Rev 3:1-6, The Reformation Church -- Good reputation but incomplete results

Revelation 3:1–6 (ESV) “And to the angel of the church 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 churches.’

DESCRIPTION

• Destination is Sardis and means "remnant" or  "those escaping"
• City was built on a mountain, and it was an impenetrable fortress (acropolis)
• Patron god of the city was Cybele, an Asian mother-goddess
• She could raise the dead
• She was worshipped as the mother of all life and gods
• Worship included immoral practices
• A very luxurious city
• Apparently, the story goes that the city was impenetrable
• A slave notice a soldier lose his helmet over the side
• A little later he says the soldier appeared out of nowhere and retrieved the helmet
• He saw the soldier climb up the mountain and disappear into the rocks
• Then he saw the soldier back on the top with his helmet in hand
• When Antiochus lay siege to the city, the slave was capture, and exchanged his safety for the secret of the city

LITERAL / UNIVERSAL

• What is the point of the description of Jesus?
• It is the seven spirits of God and the seven stars
• The seven spirits, seven meaning completeness, refer to the Holy spirit
• The seven stars are the seven churches
• For some reason, God repeats part of the name that he used in the first letter. It could be that this is a sort of new beginning for the church coming out of the dark ages
• What do we learn about the church from the commendations?
• The church is really not commended
• It has a reputation for being alive, but it is dead
• What is the exhortation?
• They are told to wake-up. Because they are dead
• Their deeds are not complete (in some way they are superficial)
• As a result, they will be surprised when Jesus comes. They will not be ready. They will not be ready because the majority aren't true believers
• Religious people and people who call themselves Christians will not all be saved from the Great Tribulation
• They are exhorted to repent (one could argue both ways what it means to repent--it could be the big "R" for the religious, and the little "r" for the sleeping believer)
• The promise is those escaping and what does it mean "to walk with Jesus dressed in white"
• There are a few people who have not soiled their clothes
• They will be saved. They will have real life. Their sins will really be taken away
• Their names can never be blotted out from the book of life

PROPHETIC

• For the purpose of the historical-prophetic interpretation, Sardis is the "Church of the Reformation" and covers the period of AD 1517-1648 (or 1700)
• It begins with Martin Luther's posting of his Ninety-Five Theses and ends in 1648 with the signing of the Peace of Westphalia (or 1700)
• What do we learn from the condemnation?
• While the reformation fixed a lot of doctrine, it did not solve the other Nicolatian problem, the separation of the church from the state
• The reputation comes from the doctrine corrections
• The church is dead because it is spiritually not alive
• During this time
• The Lutheran church became the state church in Germany and Scandinavia
• The Anglican church became the church of England
• The Presbyterian church became the state church in Scotland
• In Switzerland, two churches separated the land, the Calvinists or Reformed church and the Zwinglian church
• All people born in these countries were baptized into the church as part of citizenship
• The majority of these churches were unbelievers
• They had good doctrine but spiritually dead bodies
• A lot of denominations were created, but the protestant church was just as dead
• The pastors were gov't jobs
• The religious leaders didn't even believe truth
• APPLICATION: Be wary of mixing religion and state but also understand the difference
• Citizenship was tied to religious identity
• Religion was controlled by the state and dead
• Nowadays people see the separation as protecting government, but it was to protect true faith

Rev 2:18-29, The Dark Ages, The Church of Thyatira

Revelation 2:18–29 (ESV) “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.
19 “ ‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. 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. 21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of 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, 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. 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. 25 Only hold fast what you have until I come. 26 The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give 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. 28 And I will give him the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

DESCRIPTION

• Destination is Thyatira
• Means "continual or perpetual sacrifice" (Fruchtenbaum) or "odor of affliction" (Enhanced Strong's Lexicon)
• Note: modern name is Ak-hissar, i.e., "white castle"
• Longest message and probably the smallest church
• The town boasted a special temple to Apollos, the "sun god," son of Zeus
• The local god was Tyrimnas who worshippers said was a son of the gods. He is pictured in coins as a warrior riding a horse and wielding a double-edged battle axe in judgment
• A military town and a commercial trade center
• A lot of trades guilds which usually also meant idolatry and immorality … more guilds are known in Thyatira than any other contemporary city in the Roman province of Asia (inscriptions mention the following: wool-workers, linen-workers, makers of outer garments, dyers, leather-workers, tanners, potters, bakers, slave-dealers, and bronze-smiths)
• Required to sacrifice to the patron god of the guild
• Required to participate in the pagan practices (orgies)
• Refusal to participate in guild, could not work there (not a right-to-work area)
• Lydia, a business woman who was a dealer in purple cloth, was from Thyatira. The city was known for dying cloth. Paul met Lydia in Philippi. She was the first convert in Europe. Lydia was a Jewish proselyte. Her ability to put up Paul in her home suggested she was wealthy as well

