The Messages to the 7 Ecclesias-page 2

 

 

     APPLICATION 2: AD96 to the return of Christ 

 

     NOTE– dates given are as accurate as possible -

     and the author acknowledges that this application

     was first set out with the same basic plan by

     H.P. Mansfield in 'The Apocalypse Epitomised'

                                pages 25 & 26.                                           

     

      Ephesus: AD96-303 ch.2v1-7

      This period covered the decline from the Truth which was set

      out in detail on page 1.             It resulted in the total separation of

      the  true         believers from all  false representations of    so-called

      "Christianity",  but which  had become so   in name only,     and

      was simply paganism concealed within-Matthew 7v15.       The

      true ecclesia     "tried them which say they are apostles,     and

      are not, and hast found them liars".       Those who were diss-

      enters "fled into the wilderness"      from the new   'church-state',

      i.e. 'Pagan-Christian' Rome,     which now proceeded to perse-

      cute all who would not bow to her unscriptural demands-

      Link to 'departure'.    See Revelation 12v6,14-17.

      The ecclesia's "first love" needed to be regained - see page 1.       

 

      Smyrna: AD303-604 ch.2v8-11

           There were now the ecclesia, various dissenters,   & "the syna-

      gogue of the satan"-    re 'the satan' link to 'satan'..the period

      began  with  10  day-years  of  persecution     from      AD303-313,

      when  "the devil" (pure paganism)  used  its  last imperial eff-

      orts to persecute the  "Christian" body-    Revelation 12v7-13.

      Once  false  "Christianity"  was  installed  in  power,     the new

      'church-state'  began  to  persecute  all  dissenters,      including

      the true believers.       And then the bishop of Rome,       in what is

      popularly known as a 'power-grab',        eventually managed to

      gain the ascendancy over fellow apostate bishops. This unsav-

      ory and totally unscriptural practice  reached its climax in the

      years AD604-610,     when the Emperor Phocas passed decrees

      establishing   the bishop of Rome    as   supreme "church"      head.

      The exhortation of Peter   to forego "filthy lucre" had by now

      been long forgotten, 1st Peter 5v1-4.    Link to 'foundation' p.2.

 

      Pergamos: AD604-1215 ch.2v8-17

          This period began with the Roman bishop   gaining the ascend-

      ancy by the decrees of Phocas,       & this evil order of men spent

      the next 1260 years trying to  consolidate  their  power.     The

      "doctrine(s)of Balaam"&"the Nicolaitanes"(p.1)were embrac-

      ed with fervour,  and any resemblance  to    the principles of 1st

      century purity of the Faith was impossible to find.      During this

      period the formal "inquisitions" began,        which continued for

      centuries whilst  the  Roman  bishop had   the power to perpe-

      trate such evil and cruel procedures.      The "Holy Roman Em-

      pire" began, as prophesied,    with  emperor  and  bishop in an

      unholy alliance.    This suited both for the sake of present ad-

      vantage, although they often disagreed, intellectually and also

      militarily.   This evil alliance of expediency will be copied when

      Russia & Rome make their bid  for  world     dominion very soon

      -link to 'the Lord's day'& follow current events in    'prophecy'.

 

          Thyatira: AD1215-1572 ch.2v18-29

      The"man of sin" probably attained to his highest point       under     

      the evil reign of the mis-named Innocent III,           who cemented

      the bondage of Catholics by the Fourth 'Lateran Council'   de-

      cree of confession to a priest instead of God.   He also invented

      the blasphemous doctrine of 'transubstantiation'.    As one wri-

      ter has said-      "For most of the time he encompassed Christen-

      dom with terror.      He crowned and deposed sovereigns, put na-

      tions under interdict,           virtually created the (Catholic) states

      across central Italy    from the Mediterranean to the Adriatic'-

      Peter de Rosa- 'Vicars of Christ'. It was indeed a far cry from

      the humble fisherman from whom    Rome  has  falsely claimed

      her authority- this blasphemy is exposed -      link to 'foundation'.

      During these terrible years,         the full extent of Rome's harlotry

      became evident..the complaint of Christ against Thyatira   was

      "thou sufferest that woman Jezebel…..I gave her space      to re-

      pent of her fornication; and she repented not"- ch. 2v20,21..

      link to 'departure' for details of this unfaithfulness.

      The number '4' represents Divine authority & organization-

      rebels suffer judgment- link to 'the Lord's day'-4th Vision.

 

      Sardis: AD1572-1789 ch.3v1-6

      This sad period saw the cessation of the testimony of the "two

      witnesses" of Revelation 11v3,         which was prophesied to last

      for 1260 day-years, i.e. AD312-1572.                  In AD1572 the

      terrible massacre of St. Bartholomew took place.There was a

      period of figurative "death" from AD1572-1789*;the   last 105

      years from AD1685 being the worst       when some protection by

      the Edict of Nantes was withdrawn.     The so-called "reforma-

      tion" simply rebelled  against  several  excesses of the Roman

      apostacy without challenging its pagan foundations.The"pro-

      testants" had  drunk  too  deeply of the harlot's          "wine of her

      fornication" to do anything but  continue  her   pagan heresies.

