Separated From God... Reunited.

The following is a really good sermon concerning mankind's separation from and subsequent reuniting with, God.

Sermon #11 by A.T. Jones-- 

    We shall begin this lesson with the verse we were studying last night: James 4:4.

And I desire especially that everyone shall look at the verses himself and study carefully what they say. In the times in which we are and the place to which we have been brought by the evidences that we cannot avoid and against which it is impossible to shut our eyes, I know that I never entered upon a Bible study in my life as I do upon this one tonight, and I desire that all shall surrender every faculty to the guidance of God's Spirit, with the whole spirit surrendered to God, that He Himself may lead us where He wants us to go.

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. (James 4:4)

We wish to notice particularly the question, "Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?" 

It follows therefore that the only possibility of any soul in this world ever being separated from this world and thus from Babylon is to have that enmity destroyed. For, I say again, the friendship of the world is not at enmity with God. If it were, it could be reconciled to God by taking away that which had put it at enmity with God. But it is not that; it is the thing itself--it "is enmity." And that enmity against God, that which is enmity with God, puts us at enmity with Him. Men may be reconciled to God by having the enmity taken away, but the enmity itself can never be reconciled to God. And mankind, whom the enmity puts at enmity with God, are reconciled to God merely by taking away the enmity itself.

We have the key to the whole situation in the fact that the friendship of the world is enmity with God. "The friendship of the world," and "the enmity" are identical; a man cannot have the enmity without the friendship of the world, for that is it--the friendship of the world is in it.

Therefore I say yet again: The only hope of a man's being separated from the world as the Scriptures demand and as our times demand as never before in the world (if there could be any difference) is by having that enmity taken away. That is all we are to seek for; that is all there is to be done, for when that is gone we are free.

In the eighth chapter of Romans this same thing is referred to, beginning with the seventh verse. "Because the carnal mind" or as it is literally in the Greek, "The mind of the flesh is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."

That makes emphatic the thought presented in connection with the other text, that there is no possibility of that enmity being reconciled to God. Nothing can be done with it but to take it away, to destroy it. Nothing can be done for it at all. Something may be done with it, but nothing can be done for it, and for the reason that it is against God; it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. It cannot be subjected to the law of God. God Himself cannot make the carnal mind the mind of the flesh, subject to His law. It cannot be done. This is not speaking with any irreverence toward the Lord or limiting His power, but it cannot be done. God can destroy the wicked thing and all that ever brought it, but He cannot do anything for it, to reform it or make it better.

"So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." Yet this world is of the flesh altogether: "But ye are not of the world" "for I" says the Lord "have chosen you out of the world." He has separated the Christian from the flesh, from the ways of the flesh, from the mind of the flesh and from the rule of the flesh. This separates from the world by separating us from that which of itself holds us to the world.

Nothing but the power of God can do that.

Now let us trace a few moments the record of the time when God made man. Genesis 2. When God made man,  God Himself pronounced him, with all the other things He had made, not simply good but "very good." Then man, the first Adam, Adam as he was, was glad to hear the voice of God. He delighted in His presence; his whole being responded joyfully to His call.

But there came another one into the garden and cast distrust of God into the minds of these. The serpent said unto the woman, Humph! Has God said you shall not eat of every tree of the garden? She said, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, but of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God said Ye shall not eat of it neither shall ye touch it lest ye die. The serpent said, "Ye shall not surely die; for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil." That is the Hebrew of it, and the Jew's translation of it also and the Revised Version, if I remember correctly.

The insinuation was to this effect: God Himself knows that that is not so, and He knows that it is not so that He has told you; this shows that there is something back of that. It shows that He is not dealing fairly with you. He does not want you to be where this will bring you. He does not want you to have what this will give you. He knows what this will do for you and not wanting it to be so, that is why He says, Do not do that. His suggestions were taken and as soon as they were entertained, she thought she now saw what before she did not see and that which in fact was not true. As the Lord made them and intended they should remain, they were to receive all their instruction and all their knowledge from God. They were to listen to His word, to accept that word and allow it to guide them and to live in them. Thus they would have the mind of God; they would think the thoughts of God by having His word, expressive of His thoughts, dwelling in them. But here another mind,  directly the opposite, was attended to. Other suggestions were accepted. Other thoughts were allowed. Other words were received, surrendered to, and obeyed so that "the woman saw that the tree was good for food." Was the tree good for food? No. But by listening to those words she saw things that were not so. She saw things in a way that they were not seen before and never could have been seen in the light of God. But yielding to this other mind she saw things in a false light altogether. She saw that the tree was good for food and a tree to be desired to make one wise. It was no such thing. She saw it so, though.

This reveals the power of deception that there is in the words and the ways of Satan who made those suggestions at that time. As certainly as one inclines his mind that way or has anything in his mind that would of itself incline that way, this gives Satan a chance to work and cause that person to see things in the wrong way,  to cause him to see things as being the only necessary things, which are not true at all and not only are they not necessary, but are absolutely false in every respect.

When Eve "saw" all this, it was only the natural consequence. "She took of the fruit thereof and did eat and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat."

Look at the record a little further. Eighth verse: "And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God." What was the cause of that? There was something about them that would avoid the presence of God, something that was not in harmony with God and caused them to hide themselves rather than to welcome Him.

"And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked?" Now the question: "Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?" And he said, Yes, I have, and I am inclined to think that it was not exactly right and I am sorry. Did he? Oh,  no. The question is, "Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?"  Hadn't he eaten of it? Certainly he had. Why didn't he say, Yes? As to that "why," I will go on a little further with the lesson and then ask this question again and then we can all see why.