LITERAL / PROPHETIC

• What is the point of the description of Jesus, the Son of God, eyes like blazing fire, and feet like burnished bronze?
• Use of title "Son of God" conveys the idea of Jesus' deity (and in direct contrast to the sons of gods in Thyatira) and right to Judge
• Greek is similar as well (look at Greek)
• Blazing eyes suggest discernment and severe judgment (God can see our sins, we cannot fool him)
• Burnished bronze suggests steadfastness (We have to remain steadfast with truth; local culture does not override truth. Especially true in regard to homosexuality today)
• What do we learn about the church from the commendations?
• Love and faith -- care for others; trust in God
• Service and perseverance -- works despite the results
• Doing more now than before -- good works were increasing
• What do we learn from the condemnation?
• It is very lengthy (also longest period of time) in comparison to the others (only Laodicea is worse), so this would not be a high point in church history
• Emphasis is on Jezebel, who is she and why?
• Some scholars do not think there was a real person Jezebel. The name is Phoenician and the people has disappeared
• Some think the unlikelihood of a specific person gives more weight to the historical-prophetic interpretation
• When a woman is used symbolically in scripture, she represents a religious entity, positive or negative
• True of Israel as wife of Jehovah, Church as bride of the Messiah, and the Great Harlot (later in Revelation)
• Other possibility (or allusion to) is Jezebel of the OT
• While Jeroboam brought back the calf worship, he corrupted the true religion
• Jezebel brought an entirely new system with new gods and system of worship
• Therefore, someone was encouraging the believers to add the local ideas of worship and guild practices to their Christian worship
• Warning is that God will strike her children dead
• The exhortation is to whom and about what?
• To those not a part of Jezebel (this religion) and not an adherent to Satan's so-called deep secrets
• There is only one obligation, to hold fast (to what is true). Which was apparently quite difficult during the dark ages
• The promise is "authority over the nations and the bright morning star" and what does it mean "do my will to the end?"
• To continue to do God's will even when it is not popular, even religiously popular
• Authority denotes positions of responsibility in the millennial kingdom
• The bright morning star is Jesus. They will possess Jesus, which is true faith

PROPHETIC

• For the purpose of the historical-prophetic interpretation,  Thyatira is the "Church of the Dark Ages" and covers the period of AD 600-1517
• Meaning of word is reflective of the Roman Catholic doctrine of continual sacrifice in Mass (transubstantiation where the bread and wine become the real body and blood of Jesus Christ)
• For a long time, the laity was only given the bread for fear that they would spill the blood
• Consequently, there was a distinction between the clergy and the laity
• Church was known for good works, but good works began to drive the church
• Like Jezebel introducing false worship. Roman Catholic church mixed paganism in to create a new system
1. Justification by works -- not simply by grace through faith
2. Baptismal regeneration -- saved by baptism
3. Worship of images
4. Celibacy
5. Confessionals
6. Purgatory
7. Transubstantiation
8. Indulgences
9. Penance
10. Mariolatry
11. Authority of Papacy
12. Authority of Tradition
13. Excommunication
14. Last Rights
15. Prayer for the Dead

• Being thrown into the "great tribulation" could mean that the church (as a majority) will not escape the tribulation, or that something will incapacitate her
• This church age ended with repeated attacks of the black plague, beginning in the mid 1400's and continuing through the 1500's
• Usually "deep secrets" refer to Gnosticism. There are some Catholic orders that might fall into this bin
• APPLICATION: Don't mix modern cultural norms and worldly wisdom with the truth of God's word. Living together before marriage, homosexual marriage, rudeness and incivility as a way of life (think TV show "House")
• Be wary of people who talked about secret things of God
• Be wary of doctrine that has no basis in scripture, especially if it is only based on tradition

Revelation 2:8-2:17, Enduring persecution is spiritually healthy. Compromising God's truth with the world's culture is deadly

Rev 2:8-11 (ESV) "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: 'The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.

9 "'I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.  10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.  11  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.'


