4 Levels of Application Local Concerning All Seven ... · Prophetic Application of the 7 Letters...

Why These Seven Churches?

4 Levels of Application

Local

Concerning All Seven

Personal

Historic / Prophetic

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

32 135 1850’s1750’s378 1517

Prophetic Application of the 7 Letters

Apostolic Church

Ephesus

Persecuted Church

Smyrna

550’s

Married Church

Pergamos

Thyatira

Reformation Church

Sardis

Missionary Church

Philadelphia

Apostate Church

Laodicea

Medieval RomanChurch

Structure of Each Letter

1) Name of Congregation

2) Titles Chosen for Yeshua

3) Commendation

4) Concern

5) Exhortation

6) “He who has an ear, let him hear

what the Spirit says to the churches.”

7) Promise to the Overcomer

Structure of Each Letter

1) Name of Congregation

2) Titles Chosen for Yeshua

3) Commendation

4) Concern

5) Exhortation

6) Promise to the Overcomer

7) “He who has an ear, let him hear

what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Sardis Revelation 3:1-6

Patmos

Sardis

Local Founded before 2000 BC

Phrygians in 9th - 8th Centuries BC

Midas King of Phrygia (Asia Minor)

The Mythology Behind Midas:

For his Hospitality, Granted One Wish:

Everything He Touched Turned to Gold

Bad Idea!! Couldn’t Eat or Drink!!

To Reverse: Bathed in Pactolus River

Explanation for Gold Discovery There

Sardis

Local Founded before 2000 BC

Phrygians in 9th - 8th Centuries BC

700 BC: Capital of Lydia

549 BC: Fell to Cyrus of Persia

Sardis: Almost Impregnable

Mt Tmolus – 1000’ Above Hermus Valley

Sheer Cliffs on 3 Sides

Pectolus River on 4th Side (Moat)

Sardis: Almost Impregnable

Mt Tmolus – 1000’ Above Hermus Valley

Sheer Cliffs on 3 Sides

Pectolus River on 4th Side (Moat)

However……

Cliffs were Clay…

and Subject to Erosion

A Fault Exploited by Their Enemies!

During 549 BC Siege by Cyrus:

Lydian King left 3 Cliffs Unguarded

Assumed Attack on the River Side

Cyrus Offered Reward to Scale Cliff

Lydian Soldier Dropped Helmet

Persian Soldier Noted His Path

That Night, Persian Soldiers Scaled the

Cliffs and Captured Sardis

During 549 BC Siege by Cyrus:

Lydian King left 3 Cliffs Unguarded

Assumed Attack on the River Side

Cyrus Offered Reward to Scale Cliff

Lydian Soldier Dropped Helmet

Persian Soldier Noted His Path

That Night, Persian Soldiers Scaled the

Cliffs and Captured Sardis

Sardis

Local Founded before 2000 BC

Phrygians in 9th - 8th Centuries BC

700 BC: Capital of Lydia

549 BC: Fell to Cyrus of Persia

501 BC: Burned by Ionians

334 BC: Fell to Alexander

332 BC: Fell to Antigonus

214 BC: Fell to Antiochus

During 214 BC Siege by Antiochus:

Used the Same Cliff-Scaling

Technique to Capture Sardis

“History Teaches Us That We

Learn Nothing From History.”

G.W.F. Hegel

Over-Confidence & Complacency

Sardis

On Crossroads: Pergamus, Smyrna,

Ephesus, Philadelphia & Phrygia

Resulting in Great Commerce

Gold from Pactolus River:

1st Gold & Silver Coins

Famous for its Wealth

World’s First Coinage

Lydian “Staters”

Sardis

On Crossroads: Pergamus, Smyrna,

Ephesus, Philadelphia & Phrygia

Resulting in Great Commerce

Gold from Pactolus River:

1st Gold & Silver Coins

Famous for its Wealth

Patron Goddess: Cybele (Midas)

Sardis: A City of Failure

Once the Richest; Now Poor

Has a Name Synonymous with:

Unjustified Pretentions

Appearance Without Reality

False Confidence Bringing Ruin

Destruction Due to Lack of

Watchfulness & Diligence

Sardis

Name Related to Sardis Stone

High Priest’s Breastplate Exodus 28:17

New Jerusalem Foundation Rev 21:20

Most Names are Unknown Now

Once Valuable – Now Common

……Just Like Sardis!

Sardis

Yeshua’s Title

“These things says He who has the seven

Spirits of God and the seven stars:”

Not the Fiery Words of Judgment as With Thyatira….

….but Identifying What is

Missing in Sardis!

Sardis

Yeshua’s Title

“These things says He who has the seven

Spirits of God and the seven stars:”

“Things you have seen…” Rev 1:4

Sardis

Yeshua’s Title

“These things says He who has the seven

Spirits of God and the seven stars:”

“The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

The Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.”

Isaiah 11:2

LO

RD

Wis

do

m

Un

ders

tan

din

g

Co

un

sel

Mig

ht

Kn

ow

led

ge

Fear

of

LO

RD

Sardis

Yeshua’s Title

“These things says He who has the seven

Spirits of God and the seven stars:”

“The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

The Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.”

