SO: Paul founded the church at Philadelphia. Jesus gave John a vision and a letter to the church at Philadelphia that is a message to all Christians. AND: Oddly enough, as I read about the Church at Philadelphia I was plagued with the question; “Why is Philadelphia’s synagogue of Satan described differently than Smyrna’s synagogue of Satan.
I was astonished as I was led on a journey through God’s word to the Samaritan mystery woman at the well and the revelation of her life lived that led to Satan’s work and accomplishment and all the way to the meaning of the number of the beast. I pray you will be as astonished as I.
(Eccl. 1:9) “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.”
THE CHURCH AT PHILADELPHIA
THE SECOND TYPE OF THE SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN
There are 2 differences between the 2 synagogues of Satan in the letters to the 2 churches in which Jesus had no condemnation. #1) Smyrna: (Rev. 2:9 keyword: blasphemy) “I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.” #2) Philadelphia (Rev. 3:9 keywords: but do lie) “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.” SO:
At Smyrna the synagogue of Satan committed blasphemy but did not lie. At Philadelphia the synagogue of Satan lied but did not commit blasphemy.
(2Sam. 12:14 keyword: blaspheme- defined: to scorn, abhor, condemn, despise) David’s sin gave the enemies (adversaries) of the Lord an opportunity to blaspheme. YET: (1Tim. 1:13 keyword: blasphemer) Paul the apostle committed blasphemy (defame, rail on, revile, speak evil of, vilify) ignorantly in unbelief (Acts 8:1-4) when he persecuted the new church before he was saved (Acts 9:1-18) but he was forgiven when he accepted Jesus as Saviour.
AND: (Matt. 12:22-32 esp. V.26 keyword: Satan) These Pharisees (Jewish leaders) called Jesus’ casting out of a devil done through the power of Satan thus committing blasphemy against (V.28) the Spirit of God (the Holy Spirit). (V.26) They did not understand the kingdom of Satan (V.28) nor the kingdom of God. Ultimately blasphemy is calling the holy works done by God through the Holy Spirit to be the works done by Satan. God’s chosen people (Jews and Christians) should be so closely tuned in to God’s plan they don’t blaspheme.
Below will be shown how the group in Philadelphia could have a synagogue, think they are Jews, worship God the Jewish way, but in God’s eyes they lied because they were not Jews who were direct bloodline descendants of Jacob. They would have persecuted the church exactly as the genuine Jews persecuted the church.
The key to solving the mystery of these people in Philadelphia who said they were Jews “and are not, but do lie” and persecuted the church is actually revealed when Jesus talked to the mystery Samaritan woman at the well.
THE SAMARATIN WOMAN
NOTE: Jacob’s Well is now an authentic religious site in Israel. Pictures and a history are available through Jewish travel brochure websites. END OF NOTE.
Everything Jesus did and everywhere he went had a direct purpose. He did not waste his time. Jews would not enter Samaria. Normally if a Jew left Judaea to go to Galilee he would go east, cross the Jordan River, turn north, bypassing the border of Samaria on the other side of the river, keep going north until he was past Samaria, turn back west and re-cross the Jordan river to go into Galilee.
The 3 day trip was like a backward C with its 2 legs pointing west leaving Samaria un-entered. (John 4:3) Jesus was going to Galilee (John 4:4) but he cut straight through Samaria because he had a purpose.
(John 4:3-43) The much taught and much preached about Samaritan woman at the well appears to be an odd place to start exploring Philadelphia’s synagogue of Satan but please bear with me.
More than 700 years after the Assyrians conquered and then sent the 10 northern tribes of Israel into the diaspora where they would be commonly called the 10 lost tribes of Israel (John 4:6-10) Jesus was alone when he came to Jacob’s well in Samaria and he sat there to rest because he was weary from his journey.
A woman of Samaria came to draw water and Jesus asked her for a drink. The woman was surprised when she recognized Jesus was a Jew because she said; “thou being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.” Jesus hinted that he had living water he would share with her if she could only understand the gift of God.
(John 4:11-14) The woman was still thinking in the physical realm because she thought the living water would come from the well and Jesus had neither rope nor pot with which to draw water. Then the woman lied; “Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank there himself, and his children, and his cattle?” Jesus informed her the water he had would spring up into everlasting life.
She didn’t realize Jesus had set her up so he could use her life to tell her the truth about her lie and the Samaritan people’s roots whence would come the synagogue of Satan at Philadelphia (Rev. 1:19 keywords: which thou hast seen) that Jesus would later spiritually reveal to John in the Revelation vision (Rev. 1:10) when John “was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day”.
(John 4:15-20) The woman wanted the water Jesus had to offer. He told her to call her husband to come here. She answered; “I have no husband.” Then Jesus said; “Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.”
She knew only a Jewish prophet could know her life story without knowing her and she said; “I perceive that thou art a prophet.” She didn’t know Jesus had brought her from the reality of the physical realm of her life into the reality of the spirit realm of prophesy that her life represented to teach us all about a synagogue of Satan, the counterfeiter.
Then she tried to justify the way the Samaritans worshipped the God of Jacob in their (the Samaritan’s) mountain. Jesus knew the origin of the Samaritans which the woman did not know because she thought her people were Jews; “our father Jacob” (children of Jacob, Hebrews, Jews).
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE SAMARITANS
(1Ki. 11:1-43) David’s son, King Solomon, had gone after strange women, began worshipping false gods, did extreme evil in the eyes of God and a rebellion started against King Solomon because of his lavish lifestyle and his high tribute (taxes) on Israel. (1Ki. 11:26-40 some key verses) (V.26) Jeroboam (no relation to Solomon) was one of the leaders in the rebellion. (V.29-31) Ahijah the prophet prophesied God would give Jeroboam 10 tribes of Israel.
(1Ki. 11:43 thru 12:24) Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, was a greedy, cruel king like his father, he had become king of all of Israel (the 12 tribes) after Solomon’s death (1Ki. 12:14) and he increased their taxes even more. And it was under king Rehoboam that the rebellion culminated into the final split that divided Israel into a northern kingdom (Israel) led by Jeroboam and a southern kingdom (Judah) led by Rehoboam.
