BOOK OF REVELATION; THE SEVEN CHURCHES

We remain knee deep in the early chapters of Revelation. I am purposely going slowly, so that both of us can savor the words of Jesus to the seven early churches. Each church is being held up to the light, and our Lord and Savior is evaluating their performance. Each one has their list of positives, and their list of negatives. These words are POWERFUL, deserving extra time and commitment to fully understand. All scripture has a level of difficulty, because we will never understand the nuances of Hebrew or Greek. Most of us have a hard enough time understanding the nuances of each mother tongue that we represent, making it easy for charlatans to manipulate the meaning and application of translation. Every time a man tries to interject "new" meaning or change the pillars of our faith, beware! Even if you are a new convert,  God has special, individual plans for your life. Here are just a few to stimulate divine enthusiasm:

1. God Almighty has selected you by having Jesus and the Holy Spirit work a miracle inside of you. Your soul that was black and destined to be controlled by Satan has forever been made white and pure. Our reaction to that event was like winning a lottery, but over time it begins to fade and needs to be stimulated by the Word of God and prayer.
2. Since you won the lottery, because of your belief and acceptance of Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are forever special. 
3. The words that John of Patmos wrote in Revelation are direct, hard-hitting and individualized by church. God even sent an angel to oversee the process, so that is was done exactly correct. When I proof-read my posts, I read them out loud, then I double check with spell check and triple check with grammar check. Even then my lovely wife finds my errors, usually after I have published it.
4. When Jesus is quoted in other parts of the Bible like the Gospels, it is the inspired Word of God for sure; however, in the Book of Revelation God sends an angel to do all the checking. For some reason, maybe the complexity and intricacy of the vision this passage is made from  incredibly precious words. 

We already discussed the Church in Ephesus two posts ago, so we are now ready for Smyrna. To find this on a map, you need to know that this city is present day Izmir, located in Turkey. Smyrna was a port city and was prosperous for the time, and yet the Christian community was extremely poor. Jesus said they had endured suffering, slandering and were subjected to Jews that were pretenders. Jesus even says that these Jews belonged to "The Synagogue of Satan." If that wasn't enough Jesus says that there is much more suffering ahead for them. Specifically he says that some of them will be put in prison for 10 days by the "devil", making this a kind of a prophecy inside a prophecy. Jesus then says that if they remain faithful, "even unto death," that each will receive a special crown of life, and with this crown all the "faithful" will not, "be hurt at all by the second death."

Ephesus was told that they lost the zeal and zest from the early days of their salvation. They were walking down the path of righteousness, but there was no spring in their step, proving that just walking and talking is not enough for our Lord. To be a complete example internally and externally, you have feel the joy, fear the Lord and openly give him the glory. When the newness of their salvation wore off, they lost their mojo. Jesus is telling them that mindless routines in our Christian walk with lead to complacency and compromise. If we religiously tread water instead of swimming with gusto, we will eventually damage ourselves and our Lord. Blind lethargy is what shakes out when Smyrna is evaluated by God. Jesus does not count your appearances in church or the number of time you pray. He is all about quality, not quantity. One prayer from the heart will always trump 10 prayers born of habit.

Ephesus lost its mojo, and Smyrna was headed for more suffering and slander. Back then Jesus was teaching and prophesying to all of the believers in the early church. My personal opinion is that all seven of these churches received distinctive exhortations by God for more than one reason. Jesus knew that they were just as apropo then as now. Every believer past, present and future needs this divine medicine. It is apparent that everything told to these 7 churches was to provide insight for the ages. John says, that he saw the "seven golden lamp-stands" surrounding our Lord, "even as he sat on his throne." What a privileged sight to behold!!

