9:1). Whatever the new name might be or might signify, and for whatever reason only the person who has the new name will know it, what we do know is that it will be. The revelation of truths of the natural law is certainly not inconsistent with Gods wisdom. get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! Finally the vindictive language in the book (Rev 6:910; 18:119:4) is also to be understood symbolically and not literally. * [2:13] Satans throne: the reference is to emperor worship and other pagan practices that flourished in Pergamum, perhaps specifically to the white marble altar erected and dedicated to Zeus by Eumenes II (197160 B.C.). For men to be able to attain such a knowledge of the natural law as will enable them to order their lives rightly, the truths of that law must be so plain that the mass of men can discover them without long delay, and possess a knowledge of them which will be alike free from uncertainty and secure from serious error. In this case, her sitting on the Beast would not indicate a geographical location but an alliance between the two powers. Indeed, the devil will throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will face an ordeal for ten days. To assume, with certain Rationalists, that exceptional intervention can only be explained on the ground that God was unable to embrace His ultimate design in His original scheme is a mere petitio principii. He taught, further, that the meaning to be attached to revealed doctrines is undergoing constant change as human knowledge grows and mans mind develops; so that the dogmatic formulae which are now true will gradually cease to be so. The separation of truth from error is a work involving time and labor. That Revelation was given in its entirety to Our Lord and His Apostles. Much of the confusion in which the discussion of Revelation in non-Catholic works is involved arises from the neglect to distinguish it from one or other of these. Additionally, weshould note that Jews in the Kingdom Age will also receive a new name: Isa 62:2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory. Rome was not a Christian city at that time, and Vatican City did not even exist. VERSION, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. * [2:2] Who call themselves,impostors: this refers to unauthorized and perverse missionaries; cf. 28 And I will give such a person the Morning Star. 7 Let anyone who can hear, listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches: those who prove victorious I will feed from the tree of life set in God's paradise.". God may see fit to employ supernatural means to affirm truths, the discovery of which is not per se beyond the powers of reason. When truth mingled with error is presented to the mind, it often happens that the whole teaching, false and true alike, is believed to have a Divine guarantee, because the soul has recognized and welcomed the truth of some one doctrine, e.g., the Atonement. In addition to Yahweh (YHVH), Yeshua, and Jesus, what other names for God are in the Bible? The human soul reaching up towards the unknowable God is ever endeavoring to interpret its sentiments in intellectual formulae. On the contrary we assume that every Christian before he commences inquiries of this kind is already convinced that no other form of religion but the Christian can harmonize with his piety (Glaubenslehre, n. 11). The criteria of Revelation are either external or internal: (I) External criteria consist in certain signs attached to the revelation as a divine testimony to its truth, e.g., miracles. Verses 12-17. It is a triumph that unfolded in the history of Jesus of Nazareth and continues to unfold in the history of the individual Christian who follows the way of the cross, even, if necessary, to a martyrs death. What was Jesus message to the church in Pergamum in Revelation? Since Jerusalem had no such line of kings in the first century, this gives us evidence that the Beast (though not the Whore) is Rome. The truth of the teaching of the council regarding external criteria is plain to any unprejudiced mind. In the case of the former, the dominion would be political; in the case of the latter, it could be a number of things. Revelation does not cease to be such if God 's message is delivered to us by a prophet, who alone is the recipient of the immediate communication. . The reason is not deprived of its legitimate activity because the criteria are external. The author used these images to suggest Christs universal (seven) power (horns) and knowledge (eyes). >>Click here to get equipped with encouraging and empowering Biblical truth andwisdom from Reasons for Hope*Jesus. Clarke's Commentary. "Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. 2I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate the wicked; you have tested those who call themselves apostles but are not, and discovered that they are impostors. Key: Another reason we know that the 144,000 represents all believers, is because the last three verses of this chapter ( Rev 7:15-17) makes it clear that this is a revelation of the Eternal Kingdom of the New Heaven and New Earth, which is described in Rev 21:1-6; Rev 22:1, 17 ), which sees all the redeemed in the Lord's presence. ButI suggest that,perhaps,Jesus new name is a name that will proclaim Him as King. Lord, When Did We See You Hungry or Thirsty or a Stranger or Naked or Ill or in Prison? 19I know your works, your love, faith, service, and endurance, and that your last works are greater than the first. And I will write upon him my new name. What is the hidden manna mentioned in Revelation 2:17? They allowed that miracles are useless as a foundation for faith, and that they form on the contrary one of the chief difficulties which lie in faiths path. Revelation 19:11-16. * [2:13:22] Each of the seven letters follows the same pattern: address; description of the exalted Christ; blame and/or praise for the church addressed; threat and/or admonition; final exhortation and promise to all Christians. They may indeed be a legitimate object for our faith; but that will depend on the evidence in each particular case. 9I know your tribulation and poverty, but you are rich. But its force is limited to the individual who is the subject of it. * [2:24] The so-called deep secrets of Satan: literally, the deep things of Satan, a scathing reference to the perverse teaching of the Nicolaitans (Rev 2:15). <. Three of these may here be noted. 