Reading Revelation Chapter 3 Philadelphia

 

< Sardis

7 This message is for the divine emissary to Philadelphia, the guardian of the apostolic elder, of the gathering called together at Philadelphia. You are one of those stars which I hold in my right hand. These prophetic words addressed to you are the words of the holy one, the true one. I am the one who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. Receive this message and use it to strengthen the light of your menorah. 

8 I know all that you do for me, and, as a result, I have set before you an open door, for your continuing witness and service to me, which no one is able to shut. No one and no power will be able to diminish your testimony when you are called upon to testify to the truth of the Good News of Israel and Her forgiveness through me. I know that you have but little power. You will not need more than this. Having only a little power, you have keep my word and have never denied my name.

9 I know you are harassed by those who attempt to demonize you, certain non-Jews pretending to be Jews, who are not and never were Jews*. Their synagogue is not the synagogue of Moses but of Satan.  Though they continue to harass you, they will not be able to diminish your testimony. They think that they can replace you, to take your place in my heart. I will make them stand before you and lower their heads and acknowledge that Jerusalem is my bride and not the nations, and you are my witnesses. In the end they will learn that I have loved you and chosen you.

10 You listened and understood and did as I taught, about waiting for me to come to you again, and have anticipated my coming every day, patiently enduring all things until I come. Because of this, you will be prepared when the hour of trial comes, which is coming upon the whole world. And I will be standing with you to support you. Not being conformed to the world, but transformed by the renewing of your minds, when the great trial turns the world, all the nations upon the earth, inside out and upside down, your life will remain stable.

11 It may seem that you have waited long, but, in truth, I am coming soon. In the end, it will seem that it is like no time has passed at all. So, hold on to everything you have accomplished. Do not let those who are jealous of you, who want to take your place, try to take the royal crown of my anointed faith off of you. For it is with the spirit of my faith that God has anointed your head.

12 The one who overcomes their unbelief and obeys what the Spirit says I will make a pillar of strength belonging to the Temple of my God. They will remain in the very Presence of God and will not ever have to leave it to descend to lesser realms.  I will write the name of my God upon them, for they will belong to Him. And I will write the name of the city of my God, the New Jerusalem, upon them, for they shall belong to Her.  She will come down from heaven and I will be with Her. And I will write my own name upon them, for their identity will be that they belong to me.

13 You who hear this message from the Spirit know who you are.  Listen carefully to what the Spirit says to each of the assemblies. Not everyone who counts themselves a member of an assembly, or does works in my name, hears and believes what the Spirit says.

The Text

7  “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.

8  “‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

9  Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.

10  Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.

11  I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.

12  The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.

13  Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.

Laodicia  >

Reading Revelation Chapter 3 Sardis

 < Thyatira

1 This message is for the divine emissary to Sardis, the guardian of the apostolic elder, of the gathering called together at Sardis. You are one of those stars which I hold in my right hand. I am he who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars in order to light the golden menorahs . These are my words to you. Receive this message and use it to strengthen the light of your menorah.

I know what you do. You are known by others for being a living assembly. But it is a false appearance that you are projecting. In truth, you are not a living assembly but one that is without any life at all. You are not regenerating. You are degenerating. 

2 Wake up and face the truth of your condition! You have a little life left in you, but it is almost gone. Strengthen the ember of life that remains in you, by returning to the Good News of my prayer and sacrifice for my people, which first brought you life. For,  I have not found the things you do to be wholesome before my God, and Father, nor to be moved by the grace of my God. Indeed, those things which you do which lead to death and not to life are moved by the inspiration of another god.

3 Remember, then, the Good News of Israel and Her Messiah that penetrated your heart and conscience, which you heard in the first instant of your regeneration, but which was lost in the self-centredness of your own understanding. Remember the first moment you believed how I came to my own people and how I prayed for their forgiveness with my whole soul, when they did not receive me and how my God forgave them in answer to my prayer, showing this by raising me form the dead. Remember the moment you believed this and keep it foremost in your mind and life. Live your lives in this faith.  Let everything you do be motivated by this Good News. If you will not wake up again to this Gospel, when I come it will be to you like the coming of a thief, and you will not be prepared for my coming. It will be like judgment to you and not salvation.

4 Yet you still have a small gathering of people in Sardis whom, like Joshua the High Priest, I do not see standing in filthy garments, for they are covered by my atonement, and they will walk together with me in robes of white linen. They are justified by their faith and they are worthy. But those who do not return to their faith at the moment they came to hope in me, and live their lives in that faith, will find it a trial when I come, and it will be proven then whether their faith was true in the beginning, or only an appearance.

