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OK, no way.
He's lying.
I die when.
I.
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God our Father, we need fresh grace for this meeting before us. We pray that Thou will help us by Thy Spirit, that it might be for edification and encouragement.
Comfort to Thy people and if need be, that our consensus might be touched and that we are willing to accept whatever comes before us, and we pray that Thou will help us to rightly divide the word of truth.
Keep us from presenting things in an unbalanced way. Help us by our spirit we do.
Pray for breast being upon their word wherever it is threat, and wherever it is proclaimed. This very day. We do pray that thou wilt remove from our hearts and from our minds whatever is a hindrance for the truth to penetrate, that thy spirit might be able to make it good.
To our souls we ask it in the name of the Lord Jesus, and for His glory. Amen. Amen. Amen.
309.
All are going to meet them of the Senegal statement or not what they lie. All I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
Thou has 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. Behold, I come quickly. Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out, and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God.
Which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God. And I will wait upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit set under the churches.
And under the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans right these things, that the Amen, the faithful and true witness the beginning of the creation of God. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would thou art cold or hot. So then, because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew the out of my mouth, because thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.
And knoweth not that thou art wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind and naked. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich and and white raiment that thou mayest be closed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear. And anoint thine eyes with Isaac, that thou mayest seek as many as I love, I rebuke and chase.
Zealous therefore, and repent, Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice can open the door, I will come into him, and will suffer him, and be with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also over.
One of the churches.
Wanted to comment.
The last reading didn't get to it.
Sardis.
Represents the recovery of truth in the Reformation and what that settled down to.
The failure of that movement was when they went to the earthly governments to help them against the power of Rome.
And they didn't progress beyond that. They looked to man and to the earthly governments to.
Be on their side against the Romish system.
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In Philadelphia, they don't do that.
They they realize that the Lord has the key of David and he opens, and no man shuts and shuts and no man opens and they they leave everything in the hands of the Lord. He's in control and they look beyond any earthly government to help them. Should the enemy attack through man, they don't go to man for their resource.
But they they just rest upon the Lord Himself and that's basically the difference in why the full truth was revealed to them in Philadelphia, not to Sardis, which is the Protestant Reformation. They recovered 2 tremendous truths and that is that the Bible is all sufficient as the authority and justification by faith apart from works wonderful truths.
But they didn't go to the full point. It says of them in verse one of chapter 3. They have to say He has the seven spirits of God, that he has the full power of the Holy Spirit to lead them into all the truth. But they stopped short by going to earthly governments to be protected against that harlot system that they had escaped from.
Well, that's always wrong. When we, when we look to man to protect us against the enemy, we're not looking to the right source. And I believe when it speaks of the Lord having the key of David and in control of all governments and everything of that nature to go to him and to confide in him. He's the only one that can keep the door open and he's the only one that can shut it. And when we see it's that way, if the door gets shut, we don't look to man, the one that might, might have been the instrument that shut it.
But we realized that the Lord is in control, and I believe that's the secret of Philadelphia.
They're totally cast upon the Lord and not upon man in any way.
And is at that same principle, Brother Chuck, that is brought before us in this ninth verse that we started with because in the Old Testament, the Jews were God's chosen people and they had two roles in the world. They were those that, according to Romans, received the oracles of God. And so they were to be a testimony to this world of what God had given.
But also they were entrusted with the sword to go out and settle matters in this world in a very practical way. Well, of course, that is not our place in Christianity. And as our brother Chuck says, that was the mistake made by those that followed the Reformation in that they appealed to the governments of this world and consequently they lost their testimony. And I suggest that what is brought before us here in talking about those that say they are Jews but are not undue lie.
Are those, and we speak, we trust with all kindness because the tendency can be in our own hearts, those who, as believers, on the one hand, have departed from the precious revelation of Christianity and have gone back to Jewish practices. But perhaps even more than that, they have attempted to take up God's, you might say, rather not God's, but Israel's position in the earth by getting themselves involved in politics and in the ways of this world to try and settle things.
And that happened very shortly after the apostles had left the scene and it looked like the right thing to do.
After all, what better thing is Constantine thought, than to have Christians in government with a right view of things and right principles and uprightness and honesty is part of their testimony, and to impose that from the top down? But we know what happened. It ruined their testimony and eventually ended up with the church being ruled by the world and practically losing the sense of their heavenly calling and all of the precious truths that are.
