The Strand Study Bible

REVELATION 2:23  3:7

2149

Written From the Island of Patmos

great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that 1 I AM he which searcheth the reins and hearts: 2 and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. 24 But unto 3 you I say, and unto the 4 rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of 5 SATAN , as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. 25 But that which ye have already hold fast till 6 I come. P The promise to faithful saints to rule and reign with CHRIST (Fulfilled - Rev 20:4) 26 And 7 he that overcometh, and keep- eth my 8 works unto the end, 9 to him will I give power over the nations. P 27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as 10 I received of my Father. P 28 And I will give him the 11 MORNING STAR . 29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Revelation 3 A message to the pastor at Sardis “Popular but Powerless” (Lesson - Churches need to learn to serve God in His power, not their own) Date Written - c. AD 96 1 And unto the 3 angel of the church in

Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the 12 seven SPIRITS of God, and the 13 seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and re- pent If therefore thou shalt not watch, 14 I will come on thee as a THIEF , and thou shalt not know what HOUR I will come upon thee. P 4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not 15 defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me 16 in white: for they are worthy. The promise of rewards (white raiment) to all who are found faithful when 5 He that overcometh, the same 17 shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not 18 blot out his name out of the book of life, 19 but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. P 6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. A message to the pastor at Philadelphia “Little but Loyal” CHRIST returns (Fulfilled - Rev 4:2)

1. I Ki 8:39 & Jere 11:20 & Jn 8:58 2. Num 32:23 & Gal 6:7 3. or, “messenger; pastor” - Mal 2:7 4. that is, “the church members” 5. II Cor 11:14 & I Tim 4:1-6 6. Fulfilled - Rev 4:1 (Rapture) 7. that is, “any Thyatira believer” 8. Mt 19:27-29 & Lk 22:28-30 & I Cor 6:2 9. Fulfilled - Rev 20:4 (Saints to Reign) (See - Dan 7:22,27) 10. Fulfilled - Rev 20:4,6 (Christ’s Kingdom) 11. or, “the Sun; Christ” - Eph 5:14 & II Pet 1:19 & Rev 22:16 12. or, “perfect Spirit” - Rev 1:4 13. Rev 1:16 14. Fulfilled- Rev 6:5-8 & 13:5 (Great Tribulation) (See - Rev 3:3 a ) 15. or, “ruined their testimony” 16. Rev 3:18 & 6:9-11 17. Fulfilled - Rev 4:2 (NT Rewards) 18. Exo 32:32 19. Mt 10:32-33

(Lesson - Churches need to learn to be loyal to Christ, not ministries) 7 And to the 3 angel of the church in Phil- 2:26 Christians who “overcome” the Devil, the world, and the flesh and remain faithful to Jesus will rule and reign with Him during the Millennium (the meaning behind: to him will I give power over the nations - I Jn 5:4-5 and Rev 2:7 ). 3:1 It’s easy for a church, or even an individual believer, to keep up an outward appearance ( that thou hast a name that thou livest ). A church may engage in a variety of spiritual activities, be well attended, and have a wonderful reputation within the community– and yet be spiritually dying or dead. 3:3 a The SECOND COMING OF CHRIST will begin “unexpectedly” (like a thief ) with the DAY OF THE LORD occurring 3½ years earlier than it was predicted to occur in the Old Testament, during the middle of Daniel’s Seventieth Week ( I Thess 5:2 ). 3:3 b The “ hour ” here is the same as the “ hour of temptation ” in verse 10, and the “ hour of his judgment ” in Revelation 14:7. This “ hour ” deals with the last 3½ years of Daniel’s Seventieth Week (Dan 9:24-27). Called the GREAT TRIBULATION (Rev 7:14 & Jere 30:5-7 & Dan 12:1), i.e., “ DAY OF THE LORD ” (I Thess 5:1-3 and Mt 24:43-44), the “ hour ” here is an extended period of time that begins with the onset of the GREAT TRIBULATION and ends 3½ years later with the personal return of JESUS CHRIST . This "3½ year period” will come upon the entire world “unexpectedly” (like a thief - I Thess 5:2 , Mt 24:43-44, Lk 12:39- 40, II Pet 3:10 and Rev 3:3a,b & 16:15). 3:4 “ Garments ” here depict the faithfulness of the believer. 3:5 a Christians who “overcome” the Devil, the world, and the flesh and remain faithful to Jesus will never be made to feel ashamed (the meaning behind: shall be clothed in white raiment - I Jn 5:4-5 and Rev 2:7 ). 3:5 b According to Revelation 19:8, the term " white raiment " depicts the righteousness (or, good works) of the saints (Eph 5:25- 27 and II Cor 11:2). The whiter (or, shinier - Dan 12:3) the Christian’s garment, the more rewards he will have earned in heaven. 3:5 c There are some who take this verse to mean that Christians can lose their salvation ( blot out his name out of the book of life ), if they fail to “overcome.” However, as previously noted in Revelation 2:7 , the term “ overcometh ” can have a double meaning. Our LORD , while addressing these local churches, always had to consider the fact that there would be “tares” amongst the “wheat” (Mt 13:24-33 and Rev 3:5 c ). Paul addressed the local churches of his day in the same manner ( Gal 5:4 and Colo 1:23 ).