(1Ki. 12:20) When the rebellion was over and Jeroboam had become king of the 10 tribes (2Chron. 11:13-17 esp. V.15 keyword: devils) he instituted devil worship (1Ki 12:31-33 & 2Chron. 11:15) and ordained his own priests (1Ki. 12:31) from the lowest of people to serve the devils, the high places and the idols.
(1Ki. 11:32) Ahijah prophesied 1 tribe would be reserved for God and for Jerusalem’s sake. That tribe would be called Judah even though (2Chron. 15:9) the small tribe of Benjamin remained with Judah and a group of refugees from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon fled to Jerusalem and Judah because of the rampant sin in Israel (the 10 northern tribes). ALSO:
(2Chron. 11:14-17) The Levites (priests) stood against Jeroboam and his ways. He cast them off and they came to Judah and Jerusalem (V.16-17) and brought with them those who set their hearts to seek God and that strengthened Judah.
(1Ki. 11:32) Ahijah’s prophesy had held true because the amalgamated Jews in the southern kingdom would be named Judah after Jacob’s 4th son, Judah, who was the progenitor of the tribe of Judah.
In the ancient past, described in the 4 section Thyatira letter, we have seen after Jeroboam and a succession of kings had ruled Israel Ahab became the king of Israel (10 northern tribes), married Jezebel and named the city of Samaria as his capital city. As time passed the name Israel was dropped and that land became known as Samaria. During the same time period a succession of various kings also ruled Judah and its capital Jerusalem.
Satan had succeeded, he had used his wiles against the Jews and had divided Israel into 2 kingdoms. Now it was time to conquer and destroy. In previous parts we have examined how, after the rule of Ahab, a succession of ever more sinful kings had led Israel deeper and deeper into sin.
(2Ki. 17:16-17 esp. V.17 keywords: caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire) They made idolatrous images, made groves (an edifice to Astarte whose various names, through various cultures, can be traced back to Semiramis, Nimrod’s wife.), they worshipped astrological signs and served Baal by offering their living babies and children as burnt offerings. They called on evil spirits and had sold out to Satan.
NOTE: (Jer. 19:3-5 esp. V.4 keywords: filled this place with the blood of innocents and V.5 keywords: burn their sons- children- with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal. Strong’ #1167 Baal is defined: owner, lord: then 2Cor. 4:4 Satan, the devil, is the god of this world who can 2Cor. 11:13-15 transform himself into an angel of light) Baal is the visible iron idol that represents Satan. Baal is divided up into three internal compartments. In the bottom is a ventilated compartment where a fire is built. In the center is an iron hinged door in the belly which is opened to reveal a hinged iron tray. The tray is pulled out. The child is laid on the hot tray, swiveled back over the fire. the third compartment, the grinning head, smiles as the child’s screams grow weaker to become moans and finally gasps then they finally cease while the eyes holes in the head glow in hellish, baleful mirth from the fire below.
Is America any different (2Ki. 17:8 keyword: heathen= were not God’s people & V.16 keywords: and they left all the commandments of the Lord their God= were God’s people &17 keywords: and they caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire= child sacrifice by burning them alive) than the heathen people and God’s people who offered child sacrifice? An excruciating burning liquid is injected into the Mother’s womb. Mother? You’ve got to be kidding! The baby writhes and wiggles to escape, his tiny mouth opens in soundless, shrieking screams, that become moans and finally gasps just before it dies and its beautiful little body is thrown into the medical waste cart. OR:
The cruel, cold forceps blindly grasp a body part and rips it off the tiny body and continues ripping until the tiny body is dead and the unwanted darling child’s body parts are thrown in the medical waste cart. OR: The fully formed child is birthed gently face down until the back of the head is visible. With cold, businesslike, professionalism the nurse hands the doctor a pair of clippers. The doctor quickly snips the spinal cord, the tiny body goes limp, turns grey with death, is extracted with warm hands operated by a cold heart and is carelessly thrown into the medical waste cart. A while later another medical professional wheels the cart away and dumps the sacrifice into the incinerator and burns them.
In America these beautiful, beautiful darlings will never know a grieving Mother’s tender touch as Mommy holds its tiny hand, kisses its greying face and whispers; “Please don’t go.” as her hot tears fall on its little body and her bursting heart and trembling lips bids her tiny darling a grieving, love soaked goodbye.
(Prov. 6:16-19) (V.16) “These six things doth the Lord hate (defined: Strong’s w #8130: to hate personally X utterly): yea, seven are an abomination (defined: Strong’s w # 8441: disgusting, abhorrence) unto him: (V.17) A proud look, a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood, (V.18) An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, (V.19) A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” (Jer. 19:4-5) “—-and have filled this place with the blood of innocents;”
All this happens as they (2Ki. 16-17 esp. V.17, Jer. 19:4-5 and Prov. 6:16-17) fill this place with the blood of innocents and burn their sons- children- with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal. And Satan, the devil, the God of this world spiritually dances with fiendish glee from the beginning to the ending of the burnt sacrifice to him! If you believe the unborn is not alive below is written what God says in His Bible about when life begins.
There appears to be 5 main questions concerning the controversy over abortion and miscarriage. Is it alive? Is it human? Is abortion murder? Did I lose a fetus? Or did I lose a baby?
Of course these 5 questions engender a host of other questions but when they are answered the others are also answered. It is easier and safer to let God answer these questions by the KJV Bible scriptures given below. (Rev. 20:10-15) In the long run God’s opinion is the only one that counts anyway.
Medical science has proved at conception the egg and the sperm unite and become one cell (zygote stage also known as a fertilized ovum). Nothing else is ever added except nutrients and oxygen. Everything is there and it is alive. It must be living because the cell contains the information to divide (after the two-week period of cell division the zygote becomes an embryo and in eight to ten weeks the embryo becomes a fetus) and keep dividing until the body is complete.
