Participants: Ranko Stefanovic
Series Code: RCK
Program Code: RCK000006
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00:18 Welcome again to our program
00:22 "Revelation of the Coming King." 00:27 I'm Ranko Stefanovic, Professor in the Seventh-day Adventist 00:31 Theological Seminary, Andrews University. 00:35 And I'm thrilled to be with you here. 00:38 And I have the best audience that somebody can have. 00:44 You motivate-- you motivate me, okay, 00:47 to be more enthusiastic about the word of God. 00:52 As you know that the series that we titled 00:59 "Revelation of the Coming King" 01:02 is actually chapter by chapter 01:03 study of the Book of Revelation. 01:06 And as you know that it's impossible in so many hours 01:13 to cover everything that is in the Book of Revelation, 01:15 but the purpose is that we provide general outline 01:19 and general survey of the Book of Revelation 01:22 somehow to stimulate your appetite with the word of God. 01:27 So once this program is over, 01:31 that you can go and study for yourself a much deeper 01:35 and I believe that real study will never end. 01:40 That's why you need some significant tools. 01:43 As you know that the best textbook for study 01:47 with the Book of Revelation is in my hand. 01:50 It's the Bible and if you could see 01:53 how much we need especially the Old Testament 01:57 for the understanding of the Book of Revelation, 01:58 believe me, very soon you will experience it. 02:02 So I'd like to suggest to you every time 02:04 when we begin a new topic, please can we open our Bibles, 02:08 find appropriate text in the Book of Revelation 02:11 and we will go together into the word of God, 02:13 but we need also some tools. 02:15 You know, we are busy people. 02:17 We have different occupations. 02:19 We cannot spend hours and hours everyday 02:21 to go to study the word of God, 02:23 especially to take one book of the Bible 02:25 like the Book of Revelation. 02:27 So we need tools. 02:28 There are some other people who invested a lot of time. 02:32 So everything what is collected together, 02:34 we have good collection of scholarly research. 02:38 So one of good tools actually I'm holding in my hand. 02:43 It's this commentary-- verse by verse commentary 02:47 on the Book of Revelation titled "Revelation of Jesus Christ." 02:51 It's a product of many years of scholarly research 02:54 not only mine, but also of many other biblical scholars. 03:01 And it's an excellent starting tool 03:04 to study the Book of Revelation. 03:06 So when you have your copy in your hands 03:10 at the beginning of every presentation, 03:12 I will mention the pages. 03:18 The topic that we are presenting is found in this commentary. 03:22 So once the program is over, 03:23 I hope you will go to those pages 03:26 and maybe in the company with some of your friends, 03:30 church members from your congregation 03:32 you can go and study, 03:33 exchange ideas and dig much deeper into the word of God. 03:37 As you know that last time we saw 03:42 about the messages to seven churches. 03:44 We saw how to interpret them. 03:46 And we saw that those seven messages, 03:49 they have three levels of application. 03:51 The first one is contemporary. 03:53 Those messages were sent originally 03:56 to the churches and to the Christians 03:58 of the time of John in 1st century. 04:02 Even though those messages were written to them, 04:04 they're not written only for them. 04:06 They were written also for Christians 04:08 of every generation in every period of Christian history. 04:12 So it means also to us-- to us today. 04:15 So there is also application for us today. 04:20 We can find something as the voice of God 04:23 speaking to our hearts from those messages. 04:26 But that's the second level, okay. 04:29 But there is also the third level 04:31 which is the prophetic application 04:33 because those messages, each one of those message, okay, 04:37 reflects a certain period in Christian history. 04:41 We saw already how Ephesus, okay, 04:46 represented the Christian church in 1st century. 04:52 Then the church in Smyrna, the Christian history 04:54 of 2nd and 3rd centuries and we saw how the message 04:58 to the church in Pergamum actually reflected, 05:01 represented, okay, 4th and 5th century 05:06 of the Christian, Christian history. 05:08 These are powerful messages. 05:09 Okay, at the end of this program, we will-- 05:11 I'd just like to say few more words 05:14 about the application of these messages. 05:16 But before we move on into our subject, 05:19 I would like to ask God for His guidance 05:23 and for the Holy Spirit to guide us in these studies. 05:28 Our Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us 05:33 another opportunity to go into study Your word. 05:39 And Father when we contemplate about the way 05:42 how Jesus Christ sent through John 05:46 the significant messages 05:48 to the Christians in 1st century, 05:51 but you have told us that those messages 05:53 even though they were written to them, 05:54 they're not written just for them. 05:56 They're written also for us, today. 05:59 And we would like this moment 06:00 to hear Your voice speaking to our hearts. 06:04 So please give us Your Holy Spirit 06:06 and help us that we understand these messages 06:09 and to apply to our daily lives. 06:12 We pray all of this in the precious name 06:15 of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen. 06:19 So please if you have your commentaries 06:22 and I'd like also invite the viewers, 06:26 if you want to keep this commentary open in front of you. 06:29 We're going now to the church of Thyatira. 06:32 Then after that we have the church in Sardis, 06:36 then Philadelphia and Laodicea. 06:38 So beginning with page 131, 06:41 131 until the end of the chapter. 06:47 Okay, so far, we surveyed the message 06:53 to the church in Ephesus, then Smyrna and Pergamum. 06:57 I don't know what you say, 06:59 but probably there is something in all those messages 07:02 that we can find for ourselves, okay. 07:06 But there is much more. 07:08 Actually the next city that Jesus addressed 07:14 was the church in Thyatira. 07:16 But please allow me something to mention 07:18 that I didn't mention earlier. 