Revelation 6:9-17 - Who is Able to Stand?

Revelation 6:9-17

Fifth Seal: The Cry of the Martyrs

9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

Sixth Seal: Cosmic Disturbances

12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. 13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. 14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

The fifth and sixth seals of the scroll that only the Lamb of God could open in heaven were witnessed by the beloved disciple and apostle John when transported in the spirit to stand before the Lord.  Who is able to stand before the Almighty unless brought to Him by Him?  The fifth seal broken revealed what would come as those slain over the centuries for holding faithfully fast to the word of God and the testimony of His grace in Christ through the gospel as the prophets of old had anticipated.  These cried out with a loud shout to the ears of the Lord asking Him how much longer they would have to wait until justice brought vengeance on their persecutors who opposed them because they stood for God and His word in obedience to the death (Matthew 24:12-13, Revelation 2:10) as Christ the Lamb of God had done for them (Philippians 2:8).  These looked for divine justice to be revealed and those opposed to the Lord to answer for their disobedience shown in how they treated the faithful people of God who suffered for His name’s sake.  They were seen to be given white robes to symbolize their purification in the Lord and told to rest a while and wait patiently until the return of the Lord to earth and the rest of the martyrs were added to their number before the final judgment of the Lord’s vengeance on sin was accomplished at last.  Then John observed the sixth seal being shattered by the divine Lamb of God as the earth experienced the shattering of earthquakes and darkness in the heavens above.  The people who were not the Lord’s were terrified.  These cried out and desired to be buried under the crumbling creation as they faced their judgment with dread and attempted to hide in utter futility.  They observed the moon turn red as blood signifying their accountability for shedding the blood of the faithful revealed in the previous opened seal and how the very stars of the universe above fell from their appointed places to the earth in a cosmic display of the end of all things.  Even the sky over their heads appeared to be rolled up as the scroll which held the details of this event written from eternity on that account to be opened only by the Lamb.  In Matthew 24:29, Jesus had already given this account of what was to come but it fell on deaf ears, yet some must have recalled Matthew 24:30, 31 where He told us that He would be seen as the Son of Man come in judgment and would gather His chosen elect to Himself out of that judgment, the ones who had previously believed and received Him and His word of the gospel of grace to righteousness in Him for eternal security, safe and secure from these cosmic alarms of the end of all things as we see them now in preparation for the new heavens and earth to follow.  Those who do not so know and confess the Son of God will only be able to do as shown in this future event to John, they will try futilely to hide from His wrath of judgment when only the Son can take away that wrath on their sin by His merciful grace.  Nobody can hide from the One true God on His sovereign throne in heaven or from the wrath of the Lamb’s vengeance for disobedience and disbelief in all He told us.  When that great day of vengeance and judgment comes, the question remains, “Who is able to stand?”  We know from His word of the gospel of Jesus Christ that only those found in Him are able to stand firmly and with full assurance to and through the judgment of the end (2 Thessalonians 2:15, 1 Peter 4:7) as we remain vigilant in prayer and valiant for the truth.  As it is written in 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 for we who do now stand and with absolute certainty will stand in and through the judgment by the grace of God in the gospel of Jesus Christ, “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.”  Amen.

Revelation 6:1-8 - Sealed Fate of Rejecting Christ

Revelation 6:1-8

First Seal: The Conqueror

1 Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

Second Seal: Conflict on Earth

3 When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” 4 Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.

Third Seal: Scarcity on Earth

5 When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”

Fourth Seal: Widespread Death on Earth

7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” 8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.

