Now let’s see where we are called the firstfruits of God’s creation. Let’s come to James 1. Now, this ties right in with what Paul wrote that Christ is the firstfruit, afterward those that are Christ’s at His coming. So they are a different harvest. And the harvest takes place all at once.

Now here again, James 1. Let’s pick it up here in verse 17. “Every good gift…” That means God’s Spirit, God’s love, God’s faith, God’s blessing, the physical things that we have. “Every good gift and every perfect gift…” Which means the perfection of character, the growing in grace and knowledge, the developing of the mind of Christ, “…is from above [comes to us through the Holy Spirit], and cometh down from the Father of lights,…” That’s why when we pray, we pray directly to God the Father. And as Jesus said we are to pray to Him because He loves us. So this is really a very important and profound part of the scriptures here. Now notice, “…with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” That’s something, isn’t it? God is always the same. That’s why it says of Jesus, “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8). So you can always count on God the Father and Jesus Christ, without a doubt. With God there is no shadow or variableness of turning. Now let’s understand that in relationship to the world’s way of believing in Sunday and the holidays, God never changed from the holy days. God never changed from the Passover. What He did, He changed how they are observed. He did not change the day.

Now notice verse 18. “Of His own will [that is by God’s own desire] begat He us with the word of truth,…” And of course Jesus is called what? “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God” (John 1:1). And with His Holy Spirit and the scriptures He begat us. He put His seed into us. And we become the children of God, though it’s not yet manifest what we shall be, but as John says when Christ returns and is manifest we will see Him as He is because we will be like Him. So here we have combined the begettal, and as we will see, firstfruits. “…That we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.” Now this means, “of His creation”. What God is creating in us now, see. As we know, the character that we have, the new man that we are putting on, is created in true righteousness and holiness by the Spirit of God, by the power of God, that we be that fruit which brings forth thirty-fold, sixty-fold, or one hundred-fold.

Now let’s also see one other thing since we are right here in James. Just turn a page back and you will be to Hebrews 12, and let’s come here to verse 18. And here we see the parallel between the giving of the law on Pentecost in Exodus 20, and our coming to Mount Zion in heaven above. Now just like God said that Israel was His firstborn under the Old Covenant, so likewise we are called, as we will see, the church of the firstborn. So we have the same thing applied to us as was applied to Christ. Christ was the first of the firstfruits and the first of the firstborn. We are the firstfruits because we are in the first resurrection, and we are the firstborn church.

Now let’s see the comparison here, verse 18. “For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words;…” Now remember the trumpet sounded loud and long. Loud and long on the day of Pentecost. Now we’ll see that’s important when we come to tomorrow and the resurrection, see. “…And the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: (for they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: And so terrible [that is, awesome] was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)…” (Heb. 12:18-21).

Now then our situation is different than that. We have direct access by the blood of Christ, right into the holy of holies in heaven above, right to God the Father with Jesus Christ as our High Priest sitting at His right hand. Now notice what he says here, verse 22. “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,…” And you can read of that in Revelation 4 and 5. Now notice, “…to the general assembly and church of the firstborn,…” Now that’s what we are. We are the firstfruits, likened unto a harvest. We are the church of the firstborn because we will be in the first resurrection. “…Which are written in heaven [that is, in the book of life], and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,…” (vs. 22-23). And so what happens when we die? The spirit of man, which is in us, which has been perfected with the Spirit of God, that goes back to God. And He keeps track of every human being that has ever existed. And they are in the categories:

1) The first resurrection - those who are the saints.

2) The second resurrection - those in the world who have not done evil unto the unpardonable sin. Those are the good and sincere, and honest people of the world if you want to put it that way.

3) And the second phase of the second resurrection, which is the resurrection of the wicked, unto the second death.

Now God keeps track of all of those, and He even says that not even a sparrow is going to fall that He doesn’t know about it. Now this tells us great things about God which is hard for us to understand. So therefore when we die, our body goes into the grave. Our soul, that is the chemical life that we have in the blood and the nervous system, and so forth, dies. The spirit of man, which is in our mind, goes back to God and then He puts that into a new spirit body at the resurrection. So we’re called “…the church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel” (vs. 24).

