The Message that was given to each assembly is all together a message for the universal Assembly of Believers today.
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Category: Seven Churches/Sewe Gemeentes
DIE BOODSKAP VAN DIE BELOFTES AAN DIE SEWE GEMEENTES
Die Boodskap wat aan elke gemeente gegee was, is gesamentlik een boodskap vir die universele Gemeente van Gelowiges van vandag.
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LAODICEA – HISTORY
Laodicea was a major export market for black wool, a product much in demand. It was also the site of a well-known medical school. Laodicea’s origins, as far as are presently known, go back to one of the Hellenistic kings in the middle of the third century B.C. The city was at the crossroads of north-south traffic between Sardis and Pergamus and east-west traffic from the Euphrates to Ephesus. Laodicea quickly became a-rich city.
These videos of both the Fig Tree Ministries and Our Daily Bread, explain more about the historical and spiritul background of Laodicea.
THE ASSEMBLY OF LAODICEA
Laodicea’s origins, as far as are presently known, go back to one of the Hellenistic kings in the middle of the third century B.C. It is supposed to have been named or renamed then by Antiochus ll in honour of his wife, Laodicea, but the origins must go back earlier. Cicero lived in Laodicea in the early months of 50 B.C. administering justice and trying to make up for the distress caused throughout the province by his predecessor, Appius Claudius.
The city was at the crossroads of north-south traffic between Sardis and Perga and east-west traffic from the Euphrates to Ephesus. Laodicea quickly became a rich city, rich enough to be able to rebuild itself without outside help after the destructive earthquake of 60 A.D.
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DIE GEMEENTE VAN LAODICEA
Laodicea se oorsprong, sover dit tans bekend is, gaan terug na een van die Hellenistiese konings in die middel van die derde eeu v.C. Dit word veronderstel dat Antiochus II dit na sy vrou, Laodicea vernoem het, maar die oorsprong van die stad was alreeds vroeër as dit. Cicero het in die vroeë maande van 50 v.C. in Laodicea gewoon.
Die stad was op die kruispad van die noord-suid verkeer tussen Sardis en Pergamus en die oos-wes verkeer vanaf die Eufraat na Efese. Laodicea het vinnig ‘n ryk stad geword, so ryk dat hulle hulleself kon herbou het sonder hulp van buite, nà die vernietigende aardbewing van 60 n.C.
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THE ASSEMBLY OF PHILADELPHIA
Philadelphia was the least distinguished of the cities of the Seven Churches. It was the latest to take on importance as a city, and only a few ruins are visible now. However, on the positive side, it was located on the outer edge of Hellenistic civilizatian and the Christian faith, and therefore had grave responsibilities for spreading the thought patterns and activities of these transforming powers. Furthermore, Philadelphia and Smyrna were the only two churches among the Seven about which nothing bad was said by John.
DIE GEMEENTE VAN FILADELFIA
Filadelfia beteken “broederliefde”. Dit was ‘n stad in die provinsie van Lydië in Klein Asië (hedendaagse Turkye). Dit was geleë aan die Hermus rivier en was omtrent 45 kilometer suidoos van Sardis (Sart-Kalesi). Dit het ontstaan deur Attalus II (Philadelpus) en het daarom sy naam gedra. Hy het as koning van Pergamus geheers in 159 v.C. Attalus het die titel “Philadelphus” gekry vanweë sy lojale liefde vir sy broer Eumenes, wat hom voorafgegaan het as koning. Die munte van hierdie tydperk toon twee identiese broers.
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DIE GEMEENTE VAN SARDIS
Sardis was bekend as die “oninneembare” stad. Dit was geleë so te sê op die top van ‘n berg wat net deur een pad bereik kon word. Die stad was dus moeilik bereikbaar want die enkele pad was ook so bewaak dat niemand daardeur kon kom nie. Die res van die berg was so ontoeganklik, dat niemand die stad dus sommer kon inneem nie. Tog was daar in die geskiedenis vyandige magte wat die stad ingeneem het, juis omdat die inwoners nie gewaak het nie.
Omdat ons nie lees dat Sardis se gemeente ‘n stryd gehad het met valse profete en heidense godsdienste nie, beteken dit nie dat hulle nie ‘n stryd gehad het nie. Hulle het ‘n ander probleem gehad … hulle het omdat hulle te veel op hulle gemak was en nie moes stry vir hulle geloof nie, sommer net geestelik verflou en soort van geestelik afgesterf. Hulle het gedink dat hulle lewe, maar hulle was eintlik dood. En net soos wat die onineembare stad van Sardis in die geskiedenis onverhoeds betrap is omdat hulle nie gewaak het nie, so is die gemeente wat hulle geloofslewe betref ook agterlosig. Hulle het nie daaroor gewaak nie en wanneer JaHUsha weer sou kom soos ‘n dief, onverwags, sou hulle nie gereed gewees het nie.
Vir Volledige PDF, kliek hier.
THE ASSEMBLY OF SARDIS
Sardis was a city of Asia Minor and capital of Lydia, situated about two miles to the south of the river Hermus, just below the range of Tmolus, on a spur of which its acropolis was built. It was 60 miles northeast of Smyrna. It was the ancient residence of the kings of Lydia, among them Croesus, proverbial for his immense wealth. Cyrus is said to have taken $600 000 000 worth of treasure from the city when he captured it in 548 B.C.
Sardis was so high up on the mountain that it was very difficult to be reached by the enemy, but it was not so invincible as the Sardians thought it to be. In the war between Croesus and the Persian Cyrus, Cyrus won the first round of the battle by a ruse that only an Eastern general would think of.
Just because we do not read that the assembly of Sardis had a struggle with false prophets and pagan religions, does not mean that they did not have a struggle. They had another problem … because they were too much at ease and did not have to fight for their faith, they (except for a few) just fainted spiritually and kind of died off spiritually. They thought they were alive, but they were actually dead.
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SARDIS – HISTORY
The city of Sardis has a storied history that was well known to all the churches of Asia Minor. John uses their history to communicate a lesson about becoming to arrogant.
Just as the invincible city of Sardis has been caught unaware in history because they have not kept watch, so the assembly is also careless as far as their faith is concerned. They did not watch over it and when YaHUsha would have come like a thief, unexpectedly, they would not have been ready.
Follow the history and cultural background of Sardis with the following videos of both Fig Tree Ministries and Our Daily Bread.
Torah of Messiah / Messias se Torah 