The seals opened by the Lamb of God for John to see of what is to come upon the world as judgment unfolds begin with these four.  First, the man on a white horse would come to conquer as an ongoing campaign using his bow to strike down the opposition and would be crowned with authoritative power to enable him to do so for an apparently extended period of time as he was to be seen conquering with the aim of subjugating all he came against.  The second seal opened by the Lamb who alone was worthy and able to reveal what had already been predetermined by God’s hand in writing there revealed a fiery red steed with a ferocious man riding it.  He was seen to go about the world to take away the peace and tranquility of all people in the midst of the ravaging of wars begun by the conqueror on the first horse.  He incites further wars so that the nations and peoples turn on one another in violent conflict as he wields an immense sword himself to spur them on.  The third seal was opened to reveal a dark horse with a man holding scales to measure out scarce amounts of food to the world at exorbitant prices no one could afford.  This dark rider would bring famine and death through starvation and likely further incite violence to take what little would remain from one another as the lack of peace and warring conflict would drive people to such extreme measures to survive.  When the fourth seal was removed from the scroll and it was unrolled further, it revealed a pale horse of ghastly implications.  Death sat on this dimly colored steed as John heard the fourth living creature tell him to come closer and observe what he saw to record it for us to contemplate.  This death rider was followed by Hades right behind him to show that judgment after death to those not in the Lamb who is Christ would suffer (Hebrews 9:27-28) and face an eternal punishment of torment (Matthew 25:46, 1 John 4:18).  This death and Hell as we call it would be going around with the power to kill off a fourth of the world’s population by means of violence, starvation, deadly diseases, and wild animals gone amok in the devastation and destruction of society.  These first four revelations from the scroll as it will be unsealed and progressively unrolled show us that God’s judgment will be terrible on those who reject His Son through repentance and faith (Mark 1:15, John 8:24, 12:48, 1 John 5:10-11) as the gospel revelation shows us and the recorded word of the Lord testifies to all.  These happenings are what will come in the sealed fate of rejecting Jesus Christ in the end.  It is far better to now listen to God’s word (John 20:31) in the gospel and turn in repentance and faith (John 3:17-18, 5:24, 6:40) than face such eternal suffering. 

Revelation 5:1-14 - Worthy is the Lamb of God!

Revelation 5:1-14

The Lamb Takes the Scroll

1 And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.

4 So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. 5 But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”

6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.

Worthy Is the Lamb

8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
10 And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth.”

11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:

“Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

14 Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!”
And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.

This first vision given to John in the heavens saw him witness the sealed scroll symbolizing the unfolding events of the future of God’s work of the revelation of judgment on the world.  The question thundered and reverberated throughout the throne room of God’s presence, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?”  None appeared to be able to do so, not on earth and neither in heaven, not to open the scroll nor even to be able to look at it!  What would happen if the scroll of time was not opened and the future events remained hidden to us?  John wept in despair that there appeared to be none worthy there who could open and read it.  Then the good news was proclaimed that the Lamb of God, the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the Root of David, the Messiah, was able to open and read it because He alone earned the right and had the ability to do so.  This was because the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, had put sin’s penalty to death and defeated death itself by His death and resurrection from the grave!  He was seen then by John there as a Lamb slain by sacrifice who had the seven Spirits of God and all power represented by the horns and eyes which roam the earth (Zechariah 4:10, 2 Chronicles 16:9) and watch over the seven churches as seen in chapters two and three.  He came and took the scroll from the right hand of God who sits on the throne in heaven, the hand and position of all power and sovereign authority.  When the Lamb took the scroll in hand, all fell down to worship before Him who is the divine Son of God that sacrificed Himself on the cross for us all to pass over our sins (Romans 3:25-26, 1 Corinthians 5:7) by taking the penalty of them on Himself as a scapegoat (Leviticus 16:10) and permanently carrying them away from us.  The elders there before the throne then San His praises for His work that enabled the Lamb to unseal the scroll and reveal the book of life to all who were found written there (Philippians 4:3, Revelation 13:8) and the events to follow until our final redemption and His reign upon the earth in our presence.  They sang his praises for being worthy for who He is and all He has done to be the One to open the sealed book to reveal all sealed as His!  We are redeemed by that sacrifice of His lifeblood out of every nation and not just Israel, chosen and justified through the faith of Abraham, and made to rule with Him in eternity and minister here as priests, each and every saved and justified soul who is His, not ones named by man as worthy to so serve as priests.  That earthly misinterpretation by those in Rome will be exposed at last at His return.  Then the heavenly chorus made up of the multitude of angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders all spoke His praise and worthiness.  They proclaimed the Lamb as being worthy of all power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing — attributes only ascribed to the Divine Lord God.  Everyone and everything in earth and sky and sea blessed and honored Him on the throne and the Lamb forever and ever as the highest praise.  The four living creatures serving nearest to God the Father then ended this statement with a hearty Amen and the twenty four elders then fell prostrate as well before Him in worship in this heavenly throng.  We also proclaim now, Worthy is the Lamb of God who was slain and takes away the sin of the world, as John 1:29 looked forward to at His arrival on the earth the first time.  Come, let us worship and adore Him in anticipation of the day we will be united in eternity before the throne come to earth (Revelation 21:3, 22-23, 22:3-4) and laud the Lamb who alone is worthy! 