He did not answer, Yes. Though that is all the answer there was any room for. But he said, "The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat." It came in at last, admitting that he was involved in it. But whereabouts did he come in? The last possible place. The woman, and even the Lord Himself,  must come in for the blame before the man could allow himself to come into it at all. In all this he was simply saying, in substance, "I would not have done it if it had not been for the woman, because she gave it to me; and if the woman had not been here, she would not have done it; and if you had not put the woman here, she would not have been here. Therefore if she had not been here, she would not have given it to me, and if she had not given it to me, I would not have done it. So, of course, as a matter of fact, I did eat, but the responsibility is back yonder." What was it in him and about that that would lead him to involve everybody else in the universe before himself and before admitting that he had any part in it at all? Nothing but love of self, self-defense, self-protection.

"And the Lord said unto the woman"--another clear question: "What is this that thou hast done?" And she said,  Oh, I took of the tree and I ate of it and I gave it to my husband and he ate and it is too bad. No. She said no such thing. Mark: Still answering the question, "What is this that thou hast done?" (He did not ask, "Who did it?" but "What is this that thou hast done?") "And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat." She answered the question the same way that he did. The same thing caused her to dodge the question and involve somebody else that caused Adam to do that. Everybody else must come in but themselves.

Now I ask again, Why did they not answer the straight question straight? They could not do it. And they could not do it because the mind with which they were actuated, which had taken possession of them, which held them in bondage and enslaved them under its power is the mind that originated self-exaltation in the place of God and never will allow itself the second place even where God is. We all know that that is the mind of Satan, of course.  But back when he started we know that the thing that caused him to reach the position where he stood at this time was exalting himself.

He turned away his eyes from God and looked to himself, gave himself credit for great glory, and the place where he was was not large enough for him and he must exalt himself. "I will exalt my throne above the stars of God....I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High." That was sin. The Lord called upon him to forsake his sin and his wrong course, to turn to God, to accept the ways of God once more. We know that that is so, because it is written, "God is no respecter of persons." There is no respect of persons with God. And as the heavenly family and the earthly family are all one family, as God is no respecter of persons, and as when man sinned, God gave him a second chance and called upon him to return--as certainly as there is no respect of persons with God, so certainly God gave to Lucifer a second chance and called upon him to return. That is settled. He might have forsaken his course; he might have forsaken himself and yielded to God. But instead of yielding he refused that call, rejected God's gift, refused to turn from his ways and to surrender to God once more. And in that he simply confirmed himself, in spite of all that the Lord could do in that self-assertive course.

  And thus the mind which is in him, thus confirmed in sin and rebellion against God is enmity--not simply at enmity; it is enmity itself: "It is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."

Now that mind was accepted by Adam and Eve. And being accepted by them, it took in the whole world,  because they, in that acceptance, surrendered this world to Satan and thus he became the god of this world.  Accordingly that is the mind of this world; that is the mind that controls the world. This mind of Satan, the mind of the god of this world, is the mind that controls mankind as mankind is in and of this world and is in itself "enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."

Now that is why Adam and Eve could not answer that straight question straight. Men could answer that question straight now. But at that time they could not, for the reason that Satan had taken them under his dominion and there was no other power to control them. His control was absolute and there at that moment was "total depravity." But God did not leave him there. He did not leave the race in that condition. He turns next and says to the serpent, "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." Thus there are two enmities in this world: one is from Satan and is enmity against God; the other is from God and is enmity against Satan. And through these two enmities come the two mysteries--the mystery of God and the mystery of iniquity.

This enmity against Satan is the righteousness of God, of course. In this saying, "I will put enmity between thee and the woman," God broke the bond of Satan over the will of man, set man once more free to choose which authority he would follow, which king and which world he will have. In this word God broke the absolute dominion of Satan and set the man free to choose which world he will have. And since that time the man who will choose God's way and yield his will to the control of God can answer a straight question unto the Lord, so that when the Lord comes and asks, Did you do so and so? he can answer, Yes, without bringing anybody else into it at all. This is confession of sin. And thus came the ability to confess sin and reveals the blessed truth that the power to confess sin--repentance--is the gift of God.

Now the mind of Satan being the mind of this world, the mind that controls the natural man, is enmity against God, and it puts man at enmity with God. It cannot be reconciled to God, "for it is not subject to the law of God,  neither indeed can be" The only thing to be done is to get it out of the way in some way. If that can be done,  then the man will be reconciled to God, then the man is all right. He will be once more joined to God and God's word, God's thoughts, God's suggestions can reach him once more to be his guide and his all-controlling power.  And as the thing cannot be reconciled to God, the only thing that can be done with it is to destroy it. Then, only then, and by that means can men be at peace with God and separate from the world. And thank the Lord He has given us the glad news that it is destroyed.

As to how it is done and how we can have the benefit of it, that will come in other studies. I count it glad news that God sends us that the thing is done. Then as to leading us into the benefit of it, the joy of it, the glory of it,  and the power of it, that will be for the Lord to lead us. We know that this enmity--this mind of self and Satan--separated man from God, but God opened the way for man to return. The Lord gave man a chance to choose which world he will have. And this is the whole subject of our study. We are to leave this world if we are going to get out of Babylon at all. It was to give man a chance to choose which world, that the Lord said to Satan, "I will put enmity" between thee and the seed of the woman. And therefore the only and everlasting question is--which world?

Which world? Which world shall a man choose? And when God in His wondrous mercy has opened the way and given us the power to choose a better world than this, why should there be any kind of hesitation?

Turn to the second chapter of Ephesians beginning with the first verse and let us read the good news that the enmity against God is destroyed so that all may be free. Beginning with the first verse:

And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.

We walked according to that spirit. What spirit is it that rules in the children of disobedience? The spirit that controls the world, the mind that originated the evil in the garden and that is enmity against God. Who is the prince of the power of the air? The spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience, the god of this world--who has nothing in Jesus Christ, thank the Lord.Among whom also we all had our conversation [our way of life] in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind.

The mind of this world, being of this world, naturally falls into the ways of this world. "And were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." We were.

Before reading further in Ephesians, turn to Colossians 1:21.

You "were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind."