If you don't have anything in common with these early churches, you have missed the point...Believe me, God was talking to all the believers then, as well as all believers to follow over the centuries. It includes all the believers suffering in Iraq, it includes all those believers slaughtered in Nigeria, it includes all the believers in war torn Ukraine, and it includes every military believer around the globe, who must wonder when all the bloodshed will end. It includes the rich, the poor, the homeless, the persecuted, the slandered, and those being ridiculed each day for their faith. I guarantee that Jesus sees not only what you are doing on the outside, but knows the truth of every motive, feeling and emotion on the inside. He knew that that the believers of Ephesus had lost their mojo, just like he knows each of us at a level we cannot comprehend, and he promises that if you persevere and remain faithful, you will not feel the sting of death. Below is a synopsis of each of these Roman churches that date back to 300-400 AD.

1. Ephesus – The desirable church that left its first love (Revelation 2:1-7). Ephesus was the influential capital city of Asia Minor on the Aegean Sea. Ephesus is now known for its huge metropolis of ancient streets, arches and ruins.
2. Smyrna – The persecuted church that suffered poverty and martyrdom (Revelation 2:8-11). Smyrna was located north of Ephesus in a powerful trading position on the Aegean Sea known for its harbors, commerce, and marketplaces. The primary ruins of Smyrna are located in the modern Turkish city of Izmir.
3. Pergamum – The worldly church that mixed doctrines and needed to repent (Rev 2:12-17). Pergamum is located on the plains and foothills along the Caicus River in Western Turkey. It was considered a major city in Asia Minor since the 3rd century BC, and became a Greek and Roman hub for temple worship.
4. Thyatira – The false church that followed a seductive prophetess (Rev 2:18-29). Thyatira is located in western Asia Minor about 42 miles inland from the Aegean Sea. The ancient city was known for its textiles and dyeing trade, and is now known as the Turkish city of Akhisar.
5. Sardis – The "dead" church that fell asleep (Revelation 3:1-6). Sardis is located on the banks of the Pactolus River in western Asia Minor, 60 miles inland from Ephesus and Smyrna. Popular ruins include the decadent temples and bath house complexes.
6. Philadelphia – The church of brotherly love that endures patiently (Revelation 3:7-13). Philadelphia is located on the Cogamis River in western Asia Minor, about 80 miles east of Smyrna. Philadelphia was known for its variety of temples and worship centers.
7. Laodicea – The "lukewarm" church with a faith that’s neither hot nor cold (Rev 3:14-22). Laodicea is located in the Lycus River Valley of western Asia Minor, a primary trade route between the cultures of the West and East. Laodicea was known as a primary hub for the Roman aqueduct system.

Next up will be the church at Pergamum. This is the church that accepted the "Nicolaitans" and allowed them to infiltrate their congregation of believers. You might call this the first unitarian or universal church, because they shared the beliefs of all religions.

May we learn that our walk on God's path not only needs discipline, strength and endurance for all of the challenges ahead, but that it must remain fresh with plenty of enthusiasm, joy and happiness. You know if you are on the path he has laid out for you, but only God and you know what really going on inside. The world will know if in addition to what you say, you remain enthusiastic when you are persecuted, full of joy because you are never alone, and happy knowing that you will pass from this world to the next in the blink of an eye.


The Digital Disciple

1. 1. Ephesus – The desirable church that left its first love (Revelation 2:1-7). Ephesus was the influential capital city of Asia Minor on the Aegean Sea. Ephesus is now known for its huge metropolis of ancient streets, arches and ruins.
2. 2. Smyrna – The persecuted church that suffered poverty and martyrdom (Revelation 2:8-11). Smyrna was located north of Ephesus in a powerful trading position on the Aegean Sea known for its harbors, commerce, and marketplaces. The primary ruins of Smyrna are located in the modern Turkish city of Izmir.
3. 3. Pergamum – The worldly church that mixed doctrines and needed to repent (Rev 2:12-17). Pergamum is located on the plains and foothills along the Caicus River in Western Turkey. It was considered a major city in Asia Minor since the 3rd century BC, and became a Greek and Roman hub for temple worship.
4. 4. Thyatira – The false church that followed a seductive prophetess (Rev 2:18-29). Thyatira is located in western Asia Minor about 42 miles inland from the Aegean Sea. The ancient city was known for its textiles and dyeing trade, and is now known as the Turkish city of Akhisar.
5. 5. Sardis – The "dead" church that fell asleep (Revelation 3:1-6). Sardis is located on the banks of the Pactolus River in western Asia Minor, 60 miles inland from Ephesus and Smyrna. Popular ruins include the decadent temples and bath house complexes.
6. 6. Philadelphia – The church of brotherly love that endures patiently (Revelation 3:7-13). Philadelphia is located on the Cogamis River in western Asia Minor, about 80 miles east of Smyrna. Philadelphia was known for its variety of temples and worship centers.
7. 7. Laodicea – The "lukewarm" church with a faith that’s neither hot nor cold (Rev 3:14-22). Laodicea is located in the Lycus River Valley of western Asia Minor, a primary trade route between the cultures of the West and East. Laodicea was known as a primary hub for the Roman aqueduct system.

