Understanding the Book of Revelation - Chapter 3
News of the Week
- Reminder: online class notes thanks to Joerg !!! https://www.sjcalvaryberean.com
- Understanding the Times: “Foreshadows of the Black Horse” (Dan Celia & Jan Markell)
- Today ay 1:00 on 88.1 FM or anytime at https://www.OliveTreeViews.org
- On YouTube this week @ https://www.youtu.be/VDM4vnh5qPE
- Economic analysis of trending events (inflation, The Great Reset, pending food shortages, the coming cashless economy) Dan Celia’s ministry can be reached at https://www.financialissues.org
- REMEMBER Psalm 20:7!!!
- With rumors of war swirling, Ukrainians model how to pray for the situation with Russia
- ‘Hostility towards people who embrace Christ’ … a year old warning from Pastor Brunson
- Canadians protest mask/vaccine/gathering mandates
- https://fxn.ws/3o68Ii4
- video showing support for convoy from Canadians https://youtu.be/BErtcFhhmIY
- The “Numbers” seem to indicate something else is going on …
Review
- Review of Revelation 1
- ONLY Bible book to bless those who read, and those who hear “the words of the prophecy.”
- Who was the revelation given to? JESUS!
- The word “revelation” in Greek is apokalupsis (ap-ok-al’-oop-sis) and means “the unveiling”.
- What is “unveiled”? JESUS CHRIST & His relationship to the Church, to His judgment of the world, and to events of what He will do in the future.
- Review of Chapter 2
- The 7 churches of ‘biblical’ Asia (not the region we call Asia today); ACTUAL Churches not figurative, though they represented traits to be aware of … both good and bad.
- The Churches that thought they were doing great, were really doing quite poorly & the Churches that thought they were doing terrible were in reality doing great
- There are two Churches that Jesus did NOT say “But I have this against you…”.
- (Smyrna in chap. 2, & Philadelphia in chap. 3)
- Do the 7 churches represent ‘Church eras’? A speculated purpose is to use the seven churches to foreshadow seven different periods in the history of the Church. The problem with this view is that each of the seven churches describes issues that could fit the Church in any time in its history. Although there could be some truth to the seven churches representing seven eras, there is far too much speculation in this regard according to the comments of most biblical scholars. Our focus should be on what message God is giving us through the seven churches.
- Quick review of the 7 churches
- Ephesus Rev 2:1-7 - the church that had forsaken its first love (2:4).
- Smyrna Rev 2:8-11 - the church that would suffer persecution (2:10).
- Pergamum Rev 2:12-17 - the church that needed to repent (2:16).
- Thyatira Rev 2:18-29 - the church that had a false prophetess (2:20).
- Sardis Rev 3:1-6 - the church that had fallen asleep (3:2).
- Philadelphia Rev 3:7-13 - the church that had endured patiently (3:10).
- Laodicea Rev 3:14-22 - the church with the lukewarm faith (3:16).
Bonus info: What are the 7 Spirits of God mentioned in Revelation: https://bit.ly/3Gc2gfQ
Revelation Chapter 3
Message to Sardis
3 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, [a]but you are dead. 2 Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. 3 So remember [b]what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. 4 But you have a few [c]people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and 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 churches.’
Message to Philadelphia
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this: 8 ‘I know your [d]deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Behold, I [e]will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them come and bow down [f]at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept the word of My [g]perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of [h]testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole [i]world, to [j]test those who dwell on the earth. 11 I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; 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 out of heaven from My God, and My new name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
Message to Laodicea
14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the [k]Beginning of the creation of God, says this: 15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will [l]spit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, 18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. 21 He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
Footnotes
d. Revelation 3:8 Or deeds (behold…shut), that you have
g. Revelation 3:10 Or steadfastness
h. Revelation 3:10 Or temptation
i. Revelation 3:10 Lit inhabited earth