The echo of the Prophecies
The 1st day of
creation
Let be light
Refers to the light of promise
for man’s redemption 1656
years
From Adam to the
Flood 4004-2348 BC
The 2nd day of
creation
The firmament
Type of surrendering the rule
to man 427 years
From Noah- Abraham
2348-1921 BC
The 3rd day of
creation
The dry land
From the water
Type of separation of Israel
from the nations 1955 years
Abraham-the
Pentecostal church
1921 BC- 34 AD
The 4th day of
creation
The Sun, moon
and the stars
Christ as the Sun, the church
as the moon, and the
believers as the stars
From Pentecost till the
coming of Christ
The 5th day of
creation
The great sea
monsters etc
Type of the week of trouble
for Israel and the nations
7 years
The 6th day of
creation
The animals and Type of Millennium
Man
1000 Years
The 7th day of
creation
God Rested
Eternity
New heaven and new earth
The seven Churches of Revelation
Their Historical and prophetical significance
• The Apostolic church, Church of Ephesus (desirable) Rev. 2:1-7 (33-100-130 AD)
• The Church of Smyrna (bitterness) Time of Persecution Rev. 2:8-11 (100-313 AD)
• The Church of Pergamos ( forced marriage) Rev. 2:12-17 (313-590AD)
• The Church of Thyatira (incense) Rev. 2:18-29 (590 AD-the rapture)
• The Church of Sardis (remnant) Rev. 3:1-6 (1517-the rapture)
• The Church of Philadelphia (brotherly love) Rev. 3:7-13 (1750-the rapture)
• The Church of Laodicea ( the people’s rights) Rev. 3:14-22 ( the present age)
The Apostolic Church
• The beginning was in Jerusalem (the preaching at Pentecost) Acts 2
• The entering of the Samaritans by Phillip Acts, 8
• The Gospel to Africa through the Ethiopian eunuch Acts 8
• The saving of Cornelius and the entering of the Gentiles Acts 10
• The Church in Antioch Acts 11
• The Gospel to the Roman Empire , Greece, and Spain Paul’s three missionary journeys
• The seven churches in Asia and their prophetical history.
• The Martyrdoms of the apostolic church,
Stephen, James, Paul, Peter, James the brother of the Lord.
The church of Ephesus
• It was the most prominent city of Asia
• It was second to Olympia and it’s rival in the famed Asian
games
• The church was the result of the preaching of the Apostle Paul
(52-55) – Paul stays for two years, writes 1 Corinthians and
possibly Galatians. The school of Tyrannus. The Silversmith
riots dictated his departure (Acts 19:1-20:1), additionally the
Apostle John was the 1stBishop until the close of the 1st century.
•
It used to be a seaport is now 5 kms from the sea.
•
It had one of the 7 wonders of the old world, the Temple of
Artemis which is the Roman Diana
• The 1st brothel was built in Ephesus.
• It became a fallen church where the 1st large church was named
after the Virgin Mary.
• Ephesus in its golden age
The Apostolic church (YEAR 33-120 AD)
• The church of Ephesus. The beloved, the desired. Rev. 2:1-7
• It starts with the apostles and continues with the church fathers who were contemporary to the
apostles.
• Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Polycarp, Dionysius, and Anianus of Alexandria who followed Mark the 1st
Bishop of Alexandria
• The Jewish persecution of Christians, instigated the death of Stephen, James the son of Zebedee by
Herod Agrippa ii, and the martyrdom of James the bother of the Lord by the instigation of the high priest.
• The Roman persecution Started by Nero, who was the emperor preceded by Augustus 63-26 BC -14 AD,
followed by The weak paranoid Tiberius 14-27, followed by Caligula 37-41 AD, followed by his uncle Claudius
41-54 AD (the apostle Paul conducted his ministry during his rule)
• Vespasian followed Nero from 69-79 AD and his son Titus who sacked the Temple followed him from 79-81,
these were a quit time for the Christians, but Domitian 81-96 the younger brother of Titus was vicious
despot and persecuted Christian and Jews
Ignatius 35-108
Bishop of Antioch
Eaten by the Lions in Rome
during Emperor Trajan rule 98-117
Clement of Rome Bishop 90- 99
Bishop of Rome
Thrown by an anchor from a ship
by the same Emperor
Polycarp 69-155
Bishop of Smyrna
Burnt on the stake
? Emperor Marcus Aurelius
The status of the church of
Ephesus
• Character of the Lord: He who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks in the
midst of the seven golden lampstand.
