Welcome again to our program
00:00:18.95\00:00:22.45
"Revelation of the Coming King."
00:00:22.48\00:00:27.26
I'm Ranko Stefanovic, Professor
in the Seventh-day Adventist
00:00:27.29\00:00:31.64
Theological
Seminary, Andrews University.
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And I'm thrilled
to be with you here.
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And I have the best
audience that somebody can have.
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You motivate--
you motivate me, okay,
00:00:44.16\00:00:47.47
to be more enthusiastic
about the word of God.
00:00:47.50\00:00:52.37
As you know that the
series that we titled
00:00:52.40\00:00:59.16
"Revelation of the Coming King"
00:00:59.19\00:01:02.11
is actually chapter by chapter
00:01:02.14\00:01:03.71
study of the Book of Revelation.
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And as you know that it's
impossible in so many hours
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to cover everything that
is in the Book of Revelation,
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but the purpose is that
we provide general outline
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and general survey of
the Book of Revelation
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somehow to stimulate your
appetite with the word of God.
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So once this program is over,
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that you can go and study
for yourself a much deeper
00:01:31.04\00:01:35.38
and I believe that
real study will never end.
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That's why you need
some significant tools.
00:01:40.53\00:01:43.84
As you know that the
best textbook for study
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with the Book of
Revelation is in my hand.
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It's the Bible
and if you could see
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how much we need
especially the Old Testament
00:01:53.99\00:01:57.12
for the understanding
of the Book of Revelation,
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believe me, very soon
you will experience it.
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So I'd like to
suggest to you every time
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when we begin a new topic,
please can we open our Bibles,
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find appropriate text
in the Book of Revelation
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and we will go
together into the word of God,
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but we need also some tools.
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You know, we are busy people.
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We have different occupations.
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We cannot spend
hours and hours everyday
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to go to study the word of God,
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especially to take
one book of the Bible
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like the Book of Revelation.
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So we need tools.
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There are some other people
who invested a lot of time.
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So everything what
is collected together,
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we have good collection
of scholarly research.
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So one of good tools
actually I'm holding in my hand.
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It's this commentary--
verse by verse commentary
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on the Book of Revelation titled
"Revelation of Jesus Christ."
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It's a product of many
years of scholarly research
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not only mine, but also of
many other biblical scholars.
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And it's an
excellent starting tool
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to study the Book of Revelation.
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So when you have
your copy in your hands
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at the beginning
of every presentation,
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I will mention the pages.
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The topic that we are presenting
is found in this commentary.
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So once the program is over,
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I hope you will
go to those pages
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and maybe in the company
with some of your friends,
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church members
from your congregation
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you can go and study,
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exchange ideas and dig much
deeper into the word of God.
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As you know
that last time we saw
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about the
messages to seven churches.
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We saw how to interpret them.
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And we saw that
those seven messages,
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they have three
levels of application.
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The first one is contemporary.
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Those messages
were sent originally
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to the churches
and to the Christians
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of the time of
John in 1st century.
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Even though those
messages were written to them,
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they're not
written only for them.
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They were written
also for Christians
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of every generation in every
period of Christian history.
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So it means also
to us-- to us today.
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So there is also
application for us today.
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We can find
something as the voice of God
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speaking to our
hearts from those messages.
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But that's the
second level, okay.
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But there is
also the third level
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which is the
prophetic application
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because those messages,
each one of those message, okay,
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reflects a certain
period in Christian history.
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We saw already
how Ephesus, okay,
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represented the
Christian church in 1st century.
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Then the church in
Smyrna, the Christian history
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of 2nd and 3rd centuries
and we saw how the message
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to the church in
Pergamum actually reflected,
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represented, okay,
4th and 5th century
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of the Christian,
Christian history.
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These are powerful messages.
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Okay, at the end of
this program, we will--
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I'd just like to
say few more words
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about the
application of these messages.
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But before we move
on into our subject,
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I would like to ask
God for His guidance
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and for the Holy Spirit
to guide us in these studies.
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Our Heavenly Father,
thank you for giving us
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another opportunity to
go into study Your word.
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And Father when we
contemplate about the way
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how Jesus Christ
sent through John
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the significant messages
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to the
Christians in 1st century,
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but you have told
us that those messages
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even though they
were written to them,
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they're not
written just for them.
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They're written
also for us, today.
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And we would like this moment
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to hear Your voice
speaking to our hearts.
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So please give
us Your Holy Spirit
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and help us that we
understand these messages
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and to apply to our daily lives.
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We pray all of this
in the precious name
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of our Savior,
Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen.
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So please if you
have your commentaries
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and I'd like also
invite the viewers,
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if you want to keep this
commentary open in front of you.
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We're going now to
the church of Thyatira.
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Then after that we
have the church in Sardis,
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then Philadelphia and Laodicea.
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So beginning with page 131,
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131 until the
end of the chapter.
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Okay, so far, we
surveyed the message
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to the church in Ephesus,
then Smyrna and Pergamum.
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I don't know what you say,
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but probably there is
something in all those messages
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that we can find
for ourselves, okay.
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But there is much more.
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Actually the next
city that Jesus addressed
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was the church in Thyatira.
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But please allow me
something to mention
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that I didn't mention earlier.
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There is so much, you know,
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to say and it's very,
very easy to escape it, okay.
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Keep in mind, that
Roman province of Asia--
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we're talking about, okay,
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Roman provinces in
Asia, more than Turkey.
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There are more
than seven churches.
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As I mentioned last time,
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I visited the
sites of those cities.
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How many? Three, four times.
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And for instance,
when you are on the ruins
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of the church of Laodicea,
I show it to my students.
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Far away, I don't
know, how many? 15, 20 miles.
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I'd say, "You see
those ruins there.
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This is the city of Colossae."
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And we know that Paul
wrote to the church in Colossae.
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He wrote letter. It
was also in Asia Minor.
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Then you look there.
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You look there from
Laodicea, not far away.
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maybe 7-- 6, 7 miles,
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Maybe even less, is Hierapolis.
00:08:13.71\00:08:18.24
Another
prominent church was there.
00:08:18.27\00:08:20.68
Then you go to
north, there was Troas.
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You remember when Paul
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at the end of his
third missionary journey,
00:08:25.00\00:08:26.96
he went there to
Troas and visited
00:08:26.99\00:08:29.24
the elders of the church there.
00:08:29.27\00:08:32.41
So there are more
than seven churches,
00:08:32.44\00:08:35.56
but only seven
are addressed here.
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There are several
reasons because those churches
00:08:38.21\00:08:40.21
they had serious problem.
00:08:40.24\00:08:42.77
They had a serious problem.
00:08:42.80\00:08:45.05
But another side,
evidently God in His providence
00:08:45.08\00:08:49.28
chose intentionally
just these seven churches
00:08:49.31\00:08:53.28
because those churches,
00:08:53.31\00:08:55.12
even though they were
individual congregations,
00:08:55.15\00:08:58.23
okay, they stand a symbol
of God's people of all time.
00:08:58.26\00:09:03.87
The experience that
they had in 1st century
00:09:03.90\00:09:08.14
and all that
experience they went through,
00:09:08.17\00:09:11.29
actually reflect
different experience
00:09:11.32\00:09:14.37
of Christians of
every generation.
00:09:14.40\00:09:17.71
So when you put all
those seven churches together,
00:09:17.74\00:09:20.01
you actually hear
universal problems
00:09:20.04\00:09:23.31
that Christians face
at any time in history.
00:09:23.34\00:09:25.76
Are you still with me? Amen.
00:09:25.79\00:09:27.67
But much more than that you
have also universal solution
00:09:27.70\00:09:32.90
that Jesus gives to His church.
00:09:32.93\00:09:36.54
So keep in mind
that those churches
00:09:36.57\00:09:38.54
were intentionally chosen
00:09:38.57\00:09:40.81
to actually represent
God's people of all ages.
00:09:40.84\00:09:43.82
But in the same time those
seven churches somehow reflect
00:09:43.85\00:09:48.60
the different
periods in Christian history.
00:09:48.63\00:09:51.93
We saw how Ephesus
reflected 1st century.
00:09:51.96\00:09:55.19
We saw how the
church in Pergamum
00:09:55.22\00:09:57.15
reflected 2nd and 3rd century.
00:09:57.18\00:09:59.81
And we saw how
the church in Pergamum
00:09:59.84\00:10:02.02
reflected 4th and 5th century.
00:10:02.05\00:10:04.02
Now let's go to Thyatira, okay.
00:10:04.05\00:10:06.16
You see--
00:10:06.19\00:10:07.56
you remember we
talk about Ephesus.
00:10:07.59\00:10:10.79
You go about 35 miles
there, was the church in Smyrna
00:10:10.82\00:10:14.81
and you go north further there
00:10:14.84\00:10:17.68
about 40 miles was
the church Pergamum.
00:10:17.71\00:10:20.53
Now you go east,
00:10:20.56\00:10:24.23
and the city of
Thyatira was located there.
00:10:24.26\00:10:28.85
So please I
would like to ask you
00:10:28.88\00:10:31.18
if you can open the chapter
2, we are still in chapter 2.
00:10:31.21\00:10:37.99
We are reading in verse 18.
