Revelation 2, verse by verse

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