Opened up by the key of David. And the Lord has some pretty strong language here. It's his language, not ours. He says that is a synagogue of Satan. And it's possible for a true believer in that sense to be connected with what the word of God calls a synagogue of Satan because it tries to take a place in this world that does not belong to the believer. He's called as a brother has just brought out to be separate from all that.
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To rely only on the Lord, to be an ambassador here, to look for the coming of the Lord Jesus, to take him home because he's a heavenly citizen. But the denial of all of that is what has caused some in principle to say. They would not say it in so many words, but in principle they are saying they are Jews. And it's very tempting perhaps when we see things going wrong in this world, to take up matters in that way.
But God's wisdom is better than ours, and the church is far more effective speaking out as an ambassador than in trying to get involved with the world and trying to straighten it out. Ferga must is really where the marriage of the world and church took place.
And the entire tiara? That's idolatry introduced into the church.
And Sardis was delivered from the era of Thyatira, but they were not delivered from what took place in Pergamus. You know, there were still the government and the church. It was not just that the church turned to support.
To the Princess, but the Princess also were allowed to use the Reformation to free themselves from Roman yoke.
So, so that was unfortunate that that work fell short because they were not delivered from the error that came in under the Pergamus period. But Philadelphia was necessary, that testimony was necessary to be raised up because Sardis fell short. And so it's wonderful to see the difference in these various churches.
And it's wonderful for us to know that we are pilgrims and strangers, that we are citizens of heaven, and that we should not allow ourselves, as Doctor Dobson and others, well meaning try to tell us that it is our responsibility to see to it that good people are in government. We should get involved in these affairs. Well, that is still the error of Pergamus.
That it's been that started marriage of church and world. But what a wonderful thing that the Lord in his goodness has brought in more than what was recovered in Sardis. Yes, they were delivered from the evil of Tyrah idolatry, but they were not delivered from the evil that came in in Pergamus.
It's interesting to notice that in the ninth verse of the second chapter and the ninth verse of the third chapter, the one in the second chapter is Smyrna was a the church that represented the the great persecution that broke out against the church and ninth verse and the third chapter is Philadelphia. And both of those two verses mentioned, I'm going to read them.
The synagogue of Satan and the Jews, which say they are Jews, are not in two nine. I know thy works and tribulation and poverty Here they were being persecuted, much tribulation, and they were poor in this world. But he says thou art rich. Just the opposite to a Laodicea, who who said they were rich and were not, but here they were poor in the world, but rich in the Lord, and I know the blasphemy.
Of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. And notice the order is different in the ninth verse of chapter 3. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews. In two nine it says which say they are Jews and are not but the synagogue of Satan. But in three nine it says, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie.
I will make them to come and to worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee. That's very, very precious in our chapter 39.
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That those who are Judaizers and in contrast with the assembly of Christ, the Assembly of God, they are characterized as being the synagogue of Satan instead of being Christians. They say they're Jews, and that's what they're saying in the in what they're promoting.
The Judaizers is where they're trying to Judaize the church. Well, that was true in the beginning that Smyrna. It's also true in the end. And that's Philadelphia. And that's the one thing that the Philadelphia doesn't submit to. And neither did the those in Smyrna. They, they, they resisted that. And so he doesn't call anyone in Smyrna or Philadelphia to repent because they were going on well.
But I wonder if anyone has a thought on why it's in a different order in the in the the one we're looking at. I will make we'll make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews and are not. I'd say the synagogue of Satan is in contrast with the Assembly of God and Jews are in contrast with Christians. Christian is not a Jew. I mean, a Jew may be a Christian, but a Christian is.
Is not a Jew. He's a Christian. And he may have been a Jew, or he may have been a Gentile, but now he's a Christian.
And once you're a Christian, you can't be either a Jew or a Gentile anymore because you've been taken out of that and you become a Christian.
Three kinds of people in the world, Jews, Gentiles and the Church of God who are Christians.
I've heard Jews give their testimony they've been converted to Christ and then they spoil it at the end by saying I'm still a Jew. Well, they're not.
They're Christians. They're not Jews any longer. They're Christians. The apostle Paul, he made a couple of mistakes. He wasn't perfect.
When he went to pay for the Nazarites vow and so on, but God intervened and didn't allow that to be carried through. The second case he made mistakes. When he went to Jerusalem, he was told not to go there by the Spirit of God, but his intense love for his brethren after the flesh.
Let him there and he made, he made mistakes. He stood before the Jews and he said I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisees. And for the hope and resurrection of the dead I am accused and so on. I just think of it. He's saying I'm a Pharisee. He was a Pharisee, but not any longer. But.