DESCRIPTION
• Destination is Smyrna
• Greek word for myrrh. Used in embalming. Would also mix with wine for fragrance. Taste is  "bitter"
• The city is also a harbor town
• Probably a better harbor town than Ephesus but looked northwest, while Ephesus was south and most traffic would have come from the south
• Black sea traffic would choose Smyrna
• In Smyrna, Rome found its most loyal supporters (due to some political interactions with Pergamum)
• Smyrna was the first city to dedicate a temple to the cult of Rome (195 BC)
• Little remains of the city (earthquake and the real city of Izmir
• Metroum - sanctuary to the mother of the gods (BSP 5:2, p.37)
• Gymnasium
• Two-storied colonnades
• Library
• Homereium -  "… Homereium, a quadrangular portico containing a shrine and wooden statue of Homer; for the Smyrnaeans also lay especial claim to the poet; and indeed a bronze coin of theirs is called Homereium" (Strabo 14.1.37)
• Harbor can be closed
• Stone paved streets laid out in a grid
• City lacked sewers
• Residents worshipped a goddess, Cybele, who rose from the dead every spring
LITERAL / UNIVERSAL
• What is the point of the description of Jesus?
• First and last; died and came to life again (simile to the city, which had died and was resurrected)
• Beginning and the end; overcame death
• Death is not the end
• Jesus is the proof (this would be an especially encouraging reminder for those who are about to die)
• What do we learn about the church from the commendations?
• Unusually poor suggesting some inability to maintain wealth or to own homes
• But they haven't lost a thing because their reward was in heaven
• One possibility: People who called themselves Jews could be a reference to a people who thought they were the people of God. The Romans considered themselves God's people with the emperor as God himself
• Another possibility: the Jewish community was particularly anti-Christian in this city
• Exhortation
• Devil will put some in prison (coercion to compel obedience or to restrain a person before execution)
• Technically, the only acceptable worship was the Emperor
• Judaism was granted an exception (apparently, their proselytizing was not enough to be a nuisance)
• Most other religions were not against adding in the imperial cult
• Christianity was perceived as a sect of Judaism, which it was, but it was not silent like the Jews and was becoming an issue
• Most likely a literal ten days to the recipients of the letter (although also a metaphor at the time for a short period)
• Ten days of persecution - the Romans did not use long-term incarceration
• No free room and board
• Fine, whip, release, or kill
• Although, only a few places had authority to execute capital punishment
• APPLICATION: You will have ten days to live. Don't give up! You are going to die
• Death is a good thing and a bad thing in scriptures (and is used both ways)
• It is a good thing when we have served the Lord faithfully
• It is a bad thing when God has to remove us from the earth because of our witness
• Scriptures talk about 5 crowns for believers

An Imperishable Crown	For leading a disciplined life	1 Cor. 9:25
A Crown of Rejoicing	For evangelism and discipleship	1 Thess. 2:19
A Crown of Righteousness	For loving the Lord's appearing	2 Tim. 4:8
A Crown of Life	For enduring trials	James 1:12; Rev. 2:10
A Crown of Glory	For shepherding God's flock faithfully	1 Pet. 5:4

2 Tim 4:7-8 (ESV) I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
1 Cor 9:24-25 (ESV) Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

• What do we learn from the condemnation?
• There is no condemnation
• In the first century the enemies of Christians leveled six slanderous ("reference to slander")accusations against Christians: cannibalism (eating and drinking the body and blood of Jesus), lust and immorality, breaking up homes (they called each other brother and sister), atheism, political disloyalty, and being incendiaries (because they taught that the world would burn up)
• The promise is specific to the individuals and what does it mean "not be hurt by the second death"
• What is the second death? It occurs after the second coming where the unbelievers are thrown into the lake of fire
• That is the real death to fear
• Dying on earth is nothing compared to the reality of the second death
• Their persecutors will die twice but they will only die once
PROPHETIC
• For the purpose of the historical-prophetic interpretation,  Smyrna is the "The Church of Roman Persecution" and covers the period of AD 100-313
• The ten days may also represent ten emperors of the period (overlapping some with the previous church)
1. Nero, persecution years 64-68 (followed by Galba, Otho, Vitellius, Vespasian, Titus)
2. Domitian, persecution years 95-96 (followed by Nerva)
3. Trajan, persecution years 104-17 (followed by Hadrian and Pius)
4. Marcus Aurelius, persecution years, entire reign, 161-180 (followed by Commodus, Pertinax, Julianus)
5. Septimus Severus, persecution years 200-211 (followed by Caracall, Macrinus, Elagabalus, Alexander Severus)
6. Maximus, years of persecution, entire reign, 235-237 (followed by Gordian I, II, III, Philip the Arabian)
7. Decius, years of persecution, entire reign, 249-251 (followed by Galllus, Aemilianus)
8. Valerian, years of persecution, 257-260 (followed by Gallienus, Claudius II)
9. Aurelian, years of persecution, 274, 275 (followed by Tacitus, Probus, Carus, Carinus, and Numerian)
10. Diocletian, years of persecution, 303-305
• Suffering afflictions
• At the martyrdom of Polycarp in 168, the Jews assisted by gathering wood on the Sabbath for the fire (Ryrie)
• APPLICATION: the church continued to grow despite the heavy persecution. Not too many years ago, the fastest growing church in the world was in Communist China. Persecution helps you to realize what is really important in the world. Jesus has no condemnation for this church, because they were seeking him, not the things of the world. How does my seeking "things" divert my attention from God


Rev 2:12-17 (ESV) "And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: 'The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.

13 "'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.  14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.  15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.  16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.  17  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.'



