In Revelation 2 & 3, our Lord Jesus gave seven Messages through John to the Churches in Asia Minor which existed in Apostle John's day. Those seven Church locations are all in modern Turkey today, but in John's days were part of the Roman empire area of Asia Minor. Their plots on a map form a 'U' type pattern, almost like a complete circle.
At the end of Rev.1, Jesus said the seven candlesticks in Heaven are the seven Churches. The seven candlesticks are from the Old Testament pattern of Zechariah 4, which involves the Oil being poured to them as lamps.
With 5 of the seven Churches in Asia Minor, our Lord Jesus Christ had problems with, and gave each one a specific rebuke and told them to repent.
But with two of the Churches, He gave no rebuke. They are the two Churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia.
One of the unique ideas our Lord Jesus brought up among those two Churches He said nothing about to the other five. He mentioned to Smyrna and Philadelphia about the "synagogue of Satan" that was persecuting them especially. And our Lord Jesus even told those at Philadelphia He would make those of His enemies of the "synagogue of Satan" to come worship at their feet, to know that He has loved them.
Those two Churches represent His elect that are sealed for the last days, and cannot be deceived by the coming of a false one. They represent two Churches that were right in the heart of battle against Satan and his servants, and they were aware that the "synagogue of Satan" represented Christ's enemies here on earth. That points to their knowing their identity hidden among Judah because of our Lord Jesus labeling them as false Jews that say they are Jews, but are not and lie. That links to the parable of the tares of the field which our Lord Jesus gave His elect in Matthew 13.
If the other five Churches had understood Christ's parable of the tares of the field, they would have understood about the "synagogue of Satan" that He only mentioned among Smyrna and Philadelphia. If your Church doesn't know about this, then that Church mostly likely will be subject to deceptions, and those deceptions is what allows those problems the five Churches were having.
This idea is reiterated in our Lord's parable of the sower of the field. Only those who received His Word without the influence of the stones, thorns, fowls, and hard soil, were able to produce much fruit for Him. The stones, thorns, and fowls symbols were first given in the Old Testament prophets to represent Christ's enemies, the servants of the devil. That's the strong meat of our Lord's parable of the sower. Clear out His enemies within your vineyard, and then your vineyard will be able to produce much fruit for our Lord Jesus. And there's no question about that interpretation, for in real agriculture, before soil will produce fruit, the stones, thorns, and fowls must be dealt with, and the soil well ploughed.
At the end of Rev.1, Jesus said the seven candlesticks in Heaven are the seven Churches. The seven candlesticks are from the Old Testament pattern of Zechariah 4, which involves the Oil being poured to them as lamps.
With 5 of the seven Churches in Asia Minor, our Lord Jesus Christ had problems with, and gave each one a specific rebuke and told them to repent.
But with two of the Churches, He gave no rebuke. They are the two Churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia.
One of the unique ideas our Lord Jesus brought up among those two Churches He said nothing about to the other five. He mentioned to Smyrna and Philadelphia about the "synagogue of Satan" that was persecuting them especially. And our Lord Jesus even told those at Philadelphia He would make those of His enemies of the "synagogue of Satan" to come worship at their feet, to know that He has loved them.
Those two Churches represent His elect that are sealed for the last days, and cannot be deceived by the coming of a false one. They represent two Churches that were right in the heart of battle against Satan and his servants, and they were aware that the "synagogue of Satan" represented Christ's enemies here on earth. That points to their knowing their identity hidden among Judah because of our Lord Jesus labeling them as false Jews that say they are Jews, but are not and lie. That links to the parable of the tares of the field which our Lord Jesus gave His elect in Matthew 13.
If the other five Churches had understood Christ's parable of the tares of the field, they would have understood about the "synagogue of Satan" that He only mentioned among Smyrna and Philadelphia. If your Church doesn't know about this, then that Church mostly likely will be subject to deceptions, and those deceptions is what allows those problems the five Churches were having.
This idea is reiterated in our Lord's parable of the sower of the field. Only those who received His Word without the influence of the stones, thorns, fowls, and hard soil, were able to produce much fruit for Him. The stones, thorns, and fowls symbols were first given in the Old Testament prophets to represent Christ's enemies, the servants of the devil. That's the strong meat of our Lord's parable of the sower. Clear out His enemies within your vineyard, and then your vineyard will be able to produce much fruit for our Lord Jesus. And there's no question about that interpretation, for in real agriculture, before soil will produce fruit, the stones, thorns, and fowls must be dealt with, and the soil well ploughed.