Revelation Study Class 11

Beth Elohim Messianic Synagogue
Revelation Study Class 11
“ Sardis” means “precious stone” or “things remaining.” “Sardius” a beautiful diamond, is the same word. In the Sardinian assembly, the majority had assimilated into heathen practices. They appeared to be alive, but in fact were dead. However, there were a few who remained loyal to YHVH and His Torah.
There seems to be a shift or a new beginning with this Fifth Epistle. In the previous Epistles, good was the rule rather than the exception. However, in Sardis, the situation is reversed; only a small remnant can be commended by Yahshua, whose “I know” is one of searching and condemnation, separating the wheat from the chaff. This sadly is the case with today’s world and societies that make up our world population. Secular Humanism has with the permission of blinded leadership become the “norm” in our educational system including the removal of G-d’s sovereignty, indeed His existence as the Creator of the universe and His control over the same. Christianity teaches that G-d is “all love” with justice and righteousness simply ignored.
In the context of our Scripture, the assembly at Sardis is seen as perfect before men but not perfect It has labor, but not life. In other words, rabbinic law and the Oral Torah were the order of the day, but the “rest of the story,” the B’rit Chadashah (“New” Testament is not yet recognized. Following the letter of G-d’s Law without the spirit of the Law is a labor without life. We shall see G-d’s exhortation to this assembly and those who follow this paradigm to repent
In this Fifth Epistle the Old Testament reference is to the period of Israel’s removal from the Land which, by the way, is temporary. However, the now separate kingdom now referred to as the 10 Northern Tribes, has her name practically blotted out. In Deuteronomy 28:18 G-d declares of those who shall turn away from Him “ to go and serve the gods of these nations,” the He will “blot out his name from under heaven (v. 20).
This was fulfilled in the case of the Ten- Tribes Kingdom of Israel. It was Jeroboam who first “made Israel to sin.” He is known by this periphrasis. This is his special mark by which he was best known. In forming the Ten- Tribes Kingdom he was cut off from Jerusalem at once and the worship which G-d has established there. Religion of some kind must be the foundation of government, so Jeroboam made his own religion. Yet in a yet future day the Beast will have his own universal religion as we shall see.
A similar warning and similar teaching will be needed by those who shall be living on the earth in the days in which the Apocalypse refers and was written. So, we have in this Epistle the reference to Israel’s removal from the Land (3:1-6). Again, many Christian Clergy use this and other similar scriptures to support their agenda of Church Replacement Theology which in no way is validated in G-d’s Torah.
3:1: And unto the Angel of the Assembly [not “Church”] in Sardis write, These things saith He that hath the seven spirits of G-d and the seven stars… These are the angles of the seven assemblies and are spoken of a belonging to Yahshua (equally with the seven spirits) to cast down, punish, remove, or exalt as He wills. In Chapter 5:6 we read that “ a Lamb stood as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of G-d.” Indeed, these seven angels of the assemblies on Earth, and the seven angels (or spirits, see under 1:4, and compare in Hebrews 1:7) in heaven are connected together in the clearest possible manner. When we read in this book of “the seven angels which stood before G-d” (8:2), and of the “seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are (or represent) the seven spirits of G-d,” what are we to understand beyond this? Are we saying that they are not what the narrative says they are, left to explain them as being something else? When Yahshua speaks of “having” these, it does not mean having them in possession as attributes, but having them in His power for us i.e., disposal and command.
I know thy works, that thou hast a name, that thou livest, and art dead… How can such language as this be addressed to those who are in Yahshua today: they have “no name to live.” They do live “in Yahshua.” Their standing is through trust in His (Yahshua’s faithfulness) and diligently following Torah but not in perversion of Torah to legalistic works; neither can it in any sense said of them” and art dead.” ON the contrary, they were once “dead in trespasses and sins,” but they died in Yahshua, and are now raised in Him, and stand on resurrection ground before G-d in all the perfection of that standing which he has given them in Yahshua for forgiveness of past sins (Rom 3:25; 2 Pet. 1:9).
2: Be (lit.,become) watchful, and strengthen the things that remain, that were about to die: for I have not found thy works fulfilled (or performed).
