False Apostles Are In Your Midst: How Can You Know Them?

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: 

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: and hast borne, 

and hast patience, and for My name's sake hast labored, and hast not fainted

 Revelation 2:1-3

     The messenger (angel) to the church at Ephesus received a message from the One who walks in the midst of candlesticks, the Church, and Who holds the stars, the elders or leaders of the Church in His right hand, the hand considered to be clean, even sacred. This One Who walks among the Churches knows their works and all their labor even their patience. God knows all things and we cannot do anything that He does not know. Did God wait until we did it to know? No! God is eternal and sees things eternally, that is all that will happen is already known by God. God Who created all things Who does not live in time knows our time, our future, our past, our now, God knows and as God this must be true of Him for if not then God is limited. If God is limited then we would have no sure hope of ever pleasing Him for we do not know what is limiting Him. Our hope for eternal life, for salvation then could never be sure and we would be living a hopeless life. This is not of God! Why would He then send His Wisdom to become flesh to die for sin if He was limited? Some may say that He did this to settle His question as to how He could have a people who will live with Him forever. This is foolish for God does have need of anything. At God's good pleasure He does whatever He does and for His reason's and His reason's only. God knows your works, your labor or lack of labor and your patience or lack of patience. You cannot hide from God. God is Spirit and has no boundaries and cannot be measured or known outside of Him revealing something we need to know about Him. God gives us only what we need, when, why, and how, and what and all of this is to be found in His Revelation throughout all those who wrote what He inspired men to write. Those men were not recording just history, albeit, they were writing historical events, but there were many events and those recorded were the ones that God inspired to be written so that we could come to know Him and His requirements. 

     Yet, many men and women have overreached in their attempt to teach something about God and how we are to worship Him, or to live and in their attempt they teach false doctrine. It is this overreaching that many of us have done so that we can make some sense out of those hard things to understand like symbols. We far too often make those symbols mean something that we can grasp onto, as to those objects that have some resemblance to the symbol. Maybe they do, but maybe they do not so how are we to know the difference? We study Scripture as I have previously pointed out that by our knowledge of history we can come to a conclusion, not based on what sounds good to us, but has a foundation in Scripture. God has given us history to reveal to us Him and by our study of the Scriptures we can come to know Him. Those who will not study Scriptures or have come to dismiss God will never know Him and often come to false conclusions. 

     This was happening in the early Church, false apostles who are declared to be evil and require much patience on our part to define them, to address them, to teach about them and then to avoid them. We do this for the sake of the name of Jesus. Not His name as in Bill or John, no His name that tells us about Him, His attributes, and His requirements set forth for His bride. The literal name has no power, but the name that describes Jesus has all the power in the world. We have many false preachers, teachers, professors, and others who are teaching speculative theories, and good sounding representatives of symbols and many have succumbed to them as they do not learn what is the truth and have succumbed to the overreaching by false teachers.

     Do you belong to such a church? Do you and are you following speculation and good sounding words? Are you taking time to study what is being taught and said by Scripture and Scripture alone. Is this so important to you that you will do all, that is labor so that your works are the true works of God. You will do what you hold as important. 

My soul, wait thou only upon God;

     for my expectation is from Him.

He only is my rock and my salvation:

     He is my defence: I shall not be moved.

In God is my salvation and my glory: 

    the rock of my strength, and my refuge,

is only in God.

                    Psalm 61:5-7

Inspect what you expect: trust with caution'

Richard L. Crumb 

Here Are The Answers To The Right Hand, Angels, Stars, And Candlesticks

And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. 

And He laid His right hand upon me, 

saying unto me, Fear not: I am the first and the last; 

I am He that liveth, and was dead; and behold,

 I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have

 the keys of hell and of death. Write the things 

which thou hast seen, and the things 

which are, and the things which shall

 be hereafter; the mystery of the 

seven stars which thou sawest 

in My right hand, and the seven 

golden candlesticks. The seven stars are 

the angels of the seven churches: 

and the seven candlesticks which thou 

sawest are the seven churches.

Revelation 1:17-20 

     The question from yesterday was how can we know and understand the symbols in the Bible and the answer was that we must know if there are coinciding symbols, or objects that are of that symbol, how they were used, why, and how does it pertain to the present day according to their use historically. We must always maintain and attitude that will not allow speculation and it is hard for me, and probably for you. So in these verse we get some answers to those symbols, the stars, the angels, the candlesticks, therefore once again the Bible interprets the Bible. 

