The Mystery of the Seven Churches

The mystery of the seven churches listed in Revelation is revealed in scripture.

Revelation 1:4.  John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,  5.  and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,  6.  and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Every true believer from the church age beginning to end belongs to one of these seven churches which began in the modern day country of Turkey and are all present today throughout the world but mostly hidden from our eyes. I will attempt to present evidence from the Holy Scriptures to prove this point. Only ask that the Lord send his Holy Spirit to guide you in discernment to understand this spiritual message.

Revelation 1:10.  I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11.  saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,'' and, "What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea. 12.  Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands,  13.  and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.

Revelation 1:18.  "I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.  19.  "Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.  20.  "The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

The Menorah represents the Seven Churches

The menorah constructed and used by the Levitical priests in the original Temple is an earthly model and foreshadow of the body of Christ with seven churches which are now seven individual lampstands that shall all be fused into one with six branches and one center shaft of  which Jesus is the Head. We being many shall all be one body in Christ after all is fulfilled. The Holy Spirit is the flame of light or fire which proceeds from the lamp, the vessel is the church which has seven different branches:

1. Ephesus represents the apostles, prophets, watchmen and scribes

2. Smyrna represents Abraham’s children from many nations.

3. Pergamos represents Israel.

4. Thyatira represents Judah and Jerusalem.

5. Sardis represents a mystery.

6. Philadelphia represents the 144000 Virgins Of Israel.

7. Laodicea represents Ephraim and the house of Joseph.

All are the children of Abraham. All but the gentile nations are the seed of Israel but they are grafted in and have an equal portion with the rest of Israel when all is said and done. He who has been given the most by God is required to go further into the time of great tribulation. Jerusalem is the chosen Holy City whose small remnant shall remain until Jesus return.
 

Luke 12:47.  "And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.  48.  "But he who did not know, yet committed things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

Exodus 25:31.  "You shall also make a lampstand of pure gold; the lampstand shall be of hammered work. Its shaft, its branches, its bowls, its ornamental knobs, and flowers shall be of one piece.  32.  "And six branches shall come out of its sides: three branches of the lampstand out of one side, and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side.  33.  "Three bowls shall be made like almond blossoms on one branch, with an ornamental knob and a flower, and three bowls made like almond blossoms on the other branch, with an ornamental knob and a flower and so for the six branches that come out of the lampstand.  34.  "On the lampstand itself four bowls shall be made like almond blossoms, each with its ornamental knob and flower.  35.  "And there shall be a knob under the first two branches of the same, a knob under the second two branches of the same, and a knob under the third two branches of the same, according to the six branches that extend from the lampstand.  36.  "Their knobs and their branches shall be of one piece; all of it shall be one hammered piece of pure gold.  37.  "You shall make seven lamps for it, and they shall arrange its lamps so that they give light in front of it.  38.  "And its wick-trimmers and their trays shall be of pure gold.  39.  "It shall be made of a talent of pure gold, with all these utensils.

Three bulbs on each of the six branches, four on the center shaft which totals 22; which is the same number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet.

Numbers 8:1.  And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:  2.  "Speak to Aaron, and say to him, `When you arrange the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.' ''  3.  And Aaron did so; he arranged the lamps to face toward the front of the lampstand, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Zechariah 6:12.  "Then speak to him, saying, `Thus says the Lord of hosts, saying: "Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, and He shall build the temple of the Lord;

The light in front of the lampstand is the Holy Spirit.

Zechariah 4:1.  Now the angel who talked with me came back and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep.  2.  And he said to me, "What do you see?'' So I said, "I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps.  3.  "Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left.''  4.  So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, "What are these, my lord?''  5.  Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, "Do you not know what these are?'' And I said, "No, my lord.''  6.  So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: `Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts.

The Seven Daughters of Jerusalem Above are the Seven Churches

The seven churches which are sometimes described prophetically and symbolically as women or children are prophesied in the book of Isaiah petitioning for Jesus to cleanse their sins and be their husband by receiving his name. If you proclaim to be a Christian or a child of the Most High God of the Holy Bible, you are either the daughter or children of earthly Jerusalem which is Mystery Babylon the counterfeit or the daughter or children of Jerusalem from heaven above. Those of the daughters of Mystery Babylon by far outnumber those of the daughters of Jerusalem above.

Isaiah 4:1.  And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, "We will eat our own food and wear our own apparel; only let us be called by your name, to take away our reproach.''  2.  In that day the Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious; and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing for those of Israel who have escaped.  3.  And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and he who remains in Jerusalem will be called holy everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem.  4.  When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning,

Luke 23:27.  And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him.  28.  But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.

Luke 13 :34.  "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!  35.  "See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, `Blessed is He who Comes in the name of the Lord!' ''

How can Jerusalem be the daughter or child of Jerusalem? How can Jesus be the Father and child of David? These are spiritual mysteries which are spiritually discerned. It will take much time of meditation and study for your mind to catch up with your spirit.

Galatians 4:22.  For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman.  23.  But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise,  24.  which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar  25.  for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children  26.  but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.  27.  For it is written: "Rejoice, O barren, you who do not bear! Break forth and shout, you who do not travail! for the desolate has many more children than she who has a husband.'' 28.  Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.  29.  But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now.  30.  Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? "Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.''  31.  So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.

If you are a gentile without the blood of Israel, a true believe; do not worry because you belong to the church of Smyrna the largest of the seven churches described in the book of Revelation which is the children of Abraham with a multitude of people from many nations. Contrary to popular belief, the gentiles shall enter ten days into the time of great tribulation as they are not the church of Philadelphia which is reserved for the 144000 virgins in the last days.