Then where did the enmity lie that made us enemies? In the mind, the fleshly mind. The mind of the flesh is enmity and it controlling us makes us at enmity and enemies--"by wicked works."

Now Ephesians 2:11: "Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles is the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision"--by the Lord?--No, but "by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands." 

Then here are some men in the flesh calling other men in the flesh certain names, making certain distinctions between themselves.

That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

Another passage in connection with that is in the fourth chapter, 17th and 18th verses, which we will read before reading further here:

This I say therefore and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, [that is, in the idolatry of their mind], having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.

Those who are in the flesh, far off from God, are walking in the vanity of their mind, are alienated from God and are separated from the life of God. Enemies in the mind; that is what we were.

Reading again in Eph. 2:13: "But now"-- When? I mean that. I mean we who are now here studying the scriptures, we are to yield ourselves to the word of God exactly as it is, that it may carry us where He may want us. Therefore I ask, When? Now, right where we are.

"But now, in Jesus Christ, ye who sometime were far off." Far off from whom? Far off from God? or far off from the Jews? The previous verse says far off from God, "without God," alienated from the life of God. "Ye who sometime were far off [from God] are made nigh" to whom? To God? or to the Jews?--Nigh to God of course.

"Ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh to God by the blood of Christ. For He who is our peace, who hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us--that was between us--having abolished in his flesh the enmity."

Thank the Lord. He hath "abolished the enmity" and we can be separated from the world.

"Hath broken down the middle wall of partition between"--whom? Between men and God, surely. How did He do it? How did He break down the middle wall of partition between us and God? By "abolishing the enmity." Good.

True, that enmity had worked a division and a separation between men on the earth, between circumcision and uncircumcision, between circumcision according to the flesh and uncircumcision according to the flesh. It had manifested itself in their divisions, in building up another wall between Jews and Gentiles--that is true, but if the Jews had been joined to God and had not been separated from Him, would they have ever built up a wall between them and anybody else? No, certainly not, but in their separation from God, in their fleshly minds, in the enmity that was in their minds and the blindness through unbelief which put the veil upon their heart--all this separated them from God. And then because of the laws and ceremonies which God had given them, they gave themselves credit for being the Lord's and for being so much better than other people, that they built up a great separating wall and partition between themselves and other people. But where lay the root of the whole thing, as between them and other people even? It lay in the enmity that was in them that separated them first from God.  And being separated from Him, the certain consequence was that they would be separated from others.

"For He is our peace, who hath made both one." Made both who one?--God and men, certainly. "And hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us, having abolished in his flesh the enmity...for to make in himself of twain [of two] one new man, so making peace."

Let us look that over again. "having abolished in His flesh the enmity." Now omitting the next clause (We are not studying that in this lesson.), what did He abolish that enmity for? What did He break down that middle wall of partition for? Why? "for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace." Does Christ make a new man out of a Jew and a Gentile? No. Out of a heathen and somebody else? No. Out of one heathen and another heathen?

No.

God makes one new man out of God and a man. And in Christ, God and man met so that they can be one.

All men were separated from God and in their separation from God they were separated from one another. True,  Christ wants to bring all to one another; He was ushered into the world with "Peace on earth; good will to men."  That is His object. But does He spend His time in trying to get these reconciled to one another and in trying to destroy all these separations between men and to get them to say, "Oh, well, let all bygones be bygones; now we will bury the hatchet; now we will start out and turn over a new leaf and we will live better from this time on"?   Christ might have done that. If He had taken that course there are thousands of people whom He could have persuaded to do that; thousands whom He could persuade to say, "Well, it is too bad that we acted that way toward one another; it is not right, and I am sorry for it. And now let us just all leave that behind and turn over a new leaf and go on and do better." He could have got people to agree to that. But could they have stuck to it?  No. For the wicked thing is there still that made the division. What caused the division? The enmity, their separation from God caused the separation from one another. Then what in the world would have been the use of the Lord Himself trying to get men to agree to put away their differences without going to the root of the matter and getting rid of the enmity that caused the separation? Their separation from God had forced a separation among themselves. And the only way to destroy their separation from one another was of necessity to destroy their separation from God. And this He did by abolishing the enmity. And we ministers can get a lesson from this, when churches call us to try to settle difficulties. We have nothing at all to do with settling difficulties between men as such. We are to get the difficulty between God and man settled and when that is done, all other separations will be ended.

It is true, the Jews in their separation from God had built up extra separations between themselves and the Gentiles. It is true that Christ wanted to put all those separations out of the way and He did do that. But the only way that He did it and the only way that He could do it was to destroy the thing that separated between them and God. All the separations between them and the Gentiles would be gone, when the separation, the enmity,  between them and God was gone.

Oh, the blessed news that the enmity is abolished! It is abolished; thank the Lord. There is therefore now no need whatever of our having any friendship with the world. No need of our having any lack of obedience to the law of God. No need of any failure to be subject to God, for Jesus Christ has taken the enmity out of the way. He has abolished it, destroyed it. He has destroyed the wicked thing in which lies friendship with the world, in which lies lack of subject to God and failure to be subject to His law. It is gone; in Christ it is gone. Not outside of Christ. In Christ it is gone, abolished, annihilated. Thank the Lord. This is freedom indeed.

That has always been good news, of course. But to me now, in view of the situation which God has shown us as we are now placed in the world, this blessed news has come to me in the last few days as though I had never heard it before. It has come to me bringing such joy, such genuine Christian delight, that--well, it seems to me I am just as happy as a Christian.

Oh, the blessed fact that God says that thing which separates us from God, which joins us to the world and which does all the mischief, is abolished in Him, who is our Peace. Let us take the glad news tonight, rejoice in it all the night and all the day, that God may lead us on further and further into the green pastures and by the still waters of His glorious kingdom into which He has translated us. "Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you [unto me I know] is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Thank the Lord.

1895- G.C. Sermon #11 by A.T. Jones

Hear His Voice - Open the Door.

