Verse by Verse Part 23 The Seven Churches
Verse by Verse – Part 23 The Seven Churches of Revelation Rev 2 -3
Overview of the Churches - Breakdown �Each of the 7 letter begins with: � 1) Description of the one writing the Letter. � 2) Deeds: Commendation and Rebukes. � 3) The blessing to the Overcomer.
The Good and the Bad � 2 Churches were commended. Smyrna and Philadelphia � 5 Were not. Ephesus, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis and Laodecia.
2) I Know Your Deeds: Ephesus �Ephesus: Revelation 2: 2 -6 �✔ Hard work and perseverance. �✔ Don’t tolerate wicked men �✔ Have tested apostles and found them false �✔ Persevered, endured hardships �✖ Forsaken their first love. �Exhort: Repent and do the things they did at first. �Warning: If they do not repent, their lampstand will be removed. �✔ You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans
Who were the Nicolaitans? �Got. Questions. org says, “The exact origin of the Nicolaitans is unclear. Some Bible commentators believe they were a heretical sect who followed the teachings of Nicolas—whose name means “one who conquers the people”—who was possibly one of the deacons of the early church mentioned in Acts 6: 5. It is possible that Nicolas became an apostate, denying the true faith and became part of a group holding "the doctrine of Balaam, " who taught Israel "to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. ”
Who were the Nicolaitans? �Other commentators believe that these Nicolaitans were not so called from any man, but from the Greek word Nicolah, meaning "let us eat, " as they often encouraged each other to eat things offered to idols. Whichever theory is true, it is certain that the deeds of the Nicolaitans were an abomination to Christ. They, like the Gnostics and other false teachers, abused the doctrine of grace and tried to introduce licentiousness in its place.
2) I Know Your Deeds: Smyrna �Smyrna: Revelation 2: 9 -10 �✔ Afflicted and poor �Encouragement: yet they are rich! �He Sees: Opposition from false Jews of the synagogue of Satan. �Exhort: Don’t be afraid of the coming suffering �Warning: The devil will imprison them for ten days. �Exhort: Be faithful, even to death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Synagogue of Satan �John 8: 38 -44 Jesus called the devil the father of some of the Pharisees. �The synagogue of Satan was a group of unbelieving Jews who were persecuting Christians. These groups were guilty of slandering the church in Smyrna and opposing the church in Philadelphia in some way. The synagogue of Satan say they are Jews (the people of God), and they persecute those who believe in Jesus the Messiah (the true people of God). In reality, by rejecting the Jewish Messiah, they have renounced their status as “true” Jews, and that is why Jesus calls them “liars. ” Got. Questions. org
2) I Know Your Deeds: Pergamum �Pergamum: Revelation 2: 13 -16 �He Sees: Satan’s throne is in Pergamum. �✔ Remain true to my name. �✔ Remained faithful in the days of His martyr Antipas �✖ Tolerate those who hold to the teaching of Balaam. �✖ Tolerate those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. �Exhort: Repent therefore! �Warning: Or I will fight them with the sword of my mouth.
Satan’s Throne is in Pergamum. �Other than temples to emperors and even to the goddess Roma, Pergamum held the high honor of hosting and maintaining a temple to Zeus – Father of all gods and man and the ruler of Olympians on Mt. Olympia in accordance with ancient Greek beliefs. Zeus was closely associated with the Roman deity Jupiter whose name means the sky or literally the “heavenly father” god. The altar to Zeus was one of the most impressive structures in Pergamum. The altar’s stairs, columns, and sculptured sides once stood forty feet (12 meters) high.
Satan’s Throne is in Pergamum. � Many have suggested that this altar to Zeus is what is meant by the throne of Satan in vs. 13. But there exist a number of other possibilities – such as the Asclepius cult headquarters or a concentration of the Imperial and Roman cult in that city. In Roman antiquity, the image of a sword and especially a double-edged sword was highly symbolic. Christ introduced himself to the assembly of Pergamum as “the one who has the sharp two-edged sword. ” If the above identification of the throne of Satan as Roman imperial cult is correct then it would make a perfect sense for Christ here to be presented as someone with the authority of the double-edged sword.