Ezekiel 47:22.  "It shall be that you will divide it by lot as an inheritance for yourselves, and for the strangers who sojourn among you and who bear children among you. They shall be to you as native-born among the children of Israel; they shall have an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.  23.  "And it shall be that in whatever tribe the stranger sojourns, there you shall give him his inheritance,'' says the Lord God.

The gentiles and seed of Israel are one in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:18.  For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.  19.  Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,  20.  having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,  21.  in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,  22.  in whom you also are being built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.

The husband of Jerusalem from above in heaven whom is the bride which is the true church is of course Jesus Christ our Lord. Mount Zion is often used in conjunction with or in place of Jerusalem.

Revelation 21:2.  Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3.  And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.

Revelation 21:9.  Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife.'' 10.  And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

Hebrews 12:22.  But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels,  23.  to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,

Jeremiah 15:5.  "For who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem? Or who will bemoan

you? Or who will turn aside to ask how you are doing?                                           

Jeremiah 15:9.  "She languishes who has borne seven; she has breathed her last; her sun has gone down while it was yet day; she has been ashamed and confounded. And the remnant of them I will deliver to the sword before their enemies,'' says the Lord.  10.  Woe is me, my mother, that you have borne me, a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent for interest, nor have men lent to me for interest. every one of them curses me. 

1 Samuel 2:5.  Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, and those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. Even the barren has borne seven, (Jerusalem from above) and she who has many children (mystery Babylon) has become feeble.

Proverbs 9:1.  Wisdom has built her house, she has hewn out her seven pillars;

Wisdom is one of the Seven Spirits of God.

Pillars  H5982  עמּד    עמּוּד

‛ammûd  ‛ammûd  am-mood', am-mood'

From H5975; a column (as standing); also a stand, that is, platform: -  X apiece, pillar.

H5975  עמד

‛âmad  aw-mad'

A primitive root; to stand, in various relations (literally and figuratively, intransitively and transitively): - abide (behind), appoint, arise, cease, confirm, continue, dwell, be employed, endure, establish, leave, make, ordain, be [over], place, (be) present (self), raise up, remain, repair, + serve, set (forth, over, -tle, up), (make to, make to be at a, with-) stand (by, fast, firm, still, up), (be at a) stay (up), tarry.

H5971  עם

‛am  am

From H6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively a flock: - folk, men, nation, people.

Sometimes we of the true church are described as children rather than daughter.

Isaiah 66: 7.  Before she travailed, she gave birth; before her pain came, she delivered a male child. 8.  Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. 9.  Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God. 10.  Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: 11.  That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. 12.  For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees. 13.  As one whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

Psalms 113:9.  He grants the barren woman a home, Like a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord!

Psalms 125:1.  Those who trust in the Lord Are like Mount Zion, Which cannot be moved, but abides forever.  2.  As the mountains surround Jerusalem, So the Lord surrounds His people From this time forth and forever.

Revelation 21:2.  Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  3.  And  heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.

Unless you are a true Jew of the heritage of Judah or positively a gentile, the question you may be asking is: Which church of the seven do I belong to? I suspect if you are honest with yourself you will see yourself in more than one of the seven churches described by Jesus in Revelation and the rest of the Holy Scriptures. Why does it matter? There are three separate watches in which the Lord will come to gather his harvest and in the fourth watch he will come to rescue those who are alive and remain of Jerusalem.  It is best we are always watching even if we know what church we belong to because we could die in the flesh at any time. It is possible for those who believe themselves to be gentiles who wear garments of many colors to actually belong to one of the other six churches of the seed of Israel. Ephraim and the virgins also described as wearing garments of many colors and I believe are mixed among the gentiles with their identities hidden to them.

Luke 12:37.  "Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. 38.  "And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.  39.  "But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  40.  "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.''

Now I will attempt to separate and discern the seven different churches which shall all become one when the mystery of God is finished.

Ephesus   Apostles Prophets Watchmen

Revelation 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:  2.  "I know your works, your labor, 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;  3.  "and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary.  4.  "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.  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.  6.  "But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.  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.'' '

The words spoken to the church of Ephesus best describe the Apostles, Prophets, Watchmen, and Scribes which are the foundation of the temple of God. They are those who constantly handle and study the Scriptures as the Lord has commanded us to by knowing the Word you will be more suited to love the Lord God with all your heart, soul and mind. But even those who know the Word may lose their first love at least temporarily because of constant attacks and battles with Satan and his children who far outnumber the righteous children. Those who separate themselves from evil become a prey and it is easy to lose sight of the love of God and our need to share that with others. People who are not of Ephesus need to understand that speaking the truth in love no matter how much it hurts is necessary and required of this church. A watchmen is commanded to give warning to all whose soul is in jeopardy and if he does not he will lose his own soul. The true prophets are always regarded as the bad guys by the majority of the church as recorded throughout the Scriptures. Hence we hear the saying “don’t kill the messenger.” People would rather hear good and smooth things that tickle their ears and comfort their egos. Most leaders surround themselves with those who tell them what they want to hear. Few are the wise leaders open to receive the truth from their counselors. Their loss of their first love by the church of Ephesus does not excuse anyone else who chooses to ignore of the Word of Truth. Many of the prophets have and will give their lives to speak the words of God to those who are ready to perish and there is no greater love than to give your life for another.

John 15:10.  "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.  11.  "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12.  "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  13.  "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.  14.  "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.

Ephesians 2:19.  Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,  20.  having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,  21.  in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,  22.  in whom you also are being built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 12:12.  Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.

Acts 5:12.  And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were wrought  among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch.

1 Thessalonians 2:9.  For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.

2 Thessalonians 3:7.  For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you;  8.  nor did we eat anyone's bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you,  9.  not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.

James 5:10.  My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience.  11.  Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.

Jeremiah 29:18.  And I will pursue them with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence; and I will deliver them to trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth to be a curse, an astonishment, a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations where I have driven them,  19.  because they have not heeded My words, says the Lord, which I sent to them by My servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; neither would you heed, says the Lord.

