Revelation

Chapter 2

Part 9

The 7 Church Ages

 

 

 

The dispensation of Ephesus (70 - 170 A.D.)

 

Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;  --  Rev 2:1 (KJV)

 

 

Ephesus means - to let go or relax

         

                    Home of the Goddess Diana (rom.)

                             (Artemis grk.) Acts 19:35

                      Temple of Diana 

 

                       "Purification with blood" was an ancient greek rite

 

                    Religion mixed with Magic arts Acts 19:19

 

I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:  --  Rev 2:2 (KJV)

 

                    False Apostles Rev. 2:2

                   a.  grievous wolves  Acts 20:29-30

 

 

                  Home of the Goddess Diana (roman goddess)

           

            Mystery Religions

                        Rome, Greece, Persia, Egypt, Babylon, etc.

 

            Roman Imperial Cult

                        Worship of the Roman emperor as a god

                        Horus, Osiris, Isis     

                        Worship of the Apollo, the Sun God

 

            The Occult

                        Magic, Sorcery, Witchcraft, Augury, Divination, Necromancy,

                        Excorcism

 

           

I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:  --  Rev 2:2 (KJV)

 

 

For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.  --  Acts 20:29 (KJV)

Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.  --  Acts 20:30 (KJV)

 

And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.  --  Rev 2:3 (KJV)

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.  --  Rev 2:4 (KJV)

                    Left its First Love - Backslidden

 

Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.  --  Rev 2:5 (KJV)

 

But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.  --  Rev 2:6 (KJV)

 

Trying to establish a new priesthood

 

          Niko - to conquer and overthrow

          Laos - the people or laity

 

          Clergy:  The appointment of

                   Bishops, Archbishops, Cardinals, Popes

 

 

 

 

Ecclesiastical priestly order

 

            Clement of Rome (92-101 A.D.)

            Ignatius of Antioch (110-116 A.D.) 

                   thrown to wild beasts at Rome

 

          as early as the writings of  Clement of Rome  92-101 A.D. 

 

                   1.  Bishops authority is equated to that of the twelve

                         apostles as they are surely their successors.

 

                   2.   Contention against the governing authorities of the

                          church are equated with contention against Aaron

                         and the high priesthood.

 

 

Ecclesiastical priestly order

          as early as the writings of  Ignatius  110 - 116 A.D. 

 

                   1.  No one could be baptized without the bishop

                        being present or providing his consent.

 

                   2.  The bishop's authority was as one under Christ.

                        Nothing was to be done without his approval.

 

                   3.  Priests were inferior to bishops but they alone

                         could offer or administer the sacraments.

 

                   4.   Deacons were inferior to the priests and therefore

                         subject to the priests.

 

                   5.   All members of the church were inferior to the priests

                          and subject to the priests.

 

 

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.  --  Rev 2:7 (KJV)

 

The dispensation of  Smyrna  (170 - 312 A.D.)

 

 

Smyrna from the root meaning bitterness

                                        means myrrh

 

Myrrh - ointment associated with death

 

          1.       Famous for the martydom of Polycarp (155 A.D.)

          2.       Completely destroyed by earthquakes 178 - 180 A.D.

 

And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;  --  Rev 2:8 (KJV)

 

 

          3.       Birthplace of Homer (Not Simpson)

                   a.  Strong influence of Olympian Theology

                             1.  Homer and Hesiod are regarded as prophets

                  

          4.       Myrrha was mother of Adonis (Tammuz)

                   a.  suffering savior/death/ressurrection

                   b.  Mother-Child Cult

                   c.  Woman would mourn and weep 40 days for Tammuz

         

I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.  --  Rev 2:9 (KJV)

         

            Irenaeus of Lyons (177-200 A.D.) 

 

            Clement of Alexandria (150-215 A.D.) 

 

            Tertullian (150-220 A.D.) 

 

                   *** Tertullian is credited with

                             a.  the doctrine of the trinity

                             b.  invention of ecclesiastical Latin

                             c.  in-depth teachings on water baptism

                                      1.  regeneration by water baptism

                                      2.  only covers sins before baptism

                             d.  introduced the doctrine of penance

                                      1.  seven mortal sins which are considered

                                           unforgivable after baptism

                             e.  taught extreme asceticism in his later life

                             f.  taught the imminent incarnation of the Holy Spirit

                             g.  Apostles ONLY (not all christians)

                                  have the filling of the Holy Ghost  with all

                                  power of tongues, healings, prophesy, etc.

                             h.  recognized the Holy Spirit as the

                                      ONLY Vicar of Christ

                             i.  branded a heretic himself

                             j.  taught the primacy of Rome until his later life

 

 

            Origen (185-254 A.D.) 

