The Divine Commentary on The Book of Revelation - Ch 02 (22.12.10)

Rev 2:1 "To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, 'These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:

Rev 2:2 "I know your works, your labour, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;

Divine commentary – 

“Down through every generation has man learnt to lie, 

                                                         has man attempted to shed responsibility, 

                                                         has man sought to avoid the blame. 

The liars have been warned of the destiny they will reap; 

 the evil-doers have been advised of their urgent need for penitence: 

                                                                                                         in this day, 

                                                                                                         in this time, 

                                                                                                         in this period of grace.”

Rev 2:3 "and you have persevered and have patience, and have laboured for My name's sake and have not become weary.

Divine commentary – 

“Wisdom and knowledge may not salute the past, 

                                            may not recall the testimonies of building, 

                                            may not revive the days of glory – 

                                 when enthusiasm accompanied the days of youth – 

                                                                                                     wherein My church was grown.”

Rev 2:4 "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

Rev 2:5 "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.

Divine commentary – 

“As the score is kept so the trend is noticed, 

         woe to those who tolerate a downward trend in life, 

         woe to those who so keep the score they neither know nor care of where the trending lies, 

         woe to those who know and did not uplift a trend as they watched it become buried in the earth.”

Rev 2:6 "But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

Rev 2:7 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God."'

Divine commentary – 

“O behold! 

         The resurgent waves of God which wash, 

                                                                      teach, 

                                                                      encourage, 

                                                                      carry before, 

                                                                      refocus – 

                                                                            the eyes of man – 

                                                       on the escalator of The Spirit which deposits in the heavens.”

Rev 2:8 "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, 'These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life:

Rev 2:9 "I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

Divine commentary – 

“I, 

       The Lord, 

                know the coming out, 

                          the going in, 

                                   of those who labour in My vineyard – 

                                                     whether the day has been its own reward, 

                                                     whether the night is to carry consternation: 

                                                                                                    the morrow fraught with fear. 

                          As the character of man develops so will his attitude to life bear witness.”

Rev 2:10 "Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Rev 2:11 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death."'

Divine commentary – 

“The second death is beyond the grave of man, 

                                 is when the spirit dies and leaves the soul – 

                                                                                         free of any solace – 

                                                                 to dwell within the conviction of an eternal realm.”

Rev 2:12 "And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, 'These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword:

Rev 2:13 "I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

Divine commentary – 

“Where faith is dead: 

         works, 

                in My name, 

                     are dead; 

                            but faith alive sees works in action in the honouring of My name, 

                            but faith alive sees the power of My Spirit moving in the lives of man, 

                            but faith alive sees the signs of My Spirit gifted unto the spirit of man, 

                            but faith alive sees the counsel of My Spirit changing the soul of man, 

                                                                                                  changing the destiny of man, 

                                                                                                  changing the testimony of man.”

Rev 2:14 "But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.

Divine commentary – 

“Holding fast to false doctrines of today still will call all those so constricted, 

                                                                                                         so writhing as a snake, 

                                                                                                                to account, 

                                                                                                                      as in times past, 

                                                                                                      for all that is written on the slate. 

The pursuit of idols, 

         by those so marked with priesthood, 

                 leave families to re-use what then lies within the dust, 

                                        to refuse to eat the refuse as it has been cast aside, 

                                        to refuse to share in the iniquity which compiles a bed of shame.”

Rev 2:15 "Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

Rev 2:16 "Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.

Divine commentary – 

“Let those who fail attendance at the tasking of the day prepare to be caught up in the whirlwind of the morrow.”

Rev 2:17 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it."'

Divine commentary – 

“The hidden manna is brought into the light with the lifting of the veil of eternity, 

               as the prophets of the living God make known the Rhema of the Age, 

                       for the eyes and ears of man – 

                                to be available to nourish, 

                                                         to inform, 

                                             the spirit of man in the subduing of his soul.

The white stone is the pure rock of revelation.

A new name is given only to the overcomer – 

       the new name is for the spirit of man faithful unto death who arises with the crown of life.

Rev 2:18 "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, 'These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass:

Rev 2:19 "I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first.

