By John Larkins
In the New International Bible, Life Application Version, John the Apostle wrote introduction to the Book of Revelation around 95 A.D., which says: “Revelation is a book of hope. John, the beloved apostle and eyewitness of Jesus, proclaimed that the victorious Lord would surely return to vindicate the righteous and judge the wicked. But Revelation is also a book of warning.”
In other words, things were not as they should have been in the churches, so Christ called the members to commit themselves to live in righteousness. Those were Catholics who were not obeying God.
Revelation 1:8 says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Revelation 1 9-20 says, “I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. On the Lord’s Day, I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said, ‘Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.’
“I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned, I saw seven golden lamp-shades, and among the lampshades was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said, ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One: I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampshades is this: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampshades are the seven churches.”
Revelation 2:1-7 says, “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven lampshades: I know our deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not and have found them false. You have persevered and endured hardships for my name and have not grown weary. Yet, I hold this against you; You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things that you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampshade from its place. But you have this in your favor – you hate practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”
After this point, the Catholic Church must obey God’s command to convert the nations and themselves. Jesus will judge by the Book, considering repentance. Those who fail to convert may be saved. Do you think so? The judgement of the other six churches is more dire.
If there is any way I can be of service, please email me at johnlarkins@bellsouth.net.