Revelation 2-3 - The 7 Churches

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*

August 14, 2012


 *WEEK 52 - DEC 24 - REVELATION 2-3 - JESUS TO THE 7 CHURCHES*


 *1. 2:7 (2:1-7) EPHESUS: DESIRABLE, A THROWING. “Who has an ear, let him
hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him that overcomes, to him
will I give to eat of the tree of :life, which is in the Paradise of :God”
(NNT). *O let all Your sons and daughters become *overcomers*. Let not *
selfishness* drive out our first love. Death to the *Hivite*! *Hallowed be
Your :Name!*


 *2. 2:11 (2:8-11) SMYRNA: MYRRH. “Who has an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit says to the churches. Who overcomes shall in no wise be hurt of the
second death.” *Thank God for Smyrna, a church with no negatives. Let us
not *envy* those not in the furnace of affliction. We speak crucifixion to
the *Jebusite* spirit. *Your :kingdom come.*


 *3. 2:17 (2:12-17) PERGAMOS: ELEVATION, ACTUAL MARRIAGE. “Who has an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him that overcomes,
to him will I give of the hidden :manna, and I will give him a white stone,
and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knows but he that
receives it.” *O deliver us from *pride*, and the religious spirit, O
Father. Let not the *Girgashite* prevail. *Your :will be done, As in
heaven, so on earth.*


 *4. 2:26-28 (2:18-29) THYATIRA: PERFUME-BRUISED. “And who overcomes, and
who keeps my :works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the
nations: 27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the potter’s
vessels are broken to shivers; as I also have received of my Father: 28 and
I will give him the morning :star.” *Father, we rid idolatry and
fornication from our lives. We *reject* the *Jezebel* spirit, that moved so
strongly with the Amorites. *Our :daily :bread Give us this day.*


 *5. 3:5 (3:1-6) SARDIS: THINGS REMAINING. “Who overcomes shall thus be
arrayed in white garments; and I will in no wise blot his :name out of the
book of :life, and I will confess his :name before my :Father, and before
his :angels.” *O Father, put in us a fighting spirit on behalf of Your
Kingdom. Down with *apathy* and *passivity*. Let not the *Perizzite* spirit
prevail! * And forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.
*


 *6. 3:12 (3:7-13) PHILADELPHIA: BROTHERLY LOVE. “Who overcomes, I will
make him a pillar in the temple of my :God, and he shall go out thence no
more: and I will write upon him the name of my :God, and the name of the
city of my :God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of the heaven from
my :God, and my :new :name.” *We discern your devices through division,
Satan. Father we reject this device. We reject the spirit of
*anger*associated with the
*Hittites*. *And bring us not into temptation.*


 *7. 3:21 (3:14-22) LAODICEA: RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE. “Who overcomes, I will give
to him to sit down with me in my :throne, as I also overcame, and sat down
with my :Father in his :throne.”*

We reject the spirit of greed in the nations. We curse this Canaanite
spirit. We release the spirit of Theocracy. *But deliver us from the evil
one!*


 *NOTE**: *“The Contemplative Movement” has sought to lead its followers
into “intimacy” with God. It has recognized hindrances in both “flesh” and
“spirit” - that keeps one from entering into this high calling. St. John of
the Cross through his “Dark Night of the Soul” and “Ascent to Mount Carmel”
traces 7 of these hindrances of “Capital Sins”, and links them with the 7
nations of Canaan.


 Just as Israel under Joshua had to drive out these 7 nations before they
could possess that land God had given them - so we must drive out these 7
spiritual capital sins that likewise are linked with the 7 Canaanite
nations.


 2 Corinthians 7:2 says, *“Having therefore these :promises, beloved, let
us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of **flesh** (dark night of soul)
and **spirit** (ascent), perfecting holiness in fear of God.” *Paul by the
spirit points out that what John of the Cross noted for a 2-fold cleansing
- is indeed correct. We are not perfected, body, soul or spirit, until our
resurrection upon Jesus’ return - according to the above verse. It is true
that all do not interpret this verse in this manner - but it does conform
with the insights of the past leaders of the Contemplative Movement.


 In line with their insights - I have linked the 7 churches of Revelation
with the 7 Canaanite nations, and their respective capital sins. Although
this linkage is not a “Thus says the Lord” - yet for me, I believe it does
justice to 2 Corinthians 7:1.


 I have selected Greek words for a further study and insight in this
direction:


 *1. 2:1-7. Ephesus - EARTHLY - ePIgei-a from ge* - 7 (252) references*

The word “selfish” does not appear in the NT. Its closest synonym is
e-PIgei-a - earthly. Those who are of earthly origin - all of us - but have
not had a conversion experience and given ourselves over to the Lordship of
Christ through His Spirit - do not have *selfishness* broken in our lives -
because we yet live in our earthly origins. Like Ephesus, we can lose our
first-love, and slip back into the spirit of our first origins. If such
happens, then like Ephesus we need to repent, and move back out of the
“Hivite” spirit - into our *first* love.


