse. At least at that time,

at that moment, the Father knew when Jesus was coming back, he was the only one that did.

Whoa, we're on dangerous ground here. You mean there's things the Father knew the Son didn't?

I thought they all knew all things. Yeah, I guess so. That's part of the mystery.

It could be that he didn't then he knows now. I don't know that. I'm not going to

quibble with those things, but I just highlight to put your own consideration. The Revelation of

Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him. Why? To show unto his servants things which must

shortly come the past. That word shortly is actually an taxi in the Greek. It's the word from which

we get the word tachometer. Shortly or quickly in the sense of speedily. It doesn't mean it's going

to happen the day after tomorrow. It means when these things start happening, they're going to

follow tightly. That's really what the Greek implies. The Revelation of Jesus Christ,

which God gave him to show unto his servants things which must shortly come the past.

And he sent and signified it, rendered it into signs. Information signers would say he rendered

into semimes, signs, idioms, whatever. He sent and signified it by his angel or messenger unto his

servant John, who bear record of the word of God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all

things that he saw, that he saw. Not that he thought or dreamed up. These were things that

he wrote down that what he saw. So we're going to see visions. We're going to see many idioms,

strange ones perhaps, but these are things that were visual and they're not necessarily just

three-dimensional, but we'll move on. Verse three is the verse you want to claim tonight.

Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear. The words of this prophecy and keep those things

which are written therein for that time is at hand. Praise God. I'm reading and you're listening,

so we're both in good shape. That doesn't mean everything I say is correct. You've got to check

that out, but it does mean that if we do this with sincerity and commitment that blessing is in

store. Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy, not history,

prophecy. Now it continues. John, now it reads like a memo, corporate memo. John is two of the

seven churches which are in Asia. Grace beyond you in peace from him, which is which was and which is

to come. And from the seven spirits which are before us thrown and from Jesus Christ,

who is the faithful witness, the first begotten of the dead and the prince of the kings of the

earth. So John is going to put up in front of this document a cover letter and he's addressing this

cover letter to seven churches. We're going to get into those seven churches when we get to the

next chapter. But this sort of front end cover note, if you will. John to the seven churches which are

in Asia. The word Asia there doesn't mean Asia is United, but it's the Roman province of Asia,

which today is that region that we generally associate with Turkey, if you will, the Roman

province of Asia. Grace beyond you in peace from him. Now we have a strange set of addresses,

him which is which was and which is to come. Who is that? God the Father. And from the seven

spirituals who are before us thrown and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,

the first begotten of the dead and the prince of the kings of the earth. Okay, with this first guy,

him which is which was and which is to come, could mean any of several things, Yehovah if you will

or Yave or Yotay, Vavhe, however you want to say it, or God the Father, that's a possibility.

And then we have, and Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the first begotten of the dead

and the prince of the kings of the earth. Great. But we have this strange phrase between these two,

the seven spirits which are before us thrown. If you're a New Testament reader, that sounds

strange to your ears. If you know your Old Testament, who is it talking about? The Holy Spirit.

So you have the Trinity here. Grace to unto you in peace from him which is and which was and

which is to come. I'll call that the Father. From the seven spiritual jar before us thrown,

I'll explain that in the next slide. And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,

the first begotten of the dead and the prince of the kings of the earth. I want you to notice

here in Jesus Christ, there's three labels, faithful witness. First begotten of the dead,

prince of the kings of the earth. You'll discover that in chapter one, there are 24 titles of Jesus

Christ and they're all used as identities somewhere else in the book. So if you're a computer

programmer, this is like the data division. These are the data definitions. So if Jesus Christ is

the faithful witness, if later on I'm talking about the faithful witness, you don't want to talk

about it. You see, it's linkages. They're being set up here. This is the book of Revelation,

it's obviously written by a computer programmer. In Isaiah chapter 11 verse 2, there's a passage

that wouldn't be familiar to your ears unless you have studied Isaiah 11. But it's very speaks

of the spirit of Yehovah or YAHiveah, he shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom, the spirit of

understanding, the spirit of counsel, the spirit of might, the spirit of knowledge and the spirit of

the fear of the Lord. This is the sevenfold spirit of the term that you and I would call the Holy Spirit.

He's a he, it's a person. And that's what really is in view. So we really have here a salutation by

John that comes from the Trinity in a form that you're probably not familiar with. But let's move on.

See, we have actually seven spirits listed here. This is the sevenfold spirit of what you and I would

lump together as the Holy Spirit. And he continues, and unto him that loved us and washed us from

our sins in his own blood and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his father to him be

glory and dominion forever and ever amen. Whoo, John can sure pen it. But I want you to know

this interesting phrase here. He hath made us what? Kings and priests, that is very non-lavitical.

The only people there, kings and priests, was Melchizedek, Jesus Christ, and who else?

You and me, we're in the church because of this verse right here. We're going to encounter 24

elders. It's going to be only, it's important to understand who the 24 elders are. We'll get to

there, we'll deal with that when we get there. In chapter one, we're not going to go through the

whole thing, we'll do that separately. But in the vision of chapter one has seven key features.

