Revelation 2 (King James Version)
1Unto 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;
Revelation 2:1 (Alternate Word Pictures with Reiterations -- AWPR -- Translation Mine)
(1) “To the messenger / angel of
the Ephesian called out ones, inscribe and write.”
In the New Testament, the
Christianized members of the synagogues are called the “ekklesia” or “the
called out ones”. They are defined in
the English by the word “Church”. The “Church” is a body of believers who have
commonly joined together, and heeded the call to “taking up the Cross”, which
is the doctrine of His Deity and Plan of Salvation, and then following Jesus:
living their lives based on that doctrine and series of convictions.
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Revelation 2:2-3 (KJV)
2I 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:
3And hast borne, and hast
patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
Revelation 2:2-3 (AWPR)
(2) “These definite words lays He
who holds fast, having power
and rule over the 7 stars in
the Right (Hand) of Him,
He who is walking [as in a circuit]
in the midst of the 7 lamp stands of gold.
‘I see and clearly perceive
your works and performance,
and your patient endurance in
bearing up under [i.e., your perseverance],
and when that you cannot take up, hold, and
bear the cowardly and wicked
evil ones who stir up trouble;
and experience and try by
solicitations those who assert and affirm that they are apostles, and certainly
are not!
And having found them false and
as liars,
(3) and you took up, held, and bore and have patient endurance in bearing
up under, persevering. Even through the
Name of Me, you have wearied and worn yourselves out with labor, and have not
grown sick and feeble of that labor.”
In this passage, we are informed
of the daily tribulations of the Christian converts at Ephesus, and of its
bishop. Ephesus in the First Century A.D. was a city surrounded by various orchards, whose city and harbor was the seat of the Procurator of Asia, and
home to one of the 7 wonders of the ancient World, the Temple of Artemis
(Diana). The Gentiles in the city had a very prosperous cluster that were silversmiths,
while the Jews had their own cluster of copper smiths like Alexander (2 Timothy 4:14, Acts 19:33).
The relationship between the Jews and the city of Ephesus dated back to its origins, as the relationship of commerce between Asia and Abraham is inferred by Josephus to also have existed. That means the intercourse between the Abraham and his descendents had lasted over 2,000 years off and on from the 1980s B.C. to 53 A.D. by the time this letter was written. Alexander went out of his way to persecute
the Christians and cause trouble, and is most likely the primary leader of the
wicked men in Ephesus being referred to.
In the first century A.D., the cities of Asia were primarily Greek / Ionian inhabited and in primary custom and character; and the Jews that inhabited these places lived there so long, that they had a co-equal citizenship with the Gentiles who inhabited and ran the province, granted them by recurring decrees by the rulers as if an expected long-standing and unbroken tradition. Jews living in these select and other Greek provinces (such as Saul who became Paul's Cilicia) as well as the primary Italian often found themselves born with full Roman Citizenship and recognition as well.
"After the like manner do those Jews that inhabit Ephesus, and the other cities
of Ionia, enjoy the same name with those that were originally born there, by the
grant of the succeeding princes; nay, the kindness and humanity of the Romans
hath been so great, that it hath granted leave to almost all others to take the
same name of Romans upon them; I mean not particular men only, but entire and
large nations themselves also; for those anciently named Iberi, and Tyrrheni,
and Sabini, are now called Romani" (Josephus, Against Apion, 2.4)
What is overlooked, is that not only was Paul born a Hebrew of Hebrews as a natural-born citizen of Israel through a lineage in the tribe of Benjamin, and having held a high position as a Sanhedrin legal enforcer, but that he was also considered a full Greek Citizen as well as a full Roman Citizen. In effect, Saul/Paul of Tarsus was a Tri-national Citizen in the Roman Empire, and was born and reared into what might be viewed as the First Century version of the Jewish Ruling Aristocracy. In other words, at the time of and even for more than two decades after his conversion, Paul would have still been an extremely well connected member (or ex-member) of the elite social circles of Judaism, with those not living in Israel and Syria (i.e., those living in the Diaspora or Dispersion, among the Gentiles / the nations) often being open to hear his side, and making up their own minds about him.
