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Revelation 3:4-6  – The Church of Sardis, Part 3

It must be understood that when the scriptures say that “You have a few names in Sardis which have not defiled their garments,” or “You… have not denied my faith…,” or “You have not this doctrine, and… You have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak;” or “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,…”

Rev 2:13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: 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.

Rev 2:24 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; I will put upon you none other burden.

Rev 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, 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.

… we are manifestly not being told that there are those upon this corruptible earth who have never defiled their garments, have never denied Christ’s faith, have never in their life had the doctrine of Jezebel, have never in the lives of any of God’s elect, known the depths of Satan as they speak, and will never experience the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth.

How then, can we possibly say that we have not denied the faith of Christ, have not known the depths of Satan, and will be kept from the hour of temptation which is to try them that dwell upon the earth? Here are a few examples of how that is done scripturally.

How do we avoid death? Can death be avoided by “they that dwell on the earth?” How does Christ answer this question? Here is what He has to say about how to “never die.”

Joh 6:50  This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

Joh 11:26  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

In John 11:26 Christ is talking to Martha concerning her brother Lazarus, who at that very moment was lying dead in his grave, and yet Christ is telling Martha that if you “believe in me you shall never die.” What Christ is doing here is exactly  the same as saying, “We have not denied Christ’s faith… have not known the depths of Satan…, and will be kept from the hour of temptation” even as Lazarus was at that very moment dead, and is at this very moment dead. So how is it that we “never die?” There is only one way to get to where we “never die,” and here is that way; it is the same way Christ came to “never die[ing].” Alas, it is totally counterintuitive to the mind of the natural man, and yet it is the Truth:

Joh 11:50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
Joh 11:51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;

Joh 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

1Co 4:9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

1Co 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

1Co 15:36 You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies; (NASB)

How is death destroyed? How do we avoid death? The same way we avoid God’s wrath being poured out upon the children of disobedience and the children of wrath? We avoid death in the same fashion we avoid being judged, receiving the mark of the beast or the number of his name. We avoid God’s wrath the same way we avoid the hour of temptation. Like Lazarus in type and like Christ and the apostle Paul in spiritual reality, we “die daily” here and now, while still in these “earthen vessels.” “Denying the faith of Christ, knowing the depths of Satan as they speak, and the hour of temptation,” are all in their ultimate and final fulfillment; just as death in its ultimate and final fulfillment, to be experienced in ultimate and final day of judgment.

It all appears to the natural man to be a total contradiction, and yet the truth is that “all things… all things present and all things to come, are ours in Christ.” That certainly includes temptation, and the hour of temptation, it certainly includes “the depths of Satan as we speak,” and it certainly includes “denying the faith of Christ.” It really is true that “all things are yours… things present and things to come.” It really is true that “one things happens to all.”

Ecc 9:1 For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.
Ecc 9:2 All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.
Ecc 9:3 This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

What is that “one event unto all?” Here it is:

Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

That “one event” is the “all things” of these verses:

1Co 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
1Co 3:22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
1Co 3:23 And ye are Christ’s; and Christ [is] God’s.

“Live by every word… keep the things written therein… things present or things to come; all are yours.” That is that “one event unto all.” That is why “all things come alike to all.” That is the “one event to the righteous and to the wicked.”

Here is how Christ avoided death, and destroyed death. Here is the only way by which you and I “shall never die:”

Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

If we wish to avoid being judged, what then must we do?

Joh 9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

1Co 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1Co 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

How then do we avoid having the wrath of God poured out upon our “ungodliness and unrighteousness?” (Rom 1:18). In the exact same manner we avoid death and judgment and receiving the mark of the beast:

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Col 3:6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
Col 3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

Is this you and me? Is this God’s “very elect?” When do “all things, things present and things to come,” come upon God’s elect? When does “all things come alike to all?” When is this “one event to all?” When is “the ends of the ages?”

Rev 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
Rev 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
Rev 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive [ his] mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

“Keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” is “keeping the things written therein” of “the prophecy of this book.” That is the very meaning of “the ends of the ages.”

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world [ Greek, aion] are come.

