Why are the 7 Churches in Revelation each greeted differently...

[Heart2Soul]

"...when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." (John 16.13)

If I ever write that book God spoke to me about I definitely want you as my Bible editor. Applying the scriptures to the content!

 

[farouk]

If I ever write that book God spoke to me about I definitely want you as my Bible editor. Applying the scriptures to the content!

Oh I don't take to flattery!

My problem is having known some stuff for so long, but have I really applied it and learned it deep down?

 

[Heart2Soul]

Oh I don't take to flattery!

My problem is having known some stuff for so long, but have I really applied it and learned it deep down?

You do a fantastic job. Not inflicting your own interpretation and simply allowing scripture to speak for itself.

 

[farouk]

You do a fantastic job. Not inflicting your own interpretation and simply allowing scripture to speak for itself.

I do strongly believe in letting the Scriptures speak for themselves, indeed, by God's grace.

 

[Waiting on him]

You do a fantastic job. Not inflicting your own interpretation and simply allowing scripture to speak for itself.

Brother Farouk has introspect.

 

[Willie T]

I don't have pdf on my computer...how do edit this thing.

Nothing I have sent you is in PDF. Those books WERE in PDF, but I converted them to Microsoft Word Documents. You simply open them, and treat then just like anything you may have written in WORD.

 

[Heart2Soul]

Nothing I have sent you is in PDF. Those books WERE in PDF, but I converted them to Microsoft Word Documents. You simply open them, and treat then just like anything you may have written in WORD.

Well it's hard for me to read the print...and I wanted to edit the font size and use a softer background. White is very hard on the eyes from a computer screen.

 

[Willie T]

Well it's hard for me to read the print...and I wanted to edit the font size and use a softer background. White is very hard on the eyes from a computer screen.

The FONT SIZE is found under the "HOME" menu button at the top of the screen... and the COLOR is found under the "DESIGN" menu button at the top of the screen.
Do a CONTROL "A" (CTRL + A) and highlight ALL of the book, then, first pick a larger Font Size under the "HOME" menu (I recommend 14).... or you can go bigger. [It is currently set at 12] )….. then do the same thing to select the COLOR you want under "DESIGN."

Be aware that changing the font size will render all of the page numbers I typed into the Table of Contents inaccurate, since the larger font will require more pages to show the same amount of text. Conversely, smaller Font would require less pages... also making the numbers in the table of contents inaccurate.

 

[Heart2Soul]

The FONT SIZE is found under the "HOME" menu button at the top of the screen... and the COLOR is found under the "DESIGN" menu button at the top of the screen.
Do a CONTROL "A" (CTRL + A) and highlight ALL of the book, then, first pick a larger Font Size under the "HOME" menu (I recommend 14).... or you can go bigger. [It is currently set at 12] )….. then do the same thing to select the COLOR you want under "DESIGN."

Be aware that changing the font size will render all of the page numbers I typed into the Table of Contents inaccurate, since the larger font will require more pages to show the same amount of text. Conversely, smaller Font would require less pages... also making the numbers in the table of contents inaccurate.

Thanks Willie....I am in denial that I need to go buy a stronger pair of reading glasses...lol. i am already at 2.25....geez

 

[farouk]

Thanks Willie....I am in denial that I need to go buy a stronger pair of reading glasses...lol.

Well, it comes to a lot of us....

 

[Willie T]

Well, it comes to a lot of us....

I have my computer screen set at +175%, so everything, locally at least, is way bigger than the normal screen

 

[Heart2Soul]

I have my computer screen set at +175%, so everything, locally at least, is way bigger than the normal screen

 

[amadeus]

Reading the bible is the first step. Understanding what is read is the step that most people fail at. Having the Holy Spirit as a guide to our understanding is helpful if we allow the Holy Spirit to operate in our lives to guide us through God's scriptures.

My experience is that the meaning jumps out at me unexpectedly, often after reading the same passage many times in isolation, when I discover other scriptural passages that fill in the missing pieces of the jigsaw.

It is more than helpful. I was say rather that it is essential and it is the reason we have so many different viewpoints on the scriptures and so many different denominations.

 

[Davy]

I would tend to agree. It may be an interesting concept, but there is no need to stretch this idea. When you come right down to it the church at Laodicea consisted of UNSAVED PROFESSORS according to how they are described by Christ -- Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art [1] wretched, and [2] miserable, and [3] poor, and [4] blind, and [5] naked. None of these terms is spiritually applicable to the children of God.

Actually, those terms our Lord used do apply, in the spiritual sense. And that's how He applied their being wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. That because He then admonished them to buy of Him gold tried in the fire, which is an expression for taking up their cross and following Him, and thus have the real treasure.

 

[Davy]

This is off topic but I have already shared I am not a pre-trib rapture believer.
Are you equating this discussion as the rapture being associated with the 7 Churches?
In reading Rev 1...I read that the 7 stars are the 7 angels assigned to the 7 churches, and the 7 candlesticks are the 7 churches...

Now I am in Chapter 11...the 2 witnesses....they are called the 2 olive trees and the 2 lampstands that stand before the God of the earth....in cross referencing I am taken to Zechariah...who is shown two olive trees standing on each side of the golden candlestick who receive the golden oil that is poured out...the 2 anointed ones.

