THE BOOK OF REVELATION:Chapter 3

[DrFrank]

Unless you have a strong aversion to news reports,this thought must have crossed your mind recently:OH NO! THESE MUST BE THE BIBLE PREDICTED "LAST DAYS"!! Hey you sure are perceptive !!! With the firm belief that we are now entering into the Tribulation period,I am publishing a series of studies of the Book of Revelation,that difficult to understand road map that shows exactly where we are headed,using the easy to understand Contemporary English Version (CEV) Bible that has been created by the American Bible Society.I will then add insights in capitol letters which will provide explanations and historical background information for the words you have just read, which will be in agreement with leading biblical commentaries,in order to at long last make the startling predictions made in this important and fascinating book comprehensible. I will occasionally make changes in the CEV words if I detect variance from the meaning found in the King James Bible.





REVELATION 3


1This is what you must write to the angel (MINISTER) of the church in Sardis:
I have the seven spirits of God (REFERS TO THE FUNCTIONS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT)and the seven stars.(REFERS TO THE MINISTERS OF THE CHURCHES THIS BOOK ADDRESSES WHOM JESUS STATES ARE HIS ) Listen to what I say. I know what you are doing. Everyone may think you are alive, but you are dead.(SPIRITUALLY) 2. Watch! (EXAMINE YOUR SPIRITUAL CONDITION) You have only a little strength (SPIRITUAL STRENGTH ) left, and it is almost gone. I have found that you are not completely obeying God. 3. Remember the teaching that you were given and that you heard.(SALVATION THROUGH FAITH,NOT WORKS) Hold firmly to it and turn from your sins. If you don't wake up, I will come when you least expect it,(TO DELIVER DIVINE PUNISHMENT) just as a thief does. 4.A few of you in Sardis are not wearing clothes stained with sin. You will walk with me in white clothes, (WILL RECEIVE SALVATION) because you are worthy. 5. Everyone who wins the victory (OVER SIN) will wear white clothes. Their names will not be erased from the book of life, (THE RECORD OF THE NAMES OF THE SAVED) and I will tell my Father and his angels that they are my followers. 6. If you have ears, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.(SALVATION WILL BE GIVEN TO THOSE WHO MAINTAIN FAITH AND OVERCOME SIN) 7. This is what you must write to the angel (MINISTER) of the church in Philadelphia (THIS CHURCH STILL EXISTS SO SOME OF THESE REMARKS ARE RELEVANT FOR TODAY) I am the one who is holy and true, and I have the keys that belonged to David. (JESUS NOW HAS AUTHORITY OVER WHAT USED TO BE DAVID'S KINGDOM)When I open a door, no one can close it. And when I close a door, no one can open it.(JESUS HAS BEEN GIVEN TOTAL AUTHORITY BY GOD) Listen to what I say. 8 I know everything you have done. And I have placed before you an open door that no one can close.(REFERS TO THIS CHURCH'S ABILITY TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL MESSAGE) You were not very strong,(THIS WAS A SMALL CHURCH) but you obeyed my message and did not deny that you are my followers. 9. Now you will see what I will do with those people who belong to Satan's group. They claim to be Jews, but they are liars. I will make them come and kneel down at your feet. (THIS IS THOUGHT TO REFER TO WHAT WILL OCCUR DURING THE TIME OF JESUS' KINGDOM ON EARTH )Then they will know that I love you. 10. You obeyed my message and endured. So I will keep you (THROUGH THE RAPTURE) from the time of temptation (THIS WILL OCCUR IN THE LATTER PART OF THE TRIBULATION) that everyone (LEFT BEHIND) in all the world must go through. 11. I am coming soon. So hold firmly to what you have, (FAITH) so that no one will take away the crown (EVEN THE SAVED CAN LOSE THEIR SALVATION) that you will be given as your reward.12. Everyone who wins the victory (THROUGH FAITH) will be made into a pillar (THOUGHT TO REFER TO A SUPPORT POSITION) in the temple of my God, and they will stay there forever. (THEY WILL NEVER LEAVE THE PRESENCE OF GOD) I will write on each of them the name of my God and the name of His city. It is the new Jerusalem that my God will send down from heaven.(TO EARTH) I will also write on them my own new name.13 If you have ears, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.(THOSE WHO MAINTAIN A TRUE FAITH WILL BE RESCUED THROUGH THE RAPTURE AND GIVEN SIGNIFICANT SERVICE POSITIONS IN HEAVEN)14. This is what you must write to the angel (MINISTER) of the church in Laodicea: I am the one called trustworthy. I am the faithful and true witness and the beginning of God's creation. Listen to what I say. 15. I know everything you have done, and that you are not cold or hot. I wish you were either one or the other.(THOSE WHO HAVE A LUKEWARM FAITH HAVE ONLY PARTIAL BELIEFS.IN GOD'S MIND, A LUKEWARM FAITH IS A REJECTION OF HIM) 16 But since you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17. You claim to be rich and successful (THIS CHURCH BOASTED ABOUT THEIR WEALTH) and to have everything you need.(THIS CHURCH BELIEVED THAT THEIR FINANCIAL PROSPERITY WAS A SIGN OF GOD'S BLESSINGS) But you don't know how bad off you are. You are pitiful, poor,(SPIRITUALLY POOR) blind, and naked. 18 Buy your gold from me. It has been refined in a fire, and it will make you rich.( ACQUIRE THE REDEMPTION JESUS OFFERS THROUGH FAITH IN HIM) Buy white clothes (OBTAIN SPIRITUAL PURITY) from me. Wear them and you can cover up your shameful nakedness.(CAUSED BY A LACK OF FAITH AND RIGHTEOUSNESS) Buy medicine for your eyes, so that you will be able to see.(THIS CHURCH WAS SPIRITUALLY BLIND)19. I correct and punish everyone I love. (THIS BOOK MORE THAN THE OTHER NEW TESTAMENT BOOKS SHOWS THE COMPLETE AND COMPLEX NATURE OF JESUS) So make up your minds to turn away from your sins. 20 Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door.(JESUS AND THE HOLY SPIRIT WERE OUTSIDE THIS CHURCH) If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,(JESUS HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS THE DOOR,HERE HE IS REFERRING TO A HUMAN SPIRITUAL BARRIER) I will come in and I will eat with him. (NOTICE HOW JESUS HAS STOPPED GIVING INSTRUCTIONS TO THIS CHURCH AND IS NOW COMMUNICATING WITH SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS IN THE CHURCH) 21. Everyone who overcomes ( OBTAINS SALVATION) will sit with me on my throne, just as I won the victory and sat with my Father (JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD,NOT GOD) on his throne.(HERE JESUS DESCRIBES HOW HE ACTED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR US,GOING BEFORE US, MAKING A WAY FOR OUR SALVATION) 22. If you have ears, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.(JESUS CONDEMNS CHURCHES THAT ARE FILLED WITH LITTLE FAITH AND FALSE BELIEFS BUT HE OFFERS SALVATION TO INDIVIDUALS IN THOSE CHURCHES WHO REMOVE THEIR SPIRITUAL BARRIERS TO LET HIM THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT INTO THEIR LIVES)

