7 Church Ages/ The final age... Laodecia...the lukewarm church

[Heart2Soul]

Something the Holy Spirit led me to see the 7 Churches of Revelation...how each was recognized for their faithfulness to do as commanded in scripture and then reprimanded for their disobedience to follow scripture...lol...well that is a teeter-totter of a situation with Him.
But seriously when the Holy Spirit told me to study Revelation my eyes were opened to see things in scripture that I hadn't noticed before.
First I noticed the seven stars and seven candlesticks...
Revelation 1 (KJV)
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
¹² And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
…
²⁰ The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Now look at Exodus...these are instructions God gave to Moses concerning the building of His tabernacle.
Exodus 25 (KJV)
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
³¹ And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.
³² And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side:
³³ Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick.
³⁴ And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers.
³⁵ And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick.
³⁶ Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold.
³⁷ And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it.
³⁸ And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall be of pure gold.
³⁹ Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels.
⁴⁰ And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.

 

[Heart2Soul]

Not finished....
“And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:”
— Zechariah 4:2 (KJV)
“And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.”
— Revelation 4:5 (KJV)

Now I hope I can articulate this well...I fully believe the 7 Churches addresses 7 stages the church movement would go through before His Return...church ages as some call them...
And as each church was addressed each had a different greeting and a different closing...I believe it is because of how the church was progressing...

 

[Heart2Soul]

Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;”
— Revelation 2:1 (KJV)

Okay so 7 is the number of God that represents completion...
7 stars-7 Angel's of the 7 churches
7 Candlesticks- 7 churches
Jesus holds the 7 stars in His right hand as He walks in the midst of the seven churches (interesting...holding the Angels back while He ministers His message?)...
Anyways, Jesus declared I am He who was...past....who is...present and who is to come...future.
He declared He is the Alpha and Omega, beginning and end...
So I could only conclude that we have got to open our minds to understand the 7 churches were church ages with 7 attributes distinguishing a progression forward...
And I believe we are in the final church age...the lukewarm church.

 

[Heart2Soul]

What Are the Seven Churches of Revelation?
The short letters in Revelation chapters two and three are addressed to these specific seven churches:

• Ephesus: The church that had abandoned its first love for Christ (Revelation 2:4).
• Smyrna: The church that would face severe persecution (Revelation 2:10).
• Pergamum: The church that needed to repent of sin (Revelation 2:16).
• Thyatira: The church whose false prophetess was leading people astray (Revelation 2:20).
• Sardis: The sleeping church that needed to wake up (Revelation 3:2).
• Philadelphia: The church that had patiently persevered (Revelation 3:10).
• Laodicea: The church with lukewarm faith (Revelation 3:16).

 

[Truman]

Eight is the new beginning...

 

[Heart2Soul]

Eight is the new beginning...

Hallelujah!

 

[Truman]

I was thinking about this last night.
We are guilty of the sin of Sodom...we have become arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned.
I hate to be a downer, but that's just the way it is.
I believe that it is God's plan and will that the Kingdom be given back to the reunited 12-tribe Israel.
Fret not...this is His sovereign plan, of which we are all a part!

This is the day that the Lord has made...I'm so glad that He did!

 

[Truman]

 

[Heart2Soul]

Let's go back to Exodus...

And I love Matthew Henry's Commentary so I always go there when I want to expand on something...
Moses is given strict instructions about how to build everything concerning the tabernacle or Holy Temple....
There is in the midst of these instructions an express caution given to Moses, to take heed of varying from his model: Make them after the pattern shown thee, v. 40. Nothing was left to his own invention, or the fancy of the workmen, or the people's humour; but the will of God must be religiously observed in every particular. Thus, 1. All God's providences are exactly according to his counsels, and the copy never varies from the original. Infinite Wisdom never changes its measures; whatever is purposed shall undoubtedly be performed. 2. All his ordinances must be administered according to his institutions. Christ's instruction to his disciples (Mt. 28:20) is similar to this: Observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.

 

[Truman]

I die...He lives...thus fulfilling the law! He's a genius!

 

[Heart2Soul]

If there is any doubt as to the specifics of His Church and how He intended it to be this should help you understand there is only ONE COPY of instructions and every model is built on that ONE COPY of instructions.
In other words, As Paul instructed the Ephesians as to how God set up and established His Church to operate...then this is how every church should operate....there is only ONE COPY OF INSTRUCTIONS to the Church.
Ephesians 4 (KJV)
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
¹¹ And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
¹² For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
¹³ Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
¹⁴ That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
¹⁵ But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

 

[Heart2Soul]

So now back to the 7 churches....
7 Angels are assigned to the 7 churches and at the appointed time will bring judgment on that church...
So...as it is written...judgment begins at the House of the Lord...
1 Peter 4 (KJV)
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
¹⁷ For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
¹⁸ And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
¹⁹ Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

 

[Heart2Soul]

I die...He lives...thus fulfilling the law! He's a genius!

Good morning brother....this is really important to me and I could use your wisdom in this teaching....not me teaching but scripture.

 

[Truman]

Good morning brother....this is really important to me and I could use your wisdom in this teaching....not me teaching but scripture.

Sorry...I got lost with the Lord.

 

[Heart2Soul]

So now back to the 7 churches....
7 Angels are assigned to the 7 churches and at the appointed time will bring judgment on that church...
So...as it is written...judgment begins at the House of the Lord...
1 Peter 4 (KJV)
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
¹⁷ For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
¹⁸ And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
¹⁹ Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

So judgment begins at the house of the Lord and the 7 churches represent the spiritual condition of the church and how it has failed to follow His instructions to the letter....
And in failing to follow these instructions the church has fallen away, and now is a lukewarm church without any power.

 

[Truman]

Which is why we see such moral decay.

 

[Heart2Soul]

Which is why we see such moral decay.

I think you might be my only fellow brethren to discuss what church age we are in...lol.
Well what say you?

 

[Truman]

Repent!

 

[Truman]

Repentance is a gift. In repentance and rest is my salvation. The blood of the Lamb makes this possible. Thank You, Jesus!

 

[Heart2Soul]

Repentance is a gift. In repentance and rest is my salvation. The blood of the Lamb makes this possible. Thank You, Jesus!

It is a wonderful bridge that allows us back into fellowship with our Father.