Striving to Be Conquerors - SMYRNA

 TODAY, ancient Ephesus lies in ruins.  But the destination of Jesus' second message is still the site of a bustling city.  About 35 miles north of the ruins Ephesus is the Turkish city of Izmir, where four zealous congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses are to be found even today. Here, in the first century, was Smyrna. Note, now, Jesus' next words: "And to the angel of the congregation in Smyrna write:  These are the things that he says,  'the First and the Last,' who became dead ad came to life again." (Revelation 2:8)  By stating this to those Christians in Smyrna Jesus reminds them that he was the first integrity keeper that Jehovah directly resurrected to immortal spirit life and the last to be so raised.  Jesus himself would resurrect all other anointed Christians.  He is thus well qualified to give counsel to his brothers, who hope to share immortal heavenly life with him.

Jesus led the way in enduring persecution for righteousness' sake, and he received the due reward.  His faithfulness to the death and subsequent resurrection are the basis  of hope for all Christians.  (Acts 17:31)  The fact that Jesus "became dead and came to life again" proves that whatever has to be endured in the cause of truth is not in vain.  Jesus' resurrection is a source of profound encouragement for all Christians, especially when they are called on to suffer for their faith. Is this your situation? Then you can take courage also from Jesus' next words to the congregation in Smyrna: 

"I know your tribulation and poverty-but you are rich-and the blasphemy by those who say they themselves are Jews, and yet they are not but are a synagogue of Satan." (Revelation 2:9) Jesus has no criticism for his brothers in Smyrna, only warm commendation.  They have suffered much tribulation because of their faith.  Materially they are poor, likely because of their faithfulness.  (Hebrews 10:34) Their main concern, however, is with spiritual  things,  and they have stored up treasures in heaven, as Jesus advised.  (Matthew 6:19, 20)  Hence, the Chief Shepherd views them as being "rich." -  Compare JAMES 2:5. 

Next time: Striving to Be Conquerors - Conclusion

From the jw.org publications

Rekindle That First Love -"To Him That Conquers"

 Finally, as he does also in his other messages, Jesus calls attention to God's spirit in making know  through Jesus the rewards for faithfulness.  To the Ephesians he says: "Let the one wo has ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations: To him that conquers I will grant to eat the tree of life, which is the paradise of God."(Revelation 2:7)  Those with hearing ears would be eager to need that vital message, knowing that it did not come on Jesus' initiative but that it flowed from the Sovereign Lord Jehovah himself through His holy spirit, or active force.  How would they 'conquer'? By following closely in the steps of Jesus, who kept integrity to the death and so could say:  'Take courage! I have conquered the world." - JOHN 8:28; 16:23; see also 1 JOHN 5:4. 

Since they have not prospect of living in an earthly paradise, how it is anointed Christians, such as those Ephesians, are rewarded with  eating  "of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God"?  This could not be the restored Paradise on earth, since the 144,000 anointed Christians, including those of the congregation at Ephesus, are bought from among mankind to rule with the lamb, Christ Jesus, on the heavenly Mount Zion as spirit sons.  (Ephesians 1:5-12; Revelation 14:1, 4)  Hence, the reference here must be the heavenly gardenlike ream inherited by these conquerors.  There, "in the paradise of of God," yes, in the very presence of Jehovah himself, these overcomers who have been granted immorality will continue to live eternally, as symbolized here by their eating of the tree of life.

What, then of the loyal earthly supporters of the 144,00 anointed ones?  A great crowd of these companion  Witnesses are also conquering.  But their hope rests  on entering an earthly paradise, where they will drink from  "a river of the water of life" and find healing from "the leaves of the trees" planted alongside that river.  (Revelation 7:4, 9, 17; 22:1, 2) If you are  one of this group, may you express your warm love for Jehovah and win out in the conquest of faith.  Thus you attain to the happiness of the everlasting life in the Paradise earth. - Compare 1 JOHN 2:13, 14.

Loving Praise to Jehovah and His Son

In the songbook produced by Jehovah's people in 1905, there were twice as many songs praising Jesus as there were songs praising Jehovah God.  In their 1928 songbook, the number of songs extolling Jesus was about the same as the number extolling Jehovah. But in the latest songbook of 1984, Jehovah is honored four ties  as many songs as is Jesus.  This is in harmony with Jesus' own words: "The Father is greater than I am." (John 14:28) Love for Jehovah must preeminent, accompanied by deep love for Jesus and appreciation of his precious sacrifice and office as God's High Priest and King.

