Today we begin our study with the seven churches. Only two of the seven was Christ happy with, let’s begin Rev.2 and verse 1 reads.
Rev.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;
We learned in the last verse of the last chapter this is Jesus Christ. The stars are the spirits of the churches and the candlesticks are the churches.
Rev.2:2] I know thy works, and thy labour, 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:
This church has works, and patience and above all they know how to test their teachers.
Rev.2:3] And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
Important what is being said here, let’s go to Heb.12 and pick it up with verse 3 and it reads.
Heb.12:3] For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
[4] Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
[5] And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
[6] For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
[7] If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
[8] But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Now we will understand what Jesus is going to say what his problem with this church is. Back to Rev.2 and verse 4 reads.
Rev.2:4] Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
[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.
They left their first love, which is Jesus. When we sin the Lord see’s it as we leaving him. He will remove the Light from your candlestick (church) unless you repent. Notice he comes and takes it quickly.
Rev.2:6] But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Let’s look at this word Nicolaitans, spelled proper would be Nicolaitanes, then we find it in the Strong’s under G3531. Nicolaitans means; Destruction of people. And the definition is this. A sect mentioned in Rev.2:6 and 15, who were charged with holding the error of Baalam, casting a stumbling block before the church of God by upholding the liberty of eating things sacrificed to idols as well as committing fornication. Knowing this as well as what was written about them in verse 5, this church can turn around and repent. They had good works and patience, with holding their teachers accountable gives them room for repentance. Leaving us with this only conclusion for this church. They pass the basket for money, and only at the end do they need repentance, Jesus told them, I come quickly. Meaning they worship the antichrist, but will hear the truth in time for repentance.
Rev.2:7] 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.
In Genesis 2:9 we learn there are two trees in the midst of the garden, the tree of Life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Jesus and Satan.
Rev.2:8] And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
Again, we have Jesus speaking. But let’s look at this church Smyrna, Smyrna is a male fig tree, your eyebrows should lift about now. Remember Jesus said “now, learn a parable of the fig tree”. Mark 13:28.
Rev.2:9] I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
This being the first church Jesus didn’t have a fault with. Why? Because they taught who the Kenites were. The offspring of Cain. Those of that Serpent Seed. You can find this taught by Jesus himself in John 8:42-47. Jesus also said for you to learn a Parable of the Fig Tree. Mark 13:28. You can find the parable in Jer.24.
Rev.2:10] Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
Also written in Mark 13, let’s go to verse 9 and it reads.
Mark 13:9] But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
[10] And the gospel must first be published among all nations.
[11] But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
This is the only time the unpardonable sin can be committed, and only one of God’s Elect could commit it. Speaking of God’s elect, back to Rev.2 and verse 11 reads.
Rev.2:11] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
Father, we pray for our eyes and ears to be opened to your word, in Jesus’s precious name Amen.
Rev.2:12] And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
The Word of God says this, Jesus Christ, and remember this is said to the church of Pergamos.
Rev.2:13] I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
So much was said just now, let’s break it down. Jesus knows their works, and where they dwellest. This is Jerusalem at the sixth trump. Because Satan’s seat is there. 2Thes.2:2-4. Now, this Antipas needs a little help. Antipas G493 and means; Like his father. This man suffered martyrdom as a Christian at the time of Satan in Jerusalem. Meaning he could only be Enoch. Enoch was the first translated (did not suffer death of the flesh). We know that Moses and Elijah also did not and were translated and are the two witnesses that will die in the streets. So, with that it only makes sense that the one that prophesied not to mix with the fallen angels would also die in the flesh at these end times. This church Pergamos must have been teaching rapture doctrine and telling everyone that Satan was the Christ.
Rev.2:14] But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
Teaching them to worship Satan as the Christ, and doing it for the money. These churches exist today watchmen watch.
Rev.2:15] 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.
He gives them an out, what could that be? God’s elect will be delivered up to Satan and the Holy Spirit will speak through them, giving them time to hear the Word of God and repent.
Rev.2:17] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
Again, so much said that we need to look at it closer. Let our ears as God’s elect hear what God’s Spirit says to the churches. To us that overcomes Satan in these end times he will give us hidden manna. This is the Hidden Word of God that he gives to those who seek him. And he gives us a white stone, G5585 and means; to be worn smooth over a period of time. prophesied in Zechariahs 3 and verse 8 reads.
Zec.3:8] Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.
Speaking of these end times.
Zec.3:9] For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
These seven eyes are the 7,000 of God’s very elect today. There will be another 144,000 of his elect that repent and come back out of the deception. Notice the stone they are set upon. This period of time is the end times.
Zec.3:10] In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.
The vine he prunes at the end with that he cuts off going into the fire, and the fig tree for the fig tree generation. Back to Rev.2 and verse 18 reads.
Rev.2:18] And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;
I love how Jesus has been given different descriptions with every church. This time eyes of fire and feet of brass. Rev.1:14-15.
Rev.2:19] I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.
Meaning the works, two different works here. The first were good, but the last were not so good, why? He will give us the reason.
Rev.2:20] Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
This is also the works of the Nicolaitans (which thing he hates). But this Jezebel is new, who is Jezebel? First, she is the church that fly’s away and teaches those in her congregation to do likewise. This is the rapture doctrine that plagues our churches today, this woman is spoken of in Revelation 17 and verse 3 reads.
Rev.17:3] So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
[4] And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
[5] And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
This is the Jezebel of chapter 2, notice she sits on the beast that is the antichrist. These seven heads and 10 horns are the fallen angels that come with Satan.
Rev.17:6] And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
These martyrs are G3144 from the Strong’s and are the Elect that die for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Rev.17:7] And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
[8] The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
These are the one world order that gets its power from Satan.
Rev.17:9] And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
Mountains are nations.
Rev.17:10] And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.
This is Satan.
Rev.17:11] And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
Only one name is given in God’s word that will go into perdition and that is Satan, king of Tyrus. Eze.28:2-12.
Rev.17:12] And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
These ten kings are the seven thousand that come with Satan.
Rev.17:13] These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
[14] These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
These called and chosen and faithful are God’s elect.
Rev.17:15] And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
Never forget that the waters are the people. Back to Rev.2 and verse 21 reads.
Rev.2:21] And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
This church will not repent, make sure you’re not in one of these churches.
Rev.2:22] Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
The people may repent but the church will not, this the great apostasy, the falling away. This only happens at the sixth trump.
Rev.2:23] And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
They will be spiritually dead and they still may have the millennium. Don’t overlook that only God can read your mind, know your heart.
Rev.2:24] But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.
We are judged on our works, if you were deceived by a false teacher then you will be taught in the millennium. You will have no other burden.
Rev.2:25] But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
[26] And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Speaking to his elect here.
Rev.2:27] And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
They will be taught with discipline.
Rev.2:28] And I will give him the morning star.
Lucifer means morning star (lower case), this is not the Bright and Morning Star which is Jesus. Rev.22:16. Let’s go to Isaiah 14 and verse 12 reads.
Isa.14:12] How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
This tells us that Satan is always trying to copy Jesus. Jesus will give to us in this fifth trump, the time for hearing the truth, the knowledge that Satan comes first. The sixth trump comes before the seventh trump.
Rev.2:29] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Can you hear the Word of the LORD, do you have eyes to see? He has been giving us much in this lesson on how to test your teachers and the churches. Great chapter, let’s go to his throne.
Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.
KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of The Bible