Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars: she hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table (Proverbs 9:1-2)
The seven churches
Jesus has built His house upon the seven churches. The seven churches are also the golden candlesticks. And in the midst of the golden candlesticks is where Jesus walks.
The seven churches, who are mentioned in the Book of Revelation are:
- The church of Ephesus
- The church of Smyrna
- The church of Pergamos
- The church of Thyatira
- The church of Sardis
- The church of Philadelphia
- The church of Laodiceans
Jesus advises the seven churches
Jesus gives the following advice to the seven churches:
- The church of Ephesus: I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent
- The church of Smyrna: Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days:be thou faithful unto death
- The church of Pergamos: Thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth
- The church of Thyatira: Thou suffered that woman Jezebel, which calls herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searches the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works
The church of Sardis: I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee
- The church of Philadelphia: I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and has kept my word, and hast not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patients, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown
- The church of Laodiceans: I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou were cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten:be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me
What is the reward for born-again Christians?
Keep Jesus His commandments and take His advice, which He gave to the seven churches. Listen to what the Spirit says to the church. If you hold on to the Word, and walk after the Spirit; after the will of God, then every church and every person, who is born-again and therefore belongs to the church, shall overcome and shall receive the following reward:
- Jesus will give to eat of the Tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God
- Jesus will give him the crown and shall not be hurt of the second death
- Jesus will give him to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name is written, which no man knows saving he that receives it
- Jesus will give him power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as Jesus received of His Father. And Jesus will give him the morning star
- Jesus will clothe him in white raiment, and He will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but He will confess his name before His Father, and before his angels
- Jesus will make him a pillar in the temple of His God, and he shall go no more out: and Jesus will write upon him the name of His God, and the name of the city of His God, which is new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from His God: and Jesus will write upon him his new name
- Jesus will grant him to sit with Him in His throne, even as He also overcame, and is set down with His Father in His throne
‘Be the salt of the earth’
