Excerpt from Lake of Fire series #10 (http://bible-truths.com/lake10.html):
THE THRONE AND SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN LOCATED
I have a nice laminated chart of the Seven Churches of Revelation that I bought at a Bible Book Store. On this chart each Church is identified and followed by four categories:
(1) Strengths, (2) Faults, (3) Instruction, and (4) Promises. There are two boxes that have the word "NONE" written in them. They are: Faults of the Church of Smyrna—"NONE" and Faults of the Church of Philadelphia—"NONE." This chart is wrong.
The truth is that Smyrna and Philadelphia each had the same giant spiritual weaknesses. And what is true for one and two is also true for all. They all had this spiritual sin in their congregations. Let’s notice what, spiritual sin IS, and also WAS in the Church at the time John wrote this prophecy, and which therefore is yet TO COME in future generations of the Church.
SMYRNA: "…I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are THE SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN" (Rev. 2:9).
PHILADELPHIA: "Behold, I will make them of THE SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN, which say they are Jews and are not" (Rev. 3:9).
I had a Klu Klux Klan member write me saying that this means there are people claiming to be of the Jewish race, but are not of the Jewish race. Ridiculous nonsense. The Book of Revelation is spiritual and symbolic. This is not speaking of literal people claiming to be literal Jews of the literal tribe of Judah. Besides, what "spiritual" lesson would there be in such a statement in the first place? No, these are people who claim that they are Jews, but what kind of "Jews?" Why, "spiritual Jews," of course.! Who is a "spiritual Jew?" Let the Scriptures answer:
"But he is a Jew [who is born of the Tribe of Judah? Who practices the religion of Judaism?…], which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men but of God" (Rom. 2:29).
Well, if according to the Scriptures, a real Jew is one who is a Jew "inwardly," then who is a person who practices Judaism and is literally of the Tribe of Judah? Again, let’s have the Scriptures tell us:
"For he is NOT a Jew, which is one outwardly [one who is physically circumcised the eighth day, one who physically practices Judaism, and one who is physically from the tribe of Judah, and who may even physically live in Jerusalem, Israel], neither is that circumcision, which is outward [made by the cutting off of physical flesh with a physical knife] in the flesh" (Rom. 2:28).
Remember in previous lessons how we learned that it is only by matching spiritual with spiritual that we can understand God’s Word? God’s "WORD"! Jesus Christ is "The Word" of God (John 1:1). And Jesus Christ said that the WORDS that He spoke were "spirit." The book of Revelation is the "Testimony of Jesus Christ." The book of Revelation is, therefore, also spiritual. These people in the Church of Smyrna and Philadelphia claimed to be spiritual Jews, who are —spiritually converted. Anyone and everyone who is spiritually converted to Jesus Christ is a spiritual Jew. Paul tells the Gentile Galatians that they are the children of the promise made for the Jews through Abraham. Even Jesus tells us that the children of the kingdom (the literal line of physical Israel) will be cast out and the Gentiles from the east and the west will sit in their place in the kingdom of God. (Matt. 8:10-11).
These people in the Churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia lied. They claimed to spiritually converted (for that is what God’s definition of "a Jew" really is). And a natural man or woman from the natural physical tribe of Judah is not a real Jew at all. The derivation of the name "Jew" comes from yadah and it means, "to give thanks, laud, praise." But the natural [carnal] Jew CANNOT give thanks, laud, or praise to God because,
"Because the carnal mind [the natural physical mind of every Jew from birth, and certainly Gentiles as well] is enmity [hatred] against God: for it is not subject to the [spiritual] law of God, neither indeed can be [or is able]" (Rom. 8:7).
When will we begin to understand that the teachings of the New Testament are not carnal, not physical of the flesh? We are to come out of carnality and be converted, and become spiritual Jews, a people who truly worship (give thanks, laud, and praise) God IN SPIRIT?
So if one has religion, but is not converted, what is he? The Scriptures plainly tell us that he is a member of "THE SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN."
HIM WHICH IS, AND WHICH WAS, AND WHICH IS TO COME
When God wants to emphasis something, He repeats it. When He really wants to emphasize something, He repeats it again. When He really, really, really wants to emphasize something, He repeats it multiple times. Let’s count the times God uses this phrase:
1.
