Servias Ministries Blog

Revelation chapter 4 begins “the hereafter” where the Bride is now with Our Lord Jesus Christ and will observe the seven-year tribulation from Above.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st Thessalonians chapter 4:

16  For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these Words.

And in 1^st Corinthians chapter 15:

51  Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed-

52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Paul understood the harpazo event and urged us to continue in our labor AND retain The Fear of THE LORD in all we do and think.  He had been caught up to the third Heaven and saw both the Love and the judgment (the Holy fire) of Our Heavenly Father.

Isaiah recorded by The Holy Spirit in Isaiah chapter 26:

19  Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; For your dew is like the dew of herbs, And the earth shall cast out the dead.

20 Come, my people, enter your chambers, And shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, Until the indignation is past.

21 For behold, the LORD comes out of His place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; The earth will also disclose her blood, And will no more cover her slain.

And in Zephaniah chapter 2:

3 Seek the LORD, all you meek of the earth, Who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden In the day of the LORD’s anger.

And in Psalm 27:

4 One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the House of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His Temple.

5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His Tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.

If we were not to be removed from the great tribulation, The Holy Spirit would not have moved upon Paul, Isaiah, Zephaniah, and David to record the above.

Jesus spoke in John chapter 14:

1  “Don’t worry or surrender to your fear. For you’ve believed in God, now trust and believe in Me also.

2 My Father’s House has many dwelling places. If it were otherwise, I would tell you plainly, because I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And when everything is ready, I will come back and take you to myself so that you will be where I am.

4 And you already know the way to the place where I’m going.”

Where is Jesus today?  In the Throne Room in the midst of Heaven.  Where are the dwelling places prepared for us?  In Heaven, not on the earth during the time of trouble!

It is written by THE SPIRIT in Jeremiah 16:

9  For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, I will cause to cease from this place, before your eyes and in your days, the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the Bridegroom (Jesus Christ) and the voice of the bride (the true church).

10 “And it shall be, when you show this people all these words, and they say to you, ‘Why has the LORD pronounced all this great disaster against us? Or what is our iniquity? Or what is our sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?’

11 then you shall say to them, ‘Because your fathers have forsaken Me,’ says the LORD; ‘they have walked after other gods and have served them and worshiped them, and have forsaken Me and not kept My law.

12 And you have done worse than your fathers, for behold, each one follows the dictates of his own evil heart, so that no one listens to Me.

13 Therefore I will cast you out of this land into a land that you do not know, neither you nor your fathers; and there you shall serve other gods day and night, where I will not show you favor.’

We must keep in mind there are four groups to consider:  The true church (the Bride), the religious (Jesus never knew them), the unsaved (those who rejected Christ), and Israel who have denied Christ as their Messiah.

Revelation chapter 4 begins “the hereafter”.

The word revelation means: the unveiling, revealing, to fully expose.  I would suggest that this Book is to be classified as the ultimate Book of Love.  Why?  Jesus provides us with what is to come for His Bride as well as those who reject Him in some manner.  He wishes that none would perish.  No other book promises a special blessing to the reader.

The Beloved Disciple recorded by The Holy Spirit in Revelation chapter 1:

17  And when I saw Jesus, I fell at His Feet as dead. But He laid His Right Hand on me, saying to me,

“Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.

18 I am He Who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.

19 Write the things which you have seen (past), and the things which are (present), and the things which will take place after this (meta tauta).

20 The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My Right Hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

Jesus gave us the outline of the Book of Revelation:

Chapter 1               the past

Chapters 2 & 3      the present

Chapters 4 – 22     the future

Further, He defines the lampstands as being the churches.  The purpose of a lampstand is to provide light, and its light comes from the oil contained which is The Holy Spirit.  No Presence of The Holy Spirt, no light!

Revelation Chapter 4:

1 After these things (meta tauta) I looked, and behold, a door standing open in Heaven. And the first Voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this (meta tauta).”

I am convinced that the harpazo has occurred as of verse 1.

John is now in the Throne Room and in the future (meta tauta) and describes what he saw and heard:

2  Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a Throne set in Heaven, and One sat on the Throne.

3 And He Who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the Throne, in appearance like an emerald.

4 Around the Throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.

5 And from the Throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the Throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

John recorded what he saw thirty-five times.  The term “I looked” is recorded seventy times in this Book.  The phrase “I beheld” was recorded seven times, “I heard” was recorded twenty-three times.  This was not a vision, but a reality beyond the restriction of the time dimension.  Jesus said “I will show thee” and that is exactly what He did!

