"I am aware of your acts, and your toil, and your endurance, and that you can not bear evil men, and you try those saying that they themselves are apostles, and they are not, and you found them false; and you have endurance, and you bear because of My name, and are not wearied. But I have against you that you leave your first love. Remember, then, whence you have fallen, and repent, and do the former acts.
Yet if not, I am coming to you, and shall be moving your lampstand out of its place, if ever you should not be repenting. But this you have, that you are hating the acts of the Nicolaitans, which I, also, am hating. ‘Who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit is saying to the ecclesias. To the one who is conquering, to him will I be granting to be eating of the log of life which is in the center of the paradise of God.’” Revelation 2:2-7 concordant
The candlestick churches of Revelation chapter 2 and 3 show the history of the earthly church for two thousand years. Deceptive conditions worked among believers, which caused the candlestick church, including Ephesus, the early church, to be moved out of its anointed place. False apostles took over in the early church and Jesus revealed Himself only to those conquering the work of these false apostles. The early church fell into various erroneous teachings influencing spiritual matters by false teachers, with the church represented by “wolves in sheep’s clothing” in God’s eyes.
Unquestionably, many voices profess to be the true representatives of the Lamb of God in this hour. Some are intending to be harmless, meek, mild, inoffensive, non-aggressive like a lamb. They have many professions of good works, cleanliness, purity, holiness, sanctity, and godliness. Nonetheless, all of this is clearly revealed to have missed the mark of spiritual maturity in their godly CHARACTER. Candlestick churches are called Christianity but have failed to represent Christ in this most important correct manner.
After their candlestick was moved out of its rightful place, men formalized systems of denominations that have been proven to be APOSTATE systems, prophesying in sackcloth and ashes for 1260 years of the dark ages. Its reformation daughters have held to that same church image through 500 hundred years of Protestant church history.
When the Roman emperor, Constantine, embraced Christianity in the third century, Christianity spread over the western world and became increasingly popular. Unfortunately, dead customs of other religions at Rome and Constantinople were mixed in to form churches that became “Jezebel” systems, teaching seductive religious practices that did not represent the spirit of Jesus Christ. John foresaw by revelation great numbers of people in the candlestick churches identified in doctrinal errors and selfish practices, showing fleshly desires and carnal zeal in the prominent rulers over God’s flock.
Men have seized every opportunity for prominence and quickly took domination of the candlestick churches by means OTHER THAN THE SPIRIT of Jesus Christ. Religious men wanting preeminence turned the Christian candlestick churches into carnal crusades instead of teaching spiritual truth. Fighting in wars all through the dark ages, they made alliances that influenced national leaders governing vast numbers of souls.
Today the “mother harlot” still grasps for influence in the civil governments of the nations comprising the ancient Roman empire. The sad history that actually transpired in the Christian churches was a result of the church of Ephesus falling away, LEAVING THEIR FIRST LOVE. Their candlestick was moved from the high spiritual place it started with the apostles of Jesus Christ, Paul and Timothy, and the writer of the book of Hebrews. Yes, the early church was the candlestick called Ephesus. It quickly fell to a much lower place. “Babylon is fallen,” because they left their first love.
This fallen condition became normal church life. The church developed great numbers of people under the religious teachings and examples of educated yet deceived men, whose ideas grew more and more accepted and comfortable. Compromising on truth, men used the churches to gain powerful worldly influences as well as worldly wealth. The church gradually came to be used more and more in worldly ways, until the Pergamum candlestick was enthroned with Satanic ideas that taught things for hire (Balaam) and established the doctrines of the Nicolaitans (priesthood over laity). These are systems Jesus HATES and we have those systems in the Laodicean church world today.
The candlestick church of Pergamum was completely corrupted from its miraculous beginnings. Even with the great Roman empire in all its powerful armies and influence accepting Christian faith, it did not lead to a more noble spiritual honor for the Christian people but rather systematic bondage. The persecutions ceased but the corrupting influence of reasoning men compelled adherence to false systems with false doctrines.