Will we deny that it is we who have worshiped the beast and his image? Will we deny that we have received the mark of his name in our foreheads and in our hands? If we subscribe to any form of the rapture theory, then we are denying that those who “are by nature children of wrath… must drink of the wine of the wrath of God.” If, on the other hand we “give an account” of our sinful stewardship, acknowledge that the blood of all the prophets since Abel is “required of this generation” and that we have been “tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of our torment has ascendeth up for ever and ever: and we have had no rest day nor night, while we worshiped that beast,” then, and only then will we understand:

Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Pardon and forgiveness relieve us all of the penalty of sin, which is spiritual death:

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness [Greek: pardon] of sins:

Forgiveness and pardon do not nullify the necessity for justice. So we are told:

Isa 33:1 Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.

The fact that we see ourselves as sinners and “cease to spoil and make an end to dealing treacherously” does not mean that we no longer need justice. We “will not come out till we have paid the utmost farthing” and we will “reap what we have sown.” The same apostle Paul who was inspired to tell us that “we have… the forgiveness of sins… through His blood,” also tells us this:

Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

We have all “sown to the flesh,” and lived for many years in “defiled garments.” That is why flesh is equated with “corruption which cannot inherit the kingdom of God:”

1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

If we consider ourselves to be dead with and raised with Christ, then, and only then, can we say that we “have not defiled our garments.”

Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

We are also called “undefiled virgins who have not known women,” even if we are married and have a physical family.

Rev 14:4 These [144,000] are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

See the paper entitled Who Are The 144,000? That this is a spiritual statement is demonstrated when Paul calls us all “virgins.”

2Co 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

So our flesh and all of its works are “dead with Christ” and must reap what the flesh has been “sown to the flesh” and must be destroyed.

2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Now let’s go back to what the spirit is saying to us through the symbol of the angel of the church at Sardis. It is our “redemption from among men” which gives us our undefiled garments.”

Rev 3:4 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.

“Garments” in scripture are our righteousness or lack thereof. A white garment “is the righteousness of  saints.”

Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

“Filthy garments” are the lack of the righteousness of saints:

Zec 3:3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
Zec 3:4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

The “white linen” and “the righteousness of saints” are also called “newness of life”:

Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

It is in earnest only now, but “they shall walk with me in white” is a present reality “in [the] newness of life” we now enjoy in Christ. “The redemption of the purchased possession” in that “blessed and holy first resurrection” is the fullness of the spirit which comes only through the shedding of this “earthen vessel” and the resurrection of a spiritual, vivified and immortal body.

Our “worthiness” is only in and of Christ and not of ourselves:

Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy [is] he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [ places] in Christ:
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

To be in this resurrection is the greatest honor Christ and His Father can bestow. This is the goal to which we are exhorted to strive. This is “the mark of the prize of the high calling in Christ:”

Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Php 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Php 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

It is this process we have been given to see and to understand, which makes everything else seem like “dung” by comparison. It is an ongoing process which requires “enduring to the end” before completion can possibly be attained.

Php 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect [Greek: teleioo, complete]: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

The “earnest of the spirit” is the “seal” of our calling. It is not “the redemption of the purchased possession” to which Paul refers in Ephesians 1:

Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

It is all “unto the praise of His glory” because our worthiness is “the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

What does “will not blot out his name out of the book of life” mean? Again we must ask, does this mean that our names have never been blotted out? Once again we must be reminded that we are to “live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” We simply cannot say “blot his name out of the book of life” has no personal application, and at the same time “live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”

How can we say that our name is not blotted out of the book of life??? The answer is always the same. Our name is not blotted out of the book of life in the same way we “never die… have not the doctrine of Jezebel… have not known the depths of Satan as we speak, and received not the mark of the beast in our foreheads.”

Joh 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Rev 2:24 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; I will put upon you none other burden.

Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and [I saw] the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received [his] mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Is it not “appointed to man once to die and after this the judgment?” Of course it is:

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Have we not all know the depths of Satan as we spoke? Of course we have. We are all blasphemers who are the chief of sinners:

1Ti 1:13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

1Ti 1:15 This [ is] a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

Have not all of us been overcome by  and received the mark of the beast? What say the scriptures?

Rev 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
Rev 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Rev 13:9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
Rev 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

Even God’s elect are overcome by the beast. The beast is given power of all kindreds, tongues and nations, and all that dwell upon the earth worship him whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb. So whose names are blotted out of the book of life of the Lamb?