Isn’t noteworthy that The Beloved Disciple is the one selected to record this Book of Love which occurred beyond the time dimension!

Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 13:

16  But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;

17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Jesus authored letters for John to write and send to the seven churches in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 for our personal application, encouragement, and warning.

Each church had a primary focus stated by Jesus Himself.

Ephesus                 Neglected Priorities

Smyrna                  Satanic Opposition

Pergamos               Worldly Compromise

Thyatira                 Flee Pagan Practices

Sardis                    Watchfulness, Diligence

Philadelphia           Loyal Ambassadorship

Laodicea                Repent & be committed

I have based my life on the reality that The Word of GOD is the absolute Truth in all areas.  FATHER means what HE says, and says what HE means!

To allegorize means interpret or represent symbolically.  I have heard and read countless positions attempting to totally interpret HIS Truths into allegories.  Once you add man’s interpretation to The Word, you will change the Divine Intent and effectively call GOD a liar.  You are then walking on thin ice.  Are there multiple levels of understanding and application of HIS Word?  Yes, but we must not reinterpret The Word to fit our own intent or motive.  This is why it is vital that each of us allow The Holy Spirit to be a witness of The Truth when preached.

Embracing Truth is the issue!

At the end of each Epistle to the seven churches, we are given a warning:

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches…”

Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 13:

10  And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”

11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it has not been given.

12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive;

15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’

16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;

17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Contained within each parable is a Truth to be embraced.  If you accept and embrace the Truth, you will be given more Truth.  If you reject the Truth given, it will be taken away.

I have a great concern that many believers’ hearts have grown dull and have lost their first Love.  They no longer pray in THE SPIRIT and are accepting society’s redefining of Truth.  Idol Worship has exponentially grown through the entertainment media.  Meanwhile, the poor get poorer, and the rich get richer.

Matthew recorded by The Holy Spirit in chapter 13:

34  All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them,

35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: “I will open My Mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.”

The subject of the parables in Matthew chapter 13 are not found in the Old Testament.  These Truths had been kept secret from the foundation of the world.  This is also true of the final book: The Revelation of Jesus Christ.  This final book is the culmination of FATHER’S Plan for mankind.  This is why we shall receive a special blessing when we read it.

Paul was given the privilege of revealing the mystery as he wrote by The Holy Spirit in Ephesians chapter 3:

1  For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles-

2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,

3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,

4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),

5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His Holy apostles and prophets:

6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the Gospel,

7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His Power.

The mystery of our adoption was not given to the Jews, for their eyes and ears were shut.  You and I have become fellow heirs and partakers of His Promise in Christ.  It is imperative that you understand that there are two groups of inheritance: the twelve tribes of Israel and the true church.  FATHER has not forsaken Israel or changed HIS Mind concerning HIS covenant with Abraham.  Believers have mistakenly taken on Israel’s inheritance as their own.  Don’t worry, an adopted child has the same privileges and inheritance as a begotten child.

John recorded seven letters to the churches given to him by Our Lord Jesus Christ!

These seven churches provide a concise summary of the church age at multiple levels.  In their specific order, they provide a history of the last 2,000 years.  They provide the condition of those churches at the time they were given.  Further, they reveal seven different conditions found in churches today.  They also reveal the conditions of believers at the individual level.

The churches who thought they were doing well. weren’t.  The churches who thought they were not doing well, were.  Each church was somewhat surprised.

The Beloved Disciple recorded what Jesus spoke in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 specifically for the benefit of you and me.  In every epistle, He declared “I know thy works” which is also the case for us as well.  There is nothing hidden from Him.

To anyone who reads, HEARS, and keeps this Revelation is promised a special blessing:

Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the Words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

No other Book of the Bible declares a special blessing like this.  The time is now!  We need to quit spending time on nonsense.  Nonsense is communication, via speech, writing, or any other symbolic system, that lacks any coherent meaning. Sometimes in ordinary usage, nonsense is synonymous with absurdity or the ridiculous. 

The world wants us to focus on anything other than the Absolute Truth given to us Our Heavenly Father.

Jesus spoke in John chapter 14:

1  “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”

6 Jesus said to him, “I am The Way, The Truth, and The Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Jesus declared that He would come again for us, His Bride.  I assure you that He is not going to let His Bride suffer for seven years through the great tribulation and then present His Bride bruised and battered to Our Heavenly Father.