Revelation 4:1-11 - Holy, Holy, Holy, and Worthy!

Revelation 4:1-11

The Throne Room of Heaven (Is. 6:1–3)

1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”

2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

6 Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. 8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:

“Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!”

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:

11 “You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created.”

After John was witness to the Lord giving His messages to the seven churches through their angels, He called the aged apostle to come to heaven’s door to see things that would be coming soon that he might record them for us to come through the ages afterwards.  The word gives us this account which is the rest of the book, starting with an immediate spiritual journey to stand before the throne of God in heaven above, outside the physical realm of the universe which the Jews called the third (2 Corinthians 12:2) heaven.  He witnessed the Almighty sitting high and lifted up (Isaiah 6:1) on His sovereign throne there and was witness to the splendor and grandeur of the LORD seated there with glowing appearance and surrounded by twenty-four elders on their lesser thrones there.  These wore white robes of purification by the Lamb and their own lives (Daniel 12:10, Revelation 7:14) and had been crowned with golden crowns (1 Peter 5:4) for their faithfulness.  They sat there to give glory and praise in honor to the LORD seated there by falling prostrate in worship as the living creatures (Ezekiel 1:5, 10, 10:14) attending the LORD gave glory, honor, and thanks to the eternal One.  They joined in the worship and praise as we who are in Christ will also one day!  Yes, these worship the One with the seven lamps of the Spirits of God before Him as the lightning and thundering voices fill His presence there and which we anticipate with fear and trembling.  The four living creatures endlessly sing praises of, “holy, holy, holy” that we feebly imitate now on earth in our congregations.  They praise Him who was and is and is to come, the eternally existing One.  We will imitate these like the elders seen here, casting the crowns of grace to honor Him when we see His face and proclaim the worthiness of the only One deserving of our glory, honor, and praise now and into forever.  We acknowledge that He alone created the universe with everyone and everything in it, and He alone holds everything together (Colossians 1:16-17) by His will and power for His glory.  How we who are now in Christ yearn eagerly for the time when time ends and eternity begins so we can join in this heavenly throng of praise to sing holy, holy, holy, and worthy is the Lamb (Revelation 5:8, 12) who was slain for our redemption and right to spend forever with our LORD God Almighty! 

Revelation 3:14-22 - Be On-Fire Zealous!

Revelation 3:14-22

The Lukewarm Church

14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,

‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 

20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’”

The angel of church at Laodicean was told to convey this warning to the people there who had lost their first love in a sense like that of those in Ephesus.  These had become spiritually lukewarm, tepid and tasteless to the Lord.  They were accused of being neither hot nor cold, spiritually unmoved and comfortable in all they possessed while imagining that they did not need anything else and had it made.  It was revealed that they actually were “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked,” meaning that they were unfulfilled and lame in soul with nothing of value to cover their lives with.  How easy it is to receive undeserved blessings form the Lord and then to bask in the comfort of the wealth and image we need nothing more since we have it all, only to have the Lord reveal to us that we have nothing apart from Christ and all possessions we have been entrusted with are for stewarding to help others.  These things are not to keep us from the works prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10) to give glory to God in showing our love for Him in loving others by ministering and serving them in material and spiritual things.  Like those Laodiceans, we would be wise to buy refined garments of grace to clothe our spiritual nakedness and solve of understanding by the Spirit to see as God does, obtaining the true purified gold of goodness from Him in contentment (1 Timothy 6:6-9) as our riches and service as our exercise of grace in humble return.  We do well to accept rebuke and correction from God’s word (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and zealously turn from self-seeking sin to humility of mind in turning to follow Him as we are given the command and example here.  Like these in this old church, we should listen to His voice spoken inaudibly to our souls and open the door to His control as we yield to walk in the Spirit and fellowship with Him as we see our humble estate and look forward to the crown of righteousness in His presence by seeing our true state and not focusing or relying on what we have.  All we have is God’s and as good and faithful stewards we should be on fire in zeal for things of eternal and lasting value (Matthew 6:33) instead of lackadaisically living in feigned contentment.  Overcomers who see these things will sit in His presence without shame as we listen and heed the words of God given to the seven churches and to us now in all the churches to follow.  If we are His, then we have these spiritual ears to hear because He gave them to us just like the spiritual eyes with heavenly vision to love kingdom lives now.  Are we lukewarm and tepid, or are we striving to be zealous and valiant for living the truth? 

