Revelation
Chapter
2
{TOPIC
2 - The dead spot in Time}
{The
Church Age - the Dispensation of No Prophecy - Chap 2-3}
{Message
to the future pastor at Ephesus - First Historical Trend}
{Church
at Ephesus - verses 1-7 (Church 1 of 7}
1~~To
the messenger {future pastor}
of
the church in Ephesus write,
"He
{Jesus} Who has empowered {given authority to}
the
seven stars {pastors who teach true doctrine/light}
on
His right hand {delegation of authority}
communicates
these things . . .
the
One Who keeps walking in the middle of the seven golden lampstands
{the local churches where believers receive doctrine}."
{Note: This is the first historical trend. How go the spiritually mature believers in a nation, so goes the nation. The lampstands are the local churches where the Word is to be accurately taught. The 'enlightened believers' is analogous to the oil in the lampstand. The light comes from the oil and is analogous to 'reflected light'. They must be consistent in their intake of the true word of God. The stars {pastors teaching doctrine} are sources of direct light because they are in the 'right hand' (the hand of approval) of Jesus Christ Who delegates to them the responsibility for the teaching of the Word to the believers. Jesus Christ controls history, but He does it without violating the free will of people.}
{Jesus
give good report to the Church at Ephesus -
reflecting
the teaching of Paul, Timothy and John}
2~~
"I {Jesus} have known
your
accomplishments {Christian production} . . .
both
the strenuous effort and
your
perseverance {residence and function the divine dynasphere}.
Furthermore, you are not able to tolerate categories of evil and
you
have tested {for approval} those
who
call themselves/'allege to be' 'apostles' {Gnosticism in view here}
and are not consequently,
you
have found/discovered them to be false."
{Note: False teachers are another historical trend that will last throughout the Church Age.}
3~~
"Furthermore,
you
keep having perseverance and have endured
because
of My Name/My Person {Glorified Christ in Hypostatic Union} and you
have not fainted {under pressure}."
{Jesus'
criticism of the Ephesian Church}
4~~"But
I hold this against you,
'You
have forsaken/disserted/abandoned
your
most important love {love for God}."
{Note: Motivating virtue is personal love toward God. Functional virtue is impersonal love toward man. It is the personal love for God in view here that they have left.}
{Manifestation
of Historical downtrends}
5~~"Therefore,
recall to mind/remember
from
what state {in the filling of the Spirit - Divine Dynasphere}
you
have fallen {residing in the Cosmic System} and
change
your mind {Rebound}. And
execute/accomplish
the most important production/accomplishments
{momentum - perception and application of doctrine -Walking by
means of the Spirit- gate 4}.
Otherwise,
if you do not change your mind {rebound technique} - maybe you
will, maybe you will not {third class condition} -
I
{Jesus} will come to you
in
discipline/judgement {personal and collective} . . . and
I
will remove your lampstand {down with the national entity}."
{Note: The first half of the verse is the solution to the problem of national degeneracy. The second half gives the 'or else'! The lampstand is the 'Church Franchise' given by Jesus. If the Churches are removed from the nation then that nation will no longer be a client nation to God and it will go down. The nation will still have Churches, but there is no 'Light' in the lampstands IF doctrine is not taught OR the congregation is negative and antagonistic to true doctrine. As goes the believer, so goes the client nation to God. The pivot of mature believers sustains a nation. When the pivot is gone, God removes the client nation.}
6~~"At
least you have this {in your favor},
namely
that you hate {objective hate in view here - not a sin}
the
deeds of the Nicolaitans
which
{deeds} I {Jesus} also hate."
{Note: The word 'Nicolaitan' actually means 'conquer of the people.' The Nicolaitans were the lascivious branch of Gnosticism - the great early enemy of the early church. It was a 'sex type' cult like the Phallic Cult. But these were Christians who had 'compromised' between Christianity and evil/paganism. In principle then, the 'Nicolaitans' represent any one or group that opposes the learning of Bible doctrine.}
{Note: The hatred is aimed at the deeds/evil of the people NOT the people themselves . . . big difference. And, with Jesus 'hating' the deeds, the principle is clear that we are to 'hate' the thoughts and deeds of those who oppose doctrine, but NOT hate the people themselves! Impersonal love toward all mankind!}
7~~"He
who has an ear {just about everyone},
let
him hear {positive volition}
what
sort of thing {bible doctrine}
the
Spirit communicates to the churches,
"To
him who is a winner {mature believers}
I
{Jesus} will 'authorize him'/'give him the privilege'
to
eat from the tree of life
which
{tree} is in the paradise {paradeisos} of God."