Next time: Striving to Be Conquerors - SMYRNA

From the jw.org publications

Rekindle That First Love -"Do the Former Deeds" -Conclusion

 The John class, however, emerged from the tumultuous days of the first world war with a love for Jehovah and for the truth that impelled then to serve him with flaming zeal. They resisted those who tried to introduce a sectarianism through practically idolizing the first president of the Watch Tower Society, Charles T. Russell, following his death in 1916.  Discipline by persecutions and aversities, this Christian group clearly received a judgment   of "well done" from their Master and an invitation to enter into his joy.  (Mattthew 25:21. 23)  They recognized the course of world events and in their own experiences, the fulfillment of the sign that Jesus had given to mark his invisible presence in Kingdom power.  From 1919 onward, they moved forward  to share in the further fulfillment of Jesus' great prophecy:"  And the good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come." (Matthew 6:9, 10; 24:3-14) If their love for Jehovah had been in some way lacking, it was fanned into a flame from that time onward.  

At a historic convention, attended by 18,00 of these Christians, at Cedar Point, Ohio, U.S.A., September 5-13, 1922, the call went out:  "Back to the field, O ye sons of the most high God!  . . . The world must know that Jehovah is God and that Jesus Christ is King of kings  and Lord of lords. . . . Therefore advertise, advertise, advertise, the King and his Kingdom."  Jehovah's precious name was being made more prominent.  In 1931 these Christians, assembled in convention at Columbus Ohio, U.S.A., rejoiced to embrace and take the name indicated by God in Isaiah's prophecy-Jehovah's Witnesses.  (Isaiah 43:10, 12)  With its issue of March 1, 1939, the name of the organization's principal journal was named The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah's Kingdom, thus giving primary honor to our Creator and his royal government.  Jehovah's Witnesses with renewed love  for Jehovah have repented of any possible previous failure to honor and magnify his illustrious name and Kingdom. - PSALM 106:6m 47, 48. 

Next time: Rekindle That First Love - "To Him That Conquers" 

From the jw.org publications 

Rekindle That First Love - "Do the Former Deeds"

 Those Ephesians must rekindle that love they once had if they do not want to lose out.  "Therefore" Jesus tells them,  "remember from what you have fallen, and repent and do the former deeds, if you do not, I am coming to you, and I will remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent." (Revelation 2:5) How did Christians in the Ephesian congregation receive those words?  We do not know.  We hope that they repented and succeeded in reawakening their love for Jehovah.  If they did not, then their lamp would be extinguished and their lampstand removed. They would lose their privilege of beaming forth the truth. 

Nevertheless, Jesus has this encouraging word for the Ephesians: "Still, you do have this, that you hate the dees of the sect of Nicolaus, which I also hate." (Revelation 2:6) At least thy hated sectarian division, just as the Lord Jesus Christi hates it.  As the years went by, however, many congregations failed to heed those words of Jesus. Lack of love for Jehovah, for the truth, and for one another resulted in their drifting into spiritual darkness.  They became fragmented into numerous quarreling sects. "Christian" copyists who had no love for Jehovah removed God's very name from the Greek manuscripts of the Bible.  Lack of love also allowed room for teaching Babylonish and Grecian doctrines such as  hellfire, purgatory, and the Trinity, in the name of Christianity.  Having no love for God and for the truth, most those who claimed to be Christian ceased to preach the good news of God's Kingdom.  They came to be dominated by a selfish clergy class that made it own kingdom here on earth. - Compare  1 CORINTHIANS  4:8. 

When judgment started with the house of God in 1918, the sectarian clergy of Christendom were given open support to World War I, urging Catholics and Protestants on both sides to slaughter one another.  (1 Peter 4:17) Unlike the Ephesians congregation that hated what the sect of Nicolas was doing. Christendom's religions had long been riddled  with conflicting anti-God doctrines, and their clergy had thrown their lot in with the world, of which Jesus said his disciples must be no part.  (John 15:17-19)  Their congregations, igorant of the Bible's  theme, God's Kingdom, were not lampstands beaming forth Scriptural truth, nor were their  members part of the spiritual temple of Jehovah.  Their leading men (and women)  were not stars but were revealed to be members of  "the man of lawlessness." -2 THESSALONIANS 2:3; MALACHI 3:1, 3. 