It was all God’s design that the candlestick churches should be judged as being worldly, mixed with falsehood and held short of the promised Kingdom. It was ONLY the overcomers within each generation of candlestick churches whom God promised the fulfilling access to the tree of life. Mystery Babylon still uses every means available to hold the hearts of men in their systems. They have conquered the imagination of vast multitudes of believing Christian people and marked them with messages that support their apostate systems of religion.
Gradually, over generations, a process of false reasonings covered over true believers’ hearts so that the Pergamum church messages formed a Satanic throne organized over centuries of church history. The very real hope of gaining Kingdom Life with fulfilling spiritual blessings was lost. Other goals created by the fleshly ideas of men took its place: bigger buildings and worldly programs, measuring success in numbers, gathering wealth and power, with meetings held in ceremonial worship.
Carnal collusion with political intrigue exchanged favors with national leaders, dashing any present truth underfoot. This became mired in falsities of good works and preached propaganda of delusive snares, holding the Lord's people in one error after another, both in doctrine and in practice. Today’s “Christian church” is “rich and thinks it needs nothing.” This Laodicain church in Revelation does not know how false standards have dragged it down into religious organizations that are but passing heavens. They don’t realize their fallen conditions are supported only by the dead letter of misapplied scripture and the works of men.
A true church at the same time has been being built in the unseen by Jesus. He has been calling His followers to overcome these candlestick conditions, to “come out,” and “come up hither,” to be partaker of the new Jerusalem. God is calling the true church, made up of those who have suffered the persecutions of the candlestick churches.These are OVERCOMERS who had ears to hear what the SPIRIT of Jesus Christ is saying.
Many have heard the Lord tell them to come out of these church systems controlled by men. They found a higher spiritual order with those who were called, chosen, and become faithful priests of God’s Kingdom. They are made one spirit with the firstborn son and their ways now belong to heaven’s King.
The King’s power is destined to yet reign upon the earth through these faithful Kingdom priests. The apostate church is exposed as the Jezebel system dominating the worship of the Lord’s people in teaching ways of (spiritual) prostitution, adding man’s ways of established worship in the Thyatira candlestick church:
“But I have much against you, seeing that you pardon that woman of yours, Jezebel, who says that she is a prophetess, and is teaching and deceiving My slaves so as to commit prostitution and to be eating idol sacrifices.” Revelation 2:20 concordant
“And he that overcomes...to him will I give 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 I received of My Father.” Revelation 2:26-27
Those who overcome the Thyatira conditions get power over nations as they are made priests of a higher order. What power is given us! POWER of God’s Spirit is conveyed to us who do not use or rely on the natural forces men use in religious Christian systems. Its politics and formal church worship are truly weapons of carnal warfare that are against, “instead of,” the true Kingdom of the Lord:
“For the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power…” I Corinthians 4:20
God graciously manifests great power within us when we love even our enemies. There is power given in having compassion for others. There is power given when we are standing for peace. Power is given when standing for what is right. God’s power gives us the ability to enjoy proper understanding, and it is contagious!
There is Kingdom power in proper faith. There is Kingdom power in the messages coming from His throne. The power in the life of Jesus Christ is granted us. Kingdom power transforms men’s lives, changes men’s minds, breaks the hold of death’s darkness. God’s light sweeps away our inner darkness with power that subdues and redeems us into the spirit of Jesus Christ.
The King’s throne is made up of people in holy commitment, joined, like-wedded, yet not to the legal legislation of scripture, not to a formal church organization, or to patriotic national zeal. The army of the Lord does not use guns, tanks, and bombs to subdue the nations. That would be a misuse of Kingdom power. Kingdom power is granted to the spirit of brethren who come out of the candlestick church conditions.