Almost 4 years after this letter
of Revelation, Alexander the copper-smith of Ephesus traveled from Ephesus to Rome and more than likely
testified against Paul at his trial before Caesar. It is quite likely that Alexander had once
known Paul at an early age, both serving in the congregation at the Synagogue
in Jerusalem which was made up almost exclusively of Cyrenians, Ephesians, and
Cilicians. At that time of execution:
Trophimus the Ephesian (Acts 21:29), who was left sick at Miletum by
Paul (2 Timothy 4:20), tried to counteract the verdict already rendered
by Caesar by a physical intercession, and was martyred with Paul. Timothy, who brought Trophimus, was
imprisoned briefly (Hebrews 13:23).
The statement then, is in spite
of the opposition, you have not grown weary of loving Me, Jesus; but have
endured, and “earnestly contended for the Faith” (Jude 3), not even
being desirous to go after somebody or something else, even when you were sick
and tired of all the persecutions and troubles you endured.
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Revelation 2:4-5 (KJV)
4Nevertheless I have somewhat
against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
5Remember 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.
Revelation 2:4-5 (AWPR)
(4) “In contrast to this, I have
down on you this, the agape love which you had at the first, in the
beginning, you let go and sent away.”
(5) “Call to mind, remember and
meditate certainly thereupon,
from where - why - and how
you have fallen out from [your agape love], and change the condition of you
mind -- repent -- and do and continue the first works (and remain
therein). If then, perhaps you will not,
I am coming to you suddenly, with haste and speed, and will remove the Lamp
stand of you with great agitation and wagging from its place, if you choose to
decide to not repent, and change the condition of your mind.”
When the person becomes a
born-again believer, they undergo what is called the “trans-formative
experience”, an experience of an agape love of a spiritual nature that is
higher than physical or biological awareness.
It is a fellowship of kinship for those who love the LORD, and a love
for GOD’s word, as if it were the joy unspeakable of their life. The picture presented here is that of the Jewish
perception of GOD weighing out the Heavenly scales. On the one side, we have good works and
fidelity. On the other side, we have
agape love. In the next verse, we will
discover that “agape love” slightly outweighs all good works and fidelity.
Now what is agape love? It is a “love characteristic” that accepts
those who are truly fellow Christians are to be held to a slightly greater
honor than one’s own self. It is a desire
to see them prosper in the LORD, prosper in the knowledge of His Word, a desire
to see their basic needs (not desires) for living met, and to be as
self-sufficient and regenerative within the Community as they are able. It is not a “take from them what you can get”
characteristic, nor is it a desire to manipulate. Agape Love demands only a willing or heeding
heart, and works from there. Its aim and
goal is for the good of the individual and the Community in their relationship
with YHVeH Messiah, Jesus Christ…at all times glorifying Him, or living within
the confines of the Spirit of His non-sexual love. It is as if all were asexual beings, neither
male nor female, where the exaltation is the Kingdom of GOD the Father through
GOD the Son.
Jesus tells the Ephesians, that
they “put away the love you had at the first.”
This love is the agape love, which Jesus tried to teach Peter of (John
21:15-17), and commanded of His disciples (John 15:12); a love which
gladly and willingly will lay down in behalf of his friends (John 15:13),
even as did Trophimus the Ephesian later do for and with Paul in Rome on June
29, A.D. 57. In spite of this
letter, and John’s coming to guide them from April 54 A.D. until his
death 44 years later in April 98 A.D., the Ephesian Church struggled for
several years with the problems of corrupt communications and contentions (Ephesians
chapters 4-6). In following after
corrupt communications (the influence of the local heathen), and the allowing
of anger and contentions, the Ephesian Church acted in a manner that -- in
effect -- sent the conduct of agape love away, as though (perhaps
inadvertently) rejecting it. Love was
seen perhaps as a form of weakness.
There was difficulty in surviving while juggling survival with love, and
resentment and bitterness crept in. Paul
speaks in Ephesians 4:14 that because of a lack of familiarization with
the Scripture, much of the bitterness was sparked and inflamed by those lying
in wait to deceive and murder their faith.
