The Seven Churches Of Revelation, Part 2: Smyrna.

Revelation 2:8-11  "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,
‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: "I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death." ’
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The letter to the "Angel," or messenger, of the Church of Smyrna, is the second of the seven Churches addressed.  This pastor, along with the leader of the Church of Philadelphia, received no rebuke or correction, each for different reasons.
The believers of Smyrna were under persecution that was about to get worse to the point that some would even be thrown in prison.
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Encouraging Words.
Jesus only offered words of comfort and encouragement, assuring His flock that they, as believers identified with Him, and were overcomers.  They did not have any fear that they would be hurt by the second death.
He told them not to fear what man could do, which may well have brought to mind the His words recorded in Matthew 10:28-31
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 "...Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows."
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Smyrna.
Smyrna was a city in Asia Minor, in present day Turkey.  The name occurs only once in the Bible, here in the Book of Revelation.
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Jesus' words to them are filled with affection and joy that comes from triumph over hardship and persecution.  They faced strong Jewish opposition in their town as there were a considerable number of Jews in the city.  Notice how Jesus describes them:  "I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan." 
Pretty strong words!  They may have been of Jewish descent but they certainly were not serving the Most High.  That's the way it is with the self-righteous who set themselves as defenders of God's holiness.  Looks like the only thing they were doing was heaping guilt and destruction on themselves.
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Myrrh.
In Jesus’ message to their leader, twice He makes reference to His resurrection in chapter 2, verses 8 and 11. This is no accident.  You see, all names in the Bible have meaning.  Though scholars may differ somewhat on the root word from which Smyrna is derived is, most have settled on the noun, "Smurna," which comes from the Hebrew and Aramaic word מר or מור (mor), meaning "Myrrh."
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Myrrh is a depiction of Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross.  This is especially showcased in how it is made and how it was used.  The description paints quite a picture of Him.
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(Commiphora myrrha tree, one of the primary trees from which myrrh is harvested.)

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Harvesting Myrrh.
This is one of the spices brought to Jesus by the wise men from the East when He was about 2 years old.  It is a natural gum or resin extracted from a number of small, thorny trees. Its resin has been used throughout history as a perfume, incense, and medicine. Myrrh mixed with wine can also be ingested. Look at the description below of how it is harvested.
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When a tree's wound penetrates through the bark and into the sapwood, the tree bleeds a resin (their words). When people harvest it, they wound the trees repeatedly to bleed them of the gum.  That’s the industry term from those who engage in gathering the sap or resin.  The bark is "Pierced" so that it will "Bleed" the sap so it can be used in perfume, incense, and even medicine.
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Healing Myrrh.
Myrrh has been used as an antiseptic in mouthwashes, gargles, and toothpastes.  It is also used in some linaments and healing salves that may be applied to abrasions and other minor skin ailments. Myrrh has also been recommended as an analgesic for toothaches and can be used in linament for bruises, aches, and sprains.  It is a common ingredient of tooth powders. Myrrh and borax in tincture can be used as a mouthwash. A compound tincture, or horse tincture, using myrrh is used in veterinary practice for healing wounds.  It is also commonly used to treat indigestion, ulcers, colds, cough, asthma, lung congestion, arthritis pain, even cancer.
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That sure brings to mind the Isaiah 53:5 which says, "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed."
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Myrrh was the main ingredient in the anointing oil that Moses used to sprinkle the Tabernacle.  In so doing, it became prominent not just visually but the perfume of Myrrh gave it a sweet aroma.  This anointing oil was used to anoint priests, prophets, and kings.
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Oil Of Joy!
It became known as the "Oil of Joy" with which God anointed the righteous.  Mostly, it became associated with the consummation of marriage.  Esther, for instance, bathed in myrrh for 6 months before presenting herself to the king.  Solomon sprinkled his bed with myrrh and invited the Shulamite to drink their fill of love until morning.
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Secrets In The Hebrew Language.
It's not uncontested where the name Smyrna might come from. It appears to be an adaptation from an ancient word, but it's not known which word and what it might have meant. But the adaptation upon which finally was settled is identical to the noun σμυρνα (smurna), which comes from the Hebrew and Aramaic word מר or מור (mor), meaning myrrh:

The word, "Myrrh," comes from the the verb "Marar," which means, "To be bitter."  Hebrew audiences, however, associate the idea of bitterness not only with grief but strength.  A bitter-tasting dish is often said to have a strong taste.
The Ugaritic, Arabic, and Aramaic languages, often having very similar meanings, denote the meaning of this verb as "To bless, strengthen, or commend."  A Hebrew audience would almost certainly been aware of these alternate meanings.
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Gentle Shepherd.
What a picture are all these things of our Jesus!  He is all about healing, comforting, strengthening.  Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.  He is the Oil of Joy in our trials and tribulations.  By His stripes, we are healed, comforted, strengthened.
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Brings to mind Isaiah 42:3 which says, "A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoking flax, He will not quench."
He is not a High Priest that is far removed from us.  He knows what we are going through.  He feels what we feel having been born into the world as human child.  He knows that we are dust and has mercy on us.
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The lesson of Smyrna to us is that God is not some angry, absentee landlord holding a stick over our heads, waiting to pounce at each minor infraction.  NO!  He understands what we face in this life.  He will never leave or forsake us, and be an ever-present help in time of trouble.

The Seven Churches Of Revelation Part 3: Pergamos

Revelation 2:12-17

12 "And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, ‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: 13 "I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold THE DOCTRINE OF BALAAM, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. 15 Thus you also have those who hold the DOCTRINE OF THE NOCOLAITANS, WHICH THING I HATE.

"16 Repent, {metanoia-change your mind} or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth. {spoken word of God}

17 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the *hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it."’

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The senior pastor of the Church at Pergamos is the third one addressed by Jesus in the letters to the seven Churches in Asia.  As usual in the manner of a Divine sandwich, He praises this pastor first as well as after His correction.  He was please that the leader had taught his people to hold fast to God’s name and not to deny the faith in the wake of the marrying of Antipas, reminding them that will be given the "Hidden manna," and a new name written on a the stone, referring to Jesus, no doubt.

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Jesus submits that Pergamum was host to "satan's throne" and "dwelling place."  But it should also be noted that both Smyrna and Philadelphia also housed a "synagogue of satan," and that at Thyatira folks went after the "deep things of satan." 
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In these contexts, "satan" should probably be understood to have to do with Roman totalitarian rule; that which aims to turn humanity into a machine.  It attempts to convince people that they must suppress their individuality, blindly obeying orders that come from outside of themselves, and that their purpose in life is to play a minute part in the greater mechanism.  This serves the purpose to make them think they are easily replaceable and thus effectively worthless.  

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Sound familiar?  It should!  This evil mentality is alive and well today in governments around the globe.  This teaching is in direct opposition to what Jesus of Nazareth teaches, i.e., that all individuals are to partake in the anointing of Christ (2 Corinthians 1:21, 1 John 2:20), and be Christs and Messiahs (kings and priests), in this world.  We, in effect, have no earthly superiors and a direct link of communication with the our Father/Creator. In Christ, our orders come from within, like DNA.

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Jesus was also makes mention that He was displeased with the death of Antipas (2:13), the Pergamumites' flirtations with the teachings of Balaam (2:14) and those of the Nicolaitans (2:15).  In order to discover what those are all about, we'll have to go all the way back to Numbers 23.

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(King Balak hired Balaam to curse Israel.)

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The Error Of Balaam.

Numbers 23:19-21

"God is not a man, that He should lie,
Nor a son of man, that He should repent.
Has He said, and will He not do?
Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
Behold, I have received a command to bless;
He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

"He has not observed iniquity in Jacob,
Nor has He seen wickedness in Israel.
The Lord his God is with him,
And the shout of a King is among them."
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How often do you hear the first part of this passage quoted:  "God is not a man that He should lie?"  Then (predictably) it is used in the context that God is a just God and therefore does not wink at sin, so you can expect to be punished by Him if you err.  The speaker is implying, of course, that once again, you have not measured up.  