Next time: Rekindle That First Love- "Do the Former Deeds" - Conclusion

From the jw.org publications

Rekindle That First Love -EPHESUS- Conclusion

 Now, however. as he does  with five of the seven congregations, Jesus singles outa serious problem.  He says to the Ephesians: "Nevertheless, I hold this against you, that you have left the love you had at first." (Revelation 2:4) They should not have failed in this respect, for Paul had written them 35 years earlier referring to God's  "greater love wit which he loved us," And he had urged them: "Become imitators of God, as beloved children, and go on walking in love, jst as the Christ also loved you.  (Ephesians 2:4; 5:1, 2) Further, Jesus' words should have been inscribed indelibly on their hearts:  "Jehovah our God is one Jehovah, and you must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with  your whole mind and with your whole strength." (Mark 12:29-31) The Ephesians had lost their first loe.

Whether we are old-timers, or new associates in the congregation, we must guard against losing our first love for Jehovah.  How can this loss come about?  We could allow attachment to our secular work, the desire to make a lot of money, or the pursuit of pleasure  to become the big thing in our lives.  Thus we could become fleshing minded rather than spiritually minded.  (Romans 8:5-8; 1 Timothy 4:8; 6:9, 10)  Our love for Jehovah should impel us to correct any such tendencies and to 'keep on seeking first God's Kingdom  and his righteousness,' so as to 'store up for ourselves treasures in heaven.' -  MATTHEW 6:19-21, 31-33. 

Let our service to Jehovah be motivated always by a deep-seated love for him. Let us have a fervent appreciation for all that Jehovah and Christ have done for us and sent forth his Son as a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins."  John goes on to tell us: "God is love, and he that remains in love remains  in  union with God and God remains in union with him." May we never let fade our love for Jehovah, for the Lord Jesus Christ, and for the living Word  of God!  This love we can express not only in zealous service to God but also by obedience to  "this commandment we have from him, that the one who loves God should be loving his brother also." - 1 JOHN 4:10, 16, 21; HEBREWS 4:12; see also 1 PETER 4:8; Colossians 3:10-14; EPHESIANS 4:15. 

Next time:  Rekindle That First Love - "Do the Former Deeds"

From the jw.org publications

Rekindle That First Love -EPHESUS

JESUS' first message is the congregation in Ephesus, at that time a thriving coastal city of Asia Minor close the isle of Patmos.  He commands John: "To the angel of the congregation in Ephesus write:  These are the things that he says who holds the seven stars in his right hand, he who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstads." (Revelation 2:1) As in the other six messages, Jesus here draws attention to a feature denoting his authoritative position.  He reminds the overseers in Ephesus that all elders are under his own protective oversight and that his is inspecting all the congregations.  Down into our own time, he has continued to exercise loving headship, watching over the elders  and kindly shepherding all associated with the congregation  From time to time,  he adjusts  congregational arrangements so that light can shine more brightly. Yes, Jesus is the Chief Shepherd over the flock of God. - MATTHEW 11:28-30; 1 PETER 5:2-4. 

Jesus sets a pattern for all but two of his seven messages by opening with warm words of commendation.  For the Ephesians, he has this message: "I know your deeds, and your labor and endurance, and that you cannot bear bad men, and that you put those to the test who say they are apostles, but they are not,  and you found them liars.  You are also showing endurance, and you have borne up for my name's sake and have not grown weary." (Revelation 2:2, 3) Years before, the apostle Paul had warned the Ephesian elders about  "oppressive  wolves," apostate disturbers of the flock, and had told those elders to  "keep awake," following own tireless example.  (Acts 20:29. 31)    Since Jesus now commends them for their labor and endurance and for not growing weary, they must have applied that counsel. 

During the Lord's day, too, there have appeared "false apostles" who "speak twisted things to draw away the disciples after themselves." (2 Corinthians 11:13; Acts 20:30; Revelation 1:10)   They see good in all the conflicting sectarian religions, claim that God does not have an organization, and deny that Jesus   received Kingdom power in 1914. They fulfill the prophecy at 2 Peter 3:3, 4:  "In the last days there will come ridiculers with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires and saying:  'Where is this promised presence of his?  Why from the day our forefathers fell asleep in death, all things are continuing exactly as from creations beginning." 

