Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 2-3 is about the seven times of the sprinkling of blood in front of the Ark of Covenant. It refers to the last sanctification to the seven churches of the Gentiles or the church in the last days, until they are perfect and blameless as Jesus. We can become the Heavenly bride who is worthy to welcome His second coming.
Revelation 2:1-7 is about the church of Ephesus. It has been discussed.
Revelation 2:8-11 is about the church in Smyrna.
Revelation 2:8-9
2:8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, ‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life:
2:9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I knowthe blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but area synagogue of Satan.
Jesus appears as the First and the Last to declare the first love up to the perfect love, or the grace up to the bride love.
He also appears as the one who was dead and came to life to give us example about the death and resurrection experience, or the cross experience.
The condition of the church in Smyrna is in tribulation and poverty. They also face blasphemy. They have cross experience or experience flesh suffering with Jesus.
Why are we let to experience the cross suffering?
1 Peter 2:19
2:19 For this iscommendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.
It is so that we receive the grace of God. The servants or the children of God absolutely need His grace so they can endure to follow and serve Him to the end line. It is also so that we are protected from the judgment of God over the world and from the judgment in the hell.
Revelation 22:20-21
22:20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ bewith you all. Amen.
The grace of God is also needed so we can welcome His second coming on the glorious clouds.
Therefore, God always pours His grace from age to age as follows.
God blesses us.
Revelation 2-3 is about the seven times of the sprinkling of blood in front of the Ark of Covenant. It refers to the last sanctification to the seven churches of the Gentiles or the church in the last days, until they are perfect and blameless as Jesus. We can become the Heavenly bride who is worthy to welcome His second coming.
Revelation 2:1-7 is about the church of Ephesus. It has been discussed.
Revelation 2:8-11 is about the church in Smyrna.
Revelation 2:8-9
2:8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, ‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life:
2:9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I knowthe blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but area synagogue of Satan.
Jesus appears as the First and the Last to declare the first love up to the perfect love, or the grace up to the bride love.
He also appears as the one who was dead and came to life to give us example about the death and resurrection experience, or the cross experience.
The condition of the church in Smyrna is in tribulation and poverty. They also face blasphemy. They have cross experience or experience flesh suffering with Jesus.
Why are we let to experience the cross suffering?
1 Peter 2:19
2:19 For this iscommendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.
It is so that we receive the grace of God. The servants or the children of God absolutely need His grace so they can endure to follow and serve Him to the end line. It is also so that we are protected from the judgment of God over the world and from the judgment in the hell.
Revelation 22:20-21
22:20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ bewith you all. Amen.
The grace of God is also needed so we can welcome His second coming on the glorious clouds.
Therefore, God always pours His grace from age to age as follows.
- The beginning age or the days of Father God (from Adam to Abraham) is represented by Noah.
Genesis 6:8
6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
Noah receives God’s grace so he is saved from His judgment.
Genesis 6:2,5-7
6:2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they werebeautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.
6:5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man wasgreat in the earth, and thatevery intent of the thoughts of his heart wasonly evil continually.
6:6 And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
6:7 So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.”
God condemns the world with the floodwaters because the hearts of man including the servants of God tend to be evil and unclean. If the heart is evil and unclean, the deed will be evil and unclean. It will result in doing sin up to the peak of sin, that is sin concerning eating-drinking and marrying-being given in a marriage. One with the heart that tends to be evil and unclean will not be satisfied in the ministry. Thus, he will not be satisfied also in daily life and marriage. Evil and unclean deeds grieve God’s heart, the parents, the pastor, and hurt the others. All sins up to the peak of sins will soar to the presence of God and make Him judge the world.
Noah and his family receive the grace of God so they enter the ark of Noah. He was mocked and scolded when he made and entered the ark. He experienced flesh suffering, but he is saved from the floodwater.
1 Peter 3:20-21
3:20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while theark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
3:21 There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
Now, we receive mercy to enter the true water baptism. There were many arks, but only the ark of Noah that saved. Now, there are many types of baptism, but only one is right. The true water baptism is the one according to the Bible, and we are baptized as Jesus is baptized.
Noah enters the ark with his wife, and likewise his sons (there are four married couples). If a marriage can enter the true water baptism, it is the grace of God that is more than any treasure in the world.
Romans 6:4,2
6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
6:2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
The true water baptism is one who has died to sin must be buried in water together with Jesus, to be raised with Him in new life or Heavenly one.
Genesis 6:9
6:9 This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.
