Introduction and overview:
 
It’s important to note that the origin of the four horses and their riders is found in the scroll of Zechariah chapters 1 through 6: where four horses are sent out to carry judgement to the four corners of the earth (against the pagan nations) and God is called upon (by an angelic messenger) to dismantle the tranquillity of the nations and restore the peace of Jerusalem, Zion and Israel (ethnic descendants of Jacob).
 
Therefore, the horses and riders of Revelation 6 are representations of the spiritual forces that act as instruments of God’s avenging judgement against those on the earth who continue to resist Him. In the context of Zechariah’s prophecy this means all nations except Israel, God’s chosen people.
 
While we observe that the horses and riders stand for four destructive forces that have appeared in the prophetic literature of Israel in the past and reappear in the present with a view to appear again at some point in the future, we must not neglect the fact that these same events were also taking place in Yochanan’s present (70 – 90 C.E/A.D) and as a result much of our understanding of them must combine the historical context of the late first century C.E/A.D alongside the ancient context of Israel’s dispersion (522 B.C.E/B.C), and in keeping with the perspective of the Hebrew consciousness of the recorder of these visions (Yochanan).
 
The scroll of Zechariah, is a foundational meta-contextual concern in relationship to the present passage (Rev. 6) in that the chronology of events is similar. It acts as a prophetic vision of both the physical rebuilding of the Temple and the future coming of the Messiah. By saying that the nations are at peace (Zech. 1:11), the returned riders of Zechariah’s vision are observing a stark contrast to Israel’s suffering and homelessness. This can be compared to the suffering of Israel (the Jewish people) following the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 C.E/A.D and the suffering of Jewish and Gentile followers of Messiah during the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian between 81 and 96 C.E/A.D (Yochanan is thought to have written the Revelation at some point during Domitian’s reign).
 
Just as Zechariah’s prophecy goes on to describe the raising up of the Branch (Messiah), the crowning of Yehoshua (Joshua, Yeshua, Jesus) the Priest and the restoration of Israel and Jerusalem (Zech. 6); so too the goal of the opening of the scroll of Revelation 6 is to see the very same thing happen for the final time in all of temporal history: that is, the final restoration of Israel (ethnic descendants of Jacob) to God through Yeshua the Messiah and the restoration of Jerusalem in the manifestation of the New Jerusalem, the heavenly city, that will be the habitation of the righteous ones, both Jew and Gentile, who have been redeemed through the Lamb, Yeshua, our High Priest and King.
 
It's important to note that the renewal of all things is a convergent event that transforms the present creation, which will be born from above, in a similar sense to Rav Shaul’s (Paul’s) iconic phrase, “Death is swallowed up by victory” (1 Cor. 15:54).
 
Six of the seven seals are opened in chapter 6, however the scroll itself is not opened until Revelation 8:1 after the breaking of the seventh seal.
 
Verses 1-8 of Revelation 6 echo the following Scriptures from the TaNaKh (OT): Ezekiel 14:12-20; Jeremiah 15:3, 24:10, 29:17; Ezekiel 5:17, 14:21, and are contextually related to the service of the Temple altar as described in Leviticus 16:14-26.
 
Revelation 6 text:
 
1 Then I watched when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Come!”
 
The irregular feminine form of the Greek, μίαν mian meaning, “a one” or “one of” conveys a similar meaning to the use of the Hebrew equivalent, אחד echad of Genesis 1:5, meaning “complex unity, a one” best translated, “And there was evening and there was morning, one day.” Therefore one of the seals, like one day of creation, is opened at an undetermined point in time and begins a subsequent ordinal listing of numbered seal openings. This reflects the Hebrew way of counting days of the week, יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן Yom Rishon being the “head (beginning) day” of the week (Sunday) and the subsequent days being counted ordinally as second day, third day and so on. We are therefore unable to tell which of the seven seals is opened first.
 
Given the aforementioned explanation we are also unable to determine which of the four living creatures is speaking with a voice of thunder. The living creature is calling, “Come!” to the white horse and its rider, who will soon appear. It seems that the breaking of the seal is a catalyst for the calling out of the horsemen, however the scroll itself remains closed, still sealed by the remaining six seals.
 
The voice of thunder symbolizes the fact that the living creature’s call can be heard throughout the earth even as it resonates in the heavens.
 
2 I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
 
The four horsemen bring judgement against the earth and are called out to perform their tasks. They correspond to the vision of Zechariah 1:8-17 & 6:1-8. It’s important to note that the first four judgements bring subjugation, bloodshed by war, famine, plague, and death at the hands of wild animals. These all precede the outcry of the righteous slain and their request for vengeance, which correspond to the report of the horsemen and the messenger’s plea regarding Israel (ethnic descendants of Jacob) in Zechariah 1:11-12. The four riders symbolize the fact that their judgement of subjugation, sword (civil war), famine, plague, and bloodshed, will reach to the four corners of the earth.
 
The same instruments of destruction are recorded Ezekiel 14:12-20:
 
“12 The Word of YHVH came to me: 13 ‘Son of man, if a country sins against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals, 14 even if these three men—Noah, Daniel and Job—were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness,’ declares the Sovereign YHVH. 15 ‘Or if I send wild beasts through that country and they leave it childless and it becomes desolate so that no one can pass through it because of the beasts,16 as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign YHVH, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved, but the land would be desolate. 17 Or if I bring a sword against that country and say, “Let the sword pass throughout the land,” and I kill its people and their animals, 18 as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign YHVH, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved. 19 Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out my wrath on it through bloodshed, killing its people and their animals, 20 as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign YHVH, even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they could save neither son nor daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness.’”
 
–Yetzkiel/Ezekiel 14:12-20 [Author’s translation]
 
“A white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him,” The horse and bow represent judgement by conquest. The crown placed on the rider’s head represents his God given authority to carry out a particular judgement, and the bow is a symbol of war reflecting the Hebraism, “My arm can bend a bow of bronze.” (Psa. 18:34; 2 Sam. 22:35) The rider, like his three companions, represents a spiritual force. The horse, like its three companions, is a symbol of the vehicle for the related judgement.
 
It's noteworthy that of the four horsemen of the present vision only the first rider, the conqueror, is given a crown. In one sense the first rider is given authority over the remaining three.
 
When Roman generals returned in triumph from a conquest they would ride into Rome in chariots drawn by white horses (symbolizing successful conquest) with their armies and captives trailing behind them.
 
The rider of the white horse has a bow in his hand, which is first and foremost a Hebraic symbol of strength in battle, as seen throughout the TaNaKh. When Babylon suffers her final defeat her soldiers are taken and their bows (A sign of military strength) are destroyed (Jeremiah 51:56). The prophet Hosea writes that, “God will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel” (Hosea 1:5).
 
“He (God) makes wars cease to the four corners of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the shields with fire.”
 
–Tehillim/Psalm 46:9
 
Therefore, the bow represents military power.
 
There is one final image that both the Romans and all those who lived in Asia at the time of the writing of Revelation would recognize, the one enemy that Rome feared most, the Parthians. The Parthians dwelt in the Far East of the Roman Empire and were of great concern to Rome. The Parthians rode on white horses and were renowned for their skill with the bow. These bowmen were feared throughout the known world and were conquerors of the seemingly unconquerable and widespread Roman Empire.
 
The white horse and its bow wielding rider stand for strong military conquest.
 
Given the many contextual concerns in this vision of the rider and horse, it seems unlikely, at least in this specific instance, that the colour/shade of the horse represents purity. On the other hand, the judgement of God, Who sends the horse, is of course pure, and the white horse and its rider have authority over the remaining three.
 
The colour order of the horses could be interpreted as a סוֹד sod (mystery) denoting a pattern of redemption:

1. White [Crown] (Righteousness) – God & the Messiah in Holiness, purity, right action
2. Red [Sword] (Atonement) – Messiah’s atoning work
3. Black [Scales] (Judgement) – Sin
4. Grey [Death] (Consequence) – Death & Hades

 
We note that this order seems reversed but in fact teaches that God provides the solution before the problem exists, “The Lamb slain before the foundation of the world.” (1 Peter 1:19-20; Rev. 13:8)
 
3 When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come.” 4 And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, so that human beings would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.
 
The second seal, having found its reference point in the one previous seal opened, now begins a chronology of events.
 
The red horse and rider denote bloodshed and civil war, that is, the horse and its rider cause the nations to fight among themselves as houses that are divided and as a result will not stand.
 
