Resurrection and Judgments in Revelation Pt 3 – Smyrna and Pergamum

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 C. Rev 2:1 Jesus' Judgment of His Body  To the angel/messenger of the church in Ephesus write:

The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:

2 I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles and they are not, and you found them to be false; cf Jude series;  Acts 20:32 wolves within and without

3  and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake (loyalty), and have not grown weary.

4  But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

(Eph 1:4 blameless in love; 15 love for all the saints; 3:17 rooted in love to grasp with saints the love of Christ in order to be filled so God is glorified in church -3:21); 4:2 forbearing one another in love (to keep unity of the Spirit); 15 speaking truth in love; 16 edify Body in love; 5:1 imitate God 2 walk in love, as Christ loved you; 25 love-sanctify; 28,33 love as self; 6:23 love w/faith; 24 love the Lord)

5  Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place--unless you repent. (40 yrs) 

6  Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans ('conquer/swallow laity' cf Balaam 2:14-15 ) which I also hate.

7  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  To him who overcomes/victorious, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.

I. Rev 2:8  And to the angel of the church Smyrna write:

              The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this:

9  I know your tribulation and your poverty* (but you are rich),

  *Lk 6:20 kgdm of heaven Js 2:5 rich in faith

 and the blasphemy/slander Eph 4:30-31^ (grieve HS) by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. (accuse blvrs; f of lies {^bitterness, wrath, anger, slander, malice)

Rev 12:11 they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto death 1Jn 4:4

1Jn 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith.

Liars & Lovers 1Jn 1:6  fllshp yet darkness=liar no truth 8 deceive ourselves-no truth..10 call God liar-no Word 3:14 passed death to life, cz we love each other...not love (15=murderer-no eternal life) remains in death.  4:20 love God but hate brother = liar;

B. 10  Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days.

 Be faithful^ until death, and I will give you the crown of life. 

              ^Heb 3:2-5 Jesus Moses glory-honor

Lk 12:4 My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. 5 I warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into {valley of} gehenna; yes, I tell you, fear Him! (see What the Gehenna)

^Mt 25:15 Well done good & f over little; Lk 12:42 f & wise steward cf 1Cor 4:2; 16:10 f vs unjust over least; 1Tim 1:12 deemed  f=entrusted ministry

Being faithful is trusting/relying on God's

presence (with you always, stood with me and strengthened me),

provision (grace is sufficient), and

promises (works all together for good),

       even when contrary to our experience and circumstances (look hopeless).

An awareness of our hopelessness gives rise to an expectation of His sovereign helpfulness (even if loss of our self/ego, stuff, family & lives)

Zeph 3:1 What sorrow awaits rebellious, polluted Jerusalem, the city of violence and crime!

2 No one can tell her anything; she refuses all correction.

She does not trust in the LORD or draw near to her God. NLT

Ps 73:21 When my heart was embittered and I was pierced within,

22 Then I was stupid and ignorant; I was like a senseless beast before You.

23 Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand.

24 With Your counsel You will guide me, and afterward receive me to glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.

26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

27 For, behold, those who are far from You will perish; You destroy Hith  all those who are unfaithful to You.

28 But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works.

D. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt/harmed by the 2nd death

Death is not always understood as “separation from God”. Note the consequence of A&E sin was loss of glory/dominion.

In DT eg, 30:15-19, life and death are repeatedly defined as blessing/dominion or cursing/lack of dominion/rulership/glory (cf Dt 29:20 blot out name). 

Please see/study Survey of Rewards on Truthbase.net before rejecting Scripture in favor of a bogus party line/tradition.

E. Rev 20:3 satan bound 1000 yrs so not deceive 4 saw thrones...authority to judge given to them..beheaded for witness to Jesus & Word of God, not worshiped beast;  lived & reigned with Christ for a 1000 years.

6 Blessed and holy who has part in the 1st resurrection: on such the 2nd death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him 1000 years. 

Rev 20:7 1000 yrs over 10 devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire

11 Then I saw a great white throne 12 books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, acc to their deeds.

13 death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them acc to their deeds.

14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the 2nd death, the lake of fire.

15 if anyone's name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.(cx 21:8 {New H&E}inheritance/portion in L of F)

F. Rev 21:1 saw new Heaven & Earth

24/26 kings of the earth will bring their glory-honor(tribute) of the nations into it/City.

27 nothing impure, and no one who practices abomination and lying^, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life

Rev 21:7 He who overcomes will inherit these things, & I will be his God and he will be My son *              in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is 

Rev 22:14 Blessed are those who do His commandments/wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the Tree of Life, and may enter by the gates into the City.

*22:15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying^

cf Ezek 44 unfaithful priests in the kgdm but outside; only faithful enter into presence of God

44:11 "Yet they shall be ministers in My sanctuary...they shall slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister to them  12 Cz they ministered to them before their idols and became a stumbling block of iniquity to the house of Israel, therefore I have sworn against them," declares the Lord GOD, "that they shall bear the punishment for their iniquity. (cf Lk 12 13 And they shall not come near to Me to serve as a priest to Me, nor come near to any of My holy things, to the things that are most holy; but they will bear their shame and their abominations which they have committed. 14 Yet I will appoint them to keep charge of the house, of all its service and of all that shall be done in it.

15 But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept charge of My sanctuary when the sons of Israel went astray from Me, shall come near to Me to minister to Me; and they shall stand before Me to offer Me the fat and the blood," declares the Lord GOD

16 They shall enter My sanctuary; they shall come near to My table to minister to Me and keep My charge. 17 It shall be that when they enter at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments; and wool shall not be on them while...

II. 12  And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this:

13  I know where you dwell, where Satans throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

Eph 2:2 you walked acc to the course of this world, acc to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience:  Eph 6:12 we wrestle against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

1Pt 5:8 Be (humble) sober, vigilant; cz your adversary the devil, lion, walks about, seeking whom ay devour 9 Resist firm in faith

B. 14  But I have a few things against you, cz you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality.

15  So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

C. 16  Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.

Heb 4:11 ? let us endeavor to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, thru following the same example of disobedience. 12 For Word of God is living and active, sharper two-edged sword, piercing...division of soul and spirit,  joints and marrow, able to judge the thots & intentions of the heart. 13 no creature hidden from His sight, all things are open-laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account {Mt 12:36} 16 draw near w/ confidence to  throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need

D. 17  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.