Walking with God refers to the Holy Place in Tabernacle. It means we must be right and well shepherded. There are three types of equipment within the Holy Place as follows.- Golden Candlestick refers to perseverance in General Service. We have fellowship with Holy Spirit God in His gifts.
- Table of Showbread refers to perseverance in Bible Study Service and Holy Communion. We have fellowship with the Son of God in the teaching Word and Holy Communion.
- Golden Altar of Incense refers to perseverance in Prayer Service. We have fellowship with Father God in His love.
Walking with God also means being faithful in the ministry to Him.
The results of entering the ark are as follows.- Entering the bride salvation.
- Miraculous blessing, care, and protection from God in the middle of difficulties and impossibilities in this world.
- Golden Candlestick refers to perseverance in General Service. We have fellowship with Holy Spirit God in His gifts.
- The middle age or the days of the Son of God (from Abraham to Jesus’ first coming) is represented by Mary.
Luke 1:30
1:30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
Mary receives grace by conceiving the baby Jesus without a husband. The baby Jesus is the Word.
John 1:1,14
1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Now, we must bear the Word. There are two types of the preaching of the Word as follows.- The gospel of salvation or the gospel Word or milk or Good News.
Ephesians 1:13
1:13 In Him you also trusted,after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
It is the gospel that preaches Jesus’ first coming to die on the cross and save men.
The proof of being saved is believing Jesus, repenting, and being baptized in water and Holy Spirit. As a result, we receive new life that is living in righteousness.
Bearing the gospel Word means we always live in righteousness. - The light of the gospel of the glory of Christ or the teaching Word that is sharper than any two-edged sword or solid food or Bride Tidings.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4
4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
4:4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
It is the gospel that preaches Jesus’ second coming on the glorious clouds in glory as the King of kings and Heavenly Bridegroom to sanctify saved people until they are perfect and blameless as Jesus.
Bearing the teaching Word means we live in holiness.
To live in righteousness (receiving Good News) is already difficult, as Mary who has to bear the baby Jesus without a husband, moreover to live in holiness. If a marriage can receive the true teaching Word, it is a grace of God.
The results of bearing the Word are as follows.- Bride Tidings gives us extra power so we can endure until Jesus’ second coming.
2 Corinthians 4:7-9
4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
4:8 We arehard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we areperplexed, but not in despair;
4:9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—
The teaching Word is a Heavenly treasure. The preaching of the Word is the distribution of the Heavenly treasure. - Receiving the Heavenly joy that is more than any other joy in this world.
Luke 11:27-28
11:27 And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed isthe womb that bore You, and thebreasts which nursed You!”
11:28 But He said, “More than that, blessed arethose who hear the word of God and keep it!” - Sanctification of our heart and mind, until we have eight thoughts and feelings of Jesus.
Philippians 4:7-9
4:7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
4:8 Finally, brethren, (1)whatever things are true, (2)whatever things arenoble, (3)whatever things arejust, (4)whatever things arepure, (5)whatever things arelovely, (6)whatever things areof good report, (7)if there isany virtue and (8)if there isanything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
4:9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Eight thoughts and feelings of Jesus refer to the holiness of the bride (eight people who enter the ark of Noah consist of four married couples).
- Bride Tidings gives us extra power so we can endure until Jesus’ second coming.
- The gospel of salvation or the gospel Word or milk or Good News.
- The last age or the days of Holy Spirit God (from Jesus’ first coming to the second one) is represented by the church of God.
Revelation 22:20-21
22:20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ bewith you all. Amen.
1 Peter 4:12-13
4:12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
4:13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
The grace of God is His church experiences the cross or fiery trial with Him. If there is the step of the cross, it is the renewal step to the New Jerusalem. It is the miraculous step.
Revelation 21:8
21:8 But (1)the cowardly, (2)unbelieving, (3)abominable, (4)murderers, (5)sexually immoral, (6)sorcerers, (7)idolaters, and all (8)liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
The things that must be renewed are these eight sins, until there are no more lies. We can say good and right words, until we do not stumble in word. As long as there is lie, one will not be lifted up. He will be drowned in the world up to the hell. If we do not lie, we will experience lifting power from God who never lies.
Numbers 23:19-20
23:19 “God isnot a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
23:20 Behold, I have received a commandto bless; He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.
Curse is changed into blessing, failure into success, and badness into goodness.
James 3:2
3:2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he isa perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.
Jesus alone is able to help our life provided that we are willing to live in righteousness and to be renewed.
God blesses us.