His love for his brethren would to God that when we failed, we would fail out of a pure motive. He had a pure motive, didn't he?
He loved his brethren after the flesh, but there's something higher than that and that's obedience to the word of God. Obedience to the word of God. And and he made a mistake. Well, Peter made a mistake. He had to be rebuked by Paul the apostle and I I love to read in. I think it's in Acts 21 when Paul is really down. He'd he'd he'd made some mistakes. He had he had set up the high priest. God shall smite thee, thou lighted wall.
Speaketh so so against the high priest. I didn't know it was the high priest, brother, For it is written, thou shalt not speak evil against the ruler of thy people. He had to apologize. But.
The Lord was accused the same way. The high priest commanded 1 to smite him, and he said, if I have smoked an evil, bear witness of the evil. But if well, why smite is thou me? He was perfect, and all of the servants of the Lord are imperfect, every one of us.
We make mistakes and even Paul made mistakes.
So, but it's it's, it's beautiful to see the Lord stands by Paul and he says, be of good cheer. Paul, you, you've testified of me at Jerusalem. You're going to bear witness at Rome. But he went there as a prisoner. I've always thought of the synagogue of Satan more in a spiritual sense.
Then in the worldly sense of politics, although they do get mixed up with politics as we've been told, but I think it speaks of this. You know, the Laodicea went on at the same time as Philadelphia. They both are parallel and I think the synagogue of Satan has the the thought of Philippians. Let's see, Philippians chapter 3.
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And the end of verse 2.
Beware of the concession.
Really it's Judaizing Christianity. It's only partial cutting off of the flesh, consecutive, and so they leave the flesh in there for works and for other things, and they still are under the banner of Christ, Christianity. That's what I've always thought of it for we are of the circumcision, complete cutting off of the flesh. Now I know practically we do have the flesh among us.
And active sometimes. But that isn't the role because it's just two things, you know, you've kept my word, not denied my name. That's the thing we're commended for.
If we're on Philadelphia ground, I'm sorry to use that expression, but I like it all right. It says we are the circumcision, which worship God by the Spirit it should be and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. That's the thought. And that goes right on to the end, whereas Laodicea goes on beyond the end.
Those that are real are taken out of Laodicea to go with us and all who are believers to glory. So I do think it means more spiritual than getting mixed up with politics, with even gathered Saints do sometimes. I don't think it's so much that, although that the ultimate result if you're letting flesh move. But I think it's Judaizing Christianity. Yeah, that's what it is.
Judaizing the church? Yeah. I just wondered in connection with that thought, brother.
In the second chapter, it doesn't say that they were lying as to being Jews. So in the early years of the church, there was persecution from actual Jews, but they weren't Jews according to the heart of God, so he would call them. They're not really Jews. They're the synagogue of Satan. It used to be the synagogue of God, but now that the synagogue is sick. But in time it appears like we had British Israelis in the 1900 I think, or 1800 where people that aren't even Jews in the flesh.
We're claiming descendants for the 12 tribes and trying to apply to Judaistic principles now to what's called Christianity. And they were lying because they weren't really descendants of Abraham. They were Europeans and that's what they they call themselves Jews, but they were lying. They were in the synagogue of Satan. I just enjoyed that, that thought where you think that valid. Well, in Romans 2, the apostle says he is not a Jew, which is 1 outwardly, but he is a Jew, which is 1 inwardly, whose circumcision is not of the flesh but of the heart.
In other words, there was reality there. And though those that that call themselves Jews and said they were Jews, a Jew means one who praises God. I think that's the meaning of the word and whose praise is not of of of men, but of God. And that that's a true Jew. And that's what Paul talks about when he says at the end of Galatians 6 upon the Israel of God, the true Israel of God were those who were real really safe among the Jewish nation. But I still think the synagogue of Satan.
Refers to the Judaizing of the church.
Part of that, part of that is that the Jews are looking to run the world will tell at this time. They asked the Lord in Acts chapter one and why does it go on and say, because thou has kept the word of my patience. The Philadelphians are patiently waiting for the time when the Lord will tell us set up the rule. They will not get involved.
In politics and trying to change the world, the word of my patience I believe is we are waiting till he comes and straightens out the mess in the world. We will not try to do it. So I believe that supports what we have said previously, that we are not going to be allowing ourselves to be involved in politics and trying to set the world right. That's not the responsibility of the Christians.