Revelation 10:7.  but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.

Amos 3:7.  Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.

Daniel 9:10.  "We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets.

Isaiah 62:6.  I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem, who shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent,  7.  and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

Jeremiah 6:17.  Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, `listen to the sound of the trumpet!' But they said, `We will not listen.'

Ezekiel 3:17.  "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: 18.  "When I say to the wicked, `You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.  19.  "Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.

The apostles, prophets and watchmen are sometimes so busy defending the Word of God against false teachers that they forget to tell people about Jesus, his goodness and blessings and love and forgiveness and mercy and grace hallelujah!

Jonah 4:9.  Then God said to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?'' And he said, "It is right for me to be angry, even to death!''  10.  But the Lord said, "You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night.  11.  "And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left, and also much livestock?''

The false teachers, false doctrines and spiritual wickedness have become so prolific in these last days that finding the strength to love your enemies is difficult to muster.

Matthew 5:44.  "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,  45.  "that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

Mark 12:30.  `And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.  31.  "And the second, like it, is this: `You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these.''  32.  So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He.  33.  "And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.''  34.  So when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God.'' And after that no one dared question Him.

 Matthew 24: 8.  "All these are the beginning of sorrows.  9.  "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.  10.  "And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.  11.  "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12.  "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.  13.  "But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

Smyrna   Mixed Multitude of Abraham’s Gentiles

Revelation 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: 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. 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 affliction ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

2 Corinthians 8:1.  Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia:  2.  that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.

Macedonia is located in the gentile nation of Greece. The apostle Paul was commissioned by God to preach to the gentile nations.

Acts 22:21.  "Then He said to me, `Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.' ''

Galatians 1:15.  But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace,  16.  to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood,

Galatians 2:7.  But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to 

Peter  8.  (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles),  9.  and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.  10.  They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do.

Galatians 3:14.  that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Ephesians 3:8.  To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

2 Timothy 1:11.  to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

Psalm 47: 8.  God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.  9.  The princes of the people have gathered together, The people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted.

Jeremiah 16:19.  O Lord, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come to You from the ends of the earth and say, "Surely our fathers have inherited lies, worthlessness and unprofitable things.''

1 Peter 4:12.  Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;  13.  but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.  14.  If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.

John 15:18.  "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.  19.  "If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.  20.  "Remember the word that I said to you, `A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.  21.  "But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.23.  "He who hates Me hates My Father also.

Timothy 3:12.  Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.  13.  But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Philippians 1:29.  For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 

1 Peter 5:9.  Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world.   10.  And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, and strengthen you. 

Psalm 44:22.  Yet for Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.  23.  Awake! Why do You sleep, O Lord? Arise! Do not cast us off forever.  24.  Why do You hide Your face, And forget our affliction and our oppression? 25.  For our soul is bowed down to the dust; Our body clings to the ground.  26.  Arise for our help, And redeem us for Your mercies' sake.

 

The gentile nations of Abraham are shown crying out to God in the book of Revelation.

 Revelation 6: 9.  When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10.  And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth? 11.  And a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

This same group of people from all nations in their completed number of saved souls is now standing before the throne of the Lamb of God.

Revelation 7:9.  After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10.  and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!''

Revelation 7:13.  Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?''  14.  And I said to him, "Sir, you know.'' So he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

The church of Smyrna is told that they would suffer tribulation for ten days.

Yom Kippur is a Jewish holiday which is also known as the Day of Atonement takes place on the tenth day of the seventh month which is preceded by the Feast of Trumpets which takes place on the first day of the seventh month. This may be the antichrist version of the ten days of repentance and affliction which culminates in the judgment of those who do not meet the standards for the Day of Atonement. This killing of the body of gentile Christians is possibly the abomination that makes desolate as spoken by the prophet Daniel. The antichrist beast sits in the judgment seat of God and kills God’s Holy ones for their faith in Jesus. After this false atonement is completed the antichrist presenting him to be God will see no more need for sacrifice. The beast will attempt to complete all the future acts of God in order to deceive the masses into believing him to be God.

Leviticus 23: 24.  "Speak to the children of Israel, saying: `In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.  25.  `You shall do no customary work on it; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.' ''  26.  And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:  27.  "Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.  28.  "And you shall do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God.  29.  "For any person who is not afflicted of soul on that same day, he shall be cut off from his people. 30.  And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people.

Leviticus 25:8.  And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years. 9.  Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the Day of Atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.

Here are a couple of excerpts from others:

Those who measure up to the Noachide Laws and other criteria favorable to the New World Order will be written up in the Antichrist’s book of life; the rest of humanity will be sacrificed.

 “Rosh-ha-Shanah is held in great reverence as the Day of Judgment …the beginning of the 10-day period…during which, according to tradition, all the peoples of the earth pass before the Lord and are marked in the ‘Book of Life‘ or in the ‘Book of Death’,” – (“Rosh ha-Shanah”)

Daniel 8:11.  He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down.  12.  Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered.  13.  Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, "How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled under foot?''  14.  And he said to me, "For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.''

Daniel 9:27.  Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and oblation, and on the wings of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate.''

Daniel 11:31.  "And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and make there the abomination of desolation.

Daniel 12:11.  "And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is given up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days.

Mark 13:14.  "But when you see the `abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not'' (let the reader understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

2 Thessalonians 2:3.  Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,  4.  who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

The true Day of Atonement will come later in the time of great tribulation.

Pergamos   Israel

Revelation 2:12.  "And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, `These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword:  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.  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 fornication.  15.  "Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.  16.  `Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against you with the sword of My mouth.  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.'' '

The references to Satan’s throne, false doctrines, manna and a white stone with a name all point toward Israel.