This is precisely of which Christ warns in the above, even as he warned
Cain in Genesis 4:6-7.
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Revelation 2:6 (KJV)
6But this thou hast, that thou
hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.
Revelation 2:6
(6) “And alongside and other than
this, this you (do) have and hold in (your) possession, that you hate the deeds of the
Nicolaitans, which I also hate.”
The Greek word "alla" is
transposed as “one who is alongside but other than”, in comparison to the Greek
word "pros" - “to be up alongside and with”. The one dealing with a form of work or
mission, the latter dealing with a form of rest and communion (as it
were). Hence, the application of the
scales and the weight of works is being used by the Church of Ephesus in
opposition to the “First Love” of “communion with Christ”.
There is a tradition that states there was also someone named Nicolas
whom was a church Presbyter who led astray, but this does not rule out
that such a one was an infiltrator. It seems to me, that in all
likelihood, the following will perhaps explain what sort of person he actually was, and what might have been most likely meant by the references to the Nicolaitans by Christ here in the book of Revelation.
The Nicolaitans are recognized
elsewhere in the New Testament as “Judaizers”, who take counsel to kill (Galatians
1:14, 2:4; Acts 9:1-2, 20-23). They
are defined by the words “Nikos” - “to have authority over to suppress, and
have victory over” and the word “laity”.
This is reserved for the Sanhedrin and its representatives. The relationship between Asia and Jerusalem
extends back to the pre-Davidic era.
Many Jews of Ephesus were established in Jerusalem at the same synagogue
the pre-converted Saul attended under Gamaliel.
Some of these same Jews had influence that directly reached the Roman
Emperor and those of the Imperial Senate.
Indeed, they were the Nikos over the laity, or Nico-laitans. One of the benefits they procured was an
official recognition of the Sabbath by the Asiatic government, especially in
Asia, and an “Army Draft Exemption” on the premise of Shabbat observance (Josephus,
Antiquities of the Jews, 14.10.11-19).
This dated back some 100 plus years by the time of Revelation’s
authorship, and relegated the Jewish stock of Asia to a second-class “pacifist”
status, that was akin to the “Amish” status in America during the U.S. Civil
War. They were accepted by some, and not
popular; best left segregated to themselves and their own observances. As a matter of necessity, some intercourse
and trade was made with the Jewish community of Ephesus; but it was kept with a
prejudiced limitation in the marketplace, but unprejudiced in the shipping and
harbor industry.
The Nicolaitans, or ambassadors
of the Sanhedrin (as Paul once was, when he was called “Saul”), sought to lord
their authority over the people, and burden them. It was likely that they robbed the people
with demands of gifts to the Temple, weighed them down with great burdens of
guilt trips about the slightest Shabbat infractions, and sought to be injurious
or even kill the Christians on the slightest pretense or opportunity. They also
slandered Christ, saying he violated Torah, when He never did violate. These deeds by the Nicolaitans, then,
violated Torah, and were hateful. The
deeds were abomination, and in proper perspective, the Ephesian Church hated
the deeds, and not the sinners who committed them. This “hate the sin, and love the sinner”
attitude was a correct approach, and therefore commended by Christ.
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Revelation 2:7 (KJV)
7He 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.
Revelation 2:7 (AWPR)
(7) “The (one) possessing an ear
to hear, listen, understand, and obey,hearken to what the Spirit is
speaking and laying before the Churches: to the victorious ones, those who (will)
overcome, I will him to eat out of the Tree of
Eternal Life, the which is in the midst of the Paradise of GOD.”
The Greek speaks in the same
authority and characteristic of a Hebraic “Sh’ma”. We are called to hear, to listen to the words
intently with as much attention as we can possibly muster and focus with.
We are called to understand (or do our best to try to understand) the
reasoning, to then act in obedience to the Instruction, and to hearken by a
continual form of practicing what we have been instructed to perform. In this case, we are given the promise of the
privilege to eat of a Tree that Adam and Eve never were able to, and to get all
the benefits originally meant for them before their fall from Grace, and then
some. This is a promise, says the Holy
Spirit, which should always echo in the mind of the believer…it is something we
are called to hang on to, and (apparently, upon His own urging), require of the
LORD upon a victorious completion of our testimony for His Name’s sake (i.e.,
upon our deaths).
