1. Lesson 5

2.  Third century B.C. became the center of an independent kingdom  About 20 miles inland from Aegean Sea and 55 miles from Smyrna  Great political and religious center  Parchment first made in this city  Great library, second only to Alexandria  First temple in Asia dedicated to the imperial cult of emperor worship  Rev. 2:13 “Where Satan’s throne was  Rev. 2:13 Antipas was killed there

3.  One who has the sharp two-edged sword coming out of His mouth (Rev. 1:16,2:12)  Heb. 4:12 God’s Word, sharper than any two- edged sword goes deep inside a person to the heart and mind  Eph. 6:17 Sword of the Spirit – the Word  Is. 11:4; Rev. 19:15; 2:16 God will strike the earth, Jesus will strike the nations: judgment

4.  Held fast Jesus’ name Rev. 2:13  Name – a person’s character and/or attributes  Is. 9:6 Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace  Phil 2:9-11 Name above every name, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess  Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no other name

5.  Did not deny His faith Rev. 2:13  Jude 3-4 Once for all handed down to the saints  2 Pet. 3:3 “Where is His coming?”  2 Pet. 1:20-21 No prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation  Faith is believing what God has said and living it out – Jesus IS God’s Son  Faith is NOT seeing, but believing Heb. 11:1

6.  Some held to: Balaam’s teaching  Some held to: Nicolaitan’s teaching  Teaching of Balaam: Num. 22:1-25:9  Balaam is known to be a diviner (22:7)  Money is important to him  “Do only what I tell you” (22:20)  “Do not go with them” (22:12)  God was very angry when Balaam went with them (22:22) He knew his heart and its intent  A renowned seer did not see the angel of the Lord! (22:31)

7.  Number 25 Balaam taught Balak how to get the Israelites to sin by committing immoral acts and by idolatry: stumbling block (Rev. 2:14)  Phinehas (in line for High Priest) stopped the plague by running his SWORD through both the Israelite man and Midianite woman  Israelite man: Zimri son of Salu LEADER of a Simeonite family  Midianite woman: Cozbi daughter of Zur, a TRIBAL CHIEF of a Midianite family  Leaders gone astray

8.  Some hold to the Nicolaitan’s teaching  Def: Victor of the people and Destruction of the people. Taught that an elevated group of “spiritual” people had more knowledge than all believers.  Rev. 1:6 All are priests to God  I Tim. 2:5 One Mediator: Jesus Christ  Heb. 4:14 Our Great High Priest  Heb. 10:19 We have confidence to enter the Holy Place

9.  Heb. 13:7-9, 17 Obey, submit, they keep watch over your SOULS as those who will GIVE AN ACCOUNT. Let them do this with joy  Do not be carried away by varied and strange teaching (Heb. 13:9; Rev. 2:14,15)  I Tim. 5:17 Worthy of double honor

10.  Same as Ephesus: REPENT  Jesus will come quickly and use the sword from His mouth to war with those holding to the false teaching  Eph. 6:12 We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, authorities, powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms

11.  I will give some of the hidden manna  I will give him a white stone  I will give him a new name (vs.13) written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it  Application: Hold fast to what you KNOW and that is the Word of God, Jesus, who is the same yesterday, today and forever. He does not change. The world’s standards and “truth” change constantly.