1: And to the angel of the church in Sardis write; 'These things says He That has the seven Spirits of God, and seven stars; I know your works, that you have a name that you live, and are dead.
(Sardis was the ancient capital of Lydia, and as such, attracted merchant and commercial activity from all parts of Asia. Traditions were common and many. The "seven Spirits" mentioned here are those possessed by our Lord Jesus Christ. See the notes on verse 1:4. The "seven stars" are the angels overseeing the seven churches.
This church is dead, with no spiritual life left in it. Their religious service has become nothing but a form, a process to be followed, usually within a church system.)
2: Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found your works perfect before God.
(This church is in trouble with God. They are dead because they are so far from the truth of God's Word that they don't even understand even the simple terms of the Bible. Words such as Passover, salvation, sin, repentance and so on, just don't fit in their Sunday morning sermons.
Historically, this church at Sardis was strong in the worship to "Cybele" [the mother of the gods], also called "Ishtar". Do you remember her? Well God despised Ishtar, and many churches today get this heathen worship all mixed up in their Christianity. They call it "Easter", and use it instead of "Passover".
This church of Sardis forgot all about "Passover", However the fertility rights of rolling Easter eggs to Ishtar became a sacred and holy thing; something special at Easter. It is one of the tradition practiced today which ties many churches to the church at Sardis.
Does this right enter into any church you are aware of?
Sexual orgies also took place during the egg rolling times, however today most churches have cleaned up their act, and Christianized their heathen customs and holidays. The Sardis church also practiced Sunday morning sunrise services to honor the rising of the sun, in their sun god worship, also relating to Ishtar practices. By redefining words and acts, this practice has become traditional, so its a way of hanging on to the heathen customs of the past, and soothing our minds to convince ourselves that it is unto the Lord. Its like a Muslim becoming a Christian, and continuing to bow to Mecca, only now he has changed the word "Allah" to "Jesus", and he thinks that it's all okay with God.
The church at Sardis never offended anyone, even the Sodomites and those in other strange practices were patronized; so as not to offend anyone who desired to worship with them. The Sardis church believed everyone has the right to worship in their own way. Spiritually, Sardis is dead to the Almighty Father. Do you know of any churches that fit this description of Sardis?)
3: Remember therefore how you have received and heard (with understanding), and hold fast, and repent. If therefore you shall not watch, I will come as a thief, and you shall not know what hour I will come to you.
(We are living in the final days and the "hour of temptation" is well under-way. If you remain in a church continuing to practice as Sardis did, you are in trouble when Satan arrives on earth to rule as the Antichrist. Sardis is spiritually brain dead, and God will not revive her.
Jesus is giving those in this church a stern warning before it is to late, get out!.)
4: You have a few names in Sardis which have not defiled their garments (= righteous acts); and they shall walk with Me in white: for they are worthy.
(If you can make it in a church like Sardis, you have much going for you in the eyes of our Lord. Many through marriage are trapped into remaining in such a church, and God is with them and will bless them.)
5: He that overcomes,the same shall be clothed in white clothing; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels.
6: He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'
(Do you understand that these are the seven types of churches that Jesus is calling your attention to that exist in the latter days? Remember, there are only two of them that our Lord calls His own? The first was the church at Smyrna; the church which knew all about the "Kenites", and were not deceived by them. The second church that our Lord called His own, is the next; the church of Philadelphia.)
7: And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia (= brotherly love) write; 'These things says He That is Holy, He That is True, He That has the key of David (to know the truth of Scripture, Spiritual discernment, know order of events), He That opens, and no man shuts, and shuts, and no man opens;
(Jesus Christ has only good words to say about the Philadelphia church. It is important for us to understand this verse. This church of Philadelphia held the "key of David". They knew who the "Kenites" were, thus they were able to understand all truths [hidden manna] of God's Word. That "key of David" allowed them to unlock all doors of deception laid before them by any man, and that includes Satan, or his offspring [the Kenites].
Philadelphia was and is a church of love and charity, and full of understand of all wisdom and truth in God's Word. Philadelphia's faith is made real through her works. Does your church align with the church of Philadelphia?)
8: I know your works: behold, I have set before you an open door, and no man can shut it: for you have a little strength, and have kept My Word, and have not denied My name.
(Staying with the true Christ. When God opens the door so you can see into His truth, it's a blessing. With just a little strength from God, anything is possible. When you know the truth of God's word, you will never follow any man's tradition that go against the Word of God, or be tempted by the Antichrist, or his system.)
9: Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan (see 2:9, John ch.8, Matt.13:32), which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.
(Those of the "synagogue of Satan" are the "Kenites", and they have no hold over the Philadelphia church. If they do exist in the Philadelphia church, they are converted and worship right along with them, and love the Lord Jesus Christ also. They are no longer Kenites, but sons and daughter of the living God.