{Note: A winner or mature believer is one who consistently uses rebound and lives mostly in the Filling of the Spirit (the divine dynasphere). This person consistently takes in doctrine and applies doctrine to the problems of life and grows to maturity. Doctrine conquers ALL!}
{Note: The tree of life is only mentioned in Genesis 2:9; Proverbs 11: 11-31; Proverbs Chapter 13:10-16; Proverbs 15:1-5, and Revelation. It represents the total happiness (capacity to enjoy life) that God designed for man . . . before man sinned. Those who reach and hold SuperGrace share the happiness of God. God takes this happiness and perpetuates it for eternity in the Tree of Life for only the SuperGrace believers to taste - as a reward.}
{Note: With eternal life, eating will not be a necessity. From this verse we learn that eating from the Tree of Life will be a privilege in heaven. Those who 'feed on the Word' in phase II will have the privilege of a special desert in heaven - and it is not for all believers only for 'winners'.}
{Note: Paradeisos is a transliteration of a Persian word. It originally meant a special garden belonging to a Persian King. In the garden were held many great parties only for 'special people'. RBT says paradise here refers to a garden in heaven where believers will be permitted to come from time to time. In the middle of the garden RBT pictures a gazebo on a hill with the Tree of Life coming out of the middle of it. On this tree is a delicious food that only 'winner believers' will be authorized by God to enjoy. It is a special reward in heaven for mature believers. There will be NO EQUALITY in heaven any more then there is equality on earth!}
{Church
at Smyrna - verses 8-11 (Church 2 of 7}
8~~And
to the messenger {future pastor}
of
the church in Smyrna write,
"The
First and the Last {Jesus Christ}
Who
died {became dead} and
came
to life again
communicates
these things."
{Note: Jesus created the Universe and is therefore called the First. He will also destroy the universe at the end of time and is therefore the Last. Christ is also first in your life or he is LAST!}
9~~"I
{Jesus} have known all about your pressures/adversities
including the destitution/poverty
(but
you keep on being RICH {spiritual wealth-maturity).
Also
{I know} the slander/blasphemy {blasphemia}
from
those who allege
that
they themselves are 'Jews'
and
ARE NOT
{but
they are} a congregation/synagogue {sunagoge}
of
Satan."
{Note: The reference to 'works' in the KJV is not in the original manuscripts.}
{Note: This was the start of the '10%-ers'. If they turned Christians into the state and they were convicted, the Christian's assets were taken and 10% went to the informer. Many in Smyrna were in extreme poverty now - because of their faith!
{Note: The racial but unbelieving Jews were terrible to the Christians of the day. They are born but not born again. They accept the Alpha Glory of the Lord, but reject his Omega Glory - Hypostatic Union.}
{Note: Satanas means enemy or adversary and it refers to the leader of the fallen angels.}
10~~"Do
not Fear what you are about to suffer.
BEHOLD
. . . {note well},
the
devil is about to cast some of you into prison,
in
order that you may be tested {for good or evil} and
you
shall have pressure/adversity/affliction/
special
suffering ten 'times' {hemera} . . .
keep
on becoming faithful unto death, and
I
{Jesus} will give to you - to your advantage-
a
crown/wreath of life."
{Note: The Greek syntax indicates it is the cosmic system set up by Satan that will cause the believers to suffer not the devil personally.}
{Note: Hemera means a period of time. Sometimes it is a 24-hour period but it is also used for longer or shorter periods of time. The to periods of suffering that John prophesied here start with Domission in AD 96 and end with Diacletion in AD 305 The edict of Milan in 313 ended the persecution of the Church and began new 'prosperity' tests/problems. RBT explains these in detail on tape 77 of the Revelation series 457.}
{Note: There are three crowns mentioned -
1. The crown of Righteousness II Timothy 4:7-8 the total fulfillment of the plan of God for you in time,
2. The crown of Life here and James 1:12 emphasizes the successful testing of all momentum tests, and
3. The crown of Glory - Philippians 4:1, I Peter 5:4, I Thessalonians 2:19-20 emphasizes the creation of the edification complex of the soul through residence and function inside the divine dynasphere. Also is related to the function of the pastor-teacher in communicating doctrine.}
{To
All believers - still winners when it comes to Eternal Security}
11~~"He
who has an ear {just about everyone},
let
him hear {positive volition}
what
sort of things {bible doctrines}
the
Spirit communicates to the churches,
"He
who is victorious {winners/mature believers}
shall
not ever be injured by the second death."
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