00:10:38.02\00:10:40.33
Please I have to go
and to read this text
00:10:40.36\00:10:43.24
and you will see why
because there are few elements
00:10:43.27\00:10:46.21
here in this text
that we have to emphasize.
00:10:46.24\00:10:49.26
It says, "And to the angel
of the church in Thyatira write,
00:10:49.29\00:10:54.47
the Son of God, who has
eyes like a flame of fire."
00:10:54.50\00:11:00.22
When Jesus
introduces Himself in that way,
00:11:00.25\00:11:02.79
Son of God having His eyes
00:11:02.82\00:11:06.19
like a flame of fire
it tell us something.
00:11:06.22\00:11:09.54
That Jesus sees something
reference to this church
00:11:09.57\00:11:13.02
that the normal
eyes, they could not see.
00:11:13.05\00:11:15.71
His penetrating eyes see
the situation of the church.
00:11:15.74\00:11:19.96
But says, "And His
feet like burnished bronze,
00:11:19.99\00:11:23.31
it says this, I know your deeds,
00:11:23.34\00:11:25.76
and your love and faith
and service and perseverance,
00:11:25.79\00:11:29.81
and that your deeds of late
are greater than the first."
00:11:29.84\00:11:34.99
So this church,
it's more faithful
00:11:35.02\00:11:39.29
than at the
beginning its existence.
00:11:39.32\00:11:41.73
Completely
opposite than what we have
00:11:41.76\00:11:43.64
in the church in Ephesus.
00:11:43.67\00:11:45.06
Church in Ephesus
was very faithful,
00:11:45.09\00:11:48.75
but started losing its love.
00:11:48.78\00:11:50.41
The church of
Thyatira has the last works,
00:11:50.44\00:11:54.42
the last stage of its existence
00:11:54.45\00:11:56.80
are much better
than the beginning.
00:11:56.83\00:11:59.17
But says, "But I
have this against you,
00:11:59.20\00:12:04.73
that you tolerate
the woman Jezebel,
00:12:04.76\00:12:08.16
who calls herself a prophetess,
00:12:08.19\00:12:11.21
and she teaches and
leads my servants astray
00:12:11.24\00:12:15.20
so that they
commit act of immorality
00:12:15.23\00:12:18.91
and eat things
sacrificed to idols."
00:12:18.94\00:12:23.10
I will stop here at this moment.
00:12:23.13\00:12:27.29
Let's reflect just
on this last statement.
00:12:27.32\00:12:31.49
The woman Jezebel is mentioned.
00:12:31.52\00:12:36.50
Christians are
debating about this name.
00:12:36.53\00:12:40.03
But keep in mind we're dealing
about Greco-Roman environment.
00:12:40.06\00:12:43.78
They did not have Jewish names.
00:12:43.81\00:12:46.14
Evidently, this is her
nickname that John names her,
00:12:46.17\00:12:50.86
Jezebel, after
the notorious queen,
00:12:50.89\00:12:55.42
the wife of Ahab
the king of Israel.
00:12:55.45\00:12:58.18
You know what
happened with Jezebel?
00:12:58.21\00:13:01.51
Actually she married Ahab.
00:13:01.54\00:13:05.16
She was evidently a
priestess of worship of Baal.
00:13:05.19\00:13:12.11
She married Ahab just
for one simple purpose.
00:13:12.14\00:13:16.05
To promote that pagan worship
00:13:16.08\00:13:18.59
there in Israel
and she succeeded.
00:13:18.62\00:13:22.05
You know her
confrontation with Elijah.
00:13:22.08\00:13:26.35
Actually she did not
tell the people of Israel
00:13:26.38\00:13:29.07
"Don't worship your God."
00:13:29.10\00:13:31.34
But she represented that God,
the God of Heaven with Baal.
00:13:31.37\00:13:36.70
So she tried
somehow to make a compromise
00:13:36.73\00:13:39.16
and that's why the judgments
of God came there on Israel
00:13:39.19\00:13:43.27
and the prophet Elijah played
00:13:43.30\00:13:45.11
significant
role in the judgment.
00:13:45.14\00:13:48.43
So John by
pointing to that woman,
00:13:48.46\00:13:53.97
queen in Israel, okay,
00:13:54.00\00:13:56.18
he names her
Jezebel just to tell us,
00:13:56.21\00:13:59.69
if you want to
understand who this woman is,
00:13:59.72\00:14:03.46
just to try to think
about that woman in the Bible.
00:14:03.49\00:14:05.60
But there is something else.
00:14:05.63\00:14:07.00
The way how this
woman is portrayed here.
00:14:07.03\00:14:10.41
She functions as a forerunner
in the Book of Revelation
00:14:10.44\00:14:14.13
of another woman that later
00:14:14.16\00:14:16.13
we will see in the
Book of Revelation.
00:14:16.16\00:14:18.24
That woman is portrayed
in Revelation Chapter 17.
00:14:18.27\00:14:21.36
Also the prostitute
trying to make a compromise
00:14:21.39\00:14:25.16
to lead people into apostasy.
00:14:25.19\00:14:27.59
However, in
Revelation Chapter 17
00:14:27.62\00:14:29.77
that woman is
not called Jezebel.
00:14:29.80\00:14:31.95
She's called Babylon.
00:14:31.98\00:14:34.77
So you see, we
go little bit back,
00:14:34.80\00:14:37.21
we go little bit there
ahead and we understand
00:14:37.24\00:14:41.10
the powerful message
of the Book of Revelation.
00:14:41.13\00:14:43.96
What about this woman?
00:14:43.99\00:14:45.36
You see, I'm not
giving to rush into the city.
00:14:45.39\00:14:46.95
I will do it because
we want to understand
00:14:46.98\00:14:49.16
the problem in the church,
00:14:49.19\00:14:50.83
then we understand the city
00:14:50.86\00:14:52.26
and the Christians
how they lived there.
00:14:52.29\00:14:54.37
She said the church
tolerated that woman.
00:14:54.40\00:14:57.71
The church was
very faithful to God.
00:14:57.74\00:14:59.27
Are you still with me?
00:14:59.30\00:15:00.67
But the church
tolerated that woman.
00:15:00.70\00:15:02.74
And who was she-- this woman?
00:15:02.77\00:15:04.60
She claimed-- she calls herself,
00:15:04.63\00:15:06.61
she claimed to be a prophetess.
00:15:06.64\00:15:11.10
You know, friends,
00:15:11.13\00:15:13.08
when a heretic comes
from outside and tells you,
00:15:13.11\00:15:17.69
"You believe in God
that does not exist.
00:15:17.72\00:15:20.31
Jesus Christ,
who is Jesus Christ?
00:15:20.34\00:15:21.71
He never resurrected."
00:15:21.74\00:15:23.11
Boy, you will
fight and resist. Amen.
00:15:23.14\00:15:27.22
That's when the
danger comes from outside.
00:15:27.25\00:15:30.07
But when you have a
person who is in the church,
00:15:30.10\00:15:35.03
they claim to be so pious,
so faithful to God and says,
00:15:35.06\00:15:39.80
"I had a dream, God invited me
00:15:39.83\00:15:42.29
to the prophetic
ministry and God spoke to me."
00:15:42.32\00:15:46.21
Do you sometimes
watch some TV programs
00:15:46.24\00:15:49.28
where people try to
present certain teachings?
00:15:49.31\00:15:51.84
They cannot go to the Bible.
00:15:51.87\00:15:54.39
They simply say, "You know,
last night God spoke to me."
00:15:54.42\00:15:58.11
And how it's
easy that people buy
00:15:58.14\00:16:00.00
those interpretations
and those teachings.
00:16:00.03\00:16:02.27
"God spoke to me."
00:16:02.30\00:16:04.60
Friends, God
will not speak to us
00:16:04.63\00:16:07.01
if He already
spoke in His bible. Amen.
00:16:07.04\00:16:09.51
And if you cannot
support it by the Bible
00:16:09.54\00:16:11.91
then you have to
use something else.
00:16:11.94\00:16:13.67
This is actually what
this woman Jezebel did.
00:16:13.70\00:16:18.58
She claimed to be
a very pious person.
00:16:18.61\00:16:21.91
She claimed to be called
into the prophetic ministry
00:16:21.94\00:16:24.76
and she said, "Hey, you don't
want to do all these things.
00:16:24.79\00:16:29.17
That's your civic
duties." You remember?
00:16:29.20\00:16:32.39
"But God spoke to me. I
have a message from God.
00:16:32.42\00:16:35.34
God told me that if
you do it, it is okay."
00:16:35.37\00:16:37.90
What was that okay?
00:16:37.93\00:16:39.30
Please would you go
with me back to the text?
00:16:39.33\00:16:43.45
It says-- let's
go back to verse 20.
00:16:43.48\00:16:47.46
"But I have this against you,
00:16:47.49\00:16:49.06
that you tolerate
the woman Jezebel,
00:16:49.09\00:16:51.28
who calls herself a prophetess,
00:16:51.31\00:16:53.24
and she teaches and
leads my servants astray
00:16:53.27\00:16:56.57
so that they
commit act of immorality
00:16:56.60\00:17:00.54
and they eat things
sacrificed to idols."
00:17:00.57\00:17:04.19
Please let me
ask you one question.
00:17:04.22\00:17:07.33
Don't be shy to answer.
