Revelation

1 And when He had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half a hour.

2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.

Things were preparing to happen. There is great expectation.
Seven is, again, the number of completion. The complete plans of God are fixing to happen.

3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

This other “angel” may very well be Christ functioning in His priestly office. He brought the prayers of the saints to the throne of Grace.

4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.

God heard their prayers.

5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

The result of the prayers reaching God was great turmoil on the earth; great shakings.

6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

Get ready; it’s coming….

Revelation 7

1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

These are the winds of the earth, not the winds of heaven. They are false doctrine. God held the great heresies that would conquer the earth in check for a while to give the true church time to be established.

2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,

A seal was a device which a ruler used to mark something with his approval; usually a flat, carved stone or metal ring. It held a design unique to the ruler, so when pressed into soft clay or warm wax it would leave that rulers unique mark.

3 Saying, “Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.”

This angel is commanding the angels holding the wind of heresies to keep holding them until he had had time to mark all those who really loved and served God with His unique mark.

4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed a hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

5 Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.

6 Of the tribe of Asher were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.

7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.

8 Of the tribe of Zebulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

Notice the tribe of Dan is omitted. Possibly they no longer existed since the Babylonian captivity or they were so far into idol worship that they were beyond seeing God.

These numbers are assumed to be symbolic. God is saying there are a few from all of Israel who will be saved. In fact, from Christ to the time of Cornelius only Israelites and Proselytes were saved (the last half of Daniel’s final week). Even after that, though the gospel spread throughout the known world, Jews still made up the largest group of converts (the church at Jerusalem alone is estimated to have had more than 50,000 members). These Jews converted before AD 70 are both the remnant of the nation Israel and the first-fruits of the Christian church.

9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

After AD 70 the Christians in Jerusalem fled to the very corners of the known world, taking the news of salvation with them. The result was untold numbers of gentiles being saved from every type of people, every nation right up to today.

10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

Imagine the multitudes from all ages worshiping our Lord! What a sight to behold!

11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

12 Saying, “Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.”

Angels surround the church and ministers of God, praising God.

13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, “What are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence came they?”

The questioner knows the answer to his question, but wants to start a conversation with John about it.

14 And I said unto him, “Sir, thou knowest.” And he said to me, “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

The Great Tribulation was the time just before and during the siege of AD 70. Those souls under the throne who were given the white robes were those Christians who were killed during this tribulation begun by Nero. Their robes were not made white by anything they did, not even their sacrifice; but by the sacrifice of Christ.

15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

These have a special place of honor with God.

16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

These (and all) who die in a saved condition due to persecution will know no hardship ever again. They will never be uncomfortable but will be able to concentrate on worshiping God.

17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

God Himself will take care of them.

Revelation 6

1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, “Come and see.”

2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and He that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto Him: and He went forth conquering, and to conquer.

This is Christ’s crucifixion. He was triumphant and His church grew by leaps and bounds. They “conquered” all nations for Christ by the time Paul wrote his epistles: Romans 1:8, Romans 10:18, Colossians 1:6.

3 And when He had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, “Come and see.”

4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

Up until this time, all those alive in this region had known only the great Pax Romania (Roman Peace); a time of significant lack of war in Europe and the Arabian Peninsula. This peace is fixing to be removed.

Persecution began for the church immediately after the crucifixion; first by the Jews, then by the Roman Empire. The Romans found both Christians and Jews to be odd and unacceptable because they wouldn’t worship the same gods they did, but insisted on only worshipping one God. They would have accepted the worship of Yahweh if they had included the worship of the Roman gods, especially the emperor.

Nero had begun a serious persecution of the Christians in AD 56. This was Open war on the Kingdom of God and was why John was on Patmos in the first place. Any peace they had up until this time was removed. Many, many saints were killed for the name of Christ, including most of the disciples and Paul.

5 And when He had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, “Come and see.” And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.

6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, “A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.”

Those in Jerusalem suffered famine off and on for the decade before AD 70, becoming its worst during the siege itself. Disease, of course, always accompanies famine. We know this was a time of famine and not plenty because of the prices; the measure is about a quart and the penny is a day’s wages. So, enough wheat to make a single loaf of bread cost an entire days wages (about $80 at $10 per hour for an eight hour day). The luxuries of oil and wine are not harmed, as would be normal in a famine, but if you can’t get bread what good are the luxuries?