Now all men and women who are Kingdom priests have inner life that yields freedom from within. Each of them are called to grow to full stature in Christ, processed by a sonship to the Father, being brothers with the King. They are instructed in use of Kingdom power throughout every rank of believers in the many mansions in His house. This power “breaks to shivers” the pride used by religious men. Following the King causes people to come out of the candlestick churches, past and present. They come out of systemized hierarchal methods of worshiping God to stand in a greater light:
“The one who is conquering, him will I be making a pillar in the temple of My God, and he may be coming out nevermore, and I will be writing on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which is descending out of heaven from My God, and My new name. Who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit is saying to the ecclesias.” Revelation 3:12 concordant
Division was evident in the professing early church of Ephesus. Even John said the anti-Christ was ALREADY manifested. Human hierarchy was already being established in the early fellowships called the church. John wrote:
“I write somewhat to the ecclesia, but Diotrephes, who is fond of being foremost among them, is not receiving us.” III John 9 concordant
At the time Constantine, the Roman Emperor, was converted to Christianity, he established two separate capitals for the Roman empire. The Western empire at Rome was often attacked on northern borders by German tribes called barbarians. So Constantine decided it necessary to establish a second capital of the empire, the eastern city called Byzantium, later named for him, Constantinople, today bearing the name of Istanbul.
This eastern empire, Constantinople, soon became more important than Rome. The Roman churches are shown in the candlestick of Thyatira. The mystery of Jezebel is revealed as mystery Babylon having an image that is deceiving God’s own servants with its two heads—a western Roman pope in Rome and an eastern orthodoxy in Constantinople, now represented in all Protestant churches.
Christianity under Constantine was elevated to the status of a state religion, the official religion of the empire. The division of the eastern and western empires was also reflected in their form of Christian church. The western empire of church succumbed to temptations to build powerful ecclesiastical hierarchy like political super-structures patterned after the fashion of passing Roman emperors.
Both eastern and western churches were similarly apostatized by pagan doctrines, practices, and customs. The real difference was that the bishops in the eastern sections of the church refused to vest final and absolute authority in one bishop, the bishop of Rome. They refused to recognize the bishop of Rome as the supreme head of all Christendom as "pope", PAPA, the Father.
The eastern church at Constantinople had, instead, several “Patriarchs” who had jurisdiction over specific geographical districts, usually along nationalistic lines. These Patriarchs were regarded in theory as “equals” in church authority, although in dignity and influence the Patriarch over Constantinople overshadowed the others because of its location in Constantine’s new eastern center and capital.
Thus, TWO POWERFUL BRANCHES OF CHRISTIAN CHURCHES developed for centuries side by side within the Roman empire. The western Church chose to incorporate the word Roman in its official title, which exists to this day: the ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. However, in the east, that church was designated traditionally as the EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH.
Today, the eastern church is greatly diminished in size and importance in the western world in contrast to the Roman Catholic Church. The eastern church is now gathered together with other protestant churches under domination of the World Council of Churches. This is where all protestant branches of Christianity form that “horn of power” which now makes up one of the “two horns like a lamb.” But it speaks with the “voice of a dragon”, a deceptive system that is called Christianity in the world today.
The Encyclopedia Americana points out regarding Christianity on an international scale that the most important non-Roman Catholic development is the World Council of Churches. This is a federation of 260 Protestant, Anglican, and Eastern Orthodox Church bodies with a total membership of about 400 million members. When we ask a Christian what church he belongs to, we would say: “Are you Catholic or Protestant?” But these systems are revealed in Revelation 13 as principle characters of TWO BEASTLY SYSTEMS HAVING HEADS WITH BLASPHEMOUS CROWNS — TWO HORNS LIKE A LAMB, whose voice is as a dragon:
“Here is the endurance and faith of the saints. And I perceived another wild beast ascending out of the land, and it had two horns like a lambkin's, and it spoke as a dragon. And it is exercising all the authority of the first wild beast in its sight, and making the earth and those dwelling in it to be worshiping the first wild beast, whose death blow was cured.” Revelation 13:11-12 concordant
The beastly realms that became apostate systems are DRESSED LIKE A LAMB, BUT THE VOICE CANNOT BE DISGUISED. It is clearly THE VOICE OF A LYING DRAGON. The dragon’s voice speaks as loudly now as at any time in all of history. If you do not belong and bow in submission to this dragon’s image of church so that it dominates a believer’s life, of both dead and living alike, you find yourselves more and more ostracized, more and more cut off, loudly called a foolish fanatic, a schismatic heretic, a lone ranger, a false prophet to be cast under condemnation of the church leaders for errors they suspect.