Remember, we cannot read Revelation 3:5 and make a doctrine of one verse without considering what is the sum of God’s Word on any subject.

Exo 32:31 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.
Exo 32:32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin–; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
Exo 32:33 And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
Exo 32:34 Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.
Exo 32:35 And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.

This whole scenario is repeated just a few months later at the incident of Korah’s rebellion:

Deu 9:14 Let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven: and I will make of thee a nation mightier and greater than they.

Israel had “sinned against God,” and had their names blotted out of His book. Then who has not been blotted out of His book?

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

We have all sinned, and God says those who sin against Him will be blotted out of His book. Who does Israel typify?

1Co 10:6 Now these things became types of us, for us not to be lusters after evil things, (CLV)

Apparently everyone who sins against God is blotted out of His book:

Psa 69:28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.

If our sins cause our names to be blotted out of God’s book, what causes it to “not be blotted out of the book of life?” How does that work? Here is how that works:

Isa 44:22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

Act 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

What then is “the sum of thy word” on having our names blotted out of the book of life? The sum of God’s Word tells us that we are all blotted out of His book by our sins, but God has known his elect even as they were “breathing out slaughter against the disciples of the Lord,” and their sins will be blotted out of God’s book so their names will not be blotted out.

Act 9:1  And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

Was Saul God’s elect? Of course Saul, whose name became Paul, was God’s elect:

2Ti 4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
2Ti 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Since when was Paul God’s elect?

2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

Tit 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

There is no contradiction at all to Him who knows the end from the beginning, to say that He will blot out the name of all sinners, and yet will not blot out the names of those whom He has elected to be in that blessed and holy first resurrection, from “before the aion began.”

But I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

If our names are “not blotted out of the book of the life of the Lamb,” then we will never deny Christ, and His doctrine, and Christ will confess our name to His Father and before His messengers.

Mat 10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Mat 10:29  Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
Mat 10:30  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Mat 10:31  Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Mat 10:32  Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 10:33  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

We are called to deny ourselves and our old man in deference to Christ in us, the “new man” in us.

Mat 16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

As with every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, before we confess Christ and “have not denied His name,” we must first completely (“thrice”) deny Him:

Mat 26:31  Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
Mat 26:32  But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.
Mat 26:33  Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.
Mat 26:34  Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
Mat 26:35  Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

Tit 1:16  They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Only then, after living by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, can we “confess Christ,” because ‘the Revelation of Jesus Christ’ encompasses both the first and the last Adam:

2Ti 2:11  [It is] a faithful saying: For if we be dead with [him], we shall also live with [him]:
2Ti 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with [him]: if we deny [him], he also will deny us:
2Ti 2:13  If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

Christ remains with His elect through the time when they “believe not,” and are “yet breathing out slaughter against His disciples… He cannot deny Himself.”

  Conclusion

What we have seen is that even though “He that believeth on me shall never die, [yet] whether… life or death… all things are ours,” and we are “crucified with Christ.”

What we have seen is that “the few names in Sardis who have not defiled their garments” were first “clothed in filthy garments, and then it is said, “I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.”

We have seen that to avoid judgment we must judge ourselves and that judgment is now on the house of God.

We have seen that we confess Christ before men only after we have thrice completely denied Him with our works and our words.

We have seen that we “have not known the depths of Satan as we speak,” only after we are “required the blood of all the righteous men from Abel to Zecharias,” and we come to see that as the seed of Adam we are the “seed of the serpent” and are “chief of sinners.”

Finally we have seen that “our names are not blotted out of the book of life,” only after “our sins cause us to be blotted out of His book.”

Once again we see that “all things are ours [and] all things come alike to all… there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked.”

Ecc 9:1  For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.
Ecc 9:2  All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.
Ecc 9:3  This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

What we can now see is that there is nothing of “the things written therein… things present or things to come,” which is not ours to “read, hear, and keep [here and now], “for the time is at hand.”

1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
1Co 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
1Co 3:23  And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.

It is all “in Christ… and Christ is God’s.”

Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Rev 3:6  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Next study, Lord willing, we will hear what the spirit says to the church in Philadelphia, and we will discover what the scriptures tell us about “He that has the key of David, He that opens and no man shuts, and shuts, and no man opens.”

Rev 3:7  And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;