SEVEN CHURCHES ````````````````````````` Of the the seven churches of Revelation 2&3--only two of them were not rebuked by the Lord Jesus (Smyrna and Philadelphia). So what about the other five..?? Apparently, they didnt keep their first Love in prominence (Ephesus), inclined unto the doctrines of heresies such as Balaam and/or the Nicolaitans (Pergamos), allowed the spirit of Jezebel and spiritual fornication to flourish (Thyatira), just died out (Sardis), and became just lukewarm--probably from the effects of having to adhere to political correctness more than the Truth of Gods Word (Laodicea--and that last remark is just my own suspiscion). The reason I say apparently in the above sentence is because when you look at that same area today, its anything but predominantly Christian--modern-day Turkey is practically Moslem all-over. My own personal belief is that the sanctuary of God is His entire universe rather than a temple built with hands, as per what it says in His Word. But I have to wonder if anything can be learned for us today from the failures of those brethren then. Might it be possible that any gathering-place for Christian fellowship--even a website like this one--is subject to the same shortcomings..?? Is the Holy Spirit grieved away because of any modern-day manifestations of the same things that turned Asia Minor over to the non-believers who reside there today..?? I wonder if ANY place where the Spirit departs would turn into another Turkey, and if this is what is meant by the term Ichabod (the Glory is departed--I Sam. 4:21). I also wonder about the mystery of whats hidden (Prov. 25:2) in the story of the demise of those five churches the Lord rebuked, and what is in the two chapters that might be worth the time to look into that He was displeased about. If Ephesus lost their first love, how did they lose Him..?? How would we do the same (wanting to know what to avoid here)..?? In the same way, what are the doctrines of Balaam and the Nicolaitans that brought down Pergamos, or the spirit of Jezebel and the fornications which did the same in Thyatira..?? That is to say, what aliases might we find them using today..?? Did Sardis get totally bored with what had become for them some mere routine, or did something else cause them to just die out like that..?? Are there other ways of becoming lukewarm than my own suggestion of getting soaked in political correctness, and did Laodicea find a better way..?? Things I wonder about, anyway. Since Gods Book is preserved by Him throughout ALL ages (even our own), Im not at all disposed to think these things are no longer present in the world today. I suspect they go by other names nowadays, same as the Pharisees and Saducees do (my conviction anyway). One more thing interesting to me is that there are seven of them. Only two were not found wanting by the Lord. Paul wrote to seven different churches that we know of (Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colosse, and Thessalonica), and to only two of them did he write a second epistle (that we are given to know about from God), Corinth and Thessalonica. I wonder how, if at all, they relate. Do any of you know of any other examples of a place where the glory has departed..?? Do you know why it happened..?? Are there things we can learn from this to keep the glory from departing in our own lives as well..??
Posted on: Sun, 28 Sep 2014 03:41:07 +0000
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015