Showing posts with label The Revelation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Revelation. Show all posts

Revelation 3 commentary


   
    1-2:[1] And to the messenger of the Called-out in Sardis write These things says HE THAT HAS THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD [2] AND THE SEVEN STARS I know your works that you have a name that you live yet are becoming dead Matthew 8:22, James 2:14-26 Be watching and strengthen the others who are about to die for I have not found your acts having been completed in the sight of God scrTR 3: Remember therefore how you have received and heard and hold fast and repent If therefore you shall not watch I will come on you as a thief and you shall not perceive what hour I arrive upon you[3] 1 Thessalonians 5:1-4 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: They that overcome the same shall be clothed in white raiment and I will not blot out their names out of the Book of Life[4] but I will confess their names before my Father and before his angels 6: They that have ears let them hear what the Spirit says to the Called-out 7: And to the messenger of the Called-out in Philadelphia write These things says HE THAT IS HOLY HE THAT IS TRUE HE THAT HAS THE KEY OF DAVID Isaiah 22:17-[22]-25  HE THAT OPENS AND NO ONE SHUTS AND SHUTS AND NO ONE OPENS 8: I know your works perceive [that] I have set before you an open door and no one can shut it that you have a little power and have kept my word and have not dis-owned my name 9: Behold I will make them of the Synagogue of Satan who say they are Jews and are not but do lie see [that] I will make them to come and worship before your feet Matthew 19:28-30, 24:13-23, Luke 19:13-19, 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 and to know that I have loved you  10: Because you have kept the word of my patience I also will keep you out [of] the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world[5] to test them that dwell in the land[6] 11: Behold [I] come quickly Hold fast [that] which you have that no one take your [victor’s] wreath crown/prize 12: Them that get the victory will I make pillars in the temple of my God and they shall go no more out and I will write upon them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God which is New Jerusalem which comes down out of Heaven from my God and I will write upon them my new name 13: They that have ears let them hear what the Spirit is saying to the Called-out 14: And to the messenger of the Called-out of the Laodiceans write These things says THE AMEN[7] THE FAITHFUL AND TRUE MARTYR[8] THE SOURCE OF CREATION  THE GOD 15: I know your works that you are neither cold nor hot I prefer [that] you were [either] cold or hot 16: So then because you are tepid and neither cold nor hot I will spew you out of my mouth[9] 17: Because you say I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing and perceive not that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked 18: I counsel you to buy of me gold refined from fire that you may be rich and that you may be clothed [with] white raiment and that the shame of your nakedness do not appear disappear? and anoint your eyes with eye-salve that you may see [clearly] 19: As many as I love I call to account and discipline Psalm 94:12-13, Hebrews 12:4-17 so be zealous [for righteousness] and repent 20: Behold I stand at the door and knock if any hear my voice and open the door I will come in to them and will dine with them and they with me 21: To them that overcome will I grant to sit with me in my throne rule and reign with me even as I also overcame and am set down with rule and reign with my Father in his throne 22: They that hath ears let them hear what the Spirit says to the Called-out