00:17:07.36\00:17:09.36
Where before-- where did we meet
00:17:09.39\00:17:12.64
these two expressions,
to commit acts of immorality
00:17:12.67\00:17:16.58
and to eat things
sacrificed to idols?
00:17:16.61\00:17:20.26
Just go back to
the previous letter.
00:17:20.29\00:17:21.99
Pergamum,
Nicolaitans and Balaamites.
00:17:22.02\00:17:26.54
This is what they were doing.
00:17:26.57\00:17:27.94
So now you can see
00:17:27.97\00:17:29.34
that there was a common
trend among those churches.
00:17:29.37\00:17:32.95
They are different groups.
00:17:32.98\00:17:35.33
In one church they
were called Nicolaitans
00:17:35.36\00:17:37.84
like in Ephesus and in Pergamum.
00:17:37.87\00:17:40.34
Also, in Pergamum they
were called Balaamites.
00:17:40.37\00:17:43.64
But in Thyatira
they were not called
00:17:43.67\00:17:45.94
Nicolaitans or Balaamites.
00:17:45.97\00:17:47.84
They were called the
followers of Jezebel.
00:17:47.87\00:17:51.27
But they all have
something in common.
00:17:51.30\00:17:53.52
They had common
teaching to make a compromise
00:17:53.55\00:17:57.30
with pagan
customs and pagan worship.
00:17:57.33\00:18:01.74
But keep in mind,
we already mentioned,
00:18:01.77\00:18:05.59
when we listed all
those seven churches
00:18:05.62\00:18:08.58
that those churches were
not in the same situation.
00:18:08.61\00:18:11.38
So before we go and
try to learn a little bit
00:18:11.41\00:18:16.34
about this advice or counsel
that Jesus gave to the churches.
00:18:16.37\00:18:20.31
We have to understand
little bit about the city
00:18:20.34\00:18:24.11
and the situation of
the Christians in that city
00:18:24.14\00:18:27.39
to understand what was that
00:18:27.42\00:18:29.89
actually that this
woman Jezebel tried to teach
00:18:29.92\00:18:34.13
the faithful Christians there
00:18:34.16\00:18:35.92
and amazingly she
had the followers.
00:18:35.95\00:18:40.18
Evidently, when you say
I have a message from God
00:18:40.21\00:18:42.91
it works in the
minds of many people
00:18:42.94\00:18:45.55
who don't go to the
Bible to get the answer, okay.
00:18:45.58\00:18:50.54
Of all the seven
cities, three that we mentioned
00:18:50.57\00:18:55.77
and three that we will
still try to understand about,
00:18:55.80\00:18:58.87
Thyatira was the smallest one.
00:18:58.90\00:19:02.51
And it was quite
different of all other--
00:19:02.54\00:19:07.02
those seven cities.
00:19:07.05\00:19:10.29
Please it's very
important to understand.
00:19:10.32\00:19:12.92
Thyatira did not have any
00:19:12.95\00:19:15.53
political
importance and significance
00:19:15.56\00:19:19.32
and it was not at
all any cultural center.
00:19:19.35\00:19:23.58
No philosophers would go
there to establish their schools
00:19:23.61\00:19:27.11
and try to promote
their teachings. Why?
00:19:27.14\00:19:30.84
For one simple reason,
because Thyatira was not
00:19:30.87\00:19:33.97
an intellectual
city like Ephesus,
00:19:34.00\00:19:36.51
like Pergamum, like Smyrna,
00:19:36.54\00:19:38.80
we will see like
Laodicea, and others.
00:19:38.83\00:19:41.64
It was a simply
blue collar work city.
00:19:41.67\00:19:48.16
Actually the city
was known for many trades
00:19:48.19\00:19:52.23
such as garment
making, bronze smithing,
00:19:52.26\00:19:56.87
tanning, leather working,
pottery, baking, dyeing,
00:19:56.90\00:20:01.61
and manufacture for all
purple and woolen goods.
00:20:01.64\00:20:05.29
But wait let me mention
something very interesting.
00:20:05.32\00:20:09.77
You probably can recall when
Paul the apostle came to Europe.
00:20:09.80\00:20:14.78
What was the
first city in Europe
00:20:14.81\00:20:17.85
that Paul started
preaching the gospel?
00:20:17.88\00:20:21.51
Actually it was Philippi.
00:20:21.54\00:20:25.41
It is to that city that
Paul wrote also his epistle.
00:20:25.44\00:20:28.82
What was the name
of the first woman
00:20:28.85\00:20:32.56
in Europe that was baptized?
00:20:32.59\00:20:35.09
It was Lydia. Lydia.
00:20:35.12\00:20:38.04
Actually her entire
household was baptized.
00:20:38.07\00:20:41.83
And you remember that
Paul came into trouble
00:20:41.86\00:20:43.92
and that we have that jailer.
00:20:43.95\00:20:46.20
He actually also
became converted.
00:20:46.23\00:20:48.87
But usually we don't think.
00:20:48.90\00:20:50.50
If you read carefully
the Book of Acts Chapter 16,
00:20:50.53\00:20:53.99
Lydia was the
purple dealer in Philippi,
00:20:54.02\00:20:57.67
but originally from Thyatira.
00:20:57.70\00:21:03.67
There are many merchants
00:21:03.70\00:21:06.17
and many trade
workers from Thyatira.
00:21:06.20\00:21:10.70
They were spreading, traveling
throughout the Roman Empire
00:21:10.73\00:21:14.17
trying to sell their goods.
00:21:14.20\00:21:16.94
By the way, about Lydia
if you want this information,
00:21:16.97\00:21:19.54
it's found in the
Book of Acts 16:14.
00:21:19.57\00:21:25.09
So let's conclude.
00:21:25.12\00:21:27.58
The citizens of
that era were mainly
00:21:27.61\00:21:30.34
poor laborers and tradesmen,
00:21:30.37\00:21:34.82
in contrast to the
well situated residents
00:21:34.85\00:21:37.70
of the previous three
cities that we mentioned.
00:21:37.73\00:21:41.24
So why are we
talking about this?
00:21:41.27\00:21:43.18
You know, when you have a city
00:21:43.21\00:21:48.25
with so many
trade centers there--
00:21:48.28\00:21:52.14
in 1st century, there was
something that we have today.
00:21:52.17\00:21:57.08
If you want to
have your business
00:21:57.11\00:21:59.16
and your business to
flourish and to prosper,
00:21:59.19\00:22:02.09
you have to be a
member of a trade guild.
00:22:02.12\00:22:07.21
So they had their
associations, okay.
00:22:07.24\00:22:11.17
And there is
nothing wrong with that.
00:22:11.20\00:22:12.60
See, if you want
your business to prosper
00:22:12.63\00:22:15.50
and if you want also to sell,
00:22:15.53\00:22:17.86
to put your stuff
there on the market
00:22:17.89\00:22:22.34
you have to be
member of the guild.
00:22:22.37\00:22:24.10
Otherwise the
competition will kill you.
00:22:24.13\00:22:26.64
But what was the problem?
00:22:26.67\00:22:28.61
Like the cities
where people lived,
00:22:28.64\00:22:30.84
also each one of those guilds
00:22:30.87\00:22:34.46
had the pagan God
who was the protector.
00:22:34.49\00:22:40.37
So it was your duty as
the member of that guild
00:22:40.40\00:22:45.65
that at
appointed time of the year,
00:22:45.68\00:22:48.80
go there to that pagan temple
00:22:48.83\00:22:51.78
because all the members of
that guild are present there.
00:22:51.81\00:22:56.63
And you have to
be present there.
00:22:56.66\00:22:58.78
Their
celebrations, their feasts,
00:22:58.81\00:23:01.48
you would sit there and watch
how the priest kills the bull
00:23:01.51\00:23:05.52
and all those
sacrifices would take the blood
00:23:05.55\00:23:08.27
and sprinkle that food
00:23:08.30\00:23:10.17
that was actually
sacrificed to those idols.
00:23:10.20\00:23:13.75
And you eat and
participate there.
00:23:13.78\00:23:15.92
And you see how
people drinking and say,
00:23:15.95\00:23:17.93
"Thank you,
Zeus. Thank you this.
00:23:17.96\00:23:20.53
Thank you that god."
00:23:20.56\00:23:21.93
Giving glory to god,
giving thanks to the pagan god
00:23:21.96\00:23:24.96
for the prosperity of the guild.
00:23:24.99\00:23:29.11
Are you still with me?
00:23:29.14\00:23:31.11
So can you imagine?
00:23:31.14\00:23:32.98
You're a member of the
guild and you don't do it.
00:23:33.01\00:23:38.34
What happens?
00:23:38.37\00:23:40.20
That god protector
becomes angry with the guild
00:23:40.23\00:23:46.24
and their guild cannot prosper.
00:23:46.27\00:23:50.59
So who is to be blamed?
00:23:50.62\00:23:52.79
This is just hypothetical.
00:23:52.82\00:23:54.67
Please the reality
was if you don't do it,
00:23:54.70\00:23:57.92
you don't want to
mess with the god.
00:23:57.95\00:24:01.54
Therefore, you
cannot have your business.
00:24:01.57\00:24:04.55
If you're the
member of the guild,
00:24:04.58\00:24:06.93
your business
cannot work at all.