It will be shown below that the soul is there even if the cell has not divided enough for the body to have a brain with which that little one celled person can use to think. All this is obvious because babies exhibit emotions in the womb and as soon as a baby is born it exhibits emotions which demonstrate a personality, a mind, a self, a me, a person, a soul. (Luke 1:24-41) Elizabeth was six months pregnant and Mary’s pregnancy with Jesus was either in the zygote or very early embryo stage YET THERE WAS RECOGNITION! Think about it.
The Hebrew definitions will be given in the below scriptures so you can clearly understand your miscarried or aborted baby will be waiting in heaven for you if you make it your choice to go there. (2Tim. 3:16) “All scripture is given by inspiration of God,” and King David, the sweet psalmist of Israel, wrote in the scripture; (Psa. 139:13-16) (V.13) “For thou hast possessed my reins (essential organ, interior self, mind): thou hast covered (protect, screen, fence, defend) me in my mother’s womb.
(V.14) I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. (V.15) My substance- Strong’s Concordance #6105- (life, might, strength) was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.” (This denotes David’s humility, he knew by scripture our body is composed of the elements of the earth and David is saying his body is made from the deepest, poorest earth.)
(V.16) “Thine eyes did see my substance- Strong’s Concordance #1564 (a different Hebrew word meaning unformed mass- zygote, embryo stages), yet being unperfect (not whole, not made) and in thy book all my members were written (to record- zygote stage), which in continuance (forever, process of time) were fashioned (earthen, fashion as a potter- God knows), when as yet there was none of them.” At the moment of conception God recognizes that one cell as a person, a self, a soul, a me. At death that beautiful baby’s soul goes back to God. BECAUSE:
(Phil. 3:20-21 esp. V.21 keywords: like unto his glorious body) Even if that one cell made by the uniting of the egg and sperm never divides that miscarried or aborted baby will receive a complete, glorified body just like that of Jesus because it is a person. God had its design recorded and nothing can change that and your baby will be the baby it was intended to be in heaven. (Matt. 17:1-2) The description of Jesus’ glorified body is recorded and His face shown as the sun but He was easily recognizable.
Your shining baby is waiting for you in heaven if you are a born again Christian. If you are not a born again Christian and wish to be one please read one article The Breath of Life commentary on this website and it will tell you how to obtain salvation. If you are a backslid Christian please click on the Sin in Church commentary, scroll the menu to the article Backsliding: The Failure Principal and it will tell you how to return to God.
Remember this: (Prov. 6:16-19 esp. 16 keyword: hate & V.17 keyword: hands that shed innocent blood) God hates those who shed innocent blood. BUT: (2Sam. 12:9) David murdered innocent Uriah with the Ammonite sword but God forgave him when David repented. (Rev. 20:10-15 esp. V.10 keywords: for ever and ever & 21:8 keyword: murderer) Murderers will go to the lake of fire BUT: (Acts 8:1-3 esp. V.1 keywords: consenting unto his death & 9:1 keyword: slaughter) Saul, while he was unsaved, the man who would become the apostle Paul, was a murderer (1Tim. 1:12-14) but Jesus forgave him of his sins when he repented and made him an apostle. You can be forgiven for murder! END OF NOTE.
During their ever increasing sins God had brought judgments against Israel through the Assyrians. They had attacked the northern kingdom of Israel (Samaria) several times and had taken and held pieces of their land. Israel continued their sinful ways, (2Ki. 17:14-16) Israel had completely rejected God, his statutes and his covenant because of their vanity and had started worshipping like the heathen around them.
With their ever deeper immersion into sin (2Ki. 17:17) Israel had finally provoked God to extreme anger. (2Ki. 17:20-23) God rejected Israel and God’s final judgment fell around 725 BC. (V.23) God let Assyria overrun Israel, called Samaria, completely. (V.18 keywords: there was none left) Through the Assyrians God removed all, every Hebrew of the 10 northern tribes (Israel/Samaria), out of his sight. Satan danced and whirled through the blood, tears, ashes, grief and regret.
Samaria was empty of human life. The only sound was the lonely wind and the horrid feasting of the scavengers upon rotting human flesh but the king of Assyria was making preparations to inhabit Israel. The vast majority of its cities and villages were intact, many of the domesticated animals were there, the farmland was untended, barns, pens and sheds were idle and homes were vacant. (2Ki.17:18) All the Jews were gone from the land!
(2Ki. 17:24-28) (V.24) The king of Assyria brought people from these 5 provinces of Assyria; Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath and Sepharvaim and placed them in the cities of Samaria to possess the land. (V.25) These occupiers didn’t fear the Lord of this land; “Our gods are stronger than the God of this land, after all, we defeated them didn’t we?”
(V.25) Then the lions came! It wasn’t safe to go out at night. It wasn’t safe to go out alone in the day. The lions left their animals alone and stalked people. Nobody had ever seen anything like it before. It was unnatural.
(V.26) Groups of heavily armed messengers rode northeast to Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria near modern day Mosul in Iraq. Their nervous eyes tried to see behind every rock, every bush and every bend in the road while their sweaty hands gripped their weapons; “We can’t wait until we reach the border of this cursed land and its lions.” (V.26) They made their report; “We know not the manner (divine law) of the God of that land. The God of the land is destroying us with lions because we don’t know the manner of the God of that land.”
(2Ki. 17:27-28) The king of Assyria, Shal-man-e’ser, answered. “I’ll send a priest of the captives of Samaria to teach you the manner of the God of the land.” SO: He did send a priest of the captive Hebrews and that priest taught the invaders how they should fear the Lord BUT:
(1Ki. 12:31-33) like all the priests Israel Jeroboam had ordained from the lowest of people (2Ki. 17:14-17 esp. V.16 keywords: served Baal) he was a flawed caricature of what a real priest of the Levites should be because he served Baal. That priest did teach them to fear the God of the Hebrews but the occupiers worshipped their own gods just like Israel had before God removed them.
