What the Spirit Saith to the Church!

By Dr. Luis R. Lugo

No book of the Bible, and in particular the New Testament, has suffered more interpretational abuse than the book of Revelation. Here is a book that was written to comfort and relieve the fear of those under persecution and to give courage to the members of the redemptive society of God, but instead, it has become a book of fear, confusion, and distortion. This magnificent book, written to be read and heard and to give untold blessings (Revelation 1:3), has otherwise caused people to shy away from those blessings and comforts. Its promises are distorted and falsified and used to beget a concept foreign not only to the book but to the rest of scriptures.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 17, 2018
• ISBN: 9781984526748

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Copyright © 2018 by Dr. Luis R. Lugo.

Library of Congress Control Number:      2018905425

ISBN:                  Hardcover                        978-1-9845-2676-2

                            Softcover                          978-1-9845-2675-5

                            eBook                                978-1-9845-2674-8

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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Rev. date: 05/16/2018

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Contents

DEDICATION

WITH GRATITUDE

Introduction

Preface

The Purpose of Revelation

The Numerology System

Methods of Interpretations

What is the church?

The Spirit and the Church

The Conflict between the Church and Rome

The Recipients of the Letter

Overview

CHURCH AT EPHESUS

Chapter One

Who is the angel of the church?

What the Spirit Saith to the Church

Who do Historians say are these individuals?

TO THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA

Smyrna had to be crushed to give off her Fragrance

What the Spirit Says to the Church

PERGAMOS - REVELATION 2:12-17 (NKJV)

The City of Pergamum

The Censure by the Revelator

The Nicolaitans (Revelation 2:15)

TO THE CHURCH AT THYATIRA

Jezebel’s Junction

TO THE CHURCH IN SARDIS

Introduction

The Admonitions

PHILADELPHIA - THE CHURCH WITH AN OPEN DOOR!

The City of Philadelphia

LAODICEA - THE CHURCH THAT MADE JESUS SICK

Introduction

Conclusion

Bibliography

Special Edition

Meet the Author

DEDICATION

It is with a great sense of inexplicable joy that I dedicate this book to my eldest son whose insight and objectivity of the Christian faith, his knowledge of scriptures and the needs of humanity have caused me to be a better and much more careful student of the scriptures, a better thinker and more importantly a better and greater Expositor of God’s Word!

His care and concern for his fellow man and in particular the needs of the less fortunate as well as the members of the Redemptive Society of God, has helped me to temper my approach to seeking to give the proper interpretation and proper application of God’s principles concerning the needs of the church. Also, to move beyond a mere formal interpretation of the word but to allow that word to have free course and be properly inculcated to function as God would have it so it would edify and exhort the Saints to fulfill God’s Redemptive Scheme.

Tito you are a good Teacher, Expositor, Student and Life Coach, and this book is dedicated to you. It is hoped that you will comprehend how much you mean to both your mother and me! God Bless You!

WITH GRATITUDE

It is with a heart full of gratitude that I salute the following individuals who have made this project a reality: To my former Secretary, Sylvia Leatherwood, who typed portions of the initial manuscript, and to Stacy Bryant for typing the first finished manuscript in spite of the difficulty in interpreting my chicken scratch writing and painstakingly retyped the manuscript.

To my sister, Iris, whose words of encouragement and other resources allowed me to finish the project.

And to Melanie Williams whose persistent dedication to details, in-depth scrutiny of my resources, read and quoted authors, spelling, places, dates, made this project a project of noteworthy accuracy! Her patience and persistency along with keen observation made sure that this was bound to be a project that would represent accuracy, integrity, and scholarship.

Thank you so much for your tireless effort. Your work has been invaluable and I would recommend any author to seek her editing capabilities. She is excellent in this area!

Introduction

No book of the Bible, and in particular the New Testament, has suffered more interpretational abuse than the book of Revelation. Here is a book that was written to comfort and relieve the fear of those under persecution, to give courage to the members of the redemptive society of God, but instead has become a book of fear, confusion, and distortion. This magnificent book, written to be read and heard and to give untold blessings (Revelation 1:3), has otherwise caused people to shy away from those blessings, and comforts. Its promises are distorted and falsified and used to beget a concept foreign not only to the book but to the rest of scriptures.

In order for the Believer to come to terms with the promises, and blessings of the book, there are certain things that need to become apparent! The book is written to encourage the Believers to hold fast to his faith (Revelation 2:10) in spite of the persecution that would be unleashed upon those who refuse to acknowledge the deity of Caesar, the sovereignty of the Emperor, and who would not bow down and hail Caesar in spite of the atrocities that would be unleashed on them. In order to comprehend the teaching of the book, there are some essentials that need to be understood, such as the language; date; writer; the methods of interpretations; the use and meaning of numbers; the essential purpose of the messages to the Seven Churches of Asia; the time frame within the book; and the outcome and application.

The term revelation comes from the word "apocalypse or that which is hidden and now has been revealed, uncovered, and made known. The language is what is called the language of crisis". It is a language that was used during the Jewish captivity by invading nations such as the Assyrians, Babylonians, Medes, Persians, Greeks, and Romans. The period leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem as well as after saw an increase in the use of this language. Some of the books of the New Testament contain some apocalyptic language describing grandeur as well as the relief of the downtrodden.

