Tag: #Devil

Letter to the church in Smyrna

Smyrna was a large, important city on the western coast of Asia Minor, famed for its schools of medicine and science. The words of Jesus to the church in Smyrna in Revelation 2:8-11 offer insight into the life of a first-century congregation, and there are many applications for today’s believers.

The message was from the Lord Jesus Christ: “These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again” (Revelation 2:8). The identity of the first and the last and the resurrected one could only be Jesus Christ (see Revelation 22:13).

Jesus starts by acknowledging their trials: “I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan” (Revelation 2:9). In their physical poverty, however, the church of Smyrna was “rich”; that is, they had spiritual wealth that no one could take away (Matthew 6:20).

As for the identity of the “synagogue of Satan,” there are a couple of views. One is that this was a group of Gentiles who called themselves “Jews” (i.e., the chosen people of God). Instead of following Judaism, however, these self-proclaimed “people of God” worshiped the Roman emperor and spoke out against the Christians in Smyrna.

Another view is that the “synagogue of Satan” was a group of physical Jews who followed tradition and the Mosaic Law yet in reality did not know God. They were “not” Jews in the sense that they did not have the faith of their father Abraham (Luke 3:8; John 8:40), and they were “of Satan” in that they had rejected Jesus Christ (John 8:44). Jesus dealt with many such religious leaders, as did the apostle Paul (Matthew 23; Acts 18:6). In fact, Paul differentiates “true” (spiritual) Jews from those who can only claim a physical connection to Abraham: “A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code” (Romans 2:28-29).

Adding weight to the latter view is the fact that Polycarp was martyred in Smyrna around A.D. 155. At Polycarp’s trial, the unbelieving Jews of Smyrna joined with the pagans in condemning him to death. Eusebius writes that “the Jews, being especially zealous . . . ran to procure fuel” for the burning (The Ecclesiastical History 4:15).

After commending the church in Smyrna for their spiritual victories, Jesus warned of coming persecution: “You are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days” (Revelation 2:10). Some of the church members would be imprisoned, and this wave of persecution would last for ten days. However, Jesus gives hope to His church: “Do not be afraid,” He says. The Smyrnan believers would have the courage to face the trial (Matthew 5:11-12).

Jesus calls them to remain faithful in their suffering: “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). Here, a specific crown is mentioned for those who die as a result of suffering for Christ. This same “martyr’s crown” is also mentioned in James 1:12: “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”

Jesus makes a final promise to the believers in Smyrna: “He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death” (Revelation 2:11). The overcomers, or “conquerors,” refer to all believers (1 John 5:4-5). The second death is a reference to the final judgment of the wicked (Revelation 20:6, 14; 21:8). Believers will not be hurt “at all” by that judgment; their sin was judged at the cross, and, in Christ, there is no more condemnation (Romans 8:1).

Who wrote the Book of Revelation in the Bible

John, also known as John the Apostle or John the Divine, holds a distinguished position in Christian history as one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ. His authorship of the Book of Revelation, often referred to as the Apocalypse, is a testament to his profound spiritual insight and visionary experiences. The book itself opens with the statement, “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John” (Revelation 1:1).

John’s role in writing the Book of Revelation transcends that of a mere scribe or recorder of events. Instead, he emerges as a conduit for divine revelation, tasked with conveying profound messages and prophetic visions to the early Christian communities. His encounters with heavenly beings, such as the angel who guided him through the apocalyptic visions, underscore the mystical and transcendent nature of his authorship.

The Book of Revelation reflects John’s unwavering commitment to bearing witness to the transformative power of faith amidst tumultuous times. His experiences, including being exiled to the island of Patmos, where he received the divine revelations, imbued his writing with a sense of urgency and conviction. Through vivid imagery and symbolic language, John articulated his profound insights into the cosmic struggle between good and evil, the ultimate triumph of righteousness, and the promise of a new heaven and earth.

John’s distinctive voice and unwavering faith permeate the text, infusing it with a sense of authority and spiritual resonance. His role in writing the Book of Revelation extends beyond that of a mere chronicler; he emerges as a visionary messenger, entrusted with the sacred task of illuminating the divine mysteries and unveiling the eschatological realities that continue to captivate and inspire readers across generations.

In essence, John’s role in writing the Book of Revelation embodies the convergence of human agency and divine inspiration, resulting in a profound and enduring testament to the enduring power of faith, hope, and the triumph of good over evil.

Healing All Who Are Oppressed

Derek Prince taught on this topic of Jesus, the Anointed One — who removes and breaks the yokes that burden people. He made it clear, however, that this is just one of many aspects of the ministry of our Lord and Savior. It’s good to remember that the Lord reveals Himself to us in many ways, meeting a variety of needs in our lives at different times. For right now, let’s focus on Derek’s teaching on Jesus, the Messiah.

