Category Archives: Visions

False Prophets / Teachers, Heaven and Hell, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Study the Word, Visions, Wickedness / Evil

Satan Wages War on the People of YHWH

To develop a deep understanding of Revelation, we will have to do more study and prayer than simply reading through it one pass. There is much symbolism and prophecy. It can be intimidating in that it is hard to fully understand, a bit frightening in what it prophecies, and yet we can put our trust and faith in the LORD. If the LORD gives you a hunger to understand more deeply, then pursue it!

Revelation 13

The Beast from the Sea

     1And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore.
Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. 2And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. 3I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; 4they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?” 5There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. 6And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven.

      7It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. 8All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. 9If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.

The Beast from the Earth

      11Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon. 12He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. 13He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. 14And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life. 15And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, 17and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.

To take a first step at diving deeper… try the Barnes Commentary on Biblehub.com.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Consequences of Sin, Free Will, Heaven and Hell, Holy, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Justice / Judgment, Righteous, Salvation, Tribulation, Unteachable / Foolish, Visions

A Righteous Judge Holds People Accountable For Wrongdoing

There is a purpose to YHWH’s judgment and the coming times of suffering. YHWH has not suddenly lost His temper irrationally. He has given all of us a path to righteousness through Yeshua. Yeshua died for our sins and rose again. He extends the offer of salvation to those who would submit to Him, acknowledge they are in need of a savior because of their sin, acknowledge Yeshua as Messiah, and repent of their wicked and sinful ways.

For those who continue to do wrong and refuse to accept Yeshua’s death to pay for their sins. Some may ask, “why make it so long and drawn out… so painful”. That would seem important and worth celebrating. We can observe that Revelation 7 indicates a multitude who were saved by turning their lives to Christ after the initial suffering described earlier in Revelation. Clearly some will not repent regardless of what YHWH does. Ultimately, we must trust the LORD. He is in control.

We should remember however, that all will face judgment. Those who die before the tribulation and those who face death in the tribulation. All will face judgment before the almighty and He is a holy, just and righteous judge. A penalty must be paid for our sin. But He is also merciful and gracious. We can come before Him now and accept Yeshua as our savior. We can be forgiven.

Revelation 9:13-21

The Sixth Trumpet—Army from the East

      13Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind. 16The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. 17And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone. 18A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths. 19For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm.

      20The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; 21and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Consequences of Sin, Discipline / Guidance From God, Father / Yahweh, Fear / Reverence for God, Grace / Forgiveness, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Justice / Judgment, Prophecy, Protector / Deliverer, Visions, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

There Will Be Judgment; Will You Stand With YHWH or Against Him?

Revelation foretells of some very dramatic and difficult times. It can seem overwhelming to try to fully understand the events and their significance. It can be similarly difficult to try to understand what is symbolic imagery and what is literal. I encourage all who are interested to study further.

If I step back and reflect, I can see some obvious themes.

  • The LORD our God is in control. Everything will come to pass according to His plan. He is not subject to being surprised by man or Satan.
  • Those who are submitted to YHWH will still be around during this tribulation. Else why would the locusts be told only to go after those without the seal of God?
  • Difficult and serious punishment can be handed out by YHWH. He has standards and we are all guilty. We are only forgiven through Yeshua. Let us take it seriously. YHWH is not some marshmallow god in the sky who is only going to give you good things. Sometimes He gives hard and difficult things as punishment for our actions. How we live and whom we serve matters!
  • We find protection and deliverance through Yeshua the Messiah. Let us be thankful and joyful, even when we face hard times.

Revelation 9:1-12

The Fifth Trumpet—the Bottomless Pit

      1Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him. 2He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit. 3Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months; and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man. 6And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them.

      7The appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. 8They had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions. 9They had breastplates like breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle. 10They have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months. 11They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon.

      12The first woe is past; behold, two woes are still coming after these things.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Consequences of Sin, Discipline / Guidance From God, Prophecy, Tribulation, Visions, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

The Seventh Seal In Revelation

Revelation 8 is a powerful chapter, hard to fully digest in a quick read. I suggest a commentary such as Barnes to help provide some additional thoughtful breakdown. (Barnes Commentary – Revelation 8)

Revelation 8

The Seventh Seal—the Trumpets

      1When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

      3Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. 4And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand. 5Then the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

      6And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them.

      7The first sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

      8The second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood, 9and a third of the creatures which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed.

      10The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters. 11The name of the star is called Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter.

      12The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.

