Green: God/Jesus Yellow: People Orange: Unbelief / sin Blue: Hebrew thought
Revelation 3 / GIMEL (numerically 3), continues with the last ‘three’ of the seven churches. GIMEL means CAMEL, also in other contexts it is the word for 'weaned child'. The common thread is: 'to cross over' as a ‘bridge’; to wean (crossing over from the breast (milk) to solid food (meat).
A camel has ‘red blood cells’ that release ‘stored water’ when CROSSING the waterless wilderness of death. CAMEL’s, approximately 7 feet tall, have vision that is ‘set on high’, able to see ‘in the distance’ A CAMEL ‘kneels’ to LIFT UP its rider, that the riders eyes should be ‘set on high’ - able to ‘see the Most High God’. GIMEL, the CAMEL, when returning from the wilderness is oft called the ‘messenger’ or ANGEL of DEATH. John the Baptist emerged from the wilderness wearing ‘camel hair’ garments, his sight set on high, his message REPENT.
The word gemul means both the giving of reward as well as the giving of punishment. REWARD and PUNISHMENT imply that man is free to choose between ‘good and evil’. GIMEL is not only to ‘lift up’ but to ‘fill up’, as a RICH MAN that is ‘filled up’ in order to give all to the poor man [dalet], that the RICH again be ‘filled up’.
2 Corinthians 3:4-8
And we have such trust through Christ toward God.
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything
as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,
who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant,
not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
But if the MINISTRY OF DEATH, written and engraved on stones, was glorious,
so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses
because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away,
how will the MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT not be more glorious?
GIMEL
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Celebrating the FEAST of UNLEAVENED BREAD requires worship that is 'SPIRIT and TRUTH'.
It was on the 'third' feast, the FEAST of FIRSTFRUITS, the Jesus rose from the dead.
1Corinthians 15:23-25
But each one in his own order: CHRIST, THE FIRSTFRUITS,
afterward THOSE WHO ARE Christ’s at His coming.
Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father,
when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.
For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.
In Revelation 3, three churches are:
2 Peter 1:5-9
giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue,
to virtue knowledge,
to knowledge self-control,
to self-control perseverance,
to perseverance godliness,
to godliness brotherly kindness,
and to brotherly kindness love.
For if these things are yours and abound,
you will be neither barren nor unfruitful
in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For he who lacks these things is shortsighted,
even to blindness,
and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
It was on the 'third' feast, the FEAST of FIRSTFRUITS, the Jesus rose from the dead.
1Corinthians 15:23-25
But each one in his own order: CHRIST, THE FIRSTFRUITS,
afterward THOSE WHO ARE Christ’s at His coming.
Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father,
when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.
For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.
In Revelation 3, three churches are:
1. DEAD Sardis: the red ones
2. FAITHFUL Philadelphia: having brotherly love
loving one's fellow countrymen
3. LUKEWARM Laodiceans: justice of the people
SARDIS shares a description with the Hebrew word 'sardius', a stone known for its RED color. 1 Peter 2 describes the body of Christ as 'living stones'. Sardius is the word 'odem: alef/dalet/mem - the letters of ADAM (to show blood) and the letters of EDOM - who is Esau [Genesis 36:1] Esau came out 'red' [Genesis 25:25], but sold his birthright (right to life) to appease his fleshy hunger - for a bowl of 'red pottage'. Sardis, the capital of Lydia [strife / travail] was a prominent wealthy city, at one time destroyed by an earthquake, to make some recovery, but now lies in ruins.
SARDIS being the 5th Church mentioned, it is also well to think of the 5th Biblical feast YOM TERUAH / TRUMPETS / ROSH HA SHANAH.. It is on this feast that Jews pray their names be 'inscribed in the Book of Life'.
Recall that GIMEL speaks of 'reward and punishment' according to our 'free will choice':
3:1 you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.
3:2 Be watchful,
and strengthen the things which remain,
that are ready to die,
for I have not found your works perfect before God.
3:3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent.
Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief,
and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
3:4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments;
and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.
3:5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments,
and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life;
but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
3:2 Be watchful,
and strengthen the things which remain,
that are ready to die,
for I have not found your works perfect before God.
3:3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent.
Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief,
and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
3:4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments;
and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.
3:5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments,
and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life;
but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
PHILADELPHIA, the sixth church, is one that 'LOVES THEIR BROTHER'. Their walk, their worship, is in 'sincerity and truth'. The sixth feast of God is YOM KIPPUR / ATONEMENT for Israel. Moses sought atonement for Israel after their worship of the golden calf. Joseph sought atonement for his brothers, forgiving them for selling him to Egypt. After Joseph's brother Judah repented, Joseph [to bring increase] revealed himself to them just as when the Jewish nation openly repents of the blood of their brother Jesus Christ [Matthew 27:25], Jesus will again reveal Himself to them [Acts 3:17-23].
3:8 I know your works.
See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it;
for you have a little strength,
have kept My word,
and have not denied My name.
3:9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan,
who say they are Jews and are not, but lie— [Romans 2:28-29]
indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet,
and to know that I have loved you.
3:10 Because you have kept My command to persevere,
I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world,
to test those who dwell on the earth.
3:11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have,
that no one may take your crown.
3:12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God,
and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God
and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem,
which comes down out of heaven from My God.
And I will write on him My new name.
See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it;
for you have a little strength,
have kept My word,
and have not denied My name.
3:9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan,
who say they are Jews and are not, but lie— [Romans 2:28-29]
indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet,
and to know that I have loved you.
3:10 Because you have kept My command to persevere,
I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world,
to test those who dwell on the earth.
3:11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have,
that no one may take your crown.
3:12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God,
and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God
and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem,
which comes down out of heaven from My God.
And I will write on him My new name.
giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue,
to virtue knowledge,
to knowledge self-control,
to self-control perseverance,
to perseverance godliness,
to godliness brotherly kindness,
and to brotherly kindness love.
For if these things are yours and abound,
you will be neither barren nor unfruitful
in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For he who lacks these things is shortsighted,
even to blindness,
and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
The seventh church, LAODICEA, the 'justice of the people, was chastised for not knowing their 'blindness'. LAODICEA was the 'seat of the Christian church' and destroyed by an earthquake in 66AD to be rebuilt a hundred plus years later by Marcus Aurelius, a Roman emperor, said to be an intellectual who fought to keep his country safe from Parthians and Germans. The Parthians were the Persian empire, known as a major Iranian political and cultural power.
The seventh feast of God is SUKKOT / FEAST OF TABERNACLES when all nations will come to Jerusalem and worship its true King - Messiah Jesus Christ. This is the 'only justice for the people'. There is no other.
3:14 These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness,
the Beginning of the creation of God:
3:15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot.
I could wish you were cold or hot.
3:16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,
I will vomit you out of My mouth.
3:17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—
and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—
3:18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire,
that you may be rich;
the Beginning of the creation of God:
3:15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot.
I could wish you were cold or hot.
3:16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,
I will vomit you out of My mouth.
3:17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—
and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—
3:18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire,
that you may be rich;
and white garments,
that you may be clothed,
that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed;
and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears My voice and opens the door,
I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
3:21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne,
as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
that you may be clothed,
that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed;
and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears My voice and opens the door,
I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
3:21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne,
as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
Selah
Shalom
Photos: copyright / paid
Shalom
Photos: copyright / paid
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