THE BOOK OF REVELATION

FINAL CHAPTER THREE

Revised Standard Version
(Unless Otherwise Indicated)

Verse 1: "'And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: 'The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your works; you have the name of being alive and you are dead.'"

THE one that has the seven spirits is Jesus the Lamb. And the one who has the name of being alive but is dead, refers to the many sects and denominations that exist in the world. These religions have the name of God's Religion but they "are dead" because they have no spirit. They are without the true word of God. This also applies to the Covenant-breakers that have the name of Baha'i but are dead.

Verse 2: "'Awake, and strengthen what remains and is on the point of death, for I have not found your works perfect in the sight of my God.'

Verse 3: "'Remember then what you received and heard; keep that, and repent. If you will not awake, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you.'"

The followers of these different religions are being told to abandon their false beliefs and return to the true teachings of Christ. If they fail to do this they "will not awake" meaning that they will not be able to recognize Him when He returns. Thus, the Lamb will "come like a thief" meaning that these people, Christian and Baha'is alike, will be unaware of His coming, in the same way that a thief comes at night when the people are asleep and unaware of his presence. He enters into the house and gathers the Jewels and departs. The Jewels are those that become believers in the true Baha'i faith, that has the king of the kingdom at the head of the Universal House of Justice.

Verse 4: "'Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy.'"

"people who have not soiled their garments" are those few people in the different Christian religions who have not been completely indoctrinated in the tradition and the interpretations of the churches; and the Baha'is who have not soiled their garments, by not following the crowd, are longing and praying for the truth of the matter, for Jesus said "seek ye the truth and the truth will set you free."

"their garments" refer to their beliefs.

These people will turn to Jesus the Lamb and through his explanations they will recognize that Baha'u'llah is the Manifestation of God for our day, and they will become believers in His Revelation. Also the Covenant-breakers that are praying for the truth will be led to Jesus the Lamb and enter into the paradise of the Kingdom.

"white" refers to their correct beliefs that give them white auras. It shows the purity of their souls once they have given up the false religions, and Covenant-breaking, and accepted the World Order of Baha'u'llah. They will walk with Jesus the Lamb in white.

Verse 5: "'He who conquers shall be clad thus in white garments, and I will not blot his name out of the book of life; I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.'"

Those who give up the false teachings of the churches and accept the true religion of God, which Baha'u'llah has revealed and the Lamb establishes, will have their name written in the "book of life" of the Lamb, that is, they will become believers in Baha'u'llah and His Covenant through the Lamb's book of life—his explanations and commentaries.

Verse 6: "'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"

Those who seek the truth must listen to the Spirit, Jesus the Lamb, on his return, so they can know the truth and enter into the Kingdom of God, and inherit eternal life.

Verse 7: "'And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: 'The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one shall shut, who shuts and no one opens.'"

The Holy one, the true one is Jesus the Lamb, Dr. Leland Jensen, who is the one who has the key of David; who opens and no one shall shut, and who shuts and no one opens.

Philadelphia is the only congregation that God finds no fault in. In Christianity, they are those that accept Joseph as Jesus physical father who is and was a descendant of King David.[1] And in the assemblage of Baha'is, they are the only ones that have the descendant of King David at the head of their Universal House of Justice. The Covenant-breakers when they threw out the Executive Branch of the Universal House of Justice, they threw out this Davidic lineage,[2] that Baha'u'llah, who was a male sperm descendant of King David, seated on the throne of David, in His Covenant, passed down to his son 'Abdu'l-Baha; and 'Abdu'l-Baha passed down to his adopted son, Mason Remey; and who Shoghi Effendi placed at the head of the embryonic Universal House of Justice,[3] and thus become the head (president) or Guardian of the Universal House of Justice, making these so-called "mainstream Baha'is" that are in opposition to the continuation of this Davidic lineage as the Covenant-breakers of the worst sort.

The one "who has the key of David" is the Lamb. His book "The Most Mighty Document" explains that Baha'u'llah is a descendant of David, seated on the throne of David and establishes the Davidic Kingship in His Covenant, the Kitab-i-Ahd (the Book of the Covenant), and thus continued this Davidic lineage when he appointed His son, 'Abdu'l-Baha. 'Abdu'l-Baha passed the lineage to his son Mason Remey Aghsan. Shoghi Effendi then placed 'Abdu'l-Baha's son at the Head of the embryonic Universal House of Justice.