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Revelation 2:8-11 (KJV)
8And unto the angel of the church
in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and
is alive;
9I 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.
10Fear 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.
11He 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.
Revelation 2:8-11
(8) “And to the Messenger of the
called out ones of Smyrna write,
Such are the words layed on
you by He who is the extreme beginning and the final-end, who became dead and
has come alive to live.
(9) I have seen and
know your works of performance, and the dire squeezing and crushing afflictions upon your hearts and minds, and
the complete helplessness of your poverty, but you are abundantly rich and
prosperous -- lacking nothing. And the
blasphemy, (the evil slander, the evil reports, and the abusive cursing)
of those declaring themselves to be Jews, and they are definitely not, but are
alongside --and others of -- the synagogue (the called together ones)
of Satan.
(10) Let not even one of you fear
what you are certainly about to suffer and experience in suffering. Look and see, behold! The Devil is about to make you undergo the
experience of being cast into prison, in order that you may be tried, tempted,
and solicited to sin. And you will have
and hold in your possession the crushing afflictions upon your hearts and minds
for 10 days. Be faithful and trusting
continually until death, and I will give you the Crown of Eternal Life.
(11) The
(one) possessing an ear to hear, listen, understand, and obey, hearken to what
the Spirit is speaking and laying before the Churches. The victorious and overcoming one may never
be hurt or do hurt or wrong out of the Second Death.”
There are several points of note
to be made here. First, this message
deals with a specific 10 day persecution of Christians instigated by lies by
those claiming to be practicing Jews, and are simply using religion as a cover
for evil vices.
In our own day, whether
they are members of the Communist Party, or a Socialist Party, or the A.C.L.U., or a Liberal, and call themselves
“Jewish” or "Christian", these are they who are very often the same sort of vicious back-biting and under-mining evil sort who infiltrate and destroy, who by their fruits in actions clearly deny the faith and are in this way quickly recognizable. These are often ravening wolves for their cause of liberal or progressive agendas to "transform" the Church...but what they really mean, be it consciously or sub-consciously, is to destroy the faith even as their faith is de facto non-extant, sometimes with the bitter reasoning "to take as many souls to hell with" them as they can. If they are Jewish they also especially deny that faith of their ancestors “Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” by
their evil designs and actions. They
often dress up their reasonings in gilded tongue trappings using humanity and social concerns as the "springboard", but their works or fruits are persecution
and death of goodness, especially all forms of speech and support of Christ, Christianity, and the Bible...to be replaced with idolatry and the world system, or simply that Christ be eradicated from public consciousness. These are
consciously or unconsciously the disciples of Satan, for they steal and kill
and destroy the good, and then often afterwards boast about it.
Secondly, the Smyrnan Christians
found themselves in a helpless condition, and suffered both physically,
mentally, and emotionally from the ravages of dire poverty, but have kept the
faith. And just when things couldn’t get
worse, here comes the tidings of a coming imprisonment and lengthy torture, day
and night for ten days. Ten grueling
days lay ahead, when hours seem like months, and days seem like eternities that
will never end. They are comforted only
in the fact that the acts of torture and interrogations will be only 10 days,
but they are also informed that many will also die in the persecution
process.
Thirdly, they of the Churches of Smyrna (and to all we Christians who suffer persecution, really) are given a hope
of an eternal reward that never is taken away, nor ever fades: the Crown of
Eternal Life. They are also assured,
that in the life beyond the grave, they will never have even the slightest
inclination to be like their persecutors and torturers. The Second Death not only will never
wrongfully hurt them, but they also shall do no wrongful hurt to another,
either. This appears to leave open the
possibility of battle in the Heavens in the last days, and a justifiable hurt
upon those who will follow Satan -- i.e., those who engage in open hostilities
upon Heaven and its inhabitants.
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Revelation 2:12-13 (KJV)
12And to the angel of the church
in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two
edges;
13I 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.