"Him which IS, and which WAS, and which IS TO COME" Rev. 1:4).
2.
"I AM alpha and Omega, the BEGINNING and the ENDING, which IS, and which WAS, and which IS TO COME" (Re. 1:8 ).
3. "I am Alpha and Omega, the FIRST and the LAST" (Rev. 1:11).
4. "I am the FIRST and the LAST" (Rev. 1:17).
5. "I am He that LIVES, and WAS DEAD; and, behold, I AM ALIVE" "Rev. 1:18 ).
6. "the FIRST and the LAST, which was DEAD, and is ALIVE" (Rev. 2:8 ).
7. "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which WAS, and IS, and IS TO COME" (Rev. 4:8 ).
8. "Oh Lord God Almighty, which ART, and WAS, and ARE TO COME" (Rev. 11:17).
9. "Thou art righteous, O Lord, which ARE, and WAS, and SHALL BE" (Rev. 16:5).
10.
"I am Alpha and Omega, the BEGINNING and the END"
Jesus Christ is the BEGINNING and the END; He IS, WAS, and WILL BE. The book of Revelation is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, therefore, the book of Revelation tells us what "IS [or ARE], WAS, and WILL BE." Everything spoken to the churches is, was, and will be. But not everything that "is, and was," "will be" eternally.
Virtually everything in the Bible pertains to the ages [Greek: aions]. All of these ages will come to and end, as will some things that are only used during eonian times or the times contained in the ages.
One of the prime examples of something that is only used during the ages, is JUDGMENT. When judgment brings about righteousness among all mankind, judgment will become a thing of the past, never to be used in the Kingdom of God again. No, something's "will be" NO MORE. Not until later in the book of Revelation are we told of NEW things to come and OLD things that "will be" no more.
Thank and praise God that one day the most dreaded and painful things in the universe will be NO MORE:
"And God shall wipe away ALL TEARS from their eyes [no, there will be NO ONE in a fabled Christian hellhole of terror with tears running down their fire-scorched face for all eternity]; and there shall be NO MORE DEATH [not a first death, nor a second death, nor a spiritual death, nor any ‘death’ whatsoever, ‘the last enemy being ABOLISHED is DEATH,’ (I Cor. 15:26)], neither SORROW, nor CRYING, neither shall there be a ANY MORE PAIN: for the former things ARE PASSED AWAY" (Rev. 21:4)!
How many times must this verse be quoted before we actually believe it?
"And He that sat upon the throne said, ‘BEHOLD! I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW" (Verse 5)!
These are truly the most profound promises by God Almighty in the entirety of Scripture!
Let’s try reading a few verses together with this spiritual understanding of what is "spiritual," and what still, "is, was, and will be":
"The [spiritual] Revelation [that is, was, and will be] of [spiritual] Jesus Christ [who is, was, and will be], which God gave unto Him, to show unto His [spiritual] servants [which are were and will be] [spiritual] things [which are, were, and will be] which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and [spiritually] signified [what is, was, and will be] by His [spiritual] angel [which is, was, and will be] unto His [spiritual] servant [which is, was, and will be] John.
Who bare [spiritual] record of [what is, was, and will be] of the [spiritual] word [which is, was, and will be] of [spiritual] God [who is, was, and will be], and of the [spiritual] testimony [which is, was, and will be] of [spiritual] Jesus Christ [Who lives, was dead, and am alive; Who is, was, and will be; the Alpha and the Omega; the beginning and the end; Who is, was, and is to come], and of all [spiritual] things [which are, were, and will be], that he [spiritually] saw [things that are, and were, and will be].
[Spiritually] Blessed is he [who is, was, and will be] that [spiritually] reads [what is, was, and will be], and they that [spiritually] hear [what is, was, and will be] the [spiritual] words of this [spiritual] prophecy [which is, was, and will be], and [spiritually] keep those things [which are, were, and will be] which are [spiritually] written therein: for the [spiritual] time [that is, was, and will be] is [spiritually] at hand" (Rev. 1:1-3).