      13Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Visions

Blessing, Glory, Wisdom, Thanksgiving, Honor, Power Be to our God Forever

There is a lot of meaning and information packed in Revelation, even on the surface, without diving into the full symbolic nature of the writing. The style of writing with fantastic imagery suggests perhaps this is not all to be taken literally, but whether literal or not, it contains powerful information from our Creator.

Revelation 7

An Interlude

      1After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. 2And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads.”

The 144,000

      4And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:

5from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand, 6from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand, 7from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand, 8from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed.

A Multitude from the Tribulation

      9After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; 10and they cry out with a loud voice, saying,
“Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” 11And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12saying,
“Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

      13Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?” 14I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15“For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. 16“They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; 17for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

Just a few of the surface level key messages contained include:

  • YHWH is in full control of what will happen to the earth. He has not lost control to man or Satan. Everything will ultimately play out according to His plans and in His timing.
  • I believe the 144 thousand is symbolic in nature rather than literal. So too, it carries meaning that there will be people from every tribe. Notice how the end reflects the beginning. There is no discarding of the tribes or history of YHWH’s people as if something new has come. Without getting into the full depth here, I believe also that gentile believers are included in this representation.
  • The tribulation will bring a great multitude to YHWH through Yeshua. They are cleansed through His blood. They will come from every nation and tribe. So the tribulation will bring about some good in bringing many to salvation, though it will be very hard.
  • Glory and blessing and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power to YHWH forever and ever… Amen! Our God is worthy of every bit of praise we can ever give Him. The angels and all creation will worship Him.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Consequences of Sin, Courage / Fear, Faith / Trusting God, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Persecution / Glorifying God, Seeking God, Tribulation, Visions, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Opening the First Six Seals of the Scroll in Revelation

Chapter six in Revelation records what was contained as YHWH revealed to John the first six seals of the scroll. There were seven seals in all. Each one was opened according to YHWH’s timing. Sometimes we must wait to see in His timing what will come next rather than our typical desire to know all that will come, to know how something will end before we start. YHWH does not always let us know the ending before asking us to begin. There are countless examples in scripture including Moses, Gideon, Abraham, and many more.

There is much symbolism to be studied here for each of the elements. Consider taking time to read the commentaries or other study material. They may not all be correct, but they provide some thoughtful insight. Ultimately we must test the Bible against itself. For example, some have concluded that the rider on the white horse is a false messiah, imitating the return of Yeshua before He actually comes. This would not be a surprise, as we have to deal with false prophets and teachers throughout time in every generation… always coming in the guise of an “angel of light”, representing YHWH’s word all the while distorting it.

Those of us who face these times when they come will need courage and strong faith, and we will need to really seek the LORD to help us. We will not be fully protected through these times as you see the section on martyrs mentions more are being added still at this time.

Let us seek to praise and glorify Him no matter what. Yeshua mentions sticking close to YHWH and His ways several times in His message to the seven churches in Asia earlier in Revelation. It is important we do this in adversity.

Revelation 6

The First Seal—Rider on White Horse

      1Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Come.” 2I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

The Second Seal—War

      3When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come.” 4And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.

The Third Seal—Famine

      5When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come.” I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine.”

The Fourth Seal—Death

      7When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come.” 8I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.

The Fifth Seal—Martyrs

      9When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; 10and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.

The Sixth Seal—Terror

      12I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; 13and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. 14The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; 16and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; 17for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Grace / Forgiveness, Holy, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Loving / Kind, Merciful, Righteous, Visions, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Only the Lion of the Tribe of Judah Is Worthy

Only Yeshua is worthy. He has died and purchased us with His blood. It is too easy to overlook that in our day to day. We can somehow drift into thinking we are “good enough” or we are “doing our best”. But YHWH is a righteous judge who judges against a firm standard. Only through Christ are we forgiven. Holy is He! Worthy is He!

Revelation 5:1-10

The Book with Seven Seals

1I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. 2And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” 3And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. 4Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it; 5and one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”

6And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. 7And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. 8When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9And they sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
10“You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Church / Body of Christ, Consequences of Sin, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Justice / Judgment, Obeying God, Purposeful / Intentional, Repenting from Sin, Salvation, Visions, Worldliness

Repent or Face the Consequences

There are several interesting points to consider in Revelation 3 in the message to Sardis.

Not surprisingly, we are reminded that just because a church has a reputation, or name, for being alive and in the Spirit and serving YHWH does not mean that it it actually true. We see again a potential indication that a church that was very vibrant has faded over time and lost their passion and purpose, though they continue in their reputation.

Once again we are reminded that those who are called by His name are expected to repent or there are consequences. He is not OK to just accept everyone as they are without change. He loves us too much to leave us how we are.

