A Commentary on the Revelation of John

By Reverend Randy Thames

We
live in an extremely troubled world. We face epidemics, racism, violence,
protests, and a lack of strong leadership in government. Crisis on a global
level, natural disasters, and the ever-spreading criminal activity through the Internet
have left us strained in our resources and vulnerable to all sorts of attacks.

More
succinctly, the world has lost touch with Jehovah, the Creator of the universe
and the only one who can bring about any positive global change. As mankind
turns his back on his Creator, he becomes more carnal, more primal, and without
restraint. He becomes disobedient to authority, unthankful for what he has and
incapable of judging right from wrong. He challenges that which gives him the
right to issue the challenge in the first place.

The
fact that our world has lost all control should not be a shock to anyone.
Jehovah laid out the chain of events that would lead to the depravity of man
millennia ago. Mankind watches the downward spiral, and when there is no other
alternative, they cry out to God, expecting that He will magically turn men’s
hearts back to Him.

Prophecy
is seldom, God telling us what He is going to do. Most often it is God, through
His foreknowledge, seeing what is to come and reporting it to us. The prophecy
of God through John, Paul, Matthew, and the prophets of old is simply God
showing us what is to come. He is relating, for our benefit, what is to come as
the result of the failure of mankind.

The
Revelation of John is a love letter from God to His people, in which He
forewarns us of the unchangeable future so that we might prepare ourselves for
the inevitability of its appearance.

In
this book, the author has tried to “rightly divide” the truth of this prophecy
in relation to the entirety of prophecy so that we might be able to see it
unfolding before our eyes and awaken from our sleep to serve the living God.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 5, 2021
• ISBN: 9781636304267

Book preview

Table of Contents

Title

Copyright

Introduction

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3: Time Frames of the End

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6: The Battle of Gog and Magog

Chapter 7: The Rise of the Antichrist

(The First Seal)

Chapter 8: The False Prophet

Chapter 9: The Rapture of the True Church

Chapter 10: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Chapter 11: The Great Tribulation and the Mark of the Beast

Chapter 12: The Two Witnesses

Chapter 13: The Beginning of the Tribulation Plagues

Chapter 14: Wormwood

Chapter 15: The Locusts

Chapter 16: Preparation for Armageddon

Chapter 17: Final Steps before the End

Chapter 18: Armageddon: The Logistics

Chapter 19: The Millennial Reign of Christ

Chapter 20: The New Heaven and New Earth

About the Author

cover.jpg

A Commentary on the Revelation of John

Reverend Randy Thames

ISBN 978-1-63630-425-0 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63630-426-7 (Digital)

Copyright © 2020 Reverend Randy Thames

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books, Inc.

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

Introduction

Before we begin our look into the revelation of Jesus Christ through John, we should look at a few basic truths that will help us to put this wonderful book into perspective.

The Revelation of John was his record of a vision that God gave to him in AD 95 or 96. At the time of the Revelation, John was in exile on the rocky island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea. He had been banished to this island by Domitian, the Roman emperor, along with thousands upon thousands of other Christians who stood by their beliefs. Over forty thousand people died in exile on this six-mile-wide by ten-mile-long island. John was not one of them. He lived and eventually went back to Ephesus where he had pastored for over forty years and where he died at a good old age. He was the only one of Christ's twelve disciples that died a natural death.

The Revelation of John is more than a book of end-time prophecy. It helps to tie a lot of the Bible together. This book was not intended to give us all the answers, but it helps us to realize the severity of the times in which we live and understand the consequences of ignoring God's Word. The good and the bad will all be brought to a fitting end, as the Revelation reveals that God has been and will continue to be true to His Word for all time.

It is a book of hope, for in its pages, we see a righteous God reward his faithful with ultimate joy and also reward the ungodly with ultimate suffering as a result of their disobedience. It is a book of love for God loved his children enough to provide for them despite their circumstances. Despite the hardest of times that the events of the end times will bring, we see God's people continually expressing their love for the God that they realize loves them enough to provide for their every need.

It is indeed the revelation of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:1) for Jesus Himself appears in its passages. Since this book was written in AD 95 or 96, over sixty years after the resurrection of Jesus, it is proof to the Christian mind that he really did die on the cross and rise from the dead. If he had not risen from the dead, then he could not possibly have relayed through John this prophecy. If you do not believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, then you will not believe in this prophecy either. Since Christians have many assurances that Christ truly lives, we also know that those who do not believe in Jesus Christ will ultimately come to believe in Him. Sadly, many will ignore all the proof and only come to believe in Him when they stand before Him in final judgment.