The watchfulness required is that of Luke 21:34-36. Mark 13:34-7. before my G-d…Compare 1 Samuel 16:7. Seven times Yahshua speaks in these Epistles of “my” in connection with His “Father” and His “G-d.” Seven represents spiritual perfection according to the Hebrew numbering system called Gematria.
3: Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and keep it in mind and repent… We are told in Matthew 24:14 what they heard: “ If therefore, thou shalt not watch, I will come as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee…We are plainly and expressly told in 1 Thess:2 “yourselves know perfectly that “the Day of the L-rd” so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say “Peace and Safety;” then sudden destruction cometh upon them, and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief.” No language can be clearer than this, addressed to the Assembly of the Thessalonians. Either Revelation 3:3 refers to believers now, and we therefore have a flat contradiction of 1 Thess:4, or in rightly dividing the Word of truth maintain that I shall be in these Assemblies (whatever they may be) in “the day of the L-rd.” That day will come “as a thief.” (See. Matt. 24:43; Luke 12:39;2 Pet. 3:10. But it will thus come upon a world (“they” and “them”) that does not look for Him. The “called out ones” not the ‘Church” will be “called on high;” made like Yahshua’s own glorious body (Phil. 3;14,20,21) and received up in Glory (1 Tim 3;16) before the thief shall come, and before the Day of the L-rd shall be present (2 Thess. 2:2). Hence, we are exhorted not to be moved by reports that “the day of the L-rd is now present” (RKJV).If it were otherwise we have every need to be troubled, for our hope would then have been in vain. Those who have not been caught away will indeed be troubled, for they will be in the Great Tribulation. So determined, however, are many not to have this blessed hope, or even allow others to have it, that they would rather hold that this “great and terrible day of the L-rd” is our only “hope” and thus be driven to interpret that “thief” of Yahshua coming as a friend to fetch us away as He steals precious jewels. Indeed, this is done in the face of the opposite statement in 1 Thess. 4, that that day shall “not come as a thief” on the “church”; and in spite of the solemn warning to watch, so as not to suffer the thief to break into, or to break up the house (Matt. 24:43). This thief is to be watched against, but Yahshua is to be watched for!
4: Nevertheless, thou hast a few names in Sardis… These names are evidently the distinguishing point in this Epistle, for we read in the next verse of names being not blotted out, and confessed.
which defiled not their garments, and they shall walk with me in white: because they are worthy… This promise is fulfilled in Revelation 19:7,8. As to worthiness, who of us can claim that standing? No; we are altogether unworthy in ourselves, but all-worthy in Yahshua empowered by His Spirit, who have not defiled their garments and are unspotted from the flesh (Jude 5:8). These are those who have not worshipped the Beast, or received his mark, or partaken of his idolatrous obscenities. They are those who place their trust in the faithfulness of Yahshua and who lovingly follow G-d’s Torah/instructions/Law, also phrased as “guarding the Commandments of YHVH Elohim stated 7 times in the book of Revelation using slight variations in wording without changing the definition of a “true believer.”
5: He that overcometh shall thus be arrayed in white garments; and I will not blot out his name from the book of life…But both are true if “the word of truth” be rightly divided. Daniel 12;1 prophesied of the “book of life.” And Revelation 13 tells us that the time for its fulfillment shall by then will have come.
… and I will confess his name in the presence of my Father, and in the presence of His angels… Here is the association of Yahshua, the Father, and the angels as in chapter 1:4-5. Review the above statements and Matt. 16:27. As we have seen, this promise refers to the later scene in David’s life when he confesses the name of his worthy ones, just before the glory of the kingdom is set up by Solomon (2 Sam. 23). Some of the names are “blotted out.” The others are confessed. This is the scene alluded to here and this is what is promised by the L-rd in Matthew 10:32; Luke 12:8, Mark 8:38. As the L-rd explains, these words refer to the time when He comes to send the sword upon earth (Matt. 10:33-42).
6: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the Assemblies
Next week we will explore the Sixth Epistle: Philadelphia
Shalom v’brachas,
Rabbi Tamah Davis-Hart