• Commendation: I know thy labor, and thy patience.. And for my name’s sake has labored
and has not fainted. Thou hates the deeds of the Nicolaitans
• Criticism: Thou has left thy first love
• Council: Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent. Unfortunately it
had the beginning of the teaching of the Nicolaitans, which the Lord hates.
• Condemnation: repent and do the 1st works, or else I will come quickly and remove your
lampstand.
• Call: He that has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches
• Challenge: The Promise to the overcomers is to eat from the tree of life, which is in the
midst of the Paradise of God. This contrasts with paradise lost in Geneses and now
gained in Ephesus.
The church of the persecution ( 100-331)
You may have tribulation TEN days?
1. The first persecution was in rule of Emperor Vespasian (90)
2. The second was at the end of rule of Emperor Domitian (96)
3. The 3rd was at the beginning rule of Emperor Trajan (107)
4. The 4th was during the rule of Marcus Aurelius (177)
5. The 5th was at the end of the rule of Emperor Commodus (192)
6. The 6th was during the rule of Alexander Severus (230)
7. The seventh was at early rule of Valerian (251)
Cont.
8. The 8th was at the end of the rule of Valerian (258)
9. The 9th persecution was by Emperor Diocletian (284)
The severest persecution of the Egyptian Coptic
church, and they based their calendar from that date. It is
called the calendar of the Martyrs. Appended A.M. (
Anno Martyrum)
10. The 10th which continued for 10 years by the another
Emperor Diocletian starting (303-313)
• Justin Martyr of Palestine (103-165)
• Clement of Alexandria (150-216)
• Origen Adamantinus of Alexandria (185-254)
The church of Smyrna
• Christ’s character: The first and the last, which was dead and is alive
• Commendation: I know thy work, and tribulation, and poverty, but thou are
rich.
• Criticism: none
• Council: Fear none of those things which thou shall suffer
• Condemnation: none
• Call: He that has ear let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches
• Challenge: He that overcomes shall not be hurt of the second death.
Justin Martyr 103-165
Born in Nablus (West Bank )
Died beheaded in Rome
Clement of Alexandria (Egyptian)
Born in Athens year 150
Died in the year 216 in Alexandria
Origen Adamantinus
Born in Alexandria 185
Died in Caesarea 256
Ushered by the the adoption of Christianity by emperor
Constantine. It is been said that Constantine “found the
church dressed in poor cloths, and he left it dressed in purple
and gold”
• 1st the teaching of Balaam the entry of the spirit of the
world into the church.
• Second the teaching of the Nicolaitans: the heretical
teaching and the major one is the heresy of Aryanism. His
system was condemned in the council of Nicaea year 323.
The glorious defense of the apostolic Athanasius for the
true faith and the person of Christ.
• The many heresies were including Gnosticism. The heretical
writings of many different unauthenticated Gospels which
were discovered in 1945 in Nag Hammadi in Egypt.
• Another heresy was related to the development of the church
hierarchy and the clerical system, preparing the way for the
establishment of the Papacy.
•
Montanism, Montanus and 2 women with him proclaimed new prophetic knowledge.
•
Ebiontism, Jewish Christianity
•
Docetism, Christ had an appearance of a body, but not a real one. ( Simon Magus)
•
Gnosticism, salvation through knowledge (Marcion who mutilated the gospel)
•
Jovinianism, 393 AD , anti-monasticism, the sinless of the regenerates
•
Plagianism , the salvation as a personal responsibility, vs.. Predestination.
•
Novatians, they stood against priest's corruption and the papacy.
•
Donatist Strictest, judgementalists , called those who denied the faith during persecution (trditors)
from which the word traitors originate.
•
The controversy of the Monophysitism .
•
The development of Monasticism. St. Anthony 251-356
•
Nestorianism, patriarch of Constantinople (428 431) Dyophysitism He died in 451 AD
•
Manichaeism (Manes, c216-276)
St. Ambrose,
St. Jerome
Born 339 AD Trier, Germany
Died April 4, 397
Milan, Italy
Honored in Roman Catholic Church
Eastern Orthodox Churches
Oriental Orthodoxy
Anglican Communion
Lutheran Church
Born c. 347 Stridon, on the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia
Died 420
Bethlehem, Judea
Honored in Roman Catholic Church
Eastern Orthodoxy
Anglican Communion
Lutheranism
Oriental Orthodoxy
St. Augustine
Athanasius
Born: November 13, 354
Thagaste, Numidia (now Souk
Ahras, Algeria)
Died: August 28, 430 (aged 75)
Hippo Regius, Numidia (now
modern-day Annaba, Algeria)
The city of God
Born: around 296-298
Alexandria, Egypt
Died: May 2, 373
Alexandria, Egypt
The counsel of Niasea
Antony the Monk
Born: ca. 251
Herakleopolis Magna,
Egypt
Died: 356
Mount Colzim, Egypt
Establishing celibacy and
And the hermetic life
The status of the church of
Pergamos
• Christ’s character: He which has the sharp sword with two edges.