This happened during the dark ages with impunity. When people resist papal authority, they are rejected, rebuked, denounced, anathematized and unceremoniously excommunicated under the deafening roar of the dragon’s voice. Those chosen to follow on to know the Lord have been counseled of the Holy Spirit to COME OUT from among them and are being separate so as to touch not that unclean thing.
Candlestick churches of Pergamum became instruments of Satanic confusion. While religiously exercising all the power of the first beast (power of nations), men usurped control over the church of Pergamum to enslave men’s lives with false teachings. They enslaved millions of Christian believers with hideous ideas that brought them into chains of bondage hidden in the snares of organized religious traditions.
Satan is gathering wealth there as they represent God in a fallen form, a form of church that lacks perfect godliness. They remain lacking in Kingdom garments, having not been refined in the fire to be pure gold and given a clothing of truth that opens heaven so the King may enter their spirit. In the power of this baptizing spirit, these candlestick churches are revealed as stuck in long-standing conditions that are falling short of the Kingdom. They became so mired in earthly events (as evident in church history) that they cannot see clearly what God is manifesting even now:
“And he exercises all the power of the first beast before him, and causes the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he does great wonders...and deceives them that dwell on the earth...saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.” Revelation 13:12-15
The Greek word here rendered as “worship” means to kiss, as a dog licking his master’s hand, to fawn, to reverence, to adore. The Greek word for “image” is defined as an imitation, representation, similitude of any person or thing; a copy, a likeness, an effigy. Your picture is an image of you. Your shadow is your image, it moves only as you move.
The second beast, then, is manufactured from something that is an imitation of the first beast. The Roman empire and the Catholic Papacy which succeeded it were both humanly organized institutions, governed by men who forced reverence for their authority. They claimed divine power and infallibility, but were in truth merely governments conceived by humans.
The nation of Israel was originally governed by God. That government was a theocracy in the truest sense. That is, the government of the state was governed by the IMMEDIATE DIRECTION OF GOD Himself through a Urim and Thummin shining of light on the stones of the high priest’s breastplate.
Now Jesus Christ is a high priest that has a priesthood who clearly see the worship formed the candlestick churches is a state of apostasy, shown to be in spiritual prostitution, serving another rather than regarding His Headship. These institutions commit spiritual fornication with the worldly-minded governments of men, leading by beastly ideas of the flesh—the flesh of great captains of state, the flesh of great men that hold to PROFITABLE forms of influence:
"Brethren! Hear me! Simeon unfolds how God first visits the nations, to obtain out of them a people for His name." Acts 15:14
In the early church, apostles were made by divine approval, an operation of God that spiritually anointed the ministry to the body of Christ. They were sovereignly raised up and instructed by the Spirit of God. What power, signs, and wonders were witnessed of the vibrant spiritual presence of Jesus Christ!
There was no man-made organization, no church board, no dominating papal hierarchy. Only a dynamic spiritual presence and power of Christ Jesus manifested by spirit within the spiritually baptized apostles and saints made living members of His body. As the Ephesus candlestick grew in numbers and wealth, the anointing and the anointed ministries were shoved aside and an “anti-christ” system started to develop. Even the great apostle John was dismissed:
“I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us.” III John 1:9
Bishops became noted as influential, powerful, authoritarian men, honored by government leaders and given the title “Father.” They were no longer humble servants devoted to feeding the flock. Geographical areas became the dominion of dioceses and parishes who sent missions to establish new people as ecclesiastical centralization commenced.