Exodus 28:9.  "Then you shall take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel: 10.  "six of their names on one stone, and the remaining six names on the other stone, according to their birth.  11.  "With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, you shall engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel. You shall set them in settings of gold.  12.  "And you shall put the two stones on the shoulders of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. So Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders as a memorial.

1 Kings 18:31.  And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, "Israel shall be your name.''  32.  Then with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord; and he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed.

Joshua 4:4.  Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the children of Israel, one man from every tribe;  5.  and Joshua said to them: "Cross over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel,  6.  "that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, `What do these stones mean to you?'

Joshua 4:20.  And those twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal.  21.  Then he spoke to the children of Israel, saying: "When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, `What are these stones?'  22.  "then you shall let your children know, saying, `Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land';

Exodus 16:31.  And the house of Israel called its name Manna. And it was like white coriander seed, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.  32.  Then Moses said, "This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: `Fill an omer with it, to be kept for your generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.' ''  33.  And Moses said to Aaron, "Take a pot and put an omer of manna in it, and lay it up before the Lord, to be kept for your generations.''

Numbers 11:7.  Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its color like the color of bdellium.  8.  The people went about and gathered it, ground it on millstones or beat it in the mortar, cooked it in pans, and made cakes of it; and its taste was like the taste of pastry prepared with oil.  9.  And when the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it.

John 6:31.  "Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, `He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' ''  32.  Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.  33.  "For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.''  34.  Then they said to Him, "Lord, give us this bread always.''  35.  And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

Ezekiel 28:2.  "Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, `Thus says the Lord God: "Because your heart is lifted up, and you say, `I am a god, I sit in the seat of god, in the midst of the seas,' yet you are a man, and not a god, though you set your heart as the heart of a god. 3.  (Behold, you are wiser than Daniel! there is no secret that can be hidden from you!  4.  With your wisdom and your understanding you have gained riches for yourself, and gathered gold and silver into your treasuries;  5.  by your great wisdom in trade you have increased your riches, and your heart is lifted up because of your riches),''

1 Kings 10:18.  Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold.  19.  The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round at the back; there were armrests on either side of the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the armrests.  20.  Twelve lions stood there, one on each side of the six steps; nothing like this had been made for any other kingdom.  21.  All King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; not one was of silver, for this was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon.  22.  For the king had merchant ships at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the merchant ships came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and monkeys.  23.  So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.  24.  And all the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.

Lebanon was and will be within the boundaries of Israel which stretched all the way nearly to Tyre. There is much more about King Solomon and his lineage written in scripture for all to read.

Thyatira   Judah and Jerusalem

Zechariah 12:7.  "The Lord will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall not become greater than that of Judah.

Revelation 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:  19.  "I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first.  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 fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols.

Jezebel is spiritually apostate Jerusalem which is spiritually Mystery Babylon which kills the body of God’s prophets and messengers for speaking the Truth. The Lord is warning Judah that they will enter into great tribulation with Jerusalem unless they repent of their spiritual fornication with false gods. The references to woman, Jezebel, harlot, adultery, children, churches, depths of Satan and keeping God’s works to the end all point toward Jerusalem and symbolically Mystery Babylon. The fact that the Lord says you allow Jezebel to seduce my servants is proof that they are not her but are in fact close contact with her.

2 Kings 9:22.  Now it happened, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, "Is it peace, Jehu?'' So he answered, "What peace, as long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her witchcraft are so many?''

2 Kings 9:7.  `You shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, at the hand of Jezebel.

Revelation 2: 21.  "And I gave her time to repent of her fornication, and she did not repent.  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.

The sickbed of the bloody woman who must be purified seven days in reference to the seven times seventy years of judgment pronounced upon Jerusalem and its people.

Leviticus 15:19.  `If a woman has a discharge, and the discharge from her body is blood, she shall be set apart seven days; and whoever touches her shall be unclean until evening.  20.  `Everything that she lies on during her impurity shall be unclean; also everything that she sits on shall be unclean.  21.  `Whoever touches her bed shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening.  22.  `And whoever touches anything that she sat on shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening.  23.  `If anything is on her bed or on anything on which she sits, when he touches it, he shall be unclean until evening. 24.  `And if any man lies with her at all, so that her impurity is on him, he shall be unclean seven days; and every bed on which he lies shall be unclean.  25.  `If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, other than at the time of her customary impurity, or if it runs beyond her usual time of impurity, all the days of her unclean discharge shall be as the days of her customary impurity. She shall be unclean.  26.  `Every bed on which she lies all the days of her discharge shall be to her as the bed of her impurity; and whatever she sits on shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her impurity.  27.  `Whoever touches those things shall be unclean; he shall wash his clothes and bathe in water, and be unclean until evening.  28.  `But if she is cleansed of her discharge, then she shall count for herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean.

Revelation 2:23.  "And 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.  24.  "But to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, and who have not known the depths of Satan, as they call them, I will put on you no other burden.  25.  "But hold fast what you have till I come.  26.  "And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations  

Revelation 2:27.  `He shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the potter's vessels shall be broken to pieces' as I also have received from My Father;  28.  "and I will give him the morning star.  29.  "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the church.''

These prophecies speak in reference to the potters vessels

Jeremiah 19:1.  Thus says the Lord: "Go and get a potter's earthen flask, and take some of the elders of the people and some of the elders of the priests.  2.  "And go out to the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, which is by the entry of the Potsherd Gate; and proclaim there the words that I will tell you,  3.  "and say, `Hear the word of the Lord, O kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: "Behold, I will bring such a catastrophe on this place, that whoever hears of it, his ears will tingle. 

