Good morning, friends.
00:00:35.40\00:00:36.40
Welcome once again to
Sabbath School Study Hour
00:00:36.40\00:00:39.27
here at the Granite Bay
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:00:39.27\00:00:41.27
I'd like to
welcome our online members
00:00:41.27\00:00:42.90
and our friends
who are joining us
00:00:42.90\00:00:44.21
across the country
and around the world
00:00:44.21\00:00:46.78
through social media,
00:00:46.78\00:00:47.98
the various television networks,
00:00:47.98\00:00:50.35
also our regular church members,
00:00:50.35\00:00:52.61
and those who
are visiting with us
00:00:52.61\00:00:54.28
right here at the
Granite Bay Church,
00:00:54.28\00:00:56.18
very warm welcome to all of you,
00:00:56.18\00:00:58.19
glad to see you here today.
00:00:58.19\00:00:59.95
Now as many of you know,
00:00:59.95\00:01:01.16
we started our brand new series
00:01:01.16\00:01:02.79
dealing with the
Book of Revelation,
00:01:02.79\00:01:04.16
our lesson quarterly,
00:01:04.16\00:01:05.43
looking at some
very important themes
00:01:05.43\00:01:07.30
in the last book of the Bible.
00:01:07.30\00:01:09.26
Today, we're on
lesson number three,
00:01:09.26\00:01:11.73
and very
interesting and important study.
00:01:11.73\00:01:13.60
And we're gonna actually share
00:01:13.60\00:01:14.67
a little more about
that in just a few moments
00:01:14.67\00:01:17.14
before we launch
into our lesson for today.
00:01:17.14\00:01:20.88
But at this time,
00:01:20.88\00:01:21.91
I'd like to
invite our song leaders
00:01:21.91\00:01:23.35
to come forward, and
they'll be bringing us
00:01:23.35\00:01:24.85
our special music this morning,
00:01:24.85\00:01:27.28
and then we'll follow through
with prayer and our lesson.
00:01:27.28\00:01:30.15
Thank you so much
for singing with us.
00:03:42.28\00:03:44.12
And at this time, Pastor Ross
will have our opening prayer.
00:03:44.12\00:03:47.69
Dear Father in heaven,
00:03:47.69\00:03:48.92
once again, we are grateful
to be able to open up Your Word
00:03:48.92\00:03:51.26
and study this
very important book,
00:03:51.26\00:03:52.96
the Book of Revelation,
00:03:52.96\00:03:54.10
so many important lessons
and truths especially for us,
00:03:54.10\00:03:57.40
living so close to the
second coming of Jesus.
00:03:57.40\00:04:00.24
So we ask once
again for Your Holy Spirit
00:04:00.24\00:04:02.04
to come and guide
our hearts, our minds.
00:04:02.04\00:04:04.31
In Jesus' name, amen.
00:04:04.31\00:04:07.51
As mentioned little earlier,
00:04:07.51\00:04:08.71
we are studying
through the Book of Revelation.
00:04:08.71\00:04:11.11
Today, we find ourselves
on lesson number three.
00:04:11.11\00:04:14.22
And for those of you
who are following along,
00:04:14.22\00:04:16.48
the lesson is entitled,
00:04:16.48\00:04:17.82
"Jesus' Messages to
the Seven Churches,"
00:04:17.82\00:04:20.89
lesson number three
in our lesson quarterly.
00:04:20.89\00:04:23.46
For those who might not
have a copy of today's lesson,
00:04:23.46\00:04:26.83
you can download a copy for free
00:04:26.83\00:04:28.80
at the following
website, just lesson.aftv.org,
00:04:28.80\00:04:34.24
and you can study along with us.
00:04:34.24\00:04:36.57
We also have the free offer
00:04:36.57\00:04:37.77
for our friends
in North America,
00:04:37.77\00:04:39.54
we'll be happy to send
this book to you for free.
00:04:39.54\00:04:42.58
All you'll need to
do is give us a call.
00:04:42.58\00:04:44.45
The number to
call is 866-788-3966
00:04:44.45\00:04:49.35
and you can ask
for offer number 191.
00:04:49.35\00:04:52.45
The book is entitled
00:04:52.45\00:04:53.69
"Satan's
Confusing Counterfeits, "
00:04:53.69\00:04:56.02
just a very important study.
00:04:56.02\00:04:57.93
For those
outside of North America,
00:04:57.93\00:04:59.73
you can download
the book for free.
00:04:59.73\00:05:01.93
All you have to do is
simply text the number 40544
00:05:01.93\00:05:07.14
and you want to
text the code "SH053."
00:05:07.14\00:05:12.04
And if you're in North America
00:05:12.04\00:05:13.54
and would prefer
digital copy of the lesson,
00:05:13.54\00:05:15.94
you're welcome
to order the book,
00:05:15.94\00:05:17.41
you're welcome to also
text again that number,
00:05:17.41\00:05:20.28
you'll see in on your screen,
00:05:20.28\00:05:21.82
and we'll be happy
to send this to you.
00:05:21.82\00:05:23.92
Well, at this time,
00:05:23.92\00:05:24.99
Pastor Doug Batchelor is
gonna bring us our lesson
00:05:24.99\00:05:26.89
dealing with the seven churches.
00:05:26.89\00:05:30.63
I'm doing a
little bit of review.
00:05:30.63\00:05:33.36
I think it was Pastor Ross
taught the lesson last week.
00:05:33.36\00:05:36.10
And he touched on
the church of Ephesus.
00:05:36.10\00:05:39.43
But I thought, you know,
00:05:39.43\00:05:40.50
sort of be sad to have a lesson
00:05:40.50\00:05:41.87
that deals with
the other six churches
00:05:41.87\00:05:44.31
and leave out the first one
00:05:44.31\00:05:46.41
so that you could
sort of have a study
00:05:46.41\00:05:48.41
that would encompass them all.
00:05:48.41\00:05:49.94
So we'll do a little
review in just a moment.
00:05:49.94\00:05:52.61
Remember,
00:05:52.61\00:05:53.82
Revelation is a kaleidoscope
of the entire Bible.
00:05:53.82\00:05:58.22
You have just these
vignettes of sevens.
00:05:58.22\00:06:01.96
You've got the seven
churches, the seven seals,
00:06:01.96\00:06:04.93
the seven
trumpets, the seven plagues.
00:06:04.93\00:06:07.83
Now those are events.
00:06:07.83\00:06:09.66
What does the number
seven typically mean?
00:06:09.66\00:06:13.94
I hear
completion, I hear perfect.
00:06:13.94\00:06:17.31
Where do you first
find seven in the Bible?
00:06:17.31\00:06:19.11
Genesis.
00:06:19.11\00:06:21.31
And what's it related to,
00:06:21.31\00:06:22.44
seven in
Genesis related to what?
00:06:22.44\00:06:24.35
Creation.
00:06:24.35\00:06:25.45
Creation. It's a
perfect cycle of time.
00:06:25.45\00:06:29.58
Now keep that in mind
00:06:29.58\00:06:30.72
because the sevens we're
going to study in Revelation,
00:06:30.72\00:06:34.12
the seven churches
00:06:34.12\00:06:35.42
are really a
religious history of the church
00:06:35.42\00:06:38.69
between the first
coming and the second coming.
00:06:38.69\00:06:40.76
How do we know that?
00:06:40.76\00:06:41.86
It said, "For the
time is come to pass."
00:06:41.86\00:06:44.23
In other words,
00:06:44.23\00:06:45.23
the beginning of these
things is happening now.
00:06:45.23\00:06:47.07
Then you've got the seven seals.
00:06:47.07\00:06:49.04
That, sort of, gives us
00:06:49.04\00:06:50.24
a political
outline of the church
00:06:50.24\00:06:52.24
between the first
coming and the second coming.
00:06:52.24\00:06:54.91
Then you have
the seven trumpets.
00:06:54.91\00:06:56.88
Who knows what that is?
00:06:56.88\00:06:59.48
Yeah.
00:06:59.48\00:07:00.78
Well, the trumpets,
00:07:00.78\00:07:02.02
usually they blow the
trumpet during the time of war.
00:07:02.02\00:07:05.59
And so you've got the
military history of the church
00:07:05.59\00:07:08.46
between the first
coming and the second coming.
00:07:08.46\00:07:11.23
Then when you get
to the seven plagues,
00:07:11.23\00:07:12.66
it's really dealing
with the seven plagues
00:07:12.66\00:07:14.93
from the close of probation
until the second coming.
00:07:14.93\00:07:17.90
But they're all
dealing with cycles of time.
00:07:17.90\00:07:21.14
We believe, what, they call
00:07:21.14\00:07:22.70
the historicist's
view of Revelation.
00:07:22.70\00:07:25.27
Revelation is giving a panorama.
00:07:25.27\00:07:28.01
The first ones who began to look
00:07:28.01\00:07:29.68
at the seven churches
00:07:29.68\00:07:31.25
that they were a
historical overview,
00:07:31.25\00:07:34.05
go all the way back to
Irenaeus and Tertullian
00:07:34.05\00:07:37.25
and some of the
very early church fathers
00:07:37.25\00:07:39.89
wondered if John
was trying to tell us
00:07:39.89\00:07:41.49
something about a panorama.
00:07:41.49\00:07:43.39
I think you'll
find it interesting
00:07:43.39\00:07:44.63
as they go through
the seven churches...
00:07:44.63\00:07:46.03
Let me read them for you
and then when you see it,
00:07:46.03\00:07:47.76
you'll understand.
00:07:47.76\00:07:48.93
You got Ephesus,
Smyrna, Pergamum or Pergamos,
00:07:48.93\00:07:52.70
Thyatira, Sardis,
Philadelphia, Laodicea.
00:07:52.70\00:07:57.61
Each of the
churches are given in order
00:07:57.61\00:08:02.94
as you would be doing
a mail route around Asia.
00:08:02.94\00:08:07.55
And so I think
it's very interesting,
00:08:07.55\00:08:09.62
it's almost like
when the vision is given,
00:08:09.62\00:08:11.92
they're looking
from the sky down,
00:08:11.92\00:08:14.66
and they see the seven
churches outlined there.
00:08:14.66\00:08:18.53
Each of the
names means something.
00:08:18.53\00:08:20.96
All the names in
Revelation have a meaning.
00:08:20.96\00:08:23.97
Ephesus means desirable.
00:08:23.97\00:08:25.87
Smyrna, it's even composed
in the name, means Myrrh.
00:08:28.67\00:08:33.41
It's the persecuted church.
00:08:33.41\00:08:35.48
Ephesus is the loveless church.
00:08:35.48\00:08:38.21
Pergamos means
height or elevation,
00:08:38.21\00:08:40.95
it's the tolerant church.
00:08:40.95\00:08:43.18
Thyatira means high tower,
it's the compromising church.
00:08:43.18\00:08:48.16
Sardis means prince of
joy, it's the nominal church,
00:08:48.16\00:08:51.99
a church in name only,
00:08:51.99\00:08:53.09
you have a name but you're dead.
00:08:53.09\00:08:54.83
Philadelphia, we got a
city name Philadelphia.
00:08:54.83\00:08:58.33
Phileo is one of the
words for love, Phileo love.
00:08:58.33\00:09:02.57
Philadelphia is the
city of brotherly love.
00:09:02.57\00:09:06.54
And it's one of
the positive churches.
00:09:06.54\00:09:09.48
And then you got Laodicea,
00:09:09.48\00:09:11.45
that means a
judging of the people
00:09:11.45\00:09:12.88
and it is the arrogant or
the self sufficient church,
00:09:12.88\00:09:15.95
and we're living in
that age of the church now.
00:09:15.95\00:09:18.52
And so you can
track this in covering...
00:09:18.52\00:09:22.32
It shows what was
happening in these churches
00:09:22.32\00:09:24.33
during these periods of time.
00:09:24.33\00:09:26.93
Now the seven
churches are not written
00:09:26.93\00:09:28.33
just to a certain
church in a certain age.
00:09:28.33\00:09:31.40
The seven
churches represent a cycle
00:09:31.40\00:09:33.40
that a church may go through.
00:09:33.40\00:09:36.87
Starts out like Ephesus,
00:09:36.87\00:09:39.44
it's on fire but it
loses its first love
00:09:39.44\00:09:42.54
and goes through
00:09:42.54\00:09:43.61
all different
iterations of a church
00:09:43.61\00:09:45.45
and ends up like
the church of Laodicea.
00:09:45.45\00:09:48.85
You might go to a
town where you visit
00:09:48.85\00:09:50.72
different
churches and you could say,
00:09:50.72\00:09:52.05
"Well, this church is like
the brotherly love church."
