Download 3073 RADIO PROGRAM THE BOOK IS UNSEALED

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3073
RADIO PROGRAM
THE BOOK IS UNSEALED - REVELATION MADE SIMPLE
SESSION #4
Christ's 7 Letters to the 7 Ecclesias of Asia (Part 2)
Reading:
Revelation 3
This is THE BOOK IS UNSEALED, the 4th in 16 programs dealing with the book of
Revelation, and tonight's subject will complete the subject of Christ's Seven Letters to
the Seven Ecclesias of Asia. We would ask that you have your bibles open at
Revelation chapter 3, that you might follow the discussion closely. And now we cross to
Paul Cresswell and Steve Hornhart, to discuss for us, the seven letters of the seven
ecclesias of Asia.
Paul, last week you said that Christ's message showed that the spiritual decline was
already obvious in the seven ecclesias at the end of the first century. And if I remember
correctly, you said the seven letters portray a developing apostacy as time passes. Now
I've read over the seven letters in chapters 2 and 3, and find that I do agree with you;
but what worries me, is that if Christianity has been inherited from these churches or
ecclesias, where does that leave us today?
It leaves us in a very difficult position, Steve! It's not that we can't find God's truth, that's
still written clearly enough in the bible. But though there's no persecution today, as there
was in those early times, we still have to have the courage to stand alone, and appear
to be against everybody, when in fact, our one desire is to set forth God's true promises
to everyone, that they may be saved out of death. God is not willing that any should
perish, is the bible passage, and neither are we, and that's why these seven letters are
recorded, and why there is a special blessing promised to those who keep them!
That's fine, Paul, but looking at the next ecclesia, Sardis, in chapter 3 verse 1, it might
not be quite so easy to see ourselves as God does; I mean, Sardis, has a name here
that it lives but it's dead. How do we know how we stand?
I think the answer, Steve, is in the next verse, where in verse 2 the Lord says, 'Be
watchful, and strengthen the things which remain', we only know where we stand by
being watchful! by daily reading the bible, and testing our beliefs and our conduct, by
what the bible teaches. Christ said to Sardis, 'I know thy works, that thou hast a name
that thou livest'. Oh, yes, it appeared to be thriving alright; there was not a lot that was
obviously wrong with it, but their hearts weren't in it, for Christ says, (and literally in the
Greek the phrase is) but art dead. So Christ who has the seven Spirits of God, by seven
Spirits He encompasses the seven ecclesias (but you might remember, it's really only
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one Spirit Paul says in Ephesians 4 verse 4) seven is the perfection of Spirit, so Christ
who has the seven Spirits of God, sees and we need to pick up with Christ, the phrase
from James chapter 2 and verse 20, 'faith without works is dead'. What they believed
wasn't being put into practice; now verse 4 of chapter 3, the Lord says, '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'. The worthy, Steve, are those who are both faithful and
obedient, those who Paul says in Romans 2 and verse 7, 'patiently continue in
well-doing'.
That verse 4 also, Paul, says, 'they have not defiled their garments', and 'they shall walk
with Me in white', could you go on and expand a little on that, please?
Yes, certainly Steve! In the bible, sinners are said to be naked; not literally so, but their
sin exposes them to death. Now when we're baptized into the name of Jesus Christ for
the remission of sins, we put on a covering of righteousness, as if it was a garment.
Where would we get that reference from, Paul, the biblical reference? Well, I'll give you
two, Steve. The first is Ephesians chapter 4 verses 22 to 24, and the second, 1
Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 30, but the particular warning is found in the
Revelation, in Revelation chapter 16 and verse 15, 'Blessed is he that watcheth and
keepeth his garments, less he walk naked and they see his shame'. So you're saying,
Paul, that if anyone is not baptized, then they are naked in a spiritual sense? Yes, still in
their sins! And to defile their garments would be, to be baptized but then not live a
righteous life? Exactly, to not obey the Lord's commandments concerning purity of
thought and actions, to walk unwise is partly explained in the next verse, verse 5, 'He
that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment (says the Lord) and I will
not block out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My
Father, and before His angels'. So it is to be as Paul says in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and
verse 4, 'clothed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life'; to be clothed in white
then, is to be made immortal like Christ's Bride. She's mentioned in this way in chapter
19 and verse 8, and the white robe there, is said to be 'the righteousness of saints'.
And so here in chapter 3 verse 5, 'their name is written in the book of life'. That's the
record of the names of those who will receive everlasting life, after the resurrection
takes place, when Jesus Christ returns to earth. It's not a literal book, of course, that's
not necessary because God remembers, God knows us, but it's spoken of that way, as
a memorial, that we might grasp the significance of it.