 

                   was imprisoned in the time of Decian persecution and

                   remained captive and tortured for the rest of his life

 

                   Origen taught that Jesus, although being the divine son of

                   God, was somehow a lesser god forever subordinate to

                   the Father

 

 

            Cyprian (200-258 A.D.) 

 

                   was imprisoned in the time of Valerian persecution and

                   finally beheaded

 

                             a.  Stressed regeneration by water baptism

                                      1.  only covers sins before baptism

                             b.  taught the doctrine of penance and mortal sins

                             c.  bishops (apostles) ONLY (not all christians)

                                  have the fullness of the Holy Ghost

                             d.  if you are not in submission to the bishop,

                                  you are not a true member of the body

                             e.  taught the primacy of Rome while retaining

                                  equality in the bishopry of the church

 

 

 

 In the time of Victor, Bishop of Rome, near the close of the second century, there arose a great conflict primarily between the west and east concerning the proper days to observe the Easter worship.  It is here that we see how Rome violently influenced the other churches to sway them over to accepting their own customs which were not biblically based, or in no way directly handed down from the apostles or even through the early traditions of the church worldwide.  Victor compelled all churches to conform with the custom of the Roman church with threatening of excommunication.  All who continued to refuse his mandates were obviously rebelling against the authority of the Roman church and were unquestionably out of the will of God.  What Victor was demanding the churches to do was to ignore the customs which were directly handed down by the apostles.  Rather than to continue in the faith as they had previously been taught by the apostles who went before them, the Roman Bishop demanded that all churches accept this new Roman teaching which had absolutely no apostolic origin. 

 

 It is interesting that the bishops of Asia absolutely refused to submit to these demands made by Victor (202 A.D.).  They insisted that they honored the passover and ressurrection of Christ as they had been instructed to do so by the apostle John.  They maintained that they knew without question, and believed that they were absolutely certain of the way in which they had been instructed to observe the exact day as handed down to them, neither adding, nor taking away.  As witnesses to the accuracy of their customs they pointed to the apostle Philip who had been among them in Hierapolis along with the last of the apostles, John, who had been with them in Ephesus.  Polycrates, one of the bishops of Asia responded boldly declaring on behalf of the churches refusing to bow to Rome's demands, "I, therefore, brethren, who have lived sixty-five years in the Lord, and have met with the brethren throughout the world, and have gone through every Holy Scripture, am not affrighted by terrifying words.  For those greater than I have said "We ought to obey God rather than man".^[1]        

 

 

 

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.  --  Rev 2:10 (KJV)

 

Ten periods of Great Persecution

 

          Nero           54-68                    Peter and Paul

 

                   blamed the christians for starting a great fire in Rome

                   which he probably had started himself to make room

                   for the olden palace which he had erected there

 

                   Nero had himself depicted as the sun god Apollo

                   with the star shaped crown of apollo

                   100 ft. bronze statue of himself erected in the temple

                   of Mars that he may be properly worshipped

                  

 

 

          Domitian    95-96                    exile of John to Patmos

 

                   demanded all to worship him as a god

                   executed his own nephew for refusing to offer up sacrifice

                   to his image, a hugh marble statue

 

                   why ?

                             whatever happened, famine, disease, earthquake,

                             wars, bad weather was blamed on the christians

                             for failure to worship the Roman gods.

 

                   how ?

                             whipped, disembowled, torn apart, and stoned.

                             burned with red hot iron plates, eaten by wild animals,

                             strangled, hung, tossed on the horns of bulls.

 

                   burial ?

                             thrown in piles and heaps and left to rot

         

          Trajan        100-115

                    thousands of christians were slaughtered daily due

                   to their refusal to worship or honor the Roman gods

 

          Hadrian     117-138

                   often identified with the Olympian Zeus

                   erected temples of Jupiter and Venus over the old

                   Jewish temple site and the suppossed spot of

                   Christ's crucifixion

 

                   some christians had been undoubtedly beaten badly and

                   killed.  The extent of the persecution is not completely

                   known

 

         

          Antoninus Pius  138-161

                   demanded christians worship the images of the emperor

                   many christians were put to death

 

 

 

          Aurelius     168-177

                   Polycarp - burned at the stake

 

                   Marcus Aurelius famous for execution of christians

                   by the gladiators in sports arenas

 

          Commodus          180-192

                   demanded that he be worshiped

                   many christians were beheaded

 

          Severus       203-210

 

                   torn apart by leopards, bears, and bulls, wild beasts

                   bodies burned, many children slaughtered,

                   christian woman were shamed

                   perhaps the most severe persecution of christianity

 