Rev 3:14  And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God

 

Col 1:14  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 

Col 1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 

Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 

Col 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 

 

Eph 3:9  And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ

 

Rev 3:15  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 

Rev 3:16  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 

 

Jesus KNOWS us. You can't hide what you are at heart from Jesus, you just can't! Lie to yourself, but you cannot lie to JESUS! He knows the thoughts of every one of us. He knows OUR actions. He knows whether we are hot or cold, and He wants us to be one or the other, but NOT lukewarm! Not a proclaimed Christ follower who has no real heart for Christ's truth at all. Not a proclaimed Christian who mouths the words that sound good to the ears but want nothing to do with the hard truths of His word. Lukewarm. These are going to be those who when He comes He's going tell them that He doesn't know them and they are going to be shocked. Did you read that? Here, read it from HIS own words-

 

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 

Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 

 

MANY are going to cry out to Jesus and tell Him how they lived for Him but He's going to tell them He NEVER knew them!  If this doesn't wake you up I don't know what will. These people He DOESN'T know are doing many things in His name, using His name without any true love for Him.  Lukewarm- not hot for Him, not cold for Him, but professors of knowing Him without His knowing them at all. LUKEWARM.

 

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked 

 

They believe they are rich in all they need to be Christ's and need nothing more. They don't know they are wretched, they don't know they are miserable, poor, blind and naked. They just don't see it, they've covered themselves in delusions of Christ's riches so that they think they are far from being miserable, poor, blind and naked.

 

Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 

 

Jesus wants them to get from Him FAITH - gold tried in fires. Jesus wants them to get from Him RIGHTEOUSNESS- the purity of being washed in the blood and made white as snow. Jesus wants them to get from Him SPIRITUAL SIGHT - eyes opened to His truth, all of His truth without exception!

 

Rev 3:19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 

 

Be rebuked! Be Chastened! REPENT! Christ loves us!

 

Rev 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 

 

He stands there before us wanting to come into our lives with His truths. If we hear Him we must open our lives to Him, our entire lives not just a tiny portion. The door must be opened wide, all the way, as far as it can be opened, and we must step back from that door and let Christ inside us so He can sup with us, and us with Him! He must come into our lives and live there with us partaking of our lives and we with Him.

 

Rev 3:21  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 

Rev 3:22  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. 

 

To overcome the lukewarm-ness that threatens to destroy so many mean we will be allowed to sit with Jesus in His throne! He overcame and sat down in His Father's throne. 

 

LET US HEAR! LET US LISTEN TO THE SPIRIT SPEAKING TO US RIGHT NOW!

Let Us Hear the Spirit.

Rev 3:7  And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; 

 

Rev 1:18  I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. 

 

Isa 22:22  And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

 

Key to the house of David. We know that David was one of the men chosen by God for a very special purpose. David was not without fault, but He loved God, in spite of his own human failings. He loved God and sought forgiveness, repenting of his sins. Serving God meant everything to David. David's heart was towards God, and God's toward David. The key to the house of David.

 

Psa_30:1  A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David. I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.

 

The house of David.

 

2Sa 5:11  And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house. 

 

The house of David, was symbolically the house of his descendants, yes?  If you hear that someone is from the house of your grandfather, you would assume and rightly so that it means they descend from his house. If a person could trace their ancestry back far enough they may find they come from a certain house ( a certain family ).

 

Jesus descended from the house of David.

 

Luk_1:27  To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

 

Mat 1:17  So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. 

 

Rev 3:7  And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

 

Jesus- Holy, True, Key of David, Opening No Man Shuts, Shuts and No Man opens.  Jesus alone has such power. Jesus speaks to the next angel, the angel of the sixth church- Philadelphia- as He has spoken to all the angels of the churches, instructing John to write it all down for us, and for all His followers throughout time from the moment it was written and given to them.

 

Rev 3:8  I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. 

 

Jesus knows our works- our actions, our lives. Jesus has put before us an open door--  the way, the narrow path we are to follow, the way we are to go, the door we are to knock upon that is opened to those who are HIS. Truly all of humanity have little strength. We realize that we are dependent upon the Savior's strength. We keep HIS word, we do NOT deny HIS name.

 

Rev 3:9  Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 

 

There are those who are not Jesus', who do not want to belong to Him but instead belong to the synagogue of Satan. These pretend to belong to God, but it's a lie. The truth isn't in them. They are of those who think they belong to Christ but will hear Him say that He doesn't know them. They can cry out about all the wonderful things they've done in His name, but it won't matter because they used His name without ever knowing Him, without Him ever knowing them.

 

Rev 3:10  Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 

 

Keeping the word of Jesus' patience, this is what we must keep.

 

Rev 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. 

 

Rev 1:9  I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 

 

Col 1:11  Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness

 

Heb 6:12  That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 

 

Heb 10:36  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 

 

Jas 1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 

Jas 1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 

Jas 1:4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 

 

Jas 5:7  Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 

Jas 5:8  Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. 

 

Rev 3:11  Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 

 

Jesus will come quickly, truly He will.

 

Rev 3:12  Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. 

Rev 3:13  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. 

 

A pillar in the temple of God, never having to ever leave God's presence again. A new name written upon us, the name of God. The name of the city of God- new Jerusalem which will come down from heaven from God. We get a new name! Let us hear the Spirit speaking to the churches!  Please, let us hear!

Be Watchful and Strengthen the Things Which Remain.

Rev 3:1  And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. 

 

Jesus said to the angel of the church- that He- knows the works of those following Him. He know their works- He knows they have a name, He knows they are living, yet dead.

 

Truth. The living dead are all who live without hope of eternal life. They live now, yet they are living now only to eventually die and be no more.

 

Rev 3:2  Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 

 

These followers must watch. These followers must strengthen the things they have left, the things they haven't abandoned, the things that could die. The works of these followers are not perfect before God.

 

Rev 3:3  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, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. 