5 Everyone who overcomes their unbelief and obeys what the Spirit says will be clothed in white linen robes, just like the Temple priests. I will not remove the space that is set for their name in the book of life. Instead, I will claim them by name as my own before my Father and rejoice in them before his angels.

6 You who hear this message from the Spirit know who you are.  Listen carefully to all that the Spirit says to the assemblies. Not everyone who counts themselves a member of an assembly, or does works in my name, hears, believes and obeys what the Spirit says.

The Text ESV adapted

1  “And to the angel of the assembly in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. “‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

2  Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.

3  Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.

4  Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.

5  The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.

6  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.’

Philadelphia >

Reading Revelation Chapter 2 Thyatira

 < Pergamum

18  “And to the angel of the assembly at Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.

Extended reading of verse 18:

This message is for the emissary, the apostolic priest, of the gathering called together at Thyatira. You are that star whom I, the son of Adam, the son of God, look upon, with eyes like flames of fire.  I hold you in my right hand together with the other stars in order to light with you the golden menorahs among which I walk with feet like burnished bronze. These are my words to you. Receive this message and use it to strengthen the light of your menorah.

19  “‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.

Extended reading of verse 19:

I have observed you conduct and have watched your spiritual growth. You are an assembly not only outwardly but inwardly, in love and faith and in support of one another in patient endurance. As a result you produce more spiritual fruit now than you did at the beginning. This should not give you confidence that there is nothing wrong.

20  But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

Extended reading of verse 20:

There is this in which I will correct you: You fail to reveal the false messianic spirit of the woman calling herself Jezebel. She calls herself a prophetess, but like Jezebel, her namesake, she is the enemy of the prophets of God. By her teaching she leads my servants away from the truth. She is one with the Bilaamites and causes my servants to fall into sexual immorality and partaking of the food rituals of idolatry.

"Tolerate" - Fail to expose the false messianic spirit... as in 1 Jn. 4:1-4

21  I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.

Extended reading of verse 21:

 I gave her an extended opportunity to repent, but she rejected my gentle kindness and grace. She holds onto the error of her spirit and of her misguided ideas and teachings, which would turn my grace into a licence to sin. In this spirit, she flaunts her sexual immorality.

22  Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works,

Extended reading of verse 22:

Listen carefully! I will bring severe illness upon her and she be unable to rise! And anyone involved in any form of her adultery with her will find themselves in severe tribulation. As your Shepherd, I must do this. This is your final warning. Since you have not revealed to everyone the destructive Bilaamite spirit controlling this Jezebel, I myself will do this. There will be a great division within your congregation.

23  and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.

Extended reading of verse 23:

For I will strike her children dead, those not born from my spirit but born from the deceiving spirit to which she was wed. They will lose their religion and no longer steal spiritual life from my name. All the assemblies will see this and will be convinced that I am gracious and merciful and a great protector of those whom God has given to me. For I see the intents of the mind and know the heart of everyone. I will lead each of you to the place for which the work you have done has prepared you.

24  But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden.

Extended reading of verse 24:

Not everyone in Thyatira has listened to or learned this false teaching that, like the serpent, claims to find a hidden wisdom in sin, the hidden wisdom of Satan, claiming this to be in service of God.  To you in Thyatira who have not listened to this spirit, it is enough that you have not.

25  Only hold fast what you have until I come.

Extended reading of verse 25:

Only you must hold fast what you have. The serpent continued right from the beginning, from generation to generation, teaching its lie. Do not believe every spirit.  Hold fast the love and faith and fellowship in endurance that you have until I come. Stay firmly on the path that you are on to spiritual maturity, until I come and stand before you, and am with you face to face.

26  The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations,

Extended reading of verse 26:

The one who conquers the natural inclination to lean to their own understanding, to be open to any spirit, and to rationalize a lie and live as if they had no God, who, as a result, follows my footsteps upon my path, to do those things that I do, to that person I will give great authority in the future. That person will have learned how to rule over herself or himself and will be able to shepherd others who have not yet learned to do so. Such people will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in the Land of Israel. Therefore I will give them authority over the nations.

27  and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father.

Extended reading of verse 27

My witnesses will rule the nations without compromise with sin. Their rod of correction will be unbreakable, like a rod of iron. It will break lies and sins in pieces, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces. This is the authority I will give them, to do this. For this is the authority that I have received from my Father, when he sent me to the tribes of Israel, that through their salvation the world might be saved.

28  And I will give him the morning star.

Extended reading of verse 28: 

And I will give to my witnesses the star of the dawn of the new creation. For they shall be one assembly in Jerusalem, with one angel. Their light shall prepare all people for their final transformation into the eternal creation, where there is neither corruption nor mortality.

