Revelation Chapter Three
(Chapter 3 from Dr. Hyle's excellent book, Let's Study The Revelation)
THE LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT SARDIS:
Verse 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. " You will notice in chapter 1, verse 20, that the seven stars are the angels, and the angels are the messengers or probably pastors. Hence you will notice the close association here of the Spirit and the pastors. We desperately need Spirit-filled pastors today. When churches call a pastor, they ask about his education, manners, personality, etc., but the main thing is to be filled with the spirit."THOU HAST A NAME THAT THOU LIVEST, AND ART DEAD. " What a pity. This church had a good name. They turned in good reports. They had a fine reputation. They baptized people. They grew, but they were dead.
Verse2:
"BE WATCHFUL. " One of the fastest ways to wake up a dead church is to get the members to be watching for Jesus to come. I do not know of a single dead church that is looking for Jesus to come. The two just do not go together. By the way, you cannot be very watchful if you believe that the world must be converted before Jesus can come."AND STRENGTHEN THE THINGS WHICH REMAIN, THAT ARE READY TO DIE. " In other words, God is saying, "Save the remains. " The remains of many a church could be set on fire, and the church could be revived. If this doesn’t happen, you might as well have a funeral for the church and bury the remains.
"FOR I HAVE NOT FOUND THY WORKS PERFECT BEFORE GOD. " The word "perfect " means "mature. " In other words, the folks at this church were not doing mature work for Jesus. mature works are: soul winning, praying, preaching, and studying the Bible. Why do we need to have so many new things for the folks to do today when we haven’t done the ones God gave us to do yet?
Verse 3:
"REMEMBER THEREFORE HOW THOU HAST RECEIVED AND HEARD, AND HOLD FAST, AND REPENT. " This church received the truth and had left it. God tells them to hold on to what they had."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. " What does a thief do? He steals. The greatest "steal " will be when Jesus steals us away and carries us into the skies. Let us keep looking for Jesus every day lest He find us not ready for His coming.
Verse 4:
"THOU HAST A FEW NAMES. ": There were just a few left who loved God, who won souls, who came to prayer meeting, and who loved the Word of God. I believe that their greatest sin was staying in Sardis. I do not believe that God would want one of His children to freeze to death in a dead church, even if Grandma did go there."EVEN IN SARDIS. " What a statement. Even in Sardis there were some who loved God.
"AND THEY SHALL WALK WITH ME IN WHITE: FOR THEY ARE WORTHY. " These are those who are going to be stolen by Jesus. While the "dead " ones are going through the tribulation, we will be walking in white with Jesus.
Verse 5:
"AND I WILL NOT BLOT HIS NAME OUT OF THE BOOK OF LIFE. " God has a book of the names of every man. Those who fail to trust Him as Saviour are blotted out of His book, but those of us who have been born again are listed in His book."BUT I WILL CONFESS HIS NAME BEFORE MY FATHER, AND BEFORE HIS ANGELS. " Thank God, Jesus is confessing my name here tonight. He will confess you, too, if you will confess Him before men.
THE LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT PHILADELPHIA:
Verse 7:
"AND TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH IN PHILADELPHIA WRITE. " The word "Philadelphia " means "brotherly love. " This was a church of believers who loved each other. How refreshing in a day when so many churches are splitting in two for lack of love. Let’s keep loving each other. People who love God can tell when they walk into a church if the people love each other or not."HE THAT OPENTH, AND NO MAN SHUTTETH. " God reminds them that if the door is to be left open, he is the One who will do it. If souls constantly walk the aisles, it is God who keeps the door open. Note also that when God opens a door, no man can shut it. Praise God! No human enemy can bother a church when God keeps the door open.
"AND SHUTTETH, AND NO MAN OPENETH. " When God so desires, He can withdraw His power from a church and close the door. A man told me recently that his church was growing and the folks were visiting, but no one was walking the aisles. Brother, it is God alone who can open and shut the door. Many a church has had its doors shut and could not reopen them. The same is true with denominations and individual Christians.
Verse 8:
"BEHOLD, I HAVE SET BEFORE THEE AN OPEN DOOR. " This church had an open door. let us notice three reasons why God had kept their door open:They had a little strength. They had kept the Word of God They had not denied the name of Jesus. The reason that the doors of a spiritual power have been closed to many churches is that they have ceased to believe that the Bible is the Word of God. They do not preach the Word anymore. They do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that the blood is essential for salvation, and other fundamental Bible truths. God have mercy on this generation of so-called churches.
Verse 9:
Judging from verse 8, this church was a small church. In this verse, Jesus promises that there shall be a day when the false churches will have to fall down and worship the true church and admit their error.Verse 10:
The key word in this verse is "FROM. " It means "out of. " We are to be kept out of the hour of temptation that is going to come. What is the hour of temptation? It is the Great Tribulation that is going to last seven years, when Satan is turned loose and the greatest of all wars, famines, etc., shall take place. This verse teaches that all real churches will be taken out of this period. We will be with Jesus during this time. Praise God! Just as Noah was taken out before the flood, we shall be taken out before the Great Tribulation.Note also the word "KEEP. " It means "guard. " Jesus is guarding us from the coming tribulation.
