AR 70-72 - what the Lord says to the New Churches

AR 70

Since the Lord alone is acknowledged

as the God of heaven and earth by those

who are of His New Church in the heavens,

and by those who will be of His New Church upon earth;

therefore, in the first chapter of Revelation

the Lord alone is treated of;

and in the two following chapters,

it is He alone who speaks to the churches,

and He alone who will give the happy things of eternal life.

That it is He alone

who speaks to the churches is evident from these passages:

To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,

These things says He

who holds the seven stars in His right hand,

who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands.

(Revelation 2:1)

To the angel of the church of Smyrna write,

These things says the First and the Last.

(Revelation 2:8)

To the angel of the church of Pergamos write,

These things says He which has the sharp two-edged sword.

(Revelation 2:12)

To the angel of the church in Thyatira write,

These things says the Son of God,

who has eyes like a flame of fire,

and His feet like fine brass.

(Revelation 2:18)

To the angel of the church in Sardis write,

These things says He

that has the seven spirits of God,

and the seven stars.

(Revelation 3:1)
To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,

These things says He that is holy,

He who is true,

He who has the key of David.

(Revelation 3:7)
And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write,

These things says the Amen,

the faithful and true Witness,

the Beginning of the creation of God.

(Revelation 3:14)

These are taken from the first chapter,

in which the Lord alone is treated of,

and He Himself is there described by all these things.

AR 71

That the Lord alone will give the happy things of eternal life

to those who are and will be of His church

is evident from these passages:

The Lord said to the church of Ephesus,

To him that overcomes I will give to eat of the tree of life,

which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.

(Revelation 2:7)
To the church of the people in Smyrna,

I will give you a crown of life.

He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.

(Revelation 2:10-11)
To the church in Pergamos,

To him that overcomes

I will 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 knows but he that receives it.

(Revelation 2:17)
To the church in Thyatira,

To him I will give power over the nations,

and I will give him the morning star.

(Revelation 2:26, 28)
To the church in Philadelphia,

He that overcomes

I will make a pillar in the temple of My God;

and I will write on him the name of My God,

the name of the New Jerusalem,

and My new name.

(Revelation 3:12)
To the church in Laodicea,

To him that overcomes

will I grant to sit with Me on my throne.

(Revelation 3:21)

From these passages it is also evident,

that the Lord alone is acknowledged in the New Church.

So it is that this church is called the Lamb's wife.

(Rev. 19:7, 9; 21:9-10)

AR 72

That the New Church, which is the New Jerusalem,

is formed of those who repent of evil works

is also clear from the Lord's words to the churches:

To Ephesus; I know your works;

I have against you,

that you have left your first charity.

Repent, and do the former works;

or else I will remove your lampstand out of its place,

except you repent.

(Revelation 2:2, 4-5)

To the church in Pergamos;

I know your works, repent.

(Revelation 2:13, 16)
To the church in Thyatira;

I will deliver her into affliction,

except she repents of her works,

I will give to everyone of you

according to his works.

(Revelation 2:19, 22-23)

To the church in Sardis;

I have not found your works perfect before God,

repent.

(Revelation 3:1-3)

To the church in Laodicea;

I know your works,

be zealous, and repent.

(Revelation 3:15, 19)

Now follows the explanation itself.

(In the following numbers.)