Seven Time Periods | LivingWaters

SEVEN ASSEMBLIES ('churches')

SEVEN TIME PERIODS

from 1 AD - TODAY

The REVELATIONS

YAHSHUA MESSIAH

the seven assemblies

('churches') (Rev. 2 & 3)

(122018)

Prayer:

Abba, I pray for eyes to be opened - ears to hear - Your children to heed Your Voice - to obey Your Word. For all bondage to be broken - chains to be removed - yokes to be smashed and - "LIFE" TO FLOW into the DEAD BONES of Your people in Yahshua Mesiah's awesome, wonderful, redeeming Name. Amen.

Introduction

The WORD of YAHWEH God tells us in Revelations 1:1 that the Book of Revelations is the REVELATIONS of YAHSHUA MESSIAH which Yahweh, the Father GAVE to His Son, our SAVIOR (MESSIAH) to DISCLOSE and MAKE KNOWN to HIS PEOPLE (His BOND-SERVANTS).

MAKE KNOWN CERTAIN THINGS - The UNVEILING of the DIVINE MYSTERIES:

Rev. 1:1 "THIS is the REVELATIONS of MESSIAH YAHSHUA [His unveiling of the DIVINE MYSTERIES]. God GAVE it to Him to DISCLOSE AND MAKE KNOWN to His BOND SERVANTS CERTAIN THINGS WHICH MUST SHORHTLY and SPEEDILY COME to PASS IN THEIR ENTIRETY.

And He SENT and COMMUNICATED THROUGH His angel (messenger) to His BOND SERVANT John."

Revelations MESSAGE is that (no matter what):

YAH (God) OMNIPOTENT REIGNS:-

Rev. 19:6 "After that I heard what sounded like the SHOUT of a VAST THRONG. Like the BOOM of MANY POUNDING WAVES, and the ROAR of TERRIFIC AND MIGHTY PEALS of THUNDER, EXCLAIMING, HALLELU-YAH (Praise Yah-weh)! For NOW YAHWEH our YAH the OMNIPOTENT (the ALL-RULER) REIGNS!."

MESSIAH YAHSHUA is:

YAH (God) of gods and

KING of kings

Rev. 19:16 "An on HIS GARMENT (robe) and ON HIS THIGH HE HAS a NAME (title) INSCRIBED,

KING of KINGS and

YAHWEH (God) of gods."

Rev. 17:14 "They will wage WAR AGAINST the LAMB, and the LAMB will TRIUMP OVER THEM; for HE is YAHWEH (God) of gods and KING of kings - and THOSE WITH Him and ON His SIDE are CHOSEN and CALLED [ELECTED] and LOYAL and FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS. (Dan. 2:47).

The LAMB OF YAH is ALWAYS WITH HIS PEOPLE:

Rev. 1:9; 3:22; 14:1 tells us that The Lamb of Yahweh God, is ALWAYS in the MIDST of HIS PEOPLE.

Their names are WRITTEN in His BOOK OF LIFE (Rev. 3:5; 21:27)

He KNOWS them INTIMATELY, and with an IMMEASURABLE HOLY LOVE.

He WATCHES OVER,

PROTECTS,

DISCIPLINES and CHALLENGES them.

They SHARE FULLY in HIS PRESENT AND FUTURE VICTORY. (Rev. 17:14; 19:11-16; 21:1-22:5).

They SHARE FULLY in HIS PRESENT AND FUTURE MARRIAGE SUPPER (Rev. 19:7-9; 21:2).

HE DWELLS IN them (Rev. 1:13) and

THEY DWELL IN Him (Rev. 21:22).

A BOOK OF DISCLOSURE AND WARNING:

Revelations is also a Book of WARNING - to REPENT and TURN from all EVILNESS - all THINGS that are NOT from YAHWEH God - to WHOLEHEARTEDLY FOLLOWING the KING ...

