Peace and grace in the love of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 2-3refers to the seven sprinklings of blood before the Ark of the Covenant.
It means the seven epistles for the seven churches of the Gentiles. It is also the last sanctificationdone by Jesus for the seven churches of the Gentiles or the congregation in the last days to make them perfect or without blemish like Jesus.
We are learning the first church, namely the one in Ephesus.
Revelation 2:4-5
2:4 "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
2:5 "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.
God confesses all things that have been done by the church in Ephesus, but He has something against them. It hurts the flesh indeed, but it the last sanctification to make them as perfect as Jesus is. God has something against the Church in Ephesus because they lose the first love, namely the love of Father God through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. The consequences are as follows.
Matthew 20:29-34
20:29 Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him.
20:30 And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"
20:31 Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"
20:32 So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, "What do you want Me to do for you?"
20:33 They said to Him, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened."
20:34 So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.
The condition of the church in Ephesus is the same as the two blind men sitting by the road. They refer to Christians who wander and are not shepherded. They also refer to a husband and his wife. If they are not shepherded, there will be the spiritual blindness. Their lives are without any control, but full of strife, violence, sexual affairs, divorce and remarrying, up to marrying and being given in marriage. The children will also live without any control and disobey the parents.
The signs of the spiritual blindness or not being shepherded are as follows.
God blesses you.
Revelation 2-3refers to the seven sprinklings of blood before the Ark of the Covenant.
It means the seven epistles for the seven churches of the Gentiles. It is also the last sanctificationdone by Jesus for the seven churches of the Gentiles or the congregation in the last days to make them perfect or without blemish like Jesus.
We are learning the first church, namely the one in Ephesus.
Revelation 2:4-5
2:4 "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
2:5 "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.
God confesses all things that have been done by the church in Ephesus, but He has something against them. It hurts the flesh indeed, but it the last sanctification to make them as perfect as Jesus is. God has something against the Church in Ephesus because they lose the first love, namely the love of Father God through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. The consequences are as follows.
- Falling into a deep pit like a sheep falling into it and a man whose right hand withered away.
- The candlestick is taken away. It means living in the darkness, being blind spiritually, or having a defect.
Matthew 20:29-34
20:29 Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him.
20:30 And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"
20:31 Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"
20:32 So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, "What do you want Me to do for you?"
20:33 They said to Him, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened."
20:34 So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.
The condition of the church in Ephesus is the same as the two blind men sitting by the road. They refer to Christians who wander and are not shepherded. They also refer to a husband and his wife. If they are not shepherded, there will be the spiritual blindness. Their lives are without any control, but full of strife, violence, sexual affairs, divorce and remarrying, up to marrying and being given in marriage. The children will also live without any control and disobey the parents.
The signs of the spiritual blindness or not being shepherded are as follows.
- Like the seeds falling by the wayside and the birds eat them.
Matthew 13:3-4
13:3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: "Behold, a sower went out to sow.
13:4 "And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.
It means as follows.- Not understanding even there is no will to understand the true teaching Word.
Matthew 13:19
13:19 "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. - Not believing in the true teaching Word.
Luke 8:5, 12
8:5 "A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.
8:12 "Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
- The heart always wanders while one is listening to the Word. There is no concentration.
- The feet always wander to hear many different teachings.
- Trampling down or despising the seed of the true teaching Word. It means that one gets bored to the teaching Word that is preached repetitively, criticizes it because it is not in line with the flesh will, and gets sleepy while listening to it or he is ruled over by the unclean spirit.
The right attitude is being shepherded well and correctly like the good ground that produces fruits.
1 Peter 2:2
2:2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
The fact found in it is being like a newborn baby that only desires the pure and spiritual milk, namely the true teaching Word or Shepherding one. It is pure because a verse explains other verses in the bible, so it is not mixed with any other thing. It is also spiritual because of being preached by a pastor in the anointing of Holy Spirit faithfully, regularly, in order, and repetitively.
The people who are shepherded well will only desire and enjoy the true teaching Word or Shepherding one to have a spiritual growth toward salvation or righteousness and holiness (being the priests and kings to serve and minister to God according to the priests’ office God has trusted), up to perfection as the bride of God. - Not understanding even there is no will to understand the true teaching Word.
- Like a fig tree by the road. It only has many leaves without any fruit.
Matthew 21:18-19
21:18 Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry.
21:19 And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again." Immediately the fig tree withered away.
It means actively ministering to God, but not satisfying Him. Why?- The fig tree in Garden Eden.
Genesis 3:7
3:7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leavestogether and made themselves coverings.
The leaves of fig tree in Garden Eden were used to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve. It means the self-truththat is not in line with the Bible or covering sins by blaming others and God.
Genesis 3:9-13
3:9 Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?"
3:10 So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself."
3:11 And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?"
3:12 Then the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate."
3:13 And the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
The naked sinners have no ability to return to God. Therefore, God calls them. Adam and Eve we already called to return to God. Unfortunately, they kept their self-truth. They did not confess their sins, but blamed others, God, even Satan. They could not repent. Consequently, they were driven out of paradise and cursed.