The hair on his head, his eyes, the hair of his head is the same as the one in Daniel 7,

his eyes, which shows up in Hebrews chapter one and four, like a flame of fire,

his first green is also in Malachi, his feet, which is a symbol of the walk,

our brass, which speaks of judgment. Remember the brazen serpent in Numbers 21? His voices as of

many waters as equal uses that phrase several times in chapter one and chapter 43. Daniel uses

that phrase in chapter 10. These are idioms that speak of Jesus Christ, but from the Old Testament

labeling, if you will, and there's seven features. His right hand are seven stars,

yet he's also in the, he has seven stars in his hand, yet he's in the midst of the lab stands,

so the strange double meaning here. He's in the midst and yet we're in his hand.

See, we are in his hand in one sense, and yet he's also in the midst of us.

Sounds contradictory and geometrically it would be, but idiomatically it's not.

You with me? His auto's mouth comes a two-edged sword. Hebrews does that, Ephesians,

Isaiah 49, so forth. He judges the unbeliever in John 12 by his mouth. Earth is smitten in Isaiah

11 by his mouth. The Antichrist is consumed in 2nd Thessalonians by his mouth. And his countenance

is as the sun, as Matthew 17 at the Transfiguration demonstrates. So there are these seven features

of Jesus Christ as he shows up in chapter 1. This is John seeing the vision of Christ,

and this is his recording of that vision using mostly idioms from the Old Testament.

Then we get to verse 19. The book of Revelation is very generous to us because it gives us the

outline of the book. Most books, when you sit down to study them, you have to figure out the

outline is. That's your first step to try to understand the book. Revelation gives it for you.

In verse 19, John has said, told, write the things which thou hast seen, the things which are,

and the things which shall be metatauta hereafter or after these things. These are three categories.

The vision of Christ in chapter 1 are the things which John you have seen at this point, right?

The things which are, what exists at that moment, these seven churches that are going to be so

upon it, the next two chapters. And then the things which shall be hereafter, metatauta, is the Greek

term, which follows after the churches. Chapter 4, verse 1 starts out with the words metatauta

after these things. So verse 19 breaks the book down into the three parts. Chapter 1,

which you've just seen, chapters 2 and 3 that we're going to deal with shortly,

and then the rest of the book from chapter 4 on, we'll deal with that in our next session.

We're going to focus now on chapters 2 and 3, which are among the most fascinating in the book.

They're usually overlooked by many people skimming through the book. They're probably,

and I've studied the book for 50 years, the most fascinating part of the book, in many respects,

chapters 2 and 3. There's more stuff hidden there that people miss.

Anyway, continuing chapter 1 for a moment, the mystery of the seven stars which thou

sawest in my right hand are the seven golden lampstands. Okay, Jesus themselves, the book all

the way through for the most part identifies the idioms for you. These lampstands, translated

candlesticks in the old King James, but fine, the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest

my right hand and the seven golden lampstands, colon. The seven stars are the messengers or angels

of the seven churches. The seven lampstands which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Are we together? I want you to notice that these lampstands in chapter 2 and 3,

he's among them. They're on the earth. Chapter 4, you'll discover they're in heaven.

Notice those things as we go. Okay, the seventh church is these are the things that are.

The first question is why these seven? As you go through this list of seven, they're strange

names. Ephesus is familiar to us, but Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia,

Laodicea, why those seven churches? Why those seven? Why did Jesus write those? What happened to

the church in Jerusalem? What about the church in Antioch that was the headquarters for the

Gentile outreach? What about a conium, Lystra, Derby, all these churches you read about next?

They're not here. Why these seven? You need to figure that out. Furthermore,

something else that's interesting, each of the seven letters has a phrase in it. There's one

phrase that's in common to all seven letters. Each letter has this peculiar little code word.

He, the half an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches.

It may surprise you that these seven letters have at least four levels of meaning,

four levels of meaning, levels of application. First of all, they really were local churches.

This strange phrase that we see in the seven letters occurs by the way seven times elsewhere

in the New Testament. An interesting exercise to track down every other place that occurs

seven times, not by accident. But let's not go too far if you want to never make it here.

But they really were real churches. So William Ramsey with great effort over many years researched

these seven churches and discovered they really were churches. They really had these kinds of

problems. So there is a practical, immediate, local reason for the letter. Good. Okay.

There are actual churches. But there's another level, Admonitory. You notice what this says,

he that half an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the church says. He doesn't say, listen

to the church, listen to the letter that applies to your church. He expects anybody that had,

this is for all the churches are to read all the letters.

Hear what the spirit says to the churches. If you're in Philadelphia, you want to know what the

spirit said to Laodicea, etc. You follow me? So it's Admonitory. There's advice here for churches

in their leadership. We're together? Okay. He that half an ear, how many of you in the room have

an earlobe? Can I see a show of hands? Okay. If your hand is up, it's written to you. It's personal.

He that half an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches. So this is also,

it applies, it applied locally, historically. It applied as Admonition to churches in general.

