Oops! I also “forgot” which day to post our next Class! Instead of Sunday, the proper time in our “every-other-night” sequence … I uploaded Class Saturday as we drove to this week’s Revival!

So, next Class now will be Monday, the Lord willing. (None of which will matter a few days from now anyway!)

“12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; 13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. 14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. 15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.”

The Lord has both good things and bad things to note about this Church.

MANY OF REVELATION’S WORD PICTURES REFER/ALLUDE BOTH TO THE OLD TESTAMENT AND TO SOME LOCAL COLOR SITUATION! SUCH IS THE CASE HERE AT PERGAMOS AS WELL, THE SEAT OF SATAN, THE HIDDEN MANNA AND THE WHITE STONE! 

(These are briefly discussed in the video Class!)

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I also mentioned this fact in passing, but here’s more detail …

Balaam, his story is recorded in Numbers 22-25. And it is “loaded” with the Sword motif!

Numbers 22:23 … And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.

Numbers 22:29 … And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.

Numbers 31:8 … And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.

So, the local Church that has accepted tinges of Balaam-ism is surrounded (both in verse 12 and verse 17) with “sword” imagery!

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Some beloved historians (Alexander Hislop for example, 1807-1865) teach that when Babylon fell, Pergamos became home to the devils, principalities, etc! This apostasy was later headquartered at Rome, and still is in many ways! (As we shall see when we reach Revelation chapters 17 and 18.)

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The name Balaam actually (in Hebrew) means “not of the people!” Compare that to the Greek name Nicolaitans (meaning “to conquer the people”)! Seems that God’s dear people are always under attack from the devil!

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One of my favorite quotes in the whole Lesson …

 IF BALAAM COULD NOT CURSE THEM … HE WOULD CORRRUPT THEM!

The devil’s strategy has not changed much, has it?

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THIS SWORD JESUS HAS IS NOT THE SHORTER WEAPON (MACH’AIRA) A SOLIDER MIGHT CARRY … BUT 2-FOOT-LONG HANDLE ATTACHED TO A THREE-FOOT-LONG BLADE, DESIGNED TO BOTH SLASH AND THRUST … SPELLED IN GREEK (RHOMPHA’IA)!

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“Cultic Meals” of that Day, which a Christain could not (in good conscience attend) were …

Always centered around some god or goddess!

Always associated with prostitutes, religious or otherwise!

Always serving meat offered to said idol!

Ubiquitous, synonymous with social life!

Dining room located in the heathen temple!

Always included “foul songs!”

Often the invitations were printed as from the god himself!

Two altars were generally present!

One for the Lord Caesar, Emperor … the other for the god or goddess himself or herself!

No wonder Paul exhorted his people to … “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” 2 Corinthians 6:17

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Now, watch the video if possible …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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“Suffering for being a Christian” … that very thought seems so “foreign” to many of us Christians. But that so-called sense of security could change more quickly that we realize.

Throughout history Christians have always suffered for Jesus’ sake. Read Paul here … Acts 14:22 … Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through MUCH TRIBULATION enter into the kingdom of God.

2 Timothy 3:12 … Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall SUFFER persecution.

(Yes tribulation, but not The Tribulation!)

Now John writes, but quoting Jesus … Revelation 3:10 … Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will KEEP thee FROM the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. “The Hour of Temptation” our Lord just mentioned could very well be the seven-year Tribulation!

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The Text, Revelation 2:8-11 …

8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; 9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. 10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

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The Bible says so much about suffering for our faith …

2 Corinthians 4:17 … For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory …

1 Peter 4:12-13 … Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

1 Peter 1:6-7 … Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ …

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Jesus and “myrrh!” (No wonder He is so “drawn” to the Smyrna Christians! Not a single word of criticism for this persecuted body of Believers!)

Psalm 45:8 … All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.

Song of Solomon 1:13 … A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.

Song of Solomon 5:5 … I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock.

Song of Solomon 5:13 … His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.

Matthew 2:11 … And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

John 19:39 … And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. (To anoint Jesus’ dead Body, temporarily dead! He is risen!)

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Jesus, the First and the Last, is here claiming full Deity with His Father …

Isaiah 41:4 … Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.

Isaiah 44:6 … Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

Isaiah 48:12 … Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.

The Almighty, Overarching God! (None above Him!)

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One more fact …

The Book of Revelation has 27 Allusions to Daniel, the Book, the Prophecy! (According to one scholar!)

Now the video Class …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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I say “little Church” because it’s likely an accurate numerical description of that Assembly of Believers. Plus, Jesus called His Own a “little flock” in Luke 12:32!

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Our Bible Text …

“1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”

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Verse 1 … “these things saith He” is linguistically parallel to the Old Testament Expression “Thus saith the Lord!”

415 times in the Old Testament … “Thus saith the Lord!”

Clearly meaning … Jesus is God!

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Verse 2 … the Lord “knows” (the Greek verb “eido” can mean “to see”) His Ephesian Church! Of course …

Proverbs 15:3 … The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

(A great memory Verse for children or grandchildren!)