Jeremiah 19:7.  "And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place, and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies and by the hands of those who seek their lives; their corpses I will give as meat for the birds of the heaven and for the beasts of the earth.  10.  "Then you shall break the flask in the sight of the men who go with you,

Jeremiah 19:11.  "and say to them, `Thus says the Lord of hosts: "Even so I will break this people and this city, as one breaks a potter's vessel, which cannot be made whole again; and they shall bury them in Tophet till there is no place to bury.  12.  "Thus I will do to this place,'' says the Lord, "and to its inhabitants, and make this city like Tophet.  13.  "And the houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah shall be defiled like the place of Tophet, because of all the houses on whose roofs they have burned incense to all the host of heaven, and poured out drink offerings to other gods.''

There is a lot of intermixing of prophecies concerning Judah and Jerusalem but that shall end when Judah is gathered at the great harvest of end times and Jerusalem shall be alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord in the fourth and final watch.

Zechariah 13:8.  And it shall come to pass in all the land,'' says the Lord, "That two thirds in it shall be cut off and die, but one third shall be left in it:  9.  I will bring the one third through the fire, will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, `This is My people'; and each one will say, `The Lord is my God.' ''

Isaiah 48:1.  "Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and have come forth from the wellsprings of Judah; who swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth or in righteousness;  2.  for they call themselves after the holy city, and lean on the God of Israel; the Lord of hosts is His name:

Jeremiah 3:18.  "In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given as an inheritance to your fathers.

Jeremiah 50:4.  "In those days and in that time,'' says the Lord, "The children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together; with continual weeping they shall come, and seek the Lord their God.  5.  They shall ask the way to Zion, with their faces toward it, saying, `come and let us join ourselves to the Lord In a perpetual covenant That will not be forgotten.'

Hosea 6:11.  Also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed for you, when I return the captives of My people.

2 Chronicles 21:11.  Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit harlotry, and led Judah astray.  12.  And a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus says the Lord God of your father David: "Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, or in the ways of Asa king of Judah,  13.  "but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot like the harlotry of the house of Ahab, and also have killed your brothers, those of your father's household, who were better than yourself,

Jeremiah 3:8.  "Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also.  9.  "So it came to pass, through her casual harlotry, that she defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees.\

 

 

The majority of Jerusalem has been defiled by the Babylonians which came into her bed of love and defiling them, hence we get the name Mystery Babylon.

Ezekiel 23:17.  "Then the Babylonians came to her, into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their immorality; so she was defiled by them, and alienated herself from them.  18.  She revealed her harlotry and uncovered her nakedness. then I alienated Myself from her, as I had alienated Myself from her sister.

Ezekiel 23:4.  Their names: Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister; they were Mine, and they bore sons and daughters. As for their names, Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem is Oholibah.

Ezekiel 23:11.  "Now although her sister Oholibah saw this, she became more corrupt in her inordinate love than she, and in her harlotry more corrupt than her sister's harlotry.

Ezekiel 23:44.  "Yet they went in to her, as men go in to a woman who plays the harlot; thus they went in to Oholah and Oholibah, the lewd women.  45.  "But righteous men will judge them after the manner of adulteresses, and after the manner of women who shed blood, because they are adulteresses, and blood is on their hands.

Ezekiel 16:38.  "And I will judge you as women who break wedlock or shed blood are judged; I will bring blood upon you in fury and jealousy.

Matthew 23 :35.  "that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.  36.  "Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.  37.  "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

Luke 13:33.  "Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem. 

Revelation 18:20.  "Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!''

Isaiah 28:14.  Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scornful men, who rule this people who are in Jerusalem,  15.  because you have said, "We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we are in agreement. When the overflowing scourge passes through, it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood we have hidden ourselves.''  16.  Therefore thus says the Lord God: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily.  17.  Also I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plummet; the hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow the hiding place.  18.  Your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand; when the overflowing scourge passes through, then you will be trampled down by it.  19.  As often as it goes out it will take you; for morning by morning it will pass over, and by day and by night; it will be a terror just to understand the report.''  20.  For the bed is too short for a man to stretch out on, and the covering so narrow that he cannot wrap himself in it.

 

 

Jeremiah 13:27.  I have seen your adulteries and your lustful neighings, the lewdness of your harlotry, your abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! Will you still not be made clean?''

The remnant of elect who survive in Jerusalem  are referenced in these next verses.

Isaiah 4:2.  In that day the Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious; and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing for those of Israel who have escaped.  3.  And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and he who remains in Jerusalem will be called holy everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem.  4.  When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning,

Isaiah 37:31.  And the remnant who have escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.  32.  For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, and those who escape from Mount Zion. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

1 Thessalonians 4:15.  For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.  16.  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  17.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Zechariah 14:2.  For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; the city shall be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, but the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city.  3.  Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle.  4.  And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley; half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south.  5.  Then you shall flee through My mountain valley, for the mountain valley shall reach to Azal. Yes, you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Thus the Lord my God will come, and all the saints with You.

Sardis    remains a mystery

Revelation 3:1.  "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, `These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.  

Revelation 3: 4.  "You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.  5.  "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

Philadelphia   144000 Virgins

Revelation 3:7.  "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, `These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens'':  8.  "I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.  9.  "Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.  10.  "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.  11.  "Behold, I come quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.  12.  "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.

Strong's Ref. # 5083  Romanized  tereo  Pronounced tay-reh'-o

from teros (a watch; perhaps akin to GSN2334); to guard (from loss or injury, properly, by keeping the eye upon; and thus differing from GSN5442, which is properly to prevent escaping; and from GSN2892, which implies a fortress or full military lines of apparatus), i.e. to note (a prophecy; figuratively, to fulfil a command); by implication, to detain (in custody; figuratively, to maintain); by extension, to withhold (for personal ends; figuratively, to keep unmarried); by extension, to withhold (for personal ends; figuratively, to keep unmarried):  KJV--hold fast, keep(- er), (pre-, re-)serve, watch.