God will not force anyone to worship him (1Pet. 5:8 keywords: devil, lion) but if you don’t respect him he will eventually turn loose a lion on you. That’s what is happening to America now!
In this paragraph a span of time is used as an example to compare to the passage of the time given below to help understand how change occurs. America became a sovereign nation in 1776. That is a time span of 240 years until now, 2016, SO: 240×3=720 thus the 725 years passage of time given below in the development of Samaria is three times longer than America has existed as a nation.
Now, just think about all the sociological change that has happened in all areas of American society in 240 years. This comparison of time and example in American history helps us to understand how the Samaritans had forgotten their origins and developed into something else in 725 years.
(2Ki. 17:29-34 esp. V.33) For 725 years the new inhabitants, the non-Jews, of Samaria served their own false, occult gods and for effect they loved and worshipped Satan (lived with him) while they feared (reverent to) the Lord God of Eden. They were afraid of God BUT they chose to worship the five main gods they had brought with them from the five provinces in Assyria. THEY WERE JUST LIKE THE HEBREWS THEY HAD REPLACED.
(John 4:12 & 20) As the centuries passed the Samaritans had developed a type of Judaism because of #1) (2Ki. 17:18-34 esp. V.25-28) what they had been taught by a weak, fallen priest sent back by the king of Assyria from the ten tribes dispersal, #2) their close proximity to Israel #3) (John 4:9 keywords: for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans) and *possibly* a few intermarriages with rebellious Jews. BUT the Samaritans were as protective and jealous of their type of Judaism as the Jews were of theirs. PROOF:
In 1616 a traveler, Pietro della Valle, purchased a copy of the Samaritan Pentateuch (Torah) in Damascus, Syria. It is now known as the Codex B and was deposited in a Parisian library. It’s contents differs from the Jewish Pentateuch (Torah: the first five books of the Bible known as the Jewish Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) by about 6,000 points and differs from the Jewish Pentateuch (Torah) as to the location of the Jewish temple!
Satan had done it! He had a counterfeit Israel right beside the true Israel. (Rev. 3:9) A counterfeit “synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie;” and that could be the difference between the 2 synagogues of Satan with the counterfeit synagogue persecuting the church of Philadelphia. You decide.
SATAN THE COUNTERFEITTER
Counterfeit: used as an adjective is; made in exact imitation of something valuable but is not: used as a noun; a fraudulent imitation of something else: as a verb; imitate fraudulently. The synonym for all 3 is; fake. (2Cor. 11:13-15 esp. v.14) “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”
Satan had said; (Isa. 14:12-14 esp. V.14) “I will be like the most High”) (2Cor. 4:4) Satan is a counterfeit god, (Eph. 6:12) with a counterfeit kingdom, (John. 4:18 & Rev. 3:9 keywords: but do lie) a counterfeit Israel (& 2Cor. 11:15: EXAMPLE:–>Please See the Wikipedia article concerning the Unitarian Universalist church especially their Seven Principals and Six Sources in that article!) and a counterfeit church led by counterfeit ministers (2Tim. 4:3-4) who lead their counterfeit Christians, (Rom. 8:6-9 esp. V.9) who do not have the Holy Spirit, to worship a god of fables instead of the God of truth. AND:
(Matt. 24:37-51) There are hypocrites (an actor under an assumed character), counterfeit Christians, (Matt. 13:24-30 key point: tares- hypocrites- are fake wheat that will be burned, AND real wheat- Christians- goes to the barn- heaven) scattered throughout the true church who will not go to heaven when Jesus catches away his church.
ALSO: (Parts 2, 5, 6 & 7) Satan even had counterfeit humans the future evolutionists would worship and teach others about. Counterfeit humans are various monkey species and Neandertals. AND: (Gen. 6:1-4, Num. 13:33, Josh. 15:8 & 1Sam 17:4) The giants DNA had crossed the flood mixed with Ham’s wife’s DNA and resulted in Goliath’s breed) See (Part 11) which describes how Noah’s son Ham and his wife were the grandparents of Nimrod the first giant born after the flood. Noah’s wife was of the “First Son” bloodline so the giants DNA had to be in Ham’s wife’s bloodline.
SO: BACK TO THE WOMAN AT THE WELL
(John 4:19-20) The Samaritan woman was talking, she had perceived Jesus was a prophet and she was attempting to justify her claim to be a Jew. Jesus must have had a tiny smile playing about his lips as the Samaritan woman spoke because his exposure of her physical marital situation spiritually represented the counterfeit Israel.
Perhaps the names of her 5 husbands, the progenitors of the Samaritans, ran through his mind; (2Ki. 17:24) “Babylon, Curthah, Ava, Hamath and Seph-ar-va’im.” (John 4:18) Perhaps Jesus even thought of the spiritual person’s name she was living with in sin; “saw-tawn”. The Hebrew word “saw-tawn” translated into anglicized Greek is Satan.
In those few seconds perhaps Jesus even thought about how God’s covenant with Abraham (Jer. 3:11-14 esp. V.14 keyword: married) constituted a marriage contract between God and Israel so no man could say Jesus was illegitimate (John 8:39-41 keywords: born of fornication) like the Pharisees had insinuated. Perhaps Jesus mused; “God is Israel’s husband not saw-tawn.
(John 8:44) Israel is cheating on her husband (Hosea 4:16) with saw-tawn like a backsliding heifer! (Isa. 66:7) Now that her man child (Jesus) is brought forth (Matt. 24:1-2) her lover saw-tawn will destroy her with the Roman sword (Isa. 66:8) but I will bring Israel the nation back in one day.” Maybe he even whispered the date; “May 14, 1948 CE.”
