in verse five.
THE REMNANT OF ISRAEL on 8
work. * Many believers in our day realize they are
not enjoying the blessing of God and as a remedy they
will call a meeting in which to seek the Lord by prayer.
Some will even wrestle all night to gain what they
call a penticostal blessing. Some keep up this seek-
ing for days, and thus open a door for Satan to come
in and give one of his deceptive influences and make
them believe they have gained the desired blessing
for what they were seeking and Satan thus leads them
astray under his full power so they can believe a lie
that they might be damned because they received not
a love of the truth that they might be saved. Remem-
ber the only way to receive the first love is to do the
first works and walk in the light of all truth God may
see fit to send you. That is the only way to have the
. presence of Christ day by day, namely, to be doing the
work of the Christian day by day. This work is the
keeping of his commandments. How can anyone hope
to be saved who will avoid a truth of God? None, I
am sure. The only reason today why the religious
world are not in unity of faith and keeping all of God’s
commandments as written (the seventh day included)
is because they will not do the works of obedience.
They do not love the truth of God sufficient to keep
his word. The result that follows all such professors
is that the candlestick is removed from them as shown
: That is the light they have or might
have had is removed from them and they are left under
the influence of Satan to practice every deception under
the name of Christianity Satan wishes them to do and
teach. This is the condition of modern Babylon at
this time. Every false doctrine and every delusion of
Satan is practiced and the poor, blind followers think
and call it the religion of Christ. God always gives
credit for any good thing such people may still hold.
This credit all should ever be ready to give even if
Satan does use it as a cloak to deceive. This church
still hated the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which will
be later explained as it comes under another of the
churches to follow. Such is the inspired history of
the first history of the church since Christ was here.
The Church in Smyrna.
“And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These
things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
. “I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, but thou
12t rl; h) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are
Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
“Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold,
the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that we may be tried;
and ye shall have: tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto
death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto
ry the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second
death.”-~Rev. 2:8-11.
Smyrna, sweet-smelling savor. We can readily
see, as apostasy comes. into the church, the conflict that
would arise between those that would contend for the
faith and those who would teach error and be lead
‘away by the world. The church of Smyrna had those
in it during this period of history who still loved the
-truth. They had those among them who said they
were Jews (real Christians), but were not. Satan
had also established his synagogue in the midst of the
church. Speaking of those who were true, the Lord
says, “I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty
(but thou art rich) ’—as elsewhere described, the poor
of this world, “rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom.”
The admonition is given to them, “Fear none of these
things which thou shalt suffer.” During this period
the church passed through some of the most trying
experiences. They were having internal eruptions in
all their churches. Worldly influence had crept in,
and as the judgments of God always come upon an
apostate church, as they did in Babylonish captivity,
additional judgments came upon the church now, the
pagan power being permitted, no-doubt, to scourge
them because of the spiritual condition that existed
within. “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.”” This period is a pro-
phetic period of ten years, and was fulfilled under the
reign of Diocletian, from 302 to 312 A. D., when ten
million professed Christians were put to death by
Pagan Rome. During the time of any apostasy, as the
people of God are departing from: the Lord, his judg-
ments are sure to be manifested; but after once fully
established as an apostate power, they are then sub-
ject only to the ordinary calamities and ‘prosperity of
the world.
In addition to the above we would call “attention
to other points. Verse eight says, “He that was dead
and is alive.” This shows that Christ gave the book
after his death and resurrection. Verse nine shows
that a true Christian is a Jew. But there are some who
claim to be Christians. (Jews) and are not... They are
but “the synagogue of Satan.” How many such syna-
gogues of that kind exist in our day no one knows, they
are too many to enumerate... -If is: too bad that the
meaning of the word Jew "and Israel is not better
understood now. It would help many to study the
Bible with a more complete understanding. = They °
should also realize that any professed people who will
not walk in the light, their places: of -wership are a
synagogue of Satan though under the name of Christ.
These things should not be taught from any. point of
hatred or envy but the plain facts:ias God teaches
the truth.
The Church In Pergamos.
“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write These
things saith he which hath the sharp sword’ with two edges;
“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.
“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 sacri-
ficed unto idols, and to commit fornication. -
“So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolat-
tanes, which thing I hate.
“Repent; or else I will come unto thee: quickly, ‘and will fight
against them with the sword of my mouth. -
“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.”—Rev. 2:12-17.
The definition of ‘“Pergamos” is ‘height, elevation.”
The church at this period is represented as having a
sharp sword with two edges. This is explained by
the apostle Paul: “For the word of God. is quick, and
powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and
spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner
of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Heb. 4:12.
The church of Pergamos is represented as dwell-
ing even where Satan’s seat is. The Papacy was fully
established in A. D. 538, with its capital at Rome.
Christianity at this time was largely in the Western
Empire of Rome, as the division of the Roman govern-
ment constituted the second division of the great city
of Babylon, as is shown in the comments on the last
of the three great divisions of the world, as we shall
see in our other writings. The church was dwelling
where Satan’s seat was, but even there God had some
that held up the light of truth, and did not deny his
name, and those persons were represented as Antipas.
They were opposed to the apostasy, and many were
martyrs to the truth. But, notwithstanding all this,
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