Written by Yahusha's Student John ...
1 Now write this to the Messenger (LEADER) of the Fellowship in EPHESUS: I'm the one who holds the seven stars in My right hand, and walks among the seven golden lampstands, so listen to what I have to say.
YAHUSHA IS IN HIS BRIDAL FELLOWSHIP !
2 I know everything you’ve done, including your hard work and how you’ve endured. I know you won’t put up with anyone who’s evil, and when people pretend to be My followers, you’ve tested their behaviour and found them to be liars, and not My followers at all! 3 Yes you’ve indeed endured and gone through hard times because of Me, and you haven’t given up ... 4 But I do have something against you! You’ve lost the love you first had.
5 So think about where you’ve fallen from and turn back, repent and behave the way you first did. For if you don’t repent, I'll come quick-smart and take away your lampstand completely.
6 But there is one thing you are doing right. You hate what the Nicolaitanes are doing, and so do I.
THE NICOLAITANES WERE CARPET-BAGGERS (OF ALL WALKS AND BELIEFS) WHO WANTED A HIERARCHY OF POSITION TO CONTROL THE SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE NOBILITY AND COMMON FOLK.
7 So if you have ears, then listen to what the Spirit says to the Bridal Fellowship (AND DO IT!) I will let everyone who overcomes eat from the Tree of Life in the midst of Yahuah’s Paradise.
REMEMBER YAHUSHA SAID THAT HE'S THE BREAD AND WATER OF LIFE AND ANYONE WHO EATS AND DRINKS OF HIM WILL NEVER HUNGER OR THIRST AGAIN'...
8 Now write this to the Messenger (LEADER) of the Fellowship in SMYRNA: I'm the first and the last (YAHUAH). I died, but now I’m alive! (YAHUSHA) So listen to what I've got to say. 9 I know how hard you work, the incredible PRESSURE you suffer and how poor you are, but you’re actually very rich. I also know the horrific, cruel things being said about you by people who pretend to be good Jews, but they're not - they just belong to Satan! ( AN ASSEMBLY / SYNAGOGUE / HOUSE OF SATAN ) .
10 So don’t worry about what you'll suffer, for the hater (DEVIL) will throw some of you into prison, and you’ll be tested and made to suffer for a time.
(10 DAYS = A FULLNESS OF TIME)
But if you are trustworthy and loyal until death, I will reward you with the crown of life (ETERNAL LIFE). 11 So if you've got ears, wake up and listen to what I'm saying to your Fellowship. Whoever overcomes won’t be harmed by the second death at all.
THE FIRST DEATH IS PHYSICAL FLESH BUT THE SECOND DEATH IS OUR INNER BEING OR SPIRIT. SO EVEN IF WE DO LOSE OUR PHYSICAL LIVES (OR JUST `KICK IT' BEFORE YAHUSHA RETURNS) THOSE WHO OVERCOME THE WORLD WON'T BE HARMED BY THE SECOND DEATH, BUT WILL BE TRANSFORMED.
12 Now write this to the Messenger (LEADER) of the Fellowship in PERGAMOS: I’m the one who has the sharp double - edged sword remember? So listen to what I say. 13 I see all your hard work and I understand that you live where Satan has his throne. But you’ve kept true to My Name. I mean right there where Satan lives, my trustworthy witness Antipas was taken from you and put to death, and even then you didn’t give up your belief or stop following Me.
14 But I do have a few things against you, because some of you there are following the teachings of Balaam (who long ago showed Balak how to make My people stumble, by eating food that had been offered to idols and committed whoring).
(BALAAM ADVISED KING BALAK TO SEND PAGAN WOMEN INTO ANCIENT ISRAEL TO DISTRACT AND SEDUCE THEM INTO WORSHIPPING FALSE DEITIES THROUGH SEXUAL ORGY BEHAVIOUR).