This rider, like his counterpart in Zechariah 1, will take away the tranquillity that the pagan nations have enjoyed at Israel’s expense. He holds a great sword because the damage that he facilitates will consume all the earth (pagan nations). He is a true peace maker because he is sent to take away false peace from the enemies of God.
 
The complete dissolution of human relationships is one of the key elements of the Jewish understanding of the last days. Brother will fight against brother, neighbour against neighbour, city against city and nation will rise against nation (Isaiah 19:2).
 
“On that day people will be stricken by YHVH with great panic. They will seize each other by the hand and attack one another.”
 
–Zechariah 14:13 [Author’s translation]
 
5 When He (The Lamb) broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come.” I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard something like a voice in the centre of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”
 
We continue to see the Lamb opening the seals. It’s important to note that as the Lion-Lamb, Yeshua is the One Who is releasing wrath against the earth (v16).
 
We are foolishly fond of saying, “Yeshua (Jesus) doesn’t judge, He doesn’t bring wrath, He’s a pacifist, simply a sacrificial and non-violent lover of humanity.” The popular descriptor “Gentle Jesus meek and mild,” describes a myopic counterfeit of the true Messiah. The Scripture says otherwise, illuminating all His attributes rather than posing a foolish false choice that demands we choose between Peace Maker (Isaiah 9:6-7; Romans 5:1; John 14:27) and Warrior (Isaiah 63:1–6; Revelation 19:11–16). The pseudo-Christian false doctrine of pacifism is refuted outright by the nature of the unchanging God of creation Who is the same yesterday and today and forever. The God described in Scripture is either a pacifist and a hypocrite or He is not a pacifist.
 
It’s helpful to remember that the events Yochanan is recording are not the events of the end itself but are signs that precede the end. The goal, even of these events, is Messiah and the manifest presence of God dwelling with redeemed humanity.
 
The black horse symbolizes famine and economic distress, its rider holds scales which represent both judgement and the measuring out of essential food supplies. This is qualified by the description of the market place and the distinction made between staple food products and refined sacramental liquids.
 
The, “something like a voice in the midst of the four living creatures,” is the voice of the Lamb, His Ruach (Spirit) speaking from His position in the midst of God’s throne.
 
“A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius,” is understood to be the equivalent of paying a single person a day’s wage which would purchase enough wheat for one person to eat a single meal. Wheat was the food of the rich and the second crop harvested in Israel. Here it’s compared to the barley grain favoured by the poor, which, for the same price will feed an entire family. This is a description of economic upheaval. A situation that will level the playing field so to speak, between the rich and the poor throughout the world (pagan nations).
 
The primary crops of first century Israel were grain (Barley & Wheat), grapes and olives. The TaNaKh’s frequent mentioning of these fruits makes them a familiar symbol to the Jewish reader and brings to mind Israel’s complete reliance on God for the provision of them (Deut. 7:13, 11:14, 28:51; Hosea 2:8, 22).
 
Rav Yechiel Lichtenstein (1825-1908) of Hungary, the only Rabbi (Messianic or otherwise) historically speaking to have written a complete commentary of the New Testament in Hebrew, wrote:
 
“Weighing the bread is a sign of curse, according to Vayikra (Leviticus) 26:26, ‘They shall dole out your bread by weight; you will eat but you will not be satisfied.’”
 
–Rav Lichtenstein’s commentary of the New Testament
 
God warns Israel through the prophet Ezekiel:
 
“In addition, He (God) spoke to me saying, ‘Son of man, behold, now, pay attention, I am going to break the staff of bread in Jerusalem, and they will eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and drink water by measure and in terror,’”
 
–Yetzkiel/Ezekiel 4:16 [Author’s translation]
 
“And do not harm the oil and the wine.” Agriculturally speaking it’s more than possible to have a season where there is an abundant grape and olive harvest despite a poor grain harvest. This is because both grape vines and olive trees are more deeply rooted and often produce better fruit under harsh conditions. A Biblical example of this can be found in Genesis 43:11, where Jacob sends, “the best fruit of the land,” down to Joseph in Egypt during a time of drought in Canaan.
 
When Yochanan was recording the scroll of Revelation during the reign of the Emperor Domitian, there was a serious shortage of grain throughout the Roman Empire. Interestingly, at the same time in history there was an abundance of wine available. Domitian issued a decree commanding that half the grape vines in the Empire be uprooted and replaced with grain crops. Due to this edict the people of the province of Asia came very near to all out rebellion against Rome because their vineyards were their primary source of income.  As a result Domitian rescinded the edict.
 
Notice the differences between the two types of grain and the water and wine. The former are in their raw state, whereas the latter are refined and set apart for sacred purpose. Also, the text says, “do not harm the oil and the wine,” which is understood to mean, “Do not compromise it or pollute it.” The language hints at an allegorical meaning.
 
The oil, which represents the Ruach Ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit) and the wine, which represents the cup of redemption in the blood of Messiah; are clearly symbols associated with those who have been redeemed through Messiah Yeshua and are filled with the Ruach Ha-Kodesh.
 
Therefore the voice (which is Messiah the Lamb) is instructing the horseman not to harm His people. The result is the Divine protection of the people of God (Both Jews and Gentiles) in the midst of the turmoil that the pagan nations (of the earth) will suffer. This affirms the promise that Yeshua made to the assembly of Philadelphia (Rev 3:10).
 
7 When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come.” 8 I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death (Θάνατος Thanatos)  (the result of sin, the physical event); and Sheol (the holding place of the dead, separated into Gehenna—temporal punishment—and the bosom of Abraham—temporal paradise) was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence (θανάτῳ Thanato) and by the wild beasts of the earth.
 
At this juncture it’s important to remember that the vision is beholding events that occur throughout time and are referenced against the resurrection of the Lamb Who is worthy to open the scroll. This means that these events have been happening, are happening and will happen at every point in time and are released by the Lamb of God Who was slain before the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8). God the Son Who is all existing (John 1).
 
These are events that had taken place prior to Yochanan’s writing them down, they were also taking place in Yochanan’s present and would continue to take place at any given point in the future within time and space as we perceive it. Therefore, when the text says, “a fourth of the earth,” it means a fourth of all pagan (non-Jewish) humanity from time immemorial until the future time of the culmination of the events pictured in Yochanan’s (John) vision. This fourth die in four specific ways: sword, famine, pestilence, and wild animals. This doesn’t negate other types of fatalities. All die and await judgement (Hebrews 9:27).
 
Once again, these are signs which precede the end. They’re not descriptions of the end itself.
 
The Greek words, Θάνατος Thanatos and θανάτῳ thanato share a root, making both death and pestilence symptoms of sin. Therefore, concerning the rider of the grey horse we could render the text as, “He who sat on it had the name pestilence.”
 
We are reminded again of the fourscore judgement of HaShem: the sword, the famine, the pestilence, and the wild beasts, as recorded in Ezekiel 14:21.
 
HaShem speaks a similar warning to Israel in Leviticus:

“21 And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins. 22 I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your high ways shall be desolate. 23 And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me; 24 Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins. 25 And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. 26 And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied.”

–Leviticus 26:21-26 (KJV)
 
These words of the Torah once spoken to Israel are now in principle levelled against all nations. A good father disciplines his own children first and then the children of others.
 
No human being and no nation can escape the consequences of sin forever.
 
“An ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death and Sheol was following with him.” Death is the result of sin, the catalyst for the physical event of dying. Sheol is the holding place of the dead (departed), separated into Gehenna—temporal punishment—and  גן עדן Gan Eden, the Bosom of Abraham—temporal paradise. The rider and the follower are representations of spiritual forces that are beyond our full comprehension. I have called the distinct compartments of Sheol “temporal” because Biblical Judaism understands Sheol to be a spiritual abode which is metaphorically beneath and within time awaiting the judgement and the world to come. Ultimately paradise will continue as it converges with the world to come (which many Christians mistakenly call Heaven) following the judgement while Death, Sheol & Gehenna will be thrown into the lake of perpetual fire and torment. Paradise will live, but Gehenna, Death and Sheol will die the second and everlasting death.
 
The future Kingdom of God that is fully filled and revealed to His servants post judgement provides eternal life, whereas the future lake of fire described in Rev 20:11-15, is the eternal punishment awaiting Satan, fallen angels, Death (the result of sin), Hades (specifically Gehenna) and all those who have rejected Messiah’s offer of redemption (whose names are not written in ספר החיים Sefer Hachaim the book of living).
 