Sound familiar?

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The context in which Balaam said those words has nothing at all to do with God judging sin or punishing sinners.  What He said was, "God has blessed (the children of Israel) AND HE (Balaam) COULD NOT REVERSE IT." It means, Church, that those whom God has blessed CANNOT BE CURSED.  

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That’s the real message in the story of Balaam.  Believers, you and I, fall into this category of those blessed by God by virtue of the fact that Jesus has FULLY taken upon Himself ALL our curse and ALL the punishment for sin that we deserve!

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Sin In The Camp?

Do you think that there were people among the Israelites who were committing sins?  Of course there were.  Did they always obey God perfectly all the time?  Certainly not!  Yet God said He had not "Observed" iniquity in Jacob,  Nor has He "Seen" wickedness in Israel." He didn’t say that there was none; simply that He has not "seen or observed" any.  Why? 

Because the blood of an acceptable sacrifice had been sprinkled on top of the Mercy Seat on the last Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement.)  The blood reminded Him that, years in the future, His beloved Son would shed His blood for the sins of all men for all time and eternity.

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Christians CANNOT Be Cursed.  Anyone, ANYONE…..I don’t care if they have a PhD…..who preaches or even HINTS that a Christian can either be cursed or under a curse, generational or otherwise, IS PREACHING A LIE.  

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If you happen to be hearing this kind of message from the pulpit at your Church, I’m truly sorry.  But be assured of this:  It may be scripture you are hearing but IT IS NOT THE GOSPEL.   It is the Error of Balaam spoken about in Revelation chapter 2 in Jesus’ message to the Church at Ephesus.

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The Doctrine Of The Nicolaitans.

Then, there is the not-so-little matter of the false teaching called "The doctrine of the Nicolaitans."  Both are doctrines of demons.

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(*The hidden manna no doubt is a reference to the years Jesus spent as a child which are "Hidden" from us.  We have only information about His birth and a line or two about the time in the temple when He was twelve.  Other than that, the Manna from heaven: Jesus, the Bread of Life," was hidden from our eyes.")

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Salvation Kept By Works?

Paul wrote about the doctrine of the Nicolaitans to the church in Galatia.  Galatianism, also known as "Mixture or balance," is the false teaching which tells you that, though you are saved, you must also keep the Ten Commandments, ADDING your "Right doing" to Jesus’ finished work in order to keep your salvation.

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AS IF!!  Trying to do that not only avails NOTHING, sadly, it adds the curses below to those who try to follow that teaching, only to fail miserably.

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Revelation 22:18

"For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone ADDS to these things, God will ADD to him the plagues that are written in this book;"

YIKES!

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I dare you:  Turn to Deuteronomy 28.  You can read all about those curses, if you like nightmares that is.  It’s an exhaustive, not to mention frightening, list.

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No Balance Needed.

Those who preach this error think that grace must be "Balanced" with the law.  Let me tell you something, Church:  God’s GRACE doesn’t need any so-called "Balancing."  To go back to the law is to "FALL FROM GRACE."  Galatians 5:4 makes it very clear: "You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; YOU HAVE FALLEN FROM GRACE."

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How do you fall from grace, according to this verse?  By committing some sin?  NO.  By trying to obey the Law to be acceptable to God.

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Nicholas, Author Of This Heresy.

Why is it called, "The doctrine of the Nicolaitans?"  Nicholas, for whom the error is named, was actually one of the deacons of the early church. He was taught the true gospel but then went off on a tangent, creating a whole satan-inspired movement.  It is still deceiving much of the Church to this day.

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Well, FLUSH IT!  You and I, Church, can neither be cursed nor are we under the Ten Commandments because God has written His laws on our hearts.  Who needs the "Map," when you have "The Man?"  (See Hebrews 10 and/or follow this link for more on that topic:  https://emmausroadministries.wordpress.com/2016/07/06/the-laws-of-the-new-covenant/)

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Does that mean that we are "law-less?  Far from it!  We have The Holy Spirit leading us from within.  That’s a much better deal. 

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Not Your Heritage.