07:19 There is so much, you know, 07:21 to say and it's very, very easy to escape it, okay. 07:24 Keep in mind, that Roman province of Asia-- 07:28 we're talking about, okay, 07:30 Roman provinces in Asia, more than Turkey. 07:32 There are more than seven churches. 07:39 As I mentioned last time, 07:41 I visited the sites of those cities. 07:45 How many? Three, four times. 07:47 And for instance, when you are on the ruins 07:50 of the church of Laodicea, I show it to my students. 07:53 Far away, I don't know, how many? 15, 20 miles. 07:56 I'd say, "You see those ruins there. 07:58 This is the city of Colossae." 08:01 And we know that Paul wrote to the church in Colossae. 08:03 He wrote letter. It was also in Asia Minor. 08:07 Then you look there. 08:08 You look there from Laodicea, not far away. 08:11 maybe 7-- 6, 7 miles, 08:13 Maybe even less, is Hierapolis. 08:18 Another prominent church was there. 08:20 Then you go to north, there was Troas. 08:23 You remember when Paul 08:25 at the end of his third missionary journey, 08:26 he went there to Troas and visited 08:29 the elders of the church there. 08:32 So there are more than seven churches, 08:35 but only seven are addressed here. 08:38 There are several reasons because those churches 08:40 they had serious problem. 08:42 They had a serious problem. 08:45 But another side, evidently God in His providence 08:49 chose intentionally just these seven churches 08:53 because those churches, 08:55 even though they were individual congregations, 08:58 okay, they stand a symbol of God's people of all time. 09:03 The experience that they had in 1st century 09:08 and all that experience they went through, 09:11 actually reflect different experience 09:14 of Christians of every generation. 09:17 So when you put all those seven churches together, 09:20 you actually hear universal problems 09:23 that Christians face at any time in history. 09:25 Are you still with me? Amen. 09:27 But much more than that you have also universal solution 09:32 that Jesus gives to His church. 09:36 So keep in mind that those churches 09:38 were intentionally chosen 09:40 to actually represent God's people of all ages. 09:43 But in the same time those seven churches somehow reflect 09:48 the different periods in Christian history. 09:51 We saw how Ephesus reflected 1st century. 09:55 We saw how the church in Pergamum 09:57 reflected 2nd and 3rd century. 09:59 And we saw how the church in Pergamum 10:02 reflected 4th and 5th century. 10:04 Now let's go to Thyatira, okay. 10:06 You see-- 10:07 you remember we talk about Ephesus. 10:10 You go about 35 miles there, was the church in Smyrna 10:14 and you go north further there 10:17 about 40 miles was the church Pergamum. 10:20 Now you go east, 10:24 and the city of Thyatira was located there. 10:28 So please I would like to ask you 10:31 if you can open the chapter 2, we are still in chapter 2. 10:38 We are reading in verse 18. 10:40 Please I have to go and to read this text 10:43 and you will see why because there are few elements 10:46 here in this text that we have to emphasize. 10:49 It says, "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, 10:54 the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire." 11:00 When Jesus introduces Himself in that way, 11:02 Son of God having His eyes 11:06 like a flame of fire it tell us something. 11:09 That Jesus sees something reference to this church 11:13 that the normal eyes, they could not see. 11:15 His penetrating eyes see the situation of the church. 11:19 But says, "And His feet like burnished bronze, 11:23 it says this, I know your deeds, 11:25 and your love and faith and service and perseverance, 11:29 and that your deeds of late are greater than the first." 11:35 So this church, it's more faithful 11:39 than at the beginning its existence. 11:41 Completely opposite than what we have 11:43 in the church in Ephesus. 11:45 Church in Ephesus was very faithful, 11:48 but started losing its love. 11:50 The church of Thyatira has the last works, 11:54 the last stage of its existence 11:56 are much better than the beginning. 11:59 But says, "But I have this against you, 12:04 that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, 12:08 who calls herself a prophetess, 12:11 and she teaches and leads my servants astray 12:15 so that they commit act of immorality 12:18 and eat things sacrificed to idols." 12:23 I will stop here at this moment. 12:27 Let's reflect just on this last statement. 12:31 The woman Jezebel is mentioned. 12:36 Christians are debating about this name. 12:40 But keep in mind we're dealing about Greco-Roman environment. 12:43 They did not have Jewish names. 12:46 Evidently, this is her nickname that John names her, 12:50 Jezebel, after the notorious queen, 12:55 the wife of Ahab the king of Israel. 12:58 You know what happened with Jezebel? 13:01 Actually she married Ahab. 13:05 She was evidently a priestess of worship of Baal. 13:12 She married Ahab just for one simple purpose. 13:16 To promote that pagan worship 13:18 there in Israel and she succeeded. 13:22 You know her confrontation with Elijah. 13:26 Actually she did not tell the people of Israel 13:29 "Don't worship your God." 13:31 But she represented that God, the God of Heaven with Baal. 13:36 So she tried somehow to make a compromise 13:39 and that's why the judgments of God came there on Israel 13:43 and the prophet Elijah played 13:45 significant role in the judgment. 13:48 So John by pointing to that woman, 13:54 queen in Israel, okay, 13:56 he names her Jezebel just to tell us, 13:59 if you want to understand who this woman is, 14:03 just to try to think about that woman in the Bible. 14:05 But there is something else. 14:07 The way how this woman is portrayed here. 14:10 She functions as a forerunner in the Book of Revelation 14:14 of another woman that later 14:16 we will see in the Book of Revelation. 14:18 That woman is portrayed in Revelation Chapter 17. 14:21 Also the prostitute trying to make a compromise 14:25 to lead people into apostasy. 14:27 However, in Revelation Chapter 17 14:29 that woman is not called Jezebel. 14:31 She's called Babylon. 