To the Samaritan woman (John 4:21-24) (V.21) Jesus quietly prophesied the demise of both Samaria and Judaea as nations was nearing, (V.22) he pointed out the difference between counterfeit Judaism and true Judaism, (V.23) he told her a time of change was at hand (V.24) and in that change men must worship God in spirit (spiritual instead of Mosaic Law, physical sacrifice and circumcision) and truth (nothing concealed) because the grace covenant concealed in Abraham’s covenant would be revealed through Jesus. SEE Part 21, under the text subtitle “3 purposes of the covenant”.
The Samaritans were not blood-line Jews (John 4:25 & 42) but they knew enough about Judaism to know and believe a Messiah was coming. Think of the irony that of all the people in the whole world only 2 relatively tiny populations, the false Israel and the true Israel, were waiting for Messiah. Satan didn’t know it yet but he had been beaten again!
(John 4:25) The woman studied Jesus with a dawning in her eyes and cautiously spoke; “I know that Messias (Messiah) cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.” (John 4:26) Without fanfare Jesus gently answered; “I that speak unto thee am he.” Jesus had said: (Ex. 3:14) “I AM.”
(John 4:27-28) Mouth open, the woman was frozen in awe and that was the motionless tableau the disciples came upon (John 4:5 then 8) from their trip to Sychar City to buy food. They too were motionless and, as if waking from a dream, the woman hurried away.
The disciples knew Jesus could and would talk to anybody and Jesus, as if he knew their thoughts, (John 4:34-38) explained to them the purpose for witnessing, especially by the church after his resurrection and ascension, that if Christians do not tell people about Jesus and the salvation he offers Jesus cannot reap souls because those people won’t recognize Jesus (John 12:32) when he comes in his Holy Spirit form to draw them.
Then Jesus gave them and today’s Christians the reality of the reason for witnessing. (John 4:5, 29 & 39) The woman went back into the city of Sychar and testified as to what had happened between her and Jesus. The Samaritans believed her and wanted to meet Jesus. (John 4:39-43 esp. 41 keywords: because of his own word) Jesus tarried with them 2 days while Jesus taught them his word and many believed.
What was Jesus’ word? What did the Samaritans believe? He could not preach and teach like the preachers do after he ascended into heaven! Jesus’ lifetime was a separate dispensation of time from all the other dispensations of time such as the times of the judges, kings, prophets and etc.
(John 4:42) All Jesus could tell the Samaritans was that Messiah had come (Matt. 3:2 & 4:17 & Mark 1:14) and “repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” because his death, burial and resurrection had not yet happened. (John 4:41) And many of the Samaritans believed he was Messiah. You will see what they had been prepared for by his teaching when you read the proof of his teaching.
THE PROOF OF JESUS’ TEACHING: Later, after Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection and ascension , as the church was being established and spread to the Gentiles his disciples, who had become apostles, would realize JESUS HAD SOWN SEED IN THE SAMARITANS HEARTS BY HIS WITNESSING AND TEACHING (Acts 8:5-25 esp. V.25 keyword: gospel) that would be reaped by Philip and then Peter and John who confirmed those Samaritans through Holy Spirit power then they went to other Samaritan villages and preached the gospel (good news).
(Gal. 3:8) The gospel — Strong’s #4283– (good news told in advance) was preached in advance to Abram/Abraham (Gen. 12:3) when God told Abram to leave his father’s house and all the nations of the earth would be blessed AND (Gen. 15:1-18 & 17:1-13) God’s promise would be sealed in God’s covenant with Abraham (Gen.21:1-7) and fulfilled in the miraculous birth of Isaac to Abraham and Sarah in their old age.
Think! #1) No covenant = #2) no Isaac = #3) no Jewish lineage = #4) no Jesus = #5) no church. Five is the Biblical number commonly associated with grace. (1Cor. 15:12-19) Paul uses the illustration of the resurrection to show the gospel (good news) will not work if you leave out 1 part of the sum of its parts. Remember, gospel defined means good news!
Think! (1Cor. 15:1-4) The heart of the gospel is the good news (V.3) #1) that Jesus died for our sins, (V.4) #2) that Jesus was buried and #3) that Jesus rose again (resurrected) the third day. (John 16:7) #4) Jesus went away (ascend into heaven) #5) the Holy Spirit came to the individuals in the church. These 5 things are connected, you can’t obtain any 1 without the other 4. If these 5 things had not happened in the sequence arranged by God there would be no church.
Before you make any rash proclamations (1Cor. 15:1-4) that only the death, burial and resurrection is the gospel please check all the usages of the word gospel in the N.T. such as the gospel of the kingdom and etc.
(Gal. 1:6-11) There are even (V.6) another gospel (good news), (V.7) a perverted gospel (good news) (V.8) and any other gospel (good news) but these gospels are counterfeit good news. In reality they are bad news because they are gospels brought by accursed preachers who do not embrace Jesus! The word Gospel simply means good news and everything about Jesus is good news!
THE FUTURE CHURCH COMMISSION FROM JESUS AT JACOB’S WELL
Again: As if he knew the disciple’s thoughts (John 4:34-38) Jesus explained the purpose for witnessing, especially by the church after his death, burial, resurrection and ascension, which is that if Christians do not teach people about Jesus and the salvation he offers Jesus cannot reap souls because those people won’t know anything about Jesus or recognize anything about Jesus (John 12:32) when he comes in his Holy Spirit form to draw them.
(1Cor. 12:27 keywords: Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular) Common sense tells us when Jesus ascended into heaven the only body He has to spread His message is the church, your Christian brain, your mouth, your feet, your hands, your eyes, all of you. (Matt. 15:8 & Mark 12:30-31) It is up to you to supply the love and passion!
WITNESSING NOW
Sixty- sixty five years ago if I was around a group of people, even 4 or 5, for very long something about church and Jesus always came up. (Matt. 24:12) That has drizzled away because so many Christians’ love for Jesus has grown cold resulting in a lack dedication to and excitement about Jesus (2Thess. 2:3) and it is part of the great falling away (2Tim. 3:1-5 esp. V.5) because too many Christians and their pastors have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof.