Satan’s Throne is in Pergamum. �Pergamum was located in current day Bergama, Izmir Province of Turkey. �Whether this means satan’s throne is now in Bergama, or not, I’m not sure. But what is certain, is satan had his throne in Pergamum in the 1 st century. �We know from Scripture that satan is the god of this world. 1 John 5: 19, 2 Corinthians 4: 4
Who was Balaam and Balak? �You can read about Balaam and Balak in Numbers 22 -24. A fascinating story about a King Balak of Moab who in fear of the nation of Israel, which was moving into his territory, hired the prophet Balaam to curse them. Balaam, however could not curse them as he spoke only what God had him say, and each time Balaam blessed the Israelites.
Who was Balaam and Balak? �However, Balaam gave advice to Balak in how to cause Israel to sin and fall out of favor with their God. Following the advice Balak sent Midianite women to entice Israel into sexual immorality and they then caused Israel to worship Baal of Peor.
2) I Know Your Deeds: Thyatira � Thyatira: Revelation 2: 19 -25 � ✔ Love and faith, your service and perseverance. � ✖ Tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. � Revealed: Led in Sexual Immorality and corrupted food. � Warning: Cast her and her partners on a bed of suffering. � Exhort: Those who associated with her to repent of her ways. � Warning: I will strike her children dead. � Example: To the churches, Christ sees all and will repay each according to our deeds. � Instruction: No burden to those who don’t follow her teaching nor have learned satan’s so called deep secrets. � Exhort: Hold on to what you have until I come.
Who Was Jezebel? �Old Testament Jezebel was the wife of Israel’s King Ahab. She ruled Israel through her weak husband King Ahab, and ordered the extermination of all the prophets of the Lord. Her arch enemy was the great prophet Elijah. You can read about Jezebel in 1 Kings 16: 29 onwards.
Who Was Jezebel? �The Jezebel described in the Epistle to Thyatira seems to be either a real person with that name, who was associated with the church, or it could be the Lord’s way of describing the spirit that was operating in a woman in that church, who is receiving this warning.
Satan’s Deep Secrets �In the early days of the church Satan’s deep secrets came in the form of pagan idolatry, in later years he promoted his lies through the philosophical gnostic (knowledge) cults, but today they come better disguised. Dr Christopher Peppler
2) I Know Your Deeds: Sardis �Sardis: Revelation 3: 1 b-4 �✖ Have a reputation of being alive, but are dead. �Exhort: Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, deeds are not complete in God’s sight. �Exhort: Remember what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. �Warning: If you don’t wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time. �✔ A few people in Sardis without soiled clothes. �Blessing to the Few: Will walk with Christ, in white, they are worthy.
2) I Know Your Deeds: Philadelphia �Philadelphia: Revelation 3: 8 -11 �Promise: Placed before an open door that can’t be shut. �✔ Little strength, yet kept my word and not denied me. �Promise: Those false Jews of the synagogue of Satan, will come and fall down and declare that I have loved you. �Promise: Because of their endurance God will keep them from the hour of trial that is coming. �Exhort: I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no-one will take your crown.
2) I Know Your Deeds: Laodecia � Laodicea: Revelation 3: 15 -20 � ✖ Lukewarm, Jesus will vomit them out. � ✖ You say, `I am rich; don’t need a thing. ’ � ✖ You are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. � Exhort: buy from me gold refined in the fire, to become rich � Exhort: buy from me white clothes to wear, to cover shameful nakedness � Exhort: buy from me salve to put in eyes, to see. � Instruction: Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. � Exhort: Be earnest, and repent. � Promise: I knocks, Hear My voice and open the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
3) To Him Who Overcomes �Ephesus: Rev 2: 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. �Smyrna: Rev 2: 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.
3) To Him Who Overcomes �Pergamum: Rev 2: 17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.