00:09:52.05\00:09:54.46
And you go to another church
up the street and you say,
00:09:54.46\00:09:56.29
"This is church is lukewarm."
00:09:56.29\00:09:58.16
And you can go to
another church and say,
00:09:58.16\00:09:59.43
"This church is a
church in name only."
00:09:59.43\00:10:01.96
So keep in mind,
00:10:01.96\00:10:03.57
those seven messages
to the seven churches...
00:10:03.57\00:10:06.07
There it is.
00:10:06.07\00:10:07.10
Thank you.
00:10:07.10\00:10:08.14
You can see up
on the screen here.
00:10:08.14\00:10:09.47
You've got Patmos
00:10:09.47\00:10:10.84
where the vision
was written from,
00:10:10.84\00:10:13.41
and it's almost as the Lord
is taking John on a journey.
00:10:13.41\00:10:17.48
He goes up to Samos and
it begins the mail route,
00:10:17.48\00:10:19.95
starting with Ephesus,
Smyrna, Pergamos or Pergamum,
00:10:19.95\00:10:23.22
Thyatira, Sardis,
Philadelphia, Laodicea.
00:10:23.22\00:10:25.99
It's kind of like circling.
00:10:25.99\00:10:27.59
Now why these churches,
00:10:27.59\00:10:29.06
were these the biggest
churches in Christianity
00:10:29.06\00:10:30.86
when the letter was written?
00:10:30.86\00:10:32.26
No.
00:10:32.26\00:10:33.40
They were bigger churches
in Rome, Alexandria, Antioch,
00:10:33.40\00:10:36.90
lot of bigger churches.
00:10:36.90\00:10:38.30
So right away, you know,
00:10:38.30\00:10:39.37
there's something fishy going on
00:10:39.37\00:10:41.24
that there's
some prophetic meaning
00:10:41.24\00:10:43.51
happening here
00:10:43.51\00:10:44.94
because He picks
just churches in Asia
00:10:44.94\00:10:47.88
and He gives a
different message to each one.
00:10:47.88\00:10:51.61
It seems like
there's no two alike
00:10:51.61\00:10:53.42
because they really
represent the history,
00:10:53.42\00:10:55.78
the spiritual
history of the church
00:10:55.78\00:10:57.49
it was about to go through.
00:10:57.49\00:10:59.55
Jesus said,
"The time is at hand.
00:10:59.55\00:11:01.66
I'm sending, and I'm
signifying this message to you
00:11:01.66\00:11:06.49
in signs and symbols.
00:11:06.49\00:11:07.96
All right.
00:11:07.96\00:11:09.53
Well, with that, let's dive in.
00:11:09.53\00:11:10.60
I'm gonna do a little review
00:11:10.60\00:11:11.73
and talk about the
church of Ephesus in starting.
00:11:11.73\00:11:14.84
It covers a
period of approximately
00:11:14.84\00:11:16.74
30 A.D. to 100 A.D.
00:11:16.74\00:11:20.21
And if you read
in Chapter 2 verse 1,
00:11:20.21\00:11:23.31
"To the angel of the
church of Ephesus write,
00:11:23.31\00:11:26.41
'These things says
00:11:26.41\00:11:27.62
He who holds the seven
stars in His right hand...'"
00:11:27.62\00:11:30.99
Are the churches getting ready
to go through a difficult time?
00:11:30.99\00:11:34.26
What do the stars represent?
00:11:34.26\00:11:37.23
He tells us later,
00:11:37.23\00:11:38.63
the dragons thrown out of heaven
00:11:38.63\00:11:39.96
and he draws third of
the stars to earth with him.
00:11:39.96\00:11:42.13
Who are those stars? Angels.
00:11:42.13\00:11:43.67
Angels, good or bad?
00:11:43.67\00:11:45.63
Follow the dragon,
they're bad angels,
00:11:45.63\00:11:47.10
but our stars
sometimes good angels.
00:11:47.10\00:11:49.80
So when it says,
00:11:49.80\00:11:50.87
"Unto the angel of
the church of Ephesus,
00:11:50.87\00:11:53.48
unto the angel of the
church of Pergamos..."
00:11:53.48\00:11:57.08
Was there like a
particular angel?
00:11:57.08\00:11:58.88
You've got a guardian angel,
00:11:58.88\00:11:59.91
those churches
had guardian angels.
00:11:59.91\00:12:01.52
What does the word
angel, angelos mean?
00:12:01.52\00:12:04.99
Messenger.
00:12:04.99\00:12:06.02
We talk about, in our church,
00:12:06.02\00:12:07.69
the importance of the
three angels' messages.
00:12:07.69\00:12:10.63
So those angels are
symbolic of messages
00:12:10.63\00:12:14.10
that are to be given.
00:12:14.10\00:12:15.46
And so, here you've
got the angel's messages,
00:12:15.46\00:12:19.10
it's talking about,
00:12:19.10\00:12:20.17
"Unto the angel of
the church of Ephesus."
00:12:20.17\00:12:21.60
It means the message
to the church of Ephesus,
00:12:21.60\00:12:25.01
just like you got
first angel, second angel,
00:12:25.01\00:12:27.78
third angel giving messages,
00:12:27.78\00:12:30.15
you've got another fourth angel
00:12:30.15\00:12:31.51
on Revelation 18
giving a message.
00:12:31.51\00:12:34.02
These are the messages of
God to these churches, okay?
00:12:34.02\00:12:40.69
"These things says
00:12:40.69\00:12:41.76
He who holds the seven
stars in His right hand..."
00:12:41.76\00:12:44.19
I've got the message of
the church in my right hand,
00:12:44.19\00:12:46.93
the hand of favor,
00:12:46.93\00:12:48.76
"Who walks in the midst
00:12:48.76\00:12:49.83
of the seven
golden lampstands..."
00:12:49.83\00:12:51.37
So church is to be
a light in the world,
00:12:51.37\00:12:53.40
Jesus said, "Set
your light on a hill."
00:12:53.40\00:12:55.87
He says, "I know your works,
your labor, your patience,
00:12:55.87\00:13:00.31
and that you cannot
bear those who are evil.
00:13:00.31\00:13:03.01
And you have
tested those who say
00:13:03.01\00:13:04.55
they are apostles and are not."
00:13:04.55\00:13:06.28
This is the first
day to the church.
00:13:06.28\00:13:09.52
If I told you, my
name was Apostle Batchelor,
00:13:09.52\00:13:11.95
would that make you nervous?
00:13:11.95\00:13:14.99
Do we still have
deacons in the church?
00:13:14.99\00:13:17.06
We still have pastors,
00:13:17.06\00:13:18.79
we still have
evangelists, any apostles?
00:13:18.79\00:13:22.80
If you're Mormon, you say,
"Yes, there's still apostles."
00:13:22.80\00:13:24.97
Typically we see
that the apostles sort of
00:13:27.97\00:13:31.07
died out in the first century.
00:13:31.07\00:13:32.37
The apostles' qualification,
for me an apostle,
00:13:32.37\00:13:35.38
is he really had to be someone
00:13:35.38\00:13:36.54
who had a personal
encounter with Jesus.
00:13:36.54\00:13:38.88
You either walk with Jesus.
00:13:38.88\00:13:40.25
When they chose
someone to replace Judas,
00:13:40.25\00:13:41.95
what was the criteria?
00:13:41.95\00:13:43.39
Acts Chapter 1,
00:13:43.39\00:13:45.15
those who'd follow
Jesus, they knew Jesus,
00:13:45.15\00:13:47.26
they had a
personal relationship.
00:13:47.26\00:13:48.89
The only reason Paul
gets to qualify as an apostle,
00:13:48.89\00:13:51.63
he personally
met Jesus, didn't he?
00:13:51.63\00:13:54.30
And so they hesitated
00:13:54.30\00:13:56.33
using the term
apostle after that time.
00:13:56.33\00:13:59.70
So this is telling,
00:13:59.70\00:14:00.84
this is talking about
the first age of the church
00:14:00.84\00:14:03.10
from about 30 to 100 A.D.,
00:14:03.10\00:14:05.67
which is when the
last of the apostles died,
00:14:05.67\00:14:08.21
the Apostle John.
00:14:08.21\00:14:10.95
"You've tested them
00:14:10.95\00:14:12.01
and you've found
them to be liars,
00:14:12.01\00:14:13.85
and you have
persevered and have patience,
00:14:13.85\00:14:15.82
and you've
labored for My name's sake
00:14:15.82\00:14:18.12
and you've not become weary.
00:14:18.12\00:14:20.09
Nevertheless I
have this against you,
00:14:20.09\00:14:22.52
that you have
left your first love."
00:14:22.52\00:14:25.66
Now have they left off all love
00:14:25.66\00:14:30.67
or is it saying that
their love had diminished?
00:14:30.67\00:14:34.10
Does that sometimes
happen with Christianity?
00:14:34.10\00:14:36.74
How many of you have noticed
00:14:36.74\00:14:38.34
when a person
first learns the truth
00:14:38.34\00:14:40.21
and their sins are forgiven
and they get that new life
00:14:40.21\00:14:42.68
and they've got that
joy, and what's the spirit?
00:14:42.68\00:14:46.15
They've got that
first love, they're on fire,
00:14:46.15\00:14:48.35
they love the Lord,
they want to go everywhere
00:14:48.35\00:14:49.98
and do anything
for Jesus, right?
00:14:49.98\00:14:52.42
But then as time goes by,
it can start becoming routine,
00:14:52.42\00:14:56.62
and they can
lose the first love.
00:14:56.62\00:14:57.89
Does that just
happen in churches
00:14:57.89\00:14:59.23
or can it happen in a marriage,
after the honeymoon is over?
00:14:59.23\00:15:04.13
Now, He's not condemning
them that they have no love.
00:15:04.13\00:15:07.30
What does Jesus say
00:15:07.30\00:15:08.27
is a condition of the
church in the last days?
00:15:08.27\00:15:12.57
The love of many will grow cold.
00:15:12.57\00:15:16.81
Does He give a formula here
how to restore that first love?
00:15:16.81\00:15:20.68
Let's read it.
00:15:20.68\00:15:22.65
"Remember therefore from
whence you have fallen..."
00:15:22.65\00:15:26.49
He says they are to remember,
to repent and to repeat.
00:15:26.49\00:15:30.79
"Remember from
where you have fallen,
00:15:30.79\00:15:32.83
repent and do the first works.
00:15:32.83\00:15:35.13
Repent of your sins
and do the first works,
00:15:35.13\00:15:38.13
repeat what you
did at the beginning
00:15:38.13\00:15:40.04
or else I will
come to you quickly
00:15:40.04\00:15:42.14
and remove your
lampstand from its place,
00:15:42.14\00:15:45.01
unless you repent."
00:15:45.01\00:15:46.34
Now this is a very
important bit of theology.
00:15:46.34\00:15:48.74
I hope I can get
through this lesson.
00:15:48.74\00:15:50.51
There's just so much to cover.
00:15:53.08\00:15:56.18
Do some churches teach that
00:15:56.18\00:15:57.45
if you're a
Christian and if you're saved,
00:15:57.45\00:15:58.99
you can't be lost?
00:15:58.99\00:16:01.42
Whose Jesus message to
the church of Ephesus to,
00:16:01.42\00:16:04.93
isn't it to Christians?
00:16:04.93\00:16:07.13
Does He say it's
possible for Christians
00:16:07.13\00:16:08.80
to have their lampstand removed,
00:16:08.80\00:16:10.90
to have their name
taken out of the book of life
00:16:10.90\00:16:12.83
in the later church?
00:16:12.83\00:16:14.17
He gives warnings to
every church age saying,
00:16:14.17\00:16:17.81
"Don't lose what you have
00:16:17.81\00:16:19.21
because you can
lose eternal life."
00:16:19.21\00:16:21.68
Paul says, "If
I preach to others
00:16:21.68\00:16:23.08
and I'm cast away."
00:16:23.08\00:16:24.18
Paul even recognized
he could be cast away.
00:16:24.18\00:16:26.98
And so the idea
that once you're saved,
00:16:26.98\00:16:28.45
you can't be lost,
that's a doctrine of devil.
00:16:28.45\00:16:30.82
It gives people
a false security,
00:16:30.82\00:16:32.45
it is not biblical all the
way from Genesis to Revelation.
00:16:32.45\00:16:35.66
It's pretty clear,
00:16:35.66\00:16:36.93
your relationship with
the Lord must be maintained.