7 And when He had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, “Come and see.”

8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him…

Many, many died and went to hell in the destruction of Jerusalem and the surrounding regions; hundreds of thousands almost all Jews who had rejected Christ.

…And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

It is easy to believe the empire lost one fourth of its subjects during this time what with all the wars, disease, famines, earthquakes, volcanoes, arena animal fights, and such. When God said the Great Peace was over, He meant it.

9 And when He had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

Persecutions will come throughout the history of mankind. Those who persecute Christians can, at worst, kill the body. They can’t touch the soul. Those who die for Christ are close to Him in heaven (under the alter). They have a special place in front of God.

10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?”

They were not seeking vengeance themselves; they were leaving it in God’s hands where it belonged. Yet, they still call for justice to be done.

11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

The martyrs of this time period were clothed in purity and royalty. They were told to rest and wait as time wasn’t finished yet; there were still some who would be martyred for Christ’s name.

12 And I beheld when He had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;

The Roman Empire went through five emperors in eighteen months, beginning with Nero’s suicide in June, AD 68 and ending with Vespasian’s appointment in December, AD 69, (Vespasian was general Titus’ father). This was definitely a great “earthquake” to all the subjects of the empire. It must also be noted that there were many physical earthquakes at this time leading up to the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 72, but This shaking in the political world and in the religious world was far greater.

In Joseph’s dream in Genesis, the sun was Jacob and the moon his mother. If we assume this is still true (that the sun and moon represent the nation of Israel), then this is predicting the total darkening and slaughter of the Israelite nation in AD 70.

13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

The notable men of Israel were totally slaughtered. None remained.

14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

God’s Israel disappeared, never to be seen again.

This disruption totally changed the standing of every nation on earth, whether connected to Israel or not. Salvation is now opened to everyone and God no longer has one single country as “His own.”

Also, the Roman Empire was totally changed after this time. Before Caesar, Rome was a republic, almost a true democracy. After the first century BC, it was a dictatorship. This period of history was the time of great change; change of earthquake proportions.

This is also the time of great change in the church. Before the cross, you had to convert to Judaism and keep The Law to join the church.

Afterwards, you accept Christ into your heart and live righteously, putting the needs of others ahead of your own (Philippians 2:3-5)

Everything changed. Every religious and political mountain and island was moved out of their place.

15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

Everyone, even those who had nothing to loose, didn’t want to see what was happening it was so horrendous.

16 And said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

17 “For the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”

The wrath of God poured out on the Jews for their crucifixion and rejection of Christ was the most horrid thing planet earth has ever seen. It set everyone to trembling and fearing God.

Revelation 5

1 And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.

The one on the throne, God, is holding the plan for all of time. Nothing that has ever happened has caught God by surprise. He knew before He made this universe exactly what was going to happen in every single life.

Only He can know what is in the book unless He chooses to reveal it someone else.

Seven is the number of completeness. All of history is complete. God did not leave out one detail. And all His plans are completely hidden from mankind until He chooses to reveal them.

2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?”

No one is worthy to see God’s plans. However, He occasionally chooses to allow us fallible humans a glimpse.

3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

No one is capable of opening this book. On one is smart enough, strong enough, spiritual enough or wise enough.

4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

John wanted to see what was in the book so badly that he cried in frustration.

5 And one of the elders saith unto me, “Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.”

One of the elders- a church member- comforted John. Notice it wasn’t a minister. We all can learn from each other, not just from the ministry.
Only Christ could open the book. He is both the Lion (powerful ruler) of Judah and the Root of David (the One prophesied about throughout the Bible.)

6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

John sees a Lamb which has been killed. This lamb is, of course, Jesus Christ. He is in the middle of the throne and the four beasts (the ministry) and the elders (the church) all at the same time. Christ is everywhere. He is God who sits on the throne and dwells in His ministry as well as His church. No one has a corner on God.

He is slain to pay the price for our sins.