(2Tim. 4:3-4 keyword: fables) Today’s Christians love their teachers who scratch their itching ears with feel goodism do-nothing-itis and that’s the reason the church is dying in the countries of the developed world especially in America. See Part 34, section 4 for decline details.
It boils down to a simple question. Do you love Jesus enough to drag yourself away from your electronic fix or whatever, AND pray and learn about Jesus (study your Bible) then go teach Jesus’ salvation process to people and brag on Jesus for what he has done in your life (witness) and what he can do in theirs (witness)?
(Matt. 15:7-8 but their heart is far from me) Or does your form of godliness exclude the mention of Jesus to people because your heart is far from him? Do you belong to the ho-hum sect that practices feel goodism do-nothing-itis?
YOU DECIDE IF THE BELOW ARE COINCIDENCE OR PROPHESY PAINTED ON THE TAPESTRY OF MEN’S LIVES
CONCERNING THE INHERITANCE OF THE GENTILES
(Eccl. 1:9) “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.”
Remember that up until (Acts 10:1 thru 11:19 keywords: none but unto the Jews only) only the Jews were God’s Chosen People. If a Gentile (non-Jew, not of the Jewish bloodline) wanted to become a Jew there was a process of study and testing by the rabbis before he could be circumcised and be considered (Matt. 23:15 & Acts 6:5) a proselyte Jew. A Biblical proselyte is a non-Jew convert to Judaism.
(Gen. 41:45 & 46:20) Manasseh and Ephraim were the mixed blood, half-breed Jew/Gentile sons of Joseph and his Gentile, Egyptian wife Asenath.
(John 4:3-4) Jesus left Judaea to go to Galilee and went through Samaria near the 2 allotments of the Promised Land (Gen 48:1-5 esp. V.5 keywords: thy 2 sons born in Egypt are mine) Jacob had given to his Grandsons, Manasseh and Ephraim, the sons of Joseph, by adopting them as his own sons.
On maps of the tribal allotments Samaria is located in the allotment of Joseph’s son Manasseh between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. Jacob’s act of adopting sons was a picture of the coming time (Rom. 8:9-17 keywords: Spirit of adoption) when God would do some adopting of his own through the Holy Spirit.
One half of the coincidence/prophesy of inheritance: (Josh. 14:4) When Joshua divided the Promised Land into 12 parts for the 12 tribes of Israel that had been founded by the 12 sons of Israel the Levites (the priesthood), a tribe, did not receive an allotment.
One of Joseph’s half-blood (half breed) Jew/Gentile sons was given the Levite’s (Jewish priesthood) inheritance which was a coincidence/prophesy that (Matt. 27:41-43) the Jesus denying priesthood would lose their part of the heavenly inheritance and the Messianic Jews (Jesus’ salvation by grace rather than Abrahamic covenant by works) would receive an inheritance in the heavenly Promised Land.
The orthodox Jews regard the Messianic Jews (saved by Messiah through grace) as spiritual half breeds because they are Jews by blood but Gentile through their Messianic religious disposition.
The other half of the coincidence/prophesy of inheritance: Jacob’s son Joseph was dead and couldn’t receive his Promised Land inheritance. The orthodox Jews consider Jesus a dead Son of Israel, a dead prophet, nothing more, and they do not believe in the resurrection of Jesus or that he is Messiah.
When Joseph’s other half blood (half breed) son inherited the dead son’s inheritance it was a coincidence/prophesy the gentiles, represented by the Samaritans, who do believe in the resurrection of Jesus (the individual Gentiles who accept Jesus as Saviour)—Israel’s dead Son—will receive Joseph’s (the dead Son of Israel) inheritance in the heavenly Promised Land.
The orthodox Jews regard Gentile Christians as spiritual half breeds because they worship the God of Israel but do it the wrong way.
The Samaritans (GENTILES) who thought they were Jews (counterfeit Israel) (Rev. 3:9 “which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie”) but would not believe in Jesus (Messiah) and the church He would produce had also gradually spread, during the 725 years, to some of the cities where the Jews of the diaspora were and they were possibly the synagogue of Satan waiting at Philadelphia to persecute the church when it arrived.
There are still lots of religious GENTILES (spiritual Samaritans of other religions who will not accept Jesus) all over the world who persecute Jesus’ church (Christians) and their numbers are growing. AND: The half-blood, Hebrew/Canaanite, Christ-less descendants of Ishmael and Esau are also considered spiritual, Gentile Samaritans.
THE ADOPTING AND INHERITING
Again: Jacob’s act of adopting the half breed sons of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, as his own sons was coincidence/prophetic (Rom. 8:14-17 esp. V.15) that God, through the Spirit of adoption, would adopt some of the above half-breeds as children of God (John 3:3-16 & 1Pet. 1:18-25 esp. V.19 keywords: with the precious blood of Christ) through the born again salvation event to be joint-heirs with Jesus to the heavenly Promised Land. (V.15) And we are so close to God’s heart we are allowed to call him Abba (the Jewish word for Daddy) the same name (Mark 14:36 keyword: Abba) Jesus cried out to when he was facing the torture of cross.
No, it’s not baby talk. Daddy is a name that is more intimate and personal than Father. And my Daddy God, Abba, is who I want to ask to rescue me when I’m in a fight that I cannot win with self, the world and the devil.
THE COINCIDENCE/PROPHESY OF JOSHUA’S LIFE
Jacob’s promise of an inheritance to Joseph’s sons (Josh. 14:4) was fulfilled by Joshua. Remember the personal letters in Part 1 about Joshua? One of them said this: In another personal letter a more studious Jew wrote; “When you trace the name of this Jesus (Yeshua) back into our old language it is Iesous and is essentially the same name as the warrior leader Joshua #1) (Ex. 17:8-13) who fought to bring Israel through the wilderness of Sin. #2) (Josh. 5:2-9) Joshua who circumcised Israel before they crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land more than 1,200 years before Jesus. #3) (Josh. 5:13 thru 6:3) Joshua who led Israel into war to take the Promised Land.”
