ROBERT@kontu.utu.fi (Robert W. Johnson) (03/19/91)
In a series of articles I am going to present the entire Church history as
phrophezied in Revelation 2:1-3:22. These verses phrophezy concerning the
first Church to the last Church before the Lord returns.
If you would like a list of references on Church history please send me a
note.
Note: This posting is very long. It will be divided into seven parts (there
are epistles to seven Churches.) Each part will consist of one or more
subparts.
Part V of VII - Subpart 1 of 2 of Part V
CHAPTER 3
III. "THE THINGS WHICH ARE" --
THE SEVEN LOCAL CHURCHES
2:1-3:22
E. Church in Sardis --
the Church in Reformation
3:1-6
1 And to the (1)messanger of the church in (2)Sardis write: These things
says he Who has the (3a)seven Spirits of God and the (3b)seven stars: I
(c)know your works, that you have a (4)name that you are (d)living, and you
are (e)dead.
(1) Gk. angel.
(2) "Sardis" in Greek means "the remains," "the remainder," or, "the
restoration." As a sign, the church in Sardis prefigures the Protestant Church
from the time of the Reformation to the second coming of Christ. The
reformation was God's reaction to the apostate Roman Catholic Church, signified
by the degraded church in Thyatira. It was accomplished by a minority of the
believers, the "remainder." Hence, it was "the restoration" by "the
remainder."
(3) The seven Spirits of God are for the church to be living intensely, and
the seven stars are for her to be shining intensely. To the church in
Ephesus, Christ is the One Who holds the seven stars and walks in the midst
of the seven lampstands. The initial church needed the care of Christ, and
her leasers needed His keeping grace. To the Church in Smyrna, he is the
One Who became dead and lived again. The suffering church needed the
resurrection life of Christ. To the church in Pergamos, Christ is the One
Who has the sharp two-edged sword. The degraded, worldly church needed His
judging and slaying word. To the church in Thyatira, he is the One Who has
eyes as flaming fire and feet like shining brass. The apostate church needed
His searching and judging. Now to the church in Sardis, He is the One Who
has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars. The dead, reformed
church needed the sevenfold intensified Spirit of God and the shining leaders.
(4) The reformed Protestant Church has been considered by many to be living,
but the Lord says that she is dead. hence, she needs the living "Spirits"
and the shining "stars."
(a) Rev. 1:4 (b) Rev. 1:16 (c) Rev. 2:2 (d) cf. John 14:19; 6:57; Gal. 2:20;
Phil. 1:21 (e) Rom. 8:6, 13
2 Become (a)watchful and establish the (1)things which remain, which were
about to die; for I have not found your works (2b)completed before My God.
(1) "The things which remain" are the things lost and restored by the
Reformation, such as justification by faith, the open Bible, etc. Though
these things were restored, they "were about to die." Hence, they needed
revivals. This is the actual situation of the Protestant churches.
(2) Nothing begun in the Reformation has ever been "completed." Therefore,
the church in Philadelphia is needed for the completion.
(a) Rev. 16:15; Matt. 24:42-43; mark 13:33-37; 1 Pet. 5:8 (b) cf. John
17:4; 2 Tim. 4:7
3 (a)Remember therefore how you have recieved and heard, and keep it and
(b)repent. If therefore you will not watch, I will (c)come as a (1d)thief,
and you shall by no means know at what (e)hour I will come upon you.
(1) A thief comes to steal precious things at an unknown time. Since the
reformed Protestant churches "are dead," they will be unaware of the Lord's
coming "as a thief" in His secret appearing to His seekers. Hence, there
is the need for watchfulness.
(a) Rev. 2:5 (b) Rev. 2:5 (c) Rev. 2:25 (d) Rev. 16:15; Matt. 24:43;
I Thes. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:10 (e) Matt. 24:36, 44, 50
4 But you have a few names in Sardis who have not (1a)defiled their
garmets, and they shall walk with me in (2b)white, for they are worthy.
(1) "Garments" in the Bible signify what we are in our walk and living. To
"defile" the garmets means particularily to stain them with deadness.
Death is more defiling before God than sin (Lev. 11:24-25; Num. 6:6, 7, 9).
(2) "White" not only signifies purity, but also approvedness. White garmets
here signify the walk and living which is unspotted by death and which will
be approved by the Lord. It si a qualification for walking with the Lord,
especially in the coming kingdom.
(a) Jude 23; Zech. 3:3-5; cf. Rev. 19:8 (b) Rev. 3:5, 18; 6:11; 7:9, 13;
19:8, 14; Eccl. 9:8; cf. Rev. 4:4
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Robert W. Johnson
Computer center, The University of Turku, Turku Finland
robert@kontu.utu.fi (InterNet)
robert@firien.bitnet (BITNET)
The preceeding is my opinion and may not express the opinion of my employer
and furthermore has nothing to do with my employment.