 *2. 2:8-11. Smyrna - ENVY - ZElos from ZEo* - 17 (71) references*

*- ENVY - PHTHOnos* - 9(10) references - stronger of these two for evil*

It is possible when we are persecuted like the church of Smyrna, that we
look at those who are not undergoing the suffering we are experiencing. We
can then become like Asaph of Psalm 73, and become envious of the arrogant
and the wicked, who seem to escape the troubles of the righteous in this
present life. It wasn’t till God showed him the *end* of the wicked - that
he recognized his sin of misunderstanding. Smyrna was temporarily gripped
by the spirit of Asaph. Let not this *Jebusite* spirit grip us.


 *3. 2:12-17 - Pergamos - PRIDE - a-la-zoNEIa from a-laZON* - 2 (4)
references*

*- PRIDE - tuPHOo from TUpho* - 3 (61) references - high minded, lifted up
with pride*

Of all the prideful Canaanite nations, the *Girgashites* are foremost. They
are mentioned least of all these 7 nations, and it is difficult to learn
their origin. It is easier for the other six. And - just as we find
difficulty to discern what we are dealing with in the natural - so it is
extremely difficult to discern the “religious spirit”, and its underlying
spirit of pride. The spirit of Pergamos moves in the same direction.


 *4. 2:18-29 - Thyatira - FORNICATION - porNEUo from PEra* 57 (not counted)
references.*

I count this church of Thyatira - the spirit of *Jezebel* - as the most
evil of the 7 churches of Asia. Idolatry and fornication went hand in hand
with Israel and Judah prior to their captivities. This angered God - for it
was such a flagrant ignoring of His grace and benefits on their behalf. And
here in the NT - this evil flagrantly lifted its head against the Lord. The
*Amorite* nation of the OT most flagrantly exhibited this spirit of
fornication.


 *5. 3:1-6 - Sardis - PASSIVITY - opposite is VIOLENT - biAzo from BIa* - 2
(10) references*

This Greek word refers to a *forceful* or violent man. It is exactly
opposite to a passive or apathetic person! This is the way we should seek
the Kingdom of God (MAT 11:12; LUK 16:16). But the Church of Sardis
demonstrated none of this spirit. These were like the Perizzites of the OT.
They were passive and apathetic. This word does not even appear in the NT.
But when we consider the word “violent” and how Jesus used it to indicate
the spirit we should exhibit in pressing into His Kingdom - then it is
possible to understand this opposite spirit. Lord, deliver us from the
spirit of Sardis - a passive and apathetic spirit!


 *6. 3:7-13 - Philadelphia - ANGER - orGE from oREgo* - 36 (54) references*

Anger and pride - many feel they will never have trouble with these two
sins! But look at David numbering Israel - and Hezekiah showing off his
wealth for examples of the overpowering of pride. And look at Judas’
*anger*at the woman anointing Jesus for His burial, and how it led him
to betray
Jesus! Be angry, and *sin not*. It is anger that gets out of control from
individuals from which we would never expect such a breach - that shows us
the need of being most careful. The church of brotherly-love? A place where
anger can break forth? Yes - even here care needs to be exercised. The *
Hittite* spirit of anger can secretly slip into such a situation. It is
often at the most unexpected spot that Satan captures us. Let us take heed
when we stand in the place of strength - lest we fall.


 *7. 2:14-22 - Laodicea - GREED - Demas is a picture of this - in his love
for this present world*

*- ai-schro-kerDE from KERdos* - 4 (23) references*

*-* Elders to be chosen to lead local churches, must *not* have the spirit
of being *greedy* of filthy lucre (See 1 Timothy and Titus). To possess
riches is not a sin. Many in the Bible like Job were rich - but it was
*not*for them an idol! This distinction is most important. Demas, a
fellow-worker with Paul - *loved* the riches of this present world more
than he loved the Lord and His Kingdom! How sad! It was his *love* of
riches that was the sin. George Muller considered the earthly life of Jesus
and Paul, and he and John Wesley both decided they would not make riches
down here their goal. The rest of the world sees America - the United
States - as being possessed by this spirit. Of all nations of the world -
they feel we in America need revival more desperately than any other. See
what riches did to Solomon!


 *Memory Verse: 3:7 (3:7-13) - “And to the angel :of the church in
Philadelphia write: These things says the holy one, the true, that has the
key of David, who opens and none shall shut, and who shuts and none opens.”
*

*- KEY - KLEIS* - 16 (32) references*

- Only two churches of the seven received no censure from Jesus: Smyrna and
Philadelphia. And this promise of the *key* of David for Philadelphia - is
most significant. Some have wondered if it refers to the promise in Amos
concerning the Tabernacle of David. Others have seen it as referring to
Matthew 16 and 18, where Jesus promised the Key of the Kingdom for binding
and loosing. That a church like Philadelphia - just keeping its head above
water should receive such a wonderful promise - is significant indeed! Michael
Molinos, Fenelon and Madame Guyon join St. John of the Cross in showing us
a key into intimacy with God. Out of such intimacy flows anything else God
should want to do through such a church!



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