17 In fact, God has influenced their minds to do what he intends, to agree together to put their royal powers at the beast's disposal until the time when God's words shall be fulfilled. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life in the Paradise of God. Hence the Vatican Council expressly condemns the error of those who teach it to be the only criterion (De Fide Cath., cap. * [2:1] Ephesus: this great ancient city had a population of ca. 13 They are all of one mind in putting their strength and their powers at the beast's disposal, 14 and they will go to war against the Lamb; but because the Lamb is Lord of lords and King of kings, he will defeat them, he and his followers, the called, the chosen, the trustworthy.'. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. It remains here to distinguish the Christian Revelation or deposit of faith from what are termed private revelations. ii). The testimony afforded by inward experience is undoubtedly not to be neglected. This identification, however, was denied by other Fathers, including Denis of Alexandria, Eusebius of Caesarea, Cyril of Jerusalem, Gregory Nazianzen, and John Chrysostom. 1:19 . Cardinal Franzelin in his De Divina Traditione et Scriptura (pt. ii). And (8) she persecutes Christians the saints and . A verdict from Jesus regarding the condition of the church. In estimating their value it seems desirable to distinguish three aspects of Revelation, viz: as it makes known to us (I) truths of the natural law, (2) mysteries of the faith, (3) positive precepts, e.g. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL His writings were put on the Index in 1857, and his erroneous propositions definitively condemned in the decrees of the Vatican Council. Contemporary English VersionIf you have ears, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. In the second reading Paul writes a letter to Timothy from jail, extending the challenge "bear your hardship for the Gospel.". To Ephesus. Forty Titles of Jesus to Know Him Better and Love Him More. To Pergamum. Catholic Online School - Free education with 1,000,000 student enrollments. * Our mission is to glorify God by equipping, encouraging, and empoweringYOU to understand the Bibleandgrow in faith. So the main colours of this church, the whore of Babylon is Purple and Scarlet. Let's go back to the passage about these hills. What significance do colors have in the Bible? It cannot be employed as a criterion valid for all; for its absence is no proof that the doctrine is not true. If over and above this He decreed to make the attainment of beatitude yet easier for man by placing within his reach a far simpler and far more certain way of knowing the law on the observance of, which his fate depended, this is an argument for the Divine generosity; it does not disprove the Divine wisdom. To the Church in Thyatira (Rev. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. Such local rulers of the land of Canaan would naturally resent Jerusalem and wish to cooperate with the Romans in its destructionjust as history records they did. This totally demolishes the claim that Christian Rome or Vatican City is the Whore. 16 But the ten horns and the beast will turn against the prostitute, and tear off her clothes and leave her stark naked; then they will eat her flesh and burn the remains in the fire. Two of the most eminent theological writers of the period, Cardinal Franzelin and Cardinal Newman, have on very different lines dealt with the progress and nature of this development. In particular, we discuss how Baptism heals the wound of rejection . The Great Harlot is associated with false religion (Revelation 17:2). 2:17 "New Name in Glory," by C. Austin Miles (1910) 4-5 The . 8 'Write to the angel of the church in Smyrna and say, "Here is the message of the First and the Last, who was dead and has come to life again: 9 I know your hardships and your poverty, and -- though you are rich -- the slander of the people who falsely claim to be Jews but are really members of the synagogue of Satan. 2023 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Walks in the midst of the seven gold lampstands, The tree of life that is in the garden of God, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Owing to Guenthers erroneous teaching that the doctrines of the faith assume a new sense as human science progresses, the Vatican Council declared once for all that the meaning of the Churchs dogmas is immutable (De Fide Cath., cap. More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! ii, can. We continue to reach people worldwide with the truths of God's Word and the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Its simply biblical reasoning. Subscribe & receive the Hidden Names of God in Psalm 23, A Room with a View of EternityThe Last Will & Testament of Jesus Christ. Bible Book List. Jesus himself answered the question: If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household (Matt. * I know the slander of those who claim to be Jews and are not, but rather are members of the assembly of Satan.b However, some members of the church followed the teaching of Balaam, and others followed the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 3 I know too that you have perseverance, and have suffered for my name without growing tired. In the Kingdom Age, there will be flesh-born humans. * [2:26] Who keeps to my ways: literally, who keeps my works.. Is Leonard Cohens Hallelujah a Christian Song? What is Apologetics? When you subscribe to our newsletter, well send you. . What you need to know about Sanctification & Glorification. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and bedecked with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her fornication; and on her forehead was written a name of mystery: Babylon the great, mother of harlots and of earths abominations. And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. If the existence of a personal God be once established, the physical possibility at least of Revelation is undeniable. Your generosity is both a blessing and encouragement. Walks in the midst of the seven gold lampstands: this signifies that Christ is always present in the church; see note on Rev 1:4. Faith, they admitted, must be presupposed before the miracle can be accepted. THE CHURCH IN PERGAMOS. We do know Jesus has promised it to us. Although M. Blondel has in his own case reconciled this principle with the acceptance of Catholic belief, yet it may readily be seen that it affords an easy ground for the denial not merely of the possibility of external Revelation, but of the whole historic basis of Christianity. The function of this assistance is purely negative: it need not carry with it any positive gift of light to the mind. Douay-Rheims BibleHe that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches: To him that overcometh I will give the hidden manna and will give him a white counter: and in the counter, a new name written, which no man knoweth but he that receiveth it. to A.D. 200. . Look, the devil will send some of you to prison to put you to the test, and you must face hardship for ten days. It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. For one, she is depicted as a major center of international trade and commerce. A more subtle objection is that urged by Dr. J. Caird, to the effect that every truth that can be partially communicated to the mind by analogies is ultimately capable of being fully grasped by the understanding. One key to Bible study is to carefully consider the context. The word translated "white" in Revelation 2:17 is leukos and can also mean "brilliant, bright." This interpretation holds that on the stone is written the name of Christ, not the name of the believer. What does it mean to have left your first love (Revelation 2:4)? Thus, whenever there has been question of defining a doctrine, whether at Nicaea, at Trent, or at the Vatican, the sole point of debate has been as to whether the doctrine is found in Scripture or in Apostolic tradition. Hidden in the six verses of Psalm 23 are 11 names for Jesus. Revelation 2:17 records Jesus words written to the church in Pergamos near the end of the first century. Rev 19:12, 16 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. Revelation 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Catholic.org - with thousands of pages of magisterial content. Some Fundamentalists bent on making this apply to modern times and the Catholic Church have argued that the horns refer to the European Community (EC) and a revived Roman empire with the Catholic Church at its head. You have some people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who instructed Balak to put a stumbling block before the Israelites: to eat food sacrificed to idols and to play the harlot.d In the face of these objections, it is evident that the question of the possibility of Revelation is at present one of the most vital portions of Christian apologetic. To everyone who wins the victory, I will give some of the hidden food. As an instance of a work evidently Divine, and yet other than miracle or prophecy, the council instances the Catholic Church, which, by reason of the marvellous manner of its propagation, its surprising sanctity, its inexhaustible fruitfulness in all good works, its catholic unity and its invincible stability, is a mighty and perpetual motive of credibility and an irrefragable testimony to its own divine legation (I. c.). The problem is that there aretenkings, but there are now manymore than tennations in the EC. What we know for certain is that we dont know exactly what the new name will be. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 18 The woman you saw is the great city which has authority over all the rulers on earth.'. In that work he examines in detail the difference between a corruption and a development. (See that tract for details). Introduction. . Prophets existed as a group only in the Old Testament and in the first century (Acts 11:2728, 13:1, 15:32, 21:10). In Revelation 17 and 18, the fall of Babylon is carefully detailed. 13I know that you live where Satans throne* is, and yet you hold fast to my name and have not denied your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was martyred among you, where Satan lives. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 1 One of the seven angels that had the seven bowls came to speak to me, and said, 'Come here and I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute who is enthroned beside abundant waters, 2 with whom all the kings of the earth have prostituted themselves, and who has made all the population of the world drunk with the wine of her adultery.'. But is Revelation necessary even in order that man should observe the precepts of the natural law? Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. 9.) This passage tells us several things about the Whore: (1) She is an international power, since she "sits on many waters," representing different peoples (17:15), and she has committed fornication with "the kings of the earth," and she has inflamed "the dwellers on earth" with her fornication. Accusations made by Jewish brethren there occasioned the persecution of Christians; cf. That Beast was a major pagan empire, since its symbolism combined animal elements from four other major pagan empires (compare Rev. Or Should We Call Him Satan? 2 Timothy 2:19 (NKJV) Each overcomer has the personal favor of the Lord. Further, the doctrine of original sin supplies an additional reason for such a revelation of the natural law. However, determining what this new name will be is not easy. To the victor* I will give the right to eat from the tree of life that is in the garden of God.a. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain. On this thesis the kings of the earth would be the kings of theland (the Greek phrase can be translated either way). It is in this book that the victory of God as the God of history is seen in the culmination of the ages and the establishment of the eternal state. It is explained by M. Blondel, an eminent member of the Immanentist School, as signifying that nothing can enter into a man which does not proceed from him, and which does not correspond in some manner to an interior need of expansion; and that neither in the sphere of historic facts nor of traditional doctrine, nor of commands imposed by authority, can any truth rank as valid for a man or any precept as obligatory, unless it be in some way autonomous and autochthonous (Lettre sur les exigences, etc., p. 601). quentin lenig garret rodriguez, Was given in its entirety to Our Lord and His Apostles of.. Software for Free in its entirety to Our newsletter, well send you that the doctrine original... 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