In the Philadelphia period, that was what was still not understood inside us, but it was understood in Philadelphia and they kept the word of his patients. He is patiently waiting till that time when God will send him to set things right, and so we are willing to patiently wait with him. Comment Hyde's comment on the last part of verse 9.
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Behold, I will make them to come and worship.
Before thy feet, not worship them, but to worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Give your comments on that.
Well, I think that is in that coming day, not now. I think we will reign with him over the earth and he will share that coming day of glory with us who now have patiently waited. Is that correct? That's true. And and I was thinking also of.
I'm bringing in other scriptures now the epistle of Jude, where.
They turn the grace of God into lasciviousness. And that's one of the charges that you had against the Christian, the Christian promoting of grace is that, well, if it's all grace, then you can do whatever you like and.
Here he says, I will make them to come and worship at thy feet, to know that I have loved thee, that he was backing up and supporting these Christians that were promoting grace and not the law. They Jews were pushing the law, weren't they?
Because that gives a place to man after the flesh. And that's that that feeds man's pride is what it does. Grace. Grace deflates your pride completely because it's all of God and nothing of you. And that's, that's where we have to come to, isn't it? I believe it should read. I will make them to come and pay homage before thy feet, because God or the Lord would never make anyone worship us. Oh, that's right, they'll pay homage. That's a different thought altogether.
Worship, give honor to. Yep, that's all. Well, that we will not have to flesh within us. And when they come and give homage to us, it won't stir up the flesh. We won't have it anymore. When we appear with him, you know, it won't do us any harm. It won't pop us up.
Would it have anything to do with the?
In connection with the first part of the verse where we said the Jewett Judaizing principle in this case is going into politics and using that as a force and getting Christians in power. And they may look at us now and say we're slackers, We don't vote, we don't get involved in these things. And they look at us as though we're we're not even good Christians because we don't do that. And the time will come when they'll have to acknowledge it. Would that be the thought there? Yes, I've enjoyed it that way. Brother Tom that.
God will make manifest what was pleasing to him, won't he?
But I like Brother Heinz comment because it won't be with the sense of saying, see, now I told you, no, there won't be any thought of that. It'll be all for his glory because that's what we wait for. And in that sense, I think it's important to recognize that we are not in this world, if I might use the expression simply as duds that never do anything or never have any influence.
Sometimes I speak to my own heart, but there can be thoughts of wealth. This particular person is, to use a common expression, making a difference. He's making a difference, he's doing something, he's getting involved. And so many times the believer has to say.
I can't with a good conscience get involved in that. That would compromise, that would ally me with the world.
And the moment I work with the world, I have to work on their principles and on their level. I can't introduce the principles of the word of God. They can't operate on that level. I have to come down to their level. But can we be effective? Let me ask a question coming from Canada. Does the ambassador of the United States.
Have clout in Canada? Indeed he does. Why does he get involved in politics up there? No. Will he go out and take part in a protest March or whatever? Not even if he agrees with it. Will he do that? But does he make a difference? Yes, because he speaks with the full backing and authority of the government of the United States. And I like what one brother said when someone asked him a question on a particular issue, a moral issue that the country was facing it. Where do you stand on that issue?
What are you going to vote for? He said. Well, I'm just an ambassador here, he said. So I'm not going to vote. I'm a Christian.
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But he said, I'll be glad to give you my government's position on the matter. He took out the word of God. I submit that if the believer is really walking with the Lord in the power of the Spirit of God, there will be much more influence, much more making a difference in this world than if we try to take part in affairs according to the way they would like us to. And so the believer does make a difference and the believer that is walking.
Morally like Philadelphia?
He doesn't have to try to make a difference. He does because he has, if we could say it, all the power of the Spirit of God behind him. And that is what is God is calling us to do to make a difference in the world today. So it's not as if we draw back and say, well, I'm just going to withdraw into a corner and not say or do anything and let the world do what it will. No, what did they say about the apostle Paul when he came to a place? Oh, they said those that are turned the world upside down have come here too.
Well, would to God there were more of that that were applicable to us, that when we moved and lived in this world, they would say, oh, here are the ones that turned the world upside down. Well, the Christian, I submit, does not have and can't expect to have the collective power of Pentecost today. But it does say thou hast a little strength. And that little strength is because Philadelphia seeks by the grace of God to have all the characteristics and attributes that the church had at the beginning.
And so there is a little strength. There isn't the corporate power that existed in the early church, and it would be a mistake to expect it. But I believe that that little strength is meant just what it says. It's if I can use an expression without being irreverent, it it means that it's a chip off the old block as we sometimes use. It's the reality that God gave at the beginning, not because of what we are, but because of what he is. And it does make a difference in this world.