Revelation 3:7-13 - An Open and Shut Case

Revelation 3:7-13 

The Faithful Church

7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,

‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 

12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.

13 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.“‘

The salvation of those true believers it the church of brotherly love, Philadelphia, was an open and shut case, just as it is with all now who are found in Christ.  The Holy One who is just and true has the key of the Messiah through David to open the door to our hearts and His for eternity.  We are also saved from the wrath of God and the certain judgment we all have earned (Romans 3:23) by the key of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:18) who turned it from a locked sentence of death (2 Corinthians 1:9-10) into an end of justice for our inherited and ongoing sin to an unlocked door in His righteousness as justified by his work to accept us and make us accepted (Ephesians 1:6) in Him who is our Beloved Savior!  He has opened the prison door of our captivity in bondage to sin (Acts 5:19, 12:10, Hebrews 2:14-15, Ephesians 4:8) and led us to follow Him.  Just as the Lord knew the works of the transformed lives of those of the church at Philadelphia, so He knows our acceptable works which we walk out as those eternally accepted in Christ.  The door to eternity and the kingdom of heaven is held open to us and nobody can shut it in our face to keep us from our Lord, not even we ourselves by our sin.  Since we follow the example of the Philadelphians, we also find added strength to our meager amount in our faith in Him and His working and refuse to deny His name as well.  This is our testimony and path we are on as faithful and frail believers who’s have been set free from the imprisonment of sin to worship and follow His commandments from the heart.  We persevere as commanded with the assurance of salvation as our certain hope because He loves us.  Those who stand against us will one day bow down (Philippians 2:10-11, Isaiah 45:23-24) to their Lord who alone is our righteousness and strength while all who are opposed to him will suffer never ending shame.  Because they and we hold fast to the key master, we will persevere through the pressing times of trial on the world as the end approaches in which men and women will either repent and turn from their sin to Him or face the closed door which they reject and refuse to enter (John 10:9-10, 27-29) because they never were His sheep.  We who are called and chosen do enter and follow our Shepherd as we hold fast to what we have been freely given as accepted and acceptable to Him.  May we likewise not stumble around and lose our crowns to those who would attempt to keep us from living acceptable lives of hope and obedience in the midst of our trials.  Overcomers are once again promised to find an eternal place in His presence in the temple come to earth in the New Jerusalem as we are engraved with His name!  Our salvation and eternity are and open and shut case; open if we are in Christ, and shut if we reject Him.  Therefore, let us who hear our Master’s voice faithfully listen and take heed along with all the seven churches told these promises here. 

Revelation 3:1-6 - Strengthen what Remains!

Revelation 3:1-6

The Dead Church

1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,

‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. 4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.“‘