Divine commentary – 

“Perfection in the few does not mean purity in the many. 

         Approval of selections speaks of inspection of omissions. 

                  Questioning of compulsions speaks of enslavement by a vice. 

                          Ignoring of the rules does not bring freedom seating at the table. 

                                    Wisdom needs discernment when knowledge becomes superfluous.”

Rev 2:20 "Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.

Divine commentary – 

“Jezebel is the female personification of rebellion against God in using sexual seduction to exploit the lust within the soul, 

                   together with the lack of discernment to perceive the truth – 

                            as she proclaims to those with ears the words unknown to God.

Rev 2:21 "And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent.

Rev 2:22 "Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds.

Divine commentary – 

“As the word records, 

           so the intent is stated: 

                  so none can say they did not know the folly of their actions, 

                  so none can claim, 

                                               before a bench of record, 

                                               that of which they were unaware has been inflicted on their souls.”

Rev 2:23 "I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.

Divine commentary – 

“Such hearts should miss a beat, 

  such minds should tremble and cause the head to bow; 

                                                                 for each promise is declared. 

So all may understand the vengeance of The Lord: 

                   the minds and hearts of man are as an open book within the library of God. 

The works of man, 

          there with their motivations, 

                   are laid out as on a table within the library of God. 

There, 

          it becomes self-evident what each is to receive; 

                    as the works encompass, 

                                      so testimony is borne: 

                                                      of all imbibing joy, 

                                                      of all suffering pain. 

As man reacts to man so The Spirit writes on slate.”

Rev 2:24 "Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden.

Divine commentary – 

“For man, 

           as such, 

                     shall dwell until the end of time within the age of grace; 

           as such, 

                     shall dwell with access to the mercy seat; 

           as such, 

                     shall dwell within mortality: 

                                                              the incubator of preparation for the presence of his God.”

Rev 2:25 "But hold fast what you have till I come.

Divine commentary – 

“Hold the baton high, 

           carry a golden scroll, 

                     watch the mountains yield, 

                               persevere within the race so the garland is well earned – 

                                        with the honour of the day.”

Rev 2:26 "And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—

Divine commentary – 

“For the character of man which radiates the power of perseverance, 

                                              which transmits the foundation stone of faith, 

                                              which expresses righteousness in honesty, 

                                              which reflects the calling – 

                                                                           the tasking – 

                                                                                      of the Lord: 

                                                           then so it is established with approval for the trust of God.”

Rev 2:27 'He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels' — as I also have received from My Father;

Divine commentary – 

“A rod of iron indicates a strong unyielding upright form of governance for the nations, 

                                  being entrusted to those who overcome and keep My works until the end.”

Rev 2:28 "and I will give him the morning star.

Divine commentary – 

“The morning star, 

              as an entity, 

                       is the angel of direction with oversight over the earth. 

The angel of direction has an assignment for counselling each overcomer with instructions as to the method of rule – 

                       with a rod of iron. 

‘The Bright and Morning Star’, 

              as a title, 

                       refers to The Son of God, 

                                      The First and The Last, 

                                      The Lamb of God – 

                              to whom this is not a reference.”

Rev 2:29 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."' 

Divine commentary – 

“Information has little worth until transferred to knowledge, 

  knowledge has little value until the gaining of application, 

  application has little reward until overseen with wisdom, 

  wisdom is at its wisest when sought as emanating from God.”

NKJV Footnotes:

    * (2:15) NU-Text and M-Text read likewise for which thing I hate.

    * (2:19) NU-Text and M-Text read faith, service.

    * (2:20) NU-Text and M-Text read I have against you that you tolerate.

    * (2:20) M-Text reads your wife Jezebel.

    * (2:20) NU-Text and M-Text read and teaches and seduces.

    * (2:21) NU-Text and M-Text read time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her 

                                                             sexual immorality.

    * (2:22) NU-Text and M-Text read her.

    * (2:24) NU-Text and M-Text omit and.

    * (2:24) NU-Text and M-Text omit will.

    * (2:27) Psalm 2:9