Confusion over the terms describing various aspects of the afterlife has left many a believer under the delusion that there is only temporary punishment after death. This is a lie that contradicts Scripture and impugns the character of God. There can be no doubt that when the word “eternal” is used in Scripture as a qualifier to the aforementioned states of being, it’s to be understood to reflect life and death forever outside of time and space. Hence, when Revelation speaks of the punishment following judgement it says, “The Second Death” (Rev 20:11-15). Scripture allows no room for the abhorrent satanic lies of Annihilationism and Universalism.
 
9 When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw beneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the Word of God (Messiah), and because of the testimony (of the Messiah) which they had maintained; 10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, Master (Δεσπότης Despotes), holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
 
The heavenly altar, which is the basis for the shadow of the earthly one (Exodus 25:9, 40; Numbers 8:4; Hebrews 8:5; 9:23), features throughout the scroll of Revelation (Rev 8:5; 14:18).
 
For the Biblical Jew, the most sacred part of any sacrifice is the blood. “The life is in the blood,” life which comes forth from and belongs to God and to no other (Leviticus 17:11-14).
 
“7 And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the Lord, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.”
 
–Leviticus 4:7 (KJV)
 
The life blood of these martyrs has been poured out onto the earth at the base of the altar and cries out to the Master (Δεσπότης Despotes) of all things for justice in the same way the blood of Abel cries out to God for justice (Genesis 4:10).
 
The Greek Δεσπότης Despotes Master, is different from κύριος Kurios Lord. Δεσπότης Despotes Master has a complimentary relationship to the Greek δοῦλος doulos slave and denotes absolute ownership and uncontrolled power, whereas κύριος Kurios Lord has a broader application, and as previously discussed in my commentary, is the word that translates the Holy Name YHVH. It’s important to note that in both 2 Peter 2:1 and Jude 1:4 Δεσπότης Despotes Master describes Yeshua. While it’s true that the same Greek word is used to describe YHVH on occasion, it’s nonetheless valid to interpret the present text to refer to Yeshua within the Godhead.
 
As referenced by David Stern in his commentary on the New Testament, there are a number of observations from the Jewish sages regarding the heavenly altar and its function:
 
“From this you may infer that Moses wished to die the same death as Aaron. At that hour [when Moses was to die], He said to the angel of death, ‘Go and bring Me the soul of Moses’....The angel of death went and stood before him and said, ‘Moses, deliver your soul to me’....The Holy One, blessed be He, took the soul of Moses and stored it under the Throne of Glory, as it is stated, The soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God ....Not only the soul of Moses is stored under the Throne of Glory but the souls of the righteous are also stored there, as it is stated, The soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord...Again said He to the angel of death, ‘Go and bring Me the soul of Moses.’ He went and searched for him in his usual place but could not find him.”
 
- Avot DeRabbi Natan 12:5 (Sefaria)
 
“the land of Israel is as though he were buried beneath the altar, because all the land of Israel is fit [to be the site of] the altar; and whoever is buried beneath the altar is as though he were buried...beneath the Throne of Glory; as it is stated, The throne of glory, on high from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary . 4 The breaking of an oath is a more serious matter than the breaking of a...Presence which manifests its greatest concentration and brilliance in the Throne of Glory which is directly above the altar in Jerusalem....The degrees in ascending scale which lead to the Divine Glory are: other lands, Babylon, the land of Israel, Jerusalem , the altar, and the Throne of Glory. Cf. Kel....GRA substitutes ‘in Jerusalem’ for ‘beneath the altar’. Cf. Keth. 111a . 9 Jer. 17, 12. E.V., Thou throne … thou place of our sanctuary.”
 
- Avot DeRabbi Natan 26:2 (Sefaria)
 
“Rabbi Eliezer says: The souls of the righteous are stored beneath the Throne of Glory, as it is stated: “And the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life” (I Samuel 25:29).”
 
-Shabbat 152b .7
 
When we read that the souls of the צדיקים tzadikim (righteous ones) are beneath the altar, we must understand that the heavenly altar facilitates the covering (Kaparot) of redeemed humanity and is the altar at which Yeshua our High Priest ministers on our behalf. In this way it bridges the distance between the heavens and the earth and beneath it is the paradise of God, גן עדן Gan Eden the Bosom of Abraham, in which the righteous departed dwell. This is also how Yeshua is manifest both in Paradise and in the heavens at the same time (being that in His resurrected body He is outside of the confines of time and space, able to operate within and without). The resurrected Messiah is trans-locational, past, present and future, eternally present.
 
These righteous souls are those who have been slain due to their having upheld the Word of Messiah’s Gospel and the testimony of Messiah. This includes the Jewish prophets of old, who having been visited by The Word, and gave of their lives in His service. Their blood cries out from the earth like the righteous blood of Abel and Zechariah and all those in between (Gen. 4:10; Matt. 23:25).
 
The Jewish concept of martyrdom is known as, על קידוש השם Al Kiddush HaShem (Upon Sanctifying the Name).
 
“How long, Master, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Many misunderstand the Scriptures relating to vengeance:
 
“Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says HaShem.”
 
–Romans 12:19 (Deut. 32:35; Hebrews 10:30)
 
God does not say that we should not ask Him to avenge us, rather He says, “Don’t take vengeance into your own hands.” Why? Because He knows that we may in some cases mistake the facts and fall into sin by avenging ourselves upon the innocent. Therefore it’s right to ask God to avenge us against the enemies of God upon the earth. Here, “those who dwell on the earth,” refers to those who are not sealed by Yeshua, those who oppose both the God of Israel and His chosen people Israel, the Jewish people.
 
This verse also reflects the plea of the messenger of Zechariah’s vision concerning Israel:
 
“And they reported to the messenger of HaShem who was standing among the myrtle trees, ‘We have gone throughout the earth and found the whole world at rest and in peace.’ Then the messenger of HaShem said, ‘Adonai Tzevaot (YHVH of Heavens armies), how long will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah, which you have been angry with these seventy years?’”
 
–Zechariah 1:11-12
 
Add to this the voice of the psalmist:
 
“Why should the goyim (nations) say,
    ‘Where is their God?’
Before our eyes, make known among the goyim (nations)
    that you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants.”
 
–Tehillim/Psalm 79:10
 
And finally the voice of the true Judge Yeshua (Given authority to judge by HaShem):
 
“7And will not Elohim bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
 
–Luke 18:7-8
 
11 And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants (of all ethnicities) and their brothers and sisters (Messianic Jewish, ethnic descendants of Jacob) who were to be killed even as they had been, would be fulfilled also.
 
The idea that the martyrs should rest until their number is complete is a Jewish one. Judaism teaches that the drama of history must be completed in full before the end can come. Jewish apocryphal works remind us that, “God will not stir until the measure appointed has been fulfilled” (4 Ezra 4:36), and that an offering of the complete number of the righteous must be made before the end can come (1 Enoch 47:4).
 
The white robe is a symbol of purity purchased by Messiah Yeshua’s blood and of the righteous acts of these צדיקים tzadikim (righteous ones). It’s interesting to note that up until the present day Judaism employs the white robe in the performance of sacred rites. The Rabbis and devotees of many branches of Judaism today, don a full length white robe called a קיטל kittel during the High Holy Days in the seventh month תִּשְׁרֵי Tishrei in order to acknowledge Israel’s need for purification and redemption at the hand of God. These High Holy days include יוֹם תְּרוּעָה Yom Teruah Day of Soundings (רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה‎ Rosh Hashanah), ימים נוראים Yamim Noraim The Days of awe (10 Days between רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה‎  Rosh Hashanah and יוֹם כִּפּוּר Yom Kippur, a.k.a עשרת ימי תשובה Aseret Yemei Teshuvah), יוֹם כִּפּוּר Yom Kippur (Day of Covering/Day of Judgement) and סכות Sukkot (Feast of Shelters/Tabernacles).
 
In Revelation we are watching the High Holy days unfold, or rather, be unveiled to us by Yeshua. At the beginning of the scroll of Revelation we hear the trumpet of יוֹם תְּרוּעָה Yom Teruah (Day of Soundings) calling to us to prepare ourselves for the visitation of Messiah. As we progress we journey through ימים נוראים Yamim Noraim the days of awe and repentance upon the earth as the seals are opened and the judgements of God begin. At the opening of the books we see יוֹם כִּפּוּר Yom Kippur and the Judgement of God over all creation, and finally as the scroll of Revelation concludes we witness the descending city of the New Jerusalem and God and His Messiah dwelling with us in the great fulfilment of the Feast of סכות Sukkot (Shelters). I call this final joy, “Camping with Abba.”
 