                   Septimus Severus proclaimed his own divinity

                   and married the daughter of the Sun priest at Emesa

 

 

          Maximin    235-237

                   beheaded, their heads set upon the city gates

                   beaten with clubs, pricked with sharp reeds, stoned

                   burned at the stake

 

          Decius         250-253

                   starved to death, beheaded, burned, cast into prison,

                   feet and legs in stocks,

 

                   caused everyone to obtain a certificate to prove that

                   they had worshipped the Roman gods

 

         

          Valerian     257-260

                   beheaded, fastened by feet to the tail of a bull.  the bull

                   would be driven down the steps of the temple until the

                   brains of the victim would pour out upon the ground

 

                   whipped, beaten, tied to burning plates,

                   roasted over an open fire alive

         

                   revival  of the certificate law of Decius

                   caused everyone to obtain a certificate to prove that

                   they had worshipped the Roman gods

 

         

          Aurelian     270

                   tortured and beheaded

 

          Diocletian   303-310

                   imperial cult revived again. 

                   christians sentenced to death or hard labor in the mines

 

 

  Eusebius records that in the days immediately preceding the persecution of Diocletian the bishops became excessive in their love for political power.  They began to use their offices for personal gain generating much strife and discord throughout the whole of the church.  Obviously being full of pride as concerns their lofty positions, they used their offices as a means to oppress their subjects with their tyranny.  He indicates that because of a time of abundant freedom and relief, the bishops began to revile one another out of envy causing great dissension throughout the leadership.  He describes their behavior as "monstrous hypocrisy and dissimulation rising to the greatest height of wickedness".  To this kind of behavoir the Lord has responded prophetically when he says, "cast down the glory of Israel from heaven to earth" and had further "made void the covenant of his servant and profaned his sanctuary".^[2]

 

 

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.  --  Rev 2:11 (KJV)

 

 

 

 

 

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.  --  Rev 21:8 (KJV)

 

 

The dispensation of  Pergamos  (312 - 606 A.D.)

 

            Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea (263-339 A.D.) 

 

          1.  Called the great compromiser

          2.  Especially favored by Constantine

          3.  Commissioned by the empire to copy 50 parchment bibles to

                be circulated throughout the churches of Constantinople

          4.  10 volumes of Church History

 

 

And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;  --  Rev 2:12 (KJV)

I know thy works and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.  --  Rev 2:13 (KJV)

 

 

 

The historical city of Pergamum

 

          1.       Became the capital of the Roman province of Asia

                   a.  Satan's seat ??? 

                   b.   Emperor worship - principal centre of imperial worship

 

          4.       Religious center of the worship of Zeus.

                   a.  Athena,

                   b.  Dionysos,

                   c.  Asklepios (serpent god)

                        1.  people came from all over the world to be healed

                        2.  a great world wide acknowledged shrine

 

 

 

When Belshazzar was slain (Dan 5:30) and the Chaldeans defeated by Darius the Mede, those with authority and power to continue Babylon's idolatrous "mystery" worship, fled to the city of Pergamos.

 

There for many centuries Satan himself brought about the worship of Aesculapius, the child of the "incarnate sun." This worship was celebrated in frantic excesses of evil as Babylon's "mystery" idolatries were perpetuated in their exile.

 

 

Pergamos means Married

 

          Constantine's marriage of imperial Rome with the Church

 

 

          1.  Movement of throne from Rome to Constantinople

The second Rome at Byzantium

 

 

                   2.  Roman Empire Divided

 

 

Some say Christianity conquered Rome by defeating the Roman gods,

and pagan worship throughout the empire,

others say that by Christianity swallowing the pagan rites, festivities, and polytheistic ceremonies of the old Roman empire, Christianity itself had been conquered by Rome.

 

The truth:  Both had given way to a new creature having the attributes and characteristics of pagan Rome and Christianity.  The creature is described as a hybrid beast.  How fitting.

 

 

          3.  Conversion of Constantine

 Constantine's Vision

 

  In his historical writing, "The Life of Constantine", Eusebius gives his historical account of the famous vision which the emperor saw which was destined to change the history of the church forever.  This vision is followed up a visitation of Christ himself and a vivid description of the sacred Labarum or standard of Constantine.