Revelation 3:11.  "Behold, I come quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.  12.  "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.

 

The wedding procession

Psalm 45:13.  The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace; Her clothing is woven with gold.  14.  She shall be brought to the King in robes of many colors; The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to You.

Psalm 68:24.  They have seen Your procession, O God, The procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.  25.  The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; Among them were the maidens playing timbrels.

Luke 12:36.  "and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return for the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.37.  "Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.

Luke 12:42.  And the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food (doctrine) in due season?  43.  "Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.

Psalm 66:9.  Who keeps our soul among the living, And does not allow our feet to be moved.  10.  For You, O God, have proved us; You have refined us as silver is refined.  11.  You brought us into the net; You laid affliction on our backs.  12.  You have caused men to rise over our heads; We went through fire and through water; But You brought us out to rich fulfillment."Behold, I come quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.  12.  "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.

Revelation 14:1.  Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on their foreheads. 

Isaiah 56:4.  For thus says the Lord: "To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose what pleases Me, and hold fast My covenant,  5.  even to them I will give in My house and within My walls a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.

Revelation 21:16.  And the city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal.  17.  Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.

Revelation 7:1.  After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.  2.  Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3.  saying, "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.''  4.  And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:5.  of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed;  6.  of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed;  7.  of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed;  8.  of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.

Servants are usually prophets and watchmen who watch over the Word and the things which are to take place in the future.

You may notice that Dan is completely left out with Joseph taking the place of Ephraim.

Psalm 60:4.  You have given a banner to those who fear You, That it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah  5.  That Your beloved may be delivered, Save with Your right hand, and hear me.

Revelation 14:2.  And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps.  3.  And they sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth.  4.  These are the ones who were not defiled with the woman for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. 

Leviticus 2:12.  `As for the offering of the firstfruits, you shall offer them to the Lord, but they shall not be burned on the altar for a sweet aroma.

As I wrote earlier and scripture will prove that a woman depicted in prophecy is a number of people, men and women who share a common spiritual belief and or practice held in honor of their God. In the Old Testament books of the prophets you will find several instances of this, mostly pointing toward Jerusalem, Judah and Israel. Most times it is derogatory as the false believers heavily outweigh the true believers. In positive instances it points toward the bride of Christ. In this instance it points toward the false church known as Mystery Babylon, the harlot woman who rides upon the satanic beast. The 144000 virgins are not married to Mystery Babylon as they have not layed with her in her bed of lies and adultery and are undefiled by her.

Proverbs 7:10.  And there a woman met him, with the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart.  11.  She was loud and rebellious, her feet would not stay at home.  12.  At times she was outside, at times in the open square, lurking at every corner.

Proverbs 25:24 It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop, than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

Proverbs 21:9.  It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.

Proverbs 21:19.  It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and angry woman.

Proverbs 6:23.  For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light; reproofs of instruction are the way of life,  24.  to keep you from the evil woman, from the flattering tongue of a seductress.

Ecclesiastes 7:26.  And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.

Proverbs 30:20.  This is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats and wipes her mouth, and says, "I have done no wickedness.''

The virgins speak with no deceit and are blameless before God as their refining has already taken place before the time of great tribulation.

Revelation 14:5.  And in their mouth was found no guile, for they are without fault before the throne of God.

Similar attributes are given to the eunuchs of Judah who are of course also virgins in the book of the wise prophet Daniel.

Daniel 1:4.  young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans.

Daniel 1:8.  But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat (spiritual food), nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 10.  And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the12.  "Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.

Daniel 1:13.  "Then let our countenances be examined before you, and the countenances of the young men who eat the portion of the king's delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.''  14.  So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days.  15.  And at the end of ten days their countenance appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king's delicacies.

The 144,000 virgins who belong to the church of Philadelphia are refined by fire in the first half of the 7 year agreement made by the beast. They are servants of God who watch over the Word and endure 3.5 years of persecution the first half of the 70^th week along with the gentiles as their identity is hidden to most and are rescued after the beast takes office in Jerusalem as he will seek to kill them but they will escape into the wilderness. After the ten days of tribulation of the church of Smyrna they shall be sealed, protected and taken to a safe place in the wilderness as the day of the Lord’s wrath begins upon the earth and those wicked who dwell upon it. The rest of the churches will be refined in the fire but not subject to the wrath of the Lamb.

Revelation 12:1.  Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.

Revelation 12:6.  Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.

The word harpazo is not used for the 144,000 virgins, but pheugo.

Strong's Ref. # 5343  Romanized  pheugo  Pronounced fyoo'-go  a primary verb; to run away (literally or figuratively); by implication, to shun; by analogy, to vanish:   KJV--escape, flee (away).

You probably will not find this Church if you look for it here on earth in these last days as the virgins do not belong to any officially organized church business of the daughter of Mystery Babylon because they follow the Truth and the Word only. They have not been compromised by the false doctrines and practices spread throughout the Church world which Jesus sternly warned us as he addressed the seven churches. You will not recognize them as the Jews of today either as they wear garments of many colors. It’s possible that The 144000 virgins probably don’t even know that they possess the bloodline of the 12 tribes of Israel as God has hidden them from view, just as he did Esther. But they do know who that their Lord and Savior is Jesus of Nazareth and will under no circumstances deny his name in words or actions.

Psalms 57:9.  Before your pots can feel the burning thorns, He shall take them away as with a whirlwind, As in His living and burning wrath.'

Psalms 63:1.  O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.

Amos 8:11.  "Behold, the days are coming,'' says the Lord God, "That I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the Word of the Lord.  12.  They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, seeking the Word of the Lord, but shall not find it.  13.  "In that day the fair virgins and strong young men shall faint from thirst.