We are given three one after the other (chronological) divisions in Revelations as in Rev. 1:19:-

1. The THINGS of the PAST

2. The THINGS of the AGE of the BELIEVERS ('church'-age)

3. THINGS which ARE to COME

TO ALL BELIEVERS:

Revelations is a PROPHETIC MESSAGE to the BELIEVERS in MESSIAH - "HIS BODY" of BELIEVERS - those professing to believe in Him (the 'church') as in Revelations 2-3 - the Letters to the ASSEMBLIES ('churches') that INCLUDE ALL BELIEVERS GLOBALLY.

1. Ephesus (Rev. 2:1-7) -

Representing the believers at the CLOSE of the FIRST CENTURY

2. Smyrna (Rev. 2:8-11) -

Representing the believers FROM the BEGINNING of the SECOND CENTURY until the times of CONSTANTINE at the beginning of the FOURTH CENTURY.

3. Perganum (Rev. 2:12-17)

Representing the believers from the FOURTH CENTURY through to the SEVENTH CENTURY.

4. Thyatira (Rev. 2:18:29)

Representing the believers in the MIDDLE AGES.

5. Sardis (Rev. 3:1-6)

Representing the believers JUST PRIOR to the TIME of the PROTESTANT REFORMATION.

6. Philadelphia (Rev. 3:7-13)

Representing the TRUE BELIEVERS throughout all history - especially those in REVIVAL JUST PRIOR to APOSTASY of the LAST DAYS.

7. Laodicea (Rev. 3:14-20).

Representing the TRUE BELIEVERS in the FINAL DAYS PRIOR to the PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE - BELIEVERS MAINLY in a STATE of APOSTASY.

REPENTANCE and TURNING AWAY from our SINS are the teachings from Genesis till Revelations:

From Genesis till Revelations - REPENTANCE and TURNING AWAY from all our SINS and INIQUITIES are TAUGHT - to enable us to LIVE in a COVENANT RELATIONSHIP of LOVE with YAH. YAH CANNOT TOLERATE ANY SIN - for HE IS JUST and RIGHTEOUSNESS and the JUDGE.

We can be REBORN, but STILL LIVE in SIN - and there are always consequences.

THE FIRST TIME PERIOD:

Revelations 2:1-7 (1 AD - 100 AD)

To the BELIEVERS at the CLOSE of the FIRST CENTURY - (EPHESUS):

At the close of the first century, Messiah Yahshua REVEALED to the believers that they would be:

Patiently enduring in faith,

Would not tolerate the wicked calling themselves apostles but are imposters and liars,

Would bear up for Messiah's sake,

Would not become weary or exhausted,

BUT

Their LOVE for their Messiah has weakened - they have LEFT their FIRST LOVE - MESSIAH YAHSHUA.

Our FIRST LOVE:

BE CAREFUL not to SUBMIT to SOMETHING ELSE:

It is also a point on which to ponder for us today.

We need to make SURE that Messiah is taking the FIRST PLACE in our LIVES - COMMITTING ourselves to Him SPIRIT (heart), SOUL (mind, thoughts) and BODY - EMOTIONALLY and INTELLECTUALLY - SUBMITTED to Him in our DAILY WALK - LOVING Him -

LEST

Something else would come and TAKE HIS PLACE as our FIRST LOVE.

Rev. 2:5 goes into a WARNING to REPENT - CHANGE the INNER MAN:

To remember from what heights they have fallen and therefore to REPENT,

CHANGE the INNER MAN to MEET YAH'S (God's) WILL,

and DO the WORKS that they earlier did when they first MET YAH (God).

If NOT -

Yahweh would bring them a VISIT (present tense - referring to the everyday life) bringing with Him a BLESSING or JUDGMENT -

UNLESS

There is REPENTANCE and CHANGING of the MIND.

Rev. 2:6 GIVES them CREDIT:

That the believers HATE the WORKS of the "Nicolaitans" (meaning outsiders - conquering the congregation) being CORRUPTERS of the PEOPLE leading the people in so-called permitted idolatry and immorality (see also Rev. 2:14,15).