 

 

  "Accordingly he called on him with earnest prayer and supplications that he would reveal to him who he was, and stretch forth his right hand to help him in his present difficulties. And while he was thus praying with fervent entreaty, a most marvelous sign appeared to him from heaven, the account of which it might have been hard to believe had it been related by any other person. But since the victorious emperor himself long afterwards declared it to the writer of this history, when he was honored with his acquaintance and society, and confirmed his statement by an oath, who could hesitate to accredit the relation, especially since the testimony of after-time has established its truth? He said that about noon, when the day was already beginning to decline, he saw with his own eyes the trophy of a cross of light in the heavens, above the sun, and bearing the inscription, CONQUER BY THIS.  At this sight he himself was struck with amazement, and his whole army also, which followed him on this expedition, and witnessed the miracle."^[3]

 

 

  "He said, moreover, that he doubted within himself what the import of this apparition could be. And while he continued to ponder and reason on its meaning, night suddenly came on; then in his sleep the Christ of God appeared to him with the same sign which he had seen in the heavens, and commanded him to make a likeness of that sign which he had seen in the heavens, and to use it as a safeguard in all engagements with his enemies."^[4]

 

  "At dawn of day he arose, and communicated the marvel to his friends: and then, calling together the workers in gold and precious stones, he sat in the midst of them, and described to them the figure of the sign he had seen, bidding them represent it in gold and precious stones. And this representation I myself have had an opportunity of seeing."^[5]

 

  "Now it was made in the following manner. A long spear, overlaid with gold, formed the figure of the cross by means of a transverse bar laid over it. On the top of the whole was fixed a wreath of gold and precious stones; and within this, the symbol of the Savior’s name, two letters indicating the name of Christ by means of its initial characters, the letter P being intersected by X in its center: and these letters the emperor was in the habit of wearing on his helmet at a later period. From the cross-bar of the spear was suspended a cloth, a royal piece, covered with a profuse embroidery of most brilliant precious stones; and which, being also richly interlaced with gold, presented an indescribable degree of beauty to the beholder. This banner was of a square form, and the upright staff, whose lower section was of great length, bore a golden half-length portrait of the pious emperor and his children on its upper part, beneath the trophy of the cross, and immediately above the embroidered banner.  The emperor constantly made use of this sign of salvation as a safeguard against every adverse and hostile power, and commanded that others similar to it should be carried at the head of all his armies."^[6]

 

            1.  Did Constantine actually become a Christian as a result of the vision?

            2.  As Emperor of Rome, he continued to honor the Unconquered Sun god

                 as well as the other pagan deities of Rome. 

            3.  Constantine never established Christianity as the State religion, although it

                  would appear that he favored the religion for political reasons alone. 

            4.  Constantine handed the imperial scepter over to the Bishop of Rome.

                  The Bishop became his pawn to assist him in ruling over the empire,

                  giving him complete authority to handle any disputes throughout the Christian

                  world during his reign.^[7] 

 

            5.  Pontifex Maximus of religions.

                        a. Apostolic Canon 35 - each province had its own bishop

                        b.   Church hierarchy as recognized (set up) by Constantine

                                    1.  Bishop of Rome - Chief Bishop

                                                (Pope Silvester sat at his right hand)

                                    2.  Bishop of Alexandria

                                    3.  Bishop of Antioch

                                    4.  Bishop of Aelia (Jerusalem)

                        e.  Churches enjoyed relief from taxation. 

                        f.   The Bishops were handsomely rewarded with great wealth. 

                        g.   The people of the empire were heavilly taxed instead.

`                       h. Bishop of Rome was given authority by the emperor, not by the church.

                        i.  Constantine began to rule over the church. 

                                    1.  1st ecumenical council  (325 A.D.)

                                    2.  indepenent voice was now dead

                                    3.  churches must agree with the council or be forced underground

                        j.  Council of Gangra presided over by the emperor Constantine

                                    1. matter of canon law that if

"anyone should hold private assemblies outside of the Church, and, despising the canons, shall presume to perform ecclesiastical acts, the presbyter with the consent of the bishop refusing his permission, let him be anathema."^[8]  No longer was the layman allowed to hold private assemblies or gatherings in his home.  Everything would come under the eye of scrutiny so that they might readilly detect any amount of unconformance.

           

                        k.  Synod of Antioch in Encaeniss (A.D. 341)

                                    1. forever written in Canon I

 

 "Whosoever  shall presume to set aside the decree of the holy and great Synod which was assembled at Nice in the presence of the pious Emperor Constantine, beloved of God, concerning the holy and salutary feast of Easter; if they shall obstinately persist in opposing what was then rightly ordained, let them be excommunicated and cast out of the Church; this is said concerning the laity."^[9]

 

Truly it might be said that  "he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed" (Rev. 13:12  KJV), that first beast being of course the Roman Empire. 

 

 Although Constantine forbade idolatrous worship in the Christian church throughout the empire, he promoted the recognition of the commemorative days of the martyrs.  Constantine also passed a statute which demanded the observance of the "Lord's day" (Sunday) throughout the empire.^[10]