The American Wisdom Series

Presents
Pamphlet 1839 Rev. kc 7

If you don't know when the day of the Lord comes,
you'll worship the false messiah, guaranteed!

Just as a reminder, and for those who have recently joined our study, we saw a Picture in chapter 1 of Revelation, where Jesus Christ, in His glorified body, was standing in the midst of seven candlesticks (churches), with seven stars (representing angels) in His right hand, and a sharp twoedged sword (the Word of God) proceeded out of His mouth.

Christ then turned to each church and began addressing them, noting their doctrines and giving to them His instructions. He uses His servant John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, who was taken to the day of the Lord, i.e. the first day of the Millennium, to record His words to the churches which are present THEN, even now, not in 96 A.D.

To this point in our study of the book that uncovers and unseals the truth, Jesus Christ has addressed four of the seven churches, and so far three of the four have come up short of pleasing Him. In fact we find that only two out of the seven are pleasing to Christ, Smyrna and Philadelphia.

The question is, "Do you want to please Christ, or not?" That may sound like a "dumb" question to ask someone who professes to be Christian, but let's think about it?

Suppose you "hire on" as a contractor for an architect who has given you the plans to build a great, magnificent structure. You're all excited about your new position and you really want to do a good job and please your boss. But you never quite get around to reading the plans or studying the blueprints. Instead you go about erecting poles and walls the way you think they ought to be, the way you've seen other poles and walls built, "traditionally". You justify it in your mind thinking, "This must be what he wants, everyone else does it this way."

When the boss comes along and asks "What in the world is this mess? Where's the magnificent building I ask you to construct? This doesn't even resemble it. Haven't you read my plans?", you say, "But I thought this is the structure you wanted me to build". You're then hurt and crushed when he fires you saying "get away from me" because he has no use for you.

The point is, you may have "wanted" to please your boss, but you didn't "care enough" to take the time to learn what it was that he wanted done. Such is the case with those in five of the seven churches.


I'd like to quote two paragraphs from the work of one of the greatest Bible scholars of our modern era, E. W. Bullinger, in his work titled "How to Enjoy the Bible", American Christian Press, pg. 6.
When we come to ask ourselves, and say "Where did I learn this?" "How did I get this?" "Who taught me this?" it is astonishing to find how much we have imbibed from man, and from tradition; and not directly and for ourselves, from the Word of God.

All that we have learned from our youth up must be tested and proved by the Word of God. Where we find it is true we must learn it over again, from God. And where it will not stand the test of His Word we must be not only content, but thankful to give it up; and receive Divine revelation in the place of man's imagination.

These two profound paragraphs are the essence of what Revelation chapters 2 and 3 are all about. It is the reason we are testing the churches, shall we say it's "the purpose of the exercise". To be able to do that which we just read requires great courage and discipline. Most would rather take the easy road and follow traditions. That road does not lead to our Father, nor does it please Him.


The apostle Paul was able to sum it up in one short sentence that we all need to live by:
1 Thes. 5:21
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
And now on to the church in Sardis.
Rev. 3:1
And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
Remember, Jesus Christ knows all of our works, the good, the bad and the ugly. This church in Sardis is Christian in name only because they are spiritually "deader than a door knob". They probably don't even know where the plans are.

Sardis, if you care to research it's history, was a wealthy merchant town and the capital of the ancient Lydia (which Homer called Moeonia), once the "Queen of Asia". How interesting. Not too many years ago there were 6, and there are still 2 standing, of the pillars of Cybele (60 feet high). Those with eyes and ears will take note of the 6's and multiples thereof.

Cybele, also known as Rhea, was the goddess of the growth of natural things in Greek mythology. She was also called the mother of the gods. Hmmm, this sounds like something that could be mixed in with Christianity, don't you think? Hey, people will love it! We'll add some eggs and bunnies.

[2] Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
How much impact does it have upon your mind to realize that these are the very words and instructions from Jesus Christ Himself, as if He were standing talking directly to you, face to face?
[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.
You see, if you don't watch, then you'll be in the dark! And if you don't know when the day of the Lord comes, you'll worship the false messiah, guaranteed! Paul told us the exactly same thing as Jesus just told us in verse 3.
1 Thes. 5:2-9
For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

[3] For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Hey, the Berlin wall has fallen, the Big Bear (Russia) has gone to sleep, supposedly. The USSR no longer exists. And if you think they aren't saying peace and safety, you haven't got your ears on!
[4] But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
These brethren are "watchers".
[5] Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
There are no surprises to God's elect. He will do nothing lest He first reveal to His servants through the prophets. It is all written in the set of plans.
[6] Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

[7] For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

[8] But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

[9] For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

We completely and totally escape the wrath of God, completely and totally. He's not angry at His children who love and obey Him.

Do you get angry with your children when they love and obey you?

Now there's a "dumb" question!

Let's return to Revelation chapter 3.

Rev. 3:4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
There are a few folks in each of the churches that have stuck to His Word. Do you suppose our Father places them there for the benefit of others, to stir the pot so to speak?

White, of course, is symbolic of purity.

[5] He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
White raiment is symbolic of righteous acts. When we come into this world we have nothing (and I still have most of that), but when we leave we take our works with us. Those works will be our "clothing", raiment, in the kingdom. That could be a pretty scary thought for some!

Oh yes, God keeps books. He is well organized and maintains a complete database file on everyone of His children.

It's much more extensive than Big Brother, it's Big Father.

Of course His technology and software far exceeds that of the PC and Windows, which still has bugs in it. His Spirit is linked directly to your brain and the thoughts of your heart and He downloads everything, I mean everything.

So just make sure that your Father is pleased with you so He doesn't "blot out", i.e. hit the Delete Button, on your file in the Book of Life. Why? Because if you check out the word "blot out" in Greek, it means "gone", "erased", i.e. there is no recovery program available, no recycle bin. And so you will not even be history, there will be no record, no archive. It will be as if you never existed. And once again, no matter what the traditions of five out of the seven churches teach, that is Biblical! Test it yourself.

Finally, you should know what is written in the books concerning you. After all, you are writing the story of your own life even now.

The question is, have you read His Book to see if maybe yours needs some serious editing?

Rev. 20:12
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
And now for the fifth time Jesus says:
Rev. 3:6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals.
We pray that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you accomplish both.

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