Those Christians and Jews who become believers in the second Messiah, Baha'u'llah—a son of David—are thus Israel under its new name, Baha'i. Before this, no one knew how the Davidic Kingship was to reign for ever and ever (Psalms 89:28, 29, 35, 36, 37). Even the Baha'is before the passing of Shoghi Effendi did not teach the descendancy of Baha'u'llah from David. Thus, the Lamb's explanations is the only "key" of David. By these explanations and commentaries the Davidic Kingship is reestablished forever in the Baha'i faith, as the president of the Universal House of Justice, thus doing away with the Covenant-breakers headless monster UHJ.

Verse 8: "'I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut; I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.'"

The Baha'is "Under the Provisions of the Covenant" are few in number. But one with God is a majority. "my word" is the promise of God to David that his throne shall exist forever (Psalms chapter 89) that Baha'u'llah continued in His Covenant and is to last forever. The dispensation of Baha'u'llah is to last for a half a million years.

The Baha'is who have recognized and believed in the Revelation of God which Baha'u'llah, seated upon the throne of King David, has Revealed are those who "have kept my word" and "not denied my name."

Verse 9: "'Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and learn that I have loved you.'"

"those of the synagogue of Satan" are the Jews, Christians and Baha'is who have broken the Covenant of God. These people will come to realize what the true Religion of God is, and that the followers of His Religion are His Chosen people.

Verse 10: "'Because you have kept my word of patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial which is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell upon the earth.'"

"the hour of trial" is the impending thermonuclear war which will be over in one hour. The 144,000 people who become true believers, through the explanations of the Lamb, before the nuclear war begins, will be in an area that is safe from destruction and will have adequate shelter protection during that time.

Verse 11: "'I am coming soon; hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.'"

This is a warning to hold onto what is true and not to fall away, or become inactive.

"crown" represents the halo, or spiritual intelligence of man. It is also the crown of authority that each true believer has.

Verse 12: "'He who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God; never shall he go out of it, and 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 from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.'"

"a pillar in the temple" is one who is a strong supporter of Baha'u'llah, for Baha'u'llah is the temple.

Moses gave the High Priest the name of God, YHVH, but didn't let the believers know the vowels, so they wouldn't pronounce it in vain. The third commandment is: "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." The name of God is so Holy that to use it in vain would do great harm on that person. Once a year the High priest would go into the Holy of Holies in the temple and whisper the name of God for the removal of the sins of Israel. Several hundred years after the crucifixion of Jesus, the High priesthood of Moses came to an end. Thus the Tetragrammation (the name of God) is lost.

When we pray if we address God by His name He will hear our prayer. "God" is not the name of God. It is what He is. I have a dog by the name of smooches. If I call her by her name she will come running. But if I say, "come here dog." She won't come. I am not comparing a dog with God, but only to make a point.

The "name of my God" is that name which from the beginning of time has been concealed and preserved until such time as God Chose for It to be Manifested to mankind. Past Messengers of God made allusions to It, but the Name was not to be revealed until man had completed his spiritual progress, and could attain a clearer understanding of its hidden meaning. Baha'u'llah has revealed the "name" of God. Those who are followers of His Revelation know and understand the meaning of this Name. More of an explanation of this "name" can be found in a booklet written by Abdu'l-Qasim Faizi entitled 'Explanation of the Emblem of The Greatest Name.'

The "name of the city of my God" is Baha'i, for the city of God is His Religion.

"my own new name" is Baha'u'llah, the Divine Manifestation of God Who establishes His Religion—the new Jerusalem—and reveals the Name of God.

Verse 13: "'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

Verse 14: "'And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: 'The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation.'"

The "Laodiceans" are the materialists. This church represents the mundane secular people of today who do not believe in any particular sect or theology, but neither believe nor disbelieve in God. They are non-spiritual. This could also refer to the materialistic Christians, or the materialistic people of any religion.

Verse 15: "'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot!'

Verse 16: "'So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth.'"

These people who do not make a stand either for or against God, are either cowards, or are not using their intellect, and therefore cannot arrive at the truth. The greatest gift of God to mankind is the intellect. Its purpose is to enable man to recognize God. By presenting proofs to one who is in opposition intellectually, that person can use his intellect to discern the truth and become a supporter of God's Cause.

Verse 17: "'For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing; not knowing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked.'"