It also applies to you personally to understand the dilemma and the solution

each of these seven letters. Well, that's all pretty straightforward stuff. Let me show you the

surprise. This also, these letters lay out a history of the church. What's, this is the most

amazing part of these letters. And if they were in any other order, this wouldn't happen. In the

order they're in, once you understand the letters, it's astonishing because they lay out seven

periods of church history with some surprising precision. Each letter has seven design elements.

If you, when you study seven things, each one has, there's a name of a church and you'll discover

the name of the church turns out to be significant to its message. Each church has a specific message,

a specific theme, if you will. The name of the church turns out to be relevant to that. The title

that Jesus Christ uses of himself is different for each letter and it's appropriate to the

mission of that particular church or the issues that face that church. Then there's a commendation.

Hey guys, here's your report card. Here's what you got an A in. Then there's that

areas of concern and there's exhortation. It's like a report card. Let me tell you something

that's really interesting about the seven letters in advance. Every church is surprised.

The churches that thought they were doing great were doing terribly. The churches that thought

they were doing terribly were doing great. You know, that's sobering. People like to organize

church, you know, by watching the first century. I wouldn't do that. First century is all screwed up.

Everybody there is surprised. If you want to, you want to design church governance, go to the

scripture, go to the book of Acts, go to this, go to these seven letters and so forth. Anyway,

there's seven things. I said there's a name of the church, title of Christ, accommodation,

of concern and exhortation. And then there's a promise to the overcomer. There's a specific little

prize for the overcomer. And the seventh element is this weird little phrase. It's almost like it's

the close of the letter. It's sort of like a closing passage except it's not always closing.

There's something very, that most people miss that I want to show you and I think it's very

significant. So these are seven elements and we hear the churches. We have Ephesus,

Merta, Pyrogma, Thyataurus, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laesia. Each one name means something and then

we'll go through and we'll just let's just go through them here. Then each one has a title of Christ

and so forth. Let's take the first and the letter to Ephesus. Out of the angel of the church of

Ephesus, right? These things say of he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand and walketh in

the midst of the seven golden lampstands. The name Ephesus means darling. Darling. It's a term of

courtship. These things say of he, Jesus Christ, that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand

who walketh in the midst of the seven golden lampstands. He gives them a commendation. I know thy works.

Oh, that's wonderful to hear, Lord. I know thy works and thy labor and thy patience and how

thou can'ts not bear them which are evil. And thou hast tried them which say they are apostles

and are not and has found them liars and has borne and has patience and for my namesake has

labored and has not fainted. Ooh, we. That's A plus in that category. Done good, guys. You may recall

in Acts chapter 20 when Paul gave his farewell address to the Ephesian elders. He warned them

that there is going to be wolves coming among you that's going to not spare the flock. Very

warned about false teachers and so forth. Apparently Paul's advice was heeded. They apparently were

terrific. They did not allow false doctrine. They tried them which they, their apostles,

are not and found them liars. They did a good job with doctrine. They were sharp. They were

orthodox. They were also patient. They labored, persevered, terrific. Well done, guys. Oops. Nevertheless.

You're before your boss. Your boss is man, you've really done right. You did this, this, this,

this. You're feeling pretty good. Your thumb goes under your suspenders or whatever.

Then your boss says, nevertheless, I mean, that's deflating. Pink slipped in his right hand. I mean,

you just see it coming, right? Nevertheless, heavy word right here. Jesus, saying to them,

after all this good stuff, he says, nevertheless, I have someone against thee because thou hast

what? Left thy first love. Heavy stuff. They were so busy on the business of the king.

They had no time for the king. Are you so busy in ministry helping the poor doing all the stuff

that you don't have time for personal devotions? Miss the real point.

So he goes on, remember therefore, from Winston Art fallen and repent and do the first works,

or else I will come into thee quickly and will remove thy lampstand out of his place,

except thou repent. Where is Ephesus? Where is their lampstand today? It's a great place to visit

because they're elaborate ruins. One of the best of the seven churches to visit, it's really worth

doing. It's incredible. But it's ruins. The lampstand isn't there anymore.

Anyways, but this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the nickel leons, which I also hate.

This is a point of a lot of different scholars have different, who are the nickel leons?

There are at least two theories. Some books suggest that there was a first century sect

called the nickel leons that abused the liberty in Christ after it's expected of out of a guy,

by the name of the man Nicholas, who was one of the seven that was chosen to administer to the

poor in Jerusalem in Acts chapter 6. And some feel that he founded a sect, and that's really what

somehow it was involving. That may be true. Some people hold that view. I don't. I suspect

something different. I think it's an untranslated word. The word negate means to conquer, overcome,

or rule. And the word laity, Allahos, laity means laity, or people. The word, the nickel

leons, the term implies conquering or ruling over the people. I believe what was emerging here,

that Jesus did not like, was the whole concept of the clergy ruling over the laity. Jesus gave us

our org chart when he dealt with the washing of the feet, you may recall, in John 13.

Jesus told us how we should be organized. Let's see if I'm going to be the servant of all.

See, I think the nickel leons were those that were using their clergyical stature

or position to rule over the laity. And I don't think that was God's plan. I don't see any of that

in the Scripture. And having some senior elders do teaching, that's fine. But it doesn't

say they rule over the people. He had deacons to help. And there's a whole different concept

suggested. I think the formalism that we see in some denominations, I think, is nickel letonism.