The quiet testimony of a godly St. probably carries a lot of weight that we don't realize, because who do they come to when they need some prayer and they're in deep difficulties? They they know where to turn.
Well, the Scripture speaks about let every man have an answer of the hope that is within him. And Brother Bill, you gave something, I assume you were speaking about the issue of abortion there, although I don't know.
Actually, that did happen to be what I was speaking about. Well, can I ask? You know, we all face this and we.
At times where people say specifically ask the question, why don't you vote, can we ask that there for some help as to specific answers that we can give for that question well in Daniel.
We can turn to Daniel and get at least part of the answer.
The most high rules in the kingdoms of men, and he gives it to whomsoever he will, and He gives it to the basest of men, the lowest kind.
We do not know and God has not given us who to vote for if He would tell us to vote for the best man.
Brethren have said then we would be judges, you know, but God does not tell us to vote for the best man. Would anybody a Christian have voted for Adolf Hitler for Starling these wicked mass murderers?
But God put them into the office, you know, and he gives it to the basis of men.
When somebody might say why did he do that when Hitler was started out, he wasn't such a bad fellow. When Hitler started out, he came across as a pretty nice fellow, didn't he? Well, to help the people economically. But I asked, I made a Jew once in California and he said when he saw my hurt, my German accent.
He knew I was German. And he said Adolf Hitler served the purpose. Yes, I said he served the purpose. Oh, he said, you're the first German. That tells me that Adolf Hitler served the purpose. What purpose do you think he served? Well, I said if you would know the Scriptures, you would know that there would be a nation in unbelief in Israel, and the Holocaust served the purpose to make the nations that had the power to do it.
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To seek to it that Israel would have a homeland, he said. That all happened at that time. Well, I said, read the Scriptures. There's even going to be a temple again in Jerusalem.
A sacrifice has been brought and so on. I encourage you read the Bible and that way you know what is going to happen. So, but we are not to join.
Organization.
To fight homosexuality or whatever evil by our example, like our brother indicated. We are the light and the salt of the earth. By the way, we live not by forming organizations. That is not what the Lord expects of us. But when the Lord does take us out of this world, there is the restraining influence gone. The Holy Spirit is gone. The Christians are gone.
We learned that from Second Thessalonians. There will be the full display of evil after the church is taken away by our example. We are the light and the salt of the earth. But to answer your question, David, the Lord said My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight? He also prayed to the Father. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
He also said if the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love his own. But because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. And then we're also called ambassadors. An ambassador doesn't take part in the politics of the other country to which he sent. And all of those scriptures are clear, aren't they?
One man, I said to one man, the man I want to vote for, his name isn't on the ballot.
The synagogue of Satan is the religion of the flesh that I have Satanic origin.
When the Lord.
Was looking over Jerusalem, he said. Your house is left unto you desolate.
Earlier he had called it my Father's house, but the glory was departed, and they were soon to put the person of the Son of God in Calvary Cross. And now he says it's your house. And it became the religion of the flesh, the religion of outward ordinances, and a boast of antiquity and of priesthood and garments and stained glass and music and all these other things. But the Lord has said to.
The woman of Samaria, they that worship God must worship Him in spirit and in truth.
And so the true worship is in spirit and in truth, and not in all those outward things. That's just the religion of the flesh. And in the recovery of Ezra and Nehemiah's day, when they went back, the first thing that was done was that the altar was set upon its bases. Before even a stone was laid upon a stone in the building of the temple, that which was God's portion was rendered to Him in worship.
But to maintain that Nehemiah came in and a wall was built, and the enemies of the truth said even if a fox were to go up against this wall, it would break it down. Thou hast little strength in the eyes of the world. It's nothing. There's nothing to attract the flesh.
And the testimony of Christ in this world today, but the enemies of that little recovery set let we want to come and help. They said desire. He said you got no part or lot in this matter. The flesh has no part or loss. And the true worship of God and the building of that temple and the sacrifices that were offered there. And we had earlier that Philistine invention that the ark was carried on a cart. That's how the Philistines thought to carry the testimony of God drawn by oxen.
The flesh steady by the hand of man. God made a breach upon it. It cannot be that the flesh can carry. And further, on the testimony of God. It must be on the shoulders of the priest, that is, it must be head and shoulders above ourselves, and it must be according to His precious word. Thou hast little strength. Thou hast kept my But these judgments are going to be severe.