A SECOND WARNING:

To HEAR and HEED the SPIRIT -

To LISTEN to the VOICE of YAH -

HEEDING what the SPIRIT SAYS

THEN

A PROMISE to the OVER-COMERS:

The OVER-COMERS will be granted to EAT of the FRUIT of the

TREE OF LIFE which is in the GARDEN of YAH.

To OVERCOME here means - OVERCOMES as in a MILITARY OPERATION suggesting FIGHTING the EVIL FORCES of the EVIL ONE (Eph. 6:10-18).

Although all believers are OVER-COMERS, those who ENDURES and REMAIN FAITHFUL when GOING through the midst of PERSECUTION and ONSLAUGHT of the ERROR in dogma - GIVE PROOF of their FAITH (The Spirit filled Life Bible Commentary).

THE TREE OF LIFE:

They will RECEIVE the TREE OF LIFE - Messiah YAHSHUA Himself - symbolizing SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT (food, fuel, provision, ration) to UPHOLD - KEEP UP - CONTINUE - ETERNAL LIFE.

The TREE of LIFE in the GARDEN of YAH:

The Garden of Yah symbolizes the PERFECT FELLOWSHIP - a PERFECT RELATIONSHIP - that Yah and man once EXPERIENCED AND ENJOYED in the Garden of Eden BEFORE the FALL - and the PERFECT RELATIONSHIP that will ONCE AGAIN being EXPERIENCED and ENJOYED ETERNALLY in heaven.

Rev. 2:1-7

:1 "These ARE the WORDS of Him Who holds the SEVEN STARS [which are the SEVEN MESSENGERS of the SEVEN ASSEMBLIES of BELIEVERS) in HIS RIGHT HAND, Who GOES ABOUT AMONG the SEVEN GOLDEN LAMPSTANDS [which are the SEVEN ASSEMBLIES].

:2 I KNOW your INDUSTRY and ACTIVITIES, LABORIOUS TOIL and TROUBLE, and your PATIENT ENDURANCE, and HOW YOU CANNOT TOLERATE WICKED [men] and have TESTED and CRITICALLY APPRAISED THOSE who call [themselves] APOSTLES that is SPECIAL MESSENGERS of Messiah Yahshua) and YET ARE NOT, and have FOUND THEM to be IMPOSTORS AND LIARS.

:3 I KNOW you are ENDURING PATIENTLY and are bearing up for MY NAME'S SAKE, and you have NOT FAINTED or BECOME EXHAUSTED or GROWN WEARY.

:4 But I HAVE THIS [ONE CHARGE to make] AGAINST you: that you have LEFT (ABANDONED) the LOVE THAT YOU HAD AT FIRST [you have DESERTED Me, your FIRST LOVE.

:5 REMEMBER THEN from WHAT HEIGHTS you have FALLEN. REPENT (CHANGE THE INNER MAN TO MEET YAHWEH'S WILL) and DO the works you did previously [when first you knew Yah], or else I will VISIT you and REMOVE YOUR LAMPSTAND from its place, UNLESS YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND AND REPENT.

:6 Yet, you have THIS [in your favor and to your credit]; you HATE the WORKS of the Nicolaitans [what they are doing as CORRUPTERS of the people] which I MYSELF WILL DETEST.

:7 He, who is able to hear, LET HIM LISTEN TO and GIVE HEED to twhat the SPIRIT SAYS to the ASSEMBLIES (churches). To HIM WHO OVERCOMES (is victorious), I WILL GRANT to EAT [of the fruit] of the TREE OF LIFE, which is IN THE PARADISE of YAH."

The History of 1 AD - 100 AD (prophesied to in Rev. 2:1-7):

Paul of Tarsus - a devout Pharisee - a Jew from the the tribe of Benjamin - met the Messiah on his way to Damascus (to persecute the believers in Messiah).

Paul had relentlessly persecuted the followers of the Messiah Yahshua and was watching with consent and even guarding the clothes of those who stoned Stephen to death.