Revelation 2:12-13
(12) “And to the messenger in
Pergamos’ called-out ones, write:
Such are the words layed on
you by He possessing the sword, the two-edged, the sharp.
(13) I have seen and I know your works, and of
where you dwell in fixed and permanent structures and housing. In which place where the throne of the
Adversary/Satan is; and you take hold on and grasp the Name of Me with
strength, and certainly did not deny the trusting (of your) faith into
Me, even in the days in which Antipas, the faithful trusting witness of Me, who
was condemned and outrightly slain -- being put to death -- in the immediate
proximity of you, where Satan dwells in a fixed and permanent structure.”
In the mountain of Pergamos, you
have the Trinity of the Anti-Christ.
1)
The political figure worship: this entails the deification of
Augustus, who was revered as a deity. The Temple or Shrine of
Augustus in Pergamos was the central focal point for prayers and
worship on behalf of the Emperors of Rome, who was thought upon as the “Savior
of the Empire”.
2)
The State sanctioned myth worship: this was manifest in the
acceptance of the myths of the order of the Greek gods, Jupiter - Apollo -
etc., as though they were living beings ruling the world of men. It was a secondary form of taxation: a tax to
enter its gates, a tax to stand on holy ground, a tax to have a prayer made for
you, a tax to watch even the most simple ritual, or a greater tax to watch the
more secretive, etc. Unless the temples
of the state sanctioned made money, they would not be afforded Roman protection
or support. The Temple or Shrine of
Zeus in Pergamos, where the empty throne of “Zeus” or “Satan”
was, had in its overhead, “Zeus the Savior”, who was
fallaciously thought to save from wars or invasions by enemy armies. This was the faction of those worshiping “the
gods”.
3)
The Popular cultic science/drug worship: this was manifest in the
third Temple or Shrine at Pergamos, the temple of Asclepius, who was
egregiously called “the healing
savior”. This was the “dwelling
place” of Satan, where Antipas was tried, condemned, and slain.
They practiced the arts of drug making
and surgery. This was the faction of
those worshiping the “Titans”, the earthly champions called “giants”, the
opponents of “the gods”. This faction
was a favorite among the soldiers of Rome, because it was tied to the cult of
Mithras. Mithras was the snake or sun
deity, and the sun itself is called “Titan” by the Romans (Irenaeus 5.30.3). Its high feast day was December 25, and
Asclepius was the Egyptian deity who was depicted as a man holding two staves,
one of them for healing, the other resting upon the head of a serpent. The one staff was for healing, the other
rested upon the head or wisdom of the serpent, who in coins, is a coiling snake
upon a bending sapling. The Romans flocked
to its familiar, (the Persian/Assyrian/Hyksos false deity) Mithras, whose
rituals were held in caves: in the smell of burning pine cones, the pledge must
pass rituals of great endurance, manhood, and eat into a live chicken or a live
goose.
In effect, the world systems and
world religions of Satan are revealed in this, that they are all looking for a
counterfeit “sun deity” for the True Son, Jesus Christ: be that false deity a Pharaoh or an Emperor
called “the great shining one”, or be that deity called Apollo - a Greek “sun”
deity, or even Mithras - a Hyksos “sun” titan or “giant”.
In effect, they of the World who are without Christ, they are all being primed to follow and obey the
one false counterfeit who shall unite them all, and to also habitually curse GOD in Heaven (and
those who dwell in Heaven) with violent words.
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Revelation 2:14-17 (KJV)
14But 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.
15So hast thou also them that hold
the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.
16Repent; or else I will come unto
thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
17He 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.
Revelation 2:14-17
(14) “But I have small things
against you, it is for this, because you possess and continue to have and keep,
in that place there, those who take hold of and grasp the teachings of Balaam,
whom taught Balak to bring and carry the
enticement to a hidden trap of an ambush, set for the ruin of its victims, which was cast before the sight of the Sons
of Israel, to eat and partake of the sacrifices to idols, and to commit lewd
and adulterous sexual acts.
(15) In this
manner or way have you those who take
hold of and grasp the teachings of the Nicolaitans, which (teachings) I hate.