#1) (John 12:32) Jesus fights to bring lost people through the wilderness of sin with His drawing power (John 16:7-8) through His Holy Spirit person. #2) (Rom. 2:28-29) Jesus performs a “circumcision of the heart in the spirit” when we accept Him as Saviour, our past sins are spiritually cut away and Jesus leads us across our spiritual Jordan into the Promised Land of salvation. #3) (2Tim. 3:15-16) Jesus leads the church by His written word (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29, 3:6, 13 and 22 keywords: hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches) through Holy Spirit power (Heb. 13:5) and Jesus will never leave us nor forsake us (Eph. 6:10-18 & 1Tim. 6:12 keywords: fight the good fight of faith) in our fight to keep our inheritance in our heavenly Promised Land.
You tough guys and gals who pride yourselves in your attitude, in your will to win and in your strength of character please go to church and accept Jesus as Saviour then you’ll see just how tough you really are (1Tim. 6:12) because it takes amazing courage to fight the good fight of faith and remain a true Christian!
THE COINCIDENCE/PROPHESY OF JACOB AND RACHEL’S TWO SONS JOSEPH AND BENJAMIN
NOTE: (John 7:35 keyword: dispersed) People say the word diaspora is not in the Bible. Dispersed is an English word. Strong’s #1290, the Greek word that is the origin of the English word dispersed is diaspora and is defined; to sow throughout, to distribute in foreign lands, to scatter abroad in Gentile countries. (James 1:1) “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the 12 tribes which are scattered (diaspora) abroad (diaspora), greeting.”
(Gen. 28:1 thru 29:28 esp.28:11-22) Through a promise and a vow God obviously selected Rachel to be Jacob’s wife (Jer. 3:11-14 keyword: married) just like God selected the nation of Israel to be His wife (Gen. 15:1-18 esp. V.13-18) through His promise and covenant with Abraham. See Part 21, God’s Everlasting Covenant, in this commentary for details.
Rachel’s 2 sons, Joseph, the beginning. (Gen. 30:23-24) When Israel’s son Joseph was born to Rachel she said; “God hath taken away my reproach.” Which was a coincidence/prophesy of (Luke 13:34-35) when Jesus would offer to remove the reproach of Israel. Israel as a nation would not accept Him as Messiah. BUT: (Acts 2:1 thru 8:4) Some of the individual Jews did have their reproach removed when they accepted Jesus as Messiah and they would start Jesus’ church. Then Rachel said; “The Lord shall add to me another son.”
Here is the exact pattern of how Jesus’ life mirrored Joseph’s life. Joseph: #1) (Gen. 37:10-11) Joseph’s brothers envied him. #2) (Gen. 37:17-28) Joseph was betrayed by his brothers. #3) (Gen. 37:28) Joseph was sold for 20 pieces of silver, the price of a slave. #4) (Gen. 37:31-35) Joseph “died” in his father’s eyes. #5) (Gen. 39:1) Joseph was sent to another place, Egypt.
#6) (Gen. 42:1 thru 44:34) Jacob’s family, Joseph’s kinsmen, was in the wilderness of Canaan and from the other place Joseph nourished Jacob’s family in the wilderness of Canaan. #7) (Gen. 45:1) Joseph rescued Jacob’s family, his kinsmen, (Gen. 45:18 thru 46:34 esp. V.34 keyword: abomination) and Joseph gave them a special place to live, Goshen (drawing near), where they were an abomination to their neighbors!
Jesus: Just like Joseph #1) (Matt. 27:15-21 esp. V.18) Jesus’ brothers (the chief priests and elders) envied Him. #2) (Matt. 27:9-50) Jesus was betrayed by His brothers (Judah-the Jews). #3) (Matt. 26:15) Jesus was sold for 30 pieces of silver, the price of a slave. #4) (Mark 15:25-37 esp. V.33-34 and 37) Jesus died before His Father’s eyes. #5) (Luke 24:50-51) Jesus was sent to another place, heaven.
#6) (Ezek. 5:12 & John 7:35 keyword: dispersed also Rev. 12:14) Jacob’s family, Jesus’ kinsmen, were in the wilderness of nations (where the diasporas had scattered them) (Rev. 12:13-14) and Jesus nourished them in those nations. #7) (Ezek. 37:1-12 which was performed on May 24, 1948) Jesus rescued Jacob’s family, his kinsmen, from the wilderness of nations and because the time of the end is drawing near Jesus gave them Israel, a special place to live where they are an abomination to their neighbors.
(Gen. 37:31-33 keywords: coat of many colors) Even Joseph’s coat of many colors was a coincidence/prophesy of the spiritual time (Matt. 28:19-20 keywords: all nations & Rev. 7:9-17 esp. V.9) when Jesus’ physical church founded on spiritual principals will be comprised of “all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues”.
(Gen. 30:23-24) Rachel’s 2 sons, Benjamin, another son, the ending. (Gen. 35:17-18) Just before Rachel died in her childbirth Rachel named her “another” son Ben-o’ni (Son of My Sorrow) which corresponds to (Jer. 31:15 the prophesy and Matt. 2:17-18 the fulfillment: keywords: Rachel weeping for her children) of the time just after Jesus was born that Herod killed the children of Bethlehem and Rachel (representing Israel) wept for her children. AND:
(Gen. 35:18-19) Just like Rachel had died shortly after the birth of Benjamin (Mark 13:1-2) Israel would die as a nation shortly after giving birth to Jesus. (Gen. 35:18) Jacob had changed Ben-o’ni’s name (Son of my sorrow) to Benjamin (Son of my right hand) (Acts 7:56) which corresponds exactly with Jesus being at the right hand of the God.
ALSO: (Gen. 29:28) Rachel was married to the Jacob, (Luke 3:34) the grandson of Abraham, born 2,000 years before the time of Jesus when she spoke these words IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE BIRTH OF JOSEPH; “The Lord shall add to me another son.” which were an astonishing coincidence/prophesy of the second coming of Jesus.