The horns represents power, so He has perfect and complete power.
The eyes represent wisdom and knowledge, so He has perfect and complete wisdom and knowledge.

All seven Spirits of God dwell in Him. He is completely God; all of God dwells in Him.

7 And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne.

We were told in verse five that only the Lion of Judah can open the book. Here the Lamb takes it. He is both a Lion (the powerful Judge of the world bringing judgment on all who sin) and a Lamb (a perfect sacrifice for our sins; One who is meek and mild).

He didn’t take the book by force. He had a right to see what was in it that no one else did.

8 And when He had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints.

The Lamb is worthy of the greatest praise; and the prayers of believers always reach Him.

9 And they sung a new song, saying, “Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

This song is for the New Age that Christ ushered in with His crucifixion. Only Christ is worthy to take the book because He is God and He died for our sins.

He is no respecter of persons; He has saved people of every type from every corner of the planet.

10 “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”

We do not deserve to be kings and priests. Christ’s sacrifice washed away our sins, giving us the right to these offices. We rule the world and worship our God in heaven because of what Jesus did for us.

11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

The number of those who will worship God is uncountable.

12 Saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.”

Christ is worthy of everything that we could possibly give Him. He is worthy to have all the riches and power in the whole world; He has all wisdom and strength. We should be giving Him all honor and glory and blessings. There is nothing He does not deserve to have.

13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, “Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.”

All of creation praises God, the one who rules and who was sacrificed for our sins.

14 And the four beasts said, “Amen.” And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped Him that liveth forever and ever.

The church will worship Christ forever. That will be our job and entertainment for all of eternity.

Revelation 4

1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.

After John was given the messages to the churches- and maybe after he wrote them down and sent them- he saw a door open up in the sky and heard a trumpet calling him to heaven to see the future.

2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

John was no longer conscious of his physical body. Whether he physically taken into heaven or simply given a vision, we can’t really tell.

A throne is a place of authority and judgment.

3 And He that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

The one sitting on the throne was as beautiful as Jasper stones (transparent with rays of color) and as a Sardis stone (red and a symbol of judgment). The rainbow is the symbol of God’s promise to us that He won’t ever flood the earth again. Here it represents all of His promises to us. It is colored like an emerald; green like refreshing new life.

4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

Twelve seats for the patriarchs of the Old Testament and twelve for the Apostles of the New Testament. This symbolizes the Bible and all who believe it, both before the cross and after. They are clothed in purity, are close to God, and have authority on their heads; the authority that comes from God’s word.

5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

Seven is the number of completeness in the Bible. The entirety of God (who is not confined by math as we are) is there at the throne, functioning and serving God’s ultimate purpose.

6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

In front of both the tabernacle in the wilderness and the temple in Jerusalem was a large, brass basin, called a sea, used for the cleansing of the priests before they ministered. Here is a “sea” before the throne for the cleansing of the saints purer than water; as pure as a sea of glass and crystal.

John sees four animals. Because of their closeness to the throne (between God and the twenty-four) and their characteristics, we can assume they are the ministry. The ministry must be very watchful as they are responsible for the souls of all entrusted to them.

7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.

Ministers must have the courage of a lion, work like an ox (calf), be as wise and insightful as a man compared to animals, and have their minds on heavenly things like an eagle.

8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within--

The eyes of the beast looked within as well as without. Ministers must be especially careful that they don’t fall from God. They must be constantly watching for their own spiritual health as well as those around them.

-- And they rest not day and night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.”

The beasts were always praising God and pointing out who He is. Ministers must always be showing God to the world and identifying His every aspect.

9 And when those beasts give glory and honor and thanks to Him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,

10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

When the ministry does its job, the saints will worship God.
The twenty-four threw their crowns, their symbols of authority, down in front of God, acknowledging that He is the ultimate power.

11 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

The church is bringing the glory to God that He deserves and acknowledging that He is the creator of all things. He made the universe and everything in it (right down to the tiniest flower), because He wanted to. This whole creation was made for the ultimate purpose of pleasing God.

Revelation 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.