The time of persecution of the followers of Messiah has a limit set upon it and will come to an end, at which point there will no longer be opportunity for returning to God. At that time the Gentile nations will lose any further chance to repent and the whole remnant of Israel (ethnic descendants of Jacob) will be saved (Romans 11:26).
 
Intro to Revelation 6:12-14:
 
What follows is a vivid picture of the key elements described in the Jewish Scriptures regarding the last days. The TaNaKh (OT) and other Jewish writings detail these events as follows:
 
1.)    Earthquake: At the coming of the Lord the earth will tremble (Amos 8:8); there will be a great shaking of the land of Israel (Ezekiel 38:19); the earth will quake and the heavens will tremble (Joel 2:10); God will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and dry land (Haggai 2:6).
 
2.)    The Darkening of the sun and moon: The sun will set at midday and the moon will grow dark in the clear daylight (Amos 8:8); the stars will not shine; the sun will be darkened in its going forth, and the moon will not cause its light to shine (Isaiah 13:13); God will clothe the heavens with blackness and make sackcloth their covering (Isaiah 50:3); the sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood (Joel 2:31); The sun will be darkened and the moon will not give her light (Matt. 24:29; Mark 13:24; Luke 23:45).
 
3.)    Falling of the stars: From a Jewish perspective the heavens in array are the unchangeable assurance of the created order and the fidelity of God. If the reliability of the heavens is taken away, then all things will fall into chaos, a state of darkness.
 
“Enoch saw the chambers of the sun and moon, how they go out and come in, how they never leave their orbit, and add nothing to it and take nothing from it.”
 
– 1 Enoch 41:5
 
From a Jewish perspective the disintegration of the heavens is the last word in chaos.
 
However, Isaiah speaks of this very thing:
 
“And all the host of heaven will wear away,
And the sky will be rolled up like a scroll;
All their hosts will also wither away
As a leaf withers from the vine,
Or as one withers from the fig tree.”
 
–Yeshayahu/Isaiah 34:4 (Matthew 24:29)
 
4.)    The folding of the heavens: The picture of this in Revelation 6 is that of an open scroll being torn down the middle and then the two halves recoiling and being rolled up onto each of their respective pillars. The heavens will be rolled together as a scroll (Isaiah 34:4); they will be changed like a garment and folded up (Psalm 102:25-26).
 
5.)    The moving of the mountains and the islands of the sea: The mountains will tremble and the hills will be removed (Jeremiah 4:24); the mountains will quake and the hills will melt (Nahum 1:5).
 
All of the events pictured in Yochanan’s vision are familiar to Israel, they have been prophesied from ancient days and are now communicated afresh at this pivotal time in history (between 70 and 90 C.E/A.D).
 
12 I looked when He (The Lamb) broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood;
 
This description of the breaking of the sixth seal alludes to a number of similar TaNaKh passages which describe the end of days: Isaiah 2:10-12, 19, 13:10, 34:4, 50:3; Jeremiah 4:23-29; Joel 2:31, 3:15; Nahum 1:5-6; Haggai 2:6. New Testament comparisons can be found in Matthew 24:29 and Luke 23:30.
 
“10Go into the rocks, hide in the ground from the fearful presence of YHVH and the splendour of His majesty! 11 The eyes of the arrogant will be humbled and human pride brought low; YHVH alone will be exalted in that day. 12 YHVH Tzevaot (LORD of heavens armies) has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled),”
 
–Yeshayahu/Isaiah 2:10-12 [Author’s translation]
 
One of the first things we note is that this is a singular event. Much of the foolish conjecture of recent times regarding the so called “Blood Moons” (plural) neglects this very important fact. The sun becoming like sackcloth is a reference to a specific eclipse of the sun at a specific time in the future which is unknown to us but is known to God (Duet. 29:29). The metaphorical use of the word, “sackcloth” is an allusion to the great tragedy and mourning that will befall the earth (specifically the pagan nations) and the blood colour of the moon is a symbol of bloody judgement meted out against the earth (pagan nations).
 
It’s important to note that from ancient times pagan nations have worshipped the sun, moon and stars as deities. Therefore by removing them God is showing that not even the loftiest gods of humanity are a match for His wrath. This is prophetically foretold in the historical account of Joseph (a type for Messiah) and the bowing down of the sun and the moon and the eleven stars (Genesis 37:9-11).
 
13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind.
 
The stars falling can be seen to include stars, asteroids and imploding of planets. Symbolically speaking they may also represent fallen angelic beings (falling from within space, not from the third heaven which they were cast out of long ago).
 
The comparison of the stars to the unripe fruit of the fig tree is a poignant Hebraic symbol. The fig tree is the ancient place of Jewish teaching, when the teachers of Israel taught the Word of God the fruit was ripe and benefited Israel, however, when the teachers of Israel taught the rules of men, the fruit fell from the tree out of season and rotted on the ground. The wind is the רוח הקודש Ruach Ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit), Who shakes the tree and removes the unripe fruit, that is the fruit of false teaching.

“13 And seeing a fig tree far off in full leaf, he came, hopeful that he might find fruit on it: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time for harvesting figs had not yet come. 14 And Yeshua spoke, saying to the fig tree, ‘No man will eat fruit from you from now on and forever.’ And his talmidim (disciples) heard it… 20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered up from the roots. 21 And K’fa (Peter) calling to remembrance said to Yeshua, ‘Rabbi, behold, the fig tree which You cursed is withered away. 22 And Yeshua answered, speaking to the talmidim (disciples), ‘Have faith in God.’”
 
-Mark 11:13-14 & 20-22 [Author’s translation]

14 The heavens tore apart and recoiled like a scroll rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
 
This is a description of the heavens imploding rather than exploding. The scroll rolling up is torn in the centre and pulls the heavens apart. This is a vivid image of catastrophic astronomical events, followed by perhaps the greatest tectonic shift ever to affect the earth.
 
The rolling up of the scroll of the sky is a metaphor for the conclusion of those things that have come before and acts in juxtaposition to the soon to unrolled scroll of God.
 
When the present sin affected created order is split in two and rolled back it will reveal the new heavens and new earth which have awaited the goal of the temporal things. Thus the kingdom of God will be fully manifest to humanity as the eternal present, the ultimate reality.
 
15 Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; 16 and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb;17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
 
The kings of the earth are the leaders of those who have rejected Messiah. The list goes on to include every walk of life, all of whom have rejected Yeshua and the God of Israel (ethnic descendants of Jacob). Their response is noteworthy because although they acknowledge that no one can hide from God’s wrath and the wrath of the Lamb, they do not repent. In fact it seems that they invite death rather than choosing to repent. Such is their hatred of God.
 
This is consistent with ancient Hebrew thought, which boasts numerous examples of prophetic statements regarding the universal terror that will befall humanity in the last days.
 
“6 Wail, for the day of YHVH is near!
It will come as destruction from Shaddai (the Almighty).
7 Therefore all hands will fall limp,
And every human beings core being (heart) will melt.
8 They will be terrified, pains and anguish will take hold of them;
They will writhe like a woman in labour,
They will look at one another in astonishment,
Their faces aflame.”
 
–Yeshayahu/Isaiah 13:6-8
 
“At that time even the mighty man will cry bitterly.”
 
–Zephaniah 1:14
 
“The inhabitants of the land shall tremble.”
 
–Joel 2:1
 
“The day of YHVH is indeed great and very awesome,
And who can endure it?”
 
–Joel 2:11
 
“Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” This text reflects the writings of the TaNaKh (OT) which describes the Day of the Lord (Judgement Day) in similar terms (Zeph. 1:14-18; Nahum 1:6; Malachi 3:2).
 
We note that the wrath of God proceeds from both the Father and the Lamb. It’s a tragic mistake of modern hyper-grace Christianity to have failed to speak of both the love and the wrath of Yeshua the King Messiah.
 
“Then they will say to the mountains,
‘Cover us!’ And to the hills, ‘Fall on us!’”
 
–Hosea 10:8 (Luke 23:30)
 
“That day will be a day of wrath--
    a day of distress and anguish,
        a day of trouble and ruin,
    a day of darkness and gloom,
        a day of clouds and blackness.”
 
–Zephaniah 1:15
 
Those who refuse to allow God to address the sin that reigns in their lives become accustomed to the darkness. When the Holy God pours out His wrath, which is born of love and light, the one who hates God flees because the darkness in him seeks to hide from the light.  This reminds us of humanity’s first response to God after our very first act of sin. Adam and Eve sought to hide themselves from God (Genesis 3:8). But God made a way for repentance, having made a sacrifice, He clothed Adam and Eve with atonement (Genesis 3:21).
 