In this book, we will see how some of the prophecy of the time of the end has already come to pass indisputably. As the entirety of the remainder of His words are fulfilled, we will see that this was not a fabrication of the mind of a human, but it has to be the foreknowledge of God. If Jesus is the source of this prophecy, and this prophecy unfolds as He foretold, then Jesus must really and truly be risen from the dead and is God as we, the true children of God, already know.

The prophecy of the Revelation is not in chronological order. Revelation 1:7 talks of the second coming of Christ when every eye shall see him. In the timeline of end-time events, this comes after the rapture in which He comes in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:52) and also after the tribulation. All three of these events are described later in the Revelation. This version of this commentary will not follow the Revelation in the order in which it is written, but will attempt to follow the events in the order in which they are to unfold as the prophecy comes to life.

From the opening verse of Revelation (1:1) through the eleventh verse of chapter 6, we find the Revelation is in chronological order as written and shows us the opening events that must occur on the prophetic calendar. After these passages, we will follow the Revelation in the order in which the progressive events occur.

The attached timeline progresses through the events of the time of the end in the order in which they occur. We will see that some events may begin as a seal is opened and may continue through a trumpet or a vial event. Since there is so much overlap, we will try to combine all the component parts of the events as they unfold and present a continuous look at the entirety of the time of the end.

Seven seems to be the controlling number of this book. There were seven churches, candlesticks, stars, thunders, seals, trumpets, and vials. There are seven eyes in the overcoming Lamb of God that give him vision over all the earth.

The year 2001 began the seventh millennium of the earth's recorded history, and the covenant week of the Antichrist represents the final seven years of the earth's history.

This commentary will show that the Revelation of John is truly a revelation of God in that unseen events such as the judgments of God being poured out are in fact going to be a reality. This can be proved by showing that every prophecy that has been fulfilled to this point has been proved with pinpoint accuracy and without any hint of failure. If God has been perfect to His Word, then we have no doubt that this must actually be His plan and He will therefore carry it out without hesitation and to total perfection.

I believe that the Revelation of Jesus Christ through John is not a book to be feared by Christians, but rather to be looked upon as a love letter from God. This book, along with its supportive scripture throughout the Bible, is God's way of warning us about the times of the end and the inherent danger that these days hold. He tells us enough so that we can recognize the accuracy of His prophecy and prepare for the times that we face.

If I, as a parent, knew that my child was headed for some event or problem that would endanger his life or safety, I would most definitely do all that I could to warn him and to keep him as safe as possible. It would be up to him to heed my warning and to exercise whatever confidence in my judgment I have given him reason to trust.

God, by the same ideal, knows that there are perilous times upon us, and He has moved to forewarn us that these days are coming. Whether we take decisive action to prepare or refuse to discuss these events, they will occur.

Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand (Daniel 12:10).

The wicked, the unjust, and those who choose to ignore God's Word will continue to do so until they are swept away by the upcoming events, but the wise will recognize God's warning for what it is and they will strive to understand. God wants you to be one of the wise. He wants you to understand and prepare.

Chapter 1

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which much shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

Who bare record of the Word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things, which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

—Revelation 1:1–3

These passages show the great intent of God, Himself, that we, as Christians, should not only read but also understand these prophecies. Understanding implies study and observation with a will to learn. Ignoring them means that we believe that there are parts of God's Word that are not important for us to embrace. Ignoring them means that we reject the best intentions of our God who loved us enough to provide us this glimpse into things that must, or definitely will, soon come to pass.

If we hide behind the old adages such as God said we would not know the times or the seasons, therefore he did not expect us to understand these prophecies either, then we say that God put such specific prophetic warnings in His Word when He should not have. God provided pinpoint accurate prophecies as we will see. He wanted us to understand. We must never dismiss any of God's Word. It was given for a reason.

Some modern Christians prefer to always look to the positive. They avoid anything that does not seem happy, uplifting, or a reason to rejoice. Like the proverbial ostrich with his head in the sand, they believe that if they ignore these warnings, then they simply will not occur. Do not be deceived! If God went to such great lengths to warn us of the impending time of the end, then we can rest assured that they will indeed occur.