That's just my personal view. Anyway, then we come to this then because he either

have an eerlingum here, what the Spirit says to the churches. And then we have the promise of

the overcomer to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst

of the paradise of God. Okay, so there's this unique promise to the overcomer.

I want you to notice that this he to have an ear phrase which closes the letter, we have the

promise of the overcomer as a postscript, like a p.s. Follow me? The first three letters have

that design. The last four are different. I'll come to that when we get there. But just I

want you to notice it here as we go through here. He to have an eerlingum here with the

Spirit says, churches. And then as a postscript, we have the promise to the overcomer. Each

promise of the overcomer is unique in each letter. Let's go to the next letter, the letter to Smirna.

The word Smirna is a synonym for mr. Mr is an embalming ointment. The word mr suggests death.

When the Magi visited Bethlehem, they brought three gifts. There weren't three Magi,

they're more than that, but they were three gifts. Gold, frankincense and

mr. Mr. Good. In the millennium, Isaiah tells us, they're going to bring the Lord gifts.

They're going to bring them gold and frankincense. No mr. No more mr. Why? Because the Magi were

prophesying his death. The millennium, his death is once and for all behind him. Interesting. I

want you to notice these things because it demonstrates the integrity of design of the Scripture. But

in any case, the church in Smirna speaks of death. These things say at the first and the last,

which was dead and is alive. Notice the very title Jesus chooses of himself is the one that

would be the most encouraging to those that were facing death and persecution. These things say

at the first and the last, which was dead and is alive. I know thy works in tribulation and poverty,

but thou art rich. And I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not,

but are the synagogue of Satan. It's interesting that I think the Smirna listeners were surprised.

They're doing better than they thought they were. You see, you thought I know your works

in tribulation and poverty. I know that. But they tells them a little footnote, but you are rich.

Really? Yeah. And I know the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews and are not, but are of the

synagogue of Satan. I am very concerned when I hear people feel that the church replaces Israel.

Because they are saying they are Jews and are not. If that's what Jesus is talking about, boy,

I don't want to trade places with them. Let's move on. Then there is an exhortation.

I want you to notice something is missing. Did you notice there was no concern? There is a

commendation and there is an exhortation, some encouragement. But there is no common, this is

one of the two letters that has nothing bad said about it. But Jesus goes on,

so fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer, behold the devil shall cast some of you

into prison that you may be tried. And ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful to

death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an earled in here with the Spirit

says of the churches, and then we again have a postscript. He that overcometh shall not be

heard of the second death. You see, if you are born twice, you die once. If you are only born

once, you die twice. Let's do two on that one. But I want you to notice that the promise to

overcome is a postscript. How interesting, strange stuff. Let's, ten days, it's interesting that

the persecutions of the church scholars have suggested that it came in ten specific waves.

Nero, the mission who was, that's where John was exiled. And Trajan had Ignatius burned at the stake.

Nero is the one that had Peter beheaded. Excuse me, Paul beheaded and Peter crucified upside down.

And the ten days cover about 250 years actually. Trajan had Ignatius burned at the stake. Marcus

Aurelius had polycop, martyred, bishop of, bishop of Smyrna. And Severus had

Erenaeus, one of the early church fathers, killed. Maximus killed Ursala and Hippolytus. And

the occlation was the worst of all of them. But ten days, interestingly enough.

Let's go on to the next one. The letter to Pergamus. The word Pergamus, you know what big

of me means? That's two marriage, double marriage, right? Polygamy is multiple marriages, right?

Pergamus is a mixed marriage, an unfavorable marriage, like a perversion or whatever.

Under the angel of the church in Pergamus, right? These things say of he which hath the sharp

sword with two edges. Jesus is talking about his weaponry here. What's the sharp sword with two

edges? What is it? The word of God. Do you betcha? The remedy for this church is the word of God.

Jesus goes on, I know thy works and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is.

And thou holdest fast my name and hast not denied my faith. Even in those days where Antipas was

my faithful martyr who was slain among you where Satan dwelleth.

I mean, that sounds like it, but that's the good news. Let's get to the bad news.

But I have a few things against thee because thou hast their them that hold the doctrine of

Balaam who talked Balaak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel to eat

things sacrificed unto idols and to commit fornication. Now to get these letters,

you have to know your Old Testament. Who on earth was what was the doctrine of Balaam? What

was all that about? Balaam was a prophet that was hired by Balaak, the enemy of Israel.

How do I beat these people? And Balaam knew that the way, the only way this king could

defeat Israel is for Israel to be out of favor with God. So Balaam counsels Balaak to get as good-looking

gals along the fringe of the camp and get these guys into fornication with these pagan gals.

And if you do that, Balaak, God's head will turn against Israel and you'll win. So Balaak is giving,

Balaam is giving Balaak the doctrine that will put a stumbling block before Israel.