Now then, let’s look at the fulfillment of the seven week harvest as it applies to the church. Let’s come to Revelation 2. Let’s ask a question as we are turning there. Remember where we started? You are to count seven weeks unto the harvest. Now we will see there’s a reason for the seven weeks, and there is a reason for the fiftieth day. Both have special meaning. The seven weeks have special meaning, and the fiftieth day, Pentecost, has special meaning so you’ll have to come back tomorrow so you get the rest of the story on that. But let’s look at the seven weeks.

Now let’s ask a question. In the prophecy of the churches, which Revelation 2 and 3 are, why do we have only seven churches? Why do we not have fourteen? Because these seven churches, each of the seven churches picture one week of the harvest leading up to Pentecost. Now let’s look at that. Let’s understand something about the church. The church though we are perfected in Christ, that is true, but the church is always as the parable of the tares show, attacked from outside and inside by the agents of Satan the devil. And they have varying degrees of success. And therefore you’re going to find in the churches of God… Now, as God looks down on the world there are the seven churches as He sees it.

Now then, Revelation 2 and 3 are very important because the seven churches, as we will see, picture many different things. Number one, they are literally the seven churches to whom this message was originally written by John. And that was in his day right toward the end of the first century. Then we also have of the seven churches the seven basic attitudes that individuals in any congregation can have at any time. And you combine this with the parable of the sower where some fell by the wayside, some fell in a rock, some fell in the weeds, and so forth. The other thing is this, this tells us the prophetic history (this is the third thing) the prophetic history of the church down through time, from the time that John wrote this until the end of the church harvest, which then leads up to the return of Christ.

Now also the fourth thing is this: in the book of Revelation we have seven, out of which come seven. That is seven seals out of which comes seven trumpet plagues, out of which come seven last plagues. So likewise with the seven churches we have seven in the beginning out of which there are seven down through history, and when we come to the end out of which there will be seven at the end as God views the church. Now these are not defined by human corporate organizations. These are defined by spiritual attitudes. And these are defined by the works that we do. And God knows the works that we do. And the works that we do are important because they are perfected in Christ, and these have to do with the reward that we will receive.

So let’s read the message to each one of these seven churches, and let’s do this: in each one of them let’s apply the lessons that apply to us. Because as we will see it is to all the churches, yet to the individual churches and also to the individuals within those churches. So you see it has great meaning. And these then represent, the seven churches represent the seven weeks of harvest up to Pentecost. In other words the seven weeks of harvest represent the church age.

Now let’s begin right here with the church at Ephesus, Revelation 2:1. “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith He that holdeth the seven stars in His right hand,…” We read earlier that Christ is the head of the church, right? He controls it. He’s the head of it. He determines what goes on in the church. “…Who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;…” He’s never away from His church. As a matter of fact we come over here…turn to chapter 5 for just a minute, and we will see something also very interesting.

Revelation 5:5, “And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.” This is one mission of Christ as the son of David. Now then verse 6 is the spiritual fulfillment of this. “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb [that’s Christ] as it had been slain, having seven horns…” (Rev. 5:5-6). Now what are those horns? Where are horns? In the head. And those seven horns represent the seven churches. And it shows clearly that Christ is the head of those seven churches. And then it says, “…and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” And that’s how God knows what’s going on in the earth. That’s how God knows what’s going on, not only in the earth, but also in the church. As well as us having the Holy Spirit of God, God knows what’s going on with us at all times, doesn’t He? Since He lives in us and dwells in us with His Spirit, He knows us, doesn’t He? Yes, indeed.

Now let’s go on here, Revelation 2:2. Notice how each one of these He starts out with “I know your works,…” Works are required. Works perfect faith. “…And thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil:…” So what they did, “…and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:…” This is why we are to prove everything by what the Word of God says. We are not to accept the fact that someone says, “I’m a minister of God”, or “I’m an apostle of God.” We prove it by what they say. We prove it by the Word of God. And they found them liars so they rejected them. “…And hast borne, and hast patience, and for My name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.” So that’s really quite a commendation. “Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love” (Rev. 2:2-4).

