WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING TO THE CHURCHES
About 95 A.D the Apostle John was banished to the Greek island of Patmos during the persecution of the Church under the Roman Emperor Domitian. While there, John was given the Revelation of Jesus Christ and shown the events that would take place in the last days when Christ returns and receives the Kingdom prepared for Him by His Father.
In the beginning chapters of the book of Revelation,
the Lord gave to John messages that the Apostle was to write down and deliver
to seven churches in Asia Minor (modern Turkey). They were the Churches of Ephesus, Smyrna,
Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. The messages were very intimate and personal
to the believers they were addressed to.
They contained recognition for the things that each Church was doing
well, but also reprimands for things that they were not doing so well.
It is significant to note that John saw the Lord Jesus “in the midst of” the golden
candlesticks which, he was told, represent the seven churches. In the Lord’s right hand were seven stars,
and John was told that these represent the angels of the seven churches. Out of the Lord’s mouth went a sharp
two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun in its fullness. What we can gather from this imagery is, firstly,
that Christ is always in the midst of His Church. As He said to His disciples while He was with
them, “Where two or three are gathered
together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20). After all, the Church is Christ’s body, and it
is His habitation. “Know ye not that ye
are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1
Corinthians 3:16). Secondly, the angels
of the seven churches are in the Lord’s right hand signifying that they are
prepared to minister to the Church according to the will of the Son of
God. “Are
they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be
heirs of salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14).
From this we deduce that there is an angel assigned to every church and who
ministers to every assembly of God.
Thirdly, a sharp two-edged sword proceeds from the Lord’s mouth which is
the Word of God. His Word is always true
and can discern good from bad, and our thoughts from our intentions. It will always accomplish the thing that it
is sent to do. Finally, the Lord is Light. In Him is no darkness at all. The light of His countenance penetrates every
shadow, and chases all of the darkness away.
Scholars have different theories as to why these seven
churches were singled out for such personal messages from the Lord and other
more prominent churches were not. Churches
like those in Jerusalem, Antioch, Rome, Corinth, Alexandria, Philippi, and
Thessalonica were all omitted. Also, why
were the churches that were selected all found in Asia Minor and not other
regions? Some Bible students believe
that these churches represent the state of the Church in general during
different ages with Ephesus representing the Church during John’s time, and
Laodicea representing the Church during the last age. Probably one of the simplest answers to these
questions is that these seven churches formed a good representation of churches
in general, their victories and their struggles. The things that plagued these early Christians
are things that also have plagued congregations down through the
centuries. These letters are just as
relevant to us today as they were back then.
There are churches that have lost their first love and zeal for Christ
like Ephesus; those going through severe tribulation and persecution like
Smyrna; those who have adopted strange doctrines, and committed fornication
like those in Pergamos and Thyatira; those who are walking in hypocrisy like
Sardis; those who are facing great temptation like Philadelphia; and those who
have become lukewarm because of their affluence like Laodicea. They all have relevance for us today. It is easy to see ourselves in these churches
and to relate to all of the issues that affected them.
After addressing each Church, the Lord makes this
statement to each of them: “He that hath
an ear, let him hear what the Spirit
saith unto the churches.” (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13,
22). It is the Spirit of God that has
been sent to us to lead us into all truth (see John 14:26; 16:12, 13). It isn’t our wisdom, education, studiousness,
or cleverly prepared sermons that are important. It is every Word that proceeds from the mouth
of God, ministered by the hand of angels and by the Spirit of Almighty God that
is essential. It is He Who sheds the
Light of Life into our assemblies, chases away the darkness, and establishes
the Truth among us that we must give heed to.
Each message to these churches was addressed to “…the angel of the Church of ________.” We don’t fully understand the scope of the ministry
that angels have been given toward mankind, but what we do know is
remarkable. In both the Old and New
Testaments God employed angels to deliver His Word to men and women of faith. Angels were sent to Lot and his family to
warn them about the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah. They appeared to Jacob in a dream in which
they were ascending and descending on a ladder that reached to heaven. An angel was sent to Gideon to prepare him
for the part he would play in Israel’s deliverance from Midian. Hannah, Samuel’s mother, received a
visitation telling her that God had heard her prayers and would send her a son. Hezekiah, Elijah, Zacharias, Mary, Joseph,
the shepherds in Bethlehem, to name a few – these all had visitations from
angels that announced the wonderful things that God was about to do. The angels Gabriel and Michael ministered to
Daniel and battled with satanic forces in the heavens to deliver an answer to
the prophet’s prayers. Paul informs us that
the struggles that we encounter in
this life are not against flesh and blood adversaries, even though those do
often resist us. No, our real warfare is
against heavenly principalities and powers, against the rulers of darkness, and
against spiritual wickedness in high (or celestial) places (see Ephesians
6:12). It is obvious that angels have a
very active role in our salvation, protection, and spiritual growth. As scripture tells us, “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and
delivereth them.” (Psalms 34:7). It
is also clear that every church has a ministering angel assigned to it by God. They are God’s messengers and we should be
aware of them, but not worship them.
