BOOK OF REVELATION: CHURCH AT THYATIRA

We have just competed a review of sorts for the first three Christian churches spoken to directly by Jesus himself. In each case he compliments and even praises the good, but exposes each of their soft underbellies of sin. These first 3 churches were port cities that Rome depended on for shipping and receiving everything from captured slaves to fabrics, dyes, leather and steel for weapons. Each of them brought prosperity in their own way. The world had global commerce even then..

Further inland in modern day Turkey were the last four churches, from north to south, as follows:

1. Thyatira
2. Sardis
3. Philadelphia
4. Laodecia

Thyatira was unique not only because of their thriving early church, but also because they processed the imports from the port cities discussed above. They took the dyes, especially purple, and produced colored fabrics to be made into clothing. They took the leather and made belts, sheaths, boots and anything else you can imagine. All of the remaining 4 churches were part of

Roman ingenuity and planning that brought raw materials from any where in the known world, and then processed it into finished goods ready to be sold. 

Their Christian church had many superlatives, and Jesus even called their work, "impressive."

1. They had the LOVE.
2. They had the FAITH.
3. They had the SERVICE.
4. They had the PERSISTENCE.

Lastly, they improved on these everyday. However, all of these attributes were void of the main ingredient. According to Jesus this chuch had an exemplary Christian exterior presented to the world, but there were no roots on the inside from a contrite heart, fear of God or repentance. Their underbelly was and is EXPOSED to Jesus every minute of every day, just like ours. The exterior meant little to our Lord, if the foundation of their Christianity was not genuine on the inside. Please listen to these words because they are an indictment to me, as much as you! At the end of each church Jesus writes: "Are Your Ears Awake!" 

Often in life, were can hear things, but never really pay attention, just ask my wife. During any football game on a Sunday afternoon, I generally watch at least the 1st half...Susan often talks to me from the kitchen. I can here it, but I am not paying attention to her, I am focused on the game. Consciously or subconsciously men and women, "turn a deaf ear" and are only truly AWAKE to the sounds of football. Jesus receives the same deaf ear and lack of attention from us. He talks, and it goes in one ear and out the other, while we pay attention to what really has our full attention, like Balaam, Jezebel and the Nicolaitans in their day. Our God given tympanic membrane (ear drum), when vibrated by any sound, including speech, sends the signal to the inner ear, where it is interpolated and sent to the brain. When we are not listening to Jesus, just like my wife, it goes in my ear, but never makes it to my brain, because my brain is otherwise occupied. Jesus is relegated to vying for time within our brain everyday, but fortunately God's grace is sufficient.

So the question for us is, why do we not hear when Jesus speaks? We have discussed the analogous distractions above and in prior posts, but how are they related directly to those Christians in 96 AD. Those examples on their own don't mean to the average Christian today, except once in a great while my parents or grandparents would call someone a "Jezebel." Interesting that the stigma of that name still has meaning today. So the question remains, why do we not hear? (As an aside, what also scares me is the fact that many of us in 2014 don't really SEE or FEEL much either.) The answer is focus...Your focus, just like mine remains on those things we deem vital to us right now, in this life and on this earth. They are FIRST. Until your focus changes and makes God first, you have little to no chance of hearing what is in God's Word, whether your read it, study it or even memorize it. You also have little chance to hear your own conscience or your heart with all the noise in our lives. It's there, but even, "the still, small voice," gets muffled.

Thyratira was a bustling city. Jobs were plentiful and life was good. The church for all intents was a model of Christianity, because even Jesus recognized it from Heaven. So what's wrong with this beautiful and loving church? Ever hear of an X-ray? It's a high powered jet stream of gamma radiation that can literally see through your skin, flesh and blood to see what's inside! If you have a broken bone, an X-ray will enable a doctor to see the damage, because it cannot be seen with the naked eye unless you are Superman. Come to think of it, Superman is a good analogy, because he had X-ray Vision. He could see through walls and pretty much anything else. Now take your vision and add X-ray capability to your eyes, you get a weak approximation of how our Lord looks at everyone of us, every day. The inner workings of your soul are visible to him, just like the X-ray. If you are laying down watching TV or sleeping, he would see your perfect, but lazy self on the couch from the inside first. Now this is deep, so "hear" me when I tell you that Jesus does not rely on what's happening on your outside, including all of the good you have done for the church, for the widowed and for orphans or strangers. He died for what is on the inside of the people of God, the inside! Our souls cannot be white on the outside and black on the inside. That is where it counts NOW, wherever you live, wherever you work, and wherever you sin. Jezebel sinned by adultery and teaching free love. She caused early Christians to fail Jesus by teaching them, as their "prophetess" that they can defile themselves in the world of unmarried sex, without consequence . We thought free love was invented in the 60's...Not so, it's been around for thousands of years. 

The Nicolaitans took it one evil step further, by adding non-Christian doctrine and new idols of worship into saved people's belief system. Underneath Thyatira's beautiful, safe and discreet religious umbrella, sin slowly crept in, one small toleration at a time. Once you try on sin and have no immediate repercussion, it begins to feel good; and then you rationalize it to make it legitimate in your own mind. Having been there myself, you may not give up your salvation, but you certainly become tainted in the eyes of God and worthless in the fight against evil in this world, including the winning of the hearts and souls of others. The GRACE of our God is the only thing keeping you or anyone from immediate consequences; however, without repentance, it will come soon and so will He.

My surgery is next week, so I will be down until around Thanksgiving. FOCUS on Jesus and STOP rationalizing evil. Make God more important in your life than the TV, the computer or the book. It is the only way to break the cycle of sin that Satan deftly slides into your world. 


