Structure of the Seven Churches, Revelation 2 & 3, pt 1

Study:

I. Parallel Texts:

"...them which say they are Jews, and are not,
but are the synagogue of Satan." vs. 2:9

"...to eat things sacrificed unto idols,
and to commit fornication." vs. 2:14

"...to commit fornication,
and to eat things sacrificed unto idols." vs. 2:20

"...them of the synagogue of Satan,
which say they are Jews, and are not,..." vs. 3:9

II. Other Repeated Words:

According to Wigram's The Englishman's Greek concordance of the New Testament, notice the following words as they appear in Revelation 2 & 3 (these being all occurances in these two chapters).

Seven [ἑπτά]:
   2:1. he that holdeth the seven stars
      --- in the midst of the seven golden
   3:1. that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the
             seven stars;

Remember [μνημονεύω]:
   2:5. Remember therefore from whence
   3:3. Remember therefore how thou hast

Walk [περιπατέω]:
   2:1. who walketh in the midst of the
   3:4. they shall walk with me in white:

Texts:

Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; vs. 2:1

Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and 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. vs. 2:5

And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. vs. 3:1

Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.  vs. 3:3,4

"Seven" x 2 & "Remember": Why?

"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." Exodus 20:8-11

III. Parallel between Balaam and Jezebel, Rev. 2:14 & 20

Notice the parallels between Revelation 2:14 & 20.

 
Revelation 2:14
Revelation 2:20

 
 
 
Verse
 
 
 
 

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 stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

Notwithstanding I have a few things 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.

 
A Prophet
 

"...Balaam ... the prophet." 2 Peter 2:15,16

"...that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess..."

 
A King
 

"...Balac..."

"And Ahab ... took to wife Jezebel..." 1 Kings 16:30,31

 
 
 
A Woman
 
 
 
 

"...these [women] caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor..." "...in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a ... Midian, their sister..." Numbers 31:16; 25:18

"...that woman Jezebel..."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fornication
 
 
 
 
 
 

"And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baal–peor..." "...these [women] caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor..." Numbers 25:1; 31:16

"And Ahab ... took to wife Jezebel..." 1 Kings 16:30,31

"...her fornication..." "...them that commit adultery with her..." vss. 21,22

"With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication..." "...the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her..." "And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her..." Rev. 17:2; 18:3,9;

Meaning of Name 

Cozbi = "liar"

Jezebel = "chaste" (She is not! But is a liar, as she has commited fornication.)

To be continued...

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