Along with the phrase “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
churches”, each of these seven churches received an admonition that starts
out with the words “To him that
overcometh…” followed by a particular blessing that belongs to those who
overcome. Things like access to the Tree
of Life, deliverance from the second death, heavenly manna, authority in
heaven, and being adorned in white raiment (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5,
12, 21). The way that these two phrases
are linked, it suggests that our ability to overcome is directly connected to
our willingness to hear “what the Spirit
saith unto to the churches.” Like
seeds sown in a field, the Spirit of Christ broadcasts His Word to the members
of His Church so that they may mature in Him and produce much spiritual fruit. As we receive His good Word, we gain power to
overcome and to become the sons of God (John 1:12). The things that the Spirit ministers to each
assembly are designed to empower and direct them in order for them to fight the
good fight.
Tragically, there are pastors, prophets, and leaders
who are not walking in the Spirit. They
have substituted a form of religion in their assemblies that relies on human
reasoning and fleshly intellect instead of faith and trust. Jeremiah prophesied concerning such leaders
when he said, “Thus saith the LORD of
hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they
make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth
of the LORD.” (Jeremiah 23:16).
Jesus spoke of the time when men would abandon their
vain efforts to please God by strength of will and instead worship Him in
spirit and in truth. “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the
true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the
Father seeketh such to worship Him. God
is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in
truth.” (John 4:23, 24). This was
what the 1st century Church was all about. They did not place their trust in temples,
rituals, or ceremonies, but in the revelation of Jesus Christ ministered
through God’s own Spirit. Man’s
doctrines and opinions didn’t matter; it was what the Spirit was speaking to
the Church that mattered. Paul wrote, “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit,
and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have
no confidence in the flesh.” (Philippians 3:3). And to the Roman believers He said, “But now we are delivered from the Law...that we should serve in newness of
spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.” (Romans 7:6).
Paul speaks to the importance of worshipping and
serving God in the spirit in the 2 chapter of 1 Corinthians. He begins by saying, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of
speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among
you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:1, 2). Paul didn’t want to come among the
Corinthians with a bunch of preconceived notions about what they needed to
hear. Neither did he try to learn what
the problems were within the church and then craft a message to address
it. Paul, instead, waited on the Lord to
give him a word, and that word was Christ crucified, the hope of glory.
Surprisingly, Paul wasn’t a confident speaker. He came before the Corinthians in weakness,
and in fear, and in much trembling. His
speech and his preaching were not with polished and persuasive words. “For
his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is
weak, and his speech contemptible.” (2 Corinthians 10:10). Instead, Paul became a demonstrator of the
Spirit and power of the Gospel, overcoming his personal shortcomings so that
the faith of these new believers would not stand in Paul’s natural wisdom or
strength, but in the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:3-5).
“But as it is
written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart
of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9). The Apostle tells us that the natural man cannot see, hear, or discern
the limitless blessings and promises that God has prepared for those who love
Him. He writes, “…the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him:
neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
(1 Corinthians 2:14). Consequently,
there is a change that must take place in mankind’s nature so that they are
able to comprehend God and His ways.
That change is the New Birth.
Just as we were born once and became natural, carnal, and self-centered
beings (thanks to Adam and Eve), we must now be born again in order to become
spiritual beings capable of knowing God in an intimate way. God places His own Spirit into our hearts
when we are born again so that we can discern the depth of God’s heart and His
purposes for us.
Paul goes on to say that God has revealed the things
that were hidden to the natural man to us “by
His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth
all things, yea, the deep things of God.” (1 Corinthians
2:10). These are the things that the
Spirit is saying to the churches. Words
that will produce life and growth in us.
Paul says, “…we have received, not
the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the
things that are freely given to us of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:12). God has many blessings to bestow on His
people and they are all freely given to us.
The natural man conforms himself to the world and its ways. It is the kingdom that he is born into and,
therefore, he adapts himself to how the world functions. The spiritual man, on the other hand, is
reborn into a brand new Kingdom which he never knew existed. It is invisible to the natural eye, but very
real to those who have been born into it.
In this new Kingdom all of the promises of God become real. Jesus said, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the
words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John
6:63). The Word of God quickens (gives
divine life to) our spirits just as the world ministers death to the fleshly
man. There is, therefore, a warfare that
goes on between our spiritual nature and our fleshly nature. This is why we need to pay close attention to
the things that the Spirit is saying to us so that we can claim the power that
God has given to us to overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Paul wrote to the Ephesian Church and said, “For this cause I bow my knees unto the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…that He would grant you, according to the
riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner
man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and
grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the
breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ,
which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of
God. Now unto Him that is able to do
exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power
that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout
all ages, world without end. Amen.”
(Ephesians 3:14, 15-21). Oh, to know the
breadth, depth, length, and height of God’s love for us and to have ears to
hear what the Spirit is saying to us at all times!
Comments
Post a Comment