00:24:06.96\00:24:10.86
So keep in mind, it's
very important to understand,
00:24:10.89\00:24:14.04
we don't have a
philosophical school.
00:24:14.07\00:24:16.80
We do not have
emperor worship there.
00:24:16.83\00:24:18.77
There are no problems.
00:24:18.80\00:24:20.28
People, mainly poor people,
some of them were businessmen.
00:24:20.31\00:24:24.53
They had their own business.
00:24:24.56\00:24:26.32
But what was the major problem?
00:24:26.35\00:24:27.88
How can you prosper
00:24:27.91\00:24:30.12
and how can you
succeed in that city
00:24:30.15\00:24:33.72
without being a
member of that guild?
00:24:33.75\00:24:39.97
And you know, usually when
crisis of such kind appears,
00:24:40.00\00:24:43.21
poor people usually do
not have problem too much.
00:24:43.24\00:24:46.26
They'll always find
some manual labor, okay.
00:24:46.29\00:24:49.82
But the problem is
usually with the rich people
00:24:49.85\00:24:51.52
who have business.
00:24:51.55\00:24:53.07
So what to do?
00:24:53.10\00:24:55.62
The church
members were debating.
00:24:55.65\00:24:57.84
What to do?
00:24:57.87\00:24:59.81
Evidently, some church
members they said, "Why not?
00:24:59.84\00:25:03.82
We are
fulfilling our civic duty.
00:25:03.85\00:25:05.71
We are not denying our
faith, our Christian faith.
00:25:05.74\00:25:08.27
We are worshipping the
true God and only Jesus Christ.
00:25:08.30\00:25:11.60
We are simply
fulfilling our civic duty."
00:25:11.63\00:25:14.36
And evidently the
church became divided.
00:25:14.39\00:25:16.23
By the way, you'll
notice that the message
00:25:16.26\00:25:19.95
to the church in Thyatira
is the longest of all letters.
00:25:19.98\00:25:27.50
It is then on the
scene that the woman appeared
00:25:27.53\00:25:31.27
claiming to have
a prophetic gift.
00:25:31.30\00:25:34.38
And telling them, "I
received a message from God."
00:25:34.41\00:25:38.37
It's not a sin to
go and to participate
00:25:38.40\00:25:40.88
with pagan there in the temples.
00:25:40.91\00:25:43.30
God want us to bear
witness to these people.
00:25:43.33\00:25:48.07
Just you can do it.
00:25:48.10\00:25:49.47
It's a place
that you can witness.
00:25:49.50\00:25:50.87
And by the way, if you
see the end of this chapter,
00:25:50.90\00:25:54.85
Jesus pronounces
a severe judgment
00:25:54.88\00:25:57.55
over this woman
and her children.
00:25:57.58\00:26:00.11
It means all
those who followed her.
00:26:00.14\00:26:03.02
And then He calls
the church to repentance
00:26:03.05\00:26:07.76
and He says in verse 24,
00:26:07.79\00:26:09.70
"But I say to you, the
rest who are in Thyatira,
00:26:09.73\00:26:13.24
who do not hold
these teachings."
00:26:13.27\00:26:15.81
So many church members,
they remained faithful to God.
00:26:15.84\00:26:19.97
But if you go to the
previous verse He said,
00:26:20.00\00:26:21.73
"I will kill
Jezebel and her children."
00:26:21.76\00:26:24.50
So it means the significant
number of church members,
00:26:24.53\00:26:27.60
they followed this woman.
00:26:27.63\00:26:30.35
And now Jesus said in verse 25,
00:26:30.38\00:26:33.84
"Nevertheless, what you
have hold fast until I come,
00:26:33.87\00:26:38.40
He who overcomes and who
keeps my deeds until the end."
00:26:38.43\00:26:43.42
And Jesus gives now
to the fourth church,
00:26:43.45\00:26:47.01
how many promises? Four.
00:26:47.04\00:26:48.41
Four promises.
00:26:48.44\00:26:50.47
And then the call, "Who has ear,
00:26:50.50\00:26:53.19
let him hear what the
Spirit says to the churches."
00:26:53.22\00:26:56.02
And let me tell you,
it's always a challenge
00:26:56.05\00:26:59.70
how to be faithful to God.
00:26:59.73\00:27:02.02
Can you make some compromise?
00:27:02.05\00:27:03.65
I remember I started
going to secondary school
00:27:03.68\00:27:06.12
during the Communist system
in the country where I grew up.
00:27:06.15\00:27:09.75
It was 3 months, even though
00:27:09.78\00:27:11.15
I was the best
student in the school.
00:27:11.18\00:27:14.41
I hear the principal
invited me and he said,
00:27:14.44\00:27:16.79
"Yeah, you are our best student,
00:27:16.82\00:27:18.33
but you cannot come
to the school any longer
00:27:18.36\00:27:20.93
because you're not coming
to the school on Saturdays."
00:27:20.96\00:27:25.06
And he told me, "I
just give you advice.
00:27:25.09\00:27:27.64
Just come to the school,
sit there in the classroom.
00:27:27.67\00:27:30.26
Don't bring even your textbooks.
00:27:30.29\00:27:33.26
Just sit there
and you're saved."
00:27:33.29\00:27:37.93
My response
was, "No compromise."
00:27:37.96\00:27:41.13
I want to give my
public testimony to God.
00:27:41.16\00:27:44.76
Believe me, it
was a hard decision.
00:27:44.79\00:27:46.84
It meant I would
never get education.
00:27:46.87\00:27:49.02
Today when I go
back to my friends,
00:27:49.05\00:27:50.97
I'm the only one who
has such high education.
00:27:51.00\00:27:53.67
God always
blesses at the end. Amen.
00:27:53.70\00:27:56.43
This was situation of
the church in Thyatira. Okay.
00:27:56.46\00:28:00.87
So if you want to apply
the message to the church
00:28:00.90\00:28:03.69
in Thyatira historically--
00:28:03.72\00:28:06.87
actually there is only
one period in Christian church
00:28:06.90\00:28:10.37
that the threat to the
church didn't come from outside.
00:28:10.40\00:28:14.35
It came from inside.
00:28:14.38\00:28:15.90
And which period is that?
00:28:15.93\00:28:18.37
It's the Dark Middle Ages.
00:28:18.40\00:28:22.17
So evidently the message
to the church in Thyatira
00:28:22.20\00:28:27.12
also reflects the
significant period in history
00:28:27.15\00:28:31.58
when during many centuries
of the Dark Middle Ages,
00:28:31.61\00:28:36.53
the tradition
totally replaced the Bible.
00:28:36.56\00:28:39.05
Keep in mind that
Jezebel did not go
00:28:39.08\00:28:41.98
to the Bible to get the light.
00:28:42.01\00:28:43.73
She heard direct message
from God outside of the Bible.
00:28:43.76\00:28:47.00
So during the Dark
Middle Ages, the tradition,
00:28:47.03\00:28:50.27
something that came from
outside of the Bible, okay,
00:28:50.30\00:28:53.75
replaced the biblical teaching.
00:28:53.78\00:28:55.96
When the priesthood of Christ
00:28:55.99\00:28:57.57
was replaced with
the human priesthood
00:28:57.60\00:29:00.82
and sacred relics
replaced Christ priesthood
00:29:00.85\00:29:03.69
and His work there
in the Heavenly places
00:29:03.72\00:29:06.82
and was regarded as
the means of salvation,
00:29:06.85\00:29:10.17
all those who did not condone
the corrupting influences
00:29:10.20\00:29:13.54
of the institutional church,
00:29:13.57\00:29:15.92
they had the same
experience as the church members
00:29:15.95\00:29:18.54
in the city of Thyatira,
those Christians there.
00:29:18.57\00:29:21.95
So we can see how the message
00:29:21.98\00:29:23.75
to the church of
Thyatira speaks to everybody.
00:29:23.78\00:29:27.34
To the Christians
of the time of John,
00:29:27.37\00:29:29.66
to the Christians who lived
during the Dark Middle Ages,
00:29:29.69\00:29:32.79
but that message also
can be a great warning.
00:29:32.82\00:29:36.61
But at the same time can
provide a great hope to us,
00:29:36.64\00:29:40.91
when sometimes we
are put into the position
00:29:40.95\00:29:44.65
to compromise our Christianity
with something that is
00:29:44.68\00:29:48.62
completely
contrary to the Bible.
00:29:48.65\00:29:52.42
Then we are going to next.
00:29:52.45\00:29:55.36
The next city that
was addressed by Jesus
00:29:55.39\00:30:00.04
was the church in Sardis.
00:30:00.07\00:30:01.95
We saw that the church in
Thyatira was little bit east.
00:30:01.98\00:30:06.62
Now we are going south, okay.
00:30:06.65\00:30:09.65
It is about 30
miles south of Thyatira.
00:30:09.68\00:30:13.47
There was a city of Sardis.
00:30:13.50\00:30:17.38
The city of Sardis
was originally built
00:30:17.41\00:30:20.92
on the top of a steep hill
overlooking the entire area.
00:30:20.95\00:30:27.29
And even today,
it's very impressive
00:30:27.32\00:30:30.54
to see that ancient citadel that
originally was the first place,
00:30:30.57\00:30:37.15
the city of Sardis.