(16) Repent!
Change your mind and comprehension!
If then, you may not, I will come to you suddenly with haste, and I will
make war with them in the sword of My mouth.
(17) The (one) possessing an ear to
hear, listen, understand, and obey, hearken to what the Spirit is speaking and
laying before the Churches. To the
victorious one, I will of My own accord and good will, give to him to eat from
the hidden manna. And of My own good
will and accord, I will give a white and shining stone, and upon the stone a
new name being written, the which no one comprehends or knows in a completed
sense, except he who accepts and receives it.”
In the Greek, it is clear that the
same ones who teach the doctrine of Balaam are the Judaizers sent by the
Sanhedrin, or who act in their name.
They hold to the commentary upon the Torah, or the rulings of men in
higher esteem than that of the Torah, which they subject to the manipulations
of their mortal authorities. These
infractions or violations are offered up at a price, as a form of indulgences,
long before the Roman Catholics egregiously committed the same errors. We are called away from the teachings of the
Talmud, which the LORD hates, and toward Him and His unadulterated WORD: the
Bible. The failure to do so will evoke a
command of Judgment from GOD’s own mouth against the person in willful
continuous practice against Him. That
sword in GOD’s mouth can be plague, persecution, sudden death, or thousands of
possibilities. It is a literal sword of
the Spirit, which will cleave a person to his very core, to his very soul, to
determine if his heart is to GOD or elsewhere.
In Isaiah 30:33, we read that "(T)he breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone" sets on fire or burns up all in its path. In Revelation 19:15 in association with Isaiah 11:4 (where it is referred to as the rod of His mouth, i.e., the means of correction and punishment), it is this overflowing stream of Brimstone that kindles or burns up, is the sharp sword that goes forth out of the LORD's mouth. It asphyxiates or drowns as well as burns up. And the example of application is foreshadowed by the Two Great Witnesses of Revelation 11:5, where "if any man hurt them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies". The river or great stream of brimstone (heat that burns instantaneously) is therefore both a sword and a rod, and will also be present and in operation if needed during the Millennial reign of Christ (as Isaiah 11 indicates), because at that time also, there will still yet be unbelievers upon the Earth, even with Christ living and reigning in Jerusalem...the 100 year old child being as age 10, and the 100 year old man or woman being accursed and aged as they are in our own day (Isaiah 65:20).
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Revelation 2:18-20 (KJV)
18And 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;
19I know thy works, and charity,
and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more
than the first.
20Notwithstanding 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.
Revelation 2:18-20
(18) “And to the messenger of the
‘in Thyatira’ called out ones, write:
Such are the words layed on
you - The Son of GOD, He whose eyes are so as possessing a burning and shining
fire, and the feet of Him having the same nature and property as burnished
copper or brass.
(19) I have seen and I know your works, and the
agape love, and the attendant service and ministry, and the trusting faith, and
the patient endurance in which you bear up under, and your works at the end to
be much greater and many more than at the beginning with the first.
(20) But I have down upon you something small,
that you permit and let be that wife, Jezebel, the one laying words upon
herself to be a priestess and oracle, teaching as a master and leading astray
and causing Mine own to commit error by participating in lewd acts and to eat
that which has been sacrificed to idols.
“The in Thyratira called out
ones,” suggests that Jezebel lived outside the city, and would invite and coax
Christians out of the city to a gathering place. Here, she either performed oral sex upon the individual’s
privates, (cf. Proverbs 30:18-20),
was the object of full intercourse with one or more partners at a time, or they
all disrobed and had a nudist banquet and rubbed oil upon themselves: after which they ate meat which was
originally sacrificed to demons -- be it a “Greek deity” or a “titan”. As part of this perversion and erotica “love
feast”, she would use what we in our own day would refer to as Satanic secret rituals and incorporate and defile through Christian symbols
or themes, and then exhibit the powers of a medium, prophesying of the future
of her guests with religious language, some of which would come true, but most
prophesies would not.
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Revelation 2:21-25 (KJV)
21And I gave her space to repent
of her fornication; and she repented not.
