To the Angel of Sardis
(The angel of Sardis and the angel of Laodicea are the two people with the most negative features. If you recognize yourself in their descriptions, you have a serious problem.)
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"To the angel of the church in Sardis write:
This is a message from the one who keeps the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.(Again the holy Spirit is talking to us, see 2:1. The seven spirits are spirits of destruction, see 5:6.)
I know what you are doing; you've got a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. (You are successful, people admire you, but deep down you are very unhappy.)
(2) Wake up and strengthen what remains before it dies, (You are not an evil person, but you have lost sight of what life is really about.)
because I think your actions are not good enough in the sight of my God. (You are so much wrapped up in your daily routine that you run the risk of totally wasting your life and being condemned to the Second Death on Judgment Day.)
(3) Therefore think about what you have received and heard; (Think about the message in front of you and act.)
obey it, and change your ways. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, (See 16:15.)
and you will not know the time, when I will come to you. (4) But there are a few people in Sardis who have not made their clothes dirty. (These people have kept in mind that there is more to life than money and power.)
They will walk with me, dressed in white, (Dressed in white symbolizes an advanced stage of spiritual development, see 6:11, 7:13, 19:8, 19:14.)
because they deserve it. (5) If you win, you will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never rub out your name from the book of life. (See 13:8, 17:8, 20:15, 22:11. 13:8 tells us that only those people will be saved "whose names were written into the book of life, before the world was created". This chapter says that you have to act in a way required by God to achieve this. This apparent contradiction between determinism and free will does nor really exist. Firstly free will is an illusion, because what you do depends to a great extent on your fate: the situation you were born into and the "coincidences" that happen to you in life. Secondly prophecies and their fulfilment prove, how God can play games with us and we have no idea what is really going on. And thirdly determinism and free will can exist at the same time, their contradiction meaning that we don't understand the nature of "time" very well.)
And I will tell your name to my Father and his angels. (6) He who has an ear, shall hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (Each of the letters to the seven angels ends this way. This sentence emphasizes the hidden meaning of what was written, which cannot be understood by many people.)
To the Angel of Philadelphia
See comments on this messageThis is a message from the one who is holy and true, who holds the key of David.
(The Holy Spirit here makes the point that the Revelation is a continuation of Jewish Old Testament prophecies and the issue is that God has determined who deserves to become a Jewish and Christian political and religious leader in the near future.)
What he opens nobody can shut, and what he shuts nobody can open. (History will take its predetermined course and every effort to resist will be futile.)
(8) I know what you are doing. Look, I have opened a door for you that nobody can shut. (People will libel and despise you, they may try to damage or ignore you, but they have no chance of success.)
I know that you are not very strong, but you have followed my teachings and have not denied my name. (9) I will make those liars of the synagogue (... church or mosque)
of Satan, who say they are Jews (... Christians and Muslims)
and are not I will make them come and fall down at your feet. They will know that I have loved you. (10) Since you have kept my command to remain patient, I will also save you from the hour of trial that is going to come for the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. (The inhabitants of the earth are "normal" people who are preoccupied with things from the element of earth and do not care about their spiritual situation or divine instructions to conduct their lives.)
(11) I am coming soon. Keep what you have, so that nobody can take your crown. (You have reached an important position and evil people are challenging you, but you must not give in. In 1996 Princess Diana was in an Angel of Philadelphia situation. Before she agreed to a her divorce I had written and delivered this message as a letter to her ...)
(12) If you win, I will make you a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will you leave it. I will write on you the name of my God and the name of the City of my God, the New Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; (The New Jerusalem symbolizes the next stage in human development, a more advanced form of existence in the New Age. If you work hard you can take part, otherwise you won't, see chapter 21.)
and I will also write on you my new name. (You will be able to join the worldwide movement of messianic, spiritually enlightened people.)
(13) He who has an ear shall hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (Each of the letters to the seven angels ends this way. This sentence emphasizes the hidden meaning of what was written, which cannot be understood by many people.)
To the Angel of Laodicea
See comments on this message(See 22:20.)
the ruler of God's creation. (15) I know what you are doing, that you are neither cold nor hot. (The majority of people who read this book probably enjoy it, but they do very little if anything to promote the consequences which need to be taken urgently before it is too late for our species.)
How I wish you were either one or the other! (If you were a supporter or an enemy, at least I knew where I stand, but you behave in a totally indifferent way.)
(16) So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am going to spit you out of my mouth. (This attitude of yours: wait and see what happens, will not do you much good at the end of the day.)
(17) You say, "I am rich, I've got what it takes and don't need a thing," but you don't realize how unhappy, pathetic, poor, blind and naked you are! (18) I recommend for you to buy gold refined in fire from me, so that you can become rich. Buy white clothes to wear, so that you can cover your shameful nakedness! Buy ointment to put on your eyes, so that you can see! (19) I educate and discipline those who I love. So follow my example and change your ways! (20) Look, I am standing at the door knocking. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with them, and they with me. (21) If you win, I will give you the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I won and sat down with my Father on his throne. (22) He who has an ear, shall hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (Each of the letters to the seven angels ends this way. This sentence emphasizes the hidden meaning of what was written, which cannot be understood by many people, see 13:9.)