00:16:36.93\00:16:39.86
Once you come to Jesus,
00:16:39.86\00:16:41.00
you can have
assurance of salvation,
00:16:41.00\00:16:44.33
but you shouldn't be
presumptuous and say,
00:16:44.33\00:16:46.07
"I can never lose it
00:16:46.07\00:16:47.14
if I deliberately choose
to neglect my relationship."
00:16:47.14\00:16:50.07
You can't, you
don't lose your freedom
00:16:50.07\00:16:51.71
after you become a Christian.
00:16:51.71\00:16:53.04
You still have
your freedom of choice.
00:16:53.04\00:16:55.64
So he says, "Repent
00:16:55.64\00:16:56.78
or I'll take your
candlestick out of its place.
00:16:56.78\00:16:59.68
But this you have..."
00:16:59.68\00:17:00.82
You noticed, He
commends them again,
00:17:00.82\00:17:02.62
"In that you hate the
deed of the Nicolaitans..."
00:17:02.62\00:17:05.69
You'll also find that
Nicolaitans appear later,
00:17:05.69\00:17:08.59
"Which thing I hate."
00:17:08.59\00:17:10.06
All right, as you go through
Revelation, remember this.
00:17:10.06\00:17:12.59
Numbers have real
value, names are all symbolic.
00:17:12.59\00:17:17.00
That's simple lesson I
got from Dr. Leslie Hardin
00:17:17.00\00:17:20.94
has helped me.
00:17:20.94\00:17:22.07
The names in
Revelation are symbolic.
00:17:22.07\00:17:25.24
When it talks about
Jezebel in Revelation,
00:17:25.24\00:17:27.61
is it talking
about literal Jezebel
00:17:27.61\00:17:29.71
or who she represented
in the Old Testament?
00:17:29.71\00:17:32.35
When it talks about
Balaam, as Balaam resurrected,
00:17:32.35\00:17:34.92
or does it mean people
had the spirit of Balaam?
00:17:34.92\00:17:37.85
When it talks about Egypt
and Sodom, Sodom is no more,
00:17:37.85\00:17:42.29
Egypt had fallen.
00:17:42.29\00:17:43.32
It's talking about the
attitudes of those places.
00:17:43.32\00:17:46.93
So when it talks
about the Nicolaitans,
00:17:46.93\00:17:49.76
what does the name mean?
00:17:49.76\00:17:51.27
All the names of the
churches have meanings as well.
00:17:51.27\00:17:53.94
Nicolaitans, it was a
group of people who were...
00:17:53.94\00:17:58.74
They were very
carnal Christians.
00:17:58.74\00:18:01.04
They believe,
00:18:01.04\00:18:02.21
since you worship
God with your spirit,
00:18:02.21\00:18:03.31
what you do with
your flesh doesn't matter.
00:18:03.31\00:18:05.08
Some traced it back
to Nicolas of Antioch,
00:18:05.08\00:18:08.12
one of the first
deacons who apostatized,
00:18:08.12\00:18:10.92
but there's
really no biblical record
00:18:10.92\00:18:12.69
that he did that.
00:18:12.69\00:18:13.79
They tried to
get maybe credibility
00:18:13.79\00:18:15.56
by attaching their
practice with his name.
00:18:15.56\00:18:18.59
They were sharing vibes,
00:18:18.59\00:18:20.53
they were living
for their stomachs,
00:18:20.53\00:18:21.86
the very name
Nicolas meant, let's eat now.
00:18:21.86\00:18:26.84
So you're gonna find
they talk about Christians
00:18:26.84\00:18:30.11
that were carnal Christians
and then they were greedy,
00:18:30.11\00:18:33.01
materialistic Christians,
the Balaam Christians.
00:18:33.01\00:18:36.38
And do we have
those in the church today?
00:18:36.38\00:18:39.51
Yeah, so the
doctrine of the Nicolaitans
00:18:39.51\00:18:41.48
and the doctrine of Balaam,
00:18:41.48\00:18:43.05
those things are
still in the church today.
00:18:43.05\00:18:45.22
All right. And
then He gives a promise.
00:18:45.22\00:18:47.52
He says, "I commend you
00:18:47.52\00:18:48.62
that you hate the
doctrine of the Nicolaitans
00:18:48.62\00:18:50.29
which I also hate."
00:18:50.29\00:18:51.56
Their teachings
that Jesus hates.
00:18:51.56\00:18:53.86
"He that has an ear,
00:18:53.86\00:18:54.86
let him hear what the
Spirit says to the church."
00:18:54.86\00:18:57.43
He says that frequently.
00:18:57.43\00:18:59.07
"To him who overcomes..."
00:18:59.07\00:19:00.30
Now how many times
does Jesus say that?
00:19:00.30\00:19:03.24
Seven times.
00:19:03.24\00:19:04.84
How many churches
were called to repent?
00:19:04.84\00:19:06.78
Six.
00:19:06.78\00:19:09.01
Five.
00:19:09.01\00:19:10.51
Two of the churches are good.
00:19:10.51\00:19:12.15
Smyrna was
persecuted, and Philadelphia.
00:19:12.15\00:19:17.49
All of the churches
are encouraged to overcome.
00:19:17.49\00:19:20.89
So the church in
every age is told,
00:19:20.89\00:19:23.19
"You can be overcomers."
00:19:23.19\00:19:25.56
What is it we're
trying to overcome?
00:19:25.56\00:19:29.00
Selfishness, sin, and Satan.
00:19:29.00\00:19:31.77
We all struggle
with those things, right?
00:19:31.77\00:19:33.97
And usually one
leads to the other.
00:19:33.97\00:19:36.77
He says, but through Christ,
00:19:36.77\00:19:38.14
how much can I
do through Christ?
00:19:38.14\00:19:40.14
All things. All right.
00:19:40.14\00:19:42.11
And then He makes a
promise, "To him that overcomes,
00:19:42.11\00:19:43.95
I will give to eat from the tree
00:19:43.95\00:19:45.85
that is in the midst
of the Paradise of God."
00:19:45.85\00:19:48.75
Tree of life is mentioned
six times in the Bible,
00:19:48.75\00:19:50.85
three times in Genesis
and three times in Revelation.
00:19:50.85\00:19:54.09
We lose it in Genesis, we
get it back in Revelation.
00:19:54.09\00:19:57.33
Amen? Amen.
00:19:57.33\00:19:58.63
Next church, "Unto the
angel of the church..."
00:19:58.63\00:20:02.60
Oh, now wait.
00:20:02.60\00:20:03.57
I want someone to
read something to me first.
00:20:03.57\00:20:05.93
I want you to notice that
the church in the first age,
00:20:05.93\00:20:08.84
the church of Ephesus
is the church on fire,
00:20:08.84\00:20:11.34
they're in love with the Lord,
00:20:11.34\00:20:13.51
the gospel was
going like gangbusters.
00:20:13.51\00:20:16.31
But then as it
become established,
00:20:16.31\00:20:17.81
they lose their first love.
00:20:17.81\00:20:19.31
For instance, you read...
00:20:19.31\00:20:20.35
Now someone's
gonna Colossians 1:23,
00:20:20.35\00:20:22.75
we'll have that one.
00:20:22.75\00:20:25.09
I don't know, did
they give that to somebody?
00:20:25.09\00:20:26.92
Just a moment, and
before you read that,
00:20:26.92\00:20:28.49
I'm gonna read Colossians 1:5,
00:20:28.49\00:20:31.73
"Because of the hope
00:20:31.73\00:20:32.79
which is laid up
for you in heaven,
00:20:32.79\00:20:34.46
of which you have heard before
00:20:34.46\00:20:36.46
in the word of
truth of the gospel,
00:20:36.46\00:20:39.10
which has come to you,
00:20:39.10\00:20:40.47
as it has also
in all the world."
00:20:40.47\00:20:44.47
Because of that
first love they have,
00:20:44.47\00:20:46.54
how far had the gospel
gone in one generation?
00:20:46.54\00:20:49.88
It had gone to the
then known civilized world.
00:20:49.88\00:20:52.05
They've gone
everywhere preaching the gospel.
00:20:52.05\00:20:54.35
Now does that mean
when it says all the world,
00:20:54.35\00:20:55.95
they went to South America?
00:20:55.95\00:20:57.79
No.
00:20:57.79\00:20:58.79
Does it mean they went
to Australia and China?
00:20:58.79\00:21:00.79
Probably not.
00:21:00.79\00:21:02.02
They're talking
about, they're using the word
00:21:02.02\00:21:04.19
as it's called...
00:21:04.19\00:21:06.49
It's not an experlative.
00:21:06.49\00:21:09.16
Trying to find that,
00:21:09.16\00:21:10.23
what the
technical term is sometimes.
00:21:10.23\00:21:12.87
Well, it's left me.
00:21:12.87\00:21:14.24
But, yeah, he's
using a metaphor,
00:21:14.24\00:21:19.61
saying, going
into all the world.
00:21:19.61\00:21:21.51
All right, go ahead,
read your verse for us,
00:21:21.51\00:21:23.04
Colossians 1:23.
00:21:23.04\00:21:25.45
"If indeed you
continue in the faith,
00:21:25.45\00:21:27.72
grounded and steadfast,
00:21:27.72\00:21:29.18
and are not moved away
from the hope of the gospel
00:21:29.18\00:21:31.92
which you heard,
00:21:31.92\00:21:33.15
which was preached to
every creature under heaven,
00:21:33.15\00:21:36.42
of which I, Paul,
became a minister."
00:21:36.42\00:21:39.33
Preached to every
creature, already!
00:21:39.33\00:21:42.00
Look at what they're saying,
00:21:42.00\00:21:44.03
that the gospel is
gone to all the world,
00:21:44.03\00:21:46.63
to every creature.
00:21:46.63\00:21:47.74
And so this is the church
in the first age of Ephesus.
00:21:47.74\00:21:50.11
Next, you get to the
church of Smyrna in Pergamum
00:21:50.11\00:21:53.61
or Pergamos.
00:21:53.61\00:21:55.04
That covers an age
of about 100 to 538
00:21:55.04\00:21:58.98
for the church of Smyrna.
00:21:58.98\00:22:01.55
And, let's go ahead
and read that together.
00:22:01.55\00:22:05.42
This is a persecuted church.
00:22:05.42\00:22:08.26
"Unto the angel
of the church..."
00:22:08.26\00:22:09.72
Actually, yeah,
00:22:09.72\00:22:10.76
I think Smyrna
is from 100 to 313.
00:22:10.76\00:22:14.30
"Unto the angel of the
church in Smyrna write:
00:22:14.30\00:22:16.67
'These things says
the First and the Last,
00:22:16.67\00:22:19.43
who is dead and
he came to life.'"
00:22:19.43\00:22:22.64
Now why is He
saying that to this church?
00:22:22.64\00:22:24.44
This is a church
00:22:24.44\00:22:26.21
they are offering
themselves as a sacrifice.
00:22:26.21\00:22:28.31
After the first
century, from the time of Nero,
00:22:28.31\00:22:31.31
they began to declare
Christianity religio illicita,
00:22:31.31\00:22:34.65
forbidden religion.
00:22:34.65\00:22:36.42
Christians went underground.
00:22:36.42\00:22:37.75
They started
digging the catacombs.
00:22:37.75\00:22:39.55
They were persecuted.
00:22:39.55\00:22:40.99
They were dying for their faith.
00:22:40.99\00:22:42.56
They were being told if
they do not burn incense
00:22:42.56\00:22:44.96
and sacrifice to
the various idols,
00:22:44.96\00:22:47.96
they could be fed to the lions,
00:22:47.96\00:22:49.60
they would be tortured,
00:22:49.60\00:22:50.67
they had their
possessions taken away.
00:22:50.67\00:22:52.90
That's why Paul is saying
it might be better not to marry
00:22:52.90\00:22:56.37
and start a family
during this time of persecution
00:22:56.37\00:22:59.17
that was beginning with Paul.
00:22:59.17\00:23:01.04
Paul was beheaded by Nero.
00:23:01.04\00:23:03.01
Peter was crucified upside down.
00:23:03.01\00:23:06.35
But it really intensified
00:23:06.35\00:23:07.92
during the time of
the Emperor Diocletian,
00:23:07.92\00:23:11.52
and we'll talk
about that just a minute.
00:23:11.52\00:23:14.36
"These things says
the First and the Last,
00:23:14.36\00:23:16.93
who is dead and came to life,
00:23:16.93\00:23:18.96
'I know your
works, your tribulation,
00:23:18.96\00:23:20.93
and your poverty
but you are rich...'"
