Revelation 3:9. "Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee."
Now we can note immediately that this problem of the false Jew or false believers was already in existence in the second age. These who falsely called themselves Jews appeared right after the first outpouring of the first age, and now they appear again in the second age after the reformation. This is hardly an accident. Indeed, it is not an accident. It is a principle of Satan. That principle is to organize and claim originality and therefore be entitled to special rights and privileges. Let me show you. Back there in the Smyrnaean Age these people lied and said they were actually Jews (or believers) when they definitely were not. They were of the synagogue of Satan. They were Satan's organized crowd, for it was in that age we saw the start of men in the ministry taking an unwarranted leadership over their ministering brethren. (Bishops set up in districts, over elders). The next thing we saw was that in the third age there was definitely a place called "Satan's seat". That age gave us church and state marriage. With the power of the state behind her the church was literally physically invincible. But God broke that hold in spite of the power of the state and the reformation brought great light. But what happened? The Lutherans organized and joined with the state and again we see the synagogue of Satan manifested in this sixth age. Now of course this synagogue group wouldn't say they are of Satan. No sir. They say they are of God. But they lie. For he that is a true Jew (that is what they claimed to be) is one who is a Jew inwardly - in the Spirit. So then if they are false Jews it means that they are as Jude 19 says, "having NOT the Spirit". Children of God are born of the Spirit. These have not the Spirit and therefore they are NOT children of God no matter how fervently they protest and to what lengths they go to try to prove that they are. They are DEAD. They are children of organization, and the true fruits are missing. They are built upon their own creeds, dogmas and doctrines and the truth is not in them for they have taken their own counsels above the Word of God.
Let me show you what I have been trying to teach all along about the two vines which come from two different spirits. Take the example of Jesus and Judas this time. Jesus was the Son of God. Judas was the son of perdition. God entered into Jesus. Satan entered into Judas. Jesus had a full Holy Ghost ministry for "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: Who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him." Acts 10:38. It says "For he (Judas) was numbered with us, and had obtained PART of this ministry," Acts 1:17. Matthew 10:1, "And when He had called unto Him His twelve disciples, He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease."
That spirit that was in Judas went right along through the ministry of Jesus. Then they both came to the cross. Jesus was hanged upon the cross, gladly giving His Life for sinners and commended His Spirit to God. His Spirit went to God and then was poured out into the church at Pentecost. But Judas hanged himself and his spirit went back to Satan, but after Pentecost that same spirit that was in Judas came back to the false vine that grows right along with the true vine. But notice, Judas' spirit never got to Pentecost. It never went up to receive the Holy Spirit. It could not. But what did that Judas spirit go for? It went for the bag of gold. How it loved money. It still loves money. If it goes about in the Name of Jesus doing mighty things and holding great meetings, it still makes more of money and buildings, and education and everything with a material concept. Just watch that spirit that is upon them and don't be fooled. Judas went about as one of the twelve and he did miracles, too. But he did NOT have the Spirit of God as his own. He did have a ministry. He never got to Pentecost as he was not true seed. He was not a true child of God. No sir. And it is that way right now in the synagogue of Satan. Don't be fooled. You won't be fooled if you are of the very elect. Jesus said you wouldn't be fooled.
Yes, these folks say they are Christians but they aren't.
"I will make them come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee." I Corinthians 6:2, "Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?" Not only will there be twelve apostles on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel but the saints, also, will judge the world. That is when these who claim to belong to God and claim that God loves them will find out exactly who is the child of God and who is loved of the Son. Yes, that day is coming when it will be made manifest. These who are now ruling the world in a measure, and who during the last age will build an image to the beast whereby they will actually rule the world, will one day be humbled when Jesus comes with His saints to judge the world in righteousness. That is exactly what we saw in Matthew 25 when "All" the ones who missed the first resurrection will stand before the Judge and His bride.
Revelation 3:10, "Because thou has kept the word of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth."