     In Jewish life the right hand was considered clean and the left hand dirty. We can see an illustration of this at the Last supper where they reclined at the table in such a way that they ate with the right hand. They leaned on the left side and when Jesus fed a morsel of bread dipped into the dish to give to Judas Jesus would take His right hand dip the bread and give it backwards to Judas so he could eat of it. The right hand always in Scripture represents cleanness (Mathew 26:20-26). The right hand was considered to be the strong hand so when Jesus laid His hand upon John John would feel the strength and be comforted. We too can have the right hand of Jesus upon us, not as John did, but as the Holy Spirit impresses upon us the Gospel, how we are to live and the Holy Spirit is not something that was created by Jesus, but is God, the Third Person of the Trinity. Jesus once again reminds us that He is the first, the last, and who was dead, and this reminds us of His death on the cross, and alive, for He rose from the dead on the third day and now as the incarnated God through His Wisdom Who became flesh, this propitiation for sin is forever. 

     Jesus says that He has the keys of Hades and of death. There is so much said about Hades, even Dante's Inferno gives an allegory of Hades, so there is much speculation about this word. Hades is not Gehenna! Hades is the Greek word for the Hebrew word Sheol. Sheol, and Hades is the place where the dead go until Jesus comes again. Only Jesus can unlock Hades for He has the keys, the keys that not only unlocks Hades but renders death that comes in this life done for He is the living One who created all things, controls all things and has paid the price of death that original sin that plagues mankind and this world in whole. When you rise to meet Jesus you will not ever face death again for you are of His elect that have eternal life. If you are not of His elect you have Gehenna awaiting you and from Gehenna there is no escape for Hades is thrown into Gehenna (Revelation 20: 14-15).

     This word mystery is not as we use the word for it means not only something mysterious, it means that you cannot understand it and it is a mystery to you and you can only understand it if you have been given the meaning. The angels are sometimes spiritual beings but more often as the Greek word denotes it means messenger. Those angels of the Churches are the messengers of the Churches. The candlesticks are the Churches. We now have the mystery solved as to angels, stars, candlesticks, the right hand. There is no need to speculate for the answer is from Scripture and needs no speculation. 

     Revelation is not easy to understand but it can be if we do diligent work by study and prayer, and when we are not clear on a matter, pray, study, and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you and do not run ahead of the Holy Spirit. Some have done so and often to gain followers and income, to profit from their speculations. Do not be captured by those false teachers. The first thing you must know is that you must believe with your whole heart, mind, and soul that Jesus is God, that Jesus is the Savior and most important: you must know that you are a sinner and in need of salvation. Become Authentic and not Agnostic, or nominal, be a real Christian by converting to Him and following His commands. Then read the Bible and even a book such as Revelation with all its symbols and then allow the mystery to unfold. You will be blessed! Others will be blessed! Those who will not believe will have no axe to grind with you, you too will be an "angel" a messenger of God. 

Then Mordecai commanded Esther, 

     Think not with thyself that thou 

shalt escape in the king's house, 

     more than all the Jews. For if thou

altogether holdest thy peace at this time,

      then shall there enlargement and 

deliverance arise to the Jews from another place;

      but thou and thy father's house shall

 be destroyed: and who knoweth whether 

     thou are come to the kingdom for 

such a time as this?

                    Esther 4:13-14

Study God's word so that you are not fooled

Richard L. Crumb

 

Symbols, Symbols, Symbols, How Can We Understand Them?

 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me, 

and being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 

and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one

 like unto the son of man, clothed with a 

garment down to the foot, and girt about 

the paps with a golden girdle. His head 

and his hairs were white like wool, as 

white as snow; and his eyes were as a 

flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass,

 as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice 

as the sound of many waters. And he had in 

his right hand seven stars: and out

 of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: 

and his countenance was as the sun shineth 

in his strength.

Revelation 1:12-16

     Symbolism is always hard to understand and we must come to an understanding as to why it is hard to understand and how we can understand them without falseness. History will aid us, and taking time to study about those who are teaching various ideas about a symbol, or symbolism will guide us so that we do not follow after that which the Bible never teaches. Scripture interprets Scripture but also we must understand why Scripture was written the way it was and how we are to understand Scripture. First, and foremost, we are the product of our environment, what has been taught to us, all developing our ideas and understanding. What you read, what you hear, will lead you more than you think and often what we read or hear is taking for granted that it is not harmful, or is the truth, when in fact it may not be truthful and is harmful. 

