Revelation 2 & 3: Seven Churches

CHAPTERS 2 & 3: Using the clues garnered from Chapter 1 *The beginning and the end:

1. Shows us the early churches' beginnings.

2. Shows us the apostasy of change influenced and caused by the Roman government “church”. Which “legalized” an apostate perversion of christianity. The Mother of Harlots and Abominations is instituted by Constantine (circa 312-333AD) stopping the spread house to house, neighborhood to neighborhood, community to community of Biblical Christianity. The Christianity based solely on Christ's teachings in the Gospels and reiterated throughout the New Testament.

3. Shows their apostate endings and need to “come out” from her influence and doctrine (The Mother of harlots and abominations on the earth). God warns five of the seven to repent and turn back to Biblical, Christ-following Christianity and away from the false christ and christianity of the world-wide commercial, institutional apostasy of Rome and her protestant, emerging, progressive and charismatic denominations.

The seven angels of the churches are the Seven Spirits sent out throughout all the earth as indicated in Revelation 5:6. This is the clue that reveals the end of the age is met with little true faith because of the Mother of harlots and abominations on the earth.

Geographically all seven churches were originally located in Asia Minor in very close proximity to Byzantine, later renamed Constantinople. The Roman government church began in Constantinople and later it's headquarters or seat was moved to Rome.

Note that the Book of Revelation reveals only the ending of the last time or the "Church age". There exists a nearly 2000 year gap by God in which no events nor history is revealed by Him to us during this "Church age" and NO ADDITIONAL Revelation (Scripture) is given to man during this entire period. Keep in mind that there is no other precedent similar to this throughout all of Scripture. Our Lord is telling us something very important by this and it has gone unmentioned throughout this entire period.

**Throughout the Old Testament, God was active among the nations receiving His Glory by the faith-in-action of His Physical Nation on earth-Israel. As our Lord actively intervened and made adjustments for man, He also provided His Word through His Prophets which became the Old Testament Scriptures. These Old Testament Scriptures were given as needed for His physical nation to make adjustments, course corrections, rebukes and warnings to His people at that time.

During the New Testament time however, our Lord has remained silent since He gave us the New Testament Books in the first century all the way up until the end of the age in Revelation. No new information; no new warnings; no new guidance or course corrections for His Church like He continually did for His physical nation before. Remember folks, God has no physical nation on earth during our time, the Church age. He divorced His physical nation of Israel and all those who follow His Son in Spirit and in Truth are His new bride, a Spiritual Bride or kingdom until He Returns. This new Spiritual nation or bride is comprised of all followers of Christ in every nation throughout the world. There is no human government, no borders and no flags to represent this Spiritual nation. All the physical nations on earth since His birth were given over to Satan's control and God does not intervene. If He did He would have mentioned it somewhere in the New Testament or perhaps in the Book of Revelation itself.

Of course God ultimately has Control over His Creation but He chose by His own design to relinquish control of the nations, governments and institutions of the world to Satan at the birth of Christ. After the war in Heaven over God's announcement of sending His Son to redeem man, God allowed Satan's role as tempter and accuser of man to become far more direct as Controller of man's governments; the "god" of this world during it's last 2000 years; and the prince of the power of the air. See our Citizenship Change page for further details.

Look for His clues folks. God speaks only of the beginning and the ending of the Church age and nothing in between on purpose and for us to understand. Even in the Revelation which occurs at the end of this age God makes no reference to any occurrences between the early Church and the end Churches. Hence the term the "mystery of the church age". Correlate this "mystery" to Daniels 69th and 70th weeks. God's total and utter silence during the age. God is clearly revealing to us that He has been and will continue to be silent until the "Day of the Lord" begins. He gave us His Word and Spirit to bring us back to Him and there is no further revelation during our time.

Ephesus: First believes and follows the Lord’s teachings up until the legalization of “Christianity” by Constantine circa 312-333 AD (vs. 6) then falls away. The Mother of Harlots and Abominations is instituted, stopping the spread house to house of Biblical Christianity.

[1] Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write (God instructed John to write this) ; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

Ephesus' beginning:

[2] I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:[3] And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. This is how they were at the time of the writing (beginning). They had Spiritual discernment to recognize false apostolic succession after the first century. Including the early days of the government sponsored Roman church in the 4th century and rejected it.

Seems logical to conclude that this group remained a remnant and underground until the reformation. This type of believer most likely became protestant groups near the end.

[4] Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. This records their turn away from God's Truth over the 2000 year "Last TIME". These protestant groups although rejecting Rome's authority, still adopted much of the apostasy of Rome as time went on merely becoming a harlot of her blasphemies.