In these two chapters, Jesus warns us seven times:

Revelation 2:

7   “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”‘

11  “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”‘

17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”‘

29 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.“‘

Revelation 3:

6  “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”‘

13 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”‘

22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”‘”

How many times do you and I need to be warned to heed the Words of Jesus?  Notice once again that He says “churches”, not just “church”.  His Words apply to all churches and every believer, no matter what their spiritual state.  Nobody can claim ignorance or have an excuse.

Jesus declared to anyone found in the Laodicean church:

Revelation 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My Voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Jesus was on the outside wanting in.  If we truly open the door to our hearts, He will enter in and dine with us.  He wants our individual commitment and stands at the door waiting (in spite of the church).

Gabriel spoke to Mary in Luke chapter 1:

30  Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.

32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.

33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom there will be no end.”

Where is the throne of David located?  It is on earth, not Heaven.  This clarifies what Jesus spoke in Revelation chapter 3:

21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My Throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His Throne.

Jesus will ultimately return to rule and reign on earth where He will sit on His Throne as promised to Mary.

The seven lampstands (the churches) are now in Heaven beginning in chapter 4.  Chapter 4 begins with the phrase meta tauta.  This phrase is translated after this which denotes the future.

Chapters 4 through 22 give the specifics of the future.  The true church is now in Heaven and observing the seven-year tribulation referenced many times in Scripture.

John recorded a letter to the church at Laodicea given to him directly by Jesus.

There are 404 verses that contain over 800 implied or indirect references from the Old Testament.  The architecture of the entire Bible made up of 66 books and 40 authors transcends the dimension of time thus It could only be written by Our Heavenly Father and for our benefit.

The word Laodicea means ruled by the people.  Who is supposed to be ruling the church?  Jesus Christ!

Nobody wants to be associated with the church of Laodicea.  Jesus had no concerns with the churches at Smyrna or Philadelphia.  He had nothing good to say about Sardis or Laodicea as we will see.

The Beloved Disciple recorded what Jesus spoke in Revelation chapter 3:

14  “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:

Amen means true and verily.  He IS the Faithful and True Witness thus there is no question of what He is saying to this church AND to us, as the case may be.  There is no misunderstanding about the condition of this church and its erroneous mindset.

Paul expresses the preeminence of Jesus Christ as he wrote by The Holy Spirit in Colossians chapter 1:

15   He is the Image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

16 For by Him all things were created that are in Heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. \

18 And He is the Head of the Body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

If Jesus Christ is not the focus of ministry in the church, they have moved to the “lukewarm” state and will suffer judgment.

15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.

16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My Mouth.

17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’-and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked-

These people were driven by pride and were self-absorbed.  Sadly, this can easily point to the U.S., Great Britain, and other members of the G7.  This church thought it was doing well only to be surprised by Jesus’ expressed concerns.

Temporary prosperity does not necessarily translate to spiritual prosperity.  This Truth prompts me to emphasize the need to give tithes and offerings.  The tithe is our acknowledgment of FATHER’S true ownership of all the wealth on and in the earth.  By giving HIM our firstfruits, we acknowledge HIM as Our GOD.  Do we need bigger churches while the poor are in need of food and clothing?  Or widows in great need while those around them have excess?

Jesus spoke in Matthew 6:19  “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

He tested the rich young ruler with this Truth and the young man preferred temporary riches over permanent treasures in Heaven.  This is the state of many, especially in America.  Question: Why can you no longer find The Holy Spirit and His Gifts operating in most churches?

James wrote by The Holy Spirit in James chapter 5:

1  Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!

2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.

3 Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days.

4 Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.

5 You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter.

Both Jesus and James spoke indictments to those who are among the rich on earth.

Jesus is rejecting those in Laodicea by “spewing them out of His Mouth”.  He also made this point in Matthew chapter 7:

21  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven.

22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your Name, cast out demons in Your Name, and done many wonders in Your Name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Back to Jesus’ letter:

18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

19 As many as I Love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.

20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My Voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Their blindness and nakedness were not incurable.  They need to be refined in HIS Gold.  The Fear of THE LORD is HIS Treasure (Isa 33:6)  HIS Law, testimony, and statutes are more desired than gold (Psa 19:7-11).  Their blindness is curable by The Holy Spirit.  Where is Jesus with respect to Laodicea?  On the outside of “the door” (as is The Holy Spirit).