If anyone thinks this is funny, he is laughing at God, not at me. Once one thoroughly understands this spiritual truth of what is, was, and will be, it is not necessary to read the entire Book in the way I have stated it above. However, that is the truth of how this book must be understood.
But we read of no "Third Death." There is NO THIRD DEATH. Adam is called "the first man." Jesus is called "the second man." Therefore the "Second Death" is the culmination of ALL DEATH, seeing that
"The last enemy being abolished is DEATH," (I Cor. 15:26)
and,
"…there shall be NO MORE DEATH" (Rev. 21:5).
More on this later.
When we come to our study on Gehenna, hell, hades, unextinguishable fire, the furnace of fire, lake of fire, death, second death, etc., we will go into great detail explaining these things from the Scriptures. No Scripture on any of these subjects will be a problem for your understanding ever again.
And thus we, today, members of the Church of God of the Twenty-First Century, are to "…hear what the spirit says [not what the ‘spirit said,’ past tense only, as this is in the Greek aorist tense and is still ‘saying’ these same things to every generation] unto the churches."
If you can’t or won’t see this, then you probably need read no further. If you don’t understand what I have presented, then God has not opened your mind to the spiritual understanding of this Revelation prophecy, or all of Jesus’ parables, or all of the rest of the Bible.
Hello Roy,
Welcome to the forum...your enthusiasm is well received and we hope to hear from you more as you follow in the Words of Christ.
I placed Ray's last comments in bold to help you understand why people make comments like the one your friend said to you. They do not have an understanding of the Lord and His Word...not a lick. This may seem harsh, but true. Their carnal mind and thoughts attempts to place limits and boundaries on the Word of God which only results in endless contradictions that the church then teaches to be truth. If you continue to study Ray's series on the Lake of Fire, he shows plainly from the scriptures how Satan dwells in the church, all churches. And no matter how firm your understanding of this is, when you speak to someone who has NOT been given that understanding, you two will be poles apart. It's just the way it is and ALL members here can attest to that fact.
Hope this helps,
Marques
Hi Roy,
I'm glad you have joined us :)
Some one asked me or commented that Satan couldn't be in all the churches at the same time,that he can be in only one place at a time.
This turned out to be longer than I intended, but I think it will help shed a little light on this subject, to answer your question.
Here is what I found in the Scriptures concerning Satan, he is a created being.
Col 1:16 for in Him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him;
Neh 9:6 Thou art the LORD, even Thou alone; Thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things that are thereon, the seas and all that is in them, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.
Satan is spirit, like the angels, because Matt. refers to Satan and his angels.
Mat 25:41 "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, "Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
Now it says in Corinthians that he 'appears' as “an angel of light,” but in Ephesians we see he in an angel or “ruler of the darkness of this age.”
2Co 11:14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
v. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
So I am trying to show that Satan is a being, a spirit being with a spirit body, so he can only be in one place at one time.
1Co 15:40 There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. But the glory of the heavenly is truly different, and that of the earthly different;
Now we do know that the church is called the Synagogue of Satan. Ray has a whole article on this - http://bible-truths.com/lake10.html
And the church has the “depth of Satan.” Ray has an whole article on this also. Here is some excerpts from this article, that I think will help us see how the depths of Satan is in all the churches.
http://bible-truths.com/lake11.html ------------------
DOES JESUS RESIDE AND DWELL IN THE CHURCH?
Does not Jesus dwell and reside in the Seven Churches of God mentioned in the Book of Revelation? Actually, He does not. Let’s read it:
"Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things says He that holds the seven stars in his right hand, who WALKS in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks" (Rev. 2:1).
Jesus Christ "walks" in the midst of the churches—He does not dwell there; He does not reside there; He does not have His throne there. But someone else does:
SATAN has his "seat [Greek: ‘throne’]" in the Churches (Rev. 2:13)
SATAN "dwells" in the Churches (Rev. 2:13).
SATAN still has his "synagogue" in the Churches (Rev. 2:9 & 3:9).
SATAN’S "depths" of doctrinal evils are in the Churches (Rev. 2:24).
It is Satan who has his "throne" in the Churches--the Throne of Jesus Christ is in Heaven with His Father (Rev. 3:21), not in the church. He is not enthroned in the Church; He merely "walks" in the Churches.