The church of Philadelphia will not allow the Kenite mind of deception and confusion to take any hold in their church. They are equal in praise from our Lord Jesus Christ. Both the Smyrna and Philadelphia churches have learned the "parable of the Fig tree", and can identify the good figs from the bad figs. The "bad figs" in the parable, are the Kenites. They are of the synagogue of Satan, "and say they are Jews, but are not". Relating this to today, they put on verbally to be Christians, when in fact they have no faith in Christ, They don't believe in Christ's deity, His virgin birth, His resurrection, and in fact they don't even hold God's word as inspired by God. Remember what Jesus warned us to do in Matthew:24:32"
Matthew 24:32 "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 33 So likewise ye, when ye see all these things. know that it is near, even at the doors. 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these thing be fulfilled. 35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away."
Jesus commanded each of us to learn the parable of the fig tree, this was not a option, but a command. This command was given to those living in the latter days, when all these events of the latter days would take place. By knowing the events and those that are causing those things to take place, there can be no confusion to the times and prophecies of those times, so that you would be deceived. All the prophecies of the end times will take place in the life span of one generation. The starting point of that generation was the planting of the shoot in Palestine, of the nation of Jews returning to their homeland. That date would either be may of 1948, when the Balfour agreement was signed at the United Nations, establishing Israel as a Nation, or in 1967 when the Jews took possession of Jerusalem to be their capital city. In any case, we are well into that generation.
Within the church, Kenites cause confusion, misinterpretation of God's Word, gossip, and conflicts of all sorts, however the Philadelphia Church would not allow it into their congregation. When it started they dealt with it immediately.)
10: Because you have kept the word of My patience, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world (no "rapture"), to try them that dwell upon the earth.
(This is the first day of the Millennium, and all mankind, of every race and nation will bow a Jesus Christ's feet, including the Kenites. All will be so overwhelmed by the events taking place, all will bow on that day to Him.
The people in the Philadelphia church knew the order that the two "morning stars" would appear, and waited for the true morning star, Jesus Christ. They held fast in the "hour of temptation", when the people of the entire world were tried and chased after the false star, the Antichrist.)
11: Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which you have, that no man take your crown.
(You will have a special crown if you are able to understand God's Word, and not bow to the Antichrist, nor take his name or his number, or his system.)
12: Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the Temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is new Jerusalem (= renewed, not new, see Isaiah 62:4), which comes down out of heaven from My God: and I will write upon him My new name.
(The "pillar" is what supports the church, the true temple. These pillars, or believers, will be what Jesus builds his Millennium kingdom around. Once you overcome in this age, your position in Christ's kingdom is an eternal position that God set aside just for you. You are important where it counts, in God's kingdom.
The "new name" is written in Isaiah 62:4, "my delight is in her", that's the new name. "Her" being the bride of Christ. In the Hebrew, her name is "Heph-zi-bah". The name for this new city is called "Beu-lah land".)
13: He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'
14: And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans (translated means foolish) write; 'These things says the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
("The beginning of the creation of God", is badly translated. For it should read, "He that begin the creation of God." That identifies Christ, who was with the Father when the creation took place. Christ is God, for there is only one God with three separate offices.)
15: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot: I would rather you were cold or hot.
(This church at Laodicea were in the middle of the road. They avoid conflict at all cost, and would pervert God's holy Word rather than be at odds with someone. They are like the fat hog laying in the middle of the troth, that will sop up what ever anyone throws to them. They don't care who, or what enters their church; these good old boys cater to them all, and all their false doctrines.)
16: So then because you are luke-warm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth (you suffer loss).
(These are the ones who will not rock the boat, take sides, or stand on the side of anything. "Nothing" is what they stand for, and "nothing" is what you get from the sermons. As a church, the Laodiceans are just "good for nothing". God finds them detestable and wants these people no where around Him.)
17: Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods (of this world age), and have need of nothing; and know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked (Spiritually speaking, Biblically illiterate):
18: I council you to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white clothing, that you may be clothed (see 19:8), and that the shame of your nakedness do not appear; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
(God is telling them that He wants their true love. He wants love that is tried like "gold in the fire", which has all the impurities burned away; and that love will stand clean and pure. God wants you to be rich, but it has to be in God's way. Riches to a righteous man are the blessings of God to a man of God; but other riches are nothing but fools gold.
The "eyesalve" of the anointing, is the truths from the pages of God's Word [your Bible]. God wants the church of Laodicea to see and understand His word, then get hot on fire for Him. If your church is as the church of Laodicea, it is time to start a spiritual fire in your church.)
19: As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous (towards Christ) therefore, and repent.
(God will test you, for through your testing you develop patience and your faith grows. From your faith flows your works for the Father.)
20: Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: If any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup (= spiritual food) with him, and he with Me.
(You and you alone must open the door for Christ to come into your heart, or He will never come in. When you open the door to your heart to Christ, He will enter warmly, and in love.)
21: To him that overcomes will I grant to sit down with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.
(In Christ's Millennium kingdom we will reign as kings and priests with Him. What joy that will be. Ezekiel chapters 40 through 44 tells us of that Millennium kingdom.)
22: He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' "
(Do you have a ear to hear, and understand the message Jesus is passing through John's pen to us? There were only two of the seven churches that met with Christ's approval. They knew the true word of God, and equally important, they knew who the Kenites are, where they came from, and could not be deceived by anyone)