Isaiah 11:2

Sardis

Yeshua’s Title

“These things says He who has the seven

Spirits of God and the seven stars:”

“Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades,

or loose the belt of Orion?” Job 38:31

Pleiades Cluster = “Seven Sisters”

Unlike Most – Gravitational Lock

Sardis

Commendation

Nothing!

(Uh-Oh!!)

Sardis

Concern“I know your works, that you have a name

that you are alive, but you are dead.”

Not Just Sick………

Not in Intensive Care…..

But DEAD!

Just Like Sardis’ Name!

No Spirit of God

Sardis

Exhortation

“Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.”

“Be Watchful”

Be Vigilant Matthew 25

Be Watchful: Rom 13:11 & I Corinth 16:13

Wiles of Satan I Peter 5:8

Temptation Matthew 26:41

His Coming Matthew 24:42-43

Mark 13:37 & I Thess 5:6

False Teachers Acts 20:29-30

(Ephesus was Watchful)

Sardis

Exhortation

“Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.”

“Strengthen things which remain”

Biblical Truth That Was Lost:

Justification by Faith Alone

Inerrant Word of God

Man’s Depravity

Redemption by His Blood

Sardis

Exhortation

“Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.”

“Remember what you have received and heard….” Rebuild your foundation on Biblical Truth!

“..hold fast….” Keep (guard) that which you have been taught!

“..repent….” Turn from your slumber & indifference! (Unlike Sardis!!)

Yeshua’s Words:“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:21-23

Sardis

Exhortation

“Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.”

Paul’s Words:“But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober….. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.” I Thess 5:1- 10

Paul’s Words:“But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, youhave no need that I should write to you. For youyourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober….. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.” I Thess 5:1- 10

Paul’s Words:“But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober….. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.” I Thess 5:1- 10

Sardis

Exhortation (Conclusion)

“You have a few names even in Sardis who

have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.”

God’s Sarcasm!!

Sardis

Exhortation (Conclusion)

“You have a few names even in Sardis who

have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.”

White: Perfection in Holiness Matthew 28:3

Revelation 19:14

Sardis

Promise to the Overcomer

“He who overcomes shall be clothed in

white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”

Overcomers: Chosen by God

Overcomers: “Born Again”

Sardis

Promise to the Overcomer

“He who overcomes shall be clothed in

white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”

Non-Overcomers Can Have Their Names Blotted Out of the Book of

Life!!

Sardis: Personal Application

Be Awake,

Watchful &

Diligent!

32 135 378 1517

Apostolic Church

Ephesus

Persecuted Church

Smyrna

550’s

Married Church

Pergamos

Thyatira

Medieval RomanChurch

Prophetic Application of the 7 Letters

32 135 1750’s378 1517

Prophetic Application of the 7 Letters

Apostolic Church

Ephesus

Persecuted Church

Smyrna

550’s

Married Church

Pergamos

Thyatira

Reformation Church

Sardis

Medieval RomanChurch

The Explosion of Denominations16th Century

1517 Lutheranism Martin Luther

1521 Anabaptists Scandanavian Lutherans

1523 Swinglianism Huldreich Zwingli

1534 Anglicanism Henry VIII

1536 Mennonites Menno Simons

1536 Calvinism John Calvin

1540s German Reformed Church

1550s Hungarian Reformed Church

1560s French Calvinists (Huguenots)

1560s Scottish Presbyterians John Knox

1560s Congregationalism Puritans

1570s Dutch Reformed Church

17th Century

1606 English Baptists John Smyth

1647 Quakers George Fox

1690 Amish Jacom Ammon

18th, 19th & 20th Centuries

1739 Methodism John Wesley

1785 Protestant Episcopal Church

1800 United Brethren in Christ

1819 Unitarianism William Channing

1831 Disciples of Christ Thomas Campbell

1863 Seventh-Day Adventists William Miller

1865 Salvation Army William Booth

1879 Christian Science Mary Baker Eddy

1914 Assemblies of God

Erroneous Teachings Have Crept In

Non-Literal Bible “Interpretation”

Denial of Yeshua’s Millennial Reign

Denial of Israel’s Prophetic Destiny

Denial of the Total Depravity of Man

Absence of Biblical Devotional Life

De-emphasis of the Gospel of Messiah

Ordination of Homosexuals

Denial of the Holy Spirit

Signs of a “Dead” Congregation:

Emphasis on Liturgy

Curing Social Ills (Ignoring Sin)

Caring What Man Thinks

Emphasis on Man-Made Creeds

The Promise to the Overcomer

Who is the Overcomer?

“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? I John 5:4-5

The Promise to the Overcomer

Ephesus

Smyrna

Pergamus

Thyatira

Sardis

Philadelphia

Laodicea

Eat of Tree of Life

Not Hurt by 2nd Death

Manna, Stone & Name

Power Over Nations

Walk with Him in White

Name Not Blotted Out

Our Personal Application

Ephesus

Smyrna

Pergamus

Thyatira

Sardis

Philadelphia

Laodicea

Neglected Priorities

Satanic Opposition

Spiritual Compromise

Pagan Practices

Watchfulness & Diligence