00:23:20.93\00:23:22.53
They'd lost all their
possessions for the gospel.
00:23:22.53\00:23:24.97
He says, "I died but I'm
alive, don't be discouraged.
00:23:24.97\00:23:28.10
I know the blasphemy of those
00:23:28.10\00:23:29.77
who say they are
Jews and are not,
00:23:29.77\00:23:32.07
but are of the
synagogue of Satan."
00:23:32.07\00:23:33.78
Some were
claiming to be Christians,
00:23:33.78\00:23:36.41
but they were selling out.
00:23:36.41\00:23:39.98
Now are there people today
00:23:39.98\00:23:41.18
that say they're Christians
and they live like the devil?
00:23:41.18\00:23:43.72
So we still have the synagogue
of Satan today, don't we?
00:23:43.72\00:23:47.26
"Do not fear any of those things
00:23:47.26\00:23:49.49
that you are about to suffer.
00:23:49.49\00:23:51.29
Indeed," He says, "I'm
telling you in advance,
00:23:51.29\00:23:53.76
the devil is about to
throw some of you into prison,
00:23:53.76\00:23:56.97
and you may be tested,
00:23:56.97\00:23:58.13
and you will have
tribulation ten days."
00:23:58.13\00:24:01.14
There was an
especially intense tribulation
00:24:01.14\00:24:04.17
that took place
between 303 and 313.
00:24:04.17\00:24:08.08
Now what is the day
equal in biblical prophecy?
00:24:08.08\00:24:11.71
One day is one year.
00:24:11.71\00:24:13.21
So He said, you're gonna
have tribulation ten days.
00:24:13.21\00:24:16.22
Do you really think
that Jesus would warn them
00:24:16.22\00:24:17.89
about ten days of
tribulation or was it ten years?
00:24:17.89\00:24:20.89
This is another verse
00:24:20.89\00:24:21.96
that proves a day equals a year.
00:24:21.96\00:24:23.86
And you see it historically,
00:24:23.86\00:24:26.06
there was an effort made
to eradicate, annihilate,
00:24:26.06\00:24:29.56
completely destroy Christianity,
00:24:29.56\00:24:33.60
and this emperor actually,
00:24:33.60\00:24:34.84
I think had
coin stamp that says,
00:24:34.84\00:24:36.34
"I destroy the Christians,"
he'd optimism of that,
00:24:36.34\00:24:39.97
but he did not.
00:24:39.97\00:24:41.04
But there was a
fierce persecution.
00:24:41.04\00:24:43.11
I think it was the
church father Tertullian
00:24:43.11\00:24:45.61
that said, "The blood
of the martyrs is seed,
00:24:45.61\00:24:49.78
and the more that
00:24:49.78\00:24:51.39
you try to kill
off the Christians,
00:24:51.39\00:24:52.79
the more they grew."
00:24:52.79\00:24:54.29
And so it spread.
00:24:54.29\00:24:56.79
And Jesus tells them,
"Be faithful unto death,
00:24:56.79\00:25:01.23
and I will give
you the crown of life."
00:25:01.23\00:25:04.37
Notice He doesn't
reprove them for anything,
00:25:04.37\00:25:06.43
no repentance here.
00:25:06.43\00:25:08.14
"He that has an ear,
00:25:08.14\00:25:09.17
let him hear what the
Spirit says to the church.
00:25:09.17\00:25:11.64
He who overcomes
00:25:11.64\00:25:12.81
will not be hurt
by the second death."
00:25:12.81\00:25:14.71
Notice, there are three
or four references to death
00:25:14.71\00:25:18.45
and resurrection
in this one message
00:25:18.45\00:25:20.35
to this one church.
00:25:20.35\00:25:21.42
Why did they need that?
00:25:21.42\00:25:23.25
They're being
killed for their faith.
00:25:23.25\00:25:25.55
This is the age of the
church and Smyrna, Myrrh,
00:25:25.55\00:25:28.96
is a fragrance,
that's an incense,
00:25:28.96\00:25:31.23
and that's almost
like God is saying,
00:25:31.23\00:25:33.33
"Your sacrifice of your
lives is coming up before me
00:25:33.33\00:25:36.46
as a sweet smelling savor."
00:25:36.46\00:25:38.87
This is a church that lived
during age of total sacrifice.
00:25:38.87\00:25:42.60
They put everything
on the altar for Jesus
00:25:42.60\00:25:45.24
during this time.
00:25:45.24\00:25:46.54
And so that's
the church of Smyrna.
00:25:46.54\00:25:48.98
It lasted too, as I
said, about from 303 to 313.
00:25:48.98\00:25:53.48
And then you get to
00:25:53.48\00:25:57.49
the church of
Pergamos which comes next.
00:25:57.49\00:26:02.19
And it says, "Unto the angel...
00:26:02.19\00:26:04.69
This is verse 12.
00:26:04.69\00:26:05.76
I'm in Revelation 2:12,
00:26:05.76\00:26:08.96
"Unto the angel of the
church in Pergamos write:
00:26:08.96\00:26:12.60
'These things says
00:26:12.60\00:26:14.70
He who has the
sharp two-edged sword."
00:26:14.70\00:26:17.31
Now what is that
two-edged sword represent?
00:26:17.31\00:26:20.64
The Word of God
is quick and powerful
00:26:20.64\00:26:22.68
and sharper than
any two-edged sword.
00:26:22.68\00:26:24.65
Does Jesus appear in
Revelation with a sword
00:26:24.65\00:26:26.75
coming out of His mouth?
00:26:26.75\00:26:28.98
And so it's talking
about the Word of God.
00:26:28.98\00:26:31.75
"I know your works,
and where you dwell,
00:26:31.75\00:26:34.86
where Satan's throne is."
00:26:34.86\00:26:38.19
Now, where is Satan's throne?
00:26:38.19\00:26:41.70
It talks about...
00:26:41.70\00:26:43.16
Yeah, it's here on
earth but was there a place
00:26:43.16\00:26:46.67
that he was
especially enthroned?
00:26:46.67\00:26:50.34
Does it talk later in Revelation
00:26:50.34\00:26:52.01
about the beast
00:26:52.01\00:26:53.17
receives its
throne and its power?
00:26:53.17\00:26:56.31
Does it talk about a woman
00:26:56.31\00:26:57.41
who reigns over
the kings of the earth?
00:26:57.41\00:26:59.31
Where did she reign?
00:26:59.31\00:27:00.85
In all those cases,
it's talking about Rome.
00:27:00.85\00:27:04.22
Rome was where the power was,
00:27:04.22\00:27:05.99
and Rome became
the seat of corruption.
00:27:05.99\00:27:07.69
Rome is where Paul was
killed, Peter was killed.
00:27:07.69\00:27:10.93
The seat of Caesar
00:27:10.93\00:27:12.36
who was fighting to
annihilate Christianity
00:27:12.36\00:27:15.20
but the church in Rome,
00:27:15.20\00:27:17.20
aren't we thankful
for the Book of Romans?
00:27:17.20\00:27:19.20
The church in Rome
was doing their best
00:27:19.20\00:27:21.54
to maintain faithfulness.
00:27:21.54\00:27:22.77
Now what happened is
following the persecution
00:27:22.77\00:27:27.81
of the church of
Smyrna in about 320,
00:27:27.81\00:27:33.52
along came an emperor
by the name of Constantine,
00:27:33.52\00:27:37.42
and, many of you know this,
00:27:37.42\00:27:39.22
but I probably got to repeat it
00:27:39.22\00:27:41.72
that they had enemies
coming in from the North.
00:27:41.72\00:27:45.39
He felt, "Why are we spending
00:27:45.39\00:27:46.63
all our energy
fighting the Christians,
00:27:46.63\00:27:48.10
Christians really
aren't hurting anybody."
00:27:48.10\00:27:50.87
And he said that...
00:27:50.87\00:27:51.90
His mother
converted to Christianity,
00:27:51.90\00:27:53.27
it even reached the palace.
00:27:53.27\00:27:55.64
And he claimed that
he had a vision of Christ
00:27:55.64\00:27:59.07
telling him to conquer
under the sign of the cross.
00:27:59.07\00:28:02.71
And Constantine ordered his army
00:28:02.71\00:28:04.65
to march
through the Tiber River,
00:28:04.65\00:28:06.18
and he said, "You
will all thus be baptized."
00:28:06.18\00:28:08.38
He only had a superficial
knowledge of Christianity,
00:28:08.38\00:28:11.35
he knew they got
baptized, he didn't realized
00:28:11.35\00:28:13.22
you needed to be
taught the teachings first.
00:28:13.22\00:28:15.96
So all of these
soldiers suddenly said,
00:28:15.96\00:28:17.46
"I guess I'm a Christian
00:28:17.46\00:28:18.53
because the emperor
says I'm a Christian."
00:28:18.53\00:28:20.10
It sort of became
a government church,
00:28:20.10\00:28:22.26
then it became fashionable.
00:28:22.26\00:28:23.60
Everybody wanted
to be a Christian
00:28:23.60\00:28:24.93
because the
emperor's mother is a Christian
00:28:24.93\00:28:27.70
and now it's accepted,
and suddenly, it became a fad,
00:28:27.70\00:28:34.11
everyone wanted
to be a Christian.
00:28:34.11\00:28:35.94
And saying you're
a Christian is like,
00:28:35.94\00:28:38.91
"I'm a Christian."
00:28:38.91\00:28:40.48
And it became really
cool, and they had a name.
00:28:40.48\00:28:43.99
And so notice what happens here.
00:28:43.99\00:28:45.65
"You're located
where Satan's throne is
00:28:50.83\00:28:52.93
and you hold fast to My name,
00:28:52.93\00:28:55.33
and you did not deny
My faith even in the days
00:28:55.33\00:28:57.73
in when Antipas was
My faithful martyr."
00:28:57.73\00:29:00.50
Antipas means against
pas, against the father.
00:29:00.50\00:29:04.07
They started,
00:29:04.07\00:29:05.14
the church fathers
began to compromise,
00:29:05.14\00:29:06.61
and those who stood up
against the church fathers
00:29:06.61\00:29:08.91
were persecuted.
00:29:08.91\00:29:11.05
It's even during this time
00:29:11.05\00:29:12.31
you have the
birth of the Waldenses
00:29:12.31\00:29:14.92
named after
Peter Waldo who said,
00:29:14.92\00:29:17.42
he was willing to
forsake everything,
00:29:17.42\00:29:18.92
go out and teach.
00:29:18.92\00:29:20.06
"And you have those there
00:29:23.19\00:29:24.46
who have the doctrine of Balaam,
00:29:24.46\00:29:26.93
who taught Balak to
put a stumbling block
00:29:26.93\00:29:29.03
before the children of Israel,
00:29:29.03\00:29:30.27
to eat things
sacrificed to idols,
00:29:30.27\00:29:32.37
and to commit
sexual immorality."
00:29:32.37\00:29:35.04
So there was greed
coming into the church,
00:29:35.04\00:29:37.67
there was compromise.
00:29:37.67\00:29:38.71
You notice what Balaam did.
00:29:38.71\00:29:41.11
Now when you think of Balaam,
00:29:41.11\00:29:42.21
first, he tried to curse
Israel but it didn't work.
00:29:42.21\00:29:44.18
But did Balaam ever succeed
in getting a curse on Israel?
00:29:44.18\00:29:47.88
He did. Do you
remember how he did it?
00:29:47.88\00:29:49.82
He wanted the rewards,
00:29:49.82\00:29:50.95
he was so greedy
for the rewards of Balak
00:29:50.95\00:29:52.99
that he went back and said,
00:29:52.99\00:29:55.02
"Look, having me try
to utter curses on Israel
00:29:55.02\00:29:57.16
is not doing them any
good 'cause they're blessed,
00:29:57.16\00:29:58.79
but if you get them
to disobey their God,
00:29:58.79\00:30:00.96
if you could get
them to commit idolatry
00:30:00.96\00:30:03.23
and worship your gods,
00:30:03.23\00:30:04.27
and if you get the
women to go in among them
00:30:04.27\00:30:06.20
and invite them
to their feasts,"
00:30:06.20\00:30:08.20
Balaam did that, it did work.
00:30:08.20\00:30:11.17
The men were enticed to
worship the gods of Moab
00:30:11.17\00:30:14.78
and a curse and a
plague fell upon them.
00:30:14.78\00:30:17.58
So something was
happening to the church
00:30:17.58\00:30:19.18
during this age of Pergamos
where compromise came in.