14:34 So you see, we go little bit back, 14:37 we go little bit there ahead and we understand 14:41 the powerful message of the Book of Revelation. 14:43 What about this woman? 14:45 You see, I'm not giving to rush into the city. 14:46 I will do it because we want to understand 14:49 the problem in the church, 14:50 then we understand the city 14:52 and the Christians how they lived there. 14:54 She said the church tolerated that woman. 14:57 The church was very faithful to God. 14:59 Are you still with me? 15:00 But the church tolerated that woman. 15:02 And who was she-- this woman? 15:04 She claimed-- she calls herself, 15:06 she claimed to be a prophetess. 15:11 You know, friends, 15:13 when a heretic comes from outside and tells you, 15:17 "You believe in God that does not exist. 15:20 Jesus Christ, who is Jesus Christ? 15:21 He never resurrected." 15:23 Boy, you will fight and resist. Amen. 15:27 That's when the danger comes from outside. 15:30 But when you have a person who is in the church, 15:35 they claim to be so pious, so faithful to God and says, 15:39 "I had a dream, God invited me 15:42 to the prophetic ministry and God spoke to me." 15:46 Do you sometimes watch some TV programs 15:49 where people try to present certain teachings? 15:51 They cannot go to the Bible. 15:54 They simply say, "You know, last night God spoke to me." 15:58 And how it's easy that people buy 16:00 those interpretations and those teachings. 16:02 "God spoke to me." 16:04 Friends, God will not speak to us 16:07 if He already spoke in His bible. Amen. 16:09 And if you cannot support it by the Bible 16:11 then you have to use something else. 16:13 This is actually what this woman Jezebel did. 16:18 She claimed to be a very pious person. 16:21 She claimed to be called into the prophetic ministry 16:24 and she said, "Hey, you don't want to do all these things. 16:29 That's your civic duties." You remember? 16:32 "But God spoke to me. I have a message from God. 16:35 God told me that if you do it, it is okay." 16:37 What was that okay? 16:39 Please would you go with me back to the text? 16:43 It says-- let's go back to verse 20. 16:47 "But I have this against you, 16:49 that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, 16:51 who calls herself a prophetess, 16:53 and she teaches and leads my servants astray 16:56 so that they commit act of immorality 17:00 and they eat things sacrificed to idols." 17:04 Please let me ask you one question. 17:07 Don't be shy to answer. 17:09 Where before-- where did we meet 17:12 these two expressions, to commit acts of immorality 17:16 and to eat things sacrificed to idols? 17:20 Just go back to the previous letter. 17:22 Pergamum, Nicolaitans and Balaamites. 17:26 This is what they were doing. 17:27 So now you can see 17:29 that there was a common trend among those churches. 17:32 They are different groups. 17:35 In one church they were called Nicolaitans 17:37 like in Ephesus and in Pergamum. 17:40 Also, in Pergamum they were called Balaamites. 17:43 But in Thyatira they were not called 17:45 Nicolaitans or Balaamites. 17:47 They were called the followers of Jezebel. 17:51 But they all have something in common. 17:53 They had common teaching to make a compromise 17:57 with pagan customs and pagan worship. 18:01 But keep in mind, we already mentioned, 18:05 when we listed all those seven churches 18:08 that those churches were not in the same situation. 18:11 So before we go and try to learn a little bit 18:16 about this advice or counsel that Jesus gave to the churches. 18:20 We have to understand little bit about the city 18:24 and the situation of the Christians in that city 18:27 to understand what was that 18:29 actually that this woman Jezebel tried to teach 18:34 the faithful Christians there 18:35 and amazingly she had the followers. 18:40 Evidently, when you say I have a message from God 18:42 it works in the minds of many people 18:45 who don't go to the Bible to get the answer, okay. 18:50 Of all the seven cities, three that we mentioned 18:55 and three that we will still try to understand about, 18:58 Thyatira was the smallest one. 19:02 And it was quite different of all other-- 19:07 those seven cities. 19:10 Please it's very important to understand. 19:12 Thyatira did not have any 19:15 political importance and significance 19:19 and it was not at all any cultural center. 19:23 No philosophers would go there to establish their schools 19:27 and try to promote their teachings. Why? 19:30 For one simple reason, because Thyatira was not 19:34 an intellectual city like Ephesus, 19:36 like Pergamum, like Smyrna, 19:38 we will see like Laodicea, and others. 19:41 It was a simply blue collar work city. 19:48 Actually the city was known for many trades 19:52 such as garment making, bronze smithing, 19:56 tanning, leather working, pottery, baking, dyeing, 20:01 and manufacture for all purple and woolen goods. 20:05 But wait let me mention something very interesting. 20:09 You probably can recall when Paul the apostle came to Europe. 20:14 What was the first city in Europe 20:17 that Paul started preaching the gospel? 20:21 Actually it was Philippi. 20:25 It is to that city that Paul wrote also his epistle. 20:28 What was the name of the first woman 20:32 in Europe that was baptized? 20:35 It was Lydia. Lydia. 20:38 Actually her entire household was baptized. 20:41 And you remember that Paul came into trouble 20:43 and that we have that jailer. 20:46 He actually also became converted. 20:48 But usually we don't think. 20:50 If you read carefully the Book of Acts Chapter 16, 20:54 Lydia was the purple dealer in Philippi, 20:57 but originally from Thyatira. 21:03 There are many merchants 21:06 and many trade workers from Thyatira. 21:10 They were spreading, traveling throughout the Roman Empire 21:14 trying to sell their goods. 21:16 By the way, about Lydia if you want this information, 21:19 it's found in the Book of Acts 16:14. 21:25 So let's conclude. 21:27 The citizens of that era were mainly 21:30 poor laborers and tradesmen, 21:34 in contrast to the well situated residents 21:37 of the previous three cities that we mentioned. 21:41 So why are we talking about this? 21:43 You know, when you have a city 21:48 with so many trade centers there-- 21:52 in 1st century, there was something that we have today. 