DESCRIPTION
• Destination is Pergamum
• The direct translation from Greek means "citadel" or "tower"
• Fruchtenbaum and Armstrong: "thoroughly married"
• Town is noteworthy on multiple counts
• It was the capital city of the Asia Minor. It was a political city
• Center for many pagan religious cults -- emperor worship was also intense
• Temple of Zeus
• Altar of Zeus taken to Berlin. Excavated and transferred to Germany stone by stone (1930)
• Speer used the design to create the Zeppelin parade review in Nuremburg
• Temple of Athena
• Three temples to Caesar
• Temple to Demeter
• A major healing complex dedicated to the god Asclepius (held a snake-entwined staff)
• Went in through the basement
• Given a sedative
• Slept in the dormitory with a large number of non-poisonous snakes
• Snakes would heal the petitioners (or reveal to the doctor the prescription)
• It had a university with a large library (rivaled Alexandria)
• It was the leader and center of the production of parchment
• Imperial governor held court -- one of the places where a capital sentence could be execute
LITERAL / HISTORICAL
• What is the point of the description of Jesus, "him who has the sharp double-edged sword'
• In the original description, the sword comes out of his mouth, signifying the word of God
• One thought: the Romans held the sword, the power of life and death, but God really holds the true power of life and death
• Second thought (preferred): the picture of Jesus is a picture of judgment used later in the book of revelation. Jesus is the judge of all the earth and he will judge the people for their sins
• What about the location might have something to do with the description of Jesus
• If a large parchment producer and a large library, it may be a source of intelligence/wisdom of the world to spread
• Jesus' word is the answer to the world's wisdom and writings
• What do we learn about the church from the commendations?
• Even after Antipas' martyrdom, the church remained true
• Antipas cast out a lot of demons. Demons complained in dreams to pagans
• "Antipas is said to have been a dentist and a physician, but the Aesculapiades suspected that he was propagating Christianity secretly and they accused him of disloyalty to Caesar. He was condemned to death and was shut up in a brazen (or copper) bull, which was then heated until it was red-hot." (Tatford)
• It could be that they live in a particularly saturated area of worldly wisdom and pagan religious ideas, and no one wanted to listen to the truth of Jesus Christ?
• Sometimes it is difficult to stay true when it doesn't seem like anyone else believes
• Which is why fellowship is so important, because if I think I am the only one out there I will be defeated. We need support from other brothers and sisters
• Not absolutely sure about the "Satan's throne" reference
• Some think it is an emperor worship
• Most think it is one of the temples (like the altar of Zeus)
• The temple of Esculapius contains an idol in the image of a serpent
• It could literally have been his throne (at that time) for a variety of reasons
• What do we learn from the condemnations? (There are two)
• FIRST: The teaching of Balaam was essentially to mix ideologies through marriage
• Balaam told Balak to form alliances through marriage and to bring foreign concepts of worship in the Israelite community
• APPLICATION: You need to marry another believer, and not just some who calls themselves a Christian
• SECOND: We already discussed the teaching of the Nicolatians previously. The word is related to rule and Fruchtenbaum believes that this is where the distinction between clergy and laity starts to blossom (with different rules for each)
• Exhortation
• Repent, which means change your mind and choose to act differently
• Otherwise, you will be fighting against God (and you will be fighting against his word of truth)
• The promise is "hidden manna" and "white stone" -- what do they mean?
• Hidden manna is spiritual nourishment and sustainment
• White stone could be received three ways
• One, when found innocent in a trial
• Two, when received into membership of a private club
• When you left the healing facility, you would pick up a stone and write what you were healed of and place in a pile near the exit. Would be a great marketing tool (Armstrong)
• APPLICATION: Jesus provides real healing to those who conquer the false marriage of Christianity and culture. This is a universal struggle for the church. Nowadays, people are trying to combine an acceptance of homosexual marriage with the church
• In the bible, a person receives "a new name" when he has overcome some spiritual obstacle, like Abram and Jacob being renamed Abraham and Israel
PROPHETIC
• For the purpose of the historical-prophetic interpretation,  Pergamum is "The church of the age of Constantine" and covers the period of AD 313-600
• The condemnation of Balaam fits the period well
• The legalization of Christianity in the emperor allowed many pagan ideas to marry into it such that it was hard to determine what Christianity really was …
• The separating of the church into clergy and laity picked up steam, and the mixing of the state and the church. Constantine becomes the head of the church
• True Christianity is attacked because it is an attack on the state and an attack on the head of the church
• APPLICATION: the danger of mixing the ways of the world and it's culture into our faith is very real even today. We may not have a "state" controlling our faith, but we have the "loud" voices of culture that tell us what is acceptable or not, and it gets into the faith (homosexual marriage, living together before marriage, pornography as freedom of speech, white lies on taxes, accepting other's beliefs as appropriate ways to worship God, …)