“The wrath of the Lamb;” According to John 5:22, Acts 17:31, Romans 2:16 and 2 Corinthians 5:10, God has entrusted judgement to His Son the Lion-Lamb. This judgement is said to take place on:
 
1.)    The Great Day of The Lord (Rev. 1:10; 2 Thessalonians 2:2; 2 Peter 3:10)
 
2.)    The Day of The Lord Yeshua our Messiah (1 Corinthians 1:18)
 
3.)    The Day of our Lord Yeshua (2 Corinthians 1:14)
 
4.)    The Day of The Messiah (Philippians 1:10)
 
5.)    The Great Day of Adonai Tzevaot (Rev. 16:14; Isaiah 2:12; Jeremiah 46:10)
 
6.)    The Day of Judgement (Matthew 10:15; 2 Peter 2:9; 1 John 4:17)
 
As משיח בן דוד Mashiach Ben David The Warrior Messiah, the Lamb will reveal His wrath:
 
“Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron sceptre.’ He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of Adonai Tzevaot (God Who goes warring).”
 
–Revelation 19:15
 
“1Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against YHVH and against his anointed, saying, 3 “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.” 4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs; YHVH scoffs at them. 5 He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, 6 “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.” 7 I will proclaim YHVH’s decree He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father. 8 Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.” 10 Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. 11 Serve YHVH with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling. 12 Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.”
 
–Tehillim/Psalm 2
 
It is the great day of, “Their wrath,” both the Father and the Son will visit just retribution against the enemies of God and His people Israel and the believing Gentiles who have been grafted into the Commonwealth of Israel (Romans 11:17-24; Ephesians 2:12).
 
Copyright 2026 Yaakov Ben Yehoshua

Introduction:
 
As the letters to the seven faith communities continue, a familiar refrain forms a rhythm for the listener, “I know your deeds.” The only exceptions have been Smyrna (mourning), “I know your afflictions,” and Pergamum (Pride), “I know where you dwell.”
 
These exceptions tell us two things:

• First, in affliction we are challenged to accept or reject trust in God from a place of powerlessness.
• Second, where we dwell doesn’t have to affect who we are.

 
In any case our actions, be they right or wrong, are an indication of the focus of our core being. Hence, Yeshua doesn’t say, “I know your thoughts,” or “I know your plans,” rather He says, “I know your deeds,” because our deeds are either the result of our own thoughts and plans or they’re a result of His thoughts and plans at work in us.
 
“Our weapons of warfare are not of the flesh but are of divine power to demolish strongholds, arguments that seek to overthrow, and every high thing that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and in taking captive every thought, submitting all to the Messiah.”
 
-2 Corinthians 10:4-5 [Author’s translation]
 
The Messiah continues to name that aspect of His character which is most relevant to the body of believers in question. He continues to reflect back to each assembly the issues associated with their respective names. In the mirror of His truth the darkness is illuminated and shown for what it really is.
 
Yeshua speaks warning, not with the desire to destroy but with the love that offers reconciliation. He disciplines those He loves, the wrath of God is born of His love.
 
1.)    Thyatira, “Odour” (Consequence of Sin)
2.)    Sardis, “Deep orange/red” semi-precious stone used in making jewellery (façade)
3.)    Philadelphia, “Brotherly love” (love & Faithfulness)
4.)    Laodicea, “People under Judgement” (Judgement)
 
These last three letters follow Yeshua’s rebuke concerning the odour of sin (Thyatira) with His indictment against the façade (Sardis) 1 of self-deception, then from holiness and through love He offers an opportunity for faithfulness (Philadelphia) 2 to bring right action, prior to the coming judgement (Laodicea).3
 
In conclusion, Yeshua reminds us that the one who has ears to hear will be clothed in white, named with belonging and given a place to sit beside Him.
 
The Text Revelation 3:
 
1 “To the messenger of the assembly in Sardis (façade) write:
He who holds the sevenfold Spirit of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, and that you have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead.
 
It’s important to remind ourselves that the messenger in question is a human being belonging to the community who both receives messages for the community and travels to deliver messages from the community. With this in mind we can discern that all seven communities of faith must have had some knowledge of the issues facing them as a whole in addition to their individual challenges and successes.
 
Sardis derives its name from the Greek for a reddish semi-precious stone used in costume jewellery. The symbolic meaning presents a façade, the illusion of costly beauty. Sardis was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia and a city of great wealth. It is said to be the birthplace of coinage (6th century BCE), and it was at one time famous for the great wealth of its last king, Croesus.
 
Yeshua names Himself here as, “He who holds the sevenfold (Holy) Spirit of God,” an allusion to the fact that the רוח הקודש Ruach Ha-Kodesh (The Holy Spirit) is imparted by the Father and the Son in order to bring glory to the testimony of the Son and in turn to the Father (John 15:26; Romans 8:9; Galatians 4:6; 1 John 5:7).
 
“However, you are not in flesh but in Spirit—if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. However, if anyone does not have the Spirit of Messiah, that one does not belong to Him.”
 
-Romans 8:9
 
Yeshua also names Himself as, “the one who holds the seven stars,” that is, the messengers of the assemblies. The messengers and the message they bring are secure and unwavering, maintained in the right hand of Yeshua’s strength.
 
‘I know your deeds, and that you have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead.’ The symbolism is rich, just as the name of the city itself denotes a pretence, so too the illusion of good deeds, wealth and prosperity cover the spiritual sickness beneath. Their makeup is covering up the signs of a life threatening condition.
 
This can be seen in our own lives when we take on the false theological doctrines of prosperity teachers and claim absolute authority over healing based on the magical use of communion. When we use all the right spiritual jargon and present ourselves as pure while practicing sin in what we believe to be hidden places. The aforementioned actions are pretence and are soon exposed by the reality of poverty and sickness, both spiritual and physical.
 
Many religious people give generously to charities and advocate for social justice groups, but beneath the façade are the dark motives of acclaim and false humility. It’s important to note that in their modern iterations many of the so called “Christian NGO’s” are in fact humanitarian (born of humanism) pseudo-Christian political advocacy groups who thrive on antisemitic rhetoric disguised as critique of the modern state of Israel. They love to claim Micah 6:8 as their mantra and yet they act unjustly toward the Jewish people, show no mercy for the Jewish people, and full of self-righteous pride level false accusations against the Jewish people. In short, they are the very antithesis of Micah 6:8. Those Christians who fail to do their due diligence in vetting these pseudo-Christian, satanic organisations will be judged by God as being complicit.
 
In many cases the western church has foolishly elected to believe that we are rich because we are deserving and that God has blessed us as a result, when in fact we are the poorest of people, temporarily satisfied by an illusion of faith in place of true faith. Vain religion is a façade.
 
In many cases what fallen humanity sees as blessing is in fact curse, and vice versa.
 
A reputation is formed before an audience of human beings, but God sees the intent of the core being. As a community of believers we can’t hide our motivations from HaShem. Those who seek applause are idolaters, while the truly righteous receive honour from God.
 
2 Wake up and stay awake, strengthen and turn with resolve toward the remnants of your faith, which are about to die; for I have not found your deeds full in the sight of My God.
 
Waking is a response to the presence of light and sleeping a kind of escape from the absence of it.
 
This exhortation is one that is familiar to the people of Israel. The prophet Isaiah reminds her of the future hope of the resurrection with the same words. This warning is just that, a warning intended to inspire repentance.
 
“Your dead will live;
Their corpses will rise.
You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy,
For your dew is as the dew of the dawn,
And the land will give birth to the departed spirits.”
 
–Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 26:19
 
The plain meaning notwithstanding Yeshua appears to be combining the meanings of two passages from the prophet Isaiah, the second being the one employed by Rav Shaul (Paul the Apostle) in Ephesians 5:14. 
 
“Arise, shine; for your light has come,
And the glory of HaShem has risen upon you.”
 
–Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 60:1
 
When bright light—in this case Yeshua, The All Existing Light of the Universe—shines on the closed eyes of a sleeping person, eventually they can’t help but open their eyes: the question is, will that person choose to stay awake? In order to stay awake, a person prone to sleep must act, by acting the heart is stirred and the day is spent in good purpose.
 
The congregation of Sardis has slept too long, so much so that only a small remnant of true faith is available to them. Therefore Yeshua exhorts them to wake, stay awake and act in righteousness from a pure heart in order to dissolve their spiritual façade in the strength of the living Word.
 