21:57 If you want to have your business 21:59 and your business to flourish and to prosper, 22:02 you have to be a member of a trade guild. 22:07 So they had their associations, okay. 22:11 And there is nothing wrong with that. 22:12 See, if you want your business to prosper 22:15 and if you want also to sell, 22:17 to put your stuff there on the market 22:22 you have to be member of the guild. 22:24 Otherwise the competition will kill you. 22:26 But what was the problem? 22:28 Like the cities where people lived, 22:30 also each one of those guilds 22:34 had the pagan God who was the protector. 22:40 So it was your duty as the member of that guild 22:45 that at appointed time of the year, 22:48 go there to that pagan temple 22:51 because all the members of that guild are present there. 22:56 And you have to be present there. 22:58 Their celebrations, their feasts, 23:01 you would sit there and watch how the priest kills the bull 23:05 and all those sacrifices would take the blood 23:08 and sprinkle that food 23:10 that was actually sacrificed to those idols. 23:13 And you eat and participate there. 23:15 And you see how people drinking and say, 23:17 "Thank you, Zeus. Thank you this. 23:20 Thank you that god." 23:21 Giving glory to god, giving thanks to the pagan god 23:24 for the prosperity of the guild. 23:29 Are you still with me? 23:31 So can you imagine? 23:33 You're a member of the guild and you don't do it. 23:38 What happens? 23:40 That god protector becomes angry with the guild 23:46 and their guild cannot prosper. 23:50 So who is to be blamed? 23:52 This is just hypothetical. 23:54 Please the reality was if you don't do it, 23:57 you don't want to mess with the god. 24:01 Therefore, you cannot have your business. 24:04 If you're the member of the guild, 24:06 your business cannot work at all. 24:10 So keep in mind, it's very important to understand, 24:14 we don't have a philosophical school. 24:16 We do not have emperor worship there. 24:18 There are no problems. 24:20 People, mainly poor people, some of them were businessmen. 24:24 They had their own business. 24:26 But what was the major problem? 24:27 How can you prosper 24:30 and how can you succeed in that city 24:33 without being a member of that guild? 24:40 And you know, usually when crisis of such kind appears, 24:43 poor people usually do not have problem too much. 24:46 They'll always find some manual labor, okay. 24:49 But the problem is usually with the rich people 24:51 who have business. 24:53 So what to do? 24:55 The church members were debating. 24:57 What to do? 24:59 Evidently, some church members they said, "Why not? 25:03 We are fulfilling our civic duty. 25:05 We are not denying our faith, our Christian faith. 25:08 We are worshipping the true God and only Jesus Christ. 25:11 We are simply fulfilling our civic duty." 25:14 And evidently the church became divided. 25:16 By the way, you'll notice that the message 25:19 to the church in Thyatira is the longest of all letters. 25:27 It is then on the scene that the woman appeared 25:31 claiming to have a prophetic gift. 25:34 And telling them, "I received a message from God." 25:38 It's not a sin to go and to participate 25:40 with pagan there in the temples. 25:43 God want us to bear witness to these people. 25:48 Just you can do it. 25:49 It's a place that you can witness. 25:50 And by the way, if you see the end of this chapter, 25:54 Jesus pronounces a severe judgment 25:57 over this woman and her children. 26:00 It means all those who followed her. 26:03 And then He calls the church to repentance 26:07 and He says in verse 24, 26:09 "But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, 26:13 who do not hold these teachings." 26:15 So many church members, they remained faithful to God. 26:20 But if you go to the previous verse He said, 26:21 "I will kill Jezebel and her children." 26:24 So it means the significant number of church members, 26:27 they followed this woman. 26:30 And now Jesus said in verse 25, 26:33 "Nevertheless, what you have hold fast until I come, 26:38 He who overcomes and who keeps my deeds until the end." 26:43 And Jesus gives now to the fourth church, 26:47 how many promises? Four. 26:48 Four promises. 26:50 And then the call, "Who has ear, 26:53 let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." 26:56 And let me tell you, it's always a challenge 26:59 how to be faithful to God. 27:02 Can you make some compromise? 27:03 I remember I started going to secondary school 27:06 during the Communist system in the country where I grew up. 27:09 It was 3 months, even though 27:11 I was the best student in the school. 27:14 I hear the principal invited me and he said, 27:16 "Yeah, you are our best student, 27:18 but you cannot come to the school any longer 27:20 because you're not coming to the school on Saturdays." 27:25 And he told me, "I just give you advice. 27:27 Just come to the school, sit there in the classroom. 27:30 Don't bring even your textbooks. 27:33 Just sit there and you're saved." 27:37 My response was, "No compromise." 27:41 I want to give my public testimony to God. 27:44 Believe me, it was a hard decision. 27:46 It meant I would never get education. 27:49 Today when I go back to my friends, 27:51 I'm the only one who has such high education. 27:53 God always blesses at the end. Amen. 27:56 This was situation of the church in Thyatira. Okay. 28:00 So if you want to apply the message to the church 28:03 in Thyatira historically-- 28:06 actually there is only one period in Christian church 28:10 that the threat to the church didn't come from outside. 28:14 It came from inside. 28:15 And which period is that? 28:18 It's the Dark Middle Ages. 28:22 So evidently the message to the church in Thyatira 28:27 also reflects the significant period in history 28:31 when during many centuries of the Dark Middle Ages, 28:36 the tradition totally replaced the Bible. 28:39 Keep in mind that Jezebel did not go 28:42 to the Bible to get the light. 28:43 She heard direct message from God outside of the Bible. 28:47 So during the Dark Middle Ages, the tradition, 28:50 something that came from outside of the Bible, okay, 28:53 replaced the biblical teaching. 