God explained Rachel’s words in the OT prophesy (Zech. 14:1-21 esp. V.9) concerning an epic battle when the Lord would fight the nations who came against Jerusalem and (V.9) “the Lord shall be King over all the earth”.
(Rev. 5:5 keywords: the Lion of the tribe of Juda) Then God gave further details of Rachel’s words (another son) in a NT prophesy which gives Jesus the title “Lion of the tribe of Juda”. (Rev.19:11 thru 20:10 beast, false prophet and Satan). <-This last prophesy gives the reason for the battle, the identity of the unholy leaders of the battle, beast/counterfeit Christ, false prophet/counterfeit (2Ki. 2:1 & 11) Elijah and Satan/ counterfeit God, who lead the battle to destroy God’s people (Rev. 5:5, 19:11-12 & 20:10) but the Lion of the tribe of Juda will win.
Rachel’s words will be fulfilled when Jesus (the sacrificial lamb) comes another time as another Jesus (the Lion of the tribe of Judah) to wage war, destroy the antichrist forces, rescue Israel, become the KING OF KINGS AND THE LORD OF LORDS, bind Satan and establish his millennial kingdom on the earth.
Remember Satan the counterfeiter from above? (Rev. 5:5) The true Lion of the tribe of Judah (Rev. 20:2) will order (1Pet. 5:8) Satan, the counterfeit lion, to be bound and cast into a bottomless pit for a thousand years.
BACK TO PHILADELPHIA
(Rev. 3:10) “Because thou hast kept (hold fast to) the word (divine expression of Christ, communication, teaching) of my patience (endurance, constancy, continuance), I also will keep thee from the hour (instant, hour, day, season, time) of temptation (putting to proof, adversity), which shall come upon all the world, to try (test, scrutinize) them that dwell (reside, inhabit) upon the earth (world).”
Jesus said; “Because thou hast kept (hold fast to) the word of my patience,” (Luke 9:23) “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
EACH MEMBER OF THE PHILADELPHIAN CHURCH HAD DENIED HIMSELF AND TAKEN UP THEIR CROSS AND FOLLOWED JESUS.
(Rev. 3:10) The word kept (hold fast to) is the key to this whole verse of scripture. They had held fast to everything about Jesus. Jesus’ own description of them is that they were dedicated to Him. It is obvious the Christians in the church of Philadelphia had made Jesus the King of their hearts and with that He was the King of their world. No other king resided there.
(1Sam. 15:22 & John 14:15) They prayed, they studied and they obeyed because they knew obedience is better than sacrifice and to listen (harken) is better than the fat of rams. They had broken away from Judaism and from the world. They had set their affection on Jesus. Their relationship with Jesus was personal. BECAUSE:
Word is defined as the divine (Godhead) expression of Christ. To express is to make known one’s thoughts and feelings. (John 1:1-4 & 1John 1:1-4) The NT word is alive with Jesus’ thoughts and feelings. Feelings are the emotions that are in Jesus, they are what defines Jesus, SO: word is Jesus’ innermost person.
The word is Jesus’ thoughts and feelings expressed and that is what He communicates to us and teaches us in His word and we are to hold fast to that word because (Phil. 2:5 keywords: this mind) it tells Christians what Jesus expects from us, how He expects us to act and how we are to do our part (work) to build His kingdom on earth. (John 15:14-15) Jesus lives in His word and the Philadelphian Church had kept that word. They had an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus through Jesus’ word (John 14:16-26) and the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost, Comforter).
Patience is defined as #1) endurance, #2) constancy and #3) continuance. #1) Jesus had the endurance to endure everything that was said and done to him. #2) Jesus was constant in his message; “(John 4:26) I am Messiah, (Matt. 4:17) repent, the kingdom of God is at hand. #3) (John 19:30) Jesus continued with his work until it was finished.
(Heb. 10:8-21 Jesus’ death locked in the process of salvation and after Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection and ascension into heaven– John 16:7-14 —Jesus’ work of building God’s kingdom– Luke 17:21 –in the hearts of men would be done by Christians, according to Jesus’ word, through the power of Holy Spirit anointing, revelation and guidance). (John 14:18) Jesus had an intimate, personal relationship with the Philadelphian Christians through the Holy Spirit.
(Phil. 2:5) “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” The Philadelphia Christians had fully submitted themselves to Jesus. Jesus’ thinking had become their thinking. Jesus actions became their actions. (1Cor. 2:16) Through the interaction of Jesus’ words, and the Holy Spirit, and the submission of their own will they had become Christ-like. They made Christ-like decisions that determined how they lived.
(John 6:63) “the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life”. (Heb. 10:20) The Philadelphian Christians had fully accepted Jesus’ new and living way, they had completely assimilated with Jesus and when the citizens of that area met these Philadelphian Christians along their way they knew they had met somebody different, somebody special, somebody with compassion and love that had a message about who had made them what they were.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? (Luke 9:23) “If any man will come after me (desire to),” Do you really desire to follow Jesus’ way? “let him deny himself,” Is your loyalty to self’s wants or to Jesus? “and take up his cross daily,” Is your daily dedication to Jesus or someone/something else? “and follow me.” (Matt. 15:8 keyword: heart) Who sits on the throne of your heart, Jesus or?
Think about this; it was about 2,000 years from man’s expulsion from Eden to the flood. It was about 2,000 years from the flood to Jesus. It has been about 2,000 years from Jesus to you. (Matt. 24:36-44) No man knows when Jesus will come. BUT: We do know the number 7 is the Biblical number of completion, about 6,000 years have passed and (Rev. 20:1-6) the 7th thousand, the 1,000 year reign of Jesus, may be very close. You decide.
The rest of (Rev. 3:10-12) is continued in Part 3. In Part 3 we will let the Philadelphians answer the above questions for themselves. We will explore Satan’s method in preparing the people of the world to accept the number of the beast. We will explore the number of the beast. AND: We will see what the Christians at Philadelphia have learned that every modern Christian should learn.