[1] Punctuation, chapter, and verse segmentation was added long after the scriptures were written. They are helpful up to a point but often cloud [or cast misunderstanding upon] the meaning some passages. This commentary has done away with most punctuation, but most verse numbers are left intact except in certain cases like verses :1-2 of Revelation chapter three.
[2] See footnote in Revelation 1:4 of this blog
[3] This can only be a reference to the Rapture and not the 2nd Coming. At the 2nd Coming of Christ, every eye will see him and understand exactly what they are seeing. At the Rapture, many will not. Though the Rapture will not be secret, there will be many who by choice refuse to perceive what has happened. Graves will be opened, the dead raised, and those in Christ who are alive and remain will disappear before the very eyes of many as they are caught up to join the resurrected ones and meet the Lord in the air. Many who are left behind will deny what has taken place. Those who are not “In Christ” [though they profess themselves to be] will be caught by surprise; the day will come upon them as a thief. They will refuse to perceive and accept what has happened, and, to their eternal doom, will embrace the lie 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, 5:1-9, 2 Thessalonians 2:2-12. 
[5] The Bible phrase “the whole world” or “all the world,” could mean the entire earth but does not necessarily mean so. Some examples of only part of the earth being called the “whole world” include:  Luke 2:1, Acts 11:28, 17:6, 19:27, 24:5, Romans 10:18. But Jesus did say a time of trial was coming that would effect the entire world. His wording left no doubt that he was not speaking of region upheaval but clearly global. And he commanded his followers to pray that they would be counted worthy to escape all the terrors that would come as a snare upon those who would not see it coming. Why will they not see it coming? Because they will refuse to believe what is written  Luke 21:33-36.  John Bunyan wrote an awesome allegory about literal truths found in the Bible. What a tragedy that, today, many believe the Bible itself to be an allegory. That would mean John Bunyan wrote an allegory about an allegory—Which he did not. If that had been the case, then understanding the truth of the allegories in Pilgrim’s Progress would be an utter impossibility. Though the Bible features some allegorical illustrations, such as the parable of the sower, these always illustrate literal truths.  Any allegorical [illustrative], symbolic, or figurative speech found in the Bible is also defined within the Bible itself. 
[6] The Great Tribulation Matthew 24:21-22 is a time of trial coming upon the whole earth, and one of its purposes is to test them “that dwell in The Land.” The congregations in Asia were composed of Jews who had been dispersed into Asia Acts 2:5-10, 1 Peter 1:1-2 These understood that the reference [in The Revelation] to “The Land” was a reference to the land of Israel—The Promised Land Psalm 37:3 . The Great Tribulation is called by another name in the Old Testament. Jeremiah, under the direct inspiration of God, called it, “The Time of Jacob’s Trouble.” Jeremiah 30:7. Though Christians are called the spiritual “Seed of Abraham,” New Covenant believers are never called “Jacob” Jeremiah 30:10. We would be remiss to overlook the many overtly Jewish aspects of The Revelation. 
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[7] Amen is a Hebrew word meaning: so it is, so be it, may it be fulfilled. It was a custom, which passed over from the synagogues to the Christian assemblies, that when they who had read or discoursed, had offered up solemn prayer to God, the others responded Amen, and thus made the substance of what was uttered their own. Jesus is THE AMEN, meaning he stands behind his Word, whether it be his Word about coming again or his Word that says his ears are open to our prayers. If THE AMEN stands behind his Word, that means we can stand on it. 
[8] 24: They said therefore among themselves Let us not rend it but cast lots for it whose it shall be that the scripture might be fulfilled which saith They parted my raiment among them and for my vesture they did cast lots These things therefore the soldiers did
Matthew fills in the gap between what happened during the time the soldiers cast lots for his clothes and what happened next. Darkness covered the land while Jesus hung there suffering for three hours—waiting for the sins of the world to be laid on him.  
(Matthew 27:45-46)
25: Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother and his mother's sister Mary the wife of Cleophas and Mary Magdalene 26: When Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciple standing by whom he loved he saith unto his mother Woman, behold thy son! 27: Then saith he to the disciple Behold thy mother And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home 28: After this Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst 29: Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar and they filled a sponge with vinegar and put it upon hyssop and put it to his mouth 30: When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar he said It is FINISHED Paid! and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost

[9] The Call-out in Laodicea were not “on fire for Jesus,” a condition in which God might have been able to deal with them from his Word and by his SPIRIT to temper any over-zealousness that might have been present [but was not]. Likewise, if their hearts had been cold to the things of God, he may have been able to deal with them to repent of attitudes that led to such coldness. Sadly, that was not the case either. The Called-out in Laodicea just did not care. They were in the precarious position of “straddling the fence….” positioned to not just fall away but to be vehemently cast away—forcefully vomited or spewed—out of God’s mouth.   
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Revelation 2 commentary