00:30:19.18\00:30:25.39
They started to
worship the pagan gods
00:30:25.39\00:30:27.42
and commit whoredom
is what God calls it
00:30:27.42\00:30:30.56
because when Constantine
legalized Christianity, Rome...
00:30:30.56\00:30:34.46
Someone said there
were more gods in Rome
00:30:34.46\00:30:37.30
than they were
tiles on the roof.
00:30:37.30\00:30:39.30
They had idols everywhere.
00:30:39.30\00:30:41.80
And they were
like pigeons, idols,
00:30:41.80\00:30:44.31
hundreds of thousands of idols,
00:30:44.31\00:30:45.64
there are all
these different gods.
00:30:45.64\00:30:47.48
And the funny
thing was you can worship
00:30:47.48\00:30:48.78
almost any god in
Rome except Jehovah,
00:30:48.78\00:30:51.35
that was against the law.
00:30:51.35\00:30:52.51
Constantine said, "That's silly.
00:30:52.51\00:30:53.88
Let's just allow
Jehovah worship."
00:30:53.88\00:30:55.88
So all these people
suddenly became Christians,
00:30:55.88\00:30:57.65
but the priests didn't
want to lose their jobs.
00:30:57.65\00:31:00.86
So the priests converted
and they brought their robes
00:31:00.86\00:31:03.16
and their
ceremonies into the church,
00:31:03.16\00:31:05.43
the pagan ceremonies
have began to comingle.
00:31:05.43\00:31:08.26
They didn't want to get rid
of their beautiful works of art,
00:31:08.26\00:31:10.50
the idols, and they said,
00:31:10.50\00:31:11.53
"Well, let's give
them Christian names."
00:31:11.53\00:31:13.70
So all over the kingdom,
00:31:13.70\00:31:14.70
they just started to
kind of rebaptize the idols
00:31:14.70\00:31:16.97
and call them Peter, James,
John, and Mary was everywhere.
00:31:16.97\00:31:20.18
But it formally had
been Athena or Semiramis
00:31:20.18\00:31:25.81
or one of these
other female deities
00:31:25.81\00:31:28.35
and they just named her Mary.
00:31:28.35\00:31:30.12
She's usually got a
sun just behind her head,
00:31:30.12\00:31:33.12
and they even had Tammuz.
00:31:33.12\00:31:36.49
These pagan gods
were holding the baby
00:31:36.49\00:31:38.13
which was Tammuz,
00:31:38.13\00:31:39.63
that's why you
often see pictures of Mary
00:31:39.63\00:31:41.83
holding the baby Jesus.
00:31:41.83\00:31:43.33
The comingling of
truth and error came in,
00:31:43.33\00:31:46.90
and this is
what Balaam had done.
00:31:46.90\00:31:49.04
He got them to commit harlotry.
00:31:49.04\00:31:51.21
You know, when God's
people turn to idols,
00:31:51.21\00:31:52.97
what did you call it biblically?
00:31:52.97\00:31:54.98
They called it harlotry.
00:31:54.98\00:31:56.04
So this is the
church of Pergamos
00:31:56.04\00:31:59.21
and a great compromise there.
00:31:59.21\00:32:01.52
You know, we go on next
to the church of Thyatira,
00:32:01.52\00:32:05.39
and you read about this here,
00:32:05.39\00:32:06.96
and it starts
in Revelation 2:18.
00:32:06.96\00:32:10.33
"And unto the
angel of the church,"
00:32:10.33\00:32:12.09
He says, "here's
really the message
00:32:12.09\00:32:13.43
to the church of Thyatira write:
00:32:13.43\00:32:15.86
'These things
says the Son of God,
00:32:15.86\00:32:17.50
who has eyes
like a flame of fire,"
00:32:17.50\00:32:19.50
I see everything, "and
His feet like fine brass.
00:32:19.50\00:32:23.87
'I know your works,
your love, your service,
00:32:23.87\00:32:26.34
faith, your patience.
00:32:26.34\00:32:28.41
And as for your works,
00:32:28.41\00:32:29.48
the last are
more than the first."
00:32:29.48\00:32:31.51
They are doing a
lot of good works.
00:32:31.51\00:32:33.05
"Nevertheless I have
something against you,
00:32:33.05\00:32:36.02
because you have...
00:32:36.02\00:32:38.15
Nevertheless I have
something against you
00:32:38.15\00:32:39.49
because you have
allowed that woman Jezebel,
00:32:39.49\00:32:41.66
who calls herself a prophetess,
00:32:41.66\00:32:43.73
to teach and seduce My servants
00:32:43.73\00:32:45.69
to commit sexual immorality
00:32:45.69\00:32:47.66
and to eat things
sacrificed to idols.
00:32:47.66\00:32:50.47
And I gave her time to
repent of her sexual immorality,
00:32:50.47\00:32:53.94
and she did not repent.
00:32:53.94\00:32:56.04
And indeed I will
cast her into a sickbed,
00:32:56.04\00:32:58.47
and those who
commit adultery with her."
00:32:58.47\00:33:00.84
This is, if you want
to know who is Thyatira,
00:33:00.84\00:33:03.11
Thyatira is the woman
of Revelation 17, Jezebel.
00:33:03.11\00:33:08.22
It's a woman who
persecutes the prophets.
00:33:08.22\00:33:10.75
Now God still
had a faithful church
00:33:10.75\00:33:12.35
during that time,
00:33:12.35\00:33:13.42
but they had to go
back underground again
00:33:13.42\00:33:15.52
because now the
church had become so powerful
00:33:15.52\00:33:18.73
that she was persecuting
00:33:18.73\00:33:21.23
and enticing the
faithful to compromise.
00:33:21.23\00:33:25.27
And so this is a time
really when the church in Rome
00:33:25.27\00:33:28.54
was growing and
spreading everywhere.
00:33:28.54\00:33:31.31
There were still good people
doing many faithful works,
00:33:31.31\00:33:34.21
they still believed
in sacrificing, giving.
00:33:34.21\00:33:37.98
And the Lord saw that.
00:33:37.98\00:33:40.48
But I tell you, even in the...
00:33:40.48\00:33:43.32
You know, you really
need to commend the zeal
00:33:43.32\00:33:46.96
and the dedication
of the Catholic Church
00:33:46.96\00:33:49.86
during this age
00:33:49.86\00:33:50.89
because they had
orphanages, and monasteries,
00:33:50.89\00:33:54.46
and missionaries
that were getting killed,
00:33:54.46\00:33:56.97
going out, and hospitals
that they were building.
00:33:56.97\00:33:59.80
Only hospitals
were run by the church.
00:33:59.80\00:34:01.74
There are a lot
of dedicated people
00:34:01.74\00:34:03.37
like Mother Teresa
doing wonderful works,
00:34:03.37\00:34:05.17
and God sees that.
00:34:05.17\00:34:07.48
But he said, when it
came to their biblical faith,
00:34:07.48\00:34:10.18
they were getting a
long way from the Bible,
00:34:10.18\00:34:12.68
and it was turning to harlotry,
00:34:12.68\00:34:15.72
and the church
had become corrupt.
00:34:15.72\00:34:20.26
What does the woman represent?
00:34:20.26\00:34:22.49
So you got Jezebel.
00:34:22.49\00:34:23.99
So this is the church
during the age of Jezebel.
00:34:23.99\00:34:27.13
And I'll read on here, it said,
00:34:27.13\00:34:29.50
"Indeed I will
cast her into a sickbed,
00:34:29.50\00:34:31.23
and those who
commit adultery with her
00:34:31.23\00:34:32.60
into great tribulation."
00:34:32.60\00:34:34.34
During this time, you
had the bubonic plague,
00:34:34.34\00:34:36.97
the greatest gorge of
death that went through Europe.
00:34:36.97\00:34:40.98
The only thing that came
close was the flu of 1918.
00:34:40.98\00:34:46.21
"I will kill her
children with death..."
00:34:46.21\00:34:48.38
They called it the Black Death,
00:34:48.38\00:34:50.35
"And all the
churches will know that
00:34:50.35\00:34:51.72
I am He who searches
the minds and the hearts.
00:34:51.72\00:34:54.59
And I will give
to each one of you
00:34:54.59\00:34:55.89
according to your works."
00:34:55.89\00:34:56.96
Now we're saved by grace.
00:34:56.96\00:34:58.29
But you notice the term
00:34:58.29\00:34:59.36
keeps coming up
here in Revelation.
00:34:59.36\00:35:01.73
"I know your
works, I know your works,
00:35:01.73\00:35:03.20
I know your works."
00:35:03.20\00:35:04.27
Are we saved by works?
00:35:04.27\00:35:05.73
We're saved by grace.
00:35:05.73\00:35:06.80
But does God look
at our works to see
00:35:06.80\00:35:07.87
if our hearts are changed?
00:35:07.87\00:35:09.70
Your works will
be evidence of that.
00:35:09.70\00:35:12.57
We're saved by grace
but we're judged by...
00:35:12.57\00:35:16.08
Bible says,
00:35:16.08\00:35:17.08
"I'll judge everyone
according to their works."
00:35:17.08\00:35:20.22
"Now I say unto you,
and to the rest in Thyatira,
00:35:20.22\00:35:23.05
as many as do not
have this doctrine,
00:35:23.05\00:35:25.45
who have not known
the depths of Satan,
00:35:25.45\00:35:27.96
as they say, I'll put
on you no other burden.
00:35:27.96\00:35:30.99
But hold fast what
you have till I come.
00:35:30.99\00:35:34.93
He who overcomes,
00:35:34.93\00:35:35.96
and keeps My
works until the end,
00:35:35.96\00:35:37.97
I will give
power over the nations.
00:35:37.97\00:35:40.67
'He will rule them
with a rod of iron.
00:35:40.67\00:35:43.14
And they'll be dashed to pieces
like the potter's vessel, '
00:35:43.14\00:35:46.74
as I also have
received from My Father,
00:35:46.74\00:35:48.78
I will give him
the morning star.
00:35:48.78\00:35:50.45
He that has an ear,
00:35:50.45\00:35:51.51
let him hear what the
spirit says to the churches."
00:35:51.51\00:35:55.32
Next, we go to
the church of Sardis
00:35:55.32\00:35:57.69
which is the dead church.
00:35:57.69\00:35:59.65
"Unto the angel of the church
in Sardis write these things.
00:35:59.65\00:36:02.59
"These things says
00:36:08.80\00:36:09.86
He that has the seven
spirits and the seven stars,
00:36:09.86\00:36:12.37
'I know your works
and that you have a name,
00:36:12.37\00:36:14.90
you are alive,
but you are dead.'"
00:36:14.90\00:36:16.87
Now there are a lot of
good church names out there.
00:36:19.14\00:36:22.11
I like the name Assembly of God.
00:36:22.11\00:36:25.11
Don't we want to
be in assembly of God?
00:36:25.11\00:36:27.25
I like the name
Church of Christ.
00:36:27.25\00:36:30.49
I even want to be
a Latter-day Saint.
00:36:30.49\00:36:32.65
You understand what I'm saying.
00:36:32.65\00:36:34.86
I want to be a witness
for Jehovah, don't you?
00:36:34.86\00:36:38.39
Not that, it
kind of gives you...
00:36:38.39\00:36:39.53
It makes you cringe a little
when you hear me say that,
00:36:39.53\00:36:42.30
but you know what I'm saying.
00:36:42.30\00:36:44.17
There are great names
out there, a lot of names.
00:36:44.17\00:36:46.23
How many different church
names are there out there?
00:36:46.23\00:36:49.87
Thousands of them.
00:36:49.87\00:36:52.17
But is it
possible to have a name
00:36:52.17\00:36:56.95
and nothing behind it.
00:36:56.95\00:36:59.11
It's like, you know,
they say back in the Texas
00:36:59.11\00:37:02.42
that he's all
cowboy hat and no cows.
00:37:02.42\00:37:06.25
And you know, he's got the hat,
00:37:06.25\00:37:07.92
he's got the
boots and the spurs,
00:37:07.92\00:37:09.06
and he got not horse.
00:37:09.06\00:37:11.66
And so this is what's
happened to the church,
00:37:11.66\00:37:13.36
it's become an institution,
00:37:13.36\00:37:14.76
it's lost the
sprit during this time.
00:37:14.76\00:37:17.43
And this is the dead
church that you've got
00:37:17.43\00:37:20.57
during the time of Sardis.
00:37:20.57\00:37:22.57
"You have a name
that you're alive
00:37:22.57\00:37:23.87
but you're dead.
00:37:23.87\00:37:25.17
Be watchful, and strengthen
the things that remain..."