Ephesus' ending:

[5] Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

[6] But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

**The Roman catholic doctrine, structure and hierarchy of "the church". The name “Nicolaitans” comes from the root word nikolaos, a compound of two words nikos and laos. The word nikos means "to conquer or to subdue". The word laos means "the people". This is also where the term "laity" comes from. When these two words are brought together they literally mean one who conquers and subdues the laity (people). Certainly indicates the Roman Catholic doctrine of the physical conquering of the world in the name of "the church". It explains the dark ages in which the Roman Church had an iron fist of authority over much of the people of the world. It explains the inquisitions, the torturing and murder of those who wished to worship God in Spirit and in Truth instead of blind obedience to Roman hierarchy. This is also where the idea of the crusades came from. Waging physical war supposedly in the Name of Jesus but in reality it was "the church's" lust for power, land and money.

[7] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Ephesus in the end must repent and turn back to Biblical, Christ-following Christianity and reject entirely their apostasies brought over from Rome.

Smyrna: Remnant of real believers to be persecuted by the Catholic "church" or RCC and their protestant off shoots. Underground since the legalization and perversion of Christianity by Constantine and his succession of Popes.

Notice: Smyrna remains true believers from their beginning until their end, not accepting the apostasy of the commercialized "church" originating from Constantinople and later Rome.

[8] And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; Reminder from the Lord of Chapter one and the key to understanding of these churches.

[9] I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich in eternal reward) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. There is no racial or national "Israel" in God's Eyes during this age; only spiritual believers on and followers of, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Whom God now in the New Testament refers to as the only Israel of God. All those racial "jews" who have rejected Jesus Christ as Messiah are under Satan's control and are Satan's synagogue. These will embrace the anti-Christ as their messiah when the time comes. Keep in mind however, that there is also a remnant of true Hebrews whom will come to light in the last 42 months before our Lord's Return in Glory to reclaim His possession from Satan. There is a distinct reason the Lord clearly laid out genealogies in Scripture. This same reason is why the Lord refers to those in the end impersonating Jews as the synagogue of satan.

God saw that His pure blooded nation of Israel was miscegenated beyond repair some 600 years before Christ even came and He deployed all the minor Prophets to warn their leadership away from cross breeding and paganism back to Him. To no avail however.
This also explains why God gave the clear lineages of Jesus, Mary and Joseph to emphasize this "miscegenation" issue 2000 years ago.

Real Jews (Biblical Hebrews) descend only from Jacob's lineage through David. Only a very small remnant of those remain today. Doubtful that you are I or anyone we know has ever met one but they do still exist and their bloodlines remain pure.

During the first half of Daniel's 70th week (which I am convinced we are currently living in) the leaders of these imposters (synagogue of Satan) who make up much of the ten horns of the beast will cause the murder of Christians worldwide until the evacuation of the true church from earth. Once they believe they have wiped out all the Christians, they and their beast "messiah" will be coming for the remnant of real Hebrews next. God calls it the time of Jacob's trouble. You see, Satan is THE counterfeiter and hates everything that actually is "of God". Their counterfeit messiah won't get them all though. These true Hebrews will believe on Jesus Christ through His coming witnesses and this believing remnant will be the remnant God uses to restart Israel during His coming Reign. Satan knows the Scriptures folks and this is why he is determined to destroy man and God's future plans for man. He wants to change the ending but God is clear, Heaven and earth shall pass away but My Words shall not pass away.

Our Lord reveals in this passage the persecutions this type of true followers of Christ endure throughout the 2000 year last "time" which intensifies greatly in the end.

[10] Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

***Seems a law will soon come about that standardizes a ten day "reeducation" period before execution in the new communist world order. Ten days of intense torturing into submission for us before being executed for the witness and testimony of Christ. Seems to be the case once the downloads begin and the mark wearers lose their free will as they are hacked over the internet of things (IoT). The love of many will wax cold because of the digital ID mark. See our Digital ID page for more background.

[11] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

NOTICE: There is no distinction between their beginning and their ending. There is no mention from God for them to repent. God tells them to be faithful unto death to receive the Crown of Life.

Pergamos: Catholics & Protestant denominations out of the Roman state "church" who left pagan rituals (vs14) but retained nicolaitan (denominational hierarchy) doctrine.

[12] And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; Reference as you will see in this passage to their departure from Biblical Christianity.

Pergamos beginning:

[13] I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. Slain by the Roman government who later created Catholicism.

Pergamos was the closest geographically of the original seven to CONSTANTINOPLE.

Just like Balaam who pretended to obey and follow God outwardly, Pergamos did the same but their true motivation was not of God being overcome by the Roman state "church" and their mammon of unrighteousness.