00:30:37.18\00:30:40.27
Because the platform of the
hill upon which the city stood,
00:30:40.30\00:30:43.96
eventually became too small
00:30:43.99\00:30:45.91
to accommodate
the whole population,
00:30:45.94\00:30:48.25
the city starting spreading
around that mountain, okay,
00:30:48.28\00:30:52.34
and spreading and
became larger and larger.
00:30:52.37\00:30:55.15
The city had a splendid history.
00:30:55.18\00:30:57.77
Some 6 centuries
prior to the writing
00:30:57.80\00:30:59.96
of the Book of Revelation,
00:30:59.99\00:31:01.45
Sardis had been one
of the greatest cities
00:31:01.48\00:31:04.19
in the ancient world.
00:31:04.22\00:31:06.11
It was the capital
of the kingdom of Lydia,
00:31:06.14\00:31:09.55
ruled by the wealthy classes
00:31:09.58\00:31:13.62
and had a prominence
00:31:13.65\00:31:15.02
during the
different periods of history.
00:31:15.05\00:31:17.67
But by the Roman period,
00:31:17.70\00:31:20.05
the city had lost its
prestige in the ancient world.
00:31:20.08\00:31:24.66
Even though continue to enjoy
00:31:24.69\00:31:26.21
prosperity in
wealth in 1st century,
00:31:26.24\00:31:29.76
the city's pride
was rooted in its past.
00:31:29.79\00:31:34.56
The city, okay, had
many trading centers there
00:31:34.59\00:31:40.53
and many temples--
many temples there, okay.
00:31:40.56\00:31:46.74
And the threat to the church
00:31:46.77\00:31:48.14
came both from
inside and from outside.
00:31:48.17\00:31:52.48
And evidently those
heretical teachings,
00:31:52.51\00:31:55.09
they killed the spirituality
of the church members.
00:31:55.12\00:31:58.63
and it can be very seen
from the very introductory words
00:31:58.66\00:32:03.89
of Jesus addressing the church.
00:32:03.92\00:32:06.08
Please would you go
with me to Revelation 3:1?
00:32:06.11\00:32:11.36
"To the angel of the
church in Sardis write,
00:32:11.39\00:32:14.15
He who has the seven spirits
of God and the seven stars,
00:32:14.18\00:32:17.89
says this, 'I know your deeds,
00:32:17.92\00:32:19.97
that you have a
name that you are alive,
00:32:20.00\00:32:23.39
but you are dead.
00:32:23.42\00:32:25.76
Wake up, and strengthen
the things that remain,
00:32:25.79\00:32:28.68
which were about to die,
00:32:28.71\00:32:30.77
for I have not
found your deeds completed
00:32:30.80\00:32:33.58
in the sight of my God.
00:32:33.61\00:32:35.68
So remember what
you have received
00:32:35.71\00:32:37.51
and heard, and
keep it, and repent.
00:32:37.54\00:32:40.30
Therefore if you do not wake
up, I will come like a thief,
00:32:40.33\00:32:44.29
and you will not know at
what hour I will come to you.
00:32:44.32\00:32:52.00
But I have a
few people in Sardis
00:32:52.03\00:32:54.13
who have not
soiled their garments
00:32:54.16\00:32:56.50
and they will walk
with me in white,'"
00:32:56.53\00:32:58.65
and now the promise
given to this church
00:32:58.68\00:33:00.97
corresponds to the
situation of that group,
00:33:01.00\00:33:04.64
'he who overcomes will be
clothed in white garments,
00:33:04.67\00:33:07.80
and I will not erase his
name from the Book of Life,
00:33:07.83\00:33:11.12
and I will confess his name
00:33:11.15\00:33:12.82
before My Father
and before His angels.'"
00:33:12.85\00:33:15.25
You will notice that
the fifth church receives
00:33:15.28\00:33:17.19
the five
promises-- promises of Jesus.
00:33:17.22\00:33:20.37
We don't need to go too much
00:33:20.40\00:33:21.80
and talk about the situation
of the Christians in that city
00:33:21.83\00:33:25.08
because their situation
corresponded to the situation
00:33:25.11\00:33:29.74
of most
Christians in other cities.
00:33:29.77\00:33:32.32
Evidently, that
pagan influence there
00:33:32.35\00:33:37.60
and the idea that Christians
should compromise their faith,
00:33:37.63\00:33:40.64
in order to accommodate to
the requirements of the city
00:33:40.67\00:33:43.21
in which they live, killed their
spiritual life in the church.
00:33:43.24\00:33:47.93
You remember what Jesus
said, that just few names
00:33:47.96\00:33:51.87
that remain faithful
to Christ in that church.
00:33:51.90\00:33:55.34
The church had the name.
00:33:55.37\00:33:57.56
Evidently the
church had a glorious past,
00:33:57.59\00:34:00.85
but in reality that
church was completely dead.
00:34:00.88\00:34:04.92
Did you notice it?
00:34:04.95\00:34:06.56
That completely was dead.
00:34:06.59\00:34:07.96
But when Jesus
said to this church,
00:34:07.99\00:34:10.95
let me remind you
one more time in verse 3,
00:34:10.98\00:34:16.35
"Therefore if
you do not wake up,
00:34:16.38\00:34:21.33
I will come to you as a thief,
00:34:21.36\00:34:24.06
and you will not know
00:34:24.09\00:34:25.97
at what hour I
will come to you."
00:34:26.00\00:34:28.24
There is something
very interesting in this.
00:34:28.27\00:34:31.23
Actually I was three
times there at Sardis.
00:34:31.26\00:34:35.36
When you're there in the valley,
00:34:35.39\00:34:36.76
in the ruins of
that ancient city,
00:34:36.79\00:34:39.38
but then you look
there in front of yourself,
00:34:39.41\00:34:41.71
on the top of that hill
00:34:41.74\00:34:44.55
there is that
fortress of the original city.
00:34:44.58\00:34:48.79
There is one thing you wonder.
00:34:48.82\00:34:50.32
How were they able to build
that city on such steepy, okay,
00:34:50.35\00:34:54.83
hilltop and mountain there?
00:34:54.86\00:34:57.83
Actually if you
were there in that city,
00:34:57.86\00:35:00.67
it was impossible to climb
up there and to occupy the city.
00:35:00.70\00:35:05.87
That's why many
armies would go there
00:35:05.90\00:35:08.72
and wait for months
trying to occupy the city.
00:35:08.75\00:35:11.55
But they were laughing
there from the fortress
00:35:11.58\00:35:15.33
because it was impossible
to reach the top of the city.
00:35:15.36\00:35:18.34
But two times--you
have more information there
00:35:18.37\00:35:22.81
in that companion book, okay.
00:35:22.84\00:35:25.06
The two times the
city was occupied.
00:35:25.09\00:35:28.04
Just to mention in one occasion
is that the emperor Cyrus
00:35:28.07\00:35:33.20
he wonder how
to occupy the city,
00:35:33.23\00:35:34.85
but there was no way.
00:35:34.88\00:35:36.25
They did not know how to
go there to occupy the city.
00:35:36.28\00:35:38.65
It was impossible.
00:35:38.68\00:35:40.74
And one soldier was standing
there and watching he said,
00:35:40.77\00:35:44.17
"What can be done?"
00:35:44.20\00:35:46.02
Then he saw a
guard there on the city.
00:35:46.05\00:35:48.91
And suddenly a helmet fell from
the head of that guard there
00:35:48.94\00:35:53.16
and it went down whoo,
whoo, whoo, all up to the end.
00:35:53.19\00:35:57.13
And finally the soldier went
there to look for the helmet
00:35:57.16\00:36:00.03
and he found the entrance there
to go to the top of the city.
00:36:00.06\00:36:04.23
The people there in the fortress
fell so safe and secure.
00:36:04.26\00:36:09.10
They did not even put
the guard there at the gates.
00:36:09.13\00:36:13.80
And soldiers came there
during the night and just--
00:36:13.83\00:36:17.39
it didn't take too much
time and too much effort
00:36:17.42\00:36:20.82
to occupy the city.
00:36:20.85\00:36:22.48
So somehow, you know, somehow
the situation in the city
00:36:22.51\00:36:27.31
reflected the
situation in the church.
00:36:27.34\00:36:29.69
The church lived and enjoyed
its pride from the past history.
00:36:29.72\00:36:37.55
But in reality,
in the present life,
00:36:37.58\00:36:40.18
they were completely dead.
00:36:40.21\00:36:42.07
So Jesus calls the church again.
00:36:42.10\00:36:44.53
Remember the call,
"Wake up and repent.
00:36:44.56\00:36:50.78
Turn your way from
God. Go back to God.
00:36:50.81\00:36:55.09
You will be forgiven
because the love of Jesus Christ
00:36:55.12\00:36:58.23
want to reach you." Amen.
00:36:58.26\00:37:00.53
And then you go
actually more south
00:37:00.56\00:37:06.37
and finally you
reach another city,
00:37:06.40\00:37:09.92
the sixth one by
name of Philadelphia
00:37:09.95\00:37:14.99
which actually comes
from two Greek words.
00:37:15.02\00:37:19.09
Philadelphia which
means "brotherly love."
00:37:19.12\00:37:23.06
Philadelphia was
actually the youngest
00:37:23.09\00:37:26.73
of all the seven cities.