28:55 When the priesthood of Christ 28:57 was replaced with the human priesthood 29:00 and sacred relics replaced Christ priesthood 29:03 and His work there in the Heavenly places 29:06 and was regarded as the means of salvation, 29:10 all those who did not condone the corrupting influences 29:13 of the institutional church, 29:15 they had the same experience as the church members 29:18 in the city of Thyatira, those Christians there. 29:21 So we can see how the message 29:23 to the church of Thyatira speaks to everybody. 29:27 To the Christians of the time of John, 29:29 to the Christians who lived during the Dark Middle Ages, 29:32 but that message also can be a great warning. 29:36 But at the same time can provide a great hope to us, 29:40 when sometimes we are put into the position 29:44 to compromise our Christianity with something that is 29:48 completely contrary to the Bible. 29:52 Then we are going to next. 29:55 The next city that was addressed by Jesus 30:00 was the church in Sardis. 30:01 We saw that the church in Thyatira was little bit east. 30:06 Now we are going south, okay. 30:09 It is about 30 miles south of Thyatira. 30:13 There was a city of Sardis. 30:17 The city of Sardis was originally built 30:20 on the top of a steep hill overlooking the entire area. 30:27 And even today, it's very impressive 30:30 to see that ancient citadel that originally was the first place, 30:37 the city of Sardis. 30:40 Because the platform of the hill upon which the city stood, 30:43 eventually became too small 30:45 to accommodate the whole population, 30:48 the city starting spreading around that mountain, okay, 30:52 and spreading and became larger and larger. 30:55 The city had a splendid history. 30:57 Some 6 centuries prior to the writing 30:59 of the Book of Revelation, 31:01 Sardis had been one of the greatest cities 31:04 in the ancient world. 31:06 It was the capital of the kingdom of Lydia, 31:09 ruled by the wealthy classes 31:13 and had a prominence 31:15 during the different periods of history. 31:17 But by the Roman period, 31:20 the city had lost its prestige in the ancient world. 31:24 Even though continue to enjoy 31:26 prosperity in wealth in 1st century, 31:29 the city's pride was rooted in its past. 31:34 The city, okay, had many trading centers there 31:40 and many temples-- many temples there, okay. 31:46 And the threat to the church 31:48 came both from inside and from outside. 31:52 And evidently those heretical teachings, 31:55 they killed the spirituality of the church members. 31:58 and it can be very seen from the very introductory words 32:03 of Jesus addressing the church. 32:06 Please would you go with me to Revelation 3:1? 32:11 "To the angel of the church in Sardis write, 32:14 He who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars, 32:17 says this, 'I know your deeds, 32:20 that you have a name that you are alive, 32:23 but you are dead. 32:25 Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, 32:28 which were about to die, 32:30 for I have not found your deeds completed 32:33 in the sight of my God. 32:35 So remember what you have received 32:37 and heard, and keep it, and repent. 32:40 Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, 32:44 and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. 32:52 But I have a few people in Sardis 32:54 who have not soiled their garments 32:56 and they will walk with me in white,'" 32:58 and now the promise given to this church 33:01 corresponds to the situation of that group, 33:04 'he who overcomes will be clothed in white garments, 33:07 and I will not erase his name from the Book of Life, 33:11 and I will confess his name 33:12 before My Father and before His angels.'" 33:15 You will notice that the fifth church receives 33:17 the five promises-- promises of Jesus. 33:20 We don't need to go too much 33:21 and talk about the situation of the Christians in that city 33:25 because their situation corresponded to the situation 33:29 of most Christians in other cities. 33:32 Evidently, that pagan influence there 33:37 and the idea that Christians should compromise their faith, 33:40 in order to accommodate to the requirements of the city 33:43 in which they live, killed their spiritual life in the church. 33:47 You remember what Jesus said, that just few names 33:51 that remain faithful to Christ in that church. 33:55 The church had the name. 33:57 Evidently the church had a glorious past, 34:00 but in reality that church was completely dead. 34:04 Did you notice it? 34:06 That completely was dead. 34:07 But when Jesus said to this church, 34:10 let me remind you one more time in verse 3, 34:16 "Therefore if you do not wake up, 34:21 I will come to you as a thief, 34:24 and you will not know 34:26 at what hour I will come to you." 34:28 There is something very interesting in this. 34:31 Actually I was three times there at Sardis. 34:35 When you're there in the valley, 34:36 in the ruins of that ancient city, 34:39 but then you look there in front of yourself, 34:41 on the top of that hill 34:44 there is that fortress of the original city. 34:48 There is one thing you wonder. 34:50 How were they able to build that city on such steepy, okay, 34:54 hilltop and mountain there? 34:57 Actually if you were there in that city, 35:00 it was impossible to climb up there and to occupy the city. 35:05 That's why many armies would go there 35:08 and wait for months trying to occupy the city. 35:11 But they were laughing there from the fortress 35:15 because it was impossible to reach the top of the city. 35:18 But two times--you have more information there 35:22 in that companion book, okay. 35:25 The two times the city was occupied. 35:28 Just to mention in one occasion is that the emperor Cyrus 35:33 he wonder how to occupy the city, 35:34 but there was no way. 35:36 They did not know how to go there to occupy the city. 35:38 It was impossible. 35:40 And one soldier was standing there and watching he said, 35:44 "What can be done?" 35:46 Then he saw a guard there on the city. 35:48 And suddenly a helmet fell from the head of that guard there 35:53 and it went down whoo, whoo, whoo, all up to the end. 35:57 And finally the soldier went there to look for the helmet 36:00 and he found the entrance there to go to the top of the city. 36:04 The people there in the fortress fell so safe and secure. 