Sardis was an ancient city of Lydia on the banks of the mountain Tmolus, Probably the major city of Asia Minor. They are the first city in that part of the world converted by John’s preaching, one of the first to backslide, and one of the first to be destroyed. Most of the cities named here have new cities built on top of them. Sardis is still in ruins.

He doesn’t have anything good to say to start the letter to this church.
God is all knowing and all controlling. He knew these people had a reputation for being Christians, but had already backslidden; they were hypocrites.

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

They had just a tiny spark left and it was in danger of going out. They were probably going about in perfect Christian behavior, giving to the poor, not breaking the Ten Commandments, and preaching correct doctrine. This was all irrelevant to God because their hearts were not right with Him. Though He cares deeply about our behavior, He cares more about our hearts. Theirs were full of pride and self-righteousness, putting their faith in their own behavior instead of the redeeming blood of Christ. We are all in danger of this if we don’t watch out.

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.

“Remember you are all sinners destined to hell without Me. Repent of your bad attitude. If you don’t I will destroy you.”

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.

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.

There were a few who were still saved. God knows those who are His, even if they are surrounded by hypocrites. He will reward them greatly even when they are in the minority.

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

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;

Philadelphia was on the borders of Mysia and Lydia, and had its name from that brotherly love for which it was known, (philia=love, delph=brother). It is assumed the name is from ancient times and not from the character of this church.

God is holy and true and is complete control. There is no condemnation to this church. It is honestly trying to match this character of God.

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.

God had opened a door of opportunity for them that no human could take away. They are strong Christians living for God in everyway possible.

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.

Those are Jews who are Jews on the inside through dedication to Christ, not those who have a certain genetic history (Romans 2:28). Since the cross, those who claim to be something special because of their ancestry are doing Satan’s work of drawing attention away from the true Jews, the church. Christ is promising here to make those in Philadelphia who hold this belief come to the true Christians and acknowledge that they are right. Everyone will know that God loves this church because of what He is fixing to do for them.

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.

God allows temptation to come to us to test us and to try us, make us stronger in the using of our spiritual muscles. He promises this church that when He tempts others, He won’t tempt them. It really sounds like they had already proved their faith and developed their strength and so didn’t need the temptations and trials others needed.

If this was written in AD 64, as I tend to believe, the temptation “that shall come upon all the world” is probably Nero’s persecution or possibly the conquest of the Muslims in a few hundred years. This city held out against both.

“World” can mean the entire planet, but more often refers to the Roman Empire (the world of the disciples) in the New Testament.

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

“I will come take care of you very soon so just hold on. Don’t loose that you have in Me.” Christ is fixing to open that door of opportunity and those that stay in His will, will be greatly blessed.

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.

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

A pillar is the main support in a large building. The building would collapse without them. God was going to make those of this church who held fast, pillars in His church. Pillars were decorative as well as functional often being dedicated to important people. These “pillars” would be decorated with the name of God and New Jerusalem. “Servant of God” would be written all over them by their actions and attitude.
The Old Jerusalem is where the sacrifices took place and where the temple was; the center of the Israelite religion. The New Jerusalem is where our sacrifices take place and where the temple of God now is; in other words, we are the “New Jerusalem.” We have the name of God and this new method of worship written on us for the world to see. This is the change that occurs in each true believer when they come to God. This change comes down from God Himself.

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;

Laodicea was once a famous city near the river Lycus. It had a vast wall and three marble theatres and was built on seven hills. It was about twenty miles from Colosse and Paul mentions it in his letter to the Colossians. The city is now in complete ruins.

This is the last of the seven churches and is not commended for any good at all, the complete opposite of Philadelphia.

God presents Himself here at the one who is always true and faithful, the Creator and the first in the church.

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

If there is one thing I agree with the futurists about it is that the current American church fits this description to a T.

Have you ever picked up a cup of a hot drink and found out it had cooled to room temperature? Or went to drink a nice cold soda only to discover all your ice has melted and it is temped? So disappointing and frustrating. This is how God felt about the church in Ladodecia. If they had been down right cold for Him He could have sent them a revival. If they had been hot, they wouldn’t need one. But they were too warm to receive the salvation message and too cold to do any good for the kingdom. They were walking the fence, not really backsliding nor really living for God. The hardest people to win for God are those who think they are already saved.