Strengthen what remains!  That is the message from the Lord Jesus Christ who holds the seven angels of the churches and His seven Spirits to the church at Sardis (“escaping ones,” as from corruption).  This church appeared dead even though they claimed to be full of life.  Many of their works seemed to be dying or near death as they let them falter due presumably to their inattention of heart to do them.  They were therefore called to strengthen what little remained of those works by being attentive and watching over what they were doing or not doing anymore.  They were specifically told to look back and remember all they had been given and received and heard from the Lord and to turn back to doing those things in heartfelt repentance, an apt reminder for us to be watchful and to hold fast (1 Corinthians 15:2, 2 Thessalonians 2:15, 1 Timothy 6:20, Hebrews 10:23) to what we have heard from the gospel as this warning is for us all and not just to this particular church.  We all are prone to wander and allow corruption to take hold if we are not watchful in prayer (Ephesians 6:18, 1 Peter 4:7) and so must be willing to repent when we do and keep our eyes on the way set before us (Isaiah 30:21) that we might also turn back continually to hold fast to our Lord and sound doctrine put into daily practice.  If we neglect to do these things, we may face the same loss of reward as those in Sardis and not escape the consequences of spiritual corruption when He comes to us unannounced and unexpected.  There was hope for the church at Sardis, however, as the Lord identified a few who kept themselves clean and were worthy of His praise; may we strive to imitate them in faithfulness and strengthen what remains.  Overcomers are promised a new wardrobe of holiness in white attire because their names are written in the permanent stone of the Book of Life and are announced to the onlooking angels before the throne of the Lord.  We who are in Christ are in His book and have this assurance, needing only to know that our loss is not of eternal life (1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 12-13, 14-15) but of glory which we could have given to the Lord in return for our salvation.  We who are not ashamed (Luke 12:8) of the name of our Lord and Savior God, Jesus Christ, have our names in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3) and are confessed by the Son to the Father in heaven as reward for trusting and receiving Him (John 1:12) as our Savior and Lord and passing from death to life (John 5:24).  These things were written to be heard and acted on by the seven churches then and all now.  Strengthen what remains! 

Revelation 2:18-29 - Deal with Corrupt Teaching!

Revelation 2:18-29

The Corrupt Church

18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write,

‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: 19 “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. 20 Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. 22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. 23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.

24 “Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden. 25 But hold fast what you have till I come. 26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—

27 ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron;
They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’—
as I also have received from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star.

29 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.“‘

This church in Thyatira (meaning “continual sacrifice, or “odor of affliction”) had a some who allowed corrupt teaching which led to sinful living in sexual immorality and idolatry.  Therefore, the Lord spoke through His servant John to the angel over the church to deal with the people there who did not do the good works prepared for them (Ephesians 2:10) which the faithful ones were praised for.  The faithful in Thyatira were known to God for their works of service, their faith, and their patience in dealing with things like bad teaching, but their tolerance was taken too far and they allowed a false prophet to continue and the effect was leading others astray from the truth and incurred God’s wrath.  The seductive teaching was of lawlessness that led people to believe they could go on sinning and even setting up idols that took the place of the Lord God!  Even today we see the misapplied half truth, “once saved, always saved” as an excuse to keep indulging their flesh and pursuing other things as their first love (Revelation 2:4) instead of pursuing holiness and pure worship.  What that church needed to do is what God stepped in to accomplish; they should have called the erring teacher and false prophetess to repentance and stop her teaching to mislead the flock.  The Lord therefore dealt directly and harshly with her and those who followed her licentious ways by sickness and suffering unto death for lack of turning from their sin back to Him.  He reminded them and us that He knows and searches our hearts and minds to sweep away the excused hiding our true motives and desires (Hebrews 4:12) with His word of truth.  We are rewarded according to our works (1 Corinthians 3:12-13, 14-15), either to His glory or our loss and shame.  Those who had not fallen for the lawlessness of this personal prosperity teaching as an excuse to sin and rub some beads in a sense to alleviate their guilt and ignore the need for confession of this sin and of repentance, these faithful ones who stayed the course of truth and avoided the depths of satan’s lies, these were accepted and encouraged to hold fast (1 Thessalonians 5:21, 2 Thessalonians 2:15, 2 Timothy 1:13) to what they knew and possessed in Christ.  They were promised to reign as kings with Him (1 Corinthians 4:8) who will judge the world in righteousness and stop every mouth set against Him and the gospel.  We are again reminded what the Spirit of God told the seven churches then and now to hear and heed His words.  We are called to holiness and purity in mind and heart according to the scriptures and in purity of worship in Christ alone for the glory of God and not to serve our own desires.  We have been bought at such a price that we can do nothing else but live for Him and do works fitting (Matthew 3:8, Acts 26:20, Ephesians 5:3-4) of our deliverance from the judgment to come on the world.  Above all, the warning is for the church to deal with false teachers and to live godly lives without excusing sin that we may please and worship only Him. 

Revelation 2:12-17 - No Compromise!