So, He [Jesus] was filled with the Spirit, led by the Spirit, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. He was truly the Mashiach, the Messiah, the Christos, the Anointed. In Luke, chapter 4, verses 17 and 18, we read how He Himself declared that He was the fulfillment of God’s promise and He Himself entered into the synagogue in Nazareth and took the Scripture which we’ve already read in Isaiah 61:1 and applied it to Himself….

Then He closed the book, and in words of tremendous historical significance He said to them, “Today this prophecy is fulfilled in your ears.” He said, “I am the one; I am the Anointed; The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.” And He went forth from that moment as the Deliverer bringing release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, setting free those who were downtrodden, bringing the Gospel to the poor.

This marvelous ministry of Jesus, the Anointed, the Christ, the Messiah, is summed up by Peter in one verse. As he was speaking to the house of Cornelius, he described to them what he had witnessed in the ministry of Jesus. Acts 10:38: “You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with Him” (NASB).

That’s the summation of the ministry of Jesus as the Messiah, the Anointed, the Christ. God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit. God was with Him. In the power of that anointing, He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil.

The Devil in the Machine

My wife and I went out last weekend to see a Canon Shakespeare Company production of Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus on a whim. I loved that a small scrappy company was taking it on—I had never seen the play, though I once taught the text at my college 20+ years ago. It was wonderful to watch […]

The Devil in the Machine

Galatians 5:19-21 – Fake Medicine : Now the practices of the [a]sinful nature are clearly evident…

They are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality (total irresponsibility, lack of self-control),

20 [b]idolatry, [c]sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [that promote heresies],

21 envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior, and other things like these. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Footnotes:

👉 Galatians 5:19 Lit flesh.
👉 Galatians 5:20 Including prostitution, which was often part of pagan ritual.
👉 Galatians 5:20 Including such things as occult practices, witchcraft, worship of evil powers, drug-induced trances.
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America 2026: Four hundred years after the Mayflower, is the nation turning away from its biblical foundations?

In 1620 the Puritans arrived in North America in order to, according to their Mayflower Compact, plant the Biblical faith from Jerusalem (not Rome) in the New World. That religious idea then spread across the North American continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific, establishing churches on virtually every corner, and making America indeed a predominantly Christian nation. Judeo-Christian values were established as the norm, even in the arts, entertainment, and education. With the constitutional right to freedom of religion, other faiths freely established themselves as well. The first Islamic mosque appeared only in 1934.

Between 1620 and 2020 four biblical generations passed, based on Genesis 15:13, where God explains to Abraham that his seed would be held captive for four generations – 400 years- until the fullness of the sin of the peoples of Canaan came to its full, and then would come the deliverance of Israel from slavery after 430 years, and judgement to those nations. This was codified in theTen Commandments as a fundamental principle:

“For I, YHVH your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the childrento the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”

Those four generation spans of time can be traced back to the time between the Exodus from Egypt and the construction of the temple of YHVH in Jerusalem in 957 BC (1 Kings 6:1) to the years between the construction and destruction of that first temple in 587 BC. Then the years between the return migration from Babylon under Nehemiah who rebuilt Jerusalem and its walls in 444 BC, to the construction of Herod’s Temple in 20 BC. Then came the second temple’s final destruction by the Romans in 70 AD, and the exile of the Jewish people in 135 AD for two millennia. In more recent times the Muslim Ottoman Turks took over Jerusalem from 1517 to 1917, when the British captured the Holy Land and Jerusalem- 400 years. That was the beginning of the return of the Jews to the Land of Israel.

In 2020 life in America changed dramatically along with the Covid plague. With the erosion and decapitation of Judeo-Christian values in nearly every sphere of American life, from the pornography in the entertainment industry to the education of children and their induced gender confusion, to the introduction of same-sex marriages, has come the woes of civilizational chaos. The unleashing of the normalization of perversion and lawlessness has brought a general dissatisfaction that has led to wanton violence in the streets and in schools. And the calls to a return to the values that had brought stability to society are now mocked and spoken against. The great men who founded the nation are belittled and dishonored, and the love and patriotism of America is being replaced with loathing by a generation of poorly educated youth, now of voting age. Swept along by vile propaganda, they expound even to betray America’s one true ally in the Middle East, Israel, and revive the evil specter of antisemitism. Even nature is responding in kind with devastating droughts and earthquakes along with floods and raging wildfires. And common sense is no longer common.
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