00:37:25.17\00:37:27.44
There's still a little
life in the teachings they have,
00:37:27.44\00:37:30.58
"That are ready to die.
00:37:30.58\00:37:32.38
I've not found your
works perfect before God.
00:37:32.38\00:37:34.45
Remember therefore
00:37:34.45\00:37:35.48
how you have received and heard,
00:37:35.48\00:37:37.19
and hold fast and repent.
00:37:37.19\00:37:39.45
Therefore if you will not watch,
00:37:39.45\00:37:41.72
I will come upon you as a thief,
00:37:41.72\00:37:43.12
and you will not know
what hour I will come upon you.
00:37:43.12\00:37:46.16
You have a few
names even in Sardis
00:37:46.16\00:37:47.93
that have not
defiled their garments..."
00:37:47.93\00:37:49.43
And this is a time
of the reformation,
00:37:49.43\00:37:52.00
"And they shall walk with Me
in white, for they are worthy.
00:37:52.00\00:37:55.30
He that overcomes
00:37:55.30\00:37:56.37
shall be clothed
in white garments,
00:37:56.37\00:37:58.57
and I'll not blot his name
out from the Book of Life."
00:37:58.57\00:38:00.91
You mean, a person can
have their name in the book
00:38:00.91\00:38:03.45
and have it blotted out?
00:38:03.45\00:38:05.58
He's talking to the
church here, isn't He?
00:38:05.58\00:38:09.45
"I will confess his
name before My Father
00:38:09.45\00:38:11.52
and before His angels."
00:38:11.52\00:38:13.62
This is what Jesus said.
00:38:13.62\00:38:14.79
"He that is not ashamed of
Me in this wicked generation,
00:38:14.79\00:38:17.49
I will not be ashamed of him."
00:38:17.49\00:38:18.63
But if we are ashamed of
Him, He'll be ashamed of us.
00:38:18.63\00:38:21.66
It's like when the
Lord said to the devil,
00:38:21.66\00:38:25.70
"Have you
considered my servant Job?"
00:38:25.70\00:38:27.47
Your God is confessing the name
of one of His faithful servants
00:38:27.47\00:38:31.41
in heaven before even the devil.
00:38:31.41\00:38:34.91
"Let him that has an ear hear
00:38:34.91\00:38:36.61
what the spirit
says to the church."
00:38:36.61\00:38:38.08
Now you got the faithful church,
00:38:38.08\00:38:39.38
the church of Philadelphia.
00:38:39.38\00:38:40.78
This is the
church during the age
00:38:40.78\00:38:42.75
of the great enlightenment,
00:38:42.75\00:38:44.09
during the time of
Whitfield and Wesley,
00:38:44.09\00:38:47.56
the American Bible Society,
and the English Bible Society,
00:38:47.56\00:38:50.49
and the missionaries
00:38:50.49\00:38:51.53
are being sent around the world.
00:38:51.53\00:38:52.86
This is a great
mission explosion.
00:38:52.86\00:38:54.83
It was a church
of brotherly love.
00:38:54.83\00:38:57.00
They got out of their
churches where there was a name
00:38:57.00\00:38:59.10
and they were dead,
00:38:59.10\00:39:00.17
and they started
preaching in the open fields.
00:39:00.17\00:39:02.67
And Whitfield and Wesley,
00:39:02.67\00:39:04.24
they went and did
mission work in North America,
00:39:04.24\00:39:06.31
and is when
Carey went into India.
00:39:06.31\00:39:08.74
And I think, it's
when Judson went to China
00:39:08.74\00:39:11.38
during that same age.
00:39:11.38\00:39:12.61
So you get the
great missionary zeal
00:39:12.61\00:39:15.25
taking place during this time.
00:39:15.25\00:39:18.55
"These things
says He that is holy,"
00:39:18.55\00:39:20.39
I'm in
Revelation 3:7, "He is true,
00:39:20.39\00:39:23.96
'He who has the key of David,
00:39:23.96\00:39:25.36
He opens and no one shuts,
00:39:25.36\00:39:27.30
and he shuts and no one opens.'"
00:39:27.30\00:39:28.83
What does that mean?
00:39:28.83\00:39:29.90
Someone gonna read
for me Isaiah 22:22.
00:39:29.90\00:39:33.54
Who's got that one?
00:39:33.54\00:39:36.87
And what does
Jesus mean by saying,
00:39:36.87\00:39:40.51
"I've set before
you an open door.
00:39:40.51\00:39:42.41
I've got a key."
00:39:42.41\00:39:44.61
Okay, go ahead
and read that for us.
00:39:44.61\00:39:46.72
Isaiah 22:22, "The
key of the house of David
00:39:46.72\00:39:50.45
I will lay on his
shoulder, so he shall open,
00:39:50.45\00:39:53.49
and no one shall
shut, and he shall shut,
00:39:53.49\00:39:56.93
and no one shall open."
00:39:56.93\00:39:58.43
This is a verse
that's being almost
00:39:58.43\00:39:59.93
directly quoted in Revelation.
00:39:59.93\00:40:01.36
You remember what we
said a couple of weeks ago
00:40:01.36\00:40:03.30
on our introduction,
00:40:03.30\00:40:04.77
that out of the 404
verses in Revelation,
00:40:04.77\00:40:07.04
278 are almost
found word for word
00:40:07.04\00:40:09.64
somewhere else in the Bible.
00:40:09.64\00:40:11.67
And so, who is it that has...
00:40:11.67\00:40:13.41
Who is the son of
David that has a key?
00:40:13.41\00:40:15.88
That's Jesus that
is the Son of David.
00:40:15.88\00:40:18.35
And what is the door He opens?
00:40:18.35\00:40:21.18
Well, for one thing,
00:40:21.18\00:40:22.15
it's a door of salvation
that He opens before us.
00:40:22.15\00:40:26.12
And the keys...
00:40:26.12\00:40:27.69
Then He tell the disciples,
00:40:27.69\00:40:28.76
"I give to you the
key of the kingdom."
00:40:28.76\00:40:30.69
Does that mean that
the priests are the ones
00:40:30.69\00:40:32.36
who decide you're saved
or is the key in the truth?
00:40:32.36\00:40:36.00
In sharing the gospel,
00:40:36.00\00:40:37.13
you have the
keys of eternal life.
00:40:37.13\00:40:39.33
And so as we share
this, the Word with others,
00:40:39.33\00:40:41.54
the door is open.
00:40:41.54\00:40:45.07
"For you have a little strength
and that you have kept My word
00:40:45.07\00:40:47.98
and not denied My name.
00:40:47.98\00:40:49.88
Indeed, I will make those
00:40:49.88\00:40:51.88
who are of the
synagogue of Satan
00:40:51.88\00:40:53.28
who say they are
Jews but are not,
00:40:53.28\00:40:55.25
I'll make them come and
worship before your feet
00:40:55.25\00:40:58.49
to know that you have loved Me
00:40:58.49\00:41:00.19
because you have
kept My commandment.
00:41:00.19\00:41:01.69
To persevere,
00:41:01.69\00:41:02.92
I will also keep you
from the hour of trial
00:41:02.92\00:41:05.09
that will come
upon the whole world."
00:41:05.09\00:41:07.10
You know what?
00:41:07.10\00:41:08.20
It was some of the
Puritans and some of these
00:41:08.20\00:41:10.03
who were reviving, like I said,
00:41:10.03\00:41:11.60
the Wesleys in the Whitfields.
00:41:11.60\00:41:13.27
They believed in
religious freedom,
00:41:13.27\00:41:14.67
the Church of England,
and the other church in Rome,
00:41:14.67\00:41:17.01
they were
terribly persecuting them
00:41:17.01\00:41:19.61
for what they were doing.
00:41:19.61\00:41:20.84
But eventually, they embraced,
00:41:20.84\00:41:24.35
Europe and America
embraced religious freedom,
00:41:24.35\00:41:27.52
and the
proclamation of the gospel.
00:41:27.52\00:41:29.18
So they came and recognized
that God was with them.
00:41:29.18\00:41:33.22
"Because you have kept
My command to persevere,
00:41:33.22\00:41:35.36
I'll keep you
from the hour of trial
00:41:35.36\00:41:37.76
that will come
upon the whole world
00:41:37.76\00:41:39.59
to test those who
dwell on the earth.
00:41:39.59\00:41:41.80
Behold, I'm coming quickly."
00:41:41.80\00:41:43.33
We're about to get to
the church of Laodicea.
00:41:43.33\00:41:45.53
"Hold fast what you have
00:41:45.53\00:41:47.57
that no one may
take your crown."
00:41:47.57\00:41:49.27
Again, is it
possible to lose your crown?
00:41:49.27\00:41:53.07
It says, you Christians
need to maintain, hold fast.
00:41:53.07\00:41:56.85
"He who overcomes,
00:41:56.85\00:41:57.91
I'll make him a pillar
in the temple of My God.
00:41:57.91\00:42:01.42
And he showed..."
00:42:01.42\00:42:02.52
David says, "I'd
rather be a gatekeeper
00:42:02.52\00:42:04.19
in the house of God."
00:42:04.19\00:42:05.55
He'll go out no more,
00:42:05.55\00:42:06.62
and I'll write on
him the name of My God,
00:42:06.62\00:42:08.52
and the name of
the city of My God,
00:42:08.52\00:42:10.19
the New Jerusalem
00:42:10.19\00:42:11.26
that comes down
from God from My God."
00:42:11.26\00:42:13.80
By the way that
isn't referenced again
00:42:13.80\00:42:15.50
until you get to
Revelation Chapter 21.
00:42:15.50\00:42:18.83
"And I will write
on him a new name,
00:42:18.83\00:42:21.20
he that has an ear, let him hear
00:42:21.20\00:42:22.84
what the Spirit
says to the church."
00:42:22.84\00:42:25.27
And now we get to the last age,
00:42:25.27\00:42:27.38
the last church which
is the church of what?
00:42:27.38\00:42:30.18
Laodicea.
00:42:30.18\00:42:31.21
And I have been
giving you all of the dates.
00:42:31.21\00:42:32.45
A church to Philadelphia
is like 1740 to 1844,
00:42:32.45\00:42:35.78
the church of
Laodicea is from 1844 to,
00:42:35.78\00:42:39.75
you would like to have
that last date, wouldn't you?
00:42:39.75\00:42:42.52
But no man knows the day or
the hour when Laodicea ends.
00:42:42.52\00:42:45.56
Not too far away.
00:42:45.56\00:42:47.10
If you got someone telling
you, they know it, watch out.
00:42:47.10\00:42:50.77
Now 1844 is a
very interesting year.
00:42:50.77\00:42:54.40
A lot of things happened.
00:42:54.40\00:42:55.50
Not only was it the ending
00:42:55.50\00:42:57.87
of that great
advent proclamation,
00:42:57.87\00:43:01.38
it's the time where you
had the great disappointment.
00:43:01.38\00:43:04.58
The first digital
message ever given was in 1844.
00:43:04.58\00:43:08.95
How many digital
messages do you get today?
00:43:08.95\00:43:11.82
First electronic message,
you know, what the message was?
00:43:11.82\00:43:13.92
Robert Morse, who
invented Morse code,
00:43:13.92\00:43:16.76
the message was,
"What hath God wrought."
00:43:16.76\00:43:20.13
He quoted the
scripture from Numbers,
00:43:20.13\00:43:22.13
What hath God wrought.
00:43:22.13\00:43:24.57
That was the year
00:43:24.57\00:43:25.63
where you have
the birth of communism
00:43:25.63\00:43:28.07
in Karl Marx
Communist Manifesto.
00:43:28.07\00:43:31.04
It was during that year
00:43:31.04\00:43:32.44
that Darwin formed
his theory of evolution
00:43:32.44\00:43:36.68
during his voyage on the Beagle.
00:43:36.68\00:43:39.41
So many things happened,
it's a very interesting year.
00:43:39.41\00:43:42.82
So that's kind of the end
of the age of Philadelphia,
00:43:42.82\00:43:45.55
now you get the birth
of the Church of Laodicea.
00:43:45.55\00:43:49.09
A lot of the
churches have rejected
00:43:49.09\00:43:50.83
that message of Jesus'
coming, the advent message,
00:43:50.83\00:43:53.73
they went to sleep.
00:43:53.73\00:43:55.53
They pressed the snooze button.
Obviously, He didn't come.
00:43:55.53\00:43:59.03
And then they began to believe
their reach increased for good.
00:43:59.03\00:44:01.54
So let's read what it
says here about this church.