Now what is the first love, and does this apply to many people today? Absolutely it does. The first love is loving God with all your heart, and mind, and soul, and being. Now how do people leave that first love? Satan has a simple device on how to do this. You get people all wrapped up in doing social things. And you get them wrapped up into alternate works instead of the works of commandment keeping, and love, and joy, and peace, and the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Then they have doing good for other people in the world. Now it’s not wrong to do good for the people in the world, but when that becomes the main thrust and neglects loving God then you are loving the people you are serving more than you are loving God, and the project in serving people becomes a paramount important thing instead of the project of growing in grace, and knowledge, and overcoming, and loving God becoming the paramount and important thing, you see. So they left it.

Now notice, when you leave your first love, as Jesus said, “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent,...” He tells everyone of the churches but one church, actually two churches to repent. Showing that the churches collectively, and the people in the churches individually, missed the mark and fall short and have sin. It says, “…Repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” Then He commends them for one thing. “But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate” (vs. 5-6). Now the Nicolaitanes is the hierarchical form of government. Now you see, right after the apostle John died there was a so-called saint Justin Martyr Ignatius. Now Ignatius was one of those who was in on the beginnings of the Roman Catholic church at that time. And he even wrote epistles around 115, 116, 118 AD. And what his job was, was to take the brethren out of the home churches and put them into church buildings. So now we have a hierarchy. See, the people here in Ephesus resisted that movement. They did not go along with it. They understood what it was and they didn’t do it.

Now then He says all the way through. Notice how this ties right in with Matthew 13. “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh…” So we’ve got to constantly be overcoming brethren. This is the whole message. Or, we can put it this way - you have got to constantly be growing as that grain harvest so that you produce the grain. And if you’re not growing then you cannot grow to the point of maturity and develop the grain unto eternal life, if I could put it that way, you see. You have to overcome. “…Will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God” (vs. 7).

Now then the church of Smyrna. Now He emphasizes something else. He says, “…These thing saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive:…” (vs. 8). Now this church went through a great deal of tribulation and turmoil. And this was when they were forming the churches even more, getting the hierarchical structure set and more firm than before. Now what we have here is this, these are the ones who resisted unto death. So the church at Smyrna has no sin. Christ doesn’t tell them to repent. And in this age, He says right here. Now notice it is Satan that is doing it. He is the force and the power behind every one of these things that is confronting the churches.

He says, “…I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews [that is claiming to be true Christians], and are not, but are [of] the synagogue of Satan.” Now remember, Paul gave the warning that false apostles come as ministers of righteousness. And he said, “No wonder, for Satan himself appears as an angel of light.” And Satan is after his church, after the Church of God, after the brethren day and night. But you don’t have to worry about that because you overcome him by your testimony, by the blood of Christ, and not loving your life unto death, and that’s what the Smyrnites did here. So Christ said, “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer:…” So He’s going to give them extra strength to endure the persecution and martyrdom. “…Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death,…” Here, the doctrine was not the important point at this time. It was being faithful unto death. “…Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death” (vs. 9-11).

Now then, the next three churches, you will see that there is a progressive deterioration of the churches. And a progressive building of the false apostate church, known as the Roman Catholic and the Greek Orthodox churches.

Now let’s look at the third church here, Pergamos. Now notice how He warns them. Verse 12, “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith He which hath the sharp sword with two edges [the true Word of God]; I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is:…” Now when you live right in the middle where Satan’s influence is most powerful it’s going to have an effect on even the church. See, now notice in all of these Satan is there. just like the parable of the tares. “…And thou holdest fast My name, and hast not denied My faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication” (vs. 12-14). Now the spiritual fulfillment of this is, changing the Passover to the Eucharist offered to an idol, and changing Sabbath to Sunday.

Now then on top of that they had one more thing, verse 15. “So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes,…” That is the hierarchical rigid form of government, which Jesus said, “…which thing I hate.” Now remember when the disciples wanted to know who was going to be the greatest, He said, “You are not going to be as the princes of this world, which rule over the people, and you’re not going to be as those that are the religious leaders that exercise authority.” And both of these are hierarchical from the top down. Jesus said, “…which thing I hate.” Notice He says, “Repent;…” Now how bad is their conduct? “Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth” (vs. 15-16). Now can you imagine this? That the Church of God during the era of Pergamos, got so bad that Christ had to leave the church and come and fight against His own church. And He tried to do it through men who would come and bring the true doctrine, and they refused, and counted them as heretics and cast them out.

