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Through the Bible with Les Feldick
LESSON 2 * PART 3 * BOOK 59
REVELATION 1:11-2:10
All right, we’re going to get right back where we left off, Revelation chapter 2, and verse 1. Paul calls that "rightly dividing the Word of Truth," which makes everything fit so beautifully.
All right, Revelation chapter 2. Now remember, we’re dealing with seven Jewish congregations in Western Turkey, who have more or less taken the place of God’s dealing in preparation for the wrath and vexation that at this point in time is still right out in front of them.
Now, I’m going to quit using the word church if we’re not using Paul’s writings, because I’ve explained why I don’t like it. It comes from the Greek word "ecclesia" which is a called out assembly, but these were mostly synagogues. Revelation 2:1
Now verse 2, and remember this is the Lord Jesus Himself speaking. If you have a red-letter edition Bible, it’ll all be in red. And Jesus says to this synagogue of believing Jews - Now when I say believing Jews, I trust you all know what I’m talking about. These are Jews who are still under the Law, but they have recognized and believed for salvation that Jesus of Nazareth was their Messiah.
2. For I (God says) will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle;…"
That’s what we refer to as the Battle of Armageddon; when all the nations of the world that are left, will be brought to the nation of Israel by the anti-Christ in one great final push to destroy the Jewish nation, and it ends up in a battle against Israel’s Christ. The Jew. Oh, they hate them. One little eleven-year old chickened out. "The Arab world loves death more than the Jews loves life."
"And the LORD (Jehovah, God the Son) shall be king over all the earth: (not just Israel. "Next year Jerusalem" Well, why Jerusalem? All right, back to Revelation, and the very first verse of chapter 2; he’s dealing with the congregation there at Ephesus. But my own take on this is that this is a separate Jewish congregation, removed from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Verse 2. This is the Lord Jesus commenting on this particular congregation. Well, that’s the way these little letters were meant to deal with these Jewish congregations.
"I know thy works…" That smacks of Law, doesn’t it? Law is works, works, works and Jesus knew that their works were according to the Law. Revelation 2:2b
"…and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou cannot bear them who are evil;…"
Revelation 2:2c
I John 4:1-2
"Beloved, (so he’s writing to again these Jewish believers) believe not every spirit, but try (or test) the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2. Hereby know you the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:"
"Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God!" In John 11 we have Martha’s confession:
John 11:24-27
25. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26. Believest thou this? 27. She (Martha) saith unto him, Yea, Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world."
All right, John carries it on here to these little Jewish congregations; that if you confess that Jesus is the Christ and that He’s the Son of God, then you have the Spirit of God. All right verse 3:
I John 4:3a
"And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God:…"
In other words, if someone can’t believe that Jesus was God manifested in the flesh, he has no hope of eternal life until he has a change of heart on that.
I John 4:3b
Liars! Revelation 2:3-4
Not a word! Not a word about the resurrection. Not a word about Christ having died for our sin. Not a word about being in the Body of Christ. Revelation 2:5a
So Jesus writes through the pen of John,) repent,…"
Revelation 2:5b
Before very many years went by, these Jewish synagogue congregations totally disappeared. And of course with them, so also went Paul’s congregations. The same thing that happened to Paul and his little Gentile congregations happened to the seven Jewish congregations in that same area of the world. Turkey! "Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. About the same thing is happening to the Jewish synagogue.
Revelation 2:6
"But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate."
Revelation 2:7a
Revelation 2:7b
Now of course, you have to realize that the Jewish believers, as well as Paul’s believers, were under intense persecution at this time. Revelation 2:8
Is Jesus associating salvation with their believing that? No! Revelation 2:9a
"I know thy works,… Works! Whenever you have a works religion, it is work, work, work. Because you don’t know if you’ve worked enough.

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