00:37:26.76\00:37:29.28
There is no much to
be said about that city,
00:37:29.31\00:37:33.74
except the city
was named Philadelphia
00:37:33.77\00:37:39.48
because it was sealed
by Attalus II. Please.
00:37:39.51\00:37:43.69
We're not
supposed to remember names.
00:37:43.72\00:37:45.33
Attalus II, he built
the city named Philadelphia
00:37:45.36\00:37:49.45
because of his love
towards his brother,
00:37:49.48\00:37:52.68
okay, younger brother.
00:37:52.71\00:37:54.08
His younger
brother was very capable.
00:37:54.11\00:37:56.08
And he served as the
commander of chief, okay.
00:37:56.11\00:37:59.14
Attalus was the king
00:37:59.17\00:38:00.88
and his younger brother
was the commander-in-chief,
00:38:00.91\00:38:03.04
but he was a
very capable person.
00:38:03.07\00:38:04.58
Even Romans and
many other people
00:38:04.61\00:38:06.28
try to persuade him to
rebel against his brother
00:38:06.31\00:38:09.69
and to kill him
and to become king
00:38:09.72\00:38:11.30
because he was
very capable person.
00:38:11.33\00:38:13.57
But he said,
"No, he's my brother."
00:38:13.60\00:38:15.99
And he was very faithful to
his brother until the point--
00:38:16.02\00:38:20.85
until the time
when his brother died.
00:38:20.88\00:38:22.72
Then he took the throne.
00:38:22.75\00:38:24.49
And actually, in that memory
00:38:24.52\00:38:26.90
the city of
Philadelphia was built,
00:38:26.93\00:38:28.83
to commemorate the great
love between the two brothers.
00:38:28.86\00:38:34.30
But there is
also one another thing
00:38:34.33\00:38:36.51
that we have to mention is,
00:38:36.54\00:38:38.71
when the city was built it
was built for one single reason.
00:38:38.74\00:38:44.20
And it was to
promote the Greek culture.
00:38:44.23\00:38:48.16
So it was
actually a missionary city
00:38:51.87\00:38:55.50
to promote Hellenism, okay,
00:38:55.53\00:38:58.38
to Lydia and Phrygia
00:38:58.41\00:39:00.68
where Hellenism did
not get over there yet.
00:39:00.71\00:39:06.04
So it was a
strictly missionary city.
00:39:06.07\00:39:10.31
Are you still with me?
00:39:10.34\00:39:12.40
So we don't know too much
about Christians in that city.
00:39:12.43\00:39:16.25
We don't know about the
situation that they face there.
00:39:16.28\00:39:21.55
God has His church there.
00:39:21.58\00:39:24.29
We don't know how much faithful
those Christians were there,
00:39:24.32\00:39:28.33
but evidently
those pagan customs
00:39:28.36\00:39:31.01
made great impact upon them
00:39:31.04\00:39:32.88
because when
you read the message
00:39:32.91\00:39:35.06
to the church in Philadelphia
and please can you join me.
00:39:35.09\00:39:38.28
Jesus introduces Himself
to this church in verse 7,
00:39:38.31\00:39:41.52
chapter 3 verse 7 says,
00:39:41.55\00:39:43.89
"He who is holy, who is
true, who has the key of David,
00:39:43.92\00:39:47.82
who opens no one will shut,
00:39:47.85\00:39:49.68
who shuts no one
opens, says this.
00:39:49.71\00:39:52.01
I know your
deeds." Very positive.
00:39:52.04\00:39:54.65
"Behold I have put
before you an open door
00:39:54.68\00:39:57.99
which no one can shut,
00:39:58.02\00:40:00.01
because you have a little power,
00:40:00.04\00:40:02.95
and have kept my word
and have not denied my name."
00:40:02.98\00:40:08.31
Did you notice
something in this text?
00:40:08.34\00:40:09.96
Jesus says about the
Christians in Philadelphia
00:40:09.99\00:40:12.55
that they had just
little strength, little power.
00:40:12.58\00:40:18.38
But the grace and
the love of Jesus Christ
00:40:18.41\00:40:20.69
does not look the
weaknesses, that little power.
00:40:20.72\00:40:25.03
Jesus opens for them a
great door of opportunities.
00:40:25.06\00:40:33.03
So the very city of Philadelphia
00:40:33.06\00:40:34.95
that was established
for missionary purposes
00:40:34.98\00:40:37.53
now becomes a symbol of
the church that is put there
00:40:37.56\00:40:40.78
by Jesus Christ for
missionary purposes.
00:40:40.81\00:40:42.95
Are you still with me?
00:40:42.98\00:40:44.86
And now Jesus says,
00:40:44.89\00:40:47.00
"Behold, I will cause those
of the synagogue of Satan,"
00:40:47.03\00:40:50.22
do you remember this?
00:40:50.25\00:40:53.83
We have the church in Smyrna
00:40:53.86\00:40:55.73
that suffers so much
because of Jewish accusations.
00:40:55.76\00:40:58.80
Very similar happened in
the church of Philadelphia,
00:40:58.83\00:41:01.92
"Who say that they
are Jews and are not,
00:41:01.95\00:41:03.65
but lie-- I will make them come
00:41:03.68\00:41:05.59
and bow down at your feet,
00:41:05.62\00:41:07.41
and make them know
that I have loved you,"
00:41:07.44\00:41:10.31
and now my favorite text.
00:41:10.34\00:41:12.41
"Because you have kept
the word of my perseverance,
00:41:12.44\00:41:15.88
I will also keep you
from the hour of testing,
00:41:15.91\00:41:18.85
that hour which is about
to come upon the whole world,
00:41:18.88\00:41:23.06
to test those who
dwell on the earth.
00:41:23.09\00:41:25.84
I am coming quickly,
hold fast what you have,
00:41:25.87\00:41:31.49
so that no one will take
your" stephanos, "crown."
00:41:31.52\00:41:38.80
And then we have six promises
given to the six churches.
00:41:38.83\00:41:45.02
The church in Philadelphia--
00:41:45.05\00:41:48.29
what can we learn
about this church?
00:41:48.32\00:41:50.65
You see, even so many
times we feel so weak.
00:41:50.68\00:41:57.08
And sometimes we come
into hopeless situation,
00:41:57.11\00:42:00.55
but praise God for His mercy.
00:42:00.58\00:42:02.62
He does not look
into our weakness.
00:42:02.65\00:42:05.46
He opens before us that
great door of opportunities.
00:42:05.49\00:42:09.19
Praise God. Jesus
Christ that I believe in.
00:42:09.22\00:42:12.56
Jesus who does not
look into my weaknesses,
00:42:12.59\00:42:15.04
He looks into my potentials.
00:42:15.07\00:42:17.59
And my weaknesses
turns into strength.
00:42:17.62\00:42:21.10
You remember Paul
had a thorn in the flesh
00:42:21.13\00:42:25.50
and he asked God for help.
00:42:25.53\00:42:27.10
And God told him,
"Paul, stop complaining.
00:42:27.13\00:42:33.80
My power is
manifested in human weaknesses."
00:42:33.83\00:42:38.15
And Paul said "If there is
something that I will boast,
00:42:38.18\00:42:41.15
I will boast by
the power of Christ."
00:42:41.18\00:42:43.84
This is actually the message
for the church in Philadelphia.
00:42:43.87\00:42:47.49
So we want to apply this message
to certain period of history.
00:42:47.52\00:42:53.64
Which period comes to your mind?
00:42:53.67\00:42:56.89
Actually after the Middle Ages,
okay, we had the reformers.
00:42:56.92\00:43:04.27
They really woke up the church.
00:43:07.21\00:43:09.23
But after the reformers,
00:43:09.26\00:43:11.56
we have Protestantism
that started developing,
00:43:11.59\00:43:14.50
that lived on the past glory
00:43:14.53\00:43:18.61
but in reality in many
ways Protestantism was dead.
00:43:18.64\00:43:23.11
Actually this period
following the reformation
00:43:23.14\00:43:26.13
is represented by
the church in Sardis.
00:43:26.16\00:43:31.37
But then that period is followed
00:43:31.40\00:43:34.13
by the 18th and the 19th century
00:43:34.16\00:43:36.45
that is known to the history
00:43:36.48\00:43:38.23
as the second great
awakening in United States.
00:43:38.26\00:43:43.05
It was the time when Christians
00:43:43.08\00:43:45.49
recognize those great
signs that took place.
00:43:45.52\00:43:49.19
And they saw in those
signs as predicted by Jesus
00:43:49.22\00:43:51.75
and the Book of Revelation,
00:43:51.78\00:43:53.26
the signs of the
second coming of Christ.
00:43:53.29\00:43:55.53
Do you know what
I'm referring to?
00:43:55.56\00:43:57.07
The darkening of the
sun, the darkening of the moon
00:43:57.10\00:43:59.85
and the falling
of those meteors.
00:43:59.88\00:44:01.52
this one
earthquake and also the taking
00:44:01.55\00:44:04.54
of the Pope into the captivity.
00:44:04.57\00:44:06.81
They recognize
in all those events
00:44:06.84\00:44:09.49
the signs of the
second coming of Christ.
00:44:09.52\00:44:11.67
Suddenly, people became
interested in the Bible.
00:44:11.70\00:44:15.05
People started talking about
the second coming of Christ.
