UNDERSTANDING THE BOOK OF REVELATION      

                                                        Part 16

WE are looking at the fourth church age, in this part. In the way we are looking at the Book of Revelation, we are not looking at it in terms of years, but in terms of EXPERIENCE in our walk. Although, we will be looking at the ways of the church age, back in time, our attention will be on OUR EXPERIENCE.

Revelation 2:18-29, “And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like the brass. I know thy works, and charity and service, and faith and thy patience; and thy works: and the last to be more than the first.”

(let me say here; I wish that you would read my study titled,

 “Re-Happenings”. Although, each of these churches HAD A PARTICULAR time, in history; we can see a RE-HAPPENING that has and is taking place in our walk; our experiences, throughout our walk. I think that reading that study would help you to see what I am saying about all of these “church age experience”. In this sharing, we are looking at the happenings in these church ages, we are looking at what we have experienced, walked out of, and grown Spiritually. MUCH of our beliefs, truths that we hold, today, has changed dramatically over the last ten years.)

The “feet of brass”, we saw, was what that “one like unto” went through. WE have walked that “hot” path, ourselves. Please remember, when I talk about “judgment”, I am not talking about God’s wrath being upon us, or our “judging another”. We are talking about “correcting that which is incorrect”. That’s all. We have to lose this thought of “judgment” being a cruel punishment from HIM. We are/have been, simply correcting what was incorrect. And we will continue to do this, until, His finished work is manifested in and through us.

And as we look at these church ages, we must remember that there has always been a remnant that did not forsake Him and His ways.

If you noticed, the angel of this church age, spoke of “I know thy works..”, two times. (vs. 19) This would tell me that there were TWO kinds of works being done in this church. And there was a promise of God for each of these works.

The Thyatiran church age really rose into much worldliness. What is worldliness? The world consists of the earthly plane, or the carnal, flashily, SELF WILLED realm of HUMANISM. Worldliness is being led by these mentioned things. It is the motivation of the heart of a matter, than what we have been taught; it is more than how to dress; when and how to act; actually it is as we read in Isaiah, about the seven women taking hold of one man. It is the desire to be called by HIS NAME, but, insisting on eating our own food; ( eat whatever word that WE choose, instead of following the leading of the Spirit and using discernment) wearing our own apparel; (having a life style that suited us and covering up that lifestyle with religious scripture that excuses all of our acts); it is what is in our heart, our intentions that is the difference between worldliness, and the nature of God. “Out of the heart, the mouth speaks”. Godliness has to do with the intentions of our heart; and the same is true of worldliness. If our intentions are to be all that He says we are, and to show forth ONLY HIM, this is Godliness; while if the intention of our heart is to live, talk and be whatever pleases the flesh, that is what is in our heart, and the mouth speaks.

The promise of the Lord unto this fourth church age was, that at the end of that church age, there would be ushered in a more wonderful thing, than at the beginning of that age.

The judgemnt against this age was because:

“Thou allowed or suffered that “woman Jezebel” (the false church system) which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach”

The teachings the Spirit should be from the Spirit, not from the council of man. The True “church” of God should never be subdued or harassed into accepting false doctrines of man. Like so many try to do, by telling us “you should not read this or that”, “you should not listen to this one or that one”, and if you do you are falling into carnality. The Spirit will speak through ANYONE it chooses to; and through any book, article or written work of anyone. You see, this is DICTATION! This does not allow for DISCERNMENT IN US to be applied. We are to follow the Spirit, not the dictation of men. When man teaches, “there are no opposites in God, and all things are pure, then turns right around and says, “don’t read that, it is the opposite of God and it is unclean”; now which is it? I will tell you this from my own experience, we can read or listen to, or visit ANYTHING we want, and the Spirit will let us know, if this or that doesn’t help my growth and we will grow weary of the reading or listening to, or the visiting that we are giving our attention to. DEPENDANCE!! ONLY ON THE BEING THAT WE ARE can manifest itself.

John head, being spoken about the leaders of that fourth church age, “you allow her , this church, to subdue my servants.”

Our love for Him and His Truth should never be divided or shared. Our love and our commitment can only be to HIM; not our denominations; what our friends want us to do and be; and to our leaders. ONLY TO HIM. For IF our love and commitment is to Him, we cannot help but to love all; not their demands or actions, but the person that we KNOW Who they are.

Many of the denominations today, are the outgrowth of or religious politics; creeds and doctrines and many times, a leader who thinks only he/she knows it all. Sad! John heard this church being told, “she (the church) causes many to eat things sacrificed unto idols”, and who are the idols, the men that we hold in such high esteem, that we cannot hear for ourselves.

God gave these false teachers and the fourth church age system of man a time for repentance, but they would not hear the True Word of God. History records the horrors of those “Dark Ages”. We can read about the horrors all through the OT.

But, God also predestined an end to the false church systems of Jezebel and all of her “daughters”. He promised deliverance and victory for the remnant who left the doctrines of Jezebel.

The fourth seal was opened.

Revelation 6:7-8, “And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, “Come and see”. And I beheld, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.”

I can see a beautiful picture in this word.

When we see “death” in the Spirit, it is not always the way the natural thinking, sees death. Death with the sword speaks to me of an UNDERSTANDING coming forth from HIS TRUE WORD. And HUNGER, doesn’t mean that people couldn’t eat. Hunger speaks to me of that DESIRE that cannot be quenched, and the WANTING of more and more of HIM!! Death and hunger brings forth the leaving of the old beliefs we’ve had and the RISING and SEEING OF HIM.

This fourth seal, I see as GRACE and MERCY upon a people whose mind had become so covered with the “dust of the earth”, but these people are sweeping the lies that we have made our refuse in, away!!

Oh folks, can’t you see that this Book of Revelation is not a book to be feared, but is such a promising look at what is NOW being seeing in, through, and as us, HIM!! “the ONE LIKE UNTO..”

Yes, conditions of this fourth church age led the world into a great age of darkness, cruelty to those believers who remained true. Many of the true followers of God was condemned, condemned even to torture, killed and destruction. Many were called heretics. Does this sound familiar?

In this age, the Roman Terrorism engulfed about one-fourth of all the earth as it reached its ungodliness to all world. They tried to destroy everyone who would not submit to their ungodly lies and lives. BUT, God set a limit to the Jezebel, Great Harlot, the Great Whore system. He said:

“The gates of hell could not prevail against nor destroy the True Church “ We are what He promised; a church triumphant, a glorious church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, HOLY, WITHOUT BLEMISH!! (Eph 5:27)Praise Him, Praise Him!! A “church” clothed in full divine authority, full of love, honest and true, AS HE IS…..SO ARE WE.

Because we are getting closer to SEEING, really SEEING our real Being, the next three church ages, will take longer space to share things about.

In the next part, we will finish up with the fourth trumpet and the fourth vial. This sharing excites me.

It is understandable for a child to be afraid of the dark; but, why would an adult be afraid of the LIGHT?

Sigler.org/keith