Repent!

21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My Throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His Throne.

John recorded a letter to the church at Philadelphia given to him directly by Jesus.

Jesus specifically designed each letter with seven elements:

1. Name of the Church
2. Title of Christ Chosen
3. Commendation (good news)
4. Concern (bad news)
5. Exhortation
6. Promise to the Overcomer
7. Close: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”‘

Everybody wants to claim the church of Philadelphia to be reflective of their own.

The Beloved Disciple recorded what Jesus spoke in Revelation chapter 3:

7  “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia (friendly fellowship) write, ‘These things says He who is Holy, He Who is True, “He Who has the key of David, He Who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens“:

The Word Holy should imply reverence and is linked to judgment and justice.  When the creatures proclaim “Holy, Holy, Holy”, the speak of His birth, His death, and His priestly office where He makes intercession for us (Heb 7:25).  We are to be Holy and True as loyal and competent ambassadors representing Jesus Christ to the world.  Jesus’ character is Holy and True, He can be fully trusted!

The key of David is found in Isaiah 22:20-25 and refers to a messianic prophecy about Jesus being killed and removed.

8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My Word, and have not denied My Name.

9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie-indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have Loved you.

10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

11 Behold, I am coming quickly (suddenly)! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.

Jesus spoke of seven commendations and had no criticisms.  Jesus will keep the overcomers from “the hour of the trial” which shall come upon the whole world.  This is referring to the harpazo for His Bride will be spared from such a trial.

This time is to test the earth dwellers, not His Bride.  Those who pass the test will be welcomed to Heaven at the end of the seven-year period.  This includes Israel who initially rejected the Messiah.  FATHER did not rescind HIS irrevocable Covenant with Israel.  As usual, they had to suffer before they would accept HIS Plan.  You and I are pilgrims passing through, not earth-dwellers.

When Jesus says “the whole world”, He means it.  This suggests that the test will be catastrophic in nature.

12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the Temple of My God, and he shall go out 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 I will write on him My New Name.

Once again, Jesus closes this epistle with:

13 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”‘

The seven-year period will not be pleasant for the Gentile believers.  They will suffer and many will die during this time as the antichrist will overcome those saints.  There will be a subset of Jewish believers (144,000) that will be protected.

For this particular church, Jesus had no concerns.

John recorded a letter to the church at Sardis given to him directly by Jesus.

The Book of Revelation presents the climax of GOD’S plan for man, it is the consummation of all things!  I believe chapters 2 and 3 are essential for us to understand as believers.

The letter to Sardis contains the greatest concern for those who profess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  The letter to Sardis has nothing good said about it.  The name Sardis is thought to mean “red ones?” but is really unidentifiable, and it is believed that the first coins in history began in Sardis. The name appears to be empty of true meaning and that reality is reflected in the letter.  It was a wealthy city and was regarded to be impregnable.  However, it wasn’t!  Cyrus of Isaiah chapter 45, invaded the city “like a thief in the night”.

The name “Sardis” became synonymous with:

Pretentions unjustified

Promise without performance.

Appearance without reality

False confidence that heralded ruin

Betrayed themselves by lack of watchfulness and diligence.

(W.M. Ramsay, Letters to Seven Churches)

Recall what John recorded by The Holy Spirit in chapter 1:

3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the Words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

To keep means to embrace, to hold on to, to retain.

Jesus provides us with definitions in verse 20:

The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My Right Hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.  Jesus chose these seven churches out of over one hundred which existed at the time.  These seven provide us with a prophetic comparison of the conditions found in all churches as well as a chronology of church history up to the current time.

Why are the seven lampstands emphasized?  After chapter 3, they are only found in Heaven and no longer on the earth.  Chapters 2 & 3 represent the things which are.  From chapter 4 on, the future is revealed.

The Beloved Disciple recorded what Jesus spoke in Revelation chapter 3:

1  And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the Seven Spirits of God (The Holy Spirit) and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

Where is The Holy Spirit in this church?  This is why they are dead.

2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect (or complete) before God.

3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

Jesus gives the same warning as He did in the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25).  The five foolish virgins allowed the oil to be used up.  Oil represents The Holy Spirit.

4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.

5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

Once again, Jesus reminds us that each letter applies to all churches:

6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”‘

Jesus warned: If you remember, hold fast, and repent, you won’t be caught by surprise!