These ridiculers rebel at the thought of making public declaration of of their faith.  (Romans10:10)   They have enlisted the support of Christendom's clergy and the aid of news journals and TV stations to spread lying reports about their former associates. Faithful ones soon find that the speech and conduct of these deceivers do not ring true.  Like the Ephesians, Christians today "cannot bear bad men," so they disfellowship them from their congregations. 

Next time: Rekindle That First Love - Conclusion of EPHESUS

From the jw.org publications

Unlocking the Sacred Secret - A Time of Testing and Judging

 Jesus was baptized and anointed as King-Designate at the Jordan River about October 29 C.E.   Three and a half years later in 33 C.E., he came to Jerusalem's temple and threw out those who were making it a cave of robbers.  There appears to be a parallel to this in the three-and-a-half -year period from Jesus' enthronement  in the heavens in October 1914  until his coming to inspect professed Christians as judgment began with the house of God.  (Matthew 21:12. 13: 1 Peter 4:17) Early in 1918 the Kingdom activity of Jehovah's people met with great opposition. It was a time of testing earth wide, and fearful ones were sifted out. In May 1918 Christendom's clergy instigated the imprisonment  of officials of the Watch Tower Society, but nine months later theses were released. Later, the false charges  against them were dropped.  From 1919 the organization of God's people, tried and refined, moved zealously forward to proclaim Jehovah's Kingdom by Christ Jesus as the hope for mankind. - MALACHI 3:1-3. 

 As Jesus began his inspection in 1918m the clergy of Christendom no doubt received an adverse judgment.  Not only had  they raised up persecution against God's people but they had also incurred heavy bloodguilt by supporting the contending nations during the fist world war.  (Revelation 18:21, 24) Those clergymen then placed their hope in the man-made League of Nations.  Along with the entire world empire of false religion, Christendom had fallen completely from God's favor by 1919. 

Next time: Rekindle That First Love! - Ephesus

From the jw.org publications

Unlocking the Sacred Secret - The Seed Endures

 In his parable of the wheat and weeds, Jesus foretold the time of the darkness that would exist while Christendom reigned supreme.  Nevertheless, through all the centuries of apostasy, there would exist individual wheatlike Christians, genuine anointed ones.  (Matthew 13:24-29, 36-43) Thus, when the Lord's day dawned in October 1914, there were still true Christians on earth.  (Revelation 1:10)  It appears that Jehovah came to his spiritual temple for judgment about three and half years later, in 1918, accompanied by Jesus and his "messenger of the covenant." (Malachi 3:1; Matthew 13:47-50)  It was time for the Master to reject finally the false Christians and to support 'the faithful and discreet slave over all his belongings.' - MATTHEW 7:22, 23; 24:45-47.

It was also time for this slave to give special attention to the things written in Jesus' messages to the seven congregations, as we see from what is stated therein.  For example, Jesus refers to his coming to judge the congregations, which judgment began in 1918.  (Revelation 2:5, 16, 22, 23,; 3:3)   He speaks of protecting the Philadelphia congregation from "the hour of test, which is to come upon the whole inhabited earth." (Revelation 3:10, 11) This "hour of test" arrives only with the dawning of the Lord's day in 1914, after which Christians were tested as to their loyalty to the established Kingdom of God. - Compare MATTHEW 24:3.

For this reason, Jesus' words to the congregations have had their major application since 1914.  In this setting, the seven congregations  picture all the congregations of anointed Christians  during the Lord's day.  Moreover, during the past 70 years and more, the anointed Christians  pictured by John have been joined   by large numbers of believers whose hope is to live forever in Paradise on earth.  The counsel of the glorified Jesus Christ and the conditions he found in the seven congregations as a result of his inspection apply with equal force to these, since there is only one standard of righteousness and faithfulness for all of Jehovah's servants.  (Exodus 12:49; Colossians 3:11)  Thus, Jesus' messages to the seven first-century congregations in Asia Minor are not mere historical curiosities. They mean life or death to each one of us.  Let us, then, listen carefully to Jesus' words. 