VIEW ON INCREMENTAL EVIL

Incrementalism is the single best arrow in Satan's quiver...It is a subtle approach to change masked as a genuinely positive, and since it always comes in slow, bite size chunks over time, you do not even feel that you have been deceived until too late. The Latin word, "increscere" means simply to to increase, but the rest of the word holds the key to understanding the true meaning and ultimate usage, and that is, "mental." In Latin it's "mentum" for singular or "menta" for plural. You may have heard this phrase used in many courtrooms by lawyers, "non compos mentis." It means not of sound mind or insane." Now take this knowledge and apply "insanity or non compos mentis" or incrementalism to a few examples such as:

1. political changes
2. biblical changes
3. minority changes
4. majority changes
5. belief changes
6. value changes

"Change" has been the mantra of new generations for centuries. Almost all change appears to be logical and rational on the surface. It's when you understand that often, just below the surface there are many less obvious agendas at work. For example, moral boundaries in this decade have been stretched beyond recognition. How do you change the moral fiber of a 300 year old country? One small, bite size chunk at a time, so that no one in their right mind could be against, like feeding the hungry, caring for children, and assisting the old. All of these are fundamental concepts are found in our Bibles today. We are told to care for all those in need out of all that we produce. Meals on wheels, no child left behind, Social Security, and Medicare all were all positive social changes at the beginning with the best of intentions, at least most of the time.

Remember the days when if you had a problem you settled it between the two parties. No lawyer, no courtroom and no arbitration was ever needed, just plain old, common sense. In the OT, Moses said, "An eye for an eye." It was a simple, but perfect metaphor and justly expedient. Today, it's no longer justice being pursued, because of a conflagration of laws, both new and old, have been torturously manipulated, so that we can't tell the victim from the criminal. Consider these examples of manipulation below. The all started out on a righteous path before men made their changes over time.