22Behold, I will cast her into a
bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they
repent of their deeds.
23And 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.
24But 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.
25But that which ye have already
hold fast till I come.
Revelation 2:21-25
(21) “And of My own accord and
good will, I gave to her a specified period of time in order that turn away and
repent out of her lewd acts, but she definitely would not repent.
(22) Behold, look and see! I am taking up, carrying, and casting her off
into a reclining sofa, and those committing adultery with her into the great
crushing - restricting - and pressing affliction of the heart and mind, so that
whosoever may repent out of the works and deeds of them.
(23) And the children of her, I will kill in
death, and all the Churches will intuitively know that I am He who searches
kidneys and hearts; and of My own accord and good will, I will give to each of
you according to your own good works.
(24) Then I say unto the remaining ones (who are) in Thyatira, as many as who
neither have nor hold this teaching, and who did in no way know the depths of
Satan, as they layed words in saying, I am not taking up, carrying, and casting
upon you another burden to bear and carry.
(25)
Over and above this, hold onto what you have continually until I shall come.”
In the above, we see that the
first reaction that the LORD takes with sin, is to plead His cause by means of emotional
and mental affliction. This activity, in
the Greek, is called “Thlipsis”, and is simply translated as “affliction” in
the English, but means so much more. The
mental and emotional anguish is a form of “conviction” upon one’s heart and
mind regarding the shame and degradation of a particular sin. The notion is that somehow the Thyatirian
Christians intuitively “knew” what they were doing “wasn’t right”, but went
ahead and participated in the activity anyway.
That activity gradually spiraled down, and down, into deeper depths of
ritual and participation, until there was no longer any doubt that this
practice was done in a state of unbelief.
Unbelief is the abiding sin in which a person may turn away and lose
their “eternal salvation” if they so choose, as we are all free will
agents. Salvation will not be taken from
you, if you choose to believe and remain (John 10:27-30); if it is lost,
it must be initiated and carried through by the one losing it; and it may be,
that he must work and struggle at it to do so.
Therefore, once saved, it is extremely important that a state of
unbelief and blasphemy, a condoning of sinful practice(s), be avoided at all
cost (if possible); and that you ask GOD to provide you a way out, if need
be.
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Revelation 2:26-29 (KJV)
26And he that overcometh, and
keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
27And 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.
28And I will give him the morning
star.
29He that hath an ear, let him
hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Revelation 2:26-29
(26) “And he being victorious; and
he who is on his guard, being watchful and observant until the full end of the
action and works of which I am undertaking: of My own good will and accord I
will bestow upon him the permission - liberty - and rights to exercise
authority upon the nations
(27) to shepherd them in what manner or way as an iron
rod to clay vessels, striking and breaking them into pieces, in the same manner
or way which I have also accepted and received in the presence of the Father of
Me.
(28) And I will bestow upon him the star
[the diadem titled] the early morning.
(29) The (one) possessing an ear to hear: listen, understand, and obey;
hearken to what the Spirit is speaking and laying before the Churches.”
To those who overcome, Jesus
promises the power which Satan could only offer by deceit, the power to be as
‘gods’ in authority and consequence. It is with this perspective that Psalm
81:1,6 is to be understood. The
proper perspective of the “morning star” is seen as a diadem, which is added to
the crown of the saints. This diadem
appears to be a symbolism of YHVeH Messiah and the New Jerusalem, and forever
notes that this saint has overcome whatever it is that the LORD has layed upon
him, and this one is entrusted with might and authority by the LORD over
much. The diadem given to the saints of
YHVeH’s coming Kingdom, (along with the robe), represents the right of judgment
(Job 29:14), which is found solely through the Lord of Hosts (Isaiah
28:5, 62:3).
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Disclaimer: The Alternate Word Pictures with Reiterations (AWPR) translation should be used as a Bible Study Aid only, and it is recommended that a direct literal translation or the King James Bible be used for regular and ecclesiastical purposes, and that the AWPR be used in association only as a Bible study aid so as to help the reader / user in their Bible Studying to clarify context and Scriptural Intent. Thanks. -- Brianroy