29  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.’

Extended reading of verse 29:

You who hear this message from the Spirit know who you are.  Listen carefully to what the Spirit says to each of the assemblies. Not everyone who counts themselves a member of an assembly, or does works in my name, hears and believes what the Spirit says. Therefore listen carefully to what the Spirit says to the assemblies.

Sardis >

Reading Revelation Chapter 2: Pergamum

 

< Smyrna

This message is for the emissary, the apostolic priest, of the gathering called together at Pergamum. You are that star whom I hold in my right hand together with the others, to light the golden menorahs* among which I walk.  These are my words to you, which come like a sharp two-edged sword. Receive this message and use it to strengthen the light of your menorah.

You live in the very place where the adversary tries to claim for himself. I know this place well. You have not allowed this to lessen your faith or your courage. You have stood firm in your confession of my name and of my faith in my Father. You were the ones who took action to testify to my faith, when one of yours, Antipas, was martyred because he spoke for you on my behalf.

Still, there is something that remains undone. You did not eradicate all of those who were found among you, who you, together with Antipas, stood up against, those who spoke cunningly like Balaam did, when he taught Balak, to attempt to compromise the children of Israel by becoming false, carnal converts, to lead them into idolatry and immorality. This is the teaching that seeks to corrupt and distort the identity of Israel.

This Balaamite advice from the adversary to those who live roundabout, that they should create false, carnal converts to join themselves to the Messianic gathering of the exiles of Israel, is aligned with the teaching of the Nicolaitans, which is that individuals should strive to become spiritual elites and that such elites should be the masters of those who have not reached their heights. You have failed to remove all such Nicolaitans from among you, as well.

Do not give up! Turn yourselves around and reapply yourselves to finish your testimony. Prepare for the bright and shining witness to which you have been called and which you can give! If you do not do this, if you do not finish this work yourself, I will come and do this for you. The sword of my mouth will become a weapon against them who tell lies on your left and on your right. This work will be done. It will be easier for you if you are the ones to do it.

You who hear this message from the Spirit know who you are.  Listen carefully to what the Spirit says to each of the assemblies. Not everyone who counts themselves a member of an assembly, or does works in my name, hears and believes what the Spirit says. The one who overcomes their unbelief and obeys what the Spirit says will eat with me of the hidden manna that remains in heaven. And when they eat with me of that manna, I will give them a white stone with a name inscribed upon it that is shared only between them and me.

Thyatira >

Reading Revelation Chapter 2: Smyrna

 

< Ephesus

Reading Revelation Chapter 2: Smyrna

This message is for the emissary, the apostolic priest, of the gathering called together at Smyrna*. This emissary is the star whom I hold in my right hand together with the others, to light the seven lamps in the golden menorahs* among which I walk.  Receive this message, and this whole revelation, and use it to light and to strengthen the light of your menorah.

The words being entrusted to the star of Smyrna are the words of the one who is the first, who gave existence and being to the first corporate human, and the one who also himself became the last corporate human being.

I know what trials and troubles you have endured and how poor you are in the world, though you are spiritually rich. I know the attempts to demonize you by certain people pretending to be Jews*, who are not members of the synagogue of Moses but of Satan.

You have experienced trials. You have still more trials to experience before your faith is settled and matured and your witness is ready to be given to the world. Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I will warn you ahead of time. The devil is soon going to take some of you captive. It will only be for a short, precisely measured period of time. Ten days. But ten days may seem like a lifetime in prison to some of you, unless you are prepared and your faith is strong. In fact, some of you will die for your faith. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

You who hear this message from the Spirit know who you are.  Listen carefully to what the Spirit says to each of the assemblies. Not everyone who counts themselves a member of an assembly, or does works in my name, hears and believes what the Spirit says. The one who overcomes their unbelief and obeys what the Spirit says will arise justified in the resurrection. They will not be sentenced to be experience the second death.

---

*what you are about to suffer -  Correction is still needed in Smyrna. There is still a need for them to be tested. The devil will be allowed to take them captive for a short, precisely measured period of time. The context suggests that this will be through the demonization levelled at them by those who have come pretending to be Jews. Here, however, there is no rebuke, which means the correction is of a nature of the natural correction of the immature, the unsettled in faith. The Scripture has taught us about this type of trial in the trials of Job.

There is a relationship between the message to the star of Ephesus and the message to the star of Smyrna. In Smyrna there is devotion, love, but a need to gently admonish not to fear. In Ephesus there is no fear of the adversaries but there is the need to strongly admonish to rediscover the lost love of the young. When these characteristics are corrected, the virtue that is produced will derive from the divine attribute that for which each of the two assemblies is to be a witness. Ephesus is to be a witness, when it has repented and become again a Baal Teshuva, of the divine attribute of Chessed. And Smyrna is to be witness, when it has matured and become settled in its faith, overcoming fear, of the divine attribute of Gevurah.