It is crystal clear that if you try to "do the WORKS of the law," even though you are a Christian, YOU ARE UNDER A CURSE….but it was never meant to be your heritage.  God’s plan for us is PURE GRACE: No law mixed in…..PERIOD!

Don’t take my word for it, though.  Read it for yourself in Hebrews 8.  The Sinaitic covenant, the Ten Commandments, HAS BEEN REPLACED, because Jesus fulfilled it ALL.  That’s what He meant when He cried out with a LOUD voice, "FINISHED."

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Remind yourself, LOUDLY AND OFTEN, that you are the righteousness of God in Christ, especially when you sin.  That way you won’t fall prey to either to the Error of Balaam or the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans.

The Parable Of The Talents.

Matthew 25:14-19

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.

Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.”

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Talents and abilities come from God. Everyone may have the same opportunities as everyone else, but each has different abilities. Some have more than others but each can function to their greatest abilities if they so desire.

This story is more than simply a lesson about money, as the talent was not only a unit of money in Bible times. It was also a measure of weight.

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Different Talents, Different Abilities.

The first recipient was given FIVE TALENTS of gold. Five, many of you know, is the number of Grace. Gold in the Bible is a picture of God’s divine nature. Who is the One that received the full measure of God’s grace and possessed the full measure of God’s divinity? Jesus, His beloved Son, of course! He was perfectly Holy, perfectly at rest at all times, and perfectly able to perform all the 10 Commandments, hence the mention of the number “10.”

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The second man received 2 talents which he faithfully put to work, doubling his Master’s money. In other words, he doubled the outreach and influence with which he was gifted. The master was very pleased with his works.

This man is a picture of the Church. We are beneficiaries of Jesus’ death (#1) and resurrection (#2). We mirror Jesus in that we do the best we can with what we have to reach the world for Christ.

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Sadly, the one who received the one talent saw him as a hard task master, not a loving father. He did worse than nothing with what he was given: He buried it in the ground! When the Master returned, he was very displeased with the unjust servant, so his talent was give to the one who now had 10.

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The message is, “If you don’t use it, you lose it and another will take the place you were supposed to have.” He who is faithful will have abundance, but he who is not shall not prosper.

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First Mention.

This reminds me of the first time the word, “Talent,” is mentioned in the Bible in Exodus 25. This is the chapter where God spoke to Moses about how to fashion the Menorah for the Tabernacle.

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There is a “Law,” if you will, in the interpretation of scripture which states this: “The first mention or occurrence of a subject in Scripture establishes an unchangeable pattern with that subject.  It remains unchanged in the mind of God throughout Scripture.”  This law is the key to revealing truths hidden in the Bible in the meaning and of words, names, and even numbers.

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What is interesting to note is that we are given the weight of the lampstand but not it’s dimensions. Let’s read below:

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Ex. 25:31 “You shall also make a lampstand of pure gold; the lampstand shall be of hammered work. Its shaft, its branches, its bowls, its ornamental knobs, and flowers shall be of one piece.

Ex. 25:39 “It shall be made of a (one) talent of pure gold, with all these utensils. And see to it that you make them according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.”

See? Weight but no dimensions. Why? Because it’s not the size of your church or ministry that matters; IT IS THE WEIGHT THAT IT CARRIES.  In other words, how influential it is in your community has nothing to do with the size of your Church or ministry.  It is God Who gives weight to one’s words or causes them to fall to the ground.

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(For more on the Lampstand, you may follow the link below:

https://emmausroadministries.wordpress.com/2016/03/30/the-lampstand-tabernacle-series-part-3/)

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To those who honor the truth of God’s word and preach Grace, God gives great weight or honor. Some people’s words are weightier than others, meaning THEIR WORDS AND TEACHINGS ARE MORE VALUED OR HONORED.

But those who come against grace, God causes their words to “Fall to the ground.” They have little or no impact. Eventually, their Church or ministry will dry up and their congregations will go elsewhere.

So whatever your talent or ministry, do it to the best of your ability. Don’t worry about your detractors. You just be true to God and to His word. He will take care of the rest.

He is the Lord of the Talents!