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You know, and we feel sorry for the people that will be exposed to these judgments, but they have rejected the Lord and especially Israel, Jacob's trouble that they will go through, you know, all because they rejected their Messiah, his blood come upon us and our children. They will experience God's judgment and through these judgments.
The earth will be made fit for the glorious rain of Christ, and we do not only look for that blessed hope.
We also look for the glorious appearing. Titus teaches that you know we look forward to the day when the Lord Jesus will have his rightful place on the earth. But what a sad time it will be when the power of temptation comes the tribulation and how many judgments and how severe they will be upon the western world, the so-called Christian world especially.
And the whole world.
Will suffer, but especially the Christian world and Israel. Jeremiah 30 verse 7 called it the time of Jacob's trouble, not the time of the church's trouble. No time of Jacob's trouble. And we find more detail in other parts, but one place is Zechariah where it speaks about 2/3 of the people will die and I will pass the other third.
Through the fire.
So that it's the time of.
Israel's trouble, particularly the two tribes, Judah and Benjamin or Judah, the ones that were in Jerusalem, because they are the ones that said away with him, crucify him. And the most awful statement I think there is in Scripture, His blood be on us and on our children, and they will pay that price, that penalty then.
As they've been paying it all through the ages governmentally, but notice, notice carefully the reading of verse 10. He says because thou hast kept the word of my patience. That is these in Philadelphia, those that characterize Philadelphia keeping the word of his patience is waiting his time, not trying to take things into their own hands, not getting involved in politics or world governments in order to effectuate anything.
But waiting on him, he says, because you kept the word of my patience, I will keep thee from the hour of temptation or trial. New Translation says trial, which shall come upon all the world to try them. Who to try who? Them that dwell upon the earth? Who are they? Apostate christened them, that's who they are. After the rapture takes place and takes us home, When He keeps us from that hour, He'll call us home, and then those that are left.
Are those that are dwelling on the earth, they're earth dwellers. They preferred earth to heaven. And we don't, we prefer heaven to earth. And this, this judgment will come upon the whole apostate Christian world, especially them. And you get that expression over and over again in the Book of Revelation. And that dwell on the earth, then that dwell on the earth, that's apostate Christians, apostate Christians. We are not earth dwellers.
And.
Our portion is heavenly and we're called to that.
And that's what he's talking about. And Philadelphia, true Philadelphia, is one that waits his time, patiently waits his time, and then he'll take us home. And then the judgment will fall upon those that are left. Who are the real earth dwellers. Speaking of the earth dwellers, it's good just to read the chapter 8.
And verse one and the last verse and when he had opened the 7th seal.
There was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. I don't think anybody here has ever had absolute silence for a second outside of 1/2 an hour, But there will be because of the awesomeness of the judgment that's to come. And that silence was broken in verse 13 by 1 Angel flying through the midst of heaven.
And this is what the Angel said with a loud voice. Woe, woe, woe to the inhabiters of the earth, Earth dwellers, by reason of the other voices of the trumpets of the three angels which are yet to sound. The dwellers on the earth is what J and DI think has instead of inhabiters, earth dwellers. The woe is for them but today.
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For those that still have time, woe to them, says Jude, who have gone in the way of cave religion of men.
That's what we've been talking about today in the way of Cain. Man's thoughts and ways are not God's ways nor thoughts.
Time is one thing that God uses to test, doesn't He? And I was wondering in connection with that expression that has kept a word of my patience, I had a question or comment on for a second. Peter 3.
Verse 14 and 15 Wherefore, beloved, seeing him look for such things, be diligent, that he may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless, an account that the long-suffering or patience of our Lord.
Is salvation.
I was wondering there as to the patience of our Lord being salvation.
If the test of time that we are submitted to the Lord has restored the truth and given us to know the value of being added to His name, and that we have in our hands blessed word, we hear His voice through it, we get instruction through it, Yet time goes on and there's decay and there's falling away. And what is the Lord calling us two is to keep on, to keep on, and that when He comes.
That he would find us going on from the way that's pleasing to him, but he sat there to those of the synagogue of Satan that they will know that I have loved thee. That's a that's a future scene. It's something that's going to happen in the future, but it speaks of his love in the past tense as to his loving us now is having pleasure in US going on together now.
Honoring his name and keeping his word.
And if everything else falls apart and society decays and the world gets darker, that's not going to change. He's not going to change. And I heard His name nor His word, and I was wondering if we couldn't connect that with keeping the word of His patient. That is our salvation. That keeps us knowing that He's going to come and that's what He wants when He comes.