*people pretending to be Jews - That there are people come to the assembly in Smyrna pretending to be Jews speaks to the ethnic composition of the assembly. Many gentiles were being called out from the nations to be grafted into the communion of Israel through the accomplishment of the atonement made by Yehoshua HaMashiach for Israel. This was to be a great sign of the Good News of Israel and Her Messiah. The unique calling of the apostle Paul was to serve the purpose of the fulfillment of this sign. As we read in Romans 15:8-12

8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, 

so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed 

9 and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. 

As it is written:

“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles;
    I will sing the praises of your name.”

10 Again, it says,

“Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”

11 And again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;
    let all the peoples extol him.”

12 And again, Isaiah says,

“The Root of Jesse will spring up,
    one who will arise to rule over the nations;
    in him the Gentiles will hope.”

Were it not that the majority of the assembly at Smyrna were Gentiles called out for this purpose, to be the witnesses of the beginning of the power of the resurrection of Yehoshua HaMashiach, had a majority instead been Jews, then it would not have been of any real significance that people came t them pretending to be Jews. However, because the majority were Gentiles they sought for a greater number of Jews coming to them with a prophetic spirit, to instruct them in the Torah and the Scriptures, as had Paul, to enable them to fulfill their calling and testimony and witness to Yehoshua HaMashiach and the power of his resurrection in rejoicing with the Jews. Instead, these people who were only pretending to be Jews came to them, demonizing them and attempting to take authority over them in the service of Satan. They were not Israel but individuals beginning an historical movement that would attempt to replace Israel. Nevertheless, the message to be given to the star of Smyrna for the assembly is a message of hope. The Spirit of Mashiach himself tells them that he has hope for them. They will prevail. Their testimony will be a worthy testimony to the power and strength of his resurrection. And this hope suggests hope for the assembly of Ephesus also, that they will return to the great love that motivated them in all their works at the beginning, and that Ephesus also will become a faithful and true witness, according to their calling to testify to the grace and lovingkindness of the God who chose Israel. For these two testimonies must come together, and in order for the one to shine brightly and illuminate the world the other must also.

Pergamum >

Reading Revelation Chapter 2: Ephesus

 

< Revelation 22

The Message for the Star of Ephesus

This message is for the emissary, the apostolic priest, of the gathering called together at Ephesus*. Deliver this message to that star of Ephesus, whom I hold in my right hand together with the others, to light the golden menorahs* among which I walk. Receive this message and use it to strengthen the light of your menorah.

This is the word of fire and light for your menorah. I am aware of what you have accomplished and the traumas you have suffered and how you have endured while suffering a long time. You have never compromised with evil and have continued testing the spirits of all who claim to have authority, for example, those who call themselves apostles, and you have exposed those who were liars, who, in fact, only pretended to have authority. 

I do not criticize your patience nor take away from the greatness of your efforts to bring honour to my name, yet you have been doing all of this without love. At the beginning you were filled with love. Remember the way you were before and recover what you have lost.

Let all you accomplish be motivated only by love, just as you did in the beginning. If you continue to be motivated in what you do in my name by motivations other than love, I will take away the inspiration from your testimony. Your menorah will be removed from you. I will no longer call you as my witness.

Yet, while you are no longer motivated by love, you are motivated by a holy hatred of evil. As I said, you hate the works of those who deceitfully attempt to assert authority over the people. This was the way of the serpent in the Garden of Eden, and such are the Nicolaitans. And I also hate their works.

You who hear this message from the Spirit know who you are.  Listen carefully to what the Spirit says to each of the assemblies. Not everyone who counts themselves a member of an assembly, or does works in my name, hears and believes what the Spirit says. To the one who overcomes their unbelief and obeys what the Spirit says I will grant permission to enter the Garden of God and eat from the Tree of Life. 

_______________________

*at Ephesus - the ἐκκλησίας , the assemblies, are the gathering together in certain places, here in seven places, of the exiled people of Israel, whether from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin or from the tribes lost with Ephraim, or of any goyim , (gentiles), called out from the nations to be gathered in together with the children of Israel through the Good News of Israel and Her Messiah, which was preached by Peter and by Paul and by all the apostles.

*menorahs - the λυχνιῶν, the menorahs, are the bearers of the light of the Good News of Israel and Her Messiah. There is a star, an emissary, called to spark, to light and tend the light of each of the menorahs, that is to say, the testimony of each of the assemblies.

 Smyrna >