Acts 22:19-20 "And I (Paul) said, Yahweh, they themselves well know that throughout all the synagogues I cast into prison and flogged those who believed on (adhered to and trusted in and relied on) You. And when the BLOOD of YOUR WITNESS (martyr) Stephen WAS SHED, I also was PERSONALLY STANDING by and CONSENTING and APPROVING and GUARDING the GARMENTS of THOSE WHO SLEW him."

Paul met Yahshua Face to face - was reborn and changed from the inside out.

After his conversion Paul became the most fervent preacher (apostle of Messiah Yahshua) of all times - specifically under the Gentiles - and was met with fierce persecution himself.

54 AD - The king (emperor) of Rome - NERO:

Caesar Claudius was murdered by his wife and she had her son Nero succeeded the Roman throne.

60 AD - The apostle Paul arrived in Rome and was place in house arrest.

Paul spent two years in jail and then released because of no formal charges that was laid against him. There was little contact between Paul and Nero.

Nero had planned for Rome to become the most premier city in the world. The devil got hold of him and consumed him totally. He became the most brutal and evil ruler with a TENDENCY to BARBAROUS ACTS.

64 AD - ROME IS BURNING for NINE DAYS LONG:

In AD 64 Nero ordered the city of Rome to be burned by his officers, servants and guards. While the city was burning, Nero went to the tower and would overlook the burning city, playing on his harp with all kinds of evil comments - while thousands of PEOPLE WERE BURNING to DEATH, SMOTHERED and BURIED BENEATH the RUINS. Public and private buildings and TEN of the FOURTEEN precincts were destroyed. This terrible event lasted nine days.

PERSECUTION of the BELIEVERS in MESSIAH YAHSHUA:

Nero had the believers in Messiah BLAMED. BRUTAL Roman PERSECUTION of the BELIEVERS IN MESSIAH YAHSHUA BEGAN in FULL SCALE.

In Nero's EVIL and TWISTED WAYS, the PERSECUTIONS of the believers were SAVAGED and BRUTAL. He "ENTERTAIN" himself with the barbarous murder-methods:

Believers were thrown to WILD BEASTS to be ravaged to death;
SEWN in SKINS of WILD BEASTS thrown to the DOGS to be TORN APART and EATEN;
BELIEVERS were DRESSED in GARMENTS STIFFED with WAX, FIXED on TREES and SET to FIRE as FLAMING TORCHES in his gardens;
PREGNANT WOMEN'S BABIES were CUT OUT of their BODIES and their BODIES TOTALLY MUTILATED then BURNED AT THE STAKES ...

The BARBARIC EXECUTION METHODS were general practice throughout the entire Roman Empire in EUROPE. These execution methods were still REPEATED many many years later in France with the PERSECUTION of the FRENCH HUGUENOTS.

PAUL BEHEADED and PETER CRUCIFIED:

It was during these events that Paul was arrested in Rome and taken to Rome again for trial. Paul was BEHEADED after being found guilty of "CRIMES AGAINST the STATE."

Around the same time, Peter was crucified and shortly afterward, Nero commit suicide.

66 AD:

In the year 66 the Jews attempted to overthrow the Roman government in the east of Judea, which resulted in a bloody war that lasted four years.

70 AD - Jerusalem and Temple destroyed:

Titus , the son of the Roman general Vespasian that was left in Judea to take charge of the Roman army after Vespasian rushed to Rome to take the place of Nero - broke through the walls of Jerusalem in 70 AD and destroyed the city and the temple. The revolt was terminated.

The apostle John was the now the SOLE SURVIVOR of the first APOSTLES TRAINED by MESSIAH Himself.

The Messianic Movement had SPREAD through the Roman Empire with DEMONIC RESISTANCE trying to END the SPREADING of the GOSPEL.

81 AD - 96 AD:

Domitian was now the ruler of the Roman Empire and a PERSECUTOR of the MESSIANIC BELIEVERS. He had heard about John and the teachings of Yahshua the coming KING - things that troubled him greatly. He had John brought to Rome and asked him to confirm the rumours of this Yahshua, the coming King. Domitian had John banished to the Island Patmos and it was there on the Island of Patmos that Yahshua gave John His REVELATIONS.