 

These followers need to remember HOW they received and heard the truth. They must hold fast and repent of the way they have gone, the straying they've done. If they AREN'T watching, they will be taken by surprise and not be prepared for the Savior's return.

 

Rev 3:4  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. 

 

There are a few followers that have not gone astray, their robes of righteousness remain spotless, they will walk with Christ, they are worthy in Christ.

 

Rev 3:5  He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; 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. 

Rev 3:6  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. 

 

These Christ followers that overcome the evil that will threaten to keep them from Christ, keep them from remembering, keep them from repenting, they will be clothed in purity, in white raiment. These followers will keep their names in in the book of life. These followers will have their names confessed before the heavenly Father, before all the heavenly angels.

 

We must hear what the Spirit is saying, we must.

 

*******

 

Whatever historical dates are represented by this church we know that the messages are applicable to us today as they have been applicable to all Christ followers. These are messages we dare NOT ignore. They may be shrouded in layer upon layer of Satan induced webbing meant to confuse us and keep us from holding fast as instructed, but we must not let that webbing keep us from truth! We must cling to what we can glean through the Holy Spirit shining the light in the darkness. We must watch, ever watch and be ready for our LORD at His appearing.

 

He Knows Our Works.

Rev 2:18  And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; 

 

The Son of God- with eyes like a flame of fire, and feet like fine brass speaks to the angel of the next church, the fourth church.

 

Rev 2:19  I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. 

 

Jesus knows His Christ followers and their -

 

-works

-charity

-service

-faith

-thy patience

-works

 

These followers work hard for Christ, they have love - the love God desires from us, their service is notable, and their faith strong, and they have patience- such amazing followers are to be commended for so much and yet…

 

Rev 2:20  Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. 

Rev 2:21  And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. 

Rev 2:22  Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. 

Rev 2:23  And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. 

Rev 2:24  But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. 

 

With all their remarkable commendations they failed because they allowed the teaching of idol worshiping! How? Why? The two are so far from each other. God has forever hated idol worshiping and yet here are Christ followers who are allowing the teaching of idol worship, it's really shocking. Jesus gave these followers time to repent, to cease from what they were doing but they would not! How often in life are things we do that are blatantly against God's will, things we refuse to give up? What in our lives is worshiped above God? We may not offer food to idols, and eat that food, anedwe may not commit fornication as a part of our idol worshiping, but we have idols in our lives that will destroy us if we don't repent.

 

Jesus says- He will cast the idol worshiping teacher into a bed and all those that commit adultery into great tribulation- UNLESS they repent!

Jesus says-  I will kill this teacher's children with death. That ALL the churches will KNOW that Jesus searches us our hearts, and ways and HE will give to all according to their actions- their works.  We can't imagine what we do means nothing at all.

 

Those not caught up in the teachings and allowing the idol worshiper to teach her evil ways will not be considered guilty of them, Jesus will have nothing more to reprimand them with.

 

Rev 2:25  But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. 

 

Jesus wants them to hold fast, to keep what they are doing until He comes- that they are not a part of those who accept the evil introduced into Christ's followers as being a part of the church, a part of Christ's followers.

 

Rev 2:26  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 

Rev 2:27  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. 

Rev 2:28  And I will give him the morning star. 

Rev 2:29  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. 

 

We must READ, we must UNDERSTAND, we must KEEP these things we are being told! This is for Christ's followers throughout all time, we ignore these words of prophecy at our own eternal peril!

 

EXCERPT to follow from the book Daniel and Revelation by Uriah Smith-

(For those who have not read the book- this excerpt may seem very confusing. By all means read the book if you desire a more thorough comprehension of what is written.)

 

'If the period covered by the Pergamos church has been correctly located, terminating with the setting up of the papacy, A. D. 538, the most natural division to be assigned to the church of Thyatira would be the time of the continuance of this blasphemous power through the 1260 years of its supremacy, or from A. D. 538 to A. D. 1798.

 

Thyatira signifies "sweet savor of labor," or "sacrifice of contrition." This would well describe the state of the church

 

p 388 -- of Jesus Christ during the long period of papal triumph and persecution. This age of such dreadful tribulation upon the church as never was (Matt. 24:21), improved the religious condition of believers. Hence they receive for their works, charity, service, faith, and patience, the commendation of Him whose eyes are as a flame of fire. And works are then again mentioned, as if worthy of double commendation. And the last were more than the first. There had been an improvement in their condition, a growth of grace, an increase in all these elements of Christianity. This church is the only one that is commended for an improvement in spiritual things. But as in the church of Pergamos unfavorable circumstances were no apology for false doctrines in the church, so in this church, no amount of labor, charity, service, faith, or patience could compensate for a like sin. A rebuke is therefore given them for suffering in their midst -

 

That Woman Jezebel. - As in the preceding church Antipas denoted, not an individual, but a class of persons, so, doubtless, Jezebel is here to be understood in the same sense. Watson's Bible Dictionary says, "The name of Jezebel is used proverbially. Rev. 2:20." William Miller, Lectures, p. 142, speaks as follows:      "Jezebel is a figurative name, alluding to Ahab's wife, who slew the prophets of the Lord, led her husband into idolatry, and fed the prophets of Baal at her own table. A more striking figure could not have been used to denote the papal abominations. (See I Kings, chapters 18, 19, and 21). It is very evident from history, as well as from this verse, that the church of Christ did suffer some of the papal monks to preach and teach among them. (See the History of the Waldenses.')"

 

The Comprehensive Commentary has the following remark upon verse 23:       "Children are spoken of, which confirms the idea that a sect and its proselytes are meant."   The judgments here threatened against this woman are in harmony with the threatening's in other parts of this book against the Romish Church under the symbol of a corrupt woman, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth. (See chapters 17-19.)

 

p 389 -- The death which is threatened is doubtless the second death, at the end of the one thousand years of Revelation 20, when the righteous retribution from the Searcher of "the reins and hearts" of all men will be given. And further, the declaration, "I will give unto every one of you according to your works," is proof that the address to this church looks forward prophetically to the final reward or punishment of all accountable beings.