These materialists who believe that they have everything are satisfied and don't feel that they need God. They do not see their true state. Material things pass away and then they are miserable in hell. That is, they can't take their material things with them into the next life.

Verse 18: "'Therefore I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may be rich, and white garments to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.'"

Gold refers to the spiritual. "gold refined by fire" is the golden criteria, the formula by which we are able to recognize Those that are sent by God to Guide us. If we use this criteria we can avoid following the ideas of those who claim to know the truth but are instead false prophets.

Those who accept this criteria become "rich," in that they grow closer to God and win that very high station that He has Ordained, or set aside, their spiritual station, for them, in the spiritual world.

"white garments" refer to their spiritual beliefs and spiritual evolvement seen in the auras of their spiritual bodies. All of our characteristics are visible in our auras. If we have hate, Jealousy, infidelity, bad, stingy, mean, evil, liar, etc., these are negative qualities and they show up in the aura in dark colors: dark brown, dark grays, and if they are very bad, black. They are dark or black because they are absent of the positive qualities, hate is the absence of love, Jealousy is the absence of magnanimity, infidelity is the absence of fidelity, bad is the absence of good, stingy is the absence of generosity, evil is the absence of spiritual, lies are the absence of the truth, etc. When all the negative qualities are replaced by the positive qualities we get a white aura. If we go into the next realm with a negative aura those on the other side could see all the sins that we have. When we come under the Covenant of Baha'u'llah all of our past ways are forgiven,[4] and we get a white aura. The Covenant-breakers are still in their sins, and these sins will show up in their auras.

"nakedness" Nakedness is the absence of all spiritual qualities. These people are in complete darkness in the next life. They emanate, or flow out to, the most nethermost gloom. This is the state of the Covenant-breakers. They know that they are Covenant-breakers, but they hate the light, and want to be with the rest of the sinners, which is the Broadway that leads to death and destruction.[5] This is the fate of the Christians that refuse to turn to Baha'u'llah and the "mainstream Baha'is." God in His generosity has sent back His Son, Jesus the Lamb, to try and get them to come out of their darkness into the light.

Verse 19: "'Those whom I love, I reprove and chasten; so be zealous and repent.'"

By being "chastened," one's eyes are opened, and they can see the necessity of turning to God. This book of Revelation is being explained so the Christians will repent and turn to Baha'u'llah; and the Covenant-breakers come back under the provisions of the Covenant.

Verse 20: "'Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him and he with me.'"

God calls to all of mankind through the Lamb and will go to those who will receive Him. Those who turn to Jesus the Lamb, he will sit down and eat with them.

Verse 21: "'He who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.'"

Those that turn to the return of Jesus the Lamb, will be able to sit with him on his throne, which is everlasting, as he is sitting with the Father (Baha'u'llah) on His throne. The salvation for all the people of the world is to turn to Jesus the Lamb and become a Baha'i under the provisions of the Covenant and receive the crown of life, and to eat of the tree of life and live forever [6] and ever. In this life they will have power over the nations. To him "who conquers", he will eat of the hidden manna, which is the explanations and commentaries of the Lamb which is the bread of life, and will live forever and ever (Gen. 3:22, John 6:51).

Those who are able to overcome materialism can share in the Kingdom of God, the Davidic Kingdom, which will reign for ever and ever.

Verse 22: "'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"

All of mankind is endowed with a spiritual ear as well as a physical ear. We must use that "ear"—the intellect—to hear the message that God Reveals to us through His Messengers of both Jesus and Baha'u'llah. These first three chapters of Revelation prophesy the corruptions that invaded both Christianity and the Baha'i faith.

Today with all the corruption of Christianity with its 22,000 sects and denominations, and in the Baha'i faith with the worldwide violation of Baha'u'llah's Covenant, it is essential that all should turn to the return of Jesus the Lamb, that God has sent back to earth, as he is prophesied to come by name, address, date and mission, and eat of the bread of Life, which is his explanations and commentaries, and live for ever and ever.

By J. T. Lamb
April 1996

Copyright © April 11, 1996

ENDNOTES

1 Romans 1:3 and Luke 3:23-31 [back]

2 That was to last forever. Psalms 89:3, 4, 28, 29, 35-37. [back]

3 The first International Baha'i Council. [back]

4 In the Covenant of Baha'u'llah: "God hath verily forgiven what is past." [back]

5 Matthew 7:13 [back]

6 "lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever." Genesis 3:22 [back]

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