      All of the parties involved  except   the true believers were thus

      addressed by Christ -          "thou hast a name that thou livest,   and

      (but) thou art dead"- ch.3v1.    *ending by edict in AD1790

       

      Philadelphia: AD1789-1898 ch.3v7-13

      It is a relief to turn to the next message to Philadelphia.          The

      Lord tells them He has  "set before (them) an open door,  and

      no man can shut it".          Link to 'foundation' for the principles

      involved. This was the epoch of the re-discovery of the Truth*

      from the rubbish of history,     where it had lain unseen and un-

      wanted, except for the few,       during the dark ages of Rome's

      supremacy.    Now that pall of superstition and evil was broken

      by the French Revolution and Italian nationalism.   We see the

      total removal of the temporal (political) power   of    the        bishop

      of Rome, who is now simply "the false prophet".       As the rise

      of this apostate system was established  during      a period of 75

      years,    i.e. AD529-535 to AD604-610………so its fall likewise

      occupied 75 years, i.e. AD1789-1795 to AD1864-1870.The 42

      months (1260 day-years) persecution (Rev.11v2,3) was ended.

      *as shown by the re-appearance of "the four living creatures"

           (Revelation 15v7RV) which prophesies of this epoch;

         and other Scriptures endorse this - details on request

 

      During this time,   an Englishman named John Thomas was en-

      route to America when the ship in which he was travelling was

      in grave danger of being wrecked.     Being deeply moved by the

      fact that he had  little  familiarity with the word of God,    &  its

      teaching concerning life & death,  he made a vow that if he was

      spared, he would not rest until he had found   the Truth.  By the

      providence of God, this was finally achieved.   He accepted the

      Truth and was baptized in AD1847,   living to see the end of the

      temporal (political) power of Rome in AD1870,        for which he  

      had been earnestly waiting.           During the American civil war,

      in order to identify a  small  body  of   believers who objected to

      taking up arms, he coined the name 'Christadelphian'-     which

      means 'brother or sister of Christ'..cp   Matt.12v50; Heb.2v11.

                                        Link also to 'appeal'.

 

      Another who accepted the Truth was Robert Roberts,& he be-

      gan, at the suggestion of John Thomas (who himself had edited

      several periodicals setting forth the Truth)    a magazine which

      was to be known as 'The Christadelphian'.         For many years,

      under his editorship,    this magazine faithfully set forth and also

      stood for the Truth in its purity.         It is sad to record that this is

      no longer the case.Today, there is no magazine which represents

      the whole Truth.  However, newsletters, emails & skype provide

      links amongst those who desire to follow in the footsteps of the

      Pioneer brethren, as we term them,and even more importantly,

      the steps of Jesus Christ and the Apostles.             This web-site is

      the latest in our efforts  to set the Truth  before the inhabitants

      of the world,  to appeal to Christadelphians separated from us,

      and to upbuild each other in our most holy Faith.       This period

      ended at the death of Robert Roberts in AD1898.             

       

      Laodicea: AD1898 to Christ's return ch.3v14-22

      This period closely mirrors 'the time of the end'-which appears

      to have begun in AD1897 co-incident with      the 1st Zionist Con-

      gress in Basle, Switzerland.        Robert Roberts lived to witness

      this long-anticipated movement for the return of Israel,     as pro-

      phesied in the Bible and written of by John Thomas in       'Elpis

      Israel'-  link to 'Bible'- page 2.The evils of this age are many, &

      well-known to anyone with a modicum of decency.     The disas-

      trous teaching of  "evolution"  suits  those  who  wish       to evade

      any type of  responsibility  to  God,     Whom they now deny even

      exists.      And because God has no place in their affections,   imm-

      orality and evil abound on every hand.         Marriage is generally

      considered out-of-date, and open fornication is the norm.          The

      murder of unborn children   is  sanctioned without  any         self-re-

      crimination.       This has in effect become a   substitute for contra-

      ception. Paul wrote of "the last days" in these terms-

 

      "For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous,    boasters,

      proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents,  unthankful,        unholy,

      without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers,     inconti-

      nent,  fierce,  despisers of those that are good,    traitors,    heady,

      highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having

      a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:       from such

      turn away" cp "even their mind and conscience is defiled".

                                                    2nd Timothy 3v1-5 cp Titus 1v15.

      No better words could have been chosen   to describe   this evil age.

      They apply equally to "the last days" of Jewish & Gentile times.  

 

       Paul further testifies:   "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall

       not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived:

       neither fornicators,nor idolaters,nor adulterers, nor effeminate,

       nor abusers of themselves with mankind,  nor thieves,    nor cov-

       etous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners,

       shall inherit the kingdom of God" - 1st Corinthians 6v9,10.  

 

      Coincidental with these worldly evils of the flesh has come a re-

      newed effort by errorists       to have their false doctrines adopted

      by all in their fellowship. And in this we see a "re-run" of events

      which we have documented elsewhere - link to 'departure'.

      The "open door" of Philadelphia has now been shut, but Christ

      invites those who   "hear (His) voice" to "open the door",   and

      then fellowship will be restored-see page 3 for more details.

 

      Those who uphold   the Truth  in its purity      maintain a separate

      identity so that  the precious elements  of  saving doctrine might

      be preserved in the earth - link to 'appeal' for more details.

 

           Page 3 will outline     APPLICATION 3 of the 'Messages'. 

           This deals exclusively with the re-discovery of the Truth.  

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