Had he come 100 years ago, none of us would have had a chance to become part of the Church of Christ, the pride of Christ. So what a wonderful fact it is that He waited and they are apparently still people to be saved. Otherwise He would come and take us home. But I thought too, as to earth dwellers in Colossians chapter 3.
A warning is given for us Christians.
Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth, I heard it said by brethren, there is such a thing as worldliness, but there is also such a thing as earthliness.
You know, to be just thinking of things connected with these natural light and things connected with life on earth. Now there are things that we can enjoy even as Christians.
You know, connected with this natural life, a marriage life, families, and so on, but our affections must not be centered on that which is passing. Our heart's affection should be set on the things above, blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. Somebody quoted that already at this conference, and we ought to remind ourselves.
There are mercies that we can enjoy connected with this earthly life.
And can thank the Lord for but our blessings, our real blessings are eternal and they're above, not on earth. Well, we enjoy our wives, our families, but how long will that relationship last? Until our partners, you know?
But our relationship with the Lord and the blessings that we have in heaven, they're eternal.
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We're thankful for the mercies that He allows us to enjoy, but we must never forget there is something higher than that and that is all above.
Sad detrimental effect, A brethren of not believing. Revelation 3, verse 10.
Does occupy us with earth and the problems and the trials, the tribulation that's coming. I work with a man who if I ask him about the coming of the Lord, he says, oh, he said, but we have to go through the tribulation first.
The effects of that brethren are so profound and affecting our happiness. The Scripture says looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. It has always been the hope of the church for the coming of Christ and not to pass through the tribulation. It does not keep the through the tribulation.
Very clear here and it's a good one for the young people to memorize. To answer the post tribulation theory, it says I will keep thee from the hour of tribulation. But just think brethren for a moment, If we slid into that kind of belief or unbelief that we were going to go through the tribulation, how would it affect our joy in the coming of Christ to remove us out of this world before that day of wrath comes?
I believe that.
Out of the hour of temptation is changed.
East rendering even clearer. That's even clearer, yes.
I believe that's why Brother David mentioned here, particularly in connection with Philadelphia.
We know that there is no select company of Christians that are going to be kept out of the tribulation while others have to go through it. But it says here, because thou hast kept the word of my patience. That implies, I believe, that the enjoyment of these things, and the practical living in them will, I believe, as a result, mean that I have the sense in my soul of the Lord, as it says in the very next verse, Behold, I come quickly.
As you say, it becomes a present living hope. The things of this world, they don't mean that much to me because I'm looking for the Lord to come. And if somebody says, well, but don't you have to get ready for the tribulation and so on. Oh no, I say that's, that's not something that I have to go through. That's as Brother Tom said, that's the time of Jacob's trouble. That's the judgment for rejecting the Messiah. But I'm not going to have to go through that and so.
It's the one who enjoys what Philadelphia enjoys, the one who keeps his word, who doesn't deny his name, who holds fast what he has, and who walks in the good of these things. He's the one who has the enjoyment of that in his soul. Every true believer will be caught up when the Lord comes, and I love to think that some are going to be very pleasantly surprised, and that's wonderful. But how wonderful to be able to live in peace and rest as Second Timothy gives us.
In the knowledge of this ahead of time so that I'm not in a mighty Stew and I see things heading the wrong way in this world, or think that suddenly the tribulation is on top of me. Rather, it's only an indication that the Lord's coming is getting nearer. Could the Apostle Paul have that as his hope when he said we which are alive and remain the coming of the Lord? He didn't say they. He could well have if he'd known it was going to be 2000 more years almost.
But he was looking for the Lord's coming evidently in his day, and when he said, We which are alive and remain at the coming of the Lord.
There's one other remark too that we could make here, and that is that I don't believe that God allowed the church.
To see the prophetic significance of these seven churches here in Revelation until right at the end of the dispensation. Otherwise the present hope of the Lords coming would have been destroyed. I don't believe that even the Apostle John understood that they formed a panoramic history of the various epochs of the Church. He no doubt was exercising believers as to their condition of things. But God didn't allow the Church to see the prophetic significance of them until right till the end.
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Now you and I by grace have seen all of that, and we know that the Lord's coming is very, very near. So how wonderful the Word of God is to present these things in that way so that, as you say, the present hope of the Lord's coming was always something that a believer could properly look to and live in. The enjoyment of what you're saying is if you were living in the time of.
Thyatira And you knew the prophetic history, you'd say the Lord can't come. We've got to go through Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.