And so Jesus is making an analogy here between that and the situation in Pergamos, where they're

mixing idolatry. They're faithful on the one hand and yet they're mixing idolatry with their

worship. They're marrying the world rather than being a witness to the world. That's where the

Pergamos aspect. So to eat things, sacrifice them to idols and to commit fornication. In other

words, to compromise with the world. And he goes on, so has now also them that hold the doctrine

of the Nicoleans. Which thing I hate? Previously, it was the deeds of the Nicoleans God hated.

Now they've become the doctrine. Do you see the evolution of it going there? Okay.

So here's the excitation, repent, or else I will come onto the quickly and will fight against them

with the sword of my mouth. Oh, oh. Well, of course, the doctrine of Balaam is the spiritual

and chastity marriage of the world. We also find the way of Balaam mentioned in 2 Peter. That's where

Balaam was a hireling, making a market for his gift. There's a doctrine away in the error. These

are three similar things and get technically slightly different. The error of Balaam, which

is mentioned in June 11, is sacrificing eternal riches for temporal gain. So all three involve

the same thing. They're slightly different aspects of the same actions in a sense.

Why don't we get to the heat that hath in the ear, let them hear what the Spirit says.

Church is an again, we have a postscript to him that overcometh I will give to eat of the hidden

manner. And I will give him a white stone and in the stone, a new name written, which no man

nor saving he that receiveth it. So there ends the letter to Pergamos. Let's take the Thyatira.

Thyatira was formally named Simoramas. And Simoramas, of course, was the consort of Nimrod,

the first dictator of the world back in Genesis 10 and 11.

Under the angel of the church at Thyatira, these things sayeth the Son of God.

Strange term. I mean, he's used other titles. Why so specific? We're going to find the key player

here is a gal by the name of Jezebel who calls himself the Queen of Heaven. He's saying these

things sayeth the Son of God in contrast to the Queen of Heaven. Follow it so far. These things

sayeth the Son of God who hath eyes like unto a flame of fire and his feet like fine brass.

Eyes flaming and feet like brass implies judgment coming. So this is a hostile letter,

probably the most hostile of the bunch. I know thy works and charity and service and faith and

patience in thy works and the last to be more than the first. That's the good part. But here's

the concern. Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee because thou suffers that one Jezebel,

which called herself a prophetess to teach and seduce thy servants to commit fornication and

eat things sacrificed unto idols. I gave her spent to repayce of her fornication and she

prevented not behold, I will cast her into a bed and them that committed adultery with her into

great tribulation except they repent of their deeds. So what on earth is Jezebel all about?

He's using that term as a label. I don't know that the gal that was causing the trouble in the

church, her name was Jezebel. He's calling her a Jezebel in effect. She may have been named Jezebel

or he may be just drawing your awareness to the scripture, scriptural Jezebel to understand what

was she all about. You have what with me? Let's find out a little bit about Queen Jezebel. For

this you would turn into first Kings 21. She did a lot of things. First of all, King Ahab

had everything he wanted. He's a king. He runs the place. But there was a little guy by the name

of Neimoth, the name of Neimoth, Neimoth, excuse me, that had a little vineyard and he loved that

vineyard. And Ahab wanted the vineyard and Neimoth didn't want to sell it. And King Ahab had a fit.

He went into a pout and Jezebel says, hey, let me handle it for you. For it's Jezebel do.

Well, she arranges an inquisition. She got some false accuser. Dequeuse Neimoth of some

improprieties and had him put to death and took his lands in the name of the king and said, hey,

Ahab, here's my gift to you. So false witnesses condemned, executed. And Neimoth's vineyard was

seized for the king. Does this sound familiar regarding history where you can drive inquisitions

to gain lands and wealth for the church? That's the parallel here. And I want you to notice God

promised Jezebel that she would be cast into the tribulation. I'll go back to that a little later.

Jesus continues, I will kill her children with death and all the churches shall know that I am

he that searches the range of the arts and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

But unto you, I say unto the rest of Thyatara, as many as have not this doctrine and which have

not known the depths of Satan, wow, as they speak, I will put upon you Noah the burden,

but that which you have already hold fast till I come. Then he has the promise of the

overcomer, he that overcomer, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over

the nations. See, they apparently won't power over the nations before. That was an appropriate

then, but if they hang in there, he'll give it to him later. And he shall rule him with the rod

of iron, his vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers even as I received of my father,

and I will give him the Morning Star. He's an Athan. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the

spirit says unto the churches. You notice now the promise of the overcomer is put in the body of

the letter, not a postscript. Follow me? See the difference? First time we've seen that.

Let's go to Sardis. On the angel of the church is Sardis right. These things sayeth he'd have

the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. You know, you look at the title, you can just infer

by now that the title gives you a clue as to what the remedy is. Whatever Sardis problem is,

it's apparently the Holy Spirit that is the repair. Do you say, I know that works? Whoops,

where's the commendation? Usually the commendation comes first, right? There is no commendation in

this letter. Ooh, this hurts. Many Protestant commentators make a big thing trying to tie

a tire to the Roman Catholic church. That's easy to do, by the way. If that's true, then Sardis is

the Reformation. Sardis has nothing good said about it. Ooh, careful. He says, I know thy works,

that thou hast a name, that thou livest, and art dead. Ooh, the word name echoes all through this

letter, name, name, name. That's a synonym for that denomination. His exhortation, be watchful and

strengthen the things which remain, that they are ready to die, for I have not found thy works

complete or perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and

repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief. Really. Apparently,

if you are watching, it won't be as a thief. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come upon

thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Is the denominational

church asleep today, prophetically? How strange. The exhortation continues. Thou hast a few names,

even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white,

for they are worthy. Who is they? The few names. Not everyone. Then the promise of the

overcomer. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white rain, and I will not blot out

his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my father and before his angels.