Jesus questioned whether he would even find faith on earth when he returned.

Luke 18:7.  "And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?  8.  "I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?''

Psalm 62:5.  My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him.  6.  He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.

Proverbs 6: 23.  For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light; reproofs of instruction are the way of life, 24.  to keep you from the evil woman, from the flattering tongue of a seductress.  25.  Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, nor let her allure you with her eyelids.  26.  For by means of a harlot a man is reduced to a crust of bread; and an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.

The Word of God written in the Scriptures along with the Holy Spirit will give you discernment and guidance to run away from the wicked whore church that serves Satan and wishes to bring you with her to the lake of fire.

Laodicea   Ephraim of Joseph

Laodicea is Ephraim of Israel

Revelation 3:14.  "And to the angel of the church of Laodicea write, `These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:  15.  "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.  16.  "So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth.  17.  "Because you say, `I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing' and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked   18.  "I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.  19.  "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.  20.  "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.  21.  "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.  22.  "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.''

These next words about Ephraim being rich are similar to those spoken in Revelation 3:17 to the church of Laodicea above and it is no coincidence as assuredly Jesus is the author of all Holy Writings through his Spirit.

Hosea 12:7.  A cunning merchant! deceitful scales are in his hand; he loves to oppress.  8.  And Ephraim said, "Surely I have become rich, I have found wealth for myself; in all my labors they shall find in me no iniquity that is sin.''

Psalms 49:6.  They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; 7.  None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him.

Luke 16:13.  No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (riches)

Luke 6:24.  But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. 25.  Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. 26.  Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

Laodicea is described as being lukewarm and will be spit out of the mouth of our Lord, meaning they are unfit for the consumption of Jesus who seeks to dine with all his children. Ephraim is described as a drink that is sour and a cake unturned meaning they are unfit for consumption.

Hosea 7:4.  "They are all adulterers. like an oven heated by a baker he ceases stirring the fire after kneading the dough, until it is leavened.  5.  In the day of our king princes have made him sick, inflamed with wine; He stretched out his hand with scoffers.  6.  They prepare their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait; their baker sleeps all night; in the morning it burns like a flaming fire.  7.  They are all hot, like an oven, and have devoured their judges; All their kings have fallen. There is none among them who calls upon Me.  8.  "Ephraim has mixed himself among the peoples; Ephraim is a cake unturned.  9.  Aliens have devoured his strength, but he does not know it; yes, gray hairs are here and there on him, yet he does not know it.  10.  And the pride of Israel testifies to his face, but they do not return to the Lord their God, nor seek Him for all this.

Hosea 4:17.  Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone. 18.  Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye. (The church loves to beg for money.) 19.  The wind (false doctrine) has bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.

When Jesus said to give freely he was speaking of the Word of God and it’s healing power. Only the poor, needy, handicapped and traveling missionary apostles were supported their needs of food, shelter and clothing. Riches and wealth were not ever gained from the support of others.

Matthew 10:8.  Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely you have received, freely give. 9.  Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10.  Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. (food)  11.  And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. 12.  And when you come into an house, salute it. 13.  And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14.  And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. 15.  Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

Ephraim shall be chastised just as Laodicea is warned.

Hosea 7:11.  "Ephraim also is like a silly dove, without sense they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.  12.  Wherever they go, I will spread My net on them; I will bring them down like birds of the air; I will chastise them according to what their congregation has heard.  13.  "Woe to them, for they have fled from Me! Destruction to them, because they have transgressed against Me! Though I redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against Me.  14.  They did not cry out to Me with their heart when they wailed upon their beds. "They assemble together for grain and new wine, They rebel against Me;  15.  Though I disciplined and strengthened their arms, yet they devise evil against Me;

Jeremiah 31:18.  "I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself: `You have chastised me, and I was chastised, like an untrained bull; restore me, and I will return, for You are the Lord my God.

The tribe of Ephraim will have no virgins among the 14400 listed in scripture. That honor will instead be given to his father Joseph.

Hosea 5: 9.  Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke; among the tribes of Israel I make known what is sure.

Hosea 11:6.  And the sword shall slash in his cities, devour his districts, and consume them, because of their own counsels. 7.  My people are bent on backsliding from Me. Though they call to the Most High, none at all exalt Him. 8.  "How can I give you up, Ephraim?

Amos 9:10.  All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword, who say, `The calamity shall not overtake us nor confront us.'

Hosea 12:13.  And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved. 1.  When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died.12.  The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is hid. 13.  The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children.14.  I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes. 15.  Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the wind of the Lord shall come up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.

One of the rotten fruits of worshiping wealth is false doctrine which soothes the ears of the people, such as the pre-tribulation rapture, which has earned many false teachers a lot of money.

Hosea 8:11.  "Because Ephraim has made many altars for sin, they have become for him altars for sinning.  12.  I have written for him the great things of My law, But they were considered a strange thing.

Hosea 12: 1.  Ephraim feeds on the wind, and pursues the east wind; He daily increases lies and desolation. Also they make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried to Egypt.

Jeremiah 14:14.  Then the LORD said to me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I have not sent them, neither have I commanded them, neither spoken to them: they prophesy to you a false vision and divination, and a thing of naught, and the deceit of their heart. 15.  Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.

Laodicea and Ephraim are blind and deaf as their sin does not come into mind at the present time as they have swallowed up the lies of the leaders of Mystery Babylon.

Hosea 13:12.  "The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is hidden 13.  The sorrows of a woman in childbirth shall come upon him. He is an unwise son, for he should not stay long where children are born.  14.  "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes.  15.  Though he is fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come; the wind of the Lord shall come up from the wilderness. Then his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up. He shall plunder the treasury of every desirable prize.

Ephraim shall be very fruitful during the time of great tribulation after their chastisement.

