"When you look at Revelation 2 and 3 and try to understand what's going on, remember that what they're doing is referring to things Israel knows and understands," explains Jordan. "You don't have to make up a bunch of allegorical hallucinations. You can go back into the history of Israel, into the events of Scripture, and put meanings to them.
"This is an area of thinking . . . I've thought about it through the years but never really delved into it in a thorough way, other than to put in my understanding the things that happened back there and how they link with chapters 2 and 3. There are patterns in these two chapters of these historical events that will help you to understand the rest of the Book of Revelation and Revelation does that.
"The Book of Revelation is like the outline that all of the Old Testament prophecies hang on, and if you don't grasp what's going on in the Old Testament prophets, you'll never know how to flesh in the skeleton of the Book of Revelation.
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"There's a period in there where there's a believing remnant among those who have fallen away. That's exactly what happens in the fourth course of judgment. They have all these people who have gone into apostasy and yet there's that remnant; we studied all about them in the minor prophets.
With the church at Philadelphia it's the same kind of thing. Revelation 3: [9] Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
[10] Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.[11] Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
[12] Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
[13] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
[15] I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
[16] So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
"There's a false apostate nation with people claiming to be Israel and they're not. So what happens to Laodicea? He says, 'I spew you out of my mouth.'
"So He puts them in the fifth course and spews them out of the land. The result of that is these seven churches are facing the condition of Israel that's been brought about from the time of Exodus to their captivity.
"With the overcomers, the writer's going to go back in Israel's history to say, 'Okay, you've got this terrible history that's brought you here, and what's happening in 'the last days' is the culmination of God's judgment on everything all through Israel's history.' The blessings are going to be what's He's been promising you all along.
"I John 5: [4] For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. [5] Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
"Their faith in the fact that Jesus is the Son of God is what makes them have the capacity to overcome. So who are the overcomers? That's the believing remnant, the little flock in Israel. When you read about the overcomers in Revelation, you're reading about that group of people. The reward they get is to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
"That takes you back to Genesis 2. God placed man in the earth to have dominion over it. The issue is establishing God's dominion in the earth. What you have in Revelation 2 is a group of people involved in restoring God's dominion in the earth. That was the original promise. These people are going to participate in that original purpose.
"Revelation 2:11: [11] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
"Where was death introduced into man's life? Genesis 3. Romans 5:12: [12] Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
"That death's not just a physical death; it's a spiritual death. Revelation 21:8 says, [8] But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
"Physical death is the first death and that's the second. Hell wasn't made for men. Jesus said, 'Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.' He made 'the lake of fire' for Satan and his angels; Adam joined the wrong team.
"So when the promise in Revelation is that the second death isn't going to hurt you, that takes the mind back to Genesis 3 where God gives access to the Tree of Life.
"Now, the problem of sin and the satanic program . . . God's going to provide for a group of people and take them out from under the dominion and consequences of Satan's program and establish them as His people.
"Revelation 2:17. [17] 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.
" 'I'm going to give you the hidden manna and then a white stone that I'm going to put a name on where nobody's going to know the name.' Well, wait a minute, don't you know about some hidden manna in Israel's history?
"God fed Israel in the wilderness with manna, and after He quit giving them manna, He told them to take a pot of manna and put it in the ark and hide it away as a memorial of what He was going to do with them in the future.
"Revelation 12:13-14: [13] And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. [14] And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
"Psalm 78 says He's going to spread a table in the wilderness. Micah 7, Jeremiah 50, places like that, tell them where to go in the wilderness. He says He's going to feed them with manna and it's going to be hidden out there in the wilderness.
"He says to the overcomers, 'When the Adversary comes to destroy you, my provision is going to be there for you.'
"The white stone. In Exodus 28, the high priest had all different kind of colored stones on his breastplate. You know what was written on the stones? The names of the tribes of Israel. He had one by his heart, ones on his shoulder--God's love and strength. That's, 'I'm going to give you the priestly garments and that new name Isaiah 62 promised you. I'm going to preserve you through and make you a kingdom of priests.' That's what He's going to do for the overcomers.
"If I was a Jew in Revelation 12 and fled out into the wilderness looking for the manna, you know where I would go? I'd go back to Micah, Jeremiah and Psalms and look up those verses that tell me where God's going to send the provision and I'd go looking for it there."
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