 

And All the Churches Shall Know. - It has been argued from this expression that these churches could not denote seven successive periods of the gospel age, but must exist contemporaneously, as otherwise all the churches could not know that Christ was the searcher of the reins and hearts from seeing his judgments upon Jezebel and her children. But when is it that all the churches are to know this?  -  It is when these children are punished with death. And if this is at the time when the second death is inflicted upon all the wicked, then indeed will "all the churches," as they behold the infliction of the judgment, know that no secret thing, no evil thought or purpose of the heart, has escaped the knowledge of Him, who, with eyes like flames of fire, searches the hearts and reins of men.

 

I Will Lay Upon You None Other Burden. - A respite promised the church, if we rightly apprehend, from the burden, so long her portion, -  the weight of papal oppression. It cannot be applied to the reception of new truths; for truth is not a burden to any accountable being. But the days of tribulation that came upon that church were to be shortened for the elect's sake. Matt. 24:22. "They shall be holpen," says the prophet, "with a little help." Dan. 11:34. "And the earth helped the woman," says John. Rev. 12:16.

 

Hold Fast Till I Come. - These are the words of the "Son of God," and bring to our view an unconditional coming. To the churches of Ephesus and Pergamos, certain comings were threatened on conditions:   "Repent, or else I will come unto thee," etc., implying visitations of judgment. But here a coming of a different nature altogether is brought to view. It is not a threatening of punishment. It is suspended upon no

 

p 390 -- conditions. It is set before the believer as a matter of hope, and can refer to no other event but the future second advent of the Lord in glory, when the Christian's trials will cease, and his efforts in the race for life, and his warfare for a crown of righteousness, will be rewarded with everlasting success.

 

This church brings us down to the time when the more immediate signs of the soon-coming advent began to be fulfilled. In 1780, eighteen years before the close of this period, the predicted signs in the sun and moon were fulfilled. (See chapter 6:12.) And in reference to these signs the Saviour said:   "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."   In the history of this church we reach a point when the end is drawing so near that the attention of the people could properly be called more particularly to that event. All along Christ has said to his followers, "Occupy till I come." Luke 19:13. Now he says, "Hold fast till I come."

 

Till the End.- The end of the Christian age. "He that shall endure unto the end," says Christ, "the same shall be saved." Matt. 24:13. Is not here a like promise to those who keep Christ's works, do the things he has enjoined, keep the faith of Jesus? Chapter 14:12.

 

Power Over the Nations. - In this world the wicked bear rule, and the servants of Christ are of no esteem. But the time is coming when righteousness will be in the ascendency; when all ungodliness will be seen in its true light, and be at a heavy discount; and when the scepter of power will be in the hands of the people of God. This promise will be explained by the following facts and scriptures:    (1)    The nations are to be given by the Father into the hands of Christ, to be ruled with a rod of iron, and dashed in pieces like a potter's vessel (Ps. 2:8, 9);    (2)    Associated with Christ when he thus enters upon his own work of power and judgment, are to be his saints (Rev. 3:21);    (3)    They are to reign with him in this capacity for one thousand years (chapter 20:4);    (4)    During this period, the degree of judgment upon wicked men and evil angels is determined (1 Cor. 6:2, 3);    (5)    At the end of the one

 

p 391 -- thousand years, they have the honor of sharing with Christ in the execution of the sentence written. (Ps. 149: 9).

 

The Morning Star. -  Christ says, in chapter 22:16, that he is himself the morning star. The morning star is the immediate forerunner of the day. What is here called the morning star, is called the day star in 2 Peter 1:19, where it is associated with the dawn of the day:   "Until the day dawn, and the day star arise."   During the saints' weary night of watching, they have the word of God to shed its needful light upon their path. But when the day star shall arise in their hearts, or the morning star be given to the overcomers, they will be taken into so close a relationship to Christ that their hearts will be fully illuminated with his Spirit, and they will walk in his light. Then they will no longer need the sure word of prophecy, which now shines as a light in a dark place. Hasten on, O glorious hour, when the light of heaven's bright day shall rise upon the pathway of the little flock, and beams of glory from the eternal world shall gild their banners!'   

He Knows - Repent

Rev 2:12  And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges

 

Jesus speaks to the third church. A church that heard the message when John's writing circulated. A church that heard the message in the historical time period intended, and a church that has heard the message throughout the many years since it was given. All God's people that make us His church hear, understand, and keep these words, these truths given. May we discern right now as He would have us discern all that he'd have us know.

 

Rev 2:13  I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. 

 

He know us.

He knows where we live.

He knows.

He knows where Satan's seat is.

He knows that even in such a place His people hold fast to the name of Jesus Christ. He knows they have not denied their faith even when one of their own was killed for his faith right there where Satan dwells.

 

Rev 2:14  But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. 

 

Holding fast is important, it is also very important that was do not allow any idols in our lives. Idol worshiping comes in many forms make no mistake about that. You may not know of any food offerings given to idols but we serve our idols in various ways just as evil. We can't hold on to idols, we just can't. We mustn't serve anything or anyone in worship other than God. Committing fornication is equivalent to idol serving because we leave the purity of having a husband in exchange for living outside the marriage relation as if we were married but are not it's living a lie. Surely the -them that hold- these doctrines must change their ways.

 

Rev 2:15  So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 

 

Our Lord and Savior hates all that has anything to do with serving other gods, false gods, all of which are part of Satan's work.

 

Rev 2:16  Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 

 

Repent- TURN FROM the evil- if we don't turn away from the evil and choose Christ over the evil, Christ will destroy us along with the evil.

 

Rev 2:17  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. 