And then the closing salutation. He that hath an ear, I will hear what the Spirit says to the

churches. Wow. Well then we get to the great one. Ask any church, and they'll tell you they're

part of Philadelphia, of course, because it's the one that has nothing bad said about it.

And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia, the Philadelphia by the way means brotherly love,

as you probably know that. These things sayeth, he that is holy, he that is true, he that have

the key of David, he that openedeth and no man shoteth and shoteth and no man openedeth.

This is the missionary church. When God opens a door, the door is open. Like it is in Asia right now.

Boy, exciting. I know thy works behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it,

for thou hast little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. Behold,

I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews and are not. They are again.

They say they are Jews are not, but do lie. Behold, I will make them to come and worship before they

feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Man, that's pretty neat.

Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I will keep thee from the hour of temptation,

which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth.

No concerns, by the way. This is the commendation still going. But this verse, verse 10,

is a key eschatological verse. What is Jesus saying to the church in Philadelphia?

Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour or time

of temptation or tribulation or testing. I won't keep you from the testing,

I will keep you from the time of the testing. See the difference? It is one thing to be protected

through them. It is quite neither to be protected from the time of. See the difference? I will keep

thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon

the earth. One of the things you will discover is the study book of Revelation. There are two groups

of people, those that are saved and the earth dwellers. All the way through the book of Revelation,

those that dwell on the earth are the losers. They are lost. So you don't catch it unless you read

the whole book. You will see that phrase again and again and then that dwell upon the earth. They

don't just live on the earth, they don't happen to be physically on the earth. They dwell upon

the earth. That's the concept. You and I are not earth dwellers. We may be here, but our

allegiance is elsewhere. We are passing through. We are pilgrims. Here they are talking about

the dweller earth dwellers. This time I will keep thee from the time of tribulation,

which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth. That's not us

for two reasons. We don't dwell on the earth and that's what he is saying. He will be raptured.

It is great passage. Behold, I come quickly. Hold that fast which thou hast that. No man take thy crown.

May not be able to lose your salvation, but you sure can lose your rewards. Be careful about that.

Then the promise of the overcomer, him the overcomer thy will make a pillar in the temple of my God,

and he shall go no more out. I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the city of

my God, which is in the New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and I will write

upon him my new name. And then he that hath an ear to hear what the Spirit says in the church is there.

Again, the promise of the overcomer is in the body of the letter. Then we get to the last one.

Laodicea. Lao means people. Laodicea means rule. This is where the people rule.

Really. I thought Christ is supposed to rule the church. No, these churches do market research to

make sure they're user friendly. These are churches that the people rule, not the Word of God.

Let's see what Christ says about the letter to Laodicea.

Onto the angel of the church of Laodiceans, right. These things say of the amen, the faithful and

true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. That doesn't mean he was created. That means

he was at the beginning in the creation. We know from Colossians. Don't miss it. Don't let that.

It's an interesting phrase, by the way. That title of Christ is used in only two letters,

used in this and also used in Colossians. I'll come back to that later.

Jesus goes on, I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would thou art

cold or hot. So then, because thou art look warm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of

my mouth. Yuck. Because I sayest, I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing.

And know us not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.

A friend of mine pointed out to me, a lot of us are familiar with what we call the name and

claim it in the gospel. The people on television that raise money, if you're sick, it's because

you don't have enough faith. If you're in Christ, then you should be rich and wealthy and it's the

wealth. We call it the name and claim it, the blab and grab it, guys. Had a friend of mine say,

they're scriptural. I said, what? He rattled off some of the leaders that figured, yeah, they're

all scriptural. What do you mean, it's a sure? Because they say they're rich and increased with goods

and have need of nothing. That's what they're saying, right? They have need of nothing.

Tell by the Rolex watches and the limousines that, you know, have need of nothing.

One of the prominent TV guys is worth a billion dollars on donations, his personal wealth.

I wonder why he pulled that off. He knows not that he's wretched, miserable,

poor, blind and naked as far as Christ is concerned. These are the lay of the scenes.

His exhortation. By the way, there's no accommodation here. Just concerns and exhortation.

I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire and thou that thou mayest be rich.

And white rain meant that thou mayest be clothed and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear.

And anoint thy knives with eyesabbed that thou mayest see. He's using that eomatically, of course.

You want riches and garments and ability to see, invest in me, not these worldly things. That's

what he's really saying. He's using them eomatically. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten,

bezealous therefore and repent. Now we get into verse 20. This is one of the most beautiful verses

in the scripture as you normally hear it. How many have heard this verse? Behold, I stand at the door

knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him and sup with him and he with

me. Isn't that beautiful? That's a fabulous verse. It's used by evangelists all over the world.