The Book of Revelation is the one and only book of the New Testament that is totally apocalyptic in nature. This language offers comfort, peace, and encouragement of wellbeing and destruction of those forces that are seeking to defeat the people of God. Although the language conveys a truth, this language must not be taken literally. The language of the revelation comes to us from other apocalyptic books like Daniel, Ezekiel, and Zachariah and perhaps books written during the inter-testimonial period.

It behooves us to comprehend that half of the verses found in the book of Revelation are direct quotations from the books of the Old Testament and must be understood in the way that they are used by those writers and given the same interpretation. Now the language can be distorted and forced to mean something other than its intended meaning. Thus, the language of this book must be interpreted with the understanding that some of it is metaphorical pseudonyms, symbolic language, dreams, visions, excessive use of numbers, and celestial verbiage.

One of the biggest problems in understanding the book of Revelation is the determination of the actual date of its writing. The events recorded by John are taking place in the year 96 AD when the Domitian Persecution was already in full sway. If the events recorded by John are taking place in 96 AD, then the writing of the book does not serve the purpose of warning and preparing the recipients. What good would a warning be if persecutions were already taking place? Thus, I believe that the writing of the book was prior to 96 A.D, but not before 80 AD. I further do not believe that the book is about the destruction of Jerusalem as some contend. The date of the book seems to correspond with the ascension of Domitian to the throne after the unexpected death of Titus, who had become Emperor upon the death of Vespasian. With the ascension of Domitian, the church was in trouble, since no other Emperor took his divinity as seriously as Domitian. Domitian followed the mad Caligula who became an imperial lunatic believing he was a literal God.

Domitian became one of the most rabid dogs ever realized from the kennels of hell. He began a hostile campaign against the followers of Christ for what he considered their stubborn and unrealistic devotion to Christ. Their refusal to "glorify him, resulted in an empire-wide persecution, and with it, came the destruction of Christians by torture, and feeding them to hungry animals - lions, dogs and other savage beasts. Along with this, came the savagery of the Roman gladiators and spectacle tortures such as the hot seat", flaying alive, and being set on fire to light up the streets and gardens. All of these persecutions began with his ascension. Domitian’s ascension to the throne brought about diabolical concept of torture for the child of God along with the issues of state-enforced economic sanctions for anyone who refused to hail Caesar. Thus, the book must have been written right after his ascension and after the destruction of Jerusalem.

The author of this book has generally been held to be John the Apostle, the cousin of Jesus. It is a known fact that John was banished to the Isle of Patmos early in the reign of Domitian and, therefore, would have the capacity to have written the book. One of Domitian’s uses of punishment was banishing those whom he considered his enemies. The writer, John, was a familiar person to those seven churches of Asia Minor. He was one whom the church at Ephesus claimed to be a homeboy, and tradition has it that he died and was buried at Ephesus.

This John identifies himself as a "bondservant or slave" of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:1). In Revelation 1:4, he identifies to the Revelator as the pre-existing, eternal and yet to come Messiah. In Revelation 1:9, he identifies his interpersonal relationship with those who are undergoing the trials and tribulations of persecutions and the fact that he was banished on the Isle of Patmos. In Revelation 21:1, he says that he is an eyewitness of the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, descending out of the vestibules of heaven. In Revelation 22:8, John lets us see that he is one who has borne witness to the things recorded by him and sent to the churches. Hence, we have confidence that this John is the author, not only of the book of Revelation, but also of the fourth gospel that bears his name and the three smaller epistles known as I, II, and III John. John is the only disciple of the twelve apostles that we see died a natural death. The rest died a martyr’s death for the cause of Christ.

Preface

The study and teachings of the book of Revelation, in particular, the study of the "seven churches", has been a source of comfort and joy for many years. Yet, I found that there are many misconceptions, misinformation, and miss-application with the contents that are found in its pages. Nevertheless, a careful and in-depth study will yield much insight into the author’s intent, date, background, and how numbers play a vital part in the overall language utilized.

Far too many members of the Redemptive Society of God are perplexed and reluctant to spend time in the reading, studying, and meditating on what is written upon these pages of inspiration. How unfortunate! For all of the books that pronounce blessings upon those who "read and hear" what is written, none surpasses this one, (Revelation 1:3). When one reads this revelation, he is confronted with blessings that are indispensable to one’s well-being and vitality. Other blessings are pronounced especially upon those who are "vigilant" (Revelation 16:15) as well as those who "keep the words of the prophecy" (Revelation 22:7). Even death is seen as a blessing for the faithful member of the body of Christ (Revelation 14:13). All of these blessings are brought about as one enters into a covenant relationship with God through obedience of the Gospel by being "washed" (Revelation 22:14). These blessings are found in the study of this magnificent book.

This book is not a book of eschatological endings. It is written to give health to the early Christians who were going through a tremendous persecution (Revelation 2:10) and were in need of healthful assurance that their faith was not in vain. Then the church would triumph and Christians would be vindicated for their devotion, sufferings, and faithfulness.