Through the years after Messiah the apostles had gone through much persecutions and falseness that spread under the believers.

In the letter to Timothy Paul wrote:

1 Tim. 6:20-21 "O Timothy, GUARD the DEPOSIT ENTRUSTED to you. Avoid the irreverent BABBLE and CONTRADICTIONS of what is FALSELY CALLED "KNOWLEDGE" for by PROFESSING IT SOME HAVE SWERVED from FAITH."

Col. 2:8 "See to it that NO ONE TAKES you CAPTIVE by PHILOSOPHY and EMPTY DECEIT, ACCORDING to HUMAN TRADITION according to the ELEMENTAL SPIRITS OF THE WORLD, and NOT ACCORDING to MESSIAH."

John wrote:

2 John 1:7-11 "For MANY DECEIVERS have gone out into the world, those who do NOT CONFESS the COMING of MESSIAH YAHSHUA in the FLESH. Such a one is the DECEIVER and the ANTICHRIST."

These EVENTS were the BACKDROP for the first TIME-PERIOD of Revelations 2:1-7 -

:2 "I KNOW your industry and activities, laborious toil and trouble, and your patient endurance, and how you cannot tolerate wicked [men] and have tested and critically appraise those who call [themselves] apostles (special messengers of Messiah Yahshua) and yet are not, and have found them to be impostors and liars.

:3 I know you are ENDURING PATIENTLY and are bearing up for My name's sake, and you have not fainted or become exhausted or grown weary.

:4 But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that YOU HAVE LEFT (abandoned) the LOVE THAT YOU HAD AT FIRST [YOU HAVE DESERTED Me, your FIRST LOVE] ...

THE THIRD TIME PERIOD – (PERGAMUM)

Rev. 2:12-17 - 302 AD - 600+ AD) - 2 January 2019 (The Fountain of Living Waters) by Celia Joy Martins

THE OFFICIAL SEAT of the ROMAN GOVERNMENT - (Where Satan sits ENTHRONED).

Pergamum was an ancient city 25 kilometers from the Aegean Sea in present-day Bergama, Izmir Province of Turkey. The CITY was the CENTER of (nephilim) GODS WORSHIPPING.

It was also the oldest city of the province that had strategic value providing access from Pergamon to the (Aegean) coast.

THE SERPENT - "GOD OF HEALING"

A 200-foot-high ALTAR to ZEUS was in Pergamum with the "GOD of HEALING" (Aesclepius) - whose SYMBOL was a SERPENT (Satan) . Pergamos was also the CENTER of EMPEROR WORSHIPPING.

Satan's MASTERPLAN:

The CONSTANTINIAN DECEPTION - CONTAMINATION of everything:

It was the OFFICIAL SEAT of the ROMAN GOVERNMENT who had the religious beliefs (dogmas) that was negotiated upon and was met halfway, namely the mixture of paganism and Messianic beliefs (Christianity).

In this Constantinian Christianity were embedded firmly:

The sun-god - the moon-goddess and the son-sun-god (the false Father, the false Holy Spirit and the false Son (the Jesus of Catholicism - the Jesus of Christmas) - ALL SATANIC and OCCULTIC.

The FALSE TRINITY:

The false trinity of Constantine pushed right through the history of the nations of the world under different names - and left a path of HORROR and BLOODSHED right through history up to today.

REPLACING of YAHWEH - YAHSHUA and SPIRIT:

YAHWEH - the ALMIGHTY was REPLACED with the SUN-GOD (who had many many different names).

HIS HOLY SPIRIT was REPLACED with the MOON-GODDESS (who had many many different names).

YAHSHUA was REPLACED with the RE-INCARNATED - RESURRECTED SON-SUN-GOD (who had many many different names - the Jesus of the Roman Christmas.)