The right attitude is producing fruits or receiving the calling of God through realizing, regretting, and confessing sins to Him and others. After we are forgiven, we do not sin anymore. Repenting and living in righteousness mean returning to the atmosphere of paradise. - The leaves of fig tree were used as a shelter.
John 1:48-51
1:48 Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."
1:49 Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"
1:50 Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these."
1:51 And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descendingupon the Son of Man."
It means serving and ministering to God only for pursuing physical things or being satisfied only with physical things that please the flesh or pursuing self-interest.
Consequently, one cannot see the open heaven as well as Jesus Himself.
We must go out of under the fig tree. It means that we must willingly bear the cross or experience the sprinkling of blood to enter the building of the perfect body of Christ.
As a result, the heaven is open and we can have these two powers.- The power of God that descends, namely the power of miraculous preservation of God that is abundant until we can give thanks. We also get the sanctification power and life renewal, so we can produce the fruits.
- The power of God that ascends or lifting up power. We are lifted up from now on in the world. We get success and beauty in time of need until we are lifted up on the glorious clouds, sanctified, and perfected.
- The power of God that descends, namely the power of miraculous preservation of God that is abundant until we can give thanks. We also get the sanctification power and life renewal, so we can produce the fruits.
- The fig tree planted in the vineyard that does not produce any fruit.
Luke 13:6-9
13:6 He also spoke this parable: "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.
13:7 "Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’
13:8 "But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.
13:9 ‘And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’"
It means there is no fruit although one has served and ministered to God because the root is not good, but evil, bitter, and rotten.
The evilroot is the love of money that causes stinginess (one cannot give) and greediness (one steals the possession of God and others).
The bitterroot is hatred.
Hebrews 12:15
12:15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitternessspringing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;
The rottenroot is disobedience to the true teaching Word.
Isaiah 5:24
5:24 Therefore, as the fire devours the stubble, And the flame consumes the chaff, So their root will be as rottenness, And their blossom will ascend like dust; Because they have rejected the law of the LORDof hosts, And despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
Matthew 7:21-23
7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
7:22 "Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
7:23 "And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
The ministry that is not in line with the true teaching Word is the same as one who practices lawlessness. On the contrary, the transgressor like the criminal crucified besides Jesus can be the inhabitant of paradise if there is obedience to the true teaching Word.
The obedience is the same as producing fruits. As a result, the doors in the world will be opened, even the door of heaven, for us.
- The fig tree in Garden Eden.
- Like a sheep that is not shepherded.
Matthew 9:35-36
9:35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
9:36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.
The condition is weary, heavy laden, and scattered. There is no one who is responsible for the salvation of his soul.
If one is not shepherded, he will be like the dog in its idle words and swine in the falling and rising in sins up to the peak, namely sin concerning eating-drinking and marrying-being given in marriage.
Such person is suffering exceedingly, especially in marriage and children, and the problems are never finished.
Matthew 20:34, 30-31
20:34 So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.
20:30 And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"
20:31 Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"
If we are blind, we will not be able to follow Jesus to New Jerusalem, but to the hell.
The solution is as follows.- Jesus passes by. It means that Jesus, the Great Shepherd, wants to approach us. It is His mercy.
John 10:3, 11
10:3 "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
Jesus approaches us through the preaching of the true teaching Word or the voice of the Shepherd and sacrifice of Christ or the Holy Communion. - Jesus as the Great Shepherd calls us.
Matthew 10:32-33
10:32 "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
10:33 "But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
He calls us when the Word shows us our condition. We are called privately by God when the Word touches us.
He is giving us the greatest opportunity to pour out our heart to Him and confess all our condition and sin, so we have a close and private relationship with Him. - Jesus asks.
Matthew 20:32
20:32 So Jesus stood still and calledthem, and said, "What do you want Me to do for you?"
It means that God is able to help us from all problems.
Matthew 20:33
20:33 They said to Him, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened."
Our main need in facing all problems is looking at the Lord or the true teaching Word. The process is listening to the Word earnestly, understanding, believing in it, and obeying it.
Psalm 119:18
119:18 Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous thingsfrom Your law.
Afterward, we can see the wondrous thing of God and experience the stretching out of God’s merciful hand that performs miracle. It begins from the life renewal, from being blind to seeing, and from carnal men to spiritual ones.
Ephesians 4:24-28
4:24 and that you put on the new manwhich was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
4:25 Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another.
4:26 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
4:27 nor give place to the devil.
4:28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
We return to be like a weak baby in the mighty hand of God.
The physical miracle will also happen and there is nothing impossible. All things are beautiful in His time. Our life steps are in miracle and we are changed to be as perfect as Jesus is when He comes a second time. We follow Him and enter New Jerusalem.
- Jesus passes by. It means that Jesus, the Great Shepherd, wants to approach us. It is His mercy.
God blesses you.