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Ironically, The Christian Church writes books about, teaches in her seminaries, and preaches from her pulpits, in a most vigorous manner, The DEPTHS of Satan. Contrariwise, she avoids teaching The DEPTHS of God, and accuses those who do, of being false prophets and of the devil.
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Little wonder that the Church worldwide does not acknowledge the whereabouts of the depths of Satan. Yet, this is no secret for those who have eyes to see it. "The DEPTHS of Satan is found IN THE CHURCH itself. Satan does not attack the Church from without, but from within:
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"And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am He which searches the reins and hearts [one cannot have the mind and spirit of Christ and yet think it a fair and just thing to torture people for all eternity]: and I give unto every one of you according to your works, But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as HAVE NOT this doctrine, and which HAVE NOT known the depths of Satan, as they [the teachers and preachers] speak; I will put upon you NONE other burden" (Rev. 2:23-24).
And so the modern Church is filled with the depths of Satan and his evil doctrines, but of the "depths of God," precious little is taught. The doctrines that are Scriptural, such as the fact that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the whole world, and that God will save the whole world, and all that God has created is here for the express purpose of training humanity to becomes sons and daughters of God, in the very image of God, are not taught in most churches.
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"Now I say, That the heir [the potential, prospective, heir to the kingdom of God in the first resurrection], as long as he is A CHILD [wants to remain a minor under the Old Covenant Law of Moses] differs NOTHING FROM A SERVANT, though he be lord of all; but is under tutors and governors UNTIL the time appointed of the father" (Gal. 4:1-2).
Do you follow this? An heir to the Kingdom of God, as long as he does not mature, will never inherit his Father’s Kingdom, but is in no better position that a "servant" who will never be heir to his master’s household! Let them who have ears to hear, HEAR. You cannot mature on mother’s milk. The Church furnishes mother’s milk to children and corrupts their minds with "the DEPTHS of Satan." We must "come out of her" if we are to be God’s people.
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This is exactly what Jesus Christ taught regarding where and how we are to (go to church) worship God.
"The woman said unto Him, Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye [all the Jews] say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus said unto her, Woman, believe Me, the hour comes, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour comes, and now is, when the TRUE worshippers shall worship the Father in SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH: for the Father seeks such to worship Him. God is Spirit: and they that worship Him MUST worship in SPIRIT AND TRUTH" (John 4:19:24).
We have got to get out of the depths of Satan if we are to worship God in Spirit and Truth. The Church is filled with the depths of Satan. That is not the place to go to worship God in spirit and truth. Did Jesus go to the synagogues to worship His God?
"And when He [Jesus] had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart [Gk: ‘by Himself’] to pray: and when the evening was come, He was there alone" (Matt. 14:23).
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And although the Church has the milk of the word, they also have "the DEPTHS of Satan" in their "minds and hearts." It is but the remainder, the few, "the rest in Thyratira," and therefore, the rest in the seven churches, "which HAVE NOT this doctrine, and which HAVE NOT known [in their ‘minds and hearts’] THE DEPTHS OF SATAN."
Virtually all Christian Churches worldwide have within their doctrines, the depths of Satan. And that is why the cry goes out from God Almighty:
"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying ‘COME OUT OF HER MY PEOPLE, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues" (Rev. 18:4).
Come out of… who? Who is the "her?" Her is a WOMAN. A woman in Scripture is a symbol for a CHURCH.
Who is to "come out?" Answer: "MY people." Where are they? In her, in the CHURCH. What Church? The MOTHER CHURCH. Who is the MOTHER CHURCH?
The church that appears to be so good, with good doctrines, and good teachings and spiritual appearing good works and righteousness, which in reality are abominations:
"And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto you the judgment of the GREAT WHORE that sits upon many waters [many nations of people]: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication [intimate religious/political/economic relationships], and the inhabitants of the earth have been made [spiritually] DRUNK with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of ABOMINATIONS and FILTHINESS of her FORNICATION: And upon her forehead [where WE should have the name of God our Father, Rev. 14:1, but this mother church has instead…] …a name written,
MYSTERY, BABYLON, THE GREAT,
THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH"
(Rev. 17:1-5).