White Stone �In ancient Greece, jury members would cast a white stone to signify an acquittal, whereas a black stone proclaimed the defendant guilty. The weakness of this interpretation is that the stones cast in the courts did not have names inscribed on them. Got. Questions. org
White Stone �One of the better-accepted explanations of the white stone has to do with the high priest’s breastplate, which contained twelve stones. Each of these stones had the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel engraved on it (Exodus 28: 21). As he ministered in the temple, the high priest bore the names of God’s people into God’s presence. In the same way, the “white stone” with the believer’s name written on it could be a reference to our standing in God’s presence. Got. Questions. org
White Stone �The best theory regarding the meaning of the white stone probably has to do with the ancient Roman custom of awarding white stones to the victors of athletic games. The winner of a contest was awarded a white stone with his name inscribed on it. This served as his “ticket” to a special awards banquet. According to this view, Jesus promises the overcomers entrance to the eternal victory celebration in heaven. The “new name” most likely refers to the Holy Spirit’s work of conforming believers to the holiness of Christ (see Romans 8: 29; Colossians 3: 10). Got. Questions. org
3) To Him Who Overcomes �Thyatira: Rev 2: 26 -29 To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations — `He will rule them with an iron sceptre; he will dash them to pieces like pottery’ — just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
The Morning Star �I will also give him the morning star. “Jesus Christ is described as the ‘morning star’ in 2 Peter 1: 19 and He identifies Himself as ‘the bright morning star’ in Revelation 22: 16”
Jesus and satan, both Morning Stars? �The first reference to the morning star as an individual is in Isaiah 14: 12: “How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!” (NIV). The KJV and NKJV both translate “morning star” as “Lucifer, son of the morning. ” Got. Questions. org
Jesus and satan, both Morning Stars? �It is clear from the rest of the passage that Isaiah is referring to Satan’s fall from heaven (Luke 10: 18). So in this case, the morning star refers to Satan. In Revelation 22: 16, Jesus unmistakably identifies Himself as the morning star. Why are both Jesus and Satan described as the “morning star? ” Got. Questions. org
Jesus and satan, both Morning Stars? �It is interesting to note that the concept of the “morning star” is not the only concept that is applied to both Jesus and Satan. In Revelation 5: 5, Jesus is referred to as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. In 1 Peter 5: 8, Satan is compared to a lion, seeking someone to devour. Got. Questions. org
Jesus and satan, both Morning Stars? �The point is this, both Jesus and Satan, to a certain extent, have similarities to lions. Jesus is similar to a lion in that He is the King, He is royal and majestic. Satan is similar to a lion in that he seeks to devour other creatures. That is where the similarities between Jesus, Satan, and lions end, however. Jesus and Satan are like lions in very different ways. Got. Questions. org
Jesus and satan, both Morning Stars? �The idea of a “bright morning star” is a star that outshines all the others, and Jesus is the One who is called “bright. ” Satan was a morning star. Jesus, as God incarnate, the Lord of the universe, is the BRIGHT and morning star. Jesus is the most holy and powerful “light” in all the universe. . Got. Questions. org
Jesus and satan, both Morning Stars? �So, while both Jesus and Satan can be described as “morning stars, ” in no sense is this equating Jesus and Satan is a created being. His light only exists to the extent that God created it. Jesus is the light of the world (John 9: 5). Only Jesus’ light is “bright” and self-existent. Satan may be a morning star, but he is only a poor imitation of the one true bright morning star, Jesus Christ, the light of the world. Got. Questions. org
3) To Him Who Overcomes �Sardis: Rev 3: 5 -6 He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.
3) To Him Who Overcomes �Philadelphia: Rev 3: 12 -13 Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God[Rev 21: 1 -4] ; and I will also write on him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
3) To Him Who Overcomes �Laodicea: Rev 3: 21 -22 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. ”
Next Sermon in this Series �Next week we will be looking at the Revelation 4: “The Throne in Heaven”
- Slides: 38