We know that the time of the end has come. We also know that God's plan for mankind was set in motion long before the earth began (1 Peter 1:18–20). Man's lack of obedience or spiritual discernment will not stop or even prolong these events. They will occur and the best that we can do is to study, understand, and prepare for them. Those people who choose to ignore these warnings will be left to fend for themselves. They will not be enlightened or prepared and ultimately will be deceived by the flood of end-time events.

People expect that in the day when the events of the time of the end transpire, the Holy Spirit will check their spirit to warn them of the events that are occurring. The Holy Spirit has been trying to do that for thousands of years, and yet we choose to ignore Him. How can we hope to be attuned to the Holy Spirit in troublesome times when we cannot listen when He speaks in peaceful times? In these modern days of new revelations, so many professing Christians are led astray by every wind of false doctrine. They willingly follow charlatans and false prophets because they are not scripturally aware enough to know the difference. They live in a world in which they believe that they have greater authority and a closer relationship with God than they actually have because they continually talk the talk and attempt to convince themselves and others that all is spiritually well in their lives. When the Antichrist comes, his deception will be so great and powerful that these unsuspecting believers will believe in him without question.

Things which must shortly come to pass

God begins to relate this revelation by stating that the prophecies He is about to give are things that must shortly come to pass. Indeed, they are illustrations of the events of the last days of the earth's future, which will most definitely occur. God has given them because He wants us to be aware of all these events. Compare this idea with the words of God to Daniel at the close of Daniel's prophecy.

And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end.

Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. (Daniel 12:9–10)

God wants us to understand. God expects for us to understand. God wants us to prepare. Without properly preparing ourselves, we cannot even begin to help others to prepare.

These verses also dispel any idea that the prophecies of men like John or Daniel have already been fulfilled. Some say that they were fulfilled in AD 70 when the Roman general Titus laid siege to Jerusalem for three and a half years, eventually destroying the city of Jerusalem and the magnificent temple with it. While these events did occur, we must take note that Jesus is telling John these things at the close of the first century (AD 95) and they are still events that are yet future. Remember that John received this prophecy about twenty-five years after General Titus leveled the Holy City. Since warnings would have been unnecessary concerning anything that occurred before the revelation that God gave to John, and nothing has happened since that could qualify as encompassing all this prophetic word, then the events are still future. Having seen some of these events unfold in recent years, we can have confidence that the time of the end that God told both Daniel and John of is the time in which we now live. Follow wisdom and understand the reality of God's Word.

After the initial salutations to his potential readers, John set about in verse 9 to begin to relate this prophecy that he was given.

In Revelation 1:9–10, we see John's true purpose in writing. He wanted to relate a word from God that he viewed to be so powerful that nothing else was important enough to tell. Let's read his introduction into the vision or revelation that he gave.

I, John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.

During the reign of the Roman emperor Domitian, it was decreed that all people should worship Domitian as he felt himself a god. Those who refused his worship were punished. John, the last of the original disciples of Jesus Christ and a powerful apostle and bishop, was one to be made an example of. He was banished to the isle of Patmos.

Patmos is a rocky island in the Aegean Sea off the coast of Ephesus. It was divided in half by an isthmus, leaving two distinct hills, one to the south and one to the north. It was here that tens of thousands of Christians were banished and died. It was in a cave on the southern hill that history tells us that John was staying when he received his vision from God. Life in exile must have been unbearable, having to scavenge for food and water and find shelter from the miseries of nature. It was in this formidable environment that John had time to think. He could have questioned why God left him there after all that he had done for Christ. He could have complained about his living conditions. He could have blamed God for his unrelenting misery. These are things weaker Christians constantly do.

John was no weak Christian. John was a man who understood how much he needed God and how much he loved God for what God had done. John was an example to believers that no matter what you find yourself going through, you have to know from experience that God will not fail you, leave you, or forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:8). John understood that all of our trials are but a stepping stone to a greater witness that God wants to produce from us.

In this introduction, John does not revisit his misery, but he extracts from that misery a great unveiling of the prophetic Word of God. He could have taken the time in this introduction to paint a picture of himself as the great sufferer and greater victor. He chose to focus on God and let Patmos be a byline. He did not want himself and what he went through to distract anyone from what God was trying to say through him.

It was for us to understand that despite his great affliction, God was moving and John was obedient. It is rumored that forty thousand Christians died around him on Patmos, but God had a work for John to do, and He was not about to fail His faithful servant. I do not here imply that any of the thousands of Christians who died there were weak in the faith, but I simply want to show that despite all the death and suffering, God was still dealing with John and John was able to overcome his surroundings to be obedient to God.