36:09 They did not even put the guard there at the gates. 36:13 And soldiers came there during the night and just-- 36:17 it didn't take too much time and too much effort 36:20 to occupy the city. 36:22 So somehow, you know, somehow the situation in the city 36:27 reflected the situation in the church. 36:29 The church lived and enjoyed its pride from the past history. 36:37 But in reality, in the present life, 36:40 they were completely dead. 36:42 So Jesus calls the church again. 36:44 Remember the call, "Wake up and repent. 36:50 Turn your way from God. Go back to God. 36:55 You will be forgiven because the love of Jesus Christ 36:58 want to reach you." Amen. 37:00 And then you go actually more south 37:06 and finally you reach another city, 37:09 the sixth one by name of Philadelphia 37:15 which actually comes from two Greek words. 37:19 Philadelphia which means "brotherly love." 37:23 Philadelphia was actually the youngest 37:26 of all the seven cities. 37:29 There is no much to be said about that city, 37:33 except the city was named Philadelphia 37:39 because it was sealed by Attalus II. Please. 37:43 We're not supposed to remember names. 37:45 Attalus II, he built the city named Philadelphia 37:49 because of his love towards his brother, 37:52 okay, younger brother. 37:54 His younger brother was very capable. 37:56 And he served as the commander of chief, okay. 37:59 Attalus was the king 38:00 and his younger brother was the commander-in-chief, 38:03 but he was a very capable person. 38:04 Even Romans and many other people 38:06 try to persuade him to rebel against his brother 38:09 and to kill him and to become king 38:11 because he was very capable person. 38:13 But he said, "No, he's my brother." 38:16 And he was very faithful to his brother until the point-- 38:20 until the time when his brother died. 38:22 Then he took the throne. 38:24 And actually, in that memory 38:26 the city of Philadelphia was built, 38:28 to commemorate the great love between the two brothers. 38:34 But there is also one another thing 38:36 that we have to mention is, 38:38 when the city was built it was built for one single reason. 38:44 And it was to promote the Greek culture. 38:51 So it was actually a missionary city 38:55 to promote Hellenism, okay, 38:58 to Lydia and Phrygia 39:00 where Hellenism did not get over there yet. 39:06 So it was a strictly missionary city. 39:10 Are you still with me? 39:12 So we don't know too much about Christians in that city. 39:16 We don't know about the situation that they face there. 39:21 God has His church there. 39:24 We don't know how much faithful those Christians were there, 39:28 but evidently those pagan customs 39:31 made great impact upon them 39:32 because when you read the message 39:35 to the church in Philadelphia and please can you join me. 39:38 Jesus introduces Himself to this church in verse 7, 39:41 chapter 3 verse 7 says, 39:43 "He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, 39:47 who opens no one will shut, 39:49 who shuts no one opens, says this. 39:52 I know your deeds." Very positive. 39:54 "Behold I have put before you an open door 39:58 which no one can shut, 40:00 because you have a little power, 40:02 and have kept my word and have not denied my name." 40:08 Did you notice something in this text? 40:09 Jesus says about the Christians in Philadelphia 40:12 that they had just little strength, little power. 40:18 But the grace and the love of Jesus Christ 40:20 does not look the weaknesses, that little power. 40:25 Jesus opens for them a great door of opportunities. 40:33 So the very city of Philadelphia 40:34 that was established for missionary purposes 40:37 now becomes a symbol of the church that is put there 40:40 by Jesus Christ for missionary purposes. 40:42 Are you still with me? 40:44 And now Jesus says, 40:47 "Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan," 40:50 do you remember this? 40:53 We have the church in Smyrna 40:55 that suffers so much because of Jewish accusations. 40:58 Very similar happened in the church of Philadelphia, 41:01 "Who say that they are Jews and are not, 41:03 but lie-- I will make them come 41:05 and bow down at your feet, 41:07 and make them know that I have loved you," 41:10 and now my favorite text. 41:12 "Because you have kept the word of my perseverance, 41:15 I will also keep you from the hour of testing, 41:18 that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, 41:23 to test those who dwell on the earth. 41:25 I am coming quickly, hold fast what you have, 41:31 so that no one will take your" stephanos, "crown." 41:38 And then we have six promises given to the six churches. 41:45 The church in Philadelphia-- 41:48 what can we learn about this church? 41:50 You see, even so many times we feel so weak. 41:57 And sometimes we come into hopeless situation, 42:00 but praise God for His mercy. 42:02 He does not look into our weakness. 42:05 He opens before us that great door of opportunities. 42:09 Praise God. Jesus Christ that I believe in. 42:12 Jesus who does not look into my weaknesses, 42:15 He looks into my potentials. 42:17 And my weaknesses turns into strength. 42:21 You remember Paul had a thorn in the flesh 42:25 and he asked God for help. 42:27 And God told him, "Paul, stop complaining. 42:33 My power is manifested in human weaknesses." 42:38 And Paul said "If there is something that I will boast, 42:41 I will boast by the power of Christ." 42:43 This is actually the message for the church in Philadelphia. 42:47 So we want to apply this message to certain period of history. 42:53 Which period comes to your mind? 42:56 Actually after the Middle Ages, okay, we had the reformers. 43:07 They really woke up the church. 43:09 But after the reformers, 43:11 we have Protestantism that started developing, 43:14 that lived on the past glory 43:18 but in reality in many ways Protestantism was dead. 43:23 Actually this period following the reformation 43:26 is represented by the church in Sardis. 