New NAMES for the DAYS of the WEEK:

On the 7th March 321 AD Constantine officially changed the Sabbath of Yahweh to Sunday in honor of the sun-god. He established the 7-day week in the Roman calendar and designed Sunday (the SUN-GOD'S day) and Monday (the MOON-GOD/DESS' day) to be the FIRST and the SECOND day of the week. The STARRY-HOSTS (nephilim gods) were named through TUESDAY to SATURDAY.

("On the venerable Day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in the cities rest, and let all workshops be closed.") (On Constantine - Codex Justinianus 3.12.3)

The pagan NEPHILIM gods:

TUESDAY - named after the GOD OF WAR (TIU or TYR - one of the sons of ODIN or WODEN after which WEDNESDAY was named.)

WEDNESDAY - After WODEN - the SUPREME DEITY.

THURSDAY - After THOR - the GOD OF THUNDER.

FRIDAY - After FRIGGA, the WIFE of ODIN (WODEN).

SATURDAY - After SATURN - the GOD OF FUN and FEASTING.

SUNDAY to take the place of YAHWEH'S SABBTH:

The SUN-GOD'S DAY - SUN-DAY (SUNDAY) - The FIRST DAY of the ROMAN WEEK - REPLACED -

The SABBATH DAY of YAHWEH (The SEVENTH DAY - or the ROMAN SATURDAY).

FROM THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ITSELF:

The Roman Papacy officially confirmed this Sunday law in 364 AD with a decree:

"Christians shall not Judaize and be idle on Saturday but shall work on that day; but the Lord's day they shall especially honor, and, as being Christians, shall, if possible, do no work on that day. If, however, they are found Judaizing, they shall be shut out from Christ" (Strand, op. cit., citing Charles J. Hefele, A History of the Councils of the Church, 2 [Edinburgh, 1876] 316).

Cardinal Gibbons, in Faith of our Fathers, 92nd ed., p.89, freely admits, "You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelations, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we [the Catholic Church] never sanctify."

The same Cardinal Gibbons admits also on the 23rd of September 1893 "The Catholic Church, ... by virtue of her divine mission, changed the day from Saturday to Sunday."

PROTESTANTS do NOT REALIZE that they ACCEPT the AUTHORITY of the POPE:

"Protestants do not realize that by observing Sunday, the accept the authority of the spokesperson of the Church, the Pope" (Our Sunday Visitor, February 5, 1950).

A "MARK" of the CHURCH' ECCLESIASTICAL AUTHORITY:

"Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change [Saturday Sabbath to Sunday] was her act ... And the act is a mark of her ecclesiastical authority in religious things" (H.F. Thomas, Chancellor of Carninal Gibbons).

THE CATHOLIC CHRISTIAN CHURCH is ABOVE the BIBLE - the CATHOLIC CHURCH is the new GOD:

"Sunday is our mark of authority .. the church is above the Bible, and this transference of Sabbath observance is proof of that fact" (Catholic Record of London, Ontario Sept 1, 1923).

"Prove to me from the Bible alone that I am found to keep Sunday holy. There is no such law in the Bible. It is a law of the Catholic Church alone. The Catholic Church says, by my divine power I abolish the Sabbath day and command you to keep holy the first day of the week. And lo! The entire civilized world bows down in reverent obedience to the command of the Holy Catholic Church" (Thomas Enright, CSSR, President, Redemptorist College [Roman Catholic], Kansas City, MO, Feb. 18, 1884).

According to Catholicism - the POPE can EVEN CHANGE the TEACHINGS and LAWS (precepts) of MESSIAH (The Word):

"The Pope has power to change times, to abrogate laws, and to dispense with all things, even the precepts of Christ. The Pope has authority and has often exercised it, to dispense with the command of Christ" (Decretal, de Tranlatic Episcop).

The Roman Empire and its CATHOLIC CHRISTIAN CHURCH had a MURDEROUS and CONTROLLING MONOPOLY in EUROPE for many many years. All the emperors were CONSIDERED GODS.