00:44:01.54\00:44:04.81
"To the angel of the
church of the Laodiceans,"
00:44:04.81\00:44:07.04
right, by the way, we
enter the time of judgment,
00:44:07.04\00:44:09.64
what is the word Laodicea mean?
00:44:09.64\00:44:11.61
A judging of the people.
00:44:11.61\00:44:14.45
"These things says the amen,
the faithful and true witness,
00:44:14.45\00:44:18.05
the beginning of
the creation of God."
00:44:18.05\00:44:20.92
Now when do you say amen?
00:44:20.92\00:44:23.12
It's often at
the end of a prayer.
00:44:23.12\00:44:24.33
Christ is getting ready to come.
00:44:24.33\00:44:25.86
These things says the amen,
00:44:25.86\00:44:29.00
the beginning of
the creation of God.
00:44:29.00\00:44:31.27
"I know your
works that you are...'"
00:44:31.27\00:44:33.37
What I want to say
00:44:33.37\00:44:34.44
is the beginning of the creation
00:44:34.44\00:44:36.14
means all
creation began with Christ.
00:44:36.14\00:44:37.71
All things that were
made were made by Him,
00:44:37.71\00:44:39.34
it doesn't mean He was created.
00:44:39.34\00:44:41.48
"I know your works,
00:44:41.48\00:44:42.51
that you are
neither cold or hot.
00:44:42.51\00:44:44.15
I wish you were cold or hot,
00:44:44.15\00:44:46.05
so then because you're lukewarm
and neither cold or hot,
00:44:46.05\00:44:49.02
I will spew or vomit
you out of My mouth."
00:44:49.02\00:44:52.22
Now just a little side note,
00:44:52.22\00:44:53.99
Laodicea was
very prosperous city.
00:44:53.99\00:44:57.93
And they were so rich
that when they suffered
00:44:57.93\00:45:04.03
from an earthquake,
00:45:04.03\00:45:05.03
Rome offered to send
the money to rebuild them.
00:45:05.03\00:45:06.63
They said, "We don't need
your money, we got our own."
00:45:06.63\00:45:09.27
How often would you
turn down government money?
00:45:09.27\00:45:11.84
They were that rich,
00:45:11.84\00:45:13.48
and arrogant,
and self sufficient.
00:45:13.48\00:45:15.91
They didn't have a good
water supply from the city,
00:45:15.91\00:45:18.01
so they had to build an aqueduct
00:45:18.01\00:45:19.81
that brought the water.
00:45:19.81\00:45:20.85
They had water, cold
water springs to the south.
00:45:20.85\00:45:24.32
By the time it got to
the city, it was lukewarm.
00:45:24.32\00:45:26.02
And they had the hot
springs six miles to the north,
00:45:26.02\00:45:29.52
but didn't reach the city hot,
the water all came lukewarm,
00:45:29.52\00:45:32.49
and sitting in the sun,
00:45:32.49\00:45:33.60
and in these
channels of the aqueduct,
00:45:33.60\00:45:35.30
sometimes the water got stagnant
00:45:35.30\00:45:36.97
because it didn't run very fast.
00:45:36.97\00:45:39.33
And if you drink
warm stagnant water
00:45:39.33\00:45:41.17
with moss in the
summer, you could get sick.
00:45:41.17\00:45:44.21
And so some people,
in spite of the riches,
00:45:44.21\00:45:46.17
they got sick from
drinking the tepid water.
00:45:46.17\00:45:49.01
If you boil water, it's
good, if it's cold and running,
00:45:49.01\00:45:51.88
it's usually safe.
00:45:51.88\00:45:53.25
But if it's
lukewarm, it can make you sick.
00:45:53.25\00:45:57.29
And so, someone would
say, "Why would Jesus say,
00:45:57.29\00:45:59.89
'I wish you were hot or cold.'"
00:45:59.89\00:46:01.69
Now let's suppose hot
means you're full of zeal,
00:46:01.69\00:46:03.49
you're on fire for the
Lord, you're out preaching,
00:46:03.49\00:46:05.83
you're teaching,
you're sharing your faith,
00:46:05.83\00:46:07.96
you're praying.
00:46:07.96\00:46:09.43
We can all
understand why God would say,
00:46:09.43\00:46:11.07
"I wish that you
were hot, zealous."
00:46:11.07\00:46:15.70
But why would
Jesus ever say "Or cold?"
00:46:15.70\00:46:18.47
What does cold mean?
00:46:18.47\00:46:19.71
Cold, was that mean,
dead, indifferent lost?
00:46:19.71\00:46:23.31
No, not exactly.
00:46:23.31\00:46:26.31
Cold would represent a person
who is humbling themselves,
00:46:26.31\00:46:30.09
they know their weakness,
they're asking for help,
00:46:30.09\00:46:33.25
they're praying,
00:46:33.25\00:46:34.39
they're in a
state of repentance.
00:46:34.39\00:46:36.22
The Lord can work with
you even if you've fallen,
00:46:36.22\00:46:38.93
but you're repenting, right?
00:46:38.93\00:46:41.36
And He can work with
you if you're on fire,
00:46:41.36\00:46:42.96
and you're zealous, and
you're full of the Spirit.
00:46:42.96\00:46:45.67
He can't work with you
00:46:45.67\00:46:47.07
when you think
everything is okey-dokey,
00:46:47.07\00:46:50.44
and as Lucille Ball
says, it's inky stinky.
00:46:50.44\00:46:53.54
You think everything's okay?
00:46:53.54\00:46:55.91
But you don't know
what your true condition is.
00:46:55.91\00:46:57.98
This is the church
that is self deceived.
00:46:57.98\00:47:00.82
Notice what it says here.
00:47:00.82\00:47:03.69
You do not know.
00:47:03.69\00:47:05.12
This is the
problem "Because you say,
00:47:05.12\00:47:06.82
'I'm rich and become wealthy,'
you have need of nothing,
00:47:06.82\00:47:08.79
you do not know
that you are wretched,
00:47:08.79\00:47:11.09
and miserable, and
poor, and blind, and naked."
00:47:11.09\00:47:14.86
Now can the Lord use a person
that is wretched, miserable,
00:47:14.86\00:47:17.67
poor, blind, and naked?
00:47:17.67\00:47:19.20
Can you come to Him and be saved
00:47:19.20\00:47:21.10
if you are wretched, miserable,
poor, blind, and naked?
00:47:21.10\00:47:23.37
I love that story in the
Bible of those four lepers
00:47:23.37\00:47:26.41
that are trapped outside
the city, 2 Kings Chapter 7.
00:47:26.41\00:47:31.15
And Jesus reveals to
them this great feast of food
00:47:31.15\00:47:34.25
'cause the other army fled.
00:47:34.25\00:47:36.15
And God uses them
to share the message.
00:47:36.15\00:47:38.89
Here you've got these
lepers that are poor, wretched,
00:47:38.89\00:47:41.26
miserable, blind, and naked.
00:47:41.26\00:47:43.09
He gives them the
message of abundance,
00:47:43.09\00:47:45.26
they bring the
message to the city,
00:47:45.26\00:47:47.50
"How could God use
someone like that?"
00:47:47.50\00:47:48.93
Because they surrendered.
00:47:48.93\00:47:50.63
They went to
surrender to the enemy.
00:47:50.63\00:47:53.44
And because they came
to the point of surrender,
00:47:53.44\00:47:55.10
He could give them the message.
00:47:55.10\00:47:57.14
You get people
like Mary Magdalene.
00:47:57.14\00:48:01.31
He uses the very
least to share the message.
00:48:01.31\00:48:05.35
You've got that crazy demoniac.
00:48:05.35\00:48:07.82
You cannot find a more
lost person in the Bible
00:48:07.82\00:48:10.12
than the demoniac.
00:48:10.12\00:48:12.35
I challenge you to find someone
00:48:12.35\00:48:13.99
who is in worse
shape than the demoniac
00:48:13.99\00:48:16.06
that you read
about in Mark Chapter 5,
00:48:16.06\00:48:17.79
Luke Chapter 7, who is
naked, covered with chains,
00:48:17.79\00:48:21.56
covered with scars,
living with the dead,
00:48:21.56\00:48:24.20
surrounded by
pigs, is out of his mind,
00:48:24.20\00:48:26.20
is unclean, is
unsocial, but he comes to Jesus.
00:48:26.20\00:48:30.81
That's what he does.
00:48:30.81\00:48:31.87
He comes to Jesus,
and what does Jesus do?
00:48:31.87\00:48:34.18
And one day He
makes him an evangelist.
00:48:34.18\00:48:36.51
That's a great story.
00:48:36.51\00:48:38.35
So if a person
realizes their need,
00:48:38.35\00:48:41.95
no matter how bad off they are,
00:48:41.95\00:48:44.09
the Lord's arm is not
shorten that He cannot save.
00:48:44.09\00:48:46.79
Isn't that good news?
00:48:46.79\00:48:48.22
But what God cannot do
00:48:48.22\00:48:49.82
is a person who will
not humble themselves.
00:48:49.82\00:48:53.13
You're in the greatest risk
00:48:53.13\00:48:54.73
of committing
the unpardonable sin
00:48:54.73\00:48:56.67
if you're in Laodicea.
00:48:56.67\00:48:59.73
You're in the greatest risk
of saying, "I don't need God."
00:48:59.73\00:49:03.07
'Cause God can
work with almost anybody
00:49:03.07\00:49:05.07
except the person that
doesn't humble himself.
00:49:05.07\00:49:07.48
They don't recognize their need.
00:49:07.48\00:49:09.81
And so He said, "I
counsel you to buy of me gold,
00:49:09.81\00:49:15.05
tried in the fire,
that you might be rich."
00:49:15.05\00:49:19.89
And what is that gold?
00:49:19.89\00:49:20.92
That's love that works by faith.
00:49:20.92\00:49:23.36
"And white garments."
00:49:23.36\00:49:24.93
What does clothing represent?
00:49:24.93\00:49:27.60
He's offering us.
00:49:27.60\00:49:28.63
It's like at the
wedding feast, He offers a robe.
00:49:28.63\00:49:31.57
It's the king
that is giving a robe,
00:49:31.57\00:49:33.54
its righteousness.
00:49:33.54\00:49:35.30
"That the shame
of your nakedness
00:49:35.30\00:49:36.81
may not be revealed,
00:49:36.81\00:49:38.21
and to anoint your
eyes with eye salve."
00:49:38.21\00:49:40.54
I understand
Laodicea was a place
00:49:40.54\00:49:41.98
people went for
this balm for their eyes,
00:49:41.98\00:49:44.41
the ancient
medicine they have there.
00:49:44.41\00:49:46.72
It says, "Look,
I've got eye balm for you
00:49:46.72\00:49:48.88
that you may actually see."
00:49:48.88\00:49:51.22
Didn't Jesus once anoint
a blind man with this mud
00:49:51.22\00:49:55.22
and his eyes were open?
00:49:55.22\00:49:56.79
"As many as I love,
I rebuke and chasten."
00:49:56.79\00:49:59.79
So don't be upset if
God, if you're convicted.
00:49:59.79\00:50:02.70
Praise God, if you're convicted,
00:50:02.70\00:50:04.13
and you are
brought to repentance.
00:50:04.13\00:50:06.47
"As many as I love,
I rebuke and chasten.
00:50:06.47\00:50:08.90
Therefore be zealous,"
00:50:08.90\00:50:11.81
and hot would be
zealous, "and repent."
00:50:11.81\00:50:13.88
There's the hot
and cold right there.
00:50:13.88\00:50:16.58
Hot, zealous, cold, repent.
00:50:16.58\00:50:19.21
If you're repenting,
He can work with you.
00:50:19.21\00:50:20.65
If you're on fire,
He can work with you.
00:50:20.65\00:50:22.92
"Behold, I stand at
the door and knock."
00:50:22.92\00:50:24.99
This is the last
message to the last church
00:50:24.99\00:50:26.86
called the
amen, and where is He?
00:50:26.86\00:50:29.46
And at the door,
"I'm about to come."
00:50:29.46\00:50:33.60
"If anyone hears My
voice and opens the door..."
00:50:33.60\00:50:36.97
Now not only is He
knocking, you can hear knocking,
00:50:36.97\00:50:39.43
but in order to hear His voice,
His voice is not the knocking,
00:50:39.43\00:50:41.97
His voice is the talking.
00:50:41.97\00:50:44.11
So they hear the
knocking, they hear the voice,
00:50:44.11\00:50:47.01
and open the door.