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

Picture your reaction to the temped coke. Blahhhhh!

They probably called their lukewarm-ness “tolerance,” “charity,” “moderation,” and “not being legalistic.” They made God sick.

What they were really doing was tolerating sin in the church and community and not fighting against it in anyway.

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:

These people were rich in physical goods. They had no physical needs. They thought this meant that God was pleased with them. Quite the opposite. He viewed them as naked (not covered by the Word), poor (in their walk with Him), and blind (to their real condition). They would have been better off physically poor and naked and hungry and rich in God.
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 eye-salve, that thou mayest see.

They needed to seek God; to go back and find those things that please Him. God is the only source of riches worth having and healing of our souls.

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

If God didn’t love this church, He wouldn’t have bothered warning them they were in danger. He is calling them to repent; to turn around from their being lukewarm; to become excited for His Word and His standards.

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.

God is a gentleman and doesn’t barge His way into our lives. He stands at the door waiting to be let in. But He does knock. And He can be quite persistent. All we have to do is open the door and let Him in. Then we will have sweet fellowship.

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.

Jesus was tempted in everything we are tempted in. He conquered sin, and with His help, we can too. When we do, we receive a place on the throne with Him.

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

Revelation 2

1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith He that holdeth the seven stars in His right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

This message is sent from the One who holds those who minister in His protection and control, and who walks among His people, fellowshipping with them. This description of Christ is given to this church to remind them that He is in control and walks with them in order to try to wake them up.

John is recording a message for each of the churches in Asia. He is personally acquainted with them. These letters address their current state and are written to the “angel” of the church, or in other words, the ministering spirit or head pastor. He starts with Ephesus, a famous church planted by Paul. This is the church that the book of Ephesians is written to. It is believed that John lived here in Ephesus for a while, probably just before his banishment. Though Timothy was the pastor of this church at some point, it is not believed that he was at this time.

2 I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for My Name's sake hast labored, and hast not fainted.

God knows, even if no one else does, how much we work, how patient we are, how evil vexes us. These saints had worked hard and despised evil. They had tested some who had presented themselves as ministers and discovered they were not telling the truth about God.

4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

New converts are anxious to find out more about Jesus. They love Him with a passionate love and are heartily grateful for His mercy. These Christians had lost this passion.

5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

“Go back and remember how you were before I saved you. Turn around (repent) and start all over.” Christ told them to find that zeal they had lost or else He would take their pastor away. Since this letter is addressed to the pastor, he was probably the biggest offender.

6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

Nicolatian is the Greek for Balaam. Balaam tempted Israel to sin by introducing the eating of meat sacrificed to idols and adultery (possibly prostitution). These Nicolatians were reintroducing these horrid practices and yet were still calling themselves Christians, saying they had freedom in Christ to behave however they pleased. All those who call themselves Christians, are not necessarily so. We have many today who are teaching horrid blasphemes in the name of Jesus. We should hate their deeds just like the Ephesians hated the Nicolaitans.

7 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 Tree Of Life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Everyone who overcomes Satan and the temptations of this life will be able to eat of the Tree of Life from the Garden of Eden.

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;

Smyrna is the only city of these still known by its original name. This church no longer exists, however. The entire area is now Muslim.

Christ is the beginning and the end. He was crucified and yet lives. This picture of Him is used to reassure them that He is in control and does know what is going on; that they are in His hand and protection.

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.

God knows how hard they have worked and the persecution they are suffering. He knows they don’t have as much money as those around them; that they are living in poverty. But He tells them they are rich in Him. Being rich in God is so much more rewarding and satisfying than being rich in worldly goods. He knows they have had problems with those who are Jews on the outside but not on the inside. On the inside they belong to the devil. This would include those who were telling Christians they had to keep The Law. This teaching diminishes what Christ did and puts His people right back into the bondage Jesus released them from with His crucifixion. Satan’s church is any church that focuses more on man’s doctrine than on salvation through Christ. It achieves his purpose of getting our eyes of God and onto anything else. Keeping The Law, saving the environment, righting social justices; these things are the works of man and are blasphemy in the church of Christ.