Many reasons may be offered for not studying the book of Revelation. Among these are the complications of the language, the methodology of interpretations, and the fact that there are so many different conclusions from all who studied the book. I believe that the blessings far outweigh the effort that one must make in order to comprehend its meaning.

As to the reasons offered for not studying the book, they might all be valid. The language of the book of Revelation is difficult because we do not understand the type of language used. The language of the book is apocrypha or apocalyptic. This means unveiling, uncovering or revelation.

The language is lucid in its color and speech. It strikes the imagination and grabs hold of the mind. This language is vivid and easily remembered. It appeals to the imagination due to the fact that it is the language used when God smites the oppressors and vindicated His people. This language is the language of conflict, and victory. This language is the language of crisis and not persecution.

In order to understand this language, one should understand it literally unless forced to do otherwise. We will discuss the methods of interpretation that we believe best fits the context and historical accuracy. As to the conclusion, I believe that one’s conclusion will be based on the method of interpretation one uses.

The Purpose of Revelation

When the book of Revelation is read from the proper perspective, for the child of God it is one of the most comforting and assuring books found upon the pages of inspiration. When read from a faulty perspective, the outcome will be one of wrong conclusion and of missing great blessings. A distortion of the book will follow. As a matter of fact, the book will become a hotbed for speculations and erroneous doctrines about the end times and confusion will become the order of the day.

The book of Revelation is given to encourage, motivate, and strengthen the faith of Christians who are about to undergo a great persecution from one of the most rabid dogs ever released from the kennels of hell, the Emperor Domitian!

The book of Revelation is written to assure the Christians that the persecution is of short duration (Revelation 2:10) in comparison with the blessings that come from the triumphant and resurrected Christ; although it seems as if Domitian and the forces of evil will triumph, nevertheless, the Lamb will be more than conqueror! Christ will overtake Caesar, and ultimately Christ, the church, and the individual member will be victorious. Satan and the Roman Empire, as well as the Emperor, will be overcome and victory will be for the Saints.

The struggle depicted in this book is about Christ and Caesar. Who will have the loyalty and support of the people? Which of the two will win the affections of the hearts of mankind?

The battle is the same battle which has been fought since the dawn of creation between Satan and God. The battle is for the souls of men! In the book of Revelation, the issue is "will men worship God or the Emperor"? Will their loyalties be to the state of Rome and its idol practices, or will it be to the true and living God? Will righteousness win over wickedness or will it be the other way around? Will the Christians survive the trial, persecution, and the onslaught of Satan? Who will win the battle for the souls of men?

In the book of Revelation, the Spirit says something to the church that will invariably help the church to conquer the forces of Satan. The Spirit will show the need for patience, strength, faith, courage, conviction, and dedication to the cause of God. The Spirit will tell the church that in spite of what it seems like, the church will ultimately triumph; Satan attempts will be defeated, and the church will be vindicated and exonerated in winning the struggle.

The Spirit will give the church a greater appreciation for the security of God, the Supremacy of God, the Faithfulness of God, and the Love of God!

The Spirit teaches the child of God the absolute fact that God in heaven is in control here on the earth and that God, not Satan, rules in the affairs of men.

Thus, the book of Revelation should be read and studied not from an eschatological view but from the point of view that any nation, any people who rise up and seek the destruction of the church and who set themselves above Christ or the church will meet with a resounding defeat. They will lose the epic battle for the hearts and loyalty of men.

The book of Revelation is not about confusion and speculation, but about comfort, about assurance, about triumph, about victory, about conquering, about the fact that the Lamb is worthy of all our loyalties and dedications!

As you read the book, look for the comfort of the Spirit! Watch as He guides you into all truth of the Lamb and the power of God. Listen as He instructs you how to hear so that victory can be yours. Watch as He reveals the fact that "greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world"! Watch as He commends and chastises the church for its faith, and lack of faith, and commitment. Watch as He helps the church to undergo, with joy, the severest persecution hurled at the church by Domitian.

Yes, what the Spirit saith to the churches in the book of Revelation is relevant for us today as it was in 81 AD. The message of assurance is as needful today as it was in the first century. Today, the church is undergoing a persecution of relevancy and the need and place in the hearts of men. Will Satan teach or will the Spirit speak to the church today? Is He worthy? Do we understand the crux of the matter which is, who will dominate our allegiance? Read and study the book and, in particular, what the Spirit saith to the churches!

Although the objective of this study is to look at the message delivered to the seven churches, we must look at the language employed in the delivery. Even though this is not a comprehensive and exhaustive study of the language, hopefully, it will help us understand the nature of apocalyptic language. Let us never forget that apocalyptic language is the language of crisis.

The literature of apocalypses is notable for several features, one of which is the difference that sets it apart from prophetic literature. A popular cultural view is that prophetic eschatology and apocalyptic eschatology are two mutually exclusive kinds of eschatology in the Old Testament and in Judaism.

The way that this came about was the fact that prophetic eschatology expected the Kingdom of God to grow out of the