Revelation 2:12-17

The Compromising Church

12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,

‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: 13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. 15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 16 Repent, or else I will come to you quickly 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 to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.“‘

The church of Pergamos was warned through her angel not to compromise the testimony of the Lord nor His word.  They were told this by the Living Word (John 1:1, Hebrews 4:12) whose words cut to reveal our true intentions and thoughts, our desires and what drives our actions.  This double-edged sword of His word is as sharp as can be and separates hidden motives behind our works to reveal if we hold firm to Him and His word by unwavering faith and do not deny our Lord in persecution and threats of any severity.  How many shirk from identifying with Jesus Christ even when no physical harm is threatened?  These in Pergamos saw men like Antipas was killed for meting a witness (martyr) to the truth of the gospel and still stood firm and held to the course of faith’s conviction as true witnesses under tangible threats.  We should be emboldened more in the West where such threats of death are rare still and never deny His name as we humbly acknowledge Him and His work for us.  These had loved in the midst of what the Lord called the place where satan’s throne was, where the works of the adversary were rampantly active.  We see the enemy’s work in our own time and are called to stand firm as we remain valiant for the truth and true to our witness of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.  The sword of the Lord showed their faithfulness on one side, but also revealed on the other side how they compromised by allowing false idolatrous teachings and practices of the Nicolaitans hated by God, identified as being like Balaam the deceiver who moved Barak to push for idolatry and immortality (Numbers 31:16, 2 Peter 2:15-16) to God’s people.  Some among their church actually held to those ungodly teachings and were called out and were called to repent or find the Lord fighting against them if they continued in such sinful doctrines and practices.  The same ending was given to hear what the Spirit was telling them and the other of the seven churches to overcome and also eat of the “hidden manna” as food from God’s hand.  These overcomers were also promised a white stone with a new name written for them on it known only to the recipient because it was God’s personal gift and identity for them.  The manna was spiritual food received by faith and the new name was their identity in Christ (Isaiah 62:2-3, 65:14-15, 16, 17) as new creations by His grace in the promised new heavens and earth.  We find then the example for us to remain valiant for the truth and holy in avoiding idolatry and immortality as we make our stance of no compromise of the truth and our identity in Christ openly to the world. 

Revelation 2:8-11 - Fear Not, Overcomer!

Revelation 2:8-11

The Persecuted Church

8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,

‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: 9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.“‘

‘Fear not’ is the call to the church at Smyrna.  Though these were persecuted by the adversary and appeared to be quite poor in material possessions, though they suffered pressing difficulties, they continued in doing good works to honor God as prepared (Ephesians 2:10) for them to accomplish out of joy and devotion to the Lord who saved them.  These words of comfort and encouragement emanated from the very mouth of the Lord Jesus Christ who “was dead and came to life” to confirm the promise of their own resurrection by demonstrating His to them and to we all who are also found in Christ now.  As then, even now there are those who blasphemously claim to be of God’s people but are not as they still worship their father the devil (John 8:44); these were those pretending to be Jews, and now appear among us as they mouth the name of Christ without being found in Him by saving grace.  These in Smyrna are our example to fear not when suffering comes upon us in the face of imitation believers set against the truth and we who know we are the people of God in Christ in truth.  We may be imprisoned or just suffer pressing tribulations by those opposing the gospel and we who are in Christ, but we are all called to be faithful when these things happen to us, even if it is to the death of these bodies in our resistance.  We have been promised a crown of life (1 Corinthians 9:25-26, James 1:12) by faith in Christ!  Again we are called along with this church and all the other of the seven to hear and deed the Spirit of Jesus Christ who speaks these words of warning and comfort.  We are more than overcomers in Christ (John 16:33, 1 John 5:4) and the second death after our resurrection (Revelation 20:6, 14) will not keep us from Him.  Fear not, overcomer! 

Revelation 2:1-7 - Keep Rekindling your Love in Truth

Revelation 2:1-7

The Loveless Church

1 “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,

‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. 6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God”’ 