Be vigilant.

Be watchful of: The wiles of the devil, temptation, His Coming, and false teachers.

What great Truths are being lost today in many churches?

The justification by faith alone

The Word of GOD being absolutely true and the Final Truth in all matters.

The depravity of man.

Redemption by His Blood.

What isn’t complete in our lives?

Our Love

The Fear of THE LORD

Our devotional life

Our loyalty to HIM alone

Our service

Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 7:

21  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the Will of My Father in Heaven.

22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your Name, cast out demons in Your Name, and done many wonders in Your Name?’

23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

The warning is clear!

John recorded a letter to Thyatira given to him directly by Jesus.

The Book of Revelation presents the climax of GOD’S plan for man, it is the consummation of all things!

The Beloved Disciple recorded what Jesus spoke in Revelation chapter 2:

18  “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, ‘These things says the Son of God, Who has Eyes like a flame of fire, and His Feet like fine brass:

The title Jesus uses with each church provides a clue to the issue in that church.  Both fire and brass denote a theme of inspection and judgment.  Jesus can see through the dross and discerns what is left.

His commendation:

19 “I know your works, Love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first.

His concerns:

20 Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality (as well as idol worship) and eat things sacrificed to idols.

21 And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. 22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds.

If they don’t change, they will go into the great tribulation.  Idol worship will disqualify you from entering the Kingdom prior to the great tribulation.  Notice that Jesus gives those who have entered into idol worship an opportunity to reverse their situation.  UNLESS they repent, they will ultimately suffer in the great tribulation.  Each of us must assess whether we have any subtle idols we might worship that draws us away from our spiritual walk with Jesus.

23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.

In effect, the whole church condoned idol worship.

His exhortation:

24 “Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden.

25 But hold fast what you have till I come.

This is the first specific reference in the seven letters of the coming of Christ.

Promise to the overcomer:

26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations–

27 ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’- as I also have received from 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 churches.”‘

There are two groups in this church: a remnant and the rest who have allowed idol worship into the congregation.  Jesus removes the remnant and allows the rest to enter into the great tribulation.  Those who are among the remnant are given the promise to rule over nations with Jesus.

The Beloved Disciple specifically defines the overcomer when he wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st John chapter 5:

4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith.

5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

You see, every true child of God overcomes the world, for our faith is the victorious power that triumphs over the world.

Those of us who walk in faith and fully rely on Jesus Christ are known as overcomers.  This is why He urges us to “hold fast” until He comes!

John recorded a letter to Pergamos given to him directly by Jesus.

The Book of Revelation presents the climax of GOD’S plan for man, it is the consummation of all things!

John, the Beloved Disciple begins in chapter 1:

1  The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants-things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,

2 who bore witness to the Word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.

3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the Words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

This is the only Book in the Bible which promises a special blessing to those of us who will read AND hear!  Who gave this revelation?  FATHER.  To whom?  Jesus, Who in turn gave It to John to record.  The word signify means to make known something, either by signs or words. 

The Beloved Disciple recorded what Jesus spoke in Revelation chapter 2:

12  “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, ‘These things says He Who has the sharp two-edged sword:

13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My Name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.

15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

16 Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My Mouth.

17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”‘

Jesus spoke concerning the past, present, and future:

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

These churches were all local churches.  We are admonished by Jesus to study the condition of all seven churches, not just a subset.  Today churches have elements of each of the seven churches referenced.  If you have an ear, then hear and understand what the Holy Spirit is revealing to each of us.  These seven churches also provide a prophetic picture of the history of the church age.

Pergamos was the great religious center and is identified as “the city of the serpent”.  The Caduceus was the official emblem of the city.  The Greek god Hermes (the god of commerce), who served as herald and messenger to the other gods, carried a winged staff entwined with two snakes. The staff of Aesculapius, the god of healing, had one snake and no wings. The word caduceus, from Latin, is a modification of Greek karykeion, from karyx, meaning “herald.” Strictly speaking, caduceus should refer only to the staff of the herald-god Hermes (Mercury to the Romans), but in practice the word is often applied to the one-snake staff as well. You might logically expect the staff of Aesculapius to be the symbol of the medical profession—and indeed, that is the symbol used by the American Medical Association. But you will also quite frequently see the true caduceus used as a medical symbol.