What does He mean by the "word of His patience?" Hebrews 6:13-15. "For when God made promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no greater, He sware by Himself, saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise." You see the Spirit is speaking about the Word of God which is given to us. To wait for the fulfillment of that Word required patience even as it did in the case of Abraham. He endured as seeing Him Who is invisible. He was patient and then the Word finally was fulfilled. This is the way God teaches His people patience. Why, if He fulfilled His Word in physical manifestations the very instant you prayed, you would never learn patience, but would become even more impatient with life. Let me show you this truth even more fully set forth. Hebrews 11:17, "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises (the Word of God) offered up his only begotten son." There it is: Abraham was tried AFTER he received the Word of Promise. Most think that as soon as we pray in Jesus' Name over the good promises of God that there could not be a trial. But here it says that Abraham was tried after he received the promise. That is exactly correct according to the Psalmist referring to Joseph, 105:19, "Until the time that his word came: the Word of the Lord tried him." God gives us exceeding great and precious promises. He has promised to fulfill them. He will. But from the time we pray until the time we get the answer we must learn to receive patience into our souls for only in patience do we possess life. May God help us to learn this lesson even as we know the people of this sixth age learned patience. We read the history of the lives of these great Christians; what a contrast we see between their lives and ours for they were so patient and quiet, and today we are all but overcome in overimpatience and haste.
He goes on to say to them, "Because you have taken my Word and lived it and thereby become patient, I will keep you from the hour of temptation which shall come upon the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." Now here again we see the overlapping of the two ages; for this promise has to do with the end of the Gentile period which culminates in the Great Tribulation.
"I will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." This verse is not a declaration that the true church will go into and through the tribulation. If it meant that it would have said that. But it said, "I will keep thee from the hour of temptation." This temptation is exactly like the temptation in Eden. It will be a very inviting proposition held up in direct opposition to God's commanded Word, and yet from the standpoint of human reasoning it will be so very right, so enlightening and life-giving as to fool the world. Only the very elect will not be fooled. The temptation will come as follows. The ecumenical move that has started on what seems such a beautiful and blessed principle (fulfilling Christ's prayer that we all might be one) becomes so strong politically that she bears pressure upon the government to cause all to join with her either directly or through adherence to principles enacted into law so that no people will be recognized as actual churches unless under direct or indirect domination of this council. Little groups will lose charters, privileges, etc., until they lose all property and spiritual rights with the people. For example, right now unless the local ministerial association approves in many, if not most cities, one cannot rent a building for religious services. To become chaplains in the armed services, hospitals, etc., it is now almost mandatory to be recognized as acceptable to the trinitarian ecumenical groups. As this pressure increases, and it will, it will be harder to resist, for to resist is to lose privilege. And so many will be tempted to go along, for they will feel it is better to serve God publicly in the framework of this organization than not to serve God at all publicly. But they err. To believe the devil's lie is to serve Satan, even though you may want to call him Jehovah. But the elect will not be deceived.
Furthermore, the elect will not only be kept, but as this move becomes the "IMAGE ERECTED TO THE BEAST," the saints will be gone in the rapture. And this little delightful, winsome movement that started out in fellowship at Ephesus will become the monster of Satan that defiles and deceives the whole world. For the church system of the Roman Catholic and the Protestant in coming together will control the whole wealth of the world system and force the whole earth into its religious trap, or will kill them, by refusing them the privilege of buying and selling whereby they would make a living. This will be accomplished simply, for the harlot's daughters are all but gone back to her. In the meantime, Rome has acquired nearly all the supplies of gold. The Jews have the bonds and all the paper. At the right time, the harlot will destroy the present day money system by calling in all the paper, and demanding gold. With no gold, the system falls. The Jews will be trapped and come into the alliance, and the harlot church will take over the whole world.
Revelation 3:11-12, "Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the Name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God: I will write upon him My new Name.
We don't need to comment on the thought that He is coming quickly. We know that He is because we are in the end of the last days, aren't we? But He goes on to say, "Hold fast what you have, that no man take your crown."
It is in the midst of a time of great trouble that Jesus comes. And with His coming there is a resurrection. Many are to come forth out of the dust and rise with those who are alive but waiting for His return. And these will be given crowns. Why? Because they are Sons of God. They are kings with Him. They are reigning with Him. That is what the crown signifies - reigning and ruling with the Great King, Himself. That is the promise to all those who suffer with Him here on earth - all those who endured patiently knowing that God, the Just Judge would reward them. They who gave up all for Him and committed all to Him will sit down in His throne and share in His glorious kingdom.