The first of the seven churches this book was primarily written to was at Ephesus.  It is interesting that it is addressed to the angel watching over the church there and not directly to the church.  This may be because of the responsibility of the watcher to convey this message, but that is unclear.  The Lord who holds these seven angels referred to as stars is the one who walks among these churches to know their works and hearts.  He tells them that He knows their works, labor, patience, and that their love of those who are and do good  because they cannot bear those who are evil.  He commends them for testing false apostles to expose their lies as they persevered in the gospel of truth.  They patiently labored for the Lord and did not grow weary (Galatians 6:9, 2 Thessalonians 3:13) in going good for the name of the Lord and His honor with demonstrable praise.  Then the Lord conveyed His displeasure with them for “leaving their first love.”  Their zeal to keep sound doctrine may have kept them from showing love and grace to others, or simply drifted from their close relationship with Jesus Christ in general, or both.  He called them to turn back to Him and away from such sin in either case, and go back to their first works which likely meant the love and zeal to please God as when we first are delivered from the power of darkness (Acts 26:18, 1 Peter 2:9-10) and bathe in His marvelous light revealed in knowing Him and His word as a babe in Christ when we first believed.  They were warned if they did not rekindle their first love and turn back that they would lose their church as a lampstand of this light of hope to the world.  Nonetheless, they were still further commended for standing firmly against false teachers in their love in being valiant for the truth.  The final words to this church are repeated to the others to follow as well.  If they are listening and paying attention to the word of the Lord, then they will all hear what God’s Spirit is saying to all the seven (and more even now) churches and take decisive action of humble repentance in thought, words, and deeds.  The result of being an overcomer (1 John 5:4-5) in Christ is eating of the tree of life (Revelation 22:1-4) in eternity before the Lord’s throne and presence of true Paradise restored from Eden’s Garden when God walked in our presence.  We are to constantly watch and keep rekindling our love for God and others in truth with willing obedience to the two greatest (Luke 10:27) commandments.

Revelation 1:9-20 - Seeing the Son of Man

Revelation 1:9-20

9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”

12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. 19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. 20 The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

The book begins with the Son of Man speaking to John on the island of his exile for the faith in Jesus Christ on the Lord’s Day.  He wrote to an audience of fellow believers and one who shared in the sufferings as well as patience for the gospel of the coming kingdom of God in the testimony of Jesus the Christ.  On this day, he heard a trumpeting voice announcing that He was the I AM, the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the one who is firstborn from the dead!  He already said this in verse 8 where Jesus also called Himself the ever-existing Almighty, the I AM of Exodus 3:14 who is God the LORD.  Jesus the divine LORD now spoke to His servant John to observe all he would be told and shown so that he could record it all in his limited understanding and send to the seven churches of the time and of all time to come.  When John turned to see who spoke to him, he observed the most awesome and wonderful vision of all, the Son of Man standing among the seven lampstands representing the seven churches he would be writing to.  The overwhelmingly bright image of the Lord before him was of a man in a robe with a gold sash and having pure white head and hair with fiery eyes and oven-purified brass feet.  The Lord spoke with a voice as if many voices of a bubbling brook (Ezekiel 43:2) as He held seven stars which were the seven angels of the churches and glowed like the sun as His tongue was seen like a sharp two-edged sword (Isaiah 49:2, Hebrews 4:12, Revelation 19:15) which is the word of God He uses to judge the world (Psalm 9:8, Acts 17:31) in righteousness.  Of course, the only reaction John or any of us in his position could have was to fall prostrate on the earth in complete worship and realization of his sinfulness in the presence of the Holy One!  The Lord then comforted him and told him to rise and fear not because of who He was as the ever-existing God who was the first (Colossians 1:15-16, 18) of all creation because all was made through Him and is the Last (Isaiah 48:12-13) because He will judge the world and keep all given Him in eternal life after judgment.  He reminded John that Jesus was dead as the Son of Man in the flesh and and lives forever as the Son of God in power and authority.  He alone has the keys to release us from sin’s imprisonment of bondage through atoning grace earned by His propitiating lifeblood on the cross of our curse (Galatians 3:13) laid upon us all by our universal inheritance of sin through Adam.  He alone has the keys to release us from that sentence of judgment from Hades and from Death itself in spiritual and bodily forms.  After assuring John of His person and work, the Lord then commanded the aged apostle to write down all he would see, both as things were described as present and the future events to unfold over time.  Such is the beginning of the mysteries to come in the ongoing unveiling of history climaxing in His final judgment and bringing His throne to rule for a new earth in His kingdom to come () in the universe remade apart from the presence of sin!  We have this record to guide us through it all until we see Him face to face at last (Job 19:25-27, Revelation 22:4).  This is a book of ultimate hope come to fruition at last in seeing the Son of Man.