When used as a single verse, that's legitimate, no problem. However,

if you put this in the context of this letter, it's a scathing indictment. Why do I say that?

Let's take a look at the church at Laodicea. Where is Jesus Christ outside knocking to get in?

And his invitation is not to the church. It's to an individual. Behold, I stand at the door knock.

If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him and sup with him and he with me.

It's individual. In the invitation coming from out, this outside the church to the individual.

That's an indictment of Laodicea. You see what I'm saying? He goes on then,

promised to overcome it to him that overcome with I will grant to sit with me in my throne,

even as I also overcame and I'm sat down with my father and his throne. That's where his Jesus is

today. The day will come and the Father, the Son, go get him. That's where he is today.

And then he, the half, the ereledom here with the Spirit says in the churches.

Those are seven letters. Now you notice that each one of these letters, typically a name,

a title of Christ that was used, commendation, concerns, and an exhortation. It's interesting

that two letters had no nothing good set about them. Sardis didn't and Laosia didn't. Those two

letters are devoid of anything good. No way on their report cards. So if the Protestant commentators

like to make mince meat of Thyatira, they better take a good look at Sardis. It's worse off in the

sense. And there are two letters that had no concerns. Smyrna, hey, you're doing fine,

you got any just hanging there. And Philadelphia are the two star witnesses here. Isn't that great?

But something else is interesting that he did half in the years in the first three letters,

the promise to the overcomer is a postscript. In the last four letters,

the promise to the overcomer is in the body of the letter. There's another distinctive

the last four letters I'll show you. Let's go ahead another way. If we take these seven letters,

Ephesus, Smyrna, Bergamis, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laosia, Ephesus is descriptive

of the apostolic church, strict on doctrine but forgot their first love. Smyrna is the persecuted

church, suffering death, willingly being burnt alive for the sake of the gospel.

And Pergamos is when the church marries the world or the world marries the church. They were called

to be separate and testimony to the church, not to the world, not to be part of it. So in Pergamos,

the church marries the world. And that of course leads to what I'll call for like a better term,

the medieval church, inheriting of the state church that then pursues temporal power.

And then we have the Reformation which leads to what we might call collectively the denominational

churches. And then of course we have the missionary church and we have the apostate church that's

forgotten what the name of the game is. Well that's pretty exciting. Okay. What's interesting is this

first three are a group and the promises to the overcomer are postscripted. That suggests to me

that they have a historical termination. These last four, the promises are in the body of the letter

which causes me to suggest that they endure to the end historically. There's another thing that

the last four letters have. The first three don't. Each one of the last four letters has an explicit

reference to the second coming of Christ. It's allude to in the letter and it's conspicuous by

omission in the first three. But there's more to that. Thyatira is explicitly promised to go

into the tribulation. Jezebel, I'll cast you in bed with you into the great tribulation.

Philadelphia is explicitly promised that it would not. It would be delivered from the time of trial.

So it would have seemed that Philadelphia is consistent in that sense, that it's raptured out.

What happens with Sardis and Laodicea is problematic. It's suspected it obviously depends on individual

issues as they all do actually. Something else that's kind of interesting. In Revelation 2 and 3

we have seven letters penned by Jesus Christ. In Matthew 13 we have seven parables given to the

disciples and the Lord says these are things hidden from the foundation of the world which

means they're not in the Old Testament means they're about the church. And it's interesting how these

seven parables map against the seven letters. Let's just take a couple to make the point because

our time is short. The third letter to Pergamos is comparable to the mustard seed.

Mustard seeds, if you have been in Israel you need little bushes that grow about two or three feet

high that are yellow all over the fields in the spring. Those are mustard plants. Little tiny

seed grows to plant about three feet high. Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed

that grows into a tree that is so big that the birds of the air lodge its branches. Have you seen

a bird, lodges and branches and three foot height thing? No. And furthermore the birds in the

parables in the sower are the devil's ministers. If you're looking for the ministers of Satan

don't overlook the pulpits. That apparently what's happening in Pergamos. Thyatira, in one case it

was the woman Jezebel in letters in Matthew 13 it's the woman in the leaven. And you need to

understand the Jewishness of this. The leaven was the fellowship offering. The woman put leaven

in the fellowship offering which if you're Jewish you would gasp in horror. Leaven is always a type

of sin. So again there's a parallelism if you will between Jezebel's false doctor and the woman of

the leaven in the parables there. Let's skip to Philadelphia. The parallel one there is the pearl

of great price. Jesus talks about the pearl of a great price. Very strange idiom for Jesus to use

because he was Jewish and oyster is not kosher. What is he talking about here? The pearl. What a

beautiful analogy. The pearl is the only jewel that is a response to irritation that grows by

accretion and has removed from its place of growth to become an item of adornment.

Talk about the church being raptured. Man, there you go. Anyway you can go all through with these

but some of them are a little technical. They'll give you the flavor. Let's go one step further.

Jesus wrote seven letters to seven churches. So did Paul. He wrote to Ephesus. That one's easy.