00:50:47.01\00:50:48.81
I understand, Harry Anderson
00:50:48.81\00:50:50.21
painted the famous picture
of Jesus knocking at the door.
00:50:50.21\00:50:54.25
He, Jesus is standing at
this door, it's at a home,
00:50:54.25\00:50:57.15
and He's knocking.
00:50:57.15\00:50:58.19
It's a beautiful picture.
00:50:58.19\00:50:59.49
But someone noticed that
00:50:59.49\00:51:00.79
you can clearly see the door
has no doorknob on the outside.
00:51:00.79\00:51:05.39
It can only be
open from the inside.
00:51:05.39\00:51:08.90
Jesus is not going to
break in to your heart,
00:51:08.90\00:51:11.73
you must open the door.
00:51:11.73\00:51:13.94
"I stand at the door and knock.
00:51:13.94\00:51:15.37
If anyone hears My
voice and opens the door,
00:51:15.37\00:51:17.91
I will come into him and
dine with him, and he with Me."
00:51:17.91\00:51:20.98
He says, "I want
to sup with him."
00:51:20.98\00:51:22.04
What did Jesus say to Zacchaeus?
00:51:22.04\00:51:25.41
"Come down,
00:51:25.41\00:51:26.45
today I must
abide at your house."
00:51:26.45\00:51:28.55
I want to sup with you.
00:51:28.55\00:51:30.22
I want to live with you.
00:51:30.22\00:51:31.25
I want to dwell with you
00:51:31.25\00:51:32.35
like he did with Lazarus
and Martha in their home.
00:51:32.35\00:51:35.76
I want to have a
personal relationship with you.
00:51:35.76\00:51:39.03
"And he with Me.
00:51:39.03\00:51:40.53
To him who overcomes,
00:51:40.53\00:51:41.70
I will grant to sit
with Me on My throne."
00:51:41.70\00:51:43.73
What a privilege!
00:51:43.73\00:51:45.27
"As I also overcame
00:51:45.27\00:51:47.04
and have sat down with
My Father on the throne."
00:51:47.04\00:51:49.67
Is it only the 12 apostles
that get to sit on 12 thrones?
00:51:49.67\00:51:53.01
Or does Jesus said
00:51:53.01\00:51:54.08
to the entire
church of Laodicea,
00:51:54.08\00:51:55.78
to him that overcomes.
00:51:55.78\00:51:58.08
We not only get crowns,
we not only get mansions,
00:51:58.08\00:52:00.65
we get thrones to
live and reign with Christ
00:52:00.65\00:52:04.35
is what the promise is, right?
00:52:04.35\00:52:06.15
That's wonderful.
00:52:06.15\00:52:07.36
When He's moving the capital
of the universe to our world,
00:52:07.36\00:52:10.43
and we will get
to reign with Him.
00:52:10.43\00:52:11.89
Well, friends, that was a short
00:52:11.89\00:52:13.40
and probably a pitiful
overview of the seven churches.
00:52:13.40\00:52:16.36
It's so hard to
jump that all together
00:52:16.36\00:52:20.04
in just 50 minutes or so.
00:52:20.04\00:52:22.37
Thank you so
much for joining us.
00:52:22.37\00:52:23.94
I want to remind you
that we do have a free offer.
00:52:23.94\00:52:26.17
If you did not catch the
beginning of our program,
00:52:26.17\00:52:28.61
it's called "Satan's
Confusing Counterfeits."
00:52:28.61\00:52:31.08
It talks about like
the church of Laodicea,
00:52:31.08\00:52:35.15
and also Thyatira.
00:52:35.15\00:52:37.59
If you'd like a free
copy of this, it's offer 191.
00:52:37.59\00:52:40.86
You'll ask for that
when you call 866-788-3966.
00:52:40.86\00:52:45.73
That's 866-Study-More
00:52:45.73\00:52:47.13
or you can get it
for free right now.
00:52:47.13\00:52:48.83
If you want,
you can download it.
00:52:48.83\00:52:50.27
Just text, text the letters
00:52:50.27\00:52:52.40
"SH058" to 40544,
00:52:52.40\00:52:59.01
and this...
00:52:59.01\00:53:00.61
The mailing of the book,
of course, is for the US.
00:53:00.61\00:53:02.81
God bless, we'll
look forward to studying
00:53:02.81\00:53:04.38
His Word
together again next week.
00:53:04.38\00:53:08.72
Don't forget to request
00:53:08.72\00:53:09.78
today's life
changing free resource.
00:53:09.78\00:53:12.19
Not only can you receive
this free gift in the mail,
00:53:12.19\00:53:14.39
you can download a digital
copy straight to your computer
00:53:14.39\00:53:16.99
or mobile device.
00:53:16.99\00:53:18.26
To get your digital
copy of today's free gift,
00:53:18.26\00:53:20.96
simply text the
keyword on your screen to 40544
00:53:20.96\00:53:24.87
or visit the web
address shown on your screen.
00:53:24.87\00:53:27.90
And be sure to select
a digital download option
00:53:27.90\00:53:30.27
on the request page.
00:53:30.27\00:53:31.57
It's now easier
than ever for you
00:53:31.57\00:53:33.44
to study God's
Word with Amazing Facts
00:53:33.44\00:53:36.08
wherever and whenever you want,
00:53:36.08\00:53:37.98
and most important
to share it with others.
00:53:37.98\00:53:40.92
So what is the
brightest light in the world?
00:53:50.99\00:53:53.83
Well, naturally,
you would say the sun.
00:53:53.83\00:53:55.46
But we're talking about
00:53:55.46\00:53:56.50
the brightest
man-made light in the world.
00:53:56.50\00:53:58.80
It's the light that
shines out of the roof
00:53:58.80\00:54:00.97
of that pyramid shaped hotel
in Las Vegas called the Luxor.
00:54:00.97\00:54:05.41
There in the cap of that hotel,
00:54:05.41\00:54:06.94
there is a room that contains
00:54:06.94\00:54:08.74
39 washing
machines size xenon bulbs,
00:54:08.74\00:54:12.51
and each of those bulbs
requires about 7000 watts,
00:54:12.51\00:54:16.02
altogether they
produce about 40 billion
00:54:16.02\00:54:19.19
candlepower of light.
00:54:19.19\00:54:21.62
Can you imagine
getting that electric bill
00:54:21.62\00:54:23.32
of the Luxor hotel every month?
00:54:23.32\00:54:25.36
That light is so
bright that planes can see it
00:54:25.36\00:54:28.40
250 miles away.
00:54:28.40\00:54:30.57
They are shooting
light 10 miles up into space,
00:54:30.57\00:54:33.77
meaning if you
happen to be floating by,
00:54:33.77\00:54:35.70
you can read a
newspaper up there.
00:54:35.70\00:54:38.57
And as you might have guessed
00:54:38.57\00:54:39.97
that bright light has become
the world's best bug attractor.
00:54:39.97\00:54:43.08
Bringing in moths, bats,
00:54:43.08\00:54:44.95
and owls creating
its own ecosystem there
00:54:44.95\00:54:47.58
at night above the hotel.
00:54:47.58\00:54:49.15
But the sad thing about
00:54:49.15\00:54:50.25
the brightest light in the world
00:54:50.25\00:54:51.79
is especially when
the night air is clear
00:54:51.79\00:54:54.39
without any particles,
00:54:54.39\00:54:55.86
the light doesn't hit
anything and it's invisible,
00:54:55.86\00:54:59.09
it shoots up into empty space.
00:54:59.09\00:55:01.90
The brightest light in the world
00:55:01.90\00:55:04.13
illuminates nothing.
00:55:04.13\00:55:05.83
You know, the
Bible tells us that
00:55:05.83\00:55:07.07
there's another
great wasted light,
00:55:07.07\00:55:09.20
and that's the
light of God's Word.
00:55:09.20\00:55:11.37
It says in Psalm 119:105,
00:55:11.37\00:55:14.28
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
00:55:14.28\00:55:16.68
and a light unto my path."
00:55:16.68\00:55:18.68
And yet so many people
are walking in darkness.
00:55:18.68\00:55:21.28
Furthermore, Jesus said,
"If you do have that light,
00:55:21.28\00:55:24.22
make sure you don't
put it under a bushel,
00:55:24.22\00:55:26.02
but you let it shine
00:55:26.02\00:55:27.06
and illuminate
the lives of others.
00:55:27.06\00:55:29.12
Jesus said in Matthew Chapter 5,
00:55:29.12\00:55:31.09
"Set your light up on a hill
00:55:31.09\00:55:32.59
like a city so
that all might see it."
00:55:32.59\00:55:35.13
Light only benefits others
00:55:35.13\00:55:37.27
when it reflects
off of something.
00:55:37.27\00:55:39.70
God wants our lights
00:55:39.70\00:55:41.27
to illuminate
the lives of others.
00:55:41.27\00:55:43.61
So are you glowing for God?
00:55:43.61\00:55:45.21
Remember, Jesus
said, "Let there be light."
00:55:45.21\00:55:47.88
Let's face it, it's not
always easy to understand
00:55:57.12\00:56:00.29
everything you
read in the Bible.
00:56:00.29\00:56:02.19
With over 700,000
words contained in 66 books,
00:56:02.19\00:56:06.06
the Bible can
generate a lot of questions.
00:56:06.06\00:56:08.60
To get biblical
straightforward answers,
00:56:08.60\00:56:10.93
call into Bible Answers Live,
00:56:10.93\00:56:12.77
a live nationwide
call-in radio program
00:56:12.77\00:56:15.40
where you can talk
to Pastor Doug Batchelor
00:56:15.40\00:56:17.74
and ask him your most
difficult Bible questions.
00:56:17.74\00:56:20.18
For times and
stations in your area
00:56:20.18\00:56:22.48
or to listen to answers online,
00:56:22.48\00:56:24.31
visit bal.amazingfacts.org.
00:56:24.31\00:56:27.72
Friends, one of
the amazing things
00:56:43.16\00:56:44.73
you will often find in
the South Pacific Islands
00:56:44.73\00:56:47.27
like here on Fiji
is the Wiwi plant.
00:56:47.27\00:56:50.11
Now in North America if
you want to build a fence,
00:56:50.11\00:56:52.24
you got to get a fencepost,
00:56:52.24\00:56:53.41
and then you put the
wooden fencepost in the ground,
00:56:53.41\00:56:55.88
and then after few
years they're gonna rot
00:56:55.88\00:56:57.85
and break off unless
they're specially treated.
00:56:57.85\00:57:00.45
But here they got
these trees, the Wiwi tree,
00:57:00.45\00:57:03.22
they can cut them
right out of the woods,
00:57:03.22\00:57:05.22
they'll take a stick,
they'll stick it in the ground.
00:57:05.22\00:57:07.86
And because they have so
much rain and precipitation,
00:57:07.86\00:57:10.66
it begins to sprout and
turns into a living fencepost.
00:57:10.66\00:57:13.86
It makes up its mind
that it's gonna flourish
00:57:13.86\00:57:15.70
wherever you stick it,
00:57:15.70\00:57:16.97
which is a good
lesson for you and me.
00:57:16.97\00:57:19.00
So you might wonder sometimes
00:57:19.00\00:57:20.67
if you've got a purpose in life.
00:57:20.67\00:57:22.44
You might feel
like you are growing
00:57:22.44\00:57:23.57
sort of
sporadically in every direction,
00:57:23.57\00:57:25.57
and then along comes this person
00:57:25.57\00:57:27.18
who cuts you down
and carries you off,
00:57:27.18\00:57:29.88
he sticks you in the ground.
00:57:29.88\00:57:31.98
But you look back and you say,
00:57:31.98\00:57:33.31
there was a plan,
there was a purpose.
00:57:33.31\00:57:35.95
God knows how to teach us
00:57:35.95\00:57:37.72
how to prosper
where He plants us.
00:57:37.72\00:57:39.92
You might wonder
00:57:39.92\00:57:41.02
why the Lord has put
you where He has in life.
00:57:41.02\00:57:43.02
But you can put down
roots, and you can grow,
00:57:43.02\00:57:45.03
and you can serve a
great purpose for God.
00:57:45.03\00:57:47.40
You know, it's like God
says in Jeremiah Chapter 29,
00:57:47.40\00:57:50.20
"I know the plants
00:57:50.20\00:57:51.43
that I've got for you
to give you a future."
00:57:51.43\00:57:53.27
God has a purpose
for your life, friends.
00:57:53.27\00:57:55.27
And He can help
you to prosper and grow
00:57:55.27\00:57:57.54
wherever you're planted.
00:57:57.54\00:57:59.14