• Commendation: thou held fast my name, and has not denied my faith.
• Criticism: thou has there those who who hold the doctrine of Balaam.. To eat
things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality,
You have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans.
• Condemnation: But I have few things against you because you have there those
who hold the doctrine of Balaam…. Thus you also have those who hold the
Doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which things I hate.
• Council: Repent; or else I come unto thee quickly
• Call: He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches
• Challenge: to him that overcomes I give to eat from the hidden manna, and will
give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows
saving he that receives it
The church of Thyatira, Rev. 2:18-29
(Incense or continual sacrifice)
(388 AD-the rapture)
• The longest message to the smallest church
• Started well by great saints, then introduced Jezebel (adulterous worship) 2
Kings 9:30-37,and Rev. 17&18
• Introduced paganism into Christian worship (Christmas & Easter), and the
feasts.
• The use of the word Pontiff for the Pope was borrowed from the Roman
religion
• The Lord uses the name the Son of God only in his message to that church in
contrast to the worship of god Apollo the god of the sun.
• The Lord uses the sentence of who has ears to hear let him hear from the
beginning of this church to the rest of the following 3 churches.
• The promise of the coming (till I come 2:25) of the Lord (the rapture) from
this church to the following 3 churches.
Thyatira was the smallest and
least important of the seven
cities; it had no special political or
religious significance.
However, the city was known for
being a commercial center with a
much commercial industry. Lydia,
the seller of purple, was from
Thyatira
Trade guilds were very strong in this city. It is speculated that the guilds
required members to participate in festivals at pagan temples – those who
weren’t members were most likely ostracized. Most of the people were very
poor laborers.
 There were Worldly divisions for the church, not unlike the division
of the Roman Empire.
1. bishops for the small villages 2. bishops for towns 3. bishops for
capital cities 4. patriarchies for counties within the Roman Empire.
 At the end of the 4th century there were 5 patriarchs.
1.Rome 2. Constantinople 3. Alexandria 4. Antioch 5. Jerusalem
 Damasus (366-84) was the first to claim and affirm Rome as the
Apostolic See, and that the authority given to Peter by Christ, Matt.
16:18
 Leo I (440-96) insisted that Peter had the primacy among the apostles
 Gelasius I (492-496) was the first to be called the “Vicar of Christ”
after the apostle Peter
Emperor
Justinian
During the Pergamos Period, the Roman
church grew stronger and stronger while the
Roman Empire grew weaker and weaker.
In A.D. 538, Emperor Justinian shared
much of his power with the Pope. For the
next 1,260 years, Papal Rome ruled the
world.
In 1799 France invaded the Vatican and
the Pope was exiled.
The trial of Galileo
before the holy
office
(right) )
•John Huss burned
on the stake (left).
•William Tyndale
strangled and
burned, saying Lord
open he eyes of the
King of England
(right)
Reformation Voices
And I gave her space to repent of her
fornication; and she repented not.
Revelation 2:21
More than 100 years before the reformation, God raised
up men who called the church to repentance. The call
strengthened with the reformation.
However, the
church would not repent. Instead she launched the
counter reformation.
See Jeremiah 51:9
The mystery of Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and the
abominations of the earth.
Consequences for Jezebel
Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that
tribulation
commit adultery with her into great __
, except
repent of their deeds. And I will kill her
they _______
children with death; and all the churches
_________shall know
searcheth
that I am he which __________the reins and
_______:
hearts and I will give unto every one of you
according to yourworks
_____. Revelation 2:21-23
What was Jezebel known for?
Leading the Children of Israel into idolatry.
It is not hard to see the similarities between this church and Jezebel, and so
they are in their demise. 2 Kings 9:30-37, and Rev.17,18
The church of Sardis (1517- the Rapture)
The remnant
Revelation 3:1-6
 There never was a reprimand of any of the previous churches
like unto this church.