11 “Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead expose them; 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. 14 For this reason it says,
 
“Awake, sleeper,
And arise from the dead,
And Messiah will shine on you.” [Ref. Isaiah 60:1]
 
[“Arise, shine; for your light has come,
And the glory of HaShem has risen upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1)]
 
15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
 
–Ephesians 5:11-18 
 
Notice that Yeshua is compared to YHVH by Shaul (Paul), the writer of the letter to the Ephesians.
 
“I have not found your deeds full in the sight of My God.” Deeds that are not full are empty, in the same way that a half-truth is a whole lie. Incomplete good deeds are nothing more than good intentions. The aphorism applies, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” As does the Lyle Lovett lyric, “She wasn’t good, but she had good intentions.” Good deeds that are not full fail to meet the goal. When our good deeds miss the mark set by God’s holiness the motivation behind them is exposed.
 
3 So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and return. Therefore if you do not wake up and stay awake, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.
 
When we take time to remember what God has done, we become aware of what He is doing and find hope in what He has promised He will do. In this case that hope is in the resurrection and the עולם הבא Olam Haba (World to come).
 
Yeshua repeats the call to awaken, “wake up and stay awake,” emphasising the immediacy of the situation. This is compounded by the phrasing, “I will come like a thief,” which draws on the imagery of His second coming (Matt. 24:42-50; Lk 12:39-46; 1 Th 5:2-8; 2 Peter 3:8-13—Day of the Lord), but here denotes a temporal judgement that will take place prior to the final judgement unless the assembly in Sardis returns (repents). A just father begins judgement with His children.
 
4 But you have a few people in Sardis (façade) who have not soiled their garments (are authentic, righteous); and they will walk with Me in white, for they are deserving.
 
Yeshua doesn’t make a blanket judgement here. Like the Father, He is just and rewards all according to their deeds. There are those in Sardis who have not dirtied the garments of their good deeds with the pretence of prosperity and false humility, these few are promised that they will continue walking with Messiah in the white garments of their righteous actions. They have been redeemed by Yeshua and as a result they act out of love by doing what is right before God. This is the counterpoint to the empty deeds of their pairs. The deeds of the righteous are full in the sight of God.
 
White clothes are used throughout the Scriptures as a symbol for the righteous deeds of the people of God (Isa. 61:10; Eph. 2:10; Rev 3:18, 4:4, 6:11, 7:9-14, 16:15, 19:8-14).
 
These white garments (deeds motivated by Messiah in us) are contrasted against the, “filthy rags” (the appearance of good deeds) described in Isaiah 64:6 (5).
 
“For all of us have become like one who is unclean,
And all our righteous deeds are like used menstrual rags;
And all of us wither like leaves,
And our perversity, like the wind, takes us away.”
 
–Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 64:6
 
5 He who overcomes (in Me) will be clothed in white garments; and it’s not at all possible for Me to blot out his name from the book of life, and I will acknowledge his name openly before My Father and before His angels/messengers. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.’
 
It’s essential to a holistic understanding of the Scriptures that we read, “The person who overcomes” as, “The person who overcomes in Messiah.”
 
As a result of this illuminated understanding we’re able to better understand what follows, that is, that the white clothing (good deeds) are a result of our having overcome in Messiah. The clothing is not a reward, rather it is the appropriate attire for those who belong to the King.
 
The ספר החיים Sefer Ha-Chayim Book of Living is referred to in the key passages Exodus 32:32-33; Psalm 69:28 and Daniel 12:1.
 
It is not the one who does good deeds who is securely etched into the book of life, rather it is the one who has overcome in Messiah. This same person will be announced before the Father and His messengers, celebrated before the community of God like a Jewish boy at His Bar Mitzvah. (Matt. 10:32-33; Luke 12:8-9; John 10:3)
 
Therefore, in much the same way that it’s impossible for God to sin—because it goes against His character—it is also impossible for those who have overcome in Messiah to be blotted out of a book in which their names are written in Messiah’s eternal blood before the creation of the world (Rev. 13:8 & 17:8).
 
We note that so far as Scripture is concerned names are written in the book of life prior to the creation of the world and are subsequently blotted out upon perpetual rejection of God’s atoning love (Exodus 32:32-33; Psalm 69:28, Daniel 12:1, Rev. 13:8 & 17:8). We note that where Scripture speaks of the Book of Life names are (not will be) written or will be (not have already been) blotted out. Because Messiah’s atoning blood is everlasting, it’s impossible for one who has been redeemed by Him to have their name blotted out. Only those who perpetually and wilfully reject the atoning love of God will have their names blotted out of ספר החיים Sefer Ha-Chayim (The Book of Living).
 
7 “And to the messenger of the assembly in Philadelphia (Brotherly love & Faithfulness) write: The Holy One, Who is true, Who has the key of David, Who opens and no one will shut, and Who shuts and no one opens, says this:
 
Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love has a faithful assembly of Messiah followers and is unique among the seven assemblies because this congregation receives only praise from Yeshua.
 
“The Holy One,” הקדוש Ha-Kadosh in Hebrew, is a term that refers to God Himself. The Talmud and prayer book (siddur) refer to God in this way, as do a number of other prominent Jewish historical writings. It’s common in Judaism to refer to God as, הקדוש ברוך הוא Ha-Kadosh Baruch Hu (The Holy One blessed is He). Acts 6:10 uses this phrase to designate God the Father, here however the phrase is used by Yeshua to describe Himself, there is therefore no need to add the, ברוך הוא Baruch Hu “blessed is he” because God with us the Messiah need not call Himself blessed.
 
“Who is true” The Scriptures also refer to God as the God of truth (Psa. 31:5; Isa. 65:16; Rom. 1:25; 3:7). Here Yeshua uses this phrase to name Himself. This also relates to Rev 1:5, which describes Yeshua as the faithful witness.
 
“I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
 
-Yeshua (John 14:6)
 
“Who has the key of David, Who opens and no one will shut and Who shuts and no one opens…”
 
Yeshua is quoting Yeshayahu (Isaiah) the prophet, who prophesied over 600 years prior to the recording of the Revelation concerning Eliyakim (My God Who Rises) the son of Hilkiyah (A part of YHVH), who is to be given the key to the house of David (Beloved):
 
“20 Then it will come about in that day, that I will summon My servant Eliyakim (My God Who Rises) the son of Hilkiyah (A part of YHVH), 21 And I will clothe him with your tunic and tie your sash securely about him. I will entrust him with your authority, and he will become a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem (Flood of Peace) and to the house of Judah (Praise). 22 Then I will set the key of the house of David (Beloved) on his shoulder, when he opens no one will shut, when he shuts no one will open.”
 
–Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 22:20-22
 
Isaiah is speaking of the kingdom and authority of David being taken back from an illegitimate ruler and given to Eliyakim (My God Who Rises), whose name reflects the nature of the Messianic King Who will reign over Judah, Israel and the nations.
 
Therefore, “The key of David,” is the key that unlocks all earthly authority. It is the key of the beloved Son of God, Yeshua the rightful King of Israel.
 
The opening and shutting is under the immutable governance of the One Who holds the key of David. This means that the open and shut doors are a matter of firm resolve on the part of the Messiah, within the plans of the Father God.
 
8 ‘I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have little strength, and have kept My word, and have not denied My Name. 9 Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you.
 
As in the other letters the deeds of the community are acknowledged. In this case they’re deeds of righteousness performed in spite of affliction and limited resources. Yeshua affirms the unchangeable future hope that He has laid out before them, an open door to the Olam Haba that no one can shut.
 
The phrase, “you have little strength” could be read, “you have little wealth.” Though they were weak in worldly wealth they were strong in the Word and the Name of Yeshua.
 
Yeshua also promises imminent judgement against those Gentiles who have lied about being Jews and are teaching false doctrine and persecuting the assembly of believers in both Smyrna and Philadelphia. It seems that their evil actions had spread throughout the diaspora. The good news is that the judgement will bring about repentance on their part and that the final outcome will be that they submit to the authority (Key of David) of those who are following Messiah diligently.
 
This is reminiscent of the prophetic words of the TaNaKh (OT) regarding the humbling of the nations before Israel:
 
“The sons of those who afflicted you will come bowing to you,
And all those who despised you will bow themselves at the soles of your feet;
And they will call you the city of HaShem,
The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.”
 
–Yeshayahu/Isaiah 60:14
 
(See also: Isaiah 45:14, 49:23, 60:14 and Ezekiel 36:23, 37:28).
 