       1: To the messenger[1] [of the] Called-out of Ephesus write These things says he who holds the seven stars the messengers of the seven Called-Out Revelation 1:20] in his right hand who walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks the seven Called-Out are located in what is now modern-day Turkey 2: I know your works and your labor and your patience and how you can not bear those who are evil and you have tested them who say they are apostles and are not and have found them [to be] liars[2] 3: And have borne and had patience and for my name's sake have labored and have not fainted 4: Nevertheless I have somewhat against you because you have left your first love[3] 5: Remember therefore from where you have fallen and repent and do the first works or else I will come to you suddenly  and will remove your candlestick out of its place unless you repent[4] 6: But this you have that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans[5] which I also hate 7: They that have ears hear what the SPIRIT says to the Called-out To them that overcome will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God 8: And to the messenger of the Called-out in Smyrna write These things says THE FIRST AND THE LAST which was dead and is alive 9: I know your works and tribulation and poverty But you are rich And I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not but are the synagogue of Satan[6] 10: Fear none of those things which you shall suffer Behold the devil shall cast [some] of you into prison to tempt [you] James 1:13 And you shall be afflicted ten days[7] Be faithful unto death and I will give you a crown of life[8] 11: [Do you] have ears?  [Then] hear what the SPIRIT says to the Called-out [assemblies] They that overcome shall not be hurt of the second death Revelation 20:10-14 12: And to the messenger of the Called-out in Pergamos write These things says HE WHO HAS THE SHARP SWORD WITH TWO EDGES 13: I know your works and where you dwell even where Satan’s seat is and you hold fast my name and have not denied my faith even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr [9] who was slain among you where Satan dwells 14: But I have a few things against you because you have there consider to be of you? Tolerate? them that hold the doctrine of Balaam who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit porneuō[10] 15: So also you have consider to be of you? Tolerate? them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans (overthrow [the] laity) Which things I hate[11] 16: Turn with your whole hearts from these things or else I will come on you suddenly and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth[12] 17: They that have ears let them hear what the Spirit says to the Called-out [assemblies] To them that overcome will I give to eat of the hidden manna and will give them a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no one knows except they that receive it [13] 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 18: And to the messenger of the Called-out in Thyatira write, These things says THE SON OF GOD who has his eyes like unto a blaze of fire and his feet are like fine brass 19: I know your works and love and service and faith and your patience and your works and the last to be more than the first 20: Notwithstanding I have a few things against you because you tolerate that woman Jezebel who calls herself a prophetess [who] teaches and seduces causes to stray my servants to porneuō and to eat things sacrificed to idols 21: And I gave her space to repent of her porneia and she repented not 22: Behold I will cast her into a bed [of affliction] (/)[14] and [them that commit] adultery with her[15] into great affliction except they repent of these [evil] deeds 23: And I will kill her children with death[16] and all the Called-Out shall know that I AM who searches the reins and hearts and I will give to every one of you according to your works 1 Corinthians 3:10-17 24: But to you I say and to the rest in Thyatira as many as have not this doctrine and which have not known the depths of Satan (as they say) I will put upon you none other burden 25: But that which you have already hold fast till I come James 1:12-16, Revelation 22:20  26: And they that overcome and keep my works to the end to them will I give power over the nations 27: And they shall rule them with a rod of iron As the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers even as I also have obtained beside the Father of me scrTR Interlinear, Psalm 2:6-11 28: And I will give to them the star of the morning 29: They that have ears let them hear what the Spirit says to the Called-out