Hosea 5:15.  I will return again to My place till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; in their affliction they will diligently seek Me.''

Revelation 3:19.  "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20.  "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.  21.  "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.  22.  "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'' '

Jeremiah 31:19.  Surely, after my turning, I repented; and after I was instructed, I struck myself on the thigh; I was ashamed, yes, even humiliated, because I bore the reproach of my youth.' 20.  Is Ephraim My dear son? Is he a pleasant child? For though I spoke against him, I earnestly remember him still; therefore My heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him,'' says the Lord.

Genesis 48:3.  Then Jacob said to Joseph: "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me,  4.  "and said to me, `Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a multitude of naations, and give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.' 4.  "and said to me, `Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a multitude of people.

Genesis 48:8.  Then Israel saw Joseph's sons, and said, "Who are these?'' 9.  And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them. 10.  Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.

 

Israel will not recognize the people of Joseph and vice versa.

Genesis 48: 16.  The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. 17.  And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head. 18.  And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head. 19.  And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations. 20.  And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

  Those who dwell with Laodicea and do as the Laodiceans do shall be chastised and punished as the Laodiceans of Ephraim shall be in the near future in the time of great tribulation. The only living Christians to survive from this group shall be the known as the 12000 virgins of Joseph.

Isaiah 28:1.  Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower which is at the head of the verdant valleys, to those who are overcome with wine!  2.  Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one, like a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, like a flood of mighty waters overflowing, who will bring them down to the earth with His hand.  3.  The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, will be trampled under foot;4.  And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eats it up.7.  But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. 8.  For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. 9.  Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 10.  For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 11.  For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 12.  To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. 13.  But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Ephraim is drunk on the wine of the false doctrines of Mystery Babylon and Satan.

Revelation 18:3.  "For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.''

Jeremiah 51:7.  Babylon was a golden cup in the Lord's hand, that made all the earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore the nations are deranged.

Ephraim shall go forth to the antichrist.

Hosea 9:13.  Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer.

Psalms 78:9.  The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, Turned back in the day of battle. 10.  They did not keep the covenant of God; They refused to walk in His law, 11.  And forgot His works And His wonders that He had shown them.

The three churches of Laodicea, Smyrna and Philadelphia all wear multicolored robes before their redemption.

Genesis 37:3.  Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors.

Genesis 37:23.  So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him.

2 Samuel 13:18.  Now she had on a robe of many colors, for the king's virgin daughters wore such apparel. And his servant put her out and bolted the door behind her.

Psalm 45:13.  The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace; Her clothing is woven with gold.  14.  She shall be brought to the King in robes of many colors; The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to You.

Genesis 48:3.  Then Jacob said to Joseph: "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me,  4.  "and said to me, `Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a multitude of people, and give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.'

Ezekiel 34:16.  "I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong, and feed them in judgment.''

There are different theories about the seven different churches addressed in the prophetical book of Revelation written by the apostle John by Word of the Holy Spirit; who they are and what era of time they belong. I have yet to go to a church that said they belonged to one of the five churches that the Lord Jesus Christ had something negative to say about. In fact I think they all confess to belong to the church of Philadelphia which is the only one promised to be exempt from going through the time of great tribulation. The fact is there will be only 144000 who will be spared when the time of great tribulation upon the earth. There is no pre-tribulation rapture of millions of people who call themselves Christians. Jesus proclaimed doubt as to whether he would even find faith upon the earth when he returns in the very near last days. This is the great delusion which has blinded the eyes of the church which has fallen for the lies of the great counterfeit church leader Satan. We must all be honest with ourselves with a true heart and take a complete inventory of our sins and weaknesses. If you do not see any trace of the faults and sins of the five churches with a negative report, you are lying to yourself and God. Let not pride blind you from the truth. It would be best if you purged yourself first before the God of judgment chastises you in the time of great tribulation.

Psalms 15:1.  Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?  2. He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart;

Psalms 51:6.  Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

There are those who say that only Israel will enter into great tribulation. It is true Israel and Judah shall enter into great tribulation but the largest number shown in scripture of those who come out of great tribulation are of all races, nations and people which most of the churches believe themselves to be. What many people don’t know is that they may have some blood of Israel running through their veins and will go further into the time of great tribulation upon the earth. The many Bible scholars who believe that each church represents a different time period upon earth say that Laodicea is the last days church. Yes it is true that they are the most predominant church in the supposed free world in these last days but I will tell you a truth, all seven churches exist today and will be present on earth when the time of great tribulation begins for those who dwell upon the earth. The seven churches were foreshadowed in the Old Testament scriptures in the form of a menorah, an oil lamp with seven separate branches including its shaft which give its light and flame by way of the Holy Spirit.

The false churches of Judaism and Christianity are the daughters of the great harlot whose majority has mostly been deceived by Satan. Current Jerusalem on earth which is Mystery Babylon is the mother of all idolatrous children of the counterfeit churches whose husband is Heylel or commonly known as Lucifer, the master of deceit who has seduced millions. Mystery Babylon has had seven different husbands. The final husband of Mystery Babylon will be Apollyon or Abaddon in the descriptive Hebrew language.

  

Revelation 17:5.  And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.  6.  And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.  7.  But the angel said to me, "Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. 8.  "The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.  9.  "Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.  10.  There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time.  11.  "And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.

If you have been blessed by the Holy Spirit to read and understand the scriptures I have presented to you written by the scribes, priests and prophets; I believe you will see the need to research, study and meditate on the Word of the Old Testament as it is necessary to discern the times we live and interpret the Revelation given to the apostle John by Jesus Christ.

Revelation 1:1.  The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,  2.  who bore witness to the Word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, and to all things that he saw.  3.  Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

The mystery of the seven churches is now evident as they are the daughters born from above and shall be known as New Jerusalem which descends down to a new earth as the bride of Christ.