There are commendations, rebukes, commands and promises for each of the churches, in the letters to the churches in Revelation. A few are not given commendation, some are just given rebukes, others are not given rebukes but many commendations for their work. They are all given commands and promises though! In the beginning to each letter to each church He glorifies Himself telling you about Him first, then addresses the issues of the church. I believe the Lord has something to say to us in all of this, as He says we live not by bread alone but by every Word of God, every Word is pure. These are not written to unbelievers, but to churches. Our churches need to take heed to these as well. As many as He loves, He rebukes and chastens. Just take this all in...
The Lord declares who HE is, because it is completely about Him. He that holdeth the seven stars in His right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. The first and the last which was dead and is alive! He which hath the sharp sword with two edges. The Word of God, the two edged sword! The Son of God, who hath His eyes like unto a flame of fire, and His feet are like fine brass. He that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars. 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. The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. He doesn't allow one of these letters to be without first declaring who He is in truth.
The commendation for each church, if they were commended for anything follow this. Thy works, thy labour, thy patience, how thou canst not bear them which are evil, and has tried them which are evil, and thou hast tried them that say they are apostles and are not and hast found them liars. Thou hast borne and hast patience, and for My name's sake hast laboured and hast not fainted. Thou hast hated the deeds of the Nicolatians, which I also hate. I know thy works and tribulation, poverty. Thy works and where thou dwellest even where Satan's seat is, and holdest fast My name, and hast not denied My faith. Thy works and charity and service and faith and thy patience, and thy works, and the last to be more than the first, not knoing the depths of Satan, many not having the doctrine of Jezebel. Thy works, thou hast kept the word of My patience. Notice these encouragements and acknowledgements of their faithfulness and of their works.
Following comes the rebukes though. We need to heed these things as well. Knowing we have the same potential to fall into sin as these churches did. And Jesus will have words for us to repent and if not we will have the punishment to bear as these churches He warns. The rebukes: I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love, thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication. Thou also hast them that hold the docrtine of Nicolaitans which thing I hate. 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 to idols. I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead. For I have not found thy works perfect before God. 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. 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. I know thy works, that thou are neither cold nor hot, I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of thy mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and I have need of nothing: and knowest not that thou are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. Wow, that is some intense rebuke and fault the Lord finds in them. Is any of this pricking our heart and putting finger on anything in our life?
The commands the Lord has to the churches after the rebukes, are remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent, do the first works. Be thou faithful unto death. Repent or else I will come unto thee quickly and fight against them with the sword of my mouth. Repent of their deeds. But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast and repent. Behold I come quickly, hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Be zealous therefore and repent.
Look at all these wonderful promises that come after the commands!!! He that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. He 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. He that overcometh and keepth my works unto the end, to him that I will give power over the nations. And I will give him the morning star. 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. 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. 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. These are all for the overcomer! How do you overcome!?
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. The blood of the Lamb and their testimony, this is how we overcome! It is not our works, for apart from Him they are dead works. It is by the blood of the Lamb, He is the One who overcame the world. Our testimony is just as precious and important, as it is the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ, when you met Him, when He bore you of His Spirit, when you were born again. It is your testimony that overcomes as well as the blood of the Lamb. A true testimony is worth dieing for. Just as the blood of Jesus, of the Lamb, is more than worth dieing for. Your testimony of what the Lord has done, of when He came in power to disperse the blood of Himself upon you makes you an overcomer! How spectacular and fearful! What is your testimony? Do you have one?
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? Our faith in the blood of the Lamb, our belief in the Lord Jesus, in His salvation overcomes! Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Our belief, faith, is born of God! Not of the intellect, not of man, nor of flesh. But of God, if it is true faith. Do you think it was your will to be saved? Do you think it was a will of man, that you have faith? Then it probably is not true saving faith given to you by the Lord. If it is true faith from the Lord, you know it was the Lord and your desire is to give Him all the glory because you know it had nothing to do with you. It is His work. He alone deserves the glory! He makes men overcomers. After all if it is our faith which overcometh the world, He is the author of your faith.
Revelation 2:1-3:22; Revelation 12:11; John 1:13; Luke 4:4; Prov 30:5
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