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Verse 3 … which leads up to Jesus’ pretty stringent criticism of the Church at Ephesus … that about leaving their first love …

But please note that there are more positives than negatives, considerably so, heaped upon this Congregation!

(A fact not the case in reference to the Church at Laodicea, for example.)

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Verse 4 …

An earlier generation of Ephesians did practice love for the brethren, according to their first Pastor, the Apostle Paul!

Ephesians 1:15-16 … Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers …

(About 40 years earlier, best I can figure.)

But the younger generation has lost that love! Do notice they are still “in” the Church, however!

John employs the word “love” often in His Writings …

In all his Corpus (1 Gospel, 3 Epistles and 1 Revelation)!

Love = 62x! Loved = 29x!  (Total … 91x!)

Even in little 2^nd (verse 5) John and 3^rd (verses 5-6) John! The Crown Jewell being … John 13:35!

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Verse 5 … the solution to sin in one’s life …

Remember, Repent, then DO!

Jesus loves enough to discipline!

Five of the seven Churches are told to “repent,” even though they had differing “problems!” (Many sins, but only one way to forgiveness, repentance!)

Not the Churches at Smyrna or Philadelphia though! No repentance needed there!

A Change of mind … should lead to … A Change of Action!

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Verse 6 … “hatred?”

Hebrews 1:9 … quoting Psalm 45:7 … Thou (Lord Jesus) hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

Hate the sin but love the sinner!

Verse 7 …

“Jesus saith” is parallel to “the Spirit saith!”

Emphasizing the Unity of the Godhead!

To the “Churches” …

Each “Message” (though fashioned for its specific Church) is applicable and helpful to them all, to all seven Congregations aggregately!

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This too …

Each Sermon (each little Epistle from Jesus to His seven Churches in Revelation chapters 2 and 3) ends in victory, or at least the promise of victory … each ends on a positive note!

This informative little quote is accurate … “Victory” is as dominant in John as “faith” is in Paul!

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Watch the Class as well …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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Our Bible Text …

“17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. 19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; 20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.”

This Paragraph leads us into a seven Lesson series on the Churches of Asia Minor. Three of these “Churches” are specifically reminded of Jesus’ Second Coming!

Thyatira … Revelation 2:25 … But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.

Sardis … Revelation 3:3 … Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

Philadelphia … Revelation 3:11 … Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

I forgot to mention this fact in our most recent Lesson!

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Here is the full list of people who saw the Lord or were in His Presence … and their reactions:

Abraham

Genesis 17:3 … And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying

Manoah and his Wife (Samson’s Parents)

Judges 13:20 … For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.

Ezekiel (many times)

Ezekiel 3:23 … Then I arose, and went forth into the plain: and, behold, the glory of the LORD stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river of Chebar: and I fell on my face.

Daniel (repeatedly)

Daniel 8:17 … So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.

The Disciples (At the Transfiguration)

Matthew 17:6 … And when the disciples heard it (God’s Voice) , they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

Gideon

Judges 6:22-23 … And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face. 23 And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.

Job

Job 42:5-6 … I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

Isaiah

Isaiah 6:5 … Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

Zacharias, father of John the Baptist

Luke 1:12 … And when Zacharias saw him (the Angel of the Lord), he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

Peter

Luke 5:8 … When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

Even this, the wicked during the Tribulation…

Revelation 6:16-17 … And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

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Jesus defeating the devil, particularly on the Cross …

Hebrews 2:14 … Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy (abolish 3x, cease 1x = root = kata + argeo = to render inactive, to make idle, to delay) him that had the power of death, that is, the devil …

Praise the Lord!

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The Book of Revelation is literally built on the number “seven!” It realistically contains …

Seven Churches!

Seven Seals!

Seven Trumpets!

Seven Personages!

Seven Vials (Bowls of Judgment)!

Seven Dooms!

Seven New Things!

More about these seven groups of seven as we study the whole Book of Revelation here in class!

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I enjoyed this thought …

Remember, candlesticks in that bygone day needed oil! No oil, no light! Such was their fuel! And so do our Churches today need the Oil of the Holy Spirit to radiate the Light of Jesus to the world!

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Watch the Lesson now …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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This is unique Scripture …

12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

Talk about candlesticks, about being “light” …

Paul wrote to the Philippian Church … in Philippians 2:15 … “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world ….”

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In our Text Jesus is described much along the same lines as God the Father, the Ancient of Days, back in Daniel 7:9-10 …

Yes, here is God the Father … rarely described …

Daniel 7:9-10 … I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him …

No wonder Jesus said … in John 14:9 … “He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father.”

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Here are the two verses I mentioned about honoring the elderly, particularly the godly elderly …

Leviticus 19:32 … Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.

Proverbs 16:31 … The hoary head (gray hair) is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.

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Jesus (the Master Expositor) will further explain the seven stars in our next Lesson, in Revelation 1:20 …

“The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.”

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And as I generally say, watch the video Lesson now …

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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