00:44:15.08\00:44:17.53
You know, when people believe
00:44:17.56\00:44:18.93
in the second coming of Christ
00:44:18.96\00:44:20.33
and start preparing themselves
for the second coming of Christ,
00:44:20.36\00:44:22.72
there are many
different reforms.
00:44:22.75\00:44:24.57
So we have the beginning
of the feminist movement,
00:44:24.60\00:44:27.85
trying to lift
up that humiliation
00:44:27.88\00:44:30.09
that people put on women.
00:44:30.12\00:44:32.04
We have liberation of slaves.
00:44:32.07\00:44:35.58
We have
educational system. Okay.
00:44:35.61\00:44:38.51
Health reform
movements they started.
00:44:38.54\00:44:41.03
But above all during that time--
00:44:41.06\00:44:43.04
those times we
have the establishment
00:44:43.07\00:44:45.36
of those famous
word, biblical societies.
00:44:45.39\00:44:49.86
When the Bible was printed
00:44:49.89\00:44:51.87
and distributed to
many languages of the world,
00:44:51.90\00:44:54.52
the reality that
we still see today
00:44:54.55\00:44:57.29
and actually led to
many missionary movements.
00:44:57.32\00:45:00.89
Many people decided to go to
proclaim the message overseas,
00:45:00.92\00:45:05.10
on the different
continents to proclaim
00:45:05.13\00:45:07.32
the message of the
second coming of Christ.
00:45:07.35\00:45:09.37
You see, the Christian church
00:45:09.40\00:45:10.77
during that time
had little strength.
00:45:10.80\00:45:13.14
But God opened the door of
opportunities in the great way.
00:45:13.17\00:45:19.83
And praise God, the
Christians responded.
00:45:19.86\00:45:23.49
And I can
really, gladly I can say
00:45:23.52\00:45:26.78
it was during that
time God also raised
00:45:26.81\00:45:30.44
a significant movement
that actually received--
00:45:30.47\00:45:38.37
experienced its collapse
and only 100 people were left.
00:45:38.40\00:45:44.37
And out of that small
group of people today,
00:45:44.40\00:45:47.93
we have a movement of
about 20 million Christians
00:45:47.96\00:45:52.39
proclaiming the gospel
message in all continents,
00:45:52.42\00:45:55.67
in almost all the
countries of the world
00:45:55.70\00:45:57.92
And I'm so grateful to God that
I am the part of that movement.
00:45:57.95\00:46:04.24
Actually this is the message
to the church in Philadelphia.
00:46:04.27\00:46:07.33
Now we are
coming to the last one,
00:46:07.36\00:46:11.23
is the church of Laodicea. Okay.
00:46:11.26\00:46:15.57
The last church
that is mentioned.
00:46:15.60\00:46:17.96
By the way, if we
go here to Philadelphia
00:46:17.99\00:46:23.55
then suddenly go to
the west-- to the west.
00:46:23.58\00:46:26.97
And there are two cities
very close to each other,
00:46:27.00\00:46:29.76
we mentioned already is
Laodicea and Hierapolis. Okay.
00:46:29.79\00:46:34.90
But Laodicea is
here-- here of our concern.
00:46:34.93\00:46:38.20
Laodicea was
situated in Lycus valley
00:46:38.23\00:46:42.73
on the major trade road
between Ephesus and Syria,
00:46:42.76\00:46:46.76
which means that
the trade flourishes.
00:46:46.79\00:46:49.94
And all the trade
goes through that city.
00:46:49.97\00:46:54.41
It was very close
to those two cities
00:46:54.44\00:46:56.33
as I mentioned
Hierapolis and Colossae
00:46:56.36\00:46:59.80
which really gave the city
of Laodicea great prominence.
00:46:59.83\00:47:03.94
By the way, if you open
your Bibles in Colossians 4:16,
00:47:03.97\00:47:09.48
you will see that Paul mentions
00:47:09.51\00:47:11.00
that actually he wrote a letter
to the church in Laodicea.
00:47:11.03\00:47:15.30
That letter
unfortunately is not preserved.
00:47:15.33\00:47:18.36
And Paul tells the
Christians in Colossae,
00:47:18.39\00:47:21.43
"Find that letter that I
wrote to the church in Laodicea,
00:47:21.46\00:47:24.18
read but send your
letter that I'm writing to you.
00:47:24.21\00:47:28.24
Send also to the
church in Laodicea.
00:47:28.27\00:47:30.68
Let them read that letter."
00:47:30.71\00:47:32.08
It's Colossians 4:16.
00:47:32.11\00:47:36.12
Laodicea in 1st
century was important
00:47:36.15\00:47:39.41
commercial and
financial center. Why?
00:47:39.44\00:47:42.63
Because most of the
wealth came from the clothing,
00:47:42.66\00:47:46.65
manufacturing industry,
and banking transactions.
00:47:46.68\00:47:50.76
The city was very, very wealthy.
00:47:50.79\00:47:55.52
Actually I must tell you, I
visited Laodicea three times.
00:47:55.55\00:48:00.18
Every time when I go
there you cannot imagine
00:48:00.21\00:48:03.68
how much our
theologists discovered there
00:48:03.71\00:48:07.55
and brought to us today.
00:48:07.58\00:48:10.37
Okay, the digging, it goes
so fast there that very soon
00:48:10.40\00:48:15.04
we will see many, many things
from the city of Laodicea.
00:48:15.07\00:48:19.62
Laodicea was widely
known for the fine quality
00:48:19.65\00:48:22.83
of soft and glossy
black wool used for making
00:48:22.86\00:48:26.71
different kind of
garments and carpets
00:48:26.74\00:48:29.12
which were exported to different
parts of the Roman Empire.
00:48:29.15\00:48:33.12
The commercial prosperity made
the city a great banking system
00:48:33.15\00:48:38.53
where a large
quantity of gold was stored.
00:48:38.56\00:48:41.79
In addition, Laodicea was
famous for its medical school
00:48:41.82\00:48:45.94
which had the reputation
throughout the ancient world
00:48:45.97\00:48:49.27
for its
treatment of eye diseases
00:48:49.30\00:48:51.92
by means of ointment made from
00:48:51.95\00:48:53.97
so called Phrygian
powder mixed with oil.
00:48:54.00\00:48:58.11
You see, that
prosperity as the commercial,
00:48:58.14\00:49:02.31
financial, and industrial center
00:49:02.34\00:49:05.73
and success that the city had
00:49:05.76\00:49:09.02
filled the wealthy
citizens of Laodicea
00:49:09.05\00:49:12.53
with the spirit of
pride and self sufficiency.
00:49:12.56\00:49:18.15
You know, friends,
you can become a Christian
00:49:18.18\00:49:20.39
but somehow, even
though if you're a Christian,
00:49:20.42\00:49:22.46
you have a characteristic
of the city where you live.
00:49:22.49\00:49:26.89
So that's the reason we try to
understand about the very city.
00:49:26.92\00:49:29.91
It reflected on
Christians there,
00:49:29.94\00:49:31.89
and just that you
understand who Laodiceans were.
00:49:31.92\00:49:34.89
In A.D. 60, they're talking
about 30 years before John,
00:49:34.92\00:49:40.19
Jesus sent this
letter to the church.
00:49:40.22\00:49:43.16
A terrible
earthquake destroyed the city,
00:49:43.19\00:49:46.76
completely destroyed the city.
00:49:46.79\00:49:49.65
But Romans they
needed Laodicea. Why?
00:49:49.68\00:49:51.99
Because of clothing industry.
It was banking center there.
00:49:52.02\00:49:56.99
They needed for that eye salve.
00:49:57.02\00:49:59.64
There are many
things they needed the city.
00:49:59.67\00:50:01.95
So right after the earthquake,
00:50:01.98\00:50:04.65
a great convoy from
Rome came with a lot of gold,
00:50:04.68\00:50:08.99
you know, you know and
helped to rebuild the city.
00:50:09.02\00:50:11.67
Can you imagine? The
city was completely leveled.
00:50:11.70\00:50:15.87
And Laodiceans came there
at the gate waiting for Romans
00:50:15.90\00:50:19.39
and they told them,
"Please go back to Rome.
00:50:19.42\00:50:23.21
We don't need anything.
00:50:23.24\00:50:24.76
We have
everything what we need."
00:50:24.79\00:50:26.55
It tell us
something about the city.
00:50:30.07\00:50:31.94
And I believe it help us
to understand the message
00:50:31.97\00:50:35.23
that Jesus wrote to
the church that was there.
00:50:35.26\00:50:38.34
But just one more detail.
00:50:38.37\00:50:40.41
Even though the
city was so prosperous
00:50:40.44\00:50:42.73
the city had one
terrible problem.
00:50:42.76\00:50:44.69
They don't have drinking water.
00:50:44.72\00:50:48.49
So they will get water
from-- remember, Colossae.
00:50:48.52\00:50:51.68
Colossae was just at
the foot of a mountain
00:50:51.71\00:50:54.47
and there was
fantastic drinking water there.
00:50:54.50\00:50:57.31
So they would make--even today
you can see all those systems,
00:50:57.34\00:51:01.26
how they
brought the water there.
00:51:01.29\00:51:03.38
And another water
came from Hierapolis,
00:51:03.41\00:51:06.67
also from another
foot of a mountain there.