It’s possible that the assembly of Philadelphia had a large number of Jewish members who would receive the repentance of those Gentiles who had lied about being Jewish and had participated in the assembly of Satan. This acknowledges the legitimate role of Jewish Messianic believers as guides and older brothers to their Gentile counterparts.
 
10 Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep my eye on you and guard you from the hour of trial, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
 
“The time of trial” which is coming on the world is spoken of in the TaNaKh:
 
“Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.”
 
–Daniel 12:1 (Ref. Romans 11:25-27)
 
The phrase, “keep you from the hour of trial” is best rendered, “I also will keep my eye on you and guard you from the hour of trial” meaning that those being kept are being shielded/rescued from the trial that the people of the earth will undergo (9:4) and will be warned to flee the impending judgement (18:4).
 
“Come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth”: In this context the equivalent Hebrew phrase, יושבי הארץ Yoshvey ha-aretz is understood to reflect the meaning of the text of Isaiah 26:18 which refers to all human beings except those who are devoted to God. In other words, those who follow the Beast/Satan (13:3, 8) and have refused to return to God. This means that the pagan world will be put through trial by experiencing God’s judgement upon the earth (Chapters 6-18). The remnant of Israel (Jews) will respond to the trial by repenting (11:13) in alignment with the promise of Romans 11:25-27, which is the desire of HaShem (1 Peter 3:9); but the remainder of the people among the pagan nations will not (9:20-21; 16:8-11, 21).
 
“I am coming without delay” seems to indicate the immediate judgement of those non-Jews who are the assembly (synagogue) of Satan.
 
The crown is a competitors laurel given to participants of the Roman games. Here it symbolizes a believer’s commitment to completing the race (2 Timothy 4:7), and reminds the believer that the crown of the Greater Son of David informs the royal identity of the believer.
 
12 He who overcomes (in me), I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will never leave it again; and I will write on him the Name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem (flood of peace), which comes down out of the heavens (Third heaven outside of time and space) from My God, and My new Name. 13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.’
 
This obvious parallel to the pillars of Solomon’s temple is full of rich meaning for the believer of Philadelphia. This is a promise of eternal glory and established strength in Yeshua. This everlasting spiritual strength is the counterpoint to the weakness found in earthly wealth which is temporary.
 
“He set up the pillars in the porch of the temple; and he set up the right pillar and named it יָכִין Yachin (He will establish), and he set up the left pillar and named it בֹּֽעַז Boaz (In him is strength, or Coming Strength).”
 
–1 Kings 7:21
 
The pillars of Solomon’s temple were fashioned from bronze by חוּרָמ אָבִי Churam Avi (Faithful Witness of My Father), an obvious figurative allusion to Yeshua, Who is named the, “Faithful Witness” in Revelation 1:5.
 
“Churam Avi (Faithful Witness of My Father), fashioned the two pillars of bronze; eighteen cubits was the height of one pillar, and a line of twelve cubits measured the circumference of both.”
 
–1 Kings 7:15
 
This is a wonderful figure for our relationship in Messiah, like Churam Avi it is Yeshua the faithful witness of our Father God, Who has fashioned us to be pillars in His Father’s House.
 
The bronze pillars seen here as the righteous children of God are also linked to the feet of bronze as from a furnace, belonging to Messiah, as described in Revelation 1:15; 2:18. We are the functioning body of Messiah on earth (Hence feet), tested by fire and proven as bronze pillars.
 
Peter describes the Jewish believers in this way:
 
“You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Yeshua our Mashiach.”
 
–1 Peter 2:5
 
The New Jerusalem (Downpour of Peace) will descend from the third heaven outside of time and space and will be presented with its inhabitants as the bride of Messiah (Rev 21:2). God Himself and the Lamb will be the temple and light of the city and believers will be its pillars (Rev. 21:22).
 
The names we bear indicate who we belong to. In the Torah God placed His Name on the people of Israel, commanding Aaron the High Priest to bless them (Numbers 6:24-27). Those who are faithful to Messiah Yeshua will bear the Name of God (Rev 22:4) and the Name of the Messiah (Rev 14:1), including Yeshua’s own new Name (Rev 2:17, 19:12). In opposition to this the followers of the Beast will bear its name (Rev 13:17), indicating that they belong to the evil one.
 
On his forehead the High Priest of Israel would wear a gold plate that read, “Kadosh l’Adonai,” Holy to The LORD (YHVH). This represents the fact that both the Priest and the people of Israel are Holy unto God. This is true of all who admit their guilt before God and accept Messiah’s saving sacrifice. He has become our Great High Priest, we belong to Him and bear His name. He is our God, not because He belongs to us but because we belong to Him.
 
1.)    The Name of My God: we belong to the Father
2.)    The Name of the City of My God: we are citizens of the New Jerusalem
3.)    My New Name: we belong to Messiah and His fully illuminated identity
 
14 “To the messenger of the assembly in Laodicea (People under Judgement) write:
The אמן Amen/Aman (Faith, agreement, belief, trust), the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:
 
The congregation of Laodicea are a people under judgement. In contrast to Philadelphia who received only praise, Laodicea receives only rebuke.
 
Rav Shaul (Paul) the apostle worked hard for the assembly of Laodicea (Colossians 2:1, 4:13) and considered them brethren, writing them a letter (Colossians 4:15-16). It’s interesting to note that we have no copies of this lost letter, perhaps an indication of how little respect it was given by its recipients. The letters written by Shaul to the other congregations were carefully copied and distributed by the early Ecclesia. Whereas Laodicea’s Pauline letter has been lost to history through neglect.
 
The Hebrew word, אמן Amen/Aman (Faith, agreement, belief, trust) shares the same Hebrew root that informs the feminine form אֱמוּנָה emunah (faith) and is also connected with the word אֶמֶת emet meaning “truth” because it is sometimes understood to bear the quality of truth and therefore in certain passages is translated into English as “truth.” The meaning it expresses is of established trust, acceptance, and agreement. Many translate it, “So be it” or, “So say we all.”
 
אמן Amen/Aman is found in a number of different contexts in the Hebrew Bible (Numbers 5: 22; Deuteronomy 27: 15; 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26; I Kings I: 36; Isaiah 65: 16; Jeremiah II: 5; 28: 6; I Chronicles 16: 36; Nehemiah 5: 13; 8: 6; Psalms 41: 14; 72: 19; 89: 52; 106: 48).
 
A late second-century teacher in the Talmud takes the initial letters of amen as an acronym representing  אל מלך נאמן “El Melekh neman”, (God, Faithful King). This reflects Yeshua’s descriptions of Himself in Revelation 1:5, 3:7.
 
A later Jewish commentator of the siddur (prayer book) interprets the initial letters homiletically as, אני מוסר נאפשי ani moser nafshi, literally: I surrender my soul (I offer up myself as a sacrifice). A clearer description of the life of Yeshua we could not find.
 
“Because he who is blessed in the earth
Will be blessed by the God of אָמֵן Amein (truth);
And he who swears in the earth
Will swear by the God of  אָמֵן Amein (truth);
Because the former troubles are forgotten,
And because they are hidden from My sight!
 
–Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 65:16
 
Yeshua is the faithful אֱמוּנָה (emunah) witness to the truth אֶמֶת (emet), the agreement אמן (Amein/Aman) with HaShem (Rev. 1:5-6)
 
Yeshua defines faith as the אמן Aman (Agreement, Trust, Faith).
 
The first use of the Hebrew root אמן Aman is recorded in Genesis 15:6:
 
וְהֶאֱמִ֖ן בַּֽיהוָ֑ה וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ לּ֖וֹ צְדָקָֽה
 
“Abraham אֱמִן emin trusted God and it was accounted to him as righteousness.”
 
Therefore, Yeshua is the אמן Faith within Abraham to which Abraham responds in אמן Faith and in Whom Abraham receives an accounting of righteousness. In short, Abraham’s saving faith is in Yeshua the King Messiah, Who is the Word essence of God and the Lamb Slain before the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8).
 
“The Beginning of the creation of God” The Greek ἀρχὴ archē, “Ruler, Beginning” is equivalent to the Hebrew רֹאשׁ Rosh, “Head, First, Beginning” which affirms Yeshua’s role as the דָבָר Davar (Word) of John 1:1. This title Names Messiah Yeshua as the All Existing Son of God Who was in the beginning with God and Who is God with us. Yeshua is both the Author and Ruler of creation, the Word essence of the Father.
 