So He says verse 17, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.”

Now then we come to the church of Thyatira and I think it’s very interesting, if you have not seen the video “Israel of the Alps”, you might get that out and watch it again, or if you don’t have it you can write in for it and we’ll send it to you. But I think it’s very interesting because for years I’ve often thought of how similar Thyatira is to what we call the Seventh Day Adventist today. And the video, “Israel of the Alps” is produced by the Seventh Day Adventists and they relate their origin to the Waldensians and the time when this era of the church was in full blossom.

Now notice again, we have the agents of Satan the devil coming after the church, and this is the church in Thyatira. So He says, “…These things saith the Son of God, Who hath His eyes like unto a flame of fire, and His feet are like fine brass;…” He knows exactly what’s going on. He says, “…I know thy works, and [your love] charity, and [your] service, and [your] faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. Notwithstanding I have a few thins against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce My servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols” (vs. 18-20). And that’s exactly what has happened to the Seventh Day Adventist Church. They keep communion quarterly. They recognize the trinity, and they have many other doctrines that they derive from the Roman Catholic Church though they preach against it. Now that’s amazing. Even though they keep the weekly Sabbath.

And He says here, verse 21, “And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.” And so now if you don’t have the videos, “The Jesuit Agenda for the Seventh Day Adventist Church”, you might write in for that because that will reveal to you how Satan attacks all Sabbath keeping churches. Now notice, God means business with His church. “Behold, I will cast her into…great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.” And this is probably the situation that occurred with the Reformation. “And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am He which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works” (vs. 21-23). See, God knows all of these things. But look at how the tares of Satan the devil are always there working in the harvest to disturb it.

“But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak;..” So boy, that’s something. Getting into the very depths of Satan. Can you imagine that? People in the Church of God sinking to that level. Did some of these here commit the unpardonable sin sinking to the level of getting into the depths of Satan? Probably so. If you haven’t, He says, “I’m going to lay not other burden upon you.” “But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh, and keepeth My works unto the end,…” Which includes the holy days, doesn’t it? And the Seventh Day Adventists don’t keep the holy days because they believe the same teachings that the Roman Catholic Church teaches that those were ceremonial days. So here He says, “Keep My works unto the end” instead of doing their own and doing the works of Jezebel and Satan. “…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. And I will give him the morning star.” Then He gives a warning, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (vs. 24-29). So we need to listen to what God says.

Now let’s begin in chapter 3 and look at the last three churches. First of all we have Sardis. Now Sardis is a church that has a name that it’s living but it’s dead. Now verse 2, Jesus says, “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain,…” Now my experience has been, and I think it was a proper observation through the years, that many of the Churches of God-Seventh Day fall into this category. They barely have the Sabbath, they barely have the Passover, and that’s all that they do. Now notice, “…strenghten the things which remain, that are ready to die:…” And currently the Church of God-Seventh Day is being infiltered by the agents of Satan to take it down and accept Sunday keeping. Can you imagine a Church of God-Seventh Day going to Sunday worship? But that’s the program that’s coming. “…For I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou has received and heard, and hold fast, and repent.” Now then here’s a warning. He tells them, “Except you repent”, “…I will come upon thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” And that doesn’t necessarily mean when Christ returns, because Christ can come upon someone at anytime to correct them. So He says, “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me…[who] are worthy” (Rev. 3:2-4). So it looks like those who are truly dead in Sardis will have committed the unpardonable sin.

Now let’s look at the church at Philadelphia. Everyone wants to claim to be a Philadelphian but they don’t want to do the works of a Philadelphian. And as a matter of fact, most of those who claim to be a Philadelphian church are run by a hierarchy, which God hates, and are run by fear, which God hates. The church of Philadelphia is the church of brotherly love, and it’s the church of brotherly love because it loves God first. It says here, verse 7, “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, These things saith He that is holy, He is true, He that hath the key of David, He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;…” See, the Philadelphians wait on God to open the door. They keep knocking but they wait till God opens the door. “I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept My word, and has not denied My name.” Kept all of His word. Christ does not tell this church to repent either. “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” (vs. 7-9). So here Satan is after the church at Philadelphia but does not get in and deceive it because the church at Philadelphia are the seed sown in the good ground that brings forth the fruit thirty-fold, sixty-fold, a hundred-fold, you see.