15 And some of you are even following the teachings of the Nicolaitanes which I absolutely hate! 16 So Repent! Or I'll be there quick-smart to fight against these wicked people. And trust Me, My Words will cut like a sword! 17 If you've got ears then LISTEN to what I'm saying to the Bridal Fellowship.
BALAAM WAS SLAIN BY A SWORD !!
To everyone who overcomes, I’ll give some of the hidden manna to eat ...
THE VISIBLE MANNA (`ANGEL FOOD' MEANING `WHAT IS IT?') IN THE WILDERNESS APPEARED AND WAS COLLECTED AND SUSTAINED ANCIENT ISRAEL FOR SIX DAYS EVERY WEEK (DOUBLE HAD TO BE COLLECTED TO KEEP FOR THE SABBATH DAY OF REST). THE VISIBLE MANNA WAS REMEMBERED THROUGH THE 12 LOAVES OF SHOWBREAD IN THE TABERNACLE, WHICH THE PRIESTS WOULD EAT EVERY SHABATH, LIT UP BY THE LIGHT OF THE CANDLESTICK.
... and I'll give each one of you a white stone with a new name written on it as well. And no one will know that new name except the one who’s received the stone.
IN JOHN’S ERA A WHITE STONE WAS THE TYPICAL MEANS OF ADMISSION TO AN EVENT OR PUBLIC FESTIVAL (LIKE A TICKET TO THE WEDDING FEAST). ALSO, IN A PUBLIC TRIAL, A WHITE STONE MEANT A VOTE OF ACQUITTAL AND INNOCENCE, WHILE A BLACK STONE WAS A VOTE OF GUILT BY EACH JURY MEMBER.
18 Now write this to the Messenger of the Assembly in THYATIRA, ‘I am the Son of YAHUAH, with eyes like a flame of fire and feet like burnished brass ... so listen to Me. 19 I see all your behaviour, love, service, belief and also your endurance ... so good onya guys, for your behaviour is getting better and better everyday, and it’s affecting many others too.
UNLIKE EPHESUS (WHO HAD LOST THEIR FIRST LOVE) THESE GUYS WERE GROWING AND BEING EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE NOW THAN IN THE BEGINNING!
20 But I do have a major problem with you allowing that woman Jezebel (who actually calls herself a prophetess!) to teach and lead My servants astray, into dirty whoring and eating food offered to idols, and she's unchallenged!
SOME VERSIONS SAY `YOUR WIFE JEZEBEL’ (AS IN THE FELLOWSHIP LEADER'S WIFE) JUST LIKE JEZEBEL WAS THE WIFE OF KING AHAB IN THE ANCIENT TEXTS.
21 I gave her time to repent of her whoring and idolatry, but she refuses to give up her lucrative business. 22 So now I’m throwing her and all her idolatrous sexual partners into a death-bed and will heap great affliction and torment on them, unless of course they repent of their wicked behaviour. 23 I’ll even kill all her children, so that all the Fellowships will know that outward appearances and show don’t impress me, for I’m the One searching hearts with x-ray vision, and will dish out favour or consequences to each person according to their behaviour.
24 Now let Me tell you and the rest in Thyatira, that if you don’t get sucked into this wicked teaching of Jezebel or the 'Depths of Satan’ (as they call them) ... then I won’t make your life any harder for you (BECAUSE YOU'LL HAVE ENOUGH DRAMA WHEN YOU BOOT THAT WOMAN OUT!) 25 Just keep guarding what you have until I return.
26 Everyone who overcomes and guards the behaviour I’m teaching you until the end, will have Authority over the nations and will shepherd them, 27 leading with a rod of iron, and the nations will be as fragile as a clay pot which is broken to pieces, unable to push-back. 28 My Father gave this gift of Authority to Me and now I’m sharing it with you. 29 You'll even have the morning star. If you’ve got ears, then listen to what the Spirit says to the Bridal Fellowship.”
READ THE B.R STUDY GUIDE ON THIS CHAPTER:
EPHESUS - FIRST LOVE