The weapons of excommunication were forged and the festivals of the church were created along the lines of pagan celebrations of Rome. Catechetical schools were created to teach the faith systematically. The formulas of baptism and sacraments became of great importance. Costly robes and ornate edifices were constructed to form worship services offering elaborate ceremony. Sculpture and paintings were enlisted to provide aids to devotion. Relics of saints and martyrs were cherished as sacred possessions. Religious observances were multiplied.
The church, with its array of gaudily bedecked clergy and imposing ceremonies, assumed much of the stateliness and visible splendor that belonged to the WORLDLY SYSTEMS OF GOVERNMENT it was supposed to supplant. The mission of the Christian churches was lost to a degrading alliance—committing spiritual prostitutions with the state in embrace of false doctrine and ritualistic superstitions that held people in deceiving fables.
These doctrines were formulated to control the multitudes with the ARM OF THE STATE, if necessary. For centuries, religious Catholic dogmas ruled European nations, being enforced by the sword of state magistrates. European immigrants in America are notable seekers of religious freedom for this very reason.
Roman Catholic Churches become the dominant institution for 1260 years by using worldly wisdom that also sought political power and worldly wealth just like Imperial Rome. The inspired word of God would not be tolerated, so it was killed and “lies dead in her streets”, tied up in a Latin language that only the mother harlot could interpret until Protestantism spawned the printing press.
Now, Protestant Christians differ widely, yet they can be identified as the Sardis candlestick. They have a name for being alive, but are dead because they are built upon the same general principles of human organizing, forming systems with blasphemous names, worldly methods, heathen practices and customs that stifle spiritual truth. Thus, they combine to make up the present day church — what God calls Mystery Babylon, an organization contrary to the Kingdom of God:
“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.’” Revelation 3:1-3
This a word picture of the spiritual experience of people devoted to organized Protestant churches in the world today, including all the World Council of Churches and every so-called “non-denominational” denomination. In America they are all “incorporated” and “chartered” by the state for tax favor. They all have a charter that describes their system of government with boards that vote so the majority rules, etc. Babylon is registered with the state to render their understandings of the word of God, but the truth is they have carnal methods of operation that must be overcome in order to know God.
How the multitudes love to worship the IMAGE of their church system! It is a sad fact that untold millions of Christians have been more devoted to their system of church than they are to the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. They can witness open rejection of God’s precious Word, blatant resistance to the truth of His Spirit, and suffer the vilest profanation of His holy Name, without uttering a word of protest. But let anyone say a word against THEIR CHURCH, and instantly they are aroused to the highest pitch of human zeal. Worshipers with the mark of the beast exalt such earthly institutions with adoration but that is the rankest deception:
“And he had power to give life to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should speak...” Revelation 13:15
God has a church which has been given one Head and one Spirit and one faith, all with the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the sole Head and Legislator WHO BAPTIZES US ALL INTO THE ONE BODY OF JESUS CHRIST where we DRINK OF THAT SPIRIT to grow up into the ONE HEAD:
“…from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love…” Ephesians 4:16
Praise God for every ministry HE sets as examples to feed the flock. They are a source of encouragement, confirmation, and strength among us. Their labor we support and esteem highly. We search our own hearts deeply when admonished by the Lord. Thank God His consuming fires are THOROUGHLY PURGING AND CLEANSING OUR HEARTS from the ways and images propagated in the candlestick church’s apostate systems.
Godly fires must burn brightly within us until, once and for all, we forsake the apostasy and shame of Mystery Babylon. We will trumpet the call to come out, be caught up to meet the Lord in our inner man, in our spirit. He draws us now to gather to Mount Zion, to His universal convocation, with those registered in this heaven, where just men are made perfect IN THE CITY OF GOD.
TO WORSHIP THE LORD IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH, our minds must be renewed, freed of earthly traditions in order to truly assemble together with Him IN THE SPIRIT. God’s sons are learning to be LED BY HIS SPIRIT:
“…For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” Romans 8:14 NASB
When we learn, He brings the freshness of a new heaven to those gathered in Zion. They worship God as priests flowing together, bringing light to His word and the presence of His throne.