Revelation 2:8-11 Test your Church
Verse 8. And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
This is non other than Jesus Himself telling John to write these things that I am about to tell the church of Smyrna.
Verse 9. I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
The church of Smyrna is one that you you want to look at very closely it is one of 2 out of all the churches that God finds no fault with. Not perfect none of us are. What is it that they know that God is so pleased with? The blasphemy of them which say they are Jews but do lie and are of the synagogue of Satan. Does your church anything close to this? These Kenites which are of the synagogue of Satan have caused our brother Judah a great deal of trouble. They were let in back in 1st Chronicles. The scribes, the priests, they got lazy and took in the Kenites to do manual labor cut wood ect. Then they started turning over there Priestly duties until they became the scribes. They were in the church while Jesus was here on earth and they are still here today .
John 8:42-45. The Children of the Devil. 42Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. 46Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? 47He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. Not my words but Gods.
This is why as a student of Gods word you have to be very careful because they have changed a few things. Lets take a little bible quiz. Who was the first murder from the beginning? Cane. In the Hebrew Kenites. This is coming from a church Christ approved of so does you church teach this? Why is it that so many churches don't teach this. Paul gave us the answer in 2nd Corinthians 11:11-15 They have ministers of Satan that have transformed into ministers of light but still speak the lies of Satan. You don't have to understand Revelation, Danial, the minor prophets; Why? You are going to be gone Jesus is coming to fly you away. If you are lucky you get the milk of the word but that is not going to cut it you need the meat of the word.
Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: 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
Scary verse; you mean I may have to go to prison, I am going to have tribulation for 10 days, I have to be faithful of 10 days unto death. I have to do all that to get the crown of life? Luke 21 Jesus explaining this very thing to the disciples and us tell us that during this time we shall face Satan; Who is Satan? Death. How long will we be in prison 10 days. Luke 21:18 Remember this is Jesus speaking. “But there shall not a hair of your head parish” We need to be gig boys and girls men and woman put on our big boy paints put on our armor and get ready for battle. We have nothing to fear; look at the end of the book WE WIN. And then I will give you a crown of life.
Verse 11.He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
Do you have an ear to hear? Is your church teaching you this? If not why not, and better yet if they are not teaching it why don't you ask them to. If they give you some excuse you better ask God am in the right place, do you want me here, is there someone I need to reach or should I go else where. That is between you and God. I am not going to tell you where to go to church or where to get fed. Again between you and God.