[1] The Greek word, Aggelos (pronounced angelos), most often translated as angel, can also mean: messenger[s] or envoy. Since we do not write letters to angels, translating angelos to messenger in these verses is an option that makes more sense.
[2] It does not say here, that there were no more apostles after the twelve, because if that had been the case, Matthias and Paul could not have been called apostles. It says false apostles [those evil ones the Ephesian Christians would not tolerate] who claimed to be apostles were tested and proved false.
[3] The Christians of Ephesus, whom Jesus lauded for contending for the faith, in not tolerating false apostles and and the deeds of the Nicolaitans [whose teachings he hated], had left their first love by making a shift from soul winning and discipleship [the Great Commission], to rooting out and exposing falsehood. In this, it is like Jesus said to the Pharisee’s concerning tithing, “You pay tithes…and omit weightier matters…These [paying tithes] you ought to have done but not left the other [justice, mercy, faith] undone Matthew 23:23.” In other words, “Don’t let contending for the faith, which is commanded in scripture, become your primary objective, over-shadowing the weightier command of love in winning souls and making disciples.”
[4] The church at Ephesus had become so obsessed with rooting out and exposing false teachers, that they had almost completely stopped shining the light of Christ. This had become a grievous sin them, to the point that Jesus threatened to “remove their candle-stick” [their Called-out assembly] from out of its place among the other Called-out assemblies. The church at Ephesus was the only entire assembly to be warned of such a consequence Matthew 5:13.
[5] Several of the Church Fathers mention the Nicolaitans, associating the heretical sect with Nicolaus, who was one of the seven named in Acts 6:5. There is some debate about the exact nature of the heresy, ranging from the sin of Balaam in overthrowing the people through intermarriage with unbelievers and Pornea with temple prostitutes associated with idol worship to promoting polygamy and gross immorality among Christians. Other early Christian writers claim that Nicolaus’ did not defect from the faith and his name was slandered and borrowed by the sect. Larkin wrote the following about the Nicolaitans: “They were not a sect but a party in the church who were trying to establish a priestly order. Probably trying to model the church after the Old Testament order of priests, Levites, and common people. This is seen in the meaning of the word, which is from ‘Nico’ to conquer, to overthrow, and ‘Laos’ the people or laity. The object was to establish a holy order of men and place them over the laity, which was foreign to the New Testament plan, and call them not pastors, but—clergy, Bishops, Archbishops, Cardinals, Popes. Here we have the dogma of Apostolic Succession, and the separation of the Clergy from the Laity, a thing that God hates.”
[6] Luke 3:8, Galatians 3:6-7, Galatians 3:29, Romans 2:28-29, Romans 9:6
[7] The reference to “Ten Days,” is obviously symbolic. Though the number ten is mentioned many times in the Bible, there is no consensus on the actual length of time the ten days represents or why a symbolic number was used instead of a literal length of time being stated. It has been suggested the ten days simply represents a short-lived time of suffering.
[8] This is not speaking of salvation in a general sense but rather of a reward given those who endure temptation [including martyrdom] James 1:12.
[9] Antipas was sentenced to death on the Altar of Zeus. Most of that altar still survives today, and surrounding it are some of the world's most famous marble friezes. They depict the Gigantomachy, or the battle between the Greek gods and the giants. At the top of the altar was a hollow bronze bull, designed for human sacrifice. Renner describes the method of execution suffered by Antipas. “They would take the victim, place him inside the bull, and they would tie him in such a way that his head would go into the head of the bull. Then they would light a huge fire under the bull, and as the fire heated the bronze, the person inside of the bull would slowly begin to roast to death. As the victim would begin to moan and to cry out in pain, his cries would echo through the pipes in the head of the bull so it seemed to make the bull come alive.” Even in the midst of the flames, the elderly bishop Antipas died praying for his church. The year was AD 92.
[10] The Greek contains several variations of the word “porn…,” which refers to sexual immorality. In this case, the sexual immorality is connected with the worship of false gods and temple prostitutes.
[11] Balaam’s teaching was that he advised the King of the Moabites [whose worship of Baal Numbers 22:41 was carried out through child sacrifice and worship of false gods through temple prostitutes] to make friends with the Israelites and inter-marry with them. A thing which the Israelites were forbidden to do. God hates the doctrine of Balaam, which involved a deliberate encouragement and seduction of God’s people to intermarry with idol worshipers for the express purpose of causing their downfall 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. This produced not only tolerance of pagan ways but becoming involved in the practice of them as well. God also hates the ways of the Nicolaitans, which was a separate group from those who practiced the liberal, and radically ecumenical, doctrine of Balaam. The Nicolaitans were not a short-lived sect as is commonly taught. The sect began by “that woman Jezebel” (probably not her real name) grew in power and numbers by absorbing and importing into Christianity the doctrine and practices of Balaam, merged with the hierarchical system of the Nicolaitans, creating a powerful religious and political entity that would transcend government and nationality for centuries to come. The end of the woman, her religious system, and her city is portrayed in Revelation chapters 17-18.
[12] The Sword of His Mouth is the Word of God, which pronounces blessings and curses for obedience and disobedience to His WORD Exodus 23:20-30, Deuteronomy 28, . The Sword of His Mouth is the same as the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God Ephesians 6:17.
[13] 1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written What eye has not seen nor ear heard neither has entered into the heart of audawm, God has prepared these things for those who love him Now God has revealed to us by his Spirit for the Spirit searches all things yes the deep things of God
[14] This verse is parenthetical, meaning there is a time-gap between the literal woman Jezebel, who is both a real woman and also represents the false religion portrayed by the Whore of Babylon in Revelation chapter 17. She is associated with the Christianized Babylonian sect she successfully ported into the early Church and also with the city that would become synonymous with the sect. The message of The Revelation is to her and her first century followers but also to those who are later seduced by the Babylonian sect she became prophetess of. Here we see its beginnings as early as the first century and whose inglorious end is portrayed in chapters 17 and 18 of The Revelation. We know from Revelation 17 and 18, that the religious system this woman, Jezebel, successfully imported from paganism into the early church, survived and thrived to varying degrees throughout the centuries. The sect itself became synonymous with both a woman and a city. She is still with us today. Her sect has always been a political power to some degree, and during The Great Tribulation will rise to an unprecedented pinnacle of religious and political power, only to see her ultimate destruction at the very hands of globalist leaders who treacherously used her in their own rise to power.
[15] The blind lead the blind and all fall into the ditch
[16] “Her children” are those she begets through the Christianized Babylonianism she teaches. These symbolize those who down through the centuries follow the Christian sect she introduced so early in Church history. Revelation 17 and 18 portray their end. The phrase “kill with death,” could refer to the second death Revelation 20. The scriptural definition of death is separation from the power and presence of God 2 Thessalonians 1:9.

Additional commentary pending for this chapter

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