1. The Word of God has been translated, decoded,  and deciphered by all mankind over the centuries, relegating it to an excuse for division, strife and hatred, none of which was ever intended by the authors. It started out in small pieces over time. Each book and/or letter was carefully crafted just like the Book of Revelation by John of Patmos. Jesus told John exactly what to write, so that the future would no longer be an enigma to believers, and it was meant to be understood by all. The Bible was never meant to cause wars, damage nations or be the subject of man's dissection and interpretation, and yet for the last 2000 years we have never stopped our ridiculous machinations. So the book itself, started with inspiration and best of the best of intentions by the writers. Regardless that holy book became the worst possible justification to slaughter, starve and altogether disrespect by color, country and creed. To this day, mankind uses it to justify sinful acts everywhere in this world. Part of its eternal beauty is that it was meant to bind us together, not sacrilegiously used to rip us apart.
2. Dr. Martin Luther King was a Pastor and Christian first, while remaining a staunch supporter of civil rights and civil disobedience. He has been gone now for 46 years. If you actually read, "I Have a Dream," you will understand that nowhere in this remarkable speech from 1968 did he mention the use of force, rioting, or killing. He was careful to spell out in detail how his dream could be accomplished by establishing all us as equals, not only in the sight of God, but also in our everyday lives and in every community. Not only did he give this speech in our nation's capitol, but it has been recorded for posterity as the most important speech of the 20th century. Dr. King wanted to bring people together, not separate them. He wanted every color to play, work and raise their families together without fear and without prejudice. Like our Bible, Dr. King's speech has been ripped apart, misinterpreted and misrepresented for 46 years. It was the right time. It contained the right words. It was the right speaker, and yet at this point in time it continues to be abused for the cause of racism. Slowly, but surely his words have been twisted and turned to meet someone's desire to fuel the fire of discord, strangling the minds and lives of many.
3. The Founding Father's of our country gave us, The Declaration of Independence," and the US Constitution. Many of us have never read these documents much less studied them for their own edification. I watched Jay Leno one night when he had his reporter asking questions to people in LA. With microphone in hand, he asked the crowd what they knew about these two historical documents. Half had heard of them, but couldn't remember anything of substance about them. The other half never heard of these historical documents. Just like one and two above, the passage of time and the short-term memory of mankind has diminished, distorted, and all but destroyed the original intentions of the writers, one bite sized chunk at a time. "We the people" has been slowly transformed into we the government right before out very eyes. Today our principles of governing have morphed from values founded in our country's history and a genuine love of God, to an ever growing octopus of confusion, collusion and conflict. There are so many tentacles and moving parts of the ungodly leviathan we have made, we don't even recognize any branch of the US Government anymore. The historically impartial Dept of Justice has now become politicized, polarized and paralyzed. Legality based on the laws of our land has, slowly but surely, been eroded, and now jurisprudence everywhere makes it up as they go along. If they don't like it, they ignore it or change it on their own. Our congress is so corrupt, so arrogant, and so not interested in serving, "We the people," it forces you into denial, because you can't believe that would would stoop so low. And finally the President of "change" has done anything but make genuine change with the country's best interest in mind. His job has been politicized and publicized to the point that right and wrong, good and bad, and any other boundary by our laws are all virtually extinct. 

Currently I am knee deep in the book of Revelation. I am on my second complete reading, because it's difficult to comprehend the truth of John's visions. The examples above have been predicted in the Book of Revelation. Not only am I trying to determine what God said about the days, weeks and years leading up to Judgement Day, but I am attempting to understand the verbal images of the end of the world as we know it. The opinions about this book could wallpaper the world; however, I do not believe that God was being purposely esoteric, so the answers are there. They just require more digging and more praying than any other book in the Bible. 

"We the people" of God are participating in this nefarious incrementalism every day. For example, look hard at the time you spend with God. Chances are that over time, you have done what most of us do. You short-change God and your soul for something more important, and it seems to have a good, rational reason. Really our logical minds have replaced what is supremely important, and made something less important than God become more important than something going on in your life right now. Satan smiles every time we sacrifice the health and happiness of our soul for something that produces immediate results, gratification or satisfaction. 

One thing about the mystery of Revelation, that is unmistakable. Our God wants all mankind in heaven with him. Clearly, even after the rapture, everyone will have the choice to believe in God or not... I remain fascinated by his long-suffering and magnanimous grace over centuries of being maliciously maligned, denigrated, disparaged and vilified, by every nation on earth, including his "chosen." 

There are many reasons I believe in God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Certainly I can see the mountains, the rivers, the trees, the flowers, the sunlight, and feel the wind. He makes himself known to every one of our senses, if we just allow him to do so. I see the animals, the insects, the birds, and the fish; each with a purpose in a God created eco-system created to sustain all life and waste nothing. But most of all his love is truly beyond compare. After all these years of our sin and disbelief, he still cares. After killing his planet, his lakes, his streams and his wildlife, he still cares. After all the arrogance, the stealing, the manipulating, the killing, the idolatry, the gluttony and the swearing, he still cares. I could go on, but hopefully you get the point. Finally, the Book of Revelation is explicit about the fact that you can call on and stand up for God at any time and in any place place. So if you do not believe today, and you don't believe tomorrow, please understand that you will get a last chance to repent and believe with your whole heart. He did it in Golgotha for the thief on the cross next to him, and he can do it for you. It's always been that way, and will continue to the end.


The Digital Disciple