Pergamos was known as the compromising church.  You can see the infiltration of the serpent and his throne was literally depicted by a large statue of Zeus above the city.  Notice there are two serpents on the pole, a counterfeit to the serpent on the pole in Numbers 21.  A serpent on a brass pole is a symbol of sin being judged.

The word Pergamos means mixed, objectionable marriage.  Jesus described Himself as the One with the two-edged Sword… the Word of GOD.

Jesus mentions Balaam in this passage.  Balaam is a soothsayer, not a prophet of GOD.  He was hired by Balak, the king of Moab, to curse Israel (Num 22-24,31).  Balaam did not curse Israel but instead taught the king how to defeat Israel.  How?  By enticing the men of Israel to commit fornication with Moabite women… prohibited in the Torah.  This brought judgment on the land.  We are warned not to compromise with the world!  The doctrine of Balaam is spiritual unchastity; marriage with the world.  The “way of Balaam” is making a market for his gift.  Peter referred to this as he wrote by The Holy Spirit in 2^nd Peter chapter 2:

15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

This is why Servias makes no “market” for its writings, etc.  We have no payroll and rely solely on contributions to perpetuate this ministry.  If HE is not in it, then neither am I!  There is a fine line in urging people to give versus using guilt to get their money.  My wife and I give to Servias and other ministries knowing that FATHER will continue to bless us in what we set our hands to for HIS Kingdom.  Let us be counted among the wise virgins in being led by The Holy Spirit and not be taken in by those marketing their gifts.

The error of Balaam was sacrificing Eternal riches for temporal gain (Jude 11).

What is the promise to the overcomer?  The hidden manna is Jesus: the Bread of Life in John chapter 6.  The white stone with your name on it is not fully disclosed but had to do with our identification of purity and access.

What was Jesus’ admonition to us?  We are to protect our spiritual morality and not allow ourselves to be compromised by the world.  Once again,

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying.”

John recorded a letter to Smyrna given to him directly by Jesus.

The Beloved Disciple recorded what Jesus spoke in Revelation chapter 2:

8  “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, ‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life:

9 “I know your works, tribulation (persecutions), and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until 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 churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”‘

The word Smyrna comes from the Greek word Smurnaios (Hebrew root “Mur” ie myrrh) which means “death” by being crushed.

The outline of the entire Book of Revelation is provided to us in chapter 1:

19  Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.

The outline (past, present, and future):

Write the things which you have seen,

The Vision of Christ in chapter 1

and the things which are,

The Seven Churches in chapters 2 & 3

and the things which will take place after this.

What follows AFTER the Churches in chapters 4-22 (chapter 4 starts with the Greek phrase which means “hereafter”).

Chapters 2 & 3 impact you and me.  Jesus makes an emphatic statement that must be heeded by all:

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

This is why it is critical for us to focus on the condition of each church listed.  There were many more churches than just these seven.  However, these seven were representative of the various conditions found in churches then and now.  Every one of these letters applied to every church to some extent.

What was right with Smyrna?  Jesus said, “I know thy works” and was pleased.  He knows our works as well and we should keep this in mind each day as we consider what opportunities lie ahead.  Are we producing fruit daily?  By the way, He knows our motivation behind our works.

These people thought they were poor but are actually rich.  This is in contrast to the Laodiceans that thought they were rich but were actually poor.  Jesus was also well aware of their suffering for Him.  He commends them for their faith in Him.

Jesus acknowledges that some will be cast into prison and suffer but He did not suggest that He would spare them of this tribulation.  Instead, He told them to “fear not” and remain faithful.

The crown mentioned here is a victor’s crown.  There are five crowns promised:

Crown of Life for those who have suffered for His sake.  (James 1:12, Rev 2:10)

Crown of Righteousness for those who Love His appearing. (2^nd Timothy 4:8)

Crown of Glory for those who fed the flock. (1^st Peter 5:4)

Crown Incorruptible for those who press on steadfastly.  (1^st Corinthians 9:25)

Crown of Rejoicing for those who win souls.  (1^st Thessalonians 2:19)

Jesus ends with a promise: He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 2^nd Timothy chapter 3:

12   Yes, and all who desire to live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Jesus and Paul warn us of persecutions, and we will not be exempt.  Those who are promoting perversion are attempting to use any means available to persecute the believers.  They are attempting to redefine words in order to support their agendas.  They are weaponizing the system in an attempt to stifle our freedoms.  They want to divert our attention with all forms of entertainment to entice us.  We must overcome all trials and tribulations so that we will receive our crowns.