 The church was not reprimanded about it’s doctrine, but rather
it’s life and works. She was called as dead.( you have a name that
you are alive but you are dead v. 1)., (I have not found your works
perfect before God v. 2)
 The revival of the Biblical teaching that the man is justified by
faith, was not accompanied by the purifying power of the spirit.
 There were the few (the remnant) that did not defile their
garments . They had the promise (to walk with Christ in white v.4)
The outrage
As part of a fund-raising campaign commissioned by Pope Leo X(1513) to
finance the renovation of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Johann Tetzel, a
Dominican priest, began the selling of indulgences in the German lands.
Albert of Mainz (the Archbishop of Mainz) in Germany had borrowed
heavily to pay for his high church rank and was deeply in debt. He agreed to
allow the sale of the indulgences in his territory .
Luther (1517) was outraged that they had paid money for what was
theirs by right as a free gift from God. He felt compelled to expose the
fraud that was being sold to the pious people. This exposure was to
take place in the form of a public scholarly debate at the University of
Wittenberg. The Ninety-Five Theses outlined the items to be
discussed and issued the challenge to any and all comers. The NinetyFive Theses were written into a book.
THE CHURCH OF THYATIRA
• Christ’s character: The Son of God, who has the eyes like unto the
flame of fire, and his feet like fine brass.
• Commendation: I know thy works, and charity, and service, and thy
patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.
• Criticism: thou sufferest that woman Jezebel: which calls herself a
prophetess to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and
to eat things sacrificed to idols
• Council: hold fast tell I come
• Challenge: he that overcomes and keeps my works unto the end, to him I
will give power over the nations. And he shall rule them with a rod of
iron as the vessels of the potter shall be broken to shivers even as I
received from my father.
• Call: he that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches
MARTIN LUTHER
ULRICH ZEWINGLY
JOHN CALVIN
 Ted
Beza
JOHN KNOX
The four major Genevan reformers: Guillaume Farel, the first to introduce the Reform in
Geneva, Jean Calvin, the father of the reform;; Théodore de Bèze, successor of Calvin;
and John Knox, founder of Scottish Presbyterianism
ERASMUS
Full name Desiderius Erasmus
Roterodamus
Born October 28, 1466
Rotterdam, Burgundian
Netherlands, Leo Belgicus
Died July 12, 1536 (aged 69)
•
He is called the canon of the
reformation
He fired 2 shots:
1.The praise of folly
2. Greek Bible translation
Wars of religion would continue in Europe for well over
a century after the Reformation. All of the major power
centers calling themselves Christians--Catholics,
Lutherans, Reformed alike--would look to the power of
the state and the sword to preserve and advance their
interests.
The 30 years war of Germany between Protestant and
Catholics. It extended to Spain.
Other wars in France and Holland.
The rise of the Jesuits, and the inquisition
THE MESSAGE TO SARDIS
• Christ’s character: He that has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars
• Commendation: Thou has a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled
their garments; and thy shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy.
• Criticism: Thou has a name that thou livest, and art dead.
• Council: Remember therefore how you have received and heard: hold fast and
repent
• Condemnation: Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief
and you will not know what hour I will come upon you
• Challenge: He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments; and I will not
blot out his name from the book of life; and I will confess his name before My
Father and before his angels.
• Call: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
• In the previous 2 churches there was 2 opposing doctrines, or
disciplines.
• In the following 2 churches the Lord is speaking about their 2
opposing conditions.
• The Lord reveals himself to it as the Holy and the true. The
holy is an old testament title of God Is 40:25, 43:15,
6:3,compare to John 12:41. The true is a new testament title
John 14:6, Titus 1:2.
• He has the key of David, refer to Isaiah 22:20-22, 23.
The Church of Philadelphia
Alasehir is a small town of about 40,000 people with narrow winding streets and
a Byzantine wall. Few ruins remain at the site of ancient Philadelphia.
• The church has an open door, no body can shut. The freedom of evangelism
John Wesley, George Whitefield, JN Darby, CH Spurgeon in England, and Charles
Finney, DL Moody, in America 1 Cor. 16:9, 2 Cor. 2:12
• He praises the church for keeping the word, not denying his name.
• He describes their weakness, as related to non political influence.
Nevertheless many famous politicians were converted. E.g. Prime Minister of
England WE Gladstone (through Darby’s preaching), and in America 3
presidents were evangelical preachers, James Garfield, A McKinley, and
Woodrow Wilson.
• He warns them of those who are of the Synagogue of Satan. Those that mix
the teaching of grace with the teaching of the law. SDA& JW.