Until he comes. But we're now, we're right in Laodicea in times, so we're right at the end.
And we understand it. Can you explain, Chuck, how anybody could take?
And drop us off our crown.
So that's what we have in verse 11.
Behold, I come quickly. Behold, hold that fast which thou has that no man take thy crown. Well, if someone got got you to believe the the error of what we were just talking about, this one person that said, you know, he's got to go to the through the tribulation first. If someone got you to believe that, then you'd you'd lose your crown, wouldn't you? You'd lose the the hope of the Lord's coming.
So wrong teaching can do it.
Those who will believe and continue to believe it, there will be reward given. There are more than one crown given to the believer and those who continue to cling to that, that is one of the rewards that will be given.
Is the crown not given?
Also for more than the hope of the Lord's return. But the entire body of recovered truth is known and cherished and walked in, and the crown's given, because we might depart from that truth, and still hold and be waiting for the Lord's coming.
I don't have a computer, so I don't get on the Internet, but I think it's a dangerous thing for young believers for anyone to exchange thoughts with. You don't know who's on the other side, who's on the other end, and who you're talking about when it comes to Bible questions. And that you're much safer if you'll stick with the good literature that we have back there and read the solid ministry and not be listening to every opinion that's floating out in Christendom and get all confused as to the Lord's coming.
Because some of them can come out with some pretty convincing arguments in that, and that can be very.
Damaging to you and you can you can lose the the the vital truths that have been recovered and men have that's happened. I was just talking to a brother and what happened happened. I won't give you his name. What happened to so and so he was a great evangelist still is. Well, he went he he believed that lie of really of Sardis is really what it is.
And.
He doesn't. He doesn't look for the Lord's coming.
And he not only that, as Steve said, the very characteristic truths of Christianity has given them up on back to Sardis in his thinking.
Seducing spirits will rob you of whatever they can. That's right. And there's power behind it.
But we cannot hold what we don't have.
Hold past that which thou hast. That's a challenge for all of us, and I like to especially throw it out for the younger ones. Do you have it? Have you by faith entered into it? You cannot hold that which you do not have. You know, we don't claim any of us that participate in this reading that.
What we advance and what we explain is what we have personally dug up. We learned that from others, like Paul taught Timothy. There's nothing wrong in recognizing those who God has raised up to recover the truth and then accept help from them. And we have wonderful ministry, especially in the English language.
One of the reasons why I'm thankful that I came to America is that I learned English. We have some writings in Germany, some of them were translated from English, but not nearly what we have here in the English speaking world. And to have access to that, don't be foolish and neglected.
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And then be careful. Do not just intellectually try to lay hold of it.
A prey and continue in prayer to turn to the Lord and ask him that he makes it good to your soul and like Thorlandin said, all truth enters by way of the conscience. You know that has to affect the conscience, the inner man and we cannot like I repeat.
Hold that which we do not have, but it is expected of a Philadelphian that he has it, you know, and there's nothing wrong in desiring to be a Philadelphia. You better be careful in boasting about it. If the Lord has given us to see and understand, it's the grace of God that has done it and He has used others to teach us. Hopefully we can teach and pass it on.
In the power of the Spirit to others. But let me ask the benefit we have in reading the help from these early brethren is they give us to understand better this book. This is the authority, not them, not them. They're not the authority. It's the word of God. They help me to understand what the word of God teaches. And if if they don't agree and they don't always agree on every point. So you have to get before the Lord.
Yourself, this, he speaks to you through this book. There's a lot of helps, there's gifts of teachers and so on and apostles, and we thank him for it. But it's this book, the word of God, that you have to help you to understand it better. And that's the purpose of these reading meetings. Give us a better understanding of what this book says and means. That's the authority. You're #208 two 08.
And hopefully.
The mornings are all right.
Make our soul.
Great joy.
No staying with me.
No.
No joy? No.
Love their disorders down.
Our God and Father, thou hast committed to us this company here in this room.
So much light and so much truth.
And now is said to us, Hold fast what thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
And so we pray for special grace to make it our own and to walk in the light of it and the truth of it, and not allow other voices.
Other sources to rob us of these precious things. We thank Thee for thy coming, Lord Jesus. It could be tonight, it could be in a few moments when I'll call Thy heavenly Saints home. But until then, we thank You for the grace that was given us and for Thy precious word, and for times like this where we can be over it and meditate upon it.
And advanced thoughts upon it that will be for our growth and our spiritual welfare. So we give thee thanks, Father, for this time over thy word in the precious name of our soon coming Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen. Amen.