The Seven Churches. Sardis and Philadelphia.
Questions.
1. What special period was covered by the church of Thyatira?
Answer: The days of papal supremacy.
2. What great event prepared the way for a new era in the church?
Answer: The Reformation.
Note: The full prophetic period in which the Papacy was to wear out the saints reached to 1798. But for the elect’s sake, those days were shortened. Matthew 24:22 “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” The Reformation; starting with John Wycliff in the 14th century, partially broke the power of the Papacy and brought the reign of wholesale persecution to an end. By successive reform movements the Protestant churches of Europe and America were developed. Thus, a new era began slowly at first, then as we approach 1798, the fifth, developed in the history of the church; the era of the Protestant reformed churches.
3. By what church of Asia was the next, or fifth, period of the history represented?
Revelation 3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
Note: “Sardis” means “song of joy,” or “that which remains:” The Protestant churches all had varying degrees of light which they rejoiced in, but none advanced to reject all the darkness of the Papacy, “that which remains:” shows that they were lacking in their religious experience. This is why the verse ends by saying: “that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.”
4. How is this church addressed?
Revelation 3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
5. Would the Lord have His people rest satisfied in partial reformation?
Revelation 3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
6. What is the exhortation and warning?
Revelation 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. 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.
Note: Those who have started in reform and ceased to grow must fake fresh hold of principles already learned and go on unto fuller knowledge and experience in the truth. The fatal weakness in the reformed churches Was the tendency to stand still where the first reformers left them. Growth is the law of spiritual life.
See Proverbs 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. And John 12:35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
7. To what sad state had trust in high profession brought the church of Sardis?
Revelation 3:4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
8. Toward what event does the promise to the overcorner point in the Sardis stage of the church?
Revelation 3:5 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.
Note: We are now in our study approaching the time of the cleansing of the sanctuary—the final blotting out of sins, beginning in 1844. Hence the promise to the overcomer directs attention to the final work of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, the opening of the judgment hour. The proclamation of this grand event, in the years just preceding 1844, constituted the world-wide Advent movement which was to mark the next stage in the development of the church.
9. What is still the call?
Revelation 3:6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
10. What name expresses the special characteristic of the next, or sixth, stage of the church?
Revelation 3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith 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;
Note: “Philadelphia means “brotherly love.” All the story of the early Advent movement leading up to the autumn of 1844, at which time the Advent people expected to meet their Lord, shows that believers were bound together in ties of fellowship and love compared to that which reigns in heaven, which they expected soon to enter. Coming out from various churches and the world, they were made one by the “blessed hope.”
"Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above."
Now, with the ministry in the heavenly sanctuary almost finished and the coming of the Lord at the very door, all hearts must again let in the love of heaven, which will make the true believers one and fit them to live with the angels. See-the last rounds in Peter’s ladder. 2 Peter 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
11. How is the speaker here described?
Revelation 3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith 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;
Note: The time approaches for Christ to take the throne and kingdom as son of David. He gives assurance that none may frustrate His final work for us in the heavenly sanctuary. Luke 1:32-33 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
12. What had He done for the church?
Revelation 3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
Note: The Philadelphia period of the church brings, us to the autumn of 1844, when the long period of the 2,300 days ended, and the work of judgment was opened in the “most holy place” of the heavenly sanctuary. This is when a small group started keeping the seventh day Sabbath according to the commandment of God in Exodus chapter 20 and Deuteronomy chapter 5. Only then was the door to the most holy opened. Until this time Jesus was in the holy place, Revelation 2:1 says: “These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;”. This shows that Jesus was in the holy place in the Heavenly sanctuary. Because Hebrews shows clearly that He is the High Priest in the heavenly Sanctuary instead of the earthly. Hebrews 8:1-5 “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. 3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. 4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: 5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.”
The time for the commandments of God to shine; with all their importance, and for God’s people to be tried on the Sabbath truth, was when the door was opened to the most holy place in the heavenly sanctuary, where the ark is, in which is contained the Ten Commandments. This door was not opened until the mediation of Jesus was finished in the holy place of the sanctuary in 1844. Then Jesus left the holy place and shut the door, and opened the door into the most holy, and passed within the second veil, where He now stands by the ark, as did the High Priest in the earthly sanctuary, and where the faith of the children of God now reaches. Jesus has shut the door of the holy place, and no man can open it; and He has opened the door into the most holy place, and no man can shut it; and since Jesus has opened the door into the most holy place, which contains the ark, the commandments have been shining out to God’s people, and they are being tested on the Sabbath question.
Also now as we are near the time when: Matthew 24:30 “then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” andRevelation 1:7 “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” it is time for the final revival which restores the “Philidelphian Church” or ( the Church of Brotherly Love), because they have “A crown” and the “name” of the “City of My God” or rather the name means that they have the right to enter the “City of God”. And also the next and last church (Laodicea) will be vomited out of His mouth, see questions for Revelation 3:14-18, this shows conclusively that Philidelphia is the last faithful church and will be alive to see Jesus coming in the clouds of Heaven.
13. Who has been permitted to infiltrate the Christian church?
Revelation 3:9 Behold, 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.
14. What will Jesus do to those who claim to be Jews (Christians) but are not?
Revelation 3:9 Behold, 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.
Note: It says “worship at thy feet”, it does not say worship them. This is to say that at the end the false Christians will be made to acknowledge that they were wrong!
15. What assurance is given the advent believers?
Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
Note: The “hour of trial that shall come upon all the world, to try them” is the mark of the beast which will be covered in the studies of chapters Revelation 13-14.
16. What is the hope held forth and the exhortation?
Revelation 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
17. What is the ever-ringing call to every man?
Revelation 3:13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
18. What influence has the genuine hope in the second coming of Jesus, upon the life?
1 John 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
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