We see that there are a few who are righteous. It certainly does not sound like a majority. This is typical. In fact, Yeshua states that these are worthy and will walk with Him and their names will not be removed from the book of life. This next statement may be controversial or upsetting to some as it goes against what many teach, but that does not make it wrong. Think about the fact that He specifically says He will not erase the names of some worthy people from the book of life. The fact that this is news and worth saying, and is directed at a small audience, leads me to conclude that there may be people who could be removed from the book of life should they not repent. Why else would He bother to say this if no one’s name could ever be removed?  These are people who have willingly turned away from YHWH after knowing Him in truth. They have turned back to culture and the world instead. We should all take heed and not be complacent in our faith, simply trusting that we need not repent of anything in our lives but just remain as we are today, or worse, drift into accepting and compromising with the world.

Revelation 3:1-6

Message to Sardis

      1“To the angel of the church in Sardis write:
He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2‘Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. 3‘So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. 4‘But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5‘He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. 6‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Knowing, Faith / Trusting God, False Prophets / Teachers, Money / Finances / Wealth, Obeying God, Persecution / Glorifying God, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Visions

Be Faithful Unto Death so that You Get the Crown of Life

We are continuing to examine and reflect on the letters Yeshua sent through John in Revelation to the seven churches of Asia. They were written for a specific audience long ago, but have broad applicability for us as well. Let us test our walk and our church against these encouragements and rebukes.

Message to Smyrna

      8“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this:

      9‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’

Once again, Yeshua introduces the letter with a reminder that He is one with the Father, He is the first and the last. Further, He reminds them that He is the one who died and was raised. He is not unaware of the struggles they are experiencing… tribulation, poverty, and false teaching.

Yeshua warns them that they are about to suffer difficulty so that they will be tested. He encourages them to be faithful unto death so that they would receive the crown of life from Yeshua. We should likewise take heed when we experience hardship and testing.

It would appear the second death may appear to those who are cast into hell in separation from YHWH. Those who are faithful in life, will not be hurt by the second death.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Church / Body of Christ, Encouragement, False Prophets / Teachers, Guide, Love, Loving / Kind, Obeying God, Purposeful / Intentional, Repenting from Sin, Submitted / Servant, Visions

Let Us Learn from Yeshua’s Letter to Ephesus

Yeshua knows each of His followers’ innermost thoughts and motivations. He knows us fully and truthfully, even when we may deceive ourselves as we rationalize what choices we make. I appreciate how he sends this message to each church, personalized. Each is in a different place. Each has different struggles they face. He compliments them on what they are doing well and then rebukes them on where they need to change… and He does want them to change. He is not accepting them “the way they are”, as so many teach today in churches.

I believe when He refers to angel of the church, He is perhaps referring to the pastor or leader of that body of believers rather than an “angel” literally. For starters, why would He ask John to communicate with angels. Secondly, the Hebrew word for angel and messenger are one and the same. Understanding that this was written in Aramaic, I still conjecture that the Hebrew writer is likely referring to the messenger or leader of the church.

As we read each letter, remember that it has a specific audience, which is not us. However, many of the same issues are still relevant. Look for what warnings and encouragements may apply to you and ask the Spirit to show you what to apply in your life. Expect that Yeshua wants each of us to change, just like He was calling each church in Revelation to change.

Revelation 2:1-7

Message to Ephesus

      1“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:

      2‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; 3and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. 4‘But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5‘Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent. 6‘Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’

Yeshua hates false teaching that comes from those who claim to teach the word of YHWH. The Nicolaitans are one example in the past, but there are many around today.

They are praised for hating and rejecting evil men, and not encouraged to accept them or invite them into their congregation to fill seats or make donations or even to hear the word taught. We are to be separate from evil men.

Yeshua praises them for testing and judging who is teaching truth and who is teaching false doctrine. They would have used the Old Testament for this task, testing teachers vs. the word of YHWH. We are expected to judge rightly good from evil.

Perseverance and endurance in striving to live for YHWH is recognized and complimented. We will encounter trials and resistance if we stand true to His word in full.

A very important lesson for us to reflect on, truly and prayerfully… Yeshua calls out the church for losing their love for Him and for pursuing Him. They are active and doing “all the right things” on the outside, but they have lost their love for Him. This is a big deal. Even if we “do everything right”, but have no love for Yeshua and for what He calls us to be and do, then we shall be rejected. It is through relationship, not works that we are saved. For more, consider reading at GotQuestions.org/left-first-love.html.

Whatever we are doing for Christ, let us do it with love.

1 Corinthians 13

The Excellence of Love

      1If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

      4Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

      8Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.