 

[veteran]

Rev 3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith He That hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white: for they are worthy.
5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels.

Our Lord Jesus continues His seven Messages to the seven Churches in Asia (Asia Minor). He rebukes the Church at Sardis, saying they have a reputation ("name") of being saved, but really are spiritually dead. He tells them to strengthen what remains which is also nearly dead. Our Lord tells them to stay on watch, lest His coming take them by surprise as a thief breaking in. He declares there are a few at Sardis that will be clothed in white raiment that will walk with Him. Our Lord Jesus shows we must overcome to not have our name blotted out of the Book of Life.

6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Our Lord repeats this several times in giving these Messages. Those who have spiritual ears to hear are to understand it.

7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith He That is holy, He That is true, He That hath the key of David, He That openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept My word, and hast not denied My name.
9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
10 Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God: and I will write upon him My new name.
13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

To the Church of Philadelphia, our Lord gives no rebuke. He has set an open door before them because they kept His Word and have not denied His Name. Recall our Lord Jesus said knock, and it shall be opened to you (Luke 11). In conjunction with keeping His Word it's about being given understanding when knocking, and that symbolic door is opened, unlocking the "key of David". That key means the door being opened to you and no man can open or shut the door from you (take understanding away from you, not by deception nor by any means). This reveals why Christ was pleased with these, and promised they would be kept from "the hour of temptation" that is to come upon all the world, to try all those on earth.

It's popular to add the doctrine of a rapture to this idea of those being kept from the hour of temptation, but that's not the subject there. Instead it's about the key of David, unlocking understanding so no one can open or shut that door on you. And it comes by keeping God's Word and not denying Christ. For us today, it's about being given understanding in His Word so as to not be deceived by the "hour of temptation" that is to come in the tribulation time. No where is our Lord Jesus saying there they would be raptured off the earth to be kept from that hour. This is why our Lord Jesus mentions the idea of overcoming to them also. Jesus tells them to hold fast so no one can take their crown. In other words, don't fall away to deception. Deception is still the main battleground for these too, and for us, all the way to the end of this world.

14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth.
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
18 I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.
22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
(KJV)

To the Church of Laodiceans our Lord gives a rebuke. They had increased in riches, and thought they had need of nothing else. Instead our Lord tells them to buy of Him gold tried in the fire, seek real riches that are immaterial that come by overcoming this world when staying on Him. He tells them to anoint their eyes so they might see, pointing to seeing with spiritual eyes and not by the flesh. This rebuke fits the various prosperity ministries today, with those who think we must have signs of wealth to show we are saved by Christ.