In the Spirit on the Lord's Day

In this passage, John states, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day (1:10). There has been a lot of controversy surrounding this statement. It needs to be addressed, albeit briefly.

The Christian church was birthed with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus's death on a Friday was followed by his resurrection three days later on a Sunday, the first day of the week.

The church was actually launched into certain operation on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). The day of Pentecost was a Jewish feast that was considered a holy convocation. It was one of three major Jewish feasts that carried a requirement from God that all Jewish males must come to Jerusalem from wherever they lived on the earth (Exodus 34:22–23). It was called the Feast of Weeks in that the time of Pentecost was set as being the day after the seventh Sabbath (seven weeks) from Passover. The day after the seventh Sabbath was the fiftieth day, hence the name Pentecost, which means fiftieth. As the Jewish Sabbath was the seventh day of the week, or Saturday, the day after a Sabbath was Sunday, the first day of the week.

Because God chose Sunday as the day in which the major events of the Christian era occurred, the Christians must have accepted the first day of the week as the Lord's Day. In Troas, the Bible states that the disciples came to break bread on the first day of the week and Paul preached to them (Acts 20:7–12). He had been there all week, and yet this was the time of gathering and preaching.

In 1 Corinthians 16:1–2, we read the admonition of Paul concerning the collection for the saints or the tithe, and it was directed that it should be given on the first day of the week.

It is apparent that the early church accepted the first day of the week, Sunday, as the Lord's Day. It was on this Christian Sabbath that John was obedient to the calling of God. He attests to the fact that on the Lord's Day, he was in the Spirit.

Contrary to new revelations in the Pentecostal world, John was in the Spirit because of the moving of the Holy Spirit upon John and not because he had the power to put himself there. He was not asking God for some supernatural prophetic word, but God was moving upon John to give him a word that was a necessary revelation from God to His people. John was obedient to the moving of the Holy Spirit. We should learn a lesson here. Prophecy, like all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, is manifested as the Spirit wills and not as we will (Acts 2:4; 1 Corinthians 12:11). We cannot control the gifts of the Holy Spirit any more than we can control the Spirit that gives them.

While in the spirit on the Lord's Day, John heard a great voice and the revelation had begun.

John turned to see who was speaking to him. The one that he saw was one that he recognized. Of all the people on earth who should have recognized the Son of man (Revelation 1:13), John was the one. John's recognition of the Son of man stemmed from a three-and-a-half-year ministry that he shared with Jesus Christ on earth. He knew the Son of man was this same Jesus as he had heard Him identify Himself as such on many occasions (John 1:51, 5:27, 6:62, 8:28, 12:23, 13:31). Even though Jesus was in His glorified body, it was still a form in which He was recognizable as it had been after His death (John 20:16, 19–23, 26–29, 21:1–14).

For our benefit, the Lord further identified Himself in several ways. First His described appearance was that which had been described by the prophets of old (Isaiah 6:1–6; Daniel 7:9, 10).

In Revelation 1:18, He further identifies Himself as I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

We know that Jesus has been alive forever since before the beginning of the world and that He lived as a human on this earth before giving His life as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind. We also know that His sacrifice brought His death on the cross and His purpose for salvation was the reason He overcame death and became the firstborn of the dead (Colossians 1:18). We know that we have a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3). By these, we know that He truly did live, was dead, and lives again; and as a result of this combination, He has given us victory over death and salvation from hell.

Jesus addresses John from the middle of seven golden candlesticks and seven stars. There is no mystery as to what they represent, for we are told by God in this same passage. The seven golden candlesticks are the seven churches over which John is the bishop, and the seven stars are the seven angels that God has sent as divine messengers and guides for these seven churches.

Seven is the number of perfection or total completion. The messages from God to these seven churches and to the angels He has placed over them encompass the total diversity of churches and church ages that have and will exist until the completion of time. In the next two chapters, we will see the messages that God sends to these churches and the qualities that He sees in each, whether virtuous or lacking. In these assessments, we will see ourselves and our churches whether in one or a combination of more. As we see ourselves identified, we also see God's view as to what we need to do to reclaim anything or all that we have lost.

Chapter 2

In Revelation chapters 2 and 3, we see Jesus giving a word from God to the seven angels of the seven churches of Asia. Each church received a different message and different set of warnings and blessings based on the situations that existed in that church. There are several possible scenarios as to the significance of these seven churches and their relative messages.