REV. 2:12-17:

Rev. 2:12 "Then to the angel (messenger) of the assembly ('church') in Pergamum write: THESE are the WORDS of Him WHO HAS AND WIELDS the SHARP TWO-EDGED SWORD ..."

YOU LIVE in a PLACE WHERE SATAN SITS ENTHRONED:

Rev. 2:13 "I KNOW where you live - A PLACE WHERE SATAN SITS ENTHRONED. [Yet] you are CLINGING to AND HOLDING FAST MY NAME, and you DID NOT DENY My FAITH, even in the days of Antipas, My WITNESS, My FAITHFUL one, who was KILLED (martyred) in your MIDST - WHERE SATAN DWELLS."

Satan's masterplan was to WIPE OUT the MESSIANIC BELEIVERS - it is STILL his plan - but the remnant was clinging to and holding fast to Messiah Yahshua and His name midst in much persecution from the Roman Catholic Christian Church.

PERSECUTION under NERO, MAXIMUM, DIOCLETIAN and GALERIUS:

Pagan Rome in the times of the apostles KEPT SUNDAY as the DAY OF REST (pagam-occult-SABBATH) and under Nero, Maximum, Diocletian and Galerius believers in Messiah were found honoring the 7th Day Sabbath, they were HUNTED DOWN, TORTURED, and for SPORT often USED for ENTERTAINMENT in the COLISSEUM. This Pagan honoring of the sun-god's day, (Sunday) were then legalized by Constantine on the 7th of March in the year 321 AD.

A WARNING - A FEW BELIEVERS were CLINGING to the TEACHINGS of BALAAM - SEXUAL IMMORALITY - eating of FOOD SACRIFICED to demon-gods:

Rev. 2:14 "Nevertheless I have a few things AGAINST you: you have SOME PEOPLE there WHO ARE CLINGING to the TEACHING of BALAAM, who TAUGHT BALAK to SET A TRAP and a STUMBLING BLOCK BEFORE the sons of Israel, [to ENTICE them] to EAT FOOD that HAD BEEN SACRIFICED to IDOLS (GODS) and to PRACTICE LEWDNESS [ GIVING THEMSELVES UP to SEXUAL VICE.]"

CORRUPTION CAME IN - there are open doors for the enemy to do his work:

Rev. 2:15 "You also have some who in a SIMILAR WAY ARE CLINGING to the TEACHING of the Nicolaitans [those CORRUPTERS of the PEOPLE] which thing I HATE."

THIS IS A WARNING also for US TODAY to REPENT of all the THINGS that SLIP INTO OUR LIVES - things that are STANDING BETWEEN US and ABBA. The teachings of Balaam and of the Nicolaitans were worldly teachings SEDUCING BELIEVERS and LEADING BELIEVERS into IDOLATRY and SEXUAL IMMORALITY and PERVERSITY - AWAY from the NARROW PATH onto the HIGHWAY to HELL.

Rev. 2:16 "REPENT THEN! or ELSE I WILL COME QUIKCLY and FIGHT AGAINST them with the SWORD of MY MOUTH."

Rev. 2:17 "He who is ABLE to HEAR; let HIM LISTEN to and HEED what the SPIRIT says to the ASSEMBLIES. To HIM WHO OVERCOMES (conquers), I WILL GIVE to EAT of the MANNA that is HIDDEN, and I WILL GIVE him a WHITE STONE with a NEW NAME ENGRAVED on the STONE, which NO ONE KNOWS or UNDERSTANDS EXCEPT he who RECEIVES it."

PROMISES:

For each one of us as in the times of the early believers, to OVERCOME - we will be BLESSED -

HIDDEN MANNA speaks of things that will be disclosed to the obedient and true believers - things that are 'hidden' from the world ... things that the world and the worldly would not understand - for them it will be folly.

Special stones are symbolic of REWARDS for RUNNING the PATH of FAITH in RIGHTEOUSNESS and in RIGHT-STANDING with our Savior Messiah Yahshua, with NEW NAMES - a heavenly name indicating that we belong to the KING of kings.