     For instance: the early men of the Church held to different views about Jesus Christ, God, the Holy Spirit. In Alexandria a school of Neo-Platonism was founded and this school attempted to bring together Platoism, Judaism, and Christianity. Arius, the bishop that taught Jesus was a created being came under that influence as well as Origen who is noted as being one that used allegory in his writing and held to a belief that God while is immutable Jesus Christ is not, and that Jesus Christ is the creator of the Holy Spirit, and that there are two gods. Some Churches today, the Coptic Catholic Churches for one follow Origen, the Jehovah Witnesses follow Arius, and the Mormons follow both and add even more about God, and Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The NIV Bible is translated much from the Sinaticus which is a product of Alexandrian and Alexandrian thought. Some Churches use only a part of those old teachings, such as supernatural healing, for Arius is said to have been healed from a wound he got while working as a cobbler. The Alexandrian School of Theology held closely to mysticism, which we find in those Churches in Greece and other European Churches. So when we read or hear a person teaching about a symbol we need to know from what school of theology he is from and what he believes as truth. All this has led to much speculation about symbols and we must dig through this to get to the truth. So then let us look at those symbols and come to what the Bible teaches and why they were included in this vision of John.

     Seven candlesticks should make us think historically as to why this symbol was used here in Revelation. We know from our study that seven was a number referring to completeness, but what about candlesticks. There is an allusion to the seven lamps in the candlestick that was in the sanctuary (Exodus 25:37). These lamps hold light but do not generate light from themselves but only shine forth the light put into them, so this can represent the Churches who have no light in themselves but that which is put into them and is the Gospel of Jesus Christ which dispels darkness and is the means to enlighten sinners and give light to the saints a light by which they, you, walk and work, and are by this light ministers of it, you who are to be the light of the world. At one time this historical candlestick represented one nation, the Jewish nation, but now according to verse 20 this candlestick represents all of Christendom. 

     This voice, the voice of Jesus Christ was robed down to His feet, and this can mean that He is the High Priest filled with righteousness and is the Mediator. We can think of the robes of the priests, especially the High Priest of ancient Israel, his role as a mediator that once a year went into the most Holy to repent for Israel to have their sins removed. Jesus does not have to go into a man-made temple for He is in the highest of temples for He is in heaven and there represents all who believe on Him every moment of every day. 

     God is considered to be a most precious metal and Jesus was girded by a golden girdle and this could then mean and denoted of His love and affection for His bride, held together firm and solid is His love for His bride. Hair that was so white, white as snow, and as that old hymn states we are washed in the blood of the lamp and we are whiter than snow. this whiteness represents purity, majesty and His eyes like flame of fire could then represent His knowledge of the secrets of all hearts. As a flame purifies, it can also reveal the innermost and Jesus can see your innermost thoughts. Jesus has feet like fine brass, and brass that has been tempered in fire which denotes firmness and that His proceeding are excellent. His voice of many waters that sound loud and clear represents the power of His word, to be able to remove or destroy. This Jesus will do, for He will remove His bride before He destroys this world and all sin. Those seven stars that represent the ministers of those seven Churches and by extension to all representatives of all Authentic Christian Churches to whom He upholds and directs. the Sword, this two-edged sword represents His justice, His word, and His dividing asunder the soul and the spirit (Hebrews 4:12). 

     Jesus shines bright as the sun, clearly, and powerfully, so bright that we as mortals cannot look upon this brightness. John could not look upon it. We have such a symbolism that when understood in light of Scripture without making Scripture to conform to what we believe, rather to allow Scripture to tell us what to believe, to look at how symbols are and have been used by God's people will keep us from following after those who are trying their best to mislead us and to profit from our lack of understanding. May we then obey the word of God and give ourselves wholly to Him for it is He that will, if we allow Him to do so, direct all things and if He directs all things then those things will be a blessing and not a curse to us.

And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, 

    and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt 

be called by a new name, which the mouth

     of the LORD shall name.

                         Isaiah 62:2

Be wary of what is said: test all things

Richard L. Crumb