 

The hidden manna- the hidden heavenly food- the words that come out of our Savior's mouth- the bread of life. The white stone with a new name. You've heard the saying- written in stone and when that's said it's meant that it is something irrevocable, something permanent. Given a white stone, a pure stone with a new name- a name given to us by Christ - how amazing that will be! We know that a few times in the Bible those chosen by God were given new names - Abram became Abraham, Jacob became Israel… new names, new names with new meanings. May we be among those who are given a white stone with a new name written.

 

*******

Note- here is an excerpt from a prophecy booklet called- 'These Times - The amazing prophecies of Daniel and Revelation.  A Special Issue.' pg. 24-25

 

'Verses 12-17. The city of Pergamos (or Pergamum) was the capital of the Roman province of Asia. A rich, important city, it served as a center of emperor worship and various pagan religions. Jesus perceptively described Pergamum as a city in bondage to the dictatorship of Satan, the leader of all evil forces (see Revelation 12:9;13:1,2). The great failure of the church at Pergamum was that it allowed pagan, unchristian influences into its midst, accepting the teaching of "Balaam" -- a reference to a man who influenced the Israelites shortly after they left Egypt to unite with pagans and become involved in idolatry and immorality (Numbers 22-25; 31:13-16).

 

The experience of the whole church following AD 313, when Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity, resembled that of Pergamum. Following this time the church increasingly accepted pagan ideas and practices into its midst and advanced steadily down the path of apostasy foretold by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. The church's only hope lay in its willingness to let the sharp "two-edged sword" of truth wielded by Jesus cut away their selfishness and pride (cf Hebrews 4:12). '

 

The reason I wanted to insert this note is because we need to touch on the specific historically applied aspect to the prophecy as well as the time of John the prophet, and we most certainly can tell already how it's applied to us now and to all of God's people through history in a broad meaningful way.

 

The historical time period this covers- Constantine, or perhaps, rather, from his professed conversion to Christianity in A.D. 313 to the establishment of the papacy in A.D. 538.

 

In 313, Constantine proclaimed the Edict of Milan which legalized Christian worship.  Go to Wikipedia, look up Constantine and this is in there.  We've already gone over these dates when we studied the prophecy of Daniel. Daniel and Revelation both deal with prophecy in a huge way and go hand in hand in so much.  This all fits together and the placing of the puzzle pieces will mean we need to go back and forth between these two books and truly throughout the entire Bible.

 

 

He Was Dead and He Is Alive.

Jesus tells John to write- 

 

Rev 2:8  And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; 

 

He is the FIRST and He is the LAST. He was DEAD and He is ALIVE.

 

I have to take a moment here to include this bit of insight. Why is it important that Jesus is alive after death? Seriously, why? I ask this because most people seem to believe we are ALL alive after we die, right? Ask several people you know if they believe their dead loved ones are in heaven right now? What kind of response do you think you'll get? Yes, yes…yes… it's a common belief now. So again, why is Jesus being alive after dying important? Supposedly all people live after death so Jesus living after dying is no great feat. You may interject that it's important because Jesus lived after dying with His flesh body where others who die are not in their flesh bodies any longer. Jesus could interact with others in their flesh bodies, others can't. These are important truths, but is that all it means to have eternal life and salvation? You get to put your floating self that has been alive since you died back into your body?  If this is what it means WHY aren't we told this part at all? Why doesn't God's word go into great detail on this aspect? Why are we left to wonder about it all? Where are we told in God's word that we get to float out of our bodies after death and are able to visit earth and our loved ones whenever we want, but they won't know it? That we get to watch all their heartache and sorrow, tortures and agonies, dying because we can see it all- oh, and the part about no more tears or sorrow in heaven- that isn't really true, right? Because what person in any form- spirit or body could watch a loved one in pure agony and not feel their heart break? Do you understand what I'm saying? God's word does NOT support our continuing to live on with our ability to think, reason, know, praise after we die. God's word supports death being a sleep. Death is a sleep because it is temporary, just like sleep that isn't death's sleep is temporary. Death is a sleep because we aren't conscious of any thoughts we are having while we sleep. We may dream but dreams are not under our control in any way at all whatsoever, we are not conscious in our dreams. Death is a sleep because the next thing we know after we fall asleep is waking up again. And God's word tells us this…

 

1Th 4:13  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 

1Th 4:14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 

1Th 4:15  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 

1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 

1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 

1Th 4:18  Wherefore comfort one another with these words. 

 

Do you see it? Do you understand? Those that die in Christ, will wake up at the last trump when the Lord descends with a shout. If you are already awake - conscious in spirit form after you've died, then why would you need to be woken up? You KNOW what it means to wake up- you have to be sleeping in order to be woken up. IF you were already conscious why isn't the word of God telling us that the spirit bodies are reunited with their flesh bodies? Why not? WHY NOT?

 

Yes, it may seem I'm caught up on this point because I speak of it so often, but it's truth that so many are BLIND to and want to remain BLIND to so they can placate themselves with the comforting belief that death isn't nothingness, that loved ones are still around them and know things- like they love them and miss them. They want this lie to be truth because it makes them feel good somehow. Instead of finding the greatest comfort in knowing their loved ones DO NOT see them and all their struggles and pains, and the agonies of the entire world, but are sleeping and have no pain - emotional, mental, physical to witness, they focus on their self and the own emotional need for the comfort of still believing the loved one lives on in a better place. They deny completely the reality of death.  They ignore the Bible truth in favor of lies.

 

When I read Jesus saying to John that He is the FIRST and the LAST, that He was DEAD but is ALIVE- it truly is miraculous because He woke from death's sleep and came forth from the grave, His body had seen no corruption, His body had not begun any sort of decay. However, He didn't want to be touched at all until He'd gone to the Father.

 

Joh_20:17  Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

 

He hadn't gone out of His body, His spirit hadn't left His dead body the moment He breathed His last and gone to heaven like people believe happens. He stayed in death's sleep until God raised Him from the grave, waking Him from death's sleep. Jesus interacted with others after waking from death, but it wasn't until He'd gone to heaven to see His Father and returned that He allowed others to touch Him.