One possibility exists in the fact that these churches are seven churches to which John would go after his exile at Patmos had ended. Perhaps Jesus simply wanted to allow John some insight into what he would face before he gave John insight into what we all would face. By showing us the strengths and shortfalls of these churches, we, who diligently seek the truth, might learn something about ourselves. As we look into the status of each church individually, we will see the potential that we all should look for and the problems that we should avoid at all costs. The best teacher is experience, even it if is someone else's experience.

Another idea as to the significance of these churches is that they represent seven progressive ages of church history. If this is true, then the seventh church, Laodicea, represents the last age of the earth's history and indeed the age in which we now live. The descriptions given of Laodicea would be a description of these end times.

Another idea comes from the very fact that the Revelation is apocalyptic in nature. It seems that these seven churches then are representative of the various types of worship and beliefs that will exist in the time of the end. The student of prophecy recognizes that these indeed are those times and these churches represent phases of dogma and ideology that exist in the modern world.

Whether any of these scenarios is true, they all give an astounding and in-depth look into the character of the church of the last days and of the world in which that church operates.

One thing to notice in the dialogue of Jesus concerning each church was that He began each summary with the words, I know thy works. The first and probably most important thing to understand about God is that He knows. Jesus was so intent on the Thyatiran church understanding this point that He went on to tell them, All the churches shall know that I am he who searcheth the reigns [minds] and hearts (Revelation 2:23).

God knows everything, and the sooner we realize the magnitude of that statement, the sooner we can begin to truly work within the will of God. So many people read the Bible and use only the portions that apply to the gospel as they want it to play out. They do not seek God or His infinite wisdom when trying to understand things that only God can truly understand. It was for this reason that Jesus told his followers, But the Comforter, who is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said unto you (John 14:26).

God wants us to understand the truth and He wants us to live by the truth. He wants us to rely on His knowledge, His vision, and His will. When we go about things our own way and yet do these things in the name of God, we truly take the name of the Lord in vain. The fourth commandment states, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain (Exodus 20:7).

When we live our lives by our rules, we think that no one knows. Perhaps no one sees what happens in the secrecy of our own homes. But God does. When we go out and live by the dictates of our own hearts and claim it to be the will of God, then we stand in danger of the judgment of that same God, who knows the truth.

He searches our minds. The word reins used in the King James Version of the Bible is also interpreted mind in other versions. The Greek root word literally means the innermost thoughts.

He searches our hearts. The root word here in Greek means literally our deepest feelings. Think about that. God does not judge you on actions alone. He knows the reason why you took that action and what you felt like when you did it. Did you act on someone's behalf because it was the right thing to do or because God working through you reached out in compassion to help a soul in need? God knows.

Did you go to church because it was what was expected of you, or did you go because the joy of the Lord was bubbling up inside you and you wanted the fellowship of other blessed believers? God knows. God knows everything. We cannot fool Him, slip one past Him, or make Him change His mind. That is why we call it God's will, and we should never imagine that our will could override His.

Several of these churches were doing just that. Either the entire congregation or just factions in the congregation were doing things their own way. Some actually were trying to please God, while others were so unlearned that they probably thought they were justified in their ungodly practices.

There is a great danger in being scripturally ignorant. Some people feel that they can maintain their salvation by being faithful to church and by listening intently to the minister in the pulpit. Over the years, many of this type of people hear such a broad spectrum of beliefs from a broad spectrum of ministers they cannot truly discern right from wrong. If a minister speaks with boldness and espouses Bible verses to back himself up, many of these biblically ignorant Christians assume that he must be speaking the truth.

They believe that if a man, calling himself a preacher, has a television ministry, then truly he is blessed by God and must speak nothing but the truth. If you believe that, then you will surely be taken in by many a shyster who spews his lies in the name of God. The Antichrist will rise to power on the testimony of many Christians who do not know the truth, live by the truth, or evangelize the truth to those they come in contact with. Millions of dollars of seed faith money have been pumped into the pockets of charlatans who quote scripture, pray with zeal, and steal from the good intentions of people who do not care to know any better.

Consider this hypothetical example. A well-known television evangelist claims to have a healing ministry or a prophetic ministry. As you sit engrossed in his well-polished message, he has a word from the Lord. Someone out there has a back pain. Your back is hurting, so you listen a little closer. You have had that pain for some time, but it is worse now. You think about how many times you have had pains shoot through your back, and recently it does seem to be a little worse.