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.

He tells them not to be afraid; that they are going to suffer great trials. The fact is that we all suffer persecution when we are in God’s will. Here in America, it has been very mild so far. There are today, however, more people being thrown in prison and killed for being Christians all over the world than ever before in history.

God tells them that some- not all- will be thrown into prison for His name. He also comforts them with the knowledge that this tribulation will only be for ten days, a very short time. He says if they hold onto Him and don’t stumble during this, they will be richly rewarded in heaven.

This is one of only two of the churches that He had nothing bad to say about.

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.

The second death is the eternal death called hell- being in the death throws for all of eternity. Those that stay true to God won’t have to go through this, but will have eternal life instead.

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

This may have been a city erected on the ruins of old Troy, but we don’t know for sure.

Christ is represented as the one with a sharp sword to remind this church that He will judge. The sword is the word of God which is the standard we will all be judged by. It is sharp enough to deal with the hardest heart and two edged in order to destroy the sinner while cutting the bonds of the saved.

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.

Again, Christ is aware of all they have been through. Many believe the governor of this city was especially wicked and a harsh persecutor of the church, especially since it was the center of emperor worship in Asia. They held fast to God even when one of their own was martyred.

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 stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

The doctrine that caused Israel to sin is introduced again; eating things sacrificed to idols and fornication. Some were teaching that God didn’t really mean it when He told us that sex should only be between a married man and woman. Much like today when many Christians think premarital sex is ok. This only degrades the participants and the marital union opening the door to greater perversion (i.e. homosexuality, pedophilia, rape, orgies, etc.) It displeased God that they had allowed these people to remain in the church. Sinners who saw these people being allowed to remain would assume that they were being approved of, making the church hypocrites and bringing blemishes on God Himself. Had they kicked them out, they would have stopped the spread of sin in the church and preserved her pure image, making her a better witness to the world.

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

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

Repent means turn around. “Go a different direction and quit doing that. If you don’t I will fight against you with the Word.”

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.

Those who would overcome this tendency to let sin live in their midst, God will give a white stone (to say he is innocent as opposed to a black stone that says he is guilty. This is how a jury voted in those days, casting the right colored stone for the juror’s opinion,) and a new name (they would be adopted into His family, taking His name and leaving their old name behind. The name of this church had been soiled because of the sinners in their midst. God promises to give them a new one that is pure).

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;

Thyatira is a city of the proconsular of Asia, bordering upon Mysia on the north and Lydia on the south, a town of trade, where Lydia, the seller of purple mentioned in Acts, lived.

Christ is pictured hear as having eyes that burn like a fire, powerful and piercing; and feet like brass, solid strong and sure.

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.

This church had done a good job of caring for the poor and serving as Jesus told us to. They had strong faith and patience with others. They were growing and their faith and works were getting better and better. They hadn’t lost their first love.

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.

Their problem was that they had been TOO patient. They had someone in their midst who was calling herself a prophetess (putting herself above the ministry of the church) and teaching the people to sin. Jezebel in the Old Testament was the greatest killer of the prophets of God and promoter of Baal worship. This woman was evidently doing a great deal of damage to God’s church, encouraging them to engage in idolatry. The church should have kicked this woman out.

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

God had given her the opportunity to turn around and quit sinning, but she wouldn’t.

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.

God says those who sin with this woman will have great tribulation if they don’t repent. (Her sin may not have actually be sexual in nature. God was using the bed and “adultery with her” as a metaphor for disobeying Him.

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.

Her followers- spiritual children- will be destroyed; probably physically and spiritually, condemning them to hell. Everyone will know that God knows our very thoughts and will reward us justly.

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.

Those who have not joined this woman, Christ won’t punish.

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

“Just hang on until I act.”

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

“I will give great power to those that can hold out in the truth. I will make them rulers.”

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.

Possibly, the leaders of this church became mayors or equivalent rulers of the city, bringing true justice. God will often put his true followers into places of power to bring justice to the world.

28 And I will give him the morning star.

Jesus

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

“Everyone listen up!”