Now notice, “Because thou hast kept the word of My patience [or, patiently kept My word], I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” So we’ve got “all the world”, and then reemphasized “upon the earth”. And this great temptation, which is coming, is going to be the receiving of the mark of the beast. Now I’ve got a tape on that, “The Temptation To Try The Whole World”. Now notice again, He does not tell this church to repent. “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast,…” We are always to hold fast the Word of God, and today we have the Word of God as never before. And we need to hold fast to all of it and let none of it fall to the ground, let none of it be subverted by the agents of Satan the devil. And we need to stand for the truth, and stand for it at all times. Now then He says, “…I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown” (vs. 10-11). Because Satan’s ministers are out there and they want to take your crown. That means they want to keep you from attaining the kingdom of God, and the reward, and the blessing, and eternal life. That’s what they are after. So you see the stakes of what we are confronting here are very, very high.

Now then He says, “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God: and I will write upon him My new name.” Then He says, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (vs. 12-13). Now the only way that a person, or a church is a church with the Philadelphia attitude is one that loves God, loves the brethren, patiently keeps His Word, and holds fast to all of it.

Now then, let’s look at the poor Laodiceans here. the ones who are always beat upon. And the reason that they are is because today we’re living in a Laodicean age. We have so many things around us, we have all conveniences, we have things that can keep us busy, take our time, occupy us in doing everything. And we get so wrapped up that it’s hard to pray, it’s hard to study because you’re so busy doing things with things that you don’t have time for God.

Now then, listen to what He says here. Verse 15, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot:...” See, and they can’t stand the harsh words of Christ. They have to have the bland words of a smooth preacher, saying “You’ve got to be balanced.” Being balanced is being lukewarm because you’re neither hot, you’re neither cold, correct? So what’s going to happen because you are not hot or cold? He said, “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I [am about to] will spue thee out of My mouth” (vs. 15-16). That is for correction. I submit to you, has that not happened with the collapse of Worldwide Church of God? Where is it today? No longer exists. Is that not being spued out of the mouth of God?

“Because thou sayest,…” The “yeah-buts” always talk back to God. “…I am rich,…” Which then is a blessing of God, not necessarily, see. Satan can make you rich if you give in to him. After all, he told Christ, “If you’ll worship me I’ll give you all the nations - all the power and wealth of them all.” “…And increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:…” And isn’t it profound that today we live in such an age of such deceit and confusion and everything to take away from God, right? Yes, there it is, see. So God gives counsel. Christ says, “…I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire,…” That’s the true righteousness, you see. But it’s going to be by test, it’s going to be by trial, it’s going to be by fire “…that you may be rich; and white raiment [cause you’re running around without being clothed in Christ, and yet claiming that you are Christ’s, you see. “…And white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve,…” In other words get some good eye opening repentance and Bible study and eye-salve so that your eyes are open “…that you can see” (vs. 17-18), that you can understand what God wants for you.

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten:…” So when we are rebuked and chastened don’t say, “Oh-h-h woe is me.” Say, “Thank you Christ because You love me.” And He says, “…be zealous therefore, and repent” (vs. 19). And that’s what we need to be - zealous for God. Repenting to God. Doing the things that are right. Doing the things that are true. Holding fast to that which is good, and working and doing the things with the goods and the things that we have with us to do and promote the Word of God, and the truth of God, and the righteousness of God - to build and support and to uplift the brethren. To help them likewise come to an attitude of repentance, see.

And Christ says, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:…” Now we have the door of our minds. That’s one door. Standing at the door of the second return is the send door. “…If any man hear My voice, and open the door [that’s the door of his mind - if you will return and come back to God], I will come in to him [with the power of the Holy Spirit], and will sup with him, and he with Me.” And then He says this, verse 21, “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (vs. 20-22).

So here the seven churches represent the seven weeks of harvest leading up to the resurrection. This is the church age, and as we will see, there is coming a time right in the future before the tribulation, and up into the beginning of the tribulation, that the church age ends. So come back tomorrow for the rest of the story.

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