Oh, we have a word for us all at this time. It is hold fast - persevere. Don't give up. Put on the whole armour of God - use every weapon He has given us - use every gift at our disposal and look ahead with joy, because we are going to be crowned by Him Who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Now He is not only giving crowns but He says that these in the bride will be made pillars in the temple of God. But what is the temple of God? Jesus spoke of His body as being the temple. It was. It was the temple of God. But now that we are His body, the true church is the temple of God by the Holy Ghost within us. Now He is going to make the overcomer a pillar in that temple. But what is a pillar? A pillar is actually a part of the foundation for it holds up the superstructure. Praise God, that puts the overcomer right in with the apostles and prophets, for it says in Ephesians 2:19-22, "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; In Whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In Whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." Yes, that verse 22 says that we are builded together with them. Everything went through the DOOR (Jesus) and is a part of that body or temple. Now when God puts a man in the temple as a pillar and makes him a part of that foundation group what is He doing? He is giving him the revelation of the Word and of Himself, because that is exactly what the apostles and prophets had. Matthew 16:17. There he is in that Word. There he stands. No one can get him out.
Ponder that word, "overcometh". John asks the question, "Who is he that overcometh?" and the answer comes right back, "He that believeth that Jesus is the Christ." He doesn't say that the overcomer is one that believes in `A' Jesus and in `A' Christ, but believes that Jesus IS THE CHRIST - ONE person - not two. He is the one who is baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
God is talking about the bride here. Do you want to see another picture of her? It is over in Revelation 7:4-17, "And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God Which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb Which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of water: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." Jesus has come. He has sealed the 144,000. He took 12,000 out of each tribe. But there is another group that doesn't belong in this 144,000 who are seen in verses 9-18. Who are they? These are in the bride taken from amongst the Gentiles. They are before His throne day and night. They serve Him in the temple. They are the special care of the Lord. They are His bride.
The bride goes wherever the Bridegroom is. She will never be left by Him. She will never leave His side. She will share the throne with Him. She will be crowned with His glory and honor.
And I will write upon him the Name of My God, and the name of the city of My God. And what is the Name of God? Well, He was God with us, or Emmanuel, but that was not His given name. "Thou shalt call His Name Jesus." Jesus said, "I came in My Father's Name, and you received Me not." Therefore the Name of God is JESUS, for that is the Name He came in. He is LORD JESUS CHRIST. And what name does a woman take when she marries the man? She takes his name. It will be His Name that is given unto the bride when He takes her to Himself.
Revelation 21:1-4. "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of 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 shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." How wonderful. All of God's wonderful promises fulfilled. It will be all over. The change will have been completed. The Lamb and His bride forever settled in all the perfections of God. Describe it? Who is able to do that? No one. Think about it? Dream about it? Read what the Word says about it? Yes we can do all of that, yet we can only know an infinitesimal part of it until it becomes reality in the first resurrection.
"And I will write my NEW Name upon him." My New Name. When ALL becomes new, then He will take upon Him a new Name and that Name will be the Name of the bride also. What that Name is, none dare conjecture. It would have to be a revelation of the Spirit given so conclusively that none would dare deny it. But no doubt He will leave that revelation to the day when He desires to give that Name forth. Suffice it to know that it will be more wonderful than we could ever imagine.
Revelation 3:13, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches." Every age ends with this same warning. It is the constant plea that the churches listen to the voice of the Lord. In this age the plea is even more insistent than in former ages, for in this age the coming of the Lord truly draweth nigh. The question would perhaps arise, "If there is another age beyond this one, why the urgency?" The answer lies herein. The last age will be a short one - a quick work of consummation. And not only is this so, but one must always remember that in the eyes of God time is so very fleeting; yea, a thousand years are but a day. And if He is coming within a few hours as He views time, then He surely must warn us with all urgency and His voice must continually sound in our hearts to be ready against that coming.
Oh, there are so many voices in the world - so many problems and needs crying for attention; but there will never be a voice so important and so worth attending as the voice of the Spirit. So, "He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches." 7ch044.htm