The Digital Disciple

BOOK OF REVELATION: CHURCH AT PERGAMOS

                                          MEANT TO BE READ OUT LOUD      
Interestingly I started this post several weeks ago; however, it had vanished when I opened it up today to continue. I had several paragraphs completed and was ready to finish it, but I had to start over. During this last week I found some new resources devoted to the Book of Revelation, that are frankly incredible. These important books will become a big part of my future research. They are filled with amazing clarity from two different men whose vast knowledge and unique interpretation of every key word provides an additional level of knowledge, so that conclusions drawn can be more accurate. Clarity is always in the eye of the beholder, but intellectually honest translation with no hidden agenda is rare. Not only do they provide an educated opinion of their own, but they also provide the historical context. From my vantage point, their views are didactic and filled with deep expository accuracy. The actual words of our God, in the Word of God, provide not only an amazingly powerful tool, but also insight into what our Lord has on his mind. In fact, in Revelation the Word of God is pictured as a two-edge sword.

                                     THE WORD OF GOD IS LIKE A TWO-EDGED SWORD

This was the most popular sword in the world at that time, because it was strong, sharp and symmetrically steady. In John's lifetime, this Roman sword was superior to all others. No matter the parry or thrust, this weapon could quickly cut left and then right, slash from any angle or lethally stab. It could be wielded with reckless abandon or precisely guided for maximum damage. This same sword could save or protect it's owner from certain death. John saw this two-edged sword coming out of the mouth of our Lord. Whether that vision was being described as an analogy or a literal divine sword, you come away knowing the Word of God's absolute power and infinite protection, physically, emotionally or spiritually. 

Today we have two-thousand years of sword making history, but even the infamous samurai sword not as sharp the pointed "V" at the tip of the sword that resembles a dual-edged scalpel today. I bring this up because despite the Word of God's power to cut, slash, or thrust, it could also be used as a scalpel to meticulously penetrate any individual heart or soul. By the way, this spiritual surgery can cut on the way in and cauterize on the way out, while simultaneously providing comfort to the weary, strength to the weak, shelter for the fallen and salvation to the lost.

                                     EVERY PAGE IS POWERED BY GOD      
Revelation 2:12, written to those in Pergamos begins with the reminder from the Angel to John, that the words of Jesus flow out of his mouth like a sword from its scabbard, and that what follows must be presented to the Pergamos church perfectly as directed. There is a lesson here for all of us... Each word from God is powerful and protective. Each word can cut out your sin, whether past, present or future, healing you as He molds you according to his divine plan not only your responsibilities in this life, but also the next.

The best example I can think of is my pending surgery. I will be having my left hip replaced at the end of the month. My surgeon with a set of scalpels will pierce deep to excise the damaged joint, just like the Word of God repairing your soul. Both can mend the problem, but leave a scar. I will carry this scar permanently, and it will remind me what had to be done for me to walk again. God will leave a scar in your conscience to remind you what had to be done for you to walk with Him again.

                                                                                        GOD KNOWS WHERE YOU LIVE
Jesus said, "I see where you live, and I know what you do for a living." Unfortunately, it is right under Satan's throne. These true believers were holding on boldly to the name of Jesus, but allowed themselves to be right smack in the middle of the crowd that believed in Balaam, who was an "an enemy agent." He tricked Balak into throwing "unholy" parties on their pilgrimage. They also socialized with the Nicolaitans. They mixed their belief in Jesus with the doctrines of evil, right under the nose of Satan. Those believers were rendered ineffective for God, and God said, "ENOUGH!" You cannot ever take one part Jesus, one part Balaam and one part Nicolaitans and try to mix them...Take a look at your church and what is condones. Is it under the seat of Satan, making the true believers ineffective and basically useless to their God? If Satan and all that this life has to offer cannot cause you to recant, the evil one will settle for making you permanently impotent in the eyes of Jesus.

                                                                         THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO STAY THE COURSE               
If you, your church, your family, your friends and neighbors are caught up in this type of religious triangle, recognize it, admit it, and then change it. God knows that many have tried. It is NOT easy, but he promises you the "hidden manna" and a "smooth white stone" with your new name in Christ inscribed, and it's only for your eyes to see!!

Ever hear of the "hidden manna?" or the "white stone." Consider that for centuries manna fed the Hebrew nation and kept them alive, especially in the desert. If you recall, even when they got fresh manna daily for every person, some tried to steal it, some tried to hoard it and others just go so used to God feeding them, they expected it every day. In return God was never even thanked. "Hidden manna," was not for everyone, and we do not know if it was actually physical food. We know that there was a spot for it beside the altar in the inner chamber. The "Beit HaElohim,"or the House of God was a long hall, shaped like a rectangle, with the Ark of the Covenant at the rear. Entrance was only for the House of Levi at the beginning and later only Priests. It was where God actually had a presence. Special manna my not have been bread at all, in fact, I believe it has more to do with being fed spiritually, rather than physically. A special stone was used in ancient days as a gift to someone who had performed in some special way, above and beyond the call of duty. It was common for soldiers and gladiators to receive these for their victories. This stone could be any smooth stone, because the preciousness of the gift was in the engraving. Only you would be able to see and know your name in the next life, and you would be the only one to know until you entered his Kingdom.

God knows we tolerate sin in our lives. He also knows that we associate with others who believe in other gods that will eventually infect us over time. Balaam pushed the powers of lust and libation and the Nicolaitans did that too, as well as changed immutable doctrine about our Lord and Savior. When Jesus uses the word, "hate," we should stand up and take notice, without question. Too much fraternizing with the "enemies of God," can prove to be eternally fatal...If you want the hidden manna and the inscribed stone, you will gather everyone you know and love, while plotting another course.

                                                                                       
                                         THE SUPREME TWO-EDGED SWORD

God bless our continued understanding...

The Digital Disciple