43:31 But then that period is followed 43:34 by the 18th and the 19th century 43:36 that is known to the history 43:38 as the second great awakening in United States. 43:43 It was the time when Christians 43:45 recognize those great signs that took place. 43:49 And they saw in those signs as predicted by Jesus 43:51 and the Book of Revelation, 43:53 the signs of the second coming of Christ. 43:55 Do you know what I'm referring to? 43:57 The darkening of the sun, the darkening of the moon 43:59 and the falling of those meteors. 44:01 this one earthquake and also the taking 44:04 of the Pope into the captivity. 44:06 They recognize in all those events 44:09 the signs of the second coming of Christ. 44:11 Suddenly, people became interested in the Bible. 44:15 People started talking about the second coming of Christ. 44:17 You know, when people believe 44:18 in the second coming of Christ 44:20 and start preparing themselves for the second coming of Christ, 44:22 there are many different reforms. 44:24 So we have the beginning of the feminist movement, 44:27 trying to lift up that humiliation 44:30 that people put on women. 44:32 We have liberation of slaves. 44:35 We have educational system. Okay. 44:38 Health reform movements they started. 44:41 But above all during that time-- 44:43 those times we have the establishment 44:45 of those famous word, biblical societies. 44:49 When the Bible was printed 44:51 and distributed to many languages of the world, 44:54 the reality that we still see today 44:57 and actually led to many missionary movements. 45:00 Many people decided to go to proclaim the message overseas, 45:05 on the different continents to proclaim 45:07 the message of the second coming of Christ. 45:09 You see, the Christian church 45:10 during that time had little strength. 45:13 But God opened the door of opportunities in the great way. 45:19 And praise God, the Christians responded. 45:23 And I can really, gladly I can say 45:26 it was during that time God also raised 45:30 a significant movement that actually received-- 45:38 experienced its collapse and only 100 people were left. 45:44 And out of that small group of people today, 45:47 we have a movement of about 20 million Christians 45:52 proclaiming the gospel message in all continents, 45:55 in almost all the countries of the world 45:57 And I'm so grateful to God that I am the part of that movement. 46:04 Actually this is the message to the church in Philadelphia. 46:07 Now we are coming to the last one, 46:11 is the church of Laodicea. Okay. 46:15 The last church that is mentioned. 46:17 By the way, if we go here to Philadelphia 46:23 then suddenly go to the west-- to the west. 46:27 And there are two cities very close to each other, 46:29 we mentioned already is Laodicea and Hierapolis. Okay. 46:34 But Laodicea is here-- here of our concern. 46:38 Laodicea was situated in Lycus valley 46:42 on the major trade road between Ephesus and Syria, 46:46 which means that the trade flourishes. 46:49 And all the trade goes through that city. 46:54 It was very close to those two cities 46:56 as I mentioned Hierapolis and Colossae 46:59 which really gave the city of Laodicea great prominence. 47:03 By the way, if you open your Bibles in Colossians 4:16, 47:09 you will see that Paul mentions 47:11 that actually he wrote a letter to the church in Laodicea. 47:15 That letter unfortunately is not preserved. 47:18 And Paul tells the Christians in Colossae, 47:21 "Find that letter that I wrote to the church in Laodicea, 47:24 read but send your letter that I'm writing to you. 47:28 Send also to the church in Laodicea. 47:30 Let them read that letter." 47:32 It's Colossians 4:16. 47:36 Laodicea in 1st century was important 47:39 commercial and financial center. Why? 47:42 Because most of the wealth came from the clothing, 47:46 manufacturing industry, and banking transactions. 47:50 The city was very, very wealthy. 47:55 Actually I must tell you, I visited Laodicea three times. 48:00 Every time when I go there you cannot imagine 48:03 how much our theologists discovered there 48:07 and brought to us today. 48:10 Okay, the digging, it goes so fast there that very soon 48:15 we will see many, many things from the city of Laodicea. 48:19 Laodicea was widely known for the fine quality 48:22 of soft and glossy black wool used for making 48:26 different kind of garments and carpets 48:29 which were exported to different parts of the Roman Empire. 48:33 The commercial prosperity made the city a great banking system 48:38 where a large quantity of gold was stored. 48:41 In addition, Laodicea was famous for its medical school 48:45 which had the reputation throughout the ancient world 48:49 for its treatment of eye diseases 48:51 by means of ointment made from 48:54 so called Phrygian powder mixed with oil. 48:58 You see, that prosperity as the commercial, 49:02 financial, and industrial center 49:05 and success that the city had 49:09 filled the wealthy citizens of Laodicea 49:12 with the spirit of pride and self sufficiency. 49:18 You know, friends, you can become a Christian 49:20 but somehow, even though if you're a Christian, 49:22 you have a characteristic of the city where you live. 49:26 So that's the reason we try to understand about the very city. 49:29 It reflected on Christians there, 49:31 and just that you understand who Laodiceans were. 49:34 In A.D. 60, they're talking about 30 years before John, 49:40 Jesus sent this letter to the church. 49:43 A terrible earthquake destroyed the city, 49:46 completely destroyed the city. 49:49 But Romans they needed Laodicea. Why? 49:52 Because of clothing industry. It was banking center there. 49:57 They needed for that eye salve. 49:59 There are many things they needed the city. 50:01 So right after the earthquake, 50:04 a great convoy from Rome came with a lot of gold, 50:09 you know, you know and helped to rebuild the city. 50:11 Can you imagine? The city was completely leveled. 50:15 And Laodiceans came there at the gate waiting for Romans 50:19 and they told them, "Please go back to Rome. 50:23 We don't need anything. 50:24 We have everything what we need." 50:30 It tell us something about the city. 50:31 And I believe it help us to understand the message 50:35 that Jesus wrote to the church that was there. 