[14] But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

Balaam sold out God and Israel to mammon. King Balak wanted to pay Balaam to curse Israel outwardly but Balaam pretended to remain God's outward servant, foolishly thinking God would not see his adultery. Balaam secretly coached King Balak to tempt the Israelites into idol worship. JUST LIKE ROME has done since its inception. Pergamos started as true followers of Christ but turned apostate due to Catholicism.

[15] So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

*Remember the definition and explanation of the Nicolaitans given with Ephesus at the beginning of this Chapter.

Pergamos' ending:

[16] Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. Reference to Armageddon

[17] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Thyatira: Began as true followers of Christ; then fell under the “legal” influence of the Roman state Church until the reformation and now at the end of this time make up the Charismatic, the mega-church contemporary and "prosperity gospel" sects and denominations.

[18] And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;

Thyatira's beginning:

[19] I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.

[20] Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

[21] And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.

Thyatira's ending:

[22] Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.

These have turned from God's Truth and committed adultery, idolizing their feelings and flesh replacing the Holy Spirit with emotionalism. God is referencing the works of the flesh so prevalent among charismatics exampled by their fake gifts, tongues, prophesies and fake healings.

[23] And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

**Her children are her descendants or this type of believer in the end.

[24] But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. (The remnant of true believers).

[25] But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.

[26] And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

[27] And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

[28] And I will give him the morning star.

[29] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Chapter 3:

Sardis: Reformed sects which refuse to watch for His coming, only a small remnant of these will actually be saved. Verse 4 is the key. These "reformed sects" are merely more harlots of Rome, creating elaborate, interpretive loopholes with unrelated verse salads to apostatize God's contextual meaning throughout Scripture. These are oil-less virgins who never see the Day approaching.

[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;

Sardis' beginning:

I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

[2] Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. God references true belief which causes believers to be crucified with Christ in their flesh to the world.

[3] Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent.

Sardis' ending:

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.

[4] Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

[5] He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

[6] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Philadelphia: Similar to Smyrna, the true underground churches in homes since the Roman state church beginning all the way until the end. These believers had to also hide from protestant persecution. These are the true believers to which all of the "false" Israel (synagogue of Satan) will bow down to during the millennium. Most sects contain small fractions of this type of believer.

[7] And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

[8] I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

[9] Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

Just as God mentioned with the Smyrna believers.

[10] Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

The word of the Lord's patience means enduring the temptations to deny the Lord as Satan and his world governments bring sustained persecutions over the last 2000 years. In our patience, we possess our souls.

[11] Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Notice: No mention from God of their need to repent!

Notice: God's mention of patience (enduring temptation) and a Crown.

Notice: God mentions the synagogue of satan (Christ-rejecting racial jews) as He did earlier with the Smyrna believers.

[12] Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

[13] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

NOTICE: As with Smyrna, there is no distinction between their beginning and their ending. There is no mention from God for them to repent. God tells them to be faithful unto death to receive the Crown of Life. The difference however is that the Smyrna type of believers do still exist in the end at the Rapture and will suffer for His Namesake and His Testimony in the early half of the last seven years. This is the remnant God always mentions just before His Wrath is poured out over the unbelieving world which remains. Correlated to the days of Noah and Lot.

The Philadelphia type believers are all dead at the time of the last seven years and will not see the final seven years of tribulation which overtakes the earth. Noted in Verse 10 above.

Laodicea: Perversion from all sects, denominations in the very last days within the industrialized world (western cultures). Include emerging and fundamentalist “soulwinning” sects, etc. All tout a false and cheap “gospel” foreign to God’s Word. These serve mammon and not God's Truth.

Beginnings were apostate and so are their endings:

[14] And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

[15] I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

[16] So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

[17] Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

[18] I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

They falsely believe that they were right in the Sight of God because of the abundance of things and riches (idolatry) they have thinking that gain is Godliness.

[19] As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

To chasten means to convict the heart showing us that we cannot please God in the flesh and that we must die to this temporary life and look only to Heaven and Eternity. We love Him because He first loved us. We die for Him in this physical life because He died for us. This is what overcoming the world is all about. Similar to our liberty in Christ, we are FREED from this world to look past it unto eternity.

Chasten Synonyms: purify, discipline, chastise, correct, castigate, improve, afflict, refine.

Opposites of these:

Chasten Antonyms: indulge, sensualize, corrupt, pamper, carnalize, spoil.

[20] Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

[21] To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

[22] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Chapters 2&3 Closing thoughts:

The most important admonition from our Lord is given to all seven types of believers in the end:

Only those who overcome the world are truly born again.