They parallel pretty well. He wrote to let it as Murna. Paul wrote to Philippians. Joy through

suffering remember? Pergamos. Is there a church that Paul wrote to that was worldly? Sure to be

a Corinthian was a way of calling a person a fornicator. And of course Thyatira, religious

externalism to call out of that, bein Galatians, Sardis, the denomination, the word of God to be

your sperp. We have the definitive statement of the gospel. Philadelphia, Thessalonians,

parallel to that, the rapture and all of that. And Laodicea and Colossians were suburbs of one

another. They were explicitly instructed to exchange letters. Interesting how to put you play with that.

Remember we had it outlined. The things which thou hast seen, the things which are, the things which

shall be after hereafter. The vision of Christ was chapter one, the things you have seen. The things

which are the seven churches we've just gone through. Then we get to the third section, the

things which shall be hereafter. The word hereafter in the Greek is metatata means after these things.

That's the, we've been through chapters two and three. When you get to chapter four,

the first word is metatata after these things in the Greek. Chapter four, when we get there,

we'll open up. After this I look and behold, the door was open in heaven and the first voice which

I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me, which said, come up hither and I'll show you

things which must be metatata. There's that term again. So from here on is the third section of the book.

Now, there's so much here what we'll do with that reading when we get to the next session. But anyway,

and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne. Wait a minute, I thought these lamps

were on the earth, not anymore. Come up hither. I believe this is a milestone of the rap, Paul,

excuse me, John is treated to a glimpse ahead of what it'll be like at the rapture. That's

really what we're seeing here. And the first voice I heard was a trumpet talking with me,

the trumpet of God. And when you get to chapter five is a very pivotal chapter, a passage in the

entire scripture. John is up there in heaven. He says, I saw in the right hand of him that sat

on the throne a scroll written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals, written within

and on the backside. You didn't usually read right on the backside of a scroll. It was the rough side.

But if it was a title deed, the rules by which it could be opened were written there. This implies

the title deed. That occurs in Jeremiah and elsewhere. And John says, I saw a strong angel

proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the scroll and to lose the seals thereof?

Word goes out, huh? Notice the strange verse three, and no man in heaven,

no man had to be a man. Why? It had to be a kinsman of Adam to be eligible to open his book.

No man in heaven nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the scroll,

neither to look there on. Now you and I don't understand what's going on, but John did,

because he says what in the next verse? I sobbed convulsively. I went much, he said, because no man

was found worthy to open and to read the scroll and neither to look there on. And I went much

because no man was found worthy to open and to read the scroll, read the scroll, neither to look

there on. So John understood this is tragic, this is scary, because no man, it took a man and no

man was worthy to do this. So he's panicked. One of the elders said to me, hey, weep not,

behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, have prevailed to open the book and to

lose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld and lo, in the midst of the throne and the forlorn

of the creatures and in the midst of the elders, stood the lamb as it had been slain, having seven

eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. Who is this guy?

A lamb? Yes, but what is he, what is he, what's this title? The lion of the tribe of Judah.

This is what Matthew spends his gospel establishing the root of David. Yes, he was the lamb that had

been slain. The lamb as it had been slain, not a lamb, the lamb as it had been slain. The entire

universe pivots on this historical event. The book of Leviticus lays down the specifications.

The crucifixion of Jesus Christ was not a tragedy, it was an achievement. And because of that

achievement, there is a man eligible to take this title deed that was God's plan from the beginning.

And Satan's attempt to thwart that plan included trying to contaminate the human race to prevent

a man being eligible to do this. So we have the apocalypse, which will, the catastrophic end

crisis is going to be in the next session. The spectacular reappearance of the king of kings

in his global empire will be the center point. The internment of Satan and the abuso, we'll talk

about that. And the millennial reign of Christ on the earth, that it's astonishing how few churches

embrace this biblical view. And then of course the final insurrection when Satan is finally released

and the final, fortunately the abolition of sin. And we'll see a new heaven, a new earth and a new

Jerusalem that concludes it. So let's stand for a closing word of prayer. Exciting passages of

an exciting book. It's frustrating to try to summarize it so briefly. And yet there's a value in having

the whole thing in view. So I submit that to you. But I do encourage you to undertake when you can

a verse by verse exposition of the book of Revelation. If you do it properly, it'll take you into every

other book of the Bible. It's a very, very, it's something you don't do in an hour or two. It's a

lifetime pursuit. But I encourage you in that direction because it will be a continual blessing.

Let's bow our hearts. Father, we just rejoice in getting a glimpse of the final chapters.

We thank you that you've gone to such extremes that we might live. We thank you that there is a man

right now today sitting on the throne. We thank you that he is worthy to open the seals and look

there on. We thank you that we are the beneficiaries of these extremes that you've gone to, that we

don't deserve. But are we grateful for? Father, we would just pray that you'd take our lives

without any reservation. Illuminate that path before us. Let us know precisely what you'd have

of each of us in the days that remain. That we might be more pleasing in your sight, that we might

be more fruitful stewards of these opportunities. That we might grow in grace and the knowledge

of our Lord and Savior. Yeshua. In whose name we commit ourselves this night.

Amen.

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