So candlestick is something totally different in Ch. 11. Makes my head spin....the olive trees and the candlesticks both represent the 2 witnesses.

So candlestick seems to have to meanings....
Still seeking.

That Rev.11:4 passage really is about the candlestick symbol our Lord Jesus used in Rev.1, as Churches. It's about a pattern in Heaven which is related to the lampstand of Zech.4. And if you'll recall His 7 Messages, there were only 2 Churches He had no rebuke for. Those represent His elect that will make a stand against the beast at the end, along with the two physical witnesses who will witness in Jerusalem. Recall Acts 2 and what Peter quoted from Joel 2. That Joel 2 prophecy is meant for the end just prior to the "day of the Lord" (Christ's coming). It means a major witness at the end via the cloven tongue of Pentecost.

 

[Enoch111]

...which is an expression for taking up their cross and following Him..

That can only happen after a person is saved. But the one who is naked does not have the robe of the righteousness of Christ, and the one who is blind does not have the indwelling Holy Spirit. So everything applied to the UNSAVED. All those terms have spiritual meaning.

 

[Davy]

That can only happen after a person is saved. But the one who is naked does not have the robe of the righteousness of Christ, and the one who is blind does not have the indwelling Holy Spirit. So everything applied to the UNSAVED. All those terms have spiritual meaning.

I'm not going to argue whether or not they were saved already, that's up to our Lord Jesus.

Rev 3:18-19
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.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
KJV

Jesus was telling them to instead seek after the spiritual treasure of His Kingdom that doesn't rust in order to be rich. That is what He rebuked them for, not because they weren't believers on Him, because they were believers on Him. They simply misapplied the kind of works in Him they were supposed to have, and instead put their trust in the works of this material world. Our Lord Jesus didn't go around saying "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten" applied to His enemies. He said that for His Church.


Rev 16:15
15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
KJV

 

[Heart2Soul]

That Rev.11:4 passage really is about the candlestick symbol our Lord Jesus used in Rev.1, as Churches. It's about a pattern in Heaven which is related to the lampstand of Zech.4. And if you'll recall His 7 Messages, there were only 2 Churches He had no rebuke for. Those represent His elect that will make a stand against the beast at the end, along with the two physical witnesses who will witness in Jerusalem. Recall Acts 2 and what Peter quoted from Joel 2. That Joel 2 prophecy is meant for the end just prior to the "day of the Lord" (Christ's coming). It means a major witness at the end via the cloven tongue of Pentecost.

Thanks, I was thinking it had to fit in with the 7 churches somehow.

 

[Giuliano]

This is off topic but I have already shared I am not a pre-trib rapture believer.
Are you equating this discussion as the rapture being associated with the 7 Churches?
In reading Rev 1...I read that the 7 stars are the 7 angels assigned to the 7 churches, and the 7 candlesticks are the 7 churches...

The guide I use is that often the top part of a vision says something about the 3rd heaven, the middle parts the 2nd and lst heavens, and at times the bottom the earthly.

A vision can portray the same thing in two ways too as we see with the candlesticks and the stars. What they have in common is that both are sources of light. The stars in the hand show me that "Jesus' hand" is operating at a lower level than his head. I'd would guess those stars are in the firmament between the "upper waters" and "lower waters."

The candlesticks would be another way of showing the same thing but from a different perspective. They are not "rooted" in the earth but stand on it; and their light is coming from above.

Now I am in Chapter 11...the 2 witnesses....they are called the 2 olive trees and the 2 lampstands that stand before the God of the earth....in cross referencing I am taken to Zechariah...who is shown two olive trees standing on each side of the golden candlestick who receive the golden oil that is poured out...the 2 anointed ones.

These could be said to be two more stars but it doesn't say that. They are candlesticks like the seven spirits -- I read it the same way. We also are told that they are trees -- with roots in the earth. They relate to the earth in a way the seven spirits do not.

Not only are they burning oil to make light, they are growing olives to make more oil. The glory of God is already ever present but concealed. When a saint is doing the business of Heaven properly, he is collecting this unmanifested concealed glory in the earth with his roots. It is collected in the olives which are then pressed -- one taken, one left behind so to speak -- the heavenly is separated from the earthly.

Then if the person has "the spark" of fire, his lamp is lit -- and the hidden glory of God can be revealed.

If we lack enough oil ourselves, we may need to "buy" it. We can make it ourselves; but we can also get it from others.

Matthew 25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

I would say the two witnesses then represent two sources of this oil as well as being lampstands themselves; and they are connected to the seven other lampstands.

 

[farouk]

Because of their works and the way they act. He greets them as to how he knows them and how they know Him. He's coming as their personal God and Savior, as the Son of God. Then he rebukes them for the stuff theyre not doing, encourages them to repent. And then gives them a promise, which, if they obey-- you get this, a reward.

Each local church mentioned is in different circumstances; and there is an appropriate challenge to each. Good for us as individuals also to be challenged by Scripture according to our innermost needs and situations, known to God.