For those who believe Jesus is a trendy, all-lovey-dovey God, and question the authority of the New Testament as applying today, saying we don’t have to meet together to worship under the authority of the 5-fold ministry according to Ephesians 4:11-16, etc., I write this article on ‘Revelation,’ in addition to the articles I just posted:
Does the Bible Claim to Be God’s Inerrant Word? — Jesus’ Statements
The Book of Revelation is hard to dispute for those who desire to disbelieve the credibility of the Bible, because Jesus declared a strict penalty to anyone who would add or remove any words from it.
I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone adds to them, may God add to him the plagues which are written in this book. If anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, may God take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book (Revelation 22:18,19).
And Jesus’ words to the seven churches validate much of what was taught in the New Testament letters.
Jesus is speaking to the leaders of the assemblies in these seven communities. Jesus supports the 5-fold ministry, Ephesians-4:11-16 theme by saying to the the assembly in Ephesus: “you can’t tolerate evil men, and have tested those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and found them false.” He doesn’t say: apostles aren’t legitimate anymore. He says: you correctly kept the false ones out.
Jesus warns against eating food sacrificed to idols, which the apostles (Acts 15) and Paul also warned about. Jesus warned against sexual immorality as being taboo for Christians, and said how strictly He was going to judge Jezebel if she didn’t repent for pushing this evil agenda.
And of course, one of the main, trendy, disinfo themes today is that God is only love. Many don’t want to hear Paul’s Romans-11:22 balance:
“See then the GOODNESS and SEVERITY of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, IF you continue in his goodness; OTHERWISE you also will be cut off” — which agrees with what Jesus really said in John 15, contrary to what K-LOVE says.
And Philippians 2:12-13:
“So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING. For it is GOD who WORKS IN YOU both to will and to work, for his good pleasure..”
Regarding Jezebel, Jesus demonstrates His non-lovey-dovey, SEVERE side of His personality towards those who refuse to repent of leading others to seriously sin. Not only would she be judged in the next life, but here on Earth too! “I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.”
2:21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her into a bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great oppression, unless they repent of her works. 23 I will kill her children with Death, and all the assemblies will know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.
Jesus says the church in Sardis actually had a reputation for being alive (unlike most churches today) but were spiritually dead. He didn’t then say: stop group meetings because they don’t work. Rather, he said: clean up your act, and get holy so your names won’t be removed from the Book of Life.
And a few verses later, he told the assembly in Laodicea to repent from being lukewarm, so they could also be dressed in white (like the overcomers in Sardis), otherwise He will vomit them out of His mouth. Doesn’t sound like the trendy, only-love Jesus taught across America today.
The assembly in Philadelphia actually had some Spiritual power, and kept Jesus word. Probably because they kept Jesus’ word they had spiritual power. Jesus then declares that He will preserve them from the hour of testing, and they will achieve their reward in heaven. Praise God!
It’s up to us. Either we live holy, and are spiritually blessed now and forever — as we bless Jesus, watching Him smile — or we willfully sin, like the Prodigal Son, leaving our First Love, breaking Jesus’ heart, refusing to accept and obey His clear words, to live in the Son — and the consequences will be dire. Some will even be judged this side of eternity, like Jezebel….
Much could be gleaned from Jesus’ actions predicted in the main body of Revelation, but for now, I will skip to the last two chapters:
Revelation 21
5 He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” He said, “Write, for these words of God are faithful and true.” 6 He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give freely to him who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life. 7 He who overcomes, I will give him these things. I will be his God, and he will be my son. 8 But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Revelation 22
12 “Behold, I come quickly. My reward is with me, to repay to each man according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
14 Blessed are those who do his commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood [who don’t worship in Spirit and in truth – editor].
What follows are the complete texts of Revelation chapters 2 and 3 in the reliable, Textus Receptus based, royalty free WEB text, with my highlighting emphasis.
Let’s obey and be free!
Life in the Son!
Message to the Church in Ephesus
1 “To the angel of the assembly in Ephesus write: “He who holds the seven stars in his right hand, he who walks among the seven golden lampstands says these things:
2 “I know your works, and your toil and perseverance, and that you can’t tolerate evil men, and have tested those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and found them false. 3 You have perseverance and have endured for my name’s sake, and have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I am coming to you swiftly, and will move your lampstand out of its place, unless you repent. 6 But this you have, that you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of my God.
Message to the Church in Smyrna
8 “To the angel of the assembly in Smyrna write: “The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life says these things:
9 “I know your works, oppression, and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Don’t be afraid of the things which you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested; and you will have oppression for ten days. Be faithful to death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. He who overcomes won’t be harmed by the second death.
Message to the Church in Pergamum
12 “To the angel of the assembly in Pergamum write: “He who has the sharp two-edged sword says these things:
13 “I know your works and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. You hold firmly to my name, and didn’t deny my faith in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. 15 So you also have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans likewise. 16 Repent therefore, or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes, to him I will give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows but he who receives it.
Message to the Church in Thyatira
18 “To the angel of the assembly in Thyatira write: “The Son of God, who has his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like burnished brass, says these things:
19 “I know your works, your love, faith, service, patient endurance, and that your last works are more than the first. 20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate your woman, Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. She teaches and seduces my servants to commit sexual immorality, and to eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her into a bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great oppression, unless they repent of her works. 23 I will kill her children with Death, and all the assemblies will know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. 24 But to you I say, to the rest who are in Thyatira, as many as don’t have this teaching, who don’t know what some call ‘the deep things of Satan,’ to you I say, I am not putting any other burden on you. 25 Nevertheless, hold that which you have firmly until I come. 26 He who overcomes, and he who keeps my works to the end, to him I will give authority over the nations. 27 He will rule them with a rod of iron, shattering them like clay pots; as I also have received of my Father: 28 and I will give him the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.
Message to the Church in Sardis
3:1 “And to the angel of the assembly in Sardis write: “He who has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars says these things: “I know your works, that you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up, and keep the things that remain, which you were about to throw away, for I have found no works of yours perfected before my God. 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If therefore you won’t watch, I will come as a thief, and you won’t know what hour I will come upon you. 4 Nevertheless you have a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes will be arrayed in white garments, and I will in no way blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.
Message to the Church in Philadelphia
7 “To the angel of the assembly in Philadelphia write: “He who is holy, he who is true, he who has the key of David, he who opens and no one can shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says these things:
8 “I know your works (behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one can shut), that you have a little power, and kept my word, and didn’t deny my name. 9 Behold, I give of the synagogue of Satan, of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but lie. Behold, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you kept my command to endure, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, which is to come on the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 I am coming quickly! Hold firmly that which you have, so that no one takes your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will go out from there no more. I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and my own new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.
Message to the Church in Laodicea
14 “To the angel of the assembly in Laodicea write: “The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Head of God’s creation, says these things:
15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;’ and don’t know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked; 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me. 21 He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.”
Related:
Leave a Reply