Next time: Unlocking the Sacred Secret - A Time of Testing and Judging

From the jw.org publications

Unlocking the Sacred Secret-Conclusion of The Great Apostasy

Jesus had warned the Sardis congregation against being spiritually dead. (Revelation 3:1)  Like those in Sardis, professed Christians quickly forgot about Christian works and soon delegated the  highly important work of preaching to a small, paid clergy class.  Jesus had warned the congregation in  Thyatira against idolatry and fornication.  (Revelation 2:20)  Yet, Christendom openly sanctioned the use of images, as well as the promoting of the more subtle idolatry and materialism.  And immorality, sometimes preached against, has always  been tolerated.

Hence, Jesus' words to the seven congregations expose the total failure of all the Christendom's religions  to be Jehovah's special people. Indeed, the clergy of Christendom have been the most prominent members  of Satan's seed.  Speaking of these as  'the lawless,' the apostle  Paul foretold that their "presence is according to the operation of Satan with every powerful work and lying signs and portents and with every unrighteous deception." -2 THESSALONIANS 2:9, 10.

While claiming to be shepherds of the flock of God, Christendom's leaders, religious  and secular, showed special hatred for anyone who tried to encourage Bible reading  or anyone who exposed their unscriptural practices.  John Hus and Bible translator William Tyndale were persecuted and martyred.  During the bedarkened Middle Ages, apostate rule reached a peak in a diabolical  Catholic inquisition.  Any who disputed the teaching or authority of the church were unmercifully suppressed, and countless thousands of so-called heretics were tortured to death or burned at the stake.  Thus Satan endeavored to ensure that any true seed of God's womanlike organization  would be quickly crushed.  When the Protestant rebellion, or Reformation, occurred ( from 1517 onward). many Protestant churches manifested a similar intolerant spirit. They too became blood-guilty  by martyring those who endeavored to be loyal to God and Christ.  Truly, "the blood of holy ones" was  freely poured out! - REVELATION16:6;  Compare MATTHEW 23:33-36.

Next time:  Unlocking the Sacred Secret - The Seed Endures

From the jw.org publications 

Unlocking the Sacred Secret - The Great Apostasy

When John wrote Revelation, Christianity was upwards of 60 years old.  At the outset, it had survived 40 years of constant opposition from Judaism.  The the Jewish system received a mortal blow in 70 C.E.  when the unrepentant Jews lost their national identity and what was to them virtually and idol -the temple in Jerusalem.

Nevertheless, the apostle Paul had foretold that there would be an apostasy among anointed Christians, and Jesus' messages show that in John's old age this apostasy was already developing.  John was the last of those who acted as a restraint on this all-out attempt by Satan to corrupt the seed of the woman.  (2 Thessalonians 2:3-12; 2 Peter 2:1-3; 2 John 7-11) So it was the appropriate time for Jehovah's Chief Shepherd to write to the elders in the congregations, warning of developing trends and encouraging right-hearted ones to stand  firm for righteousness. 

How the congregations in 96 C.E. responded to Jesus' messages we do no know. But we do know that the apostasy  developed rapidly after John's death.  "Christians" ceased to use Jehovah's name and substituted  "Lord" or "God"  for it in Bible manuscripts.  By the fourth century, the false doctrine of the Trinity infiltrated the congregations.  During this same period, the idea of an immortal soul was being adopted.  Finally, Roman Emperor Constantine gave state approval to the "Christian" religion, and this led to the development of Christendom, where Church and state joined forces in ruling for a thousand years.  It was easy to become a new-style "Christian."  Whole tribes  adjusted to their earlier pagan beliefs to versions of this religion.  Many of the leaders in Christendom became oppressive political tyrants, enforcing their apostate views by the sword.  

Jesus' words to the seven congregations were completely ignored by the apostatizing Christians.  Jesus had warned the Ephesians to regain the love they had at first. (Revelation 2:4) Nevertheless, members of the Christendom, no longer being united in love for Jehovah fought vicious wars and persecuted  one another horribly.  (1 John 4:20) Jesus had warned  the congregation in Pergamum against sectarianism.  Yet, sects appeared even in the second century, and today Christendom has thousands of squabbling sects and religions. - REVELATION 2:15. 

Next time: Unlocking the Sacred Secret - Conclusion of The Great Apostasy

From the jw.org publications