Therefore to the Laodiceans Yeshua is the:
 
1.)    Amen: He agrees with God that their spiritual condition is shameful
2.)    Faithful and true witness: His testimony concerning them cannot be refuted
3.)    The Beginning and the Ruler of God’s creation: Able to bring judgement against them if they don’t return to God
 
15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
 
First we note that neither hot nor cold are bad things in and of themselves. Yeshua wishes that the Laodiceans were either hot or cold. Yeshua would never wish someone to be cold toward God in a faith sense, and therefore this cannot refer to the fire of those with zeal and the coolness of those without it, which is a common misteaching of this text.
 
Second, historical record tells us that there were medicinal hot springs in nearby Hierapolis and freshwater tributaries in the surrounding area. This could indicate that Yeshua desires that the assembly of Laodicea provide healing to the spiritually sick and the life giving water of Yeshua to the spiritually thirsty.
 
Third, the position between hot and cold is a place of ineffectiveness. Faith in Yeshua is marked by an uncompromising commitment to Him as King of the Universe. We are to effectively minister both the healing of the hot spring and the life giving water of the cool fresh spring. Therefore, to stand in a redundant position between the two is distasteful to Messiah.
 
The Greek ἐμέσαι emesai means to, “vomit.” This is a fierce metaphor, there is no room for ineffective faith born of lazy compromise in the assemblies of God. Put simply, if one were to take some of the sulphur rich hot mineral water of the one source and mix it with the cold spring water of the other, and then give it to another to drink, what would be the result? Vomit!
 
17 Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,
 
The purpose of Yeshua’s exhortation is repentance (18-20). The physical wealth and self-sufficiency of the Laodiceans is compounded by the spiritual beliefs they have adopted in light of what they see as prosperity. They claim to be rich, self-made and self-sufficient. Each of these beliefs stands in direct opposition to the Gospel of Messiah.
 
13 “Lead, go to, now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we’ll go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and buy and sell and make a profit.” 14 Yet you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For your life is a vapor, a mist, smoke that appears, is seen for a short time, gone in a moment, and then is corrupted, disfigured, vanishes, perishes, [Heb. then its canopy will depart]. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord YHVH wills, we will live and also do this or that.” 16 But as it is, you rejoice, glory, boast, praise in your pride, arrogance; all such boasting, praising is evil, wicked.”
 
–Yaakov (James) 4:13-16
 
The boasting of the self-made men of the Messianic Jewish Diaspora, is rebuked by Yaakov (James). They had failed to trust in God’s provision.
 
8 [9] And  Ephraim said, “Surely I have become wealthy, I have attained vigour for myself; in all my toil they will find no iniquity in me, which is sin.” 9 [10] And I am YHVH the Lord your God, from the land of Egypt; again I will make you dwell in tents like the days of an appointed time (festival). 10 [11] And I have spoken upon the prophets, and I multiplied visions, and in the hand of the prophets I used likenesses, comparisons, parables [alt. I appeared as likenesses].
 
–Hosea 12:9-10
 
The result of Ephraim’s pride was that God returned her to desert wandering.
 
From Yeshua’s perspective the Laodiceans are wretched rather than rich, miserable and poor rather than wealthy, and naked rather than in need of nothing. In fact they were in great spiritual need. It’s true to say that the western Church is in the same position today?
 
18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.
 
Yeshua is gentle here, He offers advice, instruction, rather than an ultimatum. A righteous groom would never force Himself on his bride to be, the wedding chamber is sacred.
 
Yeshua uses the term, “buy” as a means of countering the, “buying” power of the Laodiceans: He doesn’t intend to infer that the gifts of God can be purchased, on the contrary His point is, “You can’t buy these spiritual things with your worldly wealth” (Rev 22:17; Isaiah 55:1; Romans 3:24).
 
“Hey! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters;
And you who have no money come, buy and eat.
Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.”
 
–Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 55:1
 
Laodicea was known for its prosperous trade guilds and had a famous medical college where, “Phrygian powder” was refined and used to make an eye salve. It also boasted an extensive textile industry.
 
The Laodicean assembly boasted:
 
1.)    I’m rich (from my own business dealings)
2.)    I’m wealthy (from medicinal profiteering)
3.)    I’m in need of nothing (I have all the modern clothing I could want)
 
Yeshua says:
 
1.)    You’re wretched (because you have trusted in your own ability)
2.)    Miserable and poor (because your wealth is temporary)
3.)    Blind and naked (because you have chosen not to see Me and have failed to clothe yourself with the righteous deeds of the saints)
 
Yeshua offers a way of return (teshuvah):
 
1.)    Buy from Me (without money) Gold refined by fire (a metaphor for refining and purifying from sin, Proverbs 27:21).
2.)    Eye salve that will heal your spiritual blindness
3.)    White clothing (the righteous deeds of the faithful)
 
19 Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline; therefore be zealous and return.
 
Yeshua loves the errant Laodicean Ecclesia, His purpose is to discipline them and reconcile them to the Father.
 
“Blessed is the man whom You chasten, O Hashem,
And whom You teach out of Your Torah;”
 
–Tehillim (Psalm) 94:12
 
“I know, O HaShem, that Your judgments are righteous,
And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.”
 
–Tehillim (Psalm) 119:75
 
“For those whom HaShem loves He disciplines,
And He scourges every son whom He receives.”
 
–Hebrews 12:6
 
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 will dine with him, and he with Me.
 
In the context of this letter Yeshua is knocking at the door of the errant Laodicean believing community. This is not intended as a general evangelistic invitation to all people, but as an invitation to blinded believers who have gone astray and have shut the door to Yeshua.
 
Throughout the letters to the assemblies Yeshua has repeated the phrase, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.” Here he offers an opportunity to wayward believers to hear anew, He is calling out and knocking, but He will not force His way in. The door can be seen as a metaphor for the access point at the core of our being, Yeshua is standing in the midst of the assemblies but is calling on the individual members, the building blocks of the community of faith. He is presenting each one with an opportunity for revival.
 
The dining analogy is one of powerful importance to every culture. Food is the centre of family and community interaction and an opportunity for building intimate relationships. Food warms the body and fills it with fuel for life, it provides a foundation of physical contentment upon which we build lasting friendships.
 
God is ever ready to receive repentant sinners:
 
“Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says HaShem of heavens armies, “Return to Me,” declares HaShem of heavens armies, “that I may return to you,” says HaShem of heavens armies.”
 
 –Zechariah 1:3
 
21 He who overcomes (in Me), I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.’”
 
Yeshua has overcome sin and death by His atoning work on the cross and has therefore, made it possible for anyone who would receive Him to overcome sin and death. It is only in Him that we are able to overcome, therefore we shouldn’t fret about how we will find the strength, because He is our strength.
 
9 But now we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels /messengers, Yeshua, through His suffering death crowned with glory and honour, splendour, so that by the grace, unmerited favour, practical love of God He might eat death for everyone, individually and collectively. 10 For it was fitting for Him, for Whom are all things individually and collectively and through Whom are all things individually and collectively, in bringing many sons into glory, splendour, genius, the Author, Originator, Prince of their salvation through sufferings, to perfect, consecrate, fulfil, complete. 11 For both He who sanctifies, consecrates, atones and those who are sanctified, consecrated, atoned for, are all from one Father; for this reason He is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters,
 
–Hebrews 2:9-11
 
15 For we do not have a high priest Who is unable to sympathize, have compassion with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted, tried, examined, proved in all things just as we are, yet without sin [missing the mark set by God’s holiness]. 16 Therefore let us come freely with boldness, confidently to the throne of grace, unmerited favour, practical love, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.
 
–Hebrews 4:15-16
 
“That we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need,” refers not only to sickness and physical suffering but also regards our struggle to resist sinful actions, we have need of grace and mercy in Messiah when we are faced with moral choices, when we are tempted or in despair, depressed or feeling overwhelmed. Whatever our need may be, we’re able to receive mercy and find grace in Him at any time.
 
Believers who overcome in Yeshua will actually sit with Him on His throne (Rev 20:4-6, 11; Matt 19:28), which He shares with God the Father.
 
“For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him;
12 If we endure, we will also reign with Him;
If we reject Him, He will also reject us;
13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot reject Himself.”
 
–2 Timothy 2:11-13
 
Just as in the case of Abraham, where faith was given by and reflected back to Messiah, making it impossible for Abraham’s name to ever be blotted out of the Book of Living, so too it is with those of us who have received Messiah through His atoning work.
 
“We love him, because he first loved us.”
 
-1 John 4:19
 
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