Those whom overcome the temptations of the flesh to do the Will of God OVERCOME THE WORLD:

Those truly born of the Spirit will want to and strive to overcome the will of the flesh as our Lord did:

Notice our Lord's Example of how to Overcome the world:

Remember our Lord whom was tempted by Satan and his world systems, yet without sin and always doing the Will of the Father:

Remember our Lord’s Mission on earth was to show us the Father’s Will for us using His Son as our example. Jesus overcame the world by resisting the temptations of the world:

What temptations did our Lord Overcome specifically?

Please recall our Lord's trip into the wilderness for 40 days just before the start of His Ministry.

-He OVERCAME the Temptation of the physical and temporary to do the Father’s Will.

-He OVERCAME the Temptation of Pride to show His Power in order to do the Father's Will.

-He OVERCAME the Temptation of Mammon and the praise of men to do His Father’s Will.

-He OVERCAME the Temptation to do the will of the flesh in order to fulfill the Father's Will every single time.

Later our Lord OVERCAME the Temptation by Peter to save His temporary life here and start His Physical kingdom on earth at that time, denying the flesh to do the Father’s Will.

The night of His arrest, our Lord OVERCAME the Temptation once again to save His physical life (denying His flesh) to fulfill the Father’s Spiritual Will.

In addition, Jesus’ actions and teachings showed NO INTEREST in the priorities of Satan's world system:

-He owned no property, no land, no animals.

-He taught faith and reliance upon God in this physical life.

-He taught that He and all after Him are pilgrims and strangers to Satan's world systems.

-He showed no pride and no need for the admiration of men.

-He humbled Himself by becoming a servant and a sacrifice for all. All of the above examples our Lord provided us to follow demonstrated the denial of the flesh & the physical to fulfill the Spiritual Will of the Father.

Seems six of the seven churches/types of believers follow the Lord Jesus Christ’s teachings in their beginnings (except Laodicea). However five of those six later abandon our Lord’s teachings for the pagan rituals cloaked in the misused New Testament terms of the Roman Church. These five churches transformed into five “types” of apostate “believers” continuing empty “religion” even after the protestant reformation.

Forced government “religion” as Rome instituted in the 3rd century will be the only world-recognized “christian” religion once again in the end. The Mother of harlots is blending their false Christianity with Islam and the synagogue of Satan to produce the final abomination of "Chrislam". True Christ following belief will once again be outlawed and severely persecuted very soon.

Ephesus, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis and Laodicea are wholly apostate due to the influenced traditions of the Roman Catholic Mother of Harlots and Abominations.

Notice however that the Lord provides us hints in his descriptions of these five types that there remains a remnant within each sect of true belief in the end. He reminds them that they must overcome the world as Christ did to be worthy, to eat of the Tree of Life; to eat of the hidden Manna; to have power over the nations; to walk with Him in White Raiment and to sit with Him on His Throne and Rule with Him during His Millennial Reign.

NOTICE: There is no mention of the churches after Chapter 3. This is not a hint of a pre-tribulation "rapture" but rather evidence that no true New Testament Church outwardly remains at the end of this age RESULTING IN THE TRIBULATION. All Christ-naming institutional, commercial denominations or independent sects are represented by these five apostate types of believers in the end. These are not New Testament Churches but Roman Catholic-influenced perversions.

See more information on the Mother of Harlots and Abominations page.

Of the seven churches, only two avoided Roman governmental “religion”, rejected the apostate legal church and went underground and stayed underground even after the protestant reformation. God made no mention of the need to repent to both Smyrna and Philadelphia.

Of the seven only these two types of believers are mentioned to receive eternal reward or the Crown of Life: Smyrna and Philadelphia by holding fast in their patience and faith, overcoming this temporary life and enduring until the end.

Racial, Christ rejecting "jews" (synagogue of satan) are only mentioned to the Smyrna and Philadelphia types of believers in their ends. Indicating that true underground believers not perverted by institutional religion will be persecuted by the the synagogue of satan specifically in the end.

The most prominent of all warnings giving to us by God in these chapters is to Overcome the world as our Lord Jesus Christ did.

Hint for the coming chapters:

The Seven Spirits or Seven Stars are the SEVEN ANGELS OF THE SEVEN CHURCHES THAT ANNOUNCE THE TRUMPETS AND POUR OUT THE VIALS OF GOD’S WRATH. Check back soon for the next Chapters.

Turn the page: Chapters 4 & 5

Get in touch: GodBTrue@yahoo.com

IN HELL

You will lift up your eyes being in torment

Who is Jesus Christ really? And what did He really say about your Soul?