00:51:06.70\00:51:09.97
But the problem was the
climate is very hot there.
00:51:10.00\00:51:13.10
As the water travels
for about 5, 6, to 15 miles
00:51:13.13\00:51:17.53
to reach the city
00:51:17.56\00:51:19.02
what happened to that
cool water, mountain water?
00:51:19.05\00:51:22.39
Actually it became lukewarm.
Now it tell us everything.
00:51:22.42\00:51:26.49
We don't need to go to
this letter any longer.
00:51:26.52\00:51:29.33
Everything is explained to us.
00:51:29.36\00:51:31.03
Because Jesus is using that
illustration from the very city,
00:51:31.06\00:51:38.11
from the city life,
actually to provide the message
00:51:38.14\00:51:41.61
to the church
because the very city
00:51:41.64\00:51:45.29
and the population of the city
00:51:45.32\00:51:47.33
actually reflected
also or symbolized,
00:51:47.36\00:51:50.50
represented the very
situation of the Christians
00:51:50.53\00:51:54.18
who were there in that city.
00:51:54.21\00:51:55.87
So please let us just try to
see few things that we find here
00:51:55.90\00:52:01.91
and see how Jesus
addresses this church.
00:52:01.94\00:52:06.32
Okay, how much time we have?
00:52:06.35\00:52:07.72
We have 5 minutes.
Praise God, just enough.
00:52:07.75\00:52:11.32
"To the angel of the
church in Laodicea write.
00:52:11.35\00:52:15.07
The amen, the
faithful and the true witness,
00:52:15.10\00:52:19.18
the beginning of the
creation of God, says this,"
00:52:19.21\00:52:23.34
why does Jesus
introduces Himself
00:52:23.37\00:52:25.59
to this church in this way?
00:52:25.62\00:52:27.51
Hey, when you have the
church saying, "Boy, I am rich."
00:52:27.54\00:52:32.67
You remember Laodiceans
suffered the earthquake.
00:52:32.70\00:52:35.06
We have everything.
We have need of nothing.
00:52:35.09\00:52:40.01
Jesus says, "I am the Amen.
00:52:40.04\00:52:42.42
You know, faithful
witness, better listen to me.
00:52:42.45\00:52:45.39
I know better your
situation than you know."
00:52:45.42\00:52:48.22
But then Jesus call Himself,
00:52:48.25\00:52:50.88
"The beginning
of God's creation."
00:52:50.91\00:52:54.51
This word
beginning does not mean
00:52:54.54\00:52:56.52
that Jesus was the
first who was created.
00:52:56.55\00:52:59.00
He means that He is the cause.
00:52:59.03\00:53:01.32
He is the beginning of
everything that is created.
00:53:01.35\00:53:05.80
Why does Jesus introduces
Himself to this church?
00:53:05.83\00:53:08.43
You see, this church is dead.
00:53:08.46\00:53:11.98
There is no one singular
thing that Jesus commissioned
00:53:12.01\00:53:14.73
in reference to this church.
00:53:14.76\00:53:16.69
But Jesus says,
"Better listen to me,
00:53:16.72\00:53:19.39
I'm the one who created
everything out of nothing.
00:53:19.42\00:53:24.81
I can do the same
of you. You are dead.
00:53:24.84\00:53:27.07
There is nothing good of you.
00:53:27.10\00:53:28.99
But I can make a new
beginning of you." Amen.
00:53:29.02\00:53:31.57
What-- what a Savior.
00:53:31.60\00:53:33.27
And then Jesus
said-- by the way,
00:53:33.30\00:53:36.37
the situation of
church in Ephesus--
00:53:36.40\00:53:37.96
in Laodicea actually reflects
00:53:37.99\00:53:42.66
the situation of
the people of Israel
00:53:42.69\00:53:45.28
as described in
the book of Hosea 12:8.
00:53:45.31\00:53:49.39
It says, "Ephraim said,
'Surely I have become rich,
00:53:49.42\00:53:53.44
I have found wealth for myself.
00:53:53.47\00:53:55.73
In all my labors they
will find in me no iniquity,
00:53:55.76\00:53:59.09
which would be sin.'"
00:53:59.12\00:54:00.56
You see, evidently the situation
of the church in Laodicea
00:54:00.59\00:54:04.10
was not just their problem.
00:54:04.13\00:54:05.97
Israel had that
problem and believe me,
00:54:06.00\00:54:08.04
so many times I
find within myself
00:54:08.07\00:54:10.16
that I have similar problem.
00:54:10.19\00:54:11.81
And maybe some of us will say,
00:54:11.84\00:54:13.52
"Boy, this is
exactly my situation."
00:54:13.55\00:54:16.59
And then Jesus goes on and
He said, "I know your deeds.
00:54:16.62\00:54:20.05
That you are
neither cold nor hot.
00:54:20.08\00:54:23.04
I wish that you
were cold or hot.
00:54:23.07\00:54:25.84
So because you are lukewarm,
and neither hot nor cold,
00:54:25.87\00:54:30.84
I will spit you out of my mouth.
00:54:30.87\00:54:34.17
Because you say, 'I am
rich, and I have become wealthy,
00:54:34.20\00:54:39.04
and have need of nothing,'"
00:54:39.07\00:54:42.33
please, I will
stop at this moment.
00:54:42.36\00:54:44.65
It's very moving for me.
00:54:44.68\00:54:46.16
Jesus said, "But
you do not know"--
00:54:46.19\00:54:52.72
hey friends,
people who do not know
00:54:52.75\00:54:56.56
and people who do not
know that they don't known,
00:54:56.59\00:55:00.72
believe me, they're
in the same situation.
00:55:00.75\00:55:03.07
And this was
actually the problem
00:55:03.10\00:55:04.52
of the church in Laodicea.
00:55:04.55\00:55:06.24
Jesus said, "You say
I'm rich, I'm wealthy,
00:55:06.27\00:55:10.75
I have need of
nothing but I say to you
00:55:10.78\00:55:14.17
that you are
wretched and miserable
00:55:14.20\00:55:18.18
and poor and blind and naked.
00:55:18.21\00:55:22.54
I advise you to buy
from me gold refined by fire
00:55:22.57\00:55:25.91
so that you may become rich.
00:55:25.94\00:55:27.99
And white garments so
that you may clothe yourself,
00:55:28.02\00:55:31.31
that the shame of your
nakedness will not be revealed,
00:55:31.34\00:55:34.42
and eye salve to anoint
your eyes so that you may see.
00:55:34.45\00:55:38.97
Those whom I love, I
reprove and discipline.
00:55:39.00\00:55:42.73
Therefore be zealous and repent.
00:55:42.76\00:55:45.03
Behold, I stand at
the door and knock.
00:55:45.06\00:55:48.45
If anyone hears my
voice and opens the door,
00:55:48.48\00:55:52.52
I will come in to him
and will dine with him,
00:55:52.55\00:55:56.41
and he with Me.
00:55:56.44\00:55:59.00
Jesus offers to
this church His gold.
00:55:59.03\00:56:01.65
In 1 Peter 1:7 we read,
00:56:01.68\00:56:03.85
"That the proof of your
faith being more precious
00:56:03.88\00:56:07.11
than gold which is perishable.
00:56:07.14\00:56:09.42
Even though tested by fire,
00:56:09.45\00:56:11.35
may be found to result in
praise and glory and honor
00:56:11.38\00:56:14.99
at the
revelation of Jesus Christ."
00:56:15.02\00:56:16.76
Jesus offers to
this church new garments.
00:56:16.79\00:56:20.99
In Isaiah we read, "I will
rejoice greatly in the Lord.
00:56:21.02\00:56:24.81
My soul will exult in my God,
00:56:24.84\00:56:26.86
for He has clothed me
with garments of salvation.
00:56:26.89\00:56:29.69
He has wrapped me
with robe of righteousness,
00:56:29.72\00:56:32.31
as the bridegroom
decks himself with garland,
00:56:32.34\00:56:35.71
and as a bride adorns
herself with her jewels."
00:56:35.74\00:56:40.51
The church at Laodicea
thinks that they have everything
00:56:40.54\00:56:44.10
but they have nothing.
00:56:44.13\00:56:46.21
And Jesus offers them
that they can have everything
00:56:46.24\00:56:49.46
and gives them that
promise of promises.
00:56:49.49\00:56:52.44
"Everybody who overcomes
will sit Me on My throne
00:56:52.47\00:56:57.46
as I overcame and sit
with My Father in His throne."
00:56:57.49\00:57:01.64
Look this is certainly
to remind us that the church
00:57:01.67\00:57:04.08
at Laodicea
describes our own time.
00:57:04.11\00:57:06.84
We claim we have Bibles.
00:57:06.87\00:57:08.60
I mentioned to the viewers that
we can buy Bible for 25 cents.
00:57:08.63\00:57:12.61
We have beautiful churches.
00:57:12.64\00:57:14.30
We have everything
that we could have.
00:57:14.33\00:57:17.12
But Jesus Christ is telling us,
00:57:17.15\00:57:19.58
"This is my
offer, if you accept me--
00:57:19.61\00:57:22.14
I'm knocking on the door.
00:57:22.17\00:57:24.30
If you accept Me, in Me
you can have everything."
00:57:24.33\00:57:28.02