 

Truly, Jesus' being DEAD and ALIVE is incredibly miraculous and this death and living after death has only been allotted to a few compared to the many, many, many millions, trillions of people that have lived and died.

 

Continuing on with the vision John was receiving from Jesus-

 

Rev 2:8  And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; 

 

Rev 2:9  I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. 

Rev 2:10  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 

Rev 2:11  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. 

 

To the second of the seven churches Jesus was leaving messages for-

 

He knows their works, He knows their tribulations, He knows their poverty… yet He knows they are rich. HE knows their blasphemy- those who call themselves Jews but are not, but are of the church of Satan himself!

 

They aren't to fear any of the things they suffer.

 

The devil would put some of them in prison, trying them for ten days (prophecy ten days- ten years?) but they would still be faithful until they died. If they died faithful they would get a crown of life from Jesus.

 

We have to listen, we have to hear what the Spirit is saying to God's people. God's people will not be hurt in the second death- they will not be a part of the second death- the death from which there is no life after.

 

*******

 

Now, I want to take something from a previous study and copy it here- please take the time to read it.

 

'seIf, as we talked about already, the seven churches spoken of represent God's people throughout time- the period of time suggested by others who have studied Revelation for the first church- Ephesus is.. 'the period from the resurrection of Christ to the close of the first century, or to the death of the last of the apostles.' And the second church - Smyrna - 'the date of the Smyrna church would be A.D. 100-323.' The big question is….how did they come to this date?

 

Well first let's look at what's said.

 

'And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write...These things saith the first and the last which was dead and is alive'

 

John through the Spirit is writing to the angel of the people of God in Smyrna. The first, the last, which was dead and is alive- this could be none other than- Jesus.

 

'I know thy works and tribulation and poverty but thou art rich'

 

He knows the works- the actions of His people in Smyrna. He also knows their tribulation. He understands what they're going through. Tribulation. If I say I'm going through tribulation am I talking about a little bit of a hard time? No. I'm talking about a very hard time, a time of such suffering, of such affliction it doesn't compare to ordinary upsets. Jesus knows the actions, the works, and He knows of the intense suffering of those people. He also knows of their poverty- their deficiencies, unproductiveness, their lacking, but He also knows they are rich.

 

A conflict? Can one be in poverty and be rich at the same time? They sure can be if we are thinking along the lines of being poor in one thing while rich in another. You can have a person poor in finances and rich in optimism. Jesus knows it all- the suffering the poverty and the riches. We are told in the Bible this--

 

Matthew {19:24} And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

 

With this in mind it's easy to imagine the riches  spoken of here  as something other than monetary riches. 

 

These are  riches of God- heavenly treasure, not an earthly treasure.

 

Matthew {6:20} But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth

corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. Heavenly riches.

 

A person can be rich in heavenly treasures and in extreme poverty upon the earth.

 

Yes, you can be rich in one thing and lacking in another. You can have a richness of love and a poverty of kindness. Jesus knows all of us, the good and the bad in us - His people throughout time.

 

'and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison- that ye may be tried and ye shall have tribulation ten days'

 

Blasphemy- 1. a. A contemptuous or profane act, utterance, or writing concerning God or a sacred entity. b. The act of claiming for oneself the attributes and rights of God.

2. An irreverent or impious act, attitude, or utterance in regard to something considered inviolable or sacrosanct.

Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary

 

There are those who claim to be God's but are really from where?

The 'synagogue of Satan.'

Devil worshippers who claim to be God's people.

God knows who those people are, and truly there are those in all ages who are guilty of this- of claiming to be God's people while their lives, their hearts, the truth says otherwise.

 

God doesn't want His people to fear things that will be suffered by them. Again in all ages we face suffering for our faith and yet we are to fear not.

 

The devil will put some of God's people in prison- those people will be tried and have tribulation ten days. Now this is where we have to ask ourselves a question- ten days? In prophecy days can stand for years. Is there any notable ten year period of tribulation for God's people?

 

There is...

'The Diocletianic Persecution (or Great Persecution) was the last and most severe persecution of Christians in the Roman empire.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diocletianic_Persecution

 

In 303, Emperor Diocletian and his colleagues Maximian, Galerius, and Constantius issued a series of edicts rescinding Christians' legal rights and demanding they comply with traditional religious practices. Later edicts targeted the clergy and demanded universal sacrifice, ordering all inhabitants to sacrifice to the gods. The persecution varied in intensity across the empire—weakest in Gaul and Britain, where only the first edict was applied, and strongest in the Eastern provinces. Persecutionary laws were nullified by different emperors at different times, but Constantine and Licinius's Edict of Milan (313) has traditionally marked the end of the persecution.'

 

303 to 313 - ten years!

 

The revelation was-

'the devil shall cast some of you into prison- that ye may be tried and ye shall have tribulation ten days'

 

Ten days- Ten years of GREAT tribulation, great suffering, great persecution.

 

The prophecy goes on to say-

 

'be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death'

 

Be faithful unto death. Telling them what? They would die! God's people, His church, would be persecuted to the death.

 

Faithful unto death. In truth we all throughout time must be faithful unto death, we must be determined to be God's until we die no matter what the cost might be. Faithful unto death.

 

The reward for such faithfulness is a crown of life! The crown of life given for those who receive life eternal in Jesus. The price is well worth the sacrifice to obtain such a priceless gift.

 

We are told once more--

 

'He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches'

 

LISTEN!

 

And the promise-

 

'He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death'

 

Meaning the death that is eternal- the death that comes when the 1000 years in heaven with Jesus are over and evil and sin are wiped out of existence the death of all those who are evil and are destroyed forever- that death will not hurt those who are God's faithful.

 

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years

 

Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

 

Rev 21:8  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

 

May God bless and keep us through the tribulations we have and will have, may we remain faithful unto Him forever. May the second death not hurt any of us as we seek life in Jesus, our Lord and Savior now and forever!

 

Amen'