Verse 11:
"BEHOLD, I COME QUICKLY. " Why is He coming quickly? To take them out of the tribulation.‘THAT NO MAN TAKE THY CROWN. " "Take " could be translated "receive. " What crown? There is a crown to be given for loving the appearing of Jesus. This church was to get that crown. Will you get this one? Are you loving the appearing of Jesus?
Verse 12:
"PILLAR. " We may not have much strength here, but we shall be pillars there. My, what bodies we shall have, as strong as the pillars of the Temple of God."AND HE SHALL GO NO MORE OUT. " Vacations end, week ends end, honeymoons end, but there will be no leaving in Heaven. No good-byes.
"AND I WILL WRITE UPON HIM THE NAME OF MY GOD. " Read Revelation 22:4. We will be branded for Jesus. Imagine. God’s name, Jesus’ name, the name of the city of Heaven all written on us. Just as cattlemen brand their cattle, so Jesus will have us branded for Him.
Verse 13:
Let us hear what the Lord says and make our church like the church at Philadelphia. Thank God for the true churches left today even though they be few in number.
THE LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT LAODICEA:
Verse 14:
"AND UNTO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH OF THE LAODICEANS WRITE. " The word "Laodicea " means "please the people. " Galatians 1:10 says that you cannot please the people and God at the same time."THESE THINGS SAITH THE AMEN. " The word "amen " means "So let it be " or "it will be so. " Jesus is reminding the people that His prophesies will transpire just as He had said they would.
"THE FAITHFUL AND TRUE WITNESS. " A witness tells what he has seen. Jesus sees all that goes on in our churches, and one day He will witness concerning what He has seen.
Verse 15:
"COLD " is the same word that is used for ice water. Isn’t that a pretty good description of many churches?The word "HOT " means "burning " or "fervent. " Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our churches were really on fire for God.
This sums up most of us - NEITHER COLD NOR HOT. In other words, as spoken in the next verse, they were lukewarm. Have you ever drunk coffee or a hot drink that was nearly cool. Have you ever drunk iced tea when it was nearly warm? How awful it tastes. How awful for a child of God who is supposed to be on fire for God to be lukewarm.
Did you know that lukewarmness sends more folks to Hell than just about anything else? The world has more respect for a drunkard in the gutter than for a Christian who is half and half and lukewarm. How many times have I heard a lost person hide behind a lukewarm Christian and say "I am as good as he is. "
Verse 16:
"SPUE " means "vomit. " God says that a lukewarm Christian makes Him want to vomit. "Well...I’m not so bad "... "I’m sort of lukewarm " are the comments of many that I visit. God says they are vomit.What does the doctor give someone when he wants him to vomit? Lukewarm water is the answer.
Verse 17:
Notice in the first part of the verse what the church said about itself. They had beautiful furnishings, prestige, and were self-satisfied.Note what God says about them:
Poor. They were just the opposite of Smyrna. Naked. Laodicea was one of the most fashionable cities of that day. Yet God said they were naked. Blind. (Nearsighted.) They were blind to souls, missions, etc. Imagine (if you can) this letter being read at the Sunday morning worship hour at Laodicea. Can’t you just see the anger on faces of aristocrats?
Verse 18:
Notice that there was hope for this church. Many a cold, dead church has been set on fire for God. Many a preacher has been set on fire for God, such as Wesley, William Booth, Luther, and others.Note the prescription that God gave them: Eyesalve. Eyesalve first hurts, then blinds, then heals.
Verse 19:
"AS MANY AS I LOVE, I REBUKE AND CHASTEN. " The parent who doesn’t spank his child doesn’t love him. A preacher who will not stand against the sins of his people doesn’t love them. God shows us His love by chastening us."BE ZEALOUS THEREFORE, AND REPENT. " In other words, get on fire for God.
Verse 20:
"BEHOLD, I STAND AT THE DOOR, AND KNOCK. " This really should be interpreted "Behold, I am taking My stand at the door. " Jesus stands outside the door of cold, lukewarm churches. He is always there asking for admission. What a pity."IF ANY MAN HEAR MY VOICE. " Just one person can turn the tide sometimes. If just one person would get on fire, many churches would get on fire.
Notice He will "SUP " with us. Supper is the evening meal. When the church is so worldly as this it is a sign that the morning when Christ is coming is near. Supper is at night. What a joy in a world of night to sup with Jesus.
Verse 21:
He is speaking about the Millennium here when we shall reign with Jesus upon the earth. We shall have the same relationship to Him then as He has to the Father now.We are now through with the study of the churches. What have we gained? Is it going to make our a better church for Jesus? Go over the seven churches and pick out one good thing that we should have from all and one bad thing that we should avoid. God help our churches to be one hundred per cent New Testament churches.
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