Well, Paul, I think now we better move on to Christ's message to the believers in
Philadelphia!
Yes, the ecclesia of 'brotherly love'. Yes, that's what the name 'Philadelphia' means,
isn't it? It does, brotherly love, and here Christ introduces Himself as 'He that hath the
key of David'. God promised David a son who would rule on David's throne in
Jerusalem forever, you'll remember that from 2 Samuel chapter 7. Now this promise to
David becomes a very important feature in the prophets. For example the prophet
Isaiah speaks of the sure mercies of David and particularly, it is referred to in Luke
chapter 1 by the angel Gabriel. It was the angel Gabriel who appeared to Mary and told
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her that she would have a son named Jesus. And of this Jesus that was to be born, the
angel Gabriel said, 'The LORD God shall give unto Him the throne of his father David;
and of his kingdom there shall be no end'. Obviously, David's throne over Israel was in
Jerusalem, and for the throne to be restored, Jerusalem is to be restored with the
throne, when the Lord comes! The key of David, means that He has the power to open
and shut; that the authority of the kingdom is His!
So that's why in verse 8, Christ says, 'I have set before thee an open door'? Yes! The
narrow gate that leads to the kingdom. You will notice that Christ also says that they
have 'kept my Word and hast not denied My name', so some still hold on to the true
gospel, while there are others as verse 9 says, claim to be Jews, but are not. These are
false brethren, whose claim to Christianity shows them to be liars; they're really of the
synagogue of Satan. As you know, the word 'Satan' means 'adversary', and when Christ
says He'll make them of the synagogue of Satan' (literally, 'I will give them up'), it means
He will abandon them to the errors of what was to eventually become known as,
Orthodox Christianity! (Music)
Right, Paul! we'll read verse 10 then, shall we, of chapter 3 of Revelation? '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'.
Now, some of them in Philadelphia, Paul, obviously kept the Word, and will receive the
blessing promised. But what is this 'hour of temptation' from which the faithful would be
protected?
The Roman world under the pagan emperor Decius tried to stamp out Christianity. And
we get this expression here 'to try them' because by now, the very corrupt church
deserved it in a way; and in this period of persecution when they tried to remove
Christianity from the world, the false brethren were killed and because of that, truth
survived. This was the year AD. 248 to 260 but by then, the faithful had fallen asleep in
Christ, as is indicated in that verse. These should receive a crown, as Peter says in 1
Peter 5 verse 4, 'a crown of glory that fadeth not away'.
So the idea of being a pillar in the temple, verse 12, 'him that overcometh will I made a
pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out', so this idea here, Paul, is to
be part of the temple of Christ's body, immortality; is that correct? That's right, yes, and
He goes on to say, 'and the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, which
cometh down out of heaven'. The saints are described in Revelation 21 verse 2, as the
new Jerusalem, this isn't a literal city here, but it’s a composite city that is built up of
people, and it's described to us there as the glorious city of the saints!
Now why does it say 'the name of my God'? Well, the idea is similar; God says in 2
Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 16, 'I will dwell in them', and in its fullest sense, I will
dwell in them can only be true, when our bodies are changed to spirit immortality like
God Himself.
Thank you, Paul! Now that brings us to the seventh ecclesia, in Laodicea. No doubt
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Christ describes Himself in verse 14 and we'll read this, 'And unto the angel of the
ecclesia of the Laodiceans write, These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true
witness, the beginning of the creation of God'. He says He is the 'faithful and true
witness', I suppose because by now there were very few genuine followers of Christ
left?
Few genuine followers left, that's right! Now Jesus is described as the beginning of the
creation of God, and what we're talking about here is a new creation which commenced
with His conception in the womb of Mary by the Holy Spirit. A creation that began with
Him and is finally to be completed at the end of the millennium, the end of the 1,000
year reign of Christ on earth, which is mentioned in chapter 21 verse 1 to 5. By the way,
Steve, Laodicea is another remarkable place; it's water supply is drawn from the old city
of Hierapolis. Hierapolis is a few miles away on the hillside, Laodicea itself is down in
the valley; when we were at Hierapolis we bathed there in warm springs. It was quite
concentrated mineral water, and you can see where the very ancient aqueducts carried
this warm mineral water from the springs down into the valley, and you can even see
the pipes going up into the site of the ancient Laodicea. And when this water reached
Laodicea, it still was quite warm and very unpalatable! And history tells us, that visitors
were known to vomit from drinking the water. Now meanwhile, while we're there, and
bathing in this very warm water, on the mountains around, snow could be seen on the
tops. So we've got this expression in verse 15 and 16 of chapter 3, 'I know thy works
that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would that thou wert cold or hot; so then, because
thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth'.