He tells you that if you send a thousand-dollar seed faith offering to show your having obeyed God's will, then God will heal your back. You want healing, but before you right that check, think about this. Millions of Americans could convince themselves that he is talking straight from the throne of God to them as well. Millions of Americans may be sending him a thousand-dollar seed faith offering as well.

Let me save you some money by a simple examination of God's Word. Isaiah, speaking seven hundred years before Christ, foretold of a savior who was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).

Again we see the Apostle James saying, Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him (James 5:14, 15).

There, I just saved you a thousand dollars and gave you true biblical instruction as to where to find healing. Nowhere in Scripture does God say that we have to pay for anything that God has to give. The Bible does tell us that the price was paid by Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary. You see, all we need is knowledge of God's Word and obedience to God through the Holy Spirit, and we can have what we need from God (1 Corinthians 12:9) without having to go through a middle man.

The idea that God knows that I gave it in good conscience will have no basis with a God who knows our feelings yet wants us to act out of the wisdom of His Word and not the dictates of our hearts. If God truly is leading us and guiding us, then He will not lead us in the wrong direction ever! If we go in the wrong direction or do things contrary to His Word, then we surely must have stepped out of the perfect will of God. We will only have trouble until we recognize what we have done and allow God to show us how to correct our mistakes.

Surely God knows our works. He knew the works of a young man named Saul. Saul was born in a Jewish home and was the son of a Pharisee. As such he was raised and schooled in the strict dogma of the Pharisees. He was also trained to believe that the Jews were the only people that God was a part of. Acting on that assumption and believing that this newly formed Christian church was heretical, Saul went after Christians with a vengeance, and he did it in the name of the Lord. He truly thought that what he was doing was God's will because it threatened the only church that he had known and he had been raised to believe that he was one of God's chosen people.

It was the Lord who asked Saul why he chose to fight against the true church of God. It was Saul who realized that all his training and his passion were misdirected. When he came to a realization of the truth, he channeled his old zeal for God in the right direction and became the most successful missionary of the early church. His name was changed, and we actually know him as the Apostle Paul.

If a man as ambitious, intelligent, and spiritually zealous as Paul could be led astray by a lack of true understanding, how much more can we be led astray if we neglect the great blessing of God's Word and the understanding that comes under the leadership of the Holy Ghost.

Let us now take a quick look at the condition of each of the seven churches that God addressed through John.

Ephesus

The church at Ephesus was the first to which Jesus spoke. The significance of that lies primarily in the fact that the church at Ephesus was the church at which John himself was bishop and the city was the place of much of his life and his subsequent death. The word that God first gave to John was the word that would show John the direction that his church had taken. Let's look at what Jesus said.

Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

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 tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. (Revelation 2:1–7)

God recognizes the good things that this church has accomplished and is, in fact, still accomplishing. All the positive references listed above are works. The works are done in confidence of righteousness. They are truly awesome works, but works are not enough. This church has begun to live by the deeds that it accomplishes and somehow has begun to try to justify their place in the kingdom of God by them. Understand that their deeds certainly do not go unnoticed. At least they are trying. They do have some name, even in the sight of God for all that they do.

Jesus speaks of their labor. The Greek word for labor here actually means toil or work done that reduces the strength. This is hard work. This church is exerting itself greatly in the ministries that it produces. No doubt, there is a lot of activity here in the vain of promoting the gospel. These ministries are the church's way of reaching out and helping the community in which it serves. Its members are accomplishing great things in their quest to promote this gospel. But is this great effort accomplishing that for which Christ has commissioned the church?

Jesus speaks of their patience. They have endured a great battle and yet remained constant to the task in front of them. They have not let the rigors of their great toils wear them out or cause them to lose faith in their mission. But is it enough?

Jesus addresses the fact that he recognizes their firm stand on dogma and doctrine and the fact that they are prone to take action against anyone or anything that detracts from the doctrine of God's Word. This is in contrast to the Corinthian church to which Paul wrote, who had many problems.

Spiritually, this church is either dead or dying while physically active. So spiritually out of touch are they that if they do not soon repent and become revived, they will be removed.

They have fallen. They had a first love that they need to get back to. They are backslidden. Where they once were is where they need to be now.

Works that are not based on a right relationship with God are works that are done in vain. Works done according to