50:38 But just one more detail. 50:40 Even though the city was so prosperous 50:42 the city had one terrible problem. 50:44 They don't have drinking water. 50:48 So they will get water from-- remember, Colossae. 50:51 Colossae was just at the foot of a mountain 50:54 and there was fantastic drinking water there. 50:57 So they would make--even today you can see all those systems, 51:01 how they brought the water there. 51:03 And another water came from Hierapolis, 51:06 also from another foot of a mountain there. 51:10 But the problem was the climate is very hot there. 51:13 As the water travels for about 5, 6, to 15 miles 51:17 to reach the city 51:19 what happened to that cool water, mountain water? 51:22 Actually it became lukewarm. Now it tell us everything. 51:26 We don't need to go to this letter any longer. 51:29 Everything is explained to us. 51:31 Because Jesus is using that illustration from the very city, 51:38 from the city life, actually to provide the message 51:41 to the church because the very city 51:45 and the population of the city 51:47 actually reflected also or symbolized, 51:50 represented the very situation of the Christians 51:54 who were there in that city. 51:55 So please let us just try to see few things that we find here 52:01 and see how Jesus addresses this church. 52:06 Okay, how much time we have? 52:07 We have 5 minutes. Praise God, just enough. 52:11 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write. 52:15 The amen, the faithful and the true witness, 52:19 the beginning of the creation of God, says this," 52:23 why does Jesus introduces Himself 52:25 to this church in this way? 52:27 Hey, when you have the church saying, "Boy, I am rich." 52:32 You remember Laodiceans suffered the earthquake. 52:35 We have everything. We have need of nothing. 52:40 Jesus says, "I am the Amen. 52:42 You know, faithful witness, better listen to me. 52:45 I know better your situation than you know." 52:48 But then Jesus call Himself, 52:50 "The beginning of God's creation." 52:54 This word beginning does not mean 52:56 that Jesus was the first who was created. 52:59 He means that He is the cause. 53:01 He is the beginning of everything that is created. 53:05 Why does Jesus introduces Himself to this church? 53:08 You see, this church is dead. 53:12 There is no one singular thing that Jesus commissioned 53:14 in reference to this church. 53:16 But Jesus says, "Better listen to me, 53:19 I'm the one who created everything out of nothing. 53:24 I can do the same of you. You are dead. 53:27 There is nothing good of you. 53:29 But I can make a new beginning of you." Amen. 53:31 What-- what a Savior. 53:33 And then Jesus said-- by the way, 53:36 the situation of church in Ephesus-- 53:37 in Laodicea actually reflects 53:42 the situation of the people of Israel 53:45 as described in the book of Hosea 12:8. 53:49 It says, "Ephraim said, 'Surely I have become rich, 53:53 I have found wealth for myself. 53:55 In all my labors they will find in me no iniquity, 53:59 which would be sin.'" 54:00 You see, evidently the situation of the church in Laodicea 54:04 was not just their problem. 54:06 Israel had that problem and believe me, 54:08 so many times I find within myself 54:10 that I have similar problem. 54:11 And maybe some of us will say, 54:13 "Boy, this is exactly my situation." 54:16 And then Jesus goes on and He said, "I know your deeds. 54:20 That you are neither cold nor hot. 54:23 I wish that you were cold or hot. 54:25 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, 54:30 I will spit you out of my mouth. 54:34 Because you say, 'I am rich, and I have become wealthy, 54:39 and have need of nothing,'" 54:42 please, I will stop at this moment. 54:44 It's very moving for me. 54:46 Jesus said, "But you do not know"-- 54:52 hey friends, people who do not know 54:56 and people who do not know that they don't known, 55:00 believe me, they're in the same situation. 55:03 And this was actually the problem 55:04 of the church in Laodicea. 55:06 Jesus said, "You say I'm rich, I'm wealthy, 55:10 I have need of nothing but I say to you 55:14 that you are wretched and miserable 55:18 and poor and blind and naked. 55:22 I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire 55:25 so that you may become rich. 55:28 And white garments so that you may clothe yourself, 55:31 that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed, 55:34 and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. 55:39 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline. 55:42 Therefore be zealous and repent. 55:45 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. 55:48 If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, 55:52 I will come in to him and will dine with him, 55:56 and he with Me. 55:59 Jesus offers to this church His gold. 56:01 In 1 Peter 1:7 we read, 56:03 "That the proof of your faith being more precious 56:07 than gold which is perishable. 56:09 Even though tested by fire, 56:11 may be found to result in praise and glory and honor 56:15 at the revelation of Jesus Christ." 56:16 Jesus offers to this church new garments. 56:21 In Isaiah we read, "I will rejoice greatly in the Lord. 56:24 My soul will exult in my God, 56:26 for He has clothed me with garments of salvation. 56:29 He has wrapped me with robe of righteousness, 56:32 as the bridegroom decks himself with garland, 56:35 and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." 56:40 The church at Laodicea thinks that they have everything 56:44 but they have nothing. 56:46 And Jesus offers them that they can have everything 56:49 and gives them that promise of promises. 56:52 "Everybody who overcomes will sit Me on My throne 56:57 as I overcame and sit with My Father in His throne." 57:01 Look this is certainly to remind us that the church 57:04 at Laodicea describes our own time. 57:06 We claim we have Bibles. 57:08 I mentioned to the viewers that we can buy Bible for 25 cents. 57:12 We have beautiful churches. 57:14 We have everything that we could have. 57:17 But Jesus Christ is telling us, 57:19 "This is my offer, if you accept me-- 57:22 I'm knocking on the door. 57:24 If you accept Me, in Me you can have everything." |
Revised 2014-12-17