Why cold? Well, cold is refreshing. do you remember the proverb, Proverb 25 and verse
13, cold is as refreshing as the cold of snow in the time of harvest'. What about hot?
Well, obviously that would be fervent, while lukewarm is to be lifeless, or insipid. And
why were they 'lifeless and insipid and lukewarm? Because, says Christ in verse 17,
'they felt they had need of nothing. This was a very self-satisfied people, and yet their
real position is described by Christ in verse 17, as 'Thou sayest I am rich and increased
with goods and have need of nothing, and notice not that thou are wretched, and
miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked'. Blind? Blinded by pride and ignorance;
Naked? still in their sins because they weren't really true Christadelphians or true
followers of Christ, and therefore, Christ threatens to 'vomit them out'.
This is really a shocking condition that Christianity had fallen into. I can see why Jesus
says in this particular letter to Laodicea, 'buy of Me gold tried in the fire', that is, faith
developed by reading the Word of God. We're told that, of course, in 1 Peter 1 and
verse 7, he also says that thou mayest be rich, rich in faith, of course, and is of the
kingdom, that's James 2 verse 5, Steve, that's right! He also says 'buy of Me white
raiment' which we've already seen represents righteousness. Yes, we saw that of the
Bride of Christ, in chapter 19 and verse 8. Why then, Paul, the expression 'anoint thine
eyes with eyesalve'?
Apparently, Laodicea was known for its ointments, probably because of the minerals
from its water! and in particular, it was known for an eyesalve. But for all that, they
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couldn't themselves see the true gospel, they needed to rub in God's Word. Now, let's
look at verse 19, the Lord now says to them, 'As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten:
be zealous therefore, and repent'. So as a father, He loves, but nevertheless, chastens
His children for their development. And then in verse 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'. The door, obviously, is the door of the heart; we must
listen to His Words in the bible, if we're going to hear His voice!
What about an inner voice? is this Christ speaking to us? No, it's not! the inner voice is
certainly not Christ speaking to us; I know it's easy to get carried away with that idea,
just realilze that God Himself says through the prophet Jeremiah in chapter 17 and
verse 9, 'That the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who shall
know it?' You can't trust the heart, you can't trust the inner voice, it might just be
deceitful, desperately wicked. What we do know we can trust is the bible; feelings can
be very misleading! Then He says in that verse 20, 'I will come in to him' what does that
mean? Well, let's take the apostle Paul, he says in Ephesians 3 and verse 17, 'Christ
will dwell in your hearts by faith' NOT some kind of disembodied dwelling inside of us.
Christ will dwell in your hearts by faith, by as much as we have got HIS WORD IN US!
Well then, moving on to verse 21, Paul, we might like to read that, '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'. And there's the reward, isn't it? the reward is to sit
with Christ upon His throne! To sit with Christ upon His throne when He has overcome
in the future; you see, He's not sitting on His throne at the moment, He's sitting on the
right hand of God. Neither has He overcome yet; oh, yes! He's overcome sin in His
personal life, He's overcome the grave and He's alive for evermore, but the expression
here is I OVERCOME. His enemies are not yet destroyed, His throne is not yet set up in
Jerusalem, but I believe that the time when this will be fulfilled is now fast approaching!
so we have in verse 22, 'He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
ecclesias'; it's urgent now, there isn't much time left for us.
Well, the next chapter will take us forward to when the throne is set up; so we'll look at
that next time, God willing. But I do have a question that we might ponder or think about
between now and then; you see, in chapter 4 and verse 2 it says, 'The throne was set
up in heaven', not Jerusalem, and I very much want to hear what you have to say about
that! Next time, Paul!
Yes, that's a good one and I think it's quite interesting, actually with chapter 4, we're
really going to start getting into the prophecy of the Apocalypse, and we'll see it's
unfolding through history. It gets quite exciting from now on, I think!
So let me sum up what we've done on these letters to the 7 ecclesias. We've seen how
Christ shows that gradually an apostacy would develop and just about swamp the truth.
Therefore, there is a warning in these epistles and we must take that warning. You
know, the message to each ecclesia ends with, 'he that hath an ear, let him hear'! So
let's hear carefully that the reward might be ours! And what's the reward? To shine with
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Christ in glory as the morning star, at the dawn of God's kingdom on earth. You know, it
says 'blessed is he that readeth and they that keep the words of the prophecy of this
book, and keep the things that are written therein, for the time is at hand'.
Thank you, Paul, I found the discussion tonight very stimulating and very thought
provoking!