• Keeping the church from (not during) the trial which shall come upon
the whole world (the tribulation time) v. 10
• He is heralding his soon coming , The parable of the 5 wise virgins.
Mtt. 25:2
• The overcomer will have:
1. the crown of life.
2. Pillar in the temple of God
3. Write on him 3 names, a) the name of My God, b) the name of the
city of God the new Jerusalem, c) My (Christ’s) new name (1Jn. 3:2)
The Philadelphia Status
• Christ’s character: He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of
David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens.
• Commendations: for you have a little strength, and have kept My word, and
have not denied My name…. Because you have kept My command to preserve.
• Criticism: none
• Council: behold I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may
take your crown.
• Condemnation: none
• Challenge: He who overcomes I will make him a pillar in the temple of My
God, and she shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and
the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of
heaven, from my God. And I will write on him My name.
• Call: He who has an ear. Let him hear what the spirit says to the churches.
• Laodicea was in Turkey. a city founded by king Antiochus II king of Syria
around 250 BC and named after the name of his wife, Laodicea. It was a city on
a commercial route and very rich. It produced wool clothes and it was a big
banking centre. The church was living in that rich opulence and those aptitudes
were permeating the whole church. The majority of the citizens believed and
worshipped the cult of Zeus, but it had a large and important Jewish presence.
During the time of John it had one of the most important Christian church in the
area. Today it is a desert place called "old castle".
• The church at Laodicea were to read Paul's letter to the Colossians, Col
4:16, they had not met Paul personally, Col 2:1. The city had a profitable
business from the production of wool cloth and when it was destroyed by an
earthquake in AD 60 it was able to rebuild itself without outside help
(Walvoord). It had a widely known medical school and produced an eyesalve (Mounce). It got its water from hot springs almost 6 miles away and by
the time it got to Laodicea it would have been lukewarm. It was also a centre
for banking. The church lived within this affluent society and the attitudes
of its citizens rubbed off onto the church.
We don’t know how or when the gospel came to
Laodicea. Paul most likely never visited the
church and thus it seems probable that
Epaphras, servant of the Lord in Colossae,
initiated the work there. Colossians 4:12-16
indicates that Paul wrote a letter to the
congregation at Laodicea, a letter now lost to us
(Laodicea is mentioned five times in the letter to
the Colossians: 2:1; 4:13,15,16.
Some believe that this started with the American revolution,
and the many sects and denominations that sprang from this
continent. There are at least 800 denominations in the USA,
examples, SDA, JW, Mormonism, Spiritualism, and new age.
Nonetheless there are close to 25000 divisions of so called
Christian cults in the world
The Church of Laodicea is described as:
• Lukewarm v. 15&16
• Has the Spirit of self sufficiency v. 17
• As knowledge is ignorant and foolish in its understanding
of the truth about her selfishness v. 17
Annotated historical table
v.18 - I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in
the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes
to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness;
an salve to put on your eyes, so you can see
v20 - Behold, I stand at the door and knock:
If anyone hears My voice and opens the door,
I will enter to him, and I will dine with him,
and he with Me.
v21 - To him who overcomes, I will give the right
to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame
and sat down with my Father on his throne
The status of the church of Laodicea
• Christ’s character: The Amen, the Faithful and true witness, the Beginning of
the creation of God:
• Commendation: none
• Criticism: you are neither cold nor hot.. Because you are lukewarm. I will vomit
you out of my Mouth , That you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and
naked.
• Council: I council you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, and that you may
be rich, and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your
nakedness may not be revealed, and anoint your eyes with salve, that you may
see.
• Condemnation: As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.
• Challenge: To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on my throne, as I
also overcame and sat down with My father on His throne.
• Call: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
the PROMISES TO THE FAITHFULS
in the 7 churches
• The church of Ephesus:
Who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of
the Paradise of God.
• The church of Smyrna:
He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.
• The church of Pergamos:
To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat, and I will
give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one
knows except him who receives it.
• The church of Thyatira:
He who overcomes and keeps my work until the end, to him I will give power
over the nations. He shall rule them with a rod of iron, they shall be dashed to
pieces like the potters vessels, as I also received from My Father, and I will give
him the morning star.
Cont. the promises to the churches
• The church of Sardis:
He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not plot out his
name from the book of life, but I will confess his name before my father and
before His angels
• The church of Philadelphia:
He who overcomes I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he
shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of
the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from
My God. And I will write on him My new name.
• The church of Laodicea:
To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with me in My throne, as I also
overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne