I. Rev Chapter 1

A. Rev 1:1, 1:19 Talks about John and the chronology of the

C. Verses 7-9 speak of his coming in Judgement.

F. Picture of Jesus Christ 12-18

G. The letters – chapters 2 and 3.

II. Seven Ages of the Church

A.  Political preparation by Rome

1.   Unity

2.   Free movement

3.   Roads

4.   Army could spread the Gospel – England

5.   Conquest – Old gods were no good.

B.  Intellectual Contributions of Greeks

a.   Language

b.   Bible – Septuagint from Alexandria, Egypt, Africa 

c.   Philosophy – Plato and Socrates destroyed older religions, itself wasn’t fulfilling.

C.  Religious contributions of the Jews

a.   Heredity – shelter

b.   Monotheism

c.   Messianic Hope

d.   Ethical System

e.   Old Testament Scripture

f.   Philosophy of History

g.   The Synagogue

I. The Pentecostal Church – From the ascension of Christ to the preaching of Stephen 30-35 (maybe ending a bit earlier)

A.    Definition of the church

B.    Its Beginning: The Day of Pentecost, 30 AD – The anointed One – Christ (G), Messiah (H)

C.    Its Endowments: The Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4) – illuminating, empowered, abiding

D.   Its Locality: The city of Jerusalem.

E.    Its Membership: All Jews

F.     Its Leaders: St. Peter, St. John

G.   Its Government: by the 12 Apostles (Acts 5:13)

H.   Its Doctrine:

I.      The Gospel Testimony. – All believers.

J.     Its Miracles

K.   The spirit of brotherhood: Community of Property

1. Voluntary                      

2. Small Community                       

3. Selected people

4. Christ’s return    

5. A financial failure                       

6. Developing moral evils.

L.    The defect – No missionary zeal

A.    Stephen’s Preaching – deacon

B.    Saul’s persecution – diversion of church to Samaria, Damascus, Antioch of Syria.

C.    Philip in Samaria – One of the deacons – not quite a gentile but accepted

D.   Peter at Joppa and Caesarea – visions

E.    Paul’s conversion – on the way to Damascus

F.     The Church at Antioch – Barnabas sent to inspect, gentiles and Jews – The term Christian first used – by outsiders. (Act 11:26) The term used by Christians for themselves was “The Way”, (Acts 9:2)

G.   The first missionary Journey – Paul (home was Tarsus 100 miles from Antioch)

1.     Two workers in unison – Paul and Barnabas

2.     A younger man as a helper – Mark

3.     Large cites as fields of labor.

4.     Beginning in the Synagogue

5.     Revisiting of the Churches that were founded.

H.   The council at Jerusalem. – Did the Christians need to be Jew’s or adopt Jewish customs. AD 48.

A.    Authorities – Book of Acts 16-28, 1 Peter 1:1, Traditions.

B.    Field – Entire Roman Empire

C.    Membership – Increasingly Gentile.

D.   Leaders: St. Paul, St. Peter, James (Gal 2:9)

E.    Missionary Journeys of St. Paul

1. Second Journey: Europe visited.

F.     The First Imperial Persecution – Nero

G.   Literature of the Period – Matthew, Mark, Luke, Pauline letters, James, 1 & 2 Peter.

A.    The Fall of Jerusalem, 70 AD – destroyed the Jewish nation until 1948 – Vespasian surrounded the city and was then called back to be emperor of Rome. Titus, his son, destroyed Jerusalem and Temple. Christians escaped to Pella in the Jordan valley based on Matt 24 according to Eusebius.

B.    The Second Imperial persecution (Domitian), 90 AD 100’s killed around Rome.

C.    Completion of the New Testament – Acts, Hebrews, John’s works, Jude

D.   The condition of the church

1.     Extent and numbers – throughout the empire. 3 generations, several million

2.     Doctrinal System – Romans as supported by Peter and John

3.     Institutions: a. Baptism, b. The Lord’s day, c. The Lord’s supper, d. Easter Sunday

4.     Worship: Modeled after synagogue – reading scriptures, apostolic letters, hymns, prayers were spontaneous and meetings often ended with the Lord’s supper. There were addresses by visitors and members.

5.     Its spiritual state – Morals were high but spiritual was down compared to earlier. All were spiritual equals, women and slaves.

6.     Meetings: held in homes, women had quite a bit of power. Some women were prophets. Deaconess Rom 16:1

E.    What happened to the Apostles

1.     James the son of Zebedee beheaded 44 AD by Agrippa I.

2.     James (brother of Jesus) killed in 62

3.     Peter martyred in 67 – hung on a cross upside down. Ministered in Asia Minor (1Pe 1:1), Babylon?, Rome

4.     Paul beheaded in 68.

5.     Andrew (Peter’s brother) preached near east, Scythia, Ukraine, steps of Russia – crucified

6.     Philip – died a natural death in Hierapolis – itinerant missionary

7.     James the less – Egypt

8.     Thaddeus – Persia, martyred

9.     Matthias – Ethiopia, martyred

10. Simon the Zealot – martyred

11. Bartholomew – Gospel to India, Armenia

12. Matthew – labored in Ethiopia, Founded the Alexandria Church, Egypt

13. Thomas – Parthia &/or India

14. John – died a natural death in Ephesus 100 AD.

15. Mark – visited Alexandria, claimed by Venice, Italy

16. Jude – Assyria and Persia

I.      The Local Church

A.    The chief city in the province of Asia. – commercial center, bridge from Europe to Asia. The emperor had made Ephesus a free city; it had the title “Supreme Metropolis of Asia.”

B.    Locale of the 7th wonder of the world – Temple of Diana, the goddess of love (fertility) It was 425 feet long, 220 feet wide, and 60 feet high, with great folding doors and 127 marble pillars, some of them covered with gold.

C.    The name means desirable – a term that Greeks applied to the lady of his choice.

A.    He that holdest the seven stars in his right hand – Rev 1:16

B.    Who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.

1.     Rev 1:12-13

2.     Rev 1:20 – Explains the first sign.

C.    Why this picture for this church?

1.     God is in charge of the Church

2.     He in intimately involved in the Church age.

3.     Note he is walking among all the churches.

A.    Works

B.    Labors – difference to works? – Labor caries with it the idea of weariness.

C.    Patience – a fruit of the Holy Spirit.

D.   How thou canst not bear them which are evil. – They did not like evil men.

E.    Thou hast tried them that say they are apostles, and are not, and found them to be liars. – More of this is needed today (but apostles are only in the 1st century).

F.     Hast borne . . . for my name’s sake hast labored.

G.   And hast not fainted – hast not grown weary. A paradox of the Christiana faith – weary in the work but not of the work – Dwight L. Moody.

A.    They have left their first love. 2:4

B.    Remember & Repent and do the first work or I will remove thy candlestick 2:5

A.    hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans – compound work Nikao – to conquer and Laos – the people.

B.    Nicolaus apostatized from the truth and formed an Atinomian Gnostic cult which taught:

A.    Let him hear – A Christian hears guided by the Holy Spirit

B.    Overcometh – by the blood of the Lamb.

C.    Reward is the tree of Life – Gen 3:22-24, Rev 22:2

I. Period of Edification (95-150)

II. Period of Explanation (120-220) The apologists

A.  Converted from paganism. Faced external persecution, Used the Old Testament primarily (Septuagint). Defended or explained Christianity. Apologetic or dialogical literary form. Audience was heads of state, Jews, pagan intellectuals.

B.  Examples

1.   Justin Martyr (E) 100-165 foremost writer of 2nd century. Born near Shechem. A philosopher turned Christian. Wrote around 150 on.

2.   Tertullian (W) born 160 to a Roman centurion stationed in Carthage. Trained in Greek and Latin, Lawyer and Teacher. Became a Montanist about 202.

I. 2:8 Today called Izmir, continuously inhabited. Had many temples to all gods.

III. Second death – Dwight Moody said born once die twice, born twice die once.

I. 6:1-2 – White horse represents the 96-180

B. Nerva was from Crete. Cretans were known as a race of bowmen.

II. 6:3-4 – Red horse 180 – 284

III. 6:5-6 – Black Horse – third century.

IV. 6:7-8 – Pale Horse 248-296

V. 6:9-11 – 5th seal persecution of the Christians.

I. Constantine

A.    Born the illegitimate son of a Roman Soldier and Helena, a Christian freedwoman. His father ruled the western half of the empire.

B.    He came to power after winning a battle in 312 that he should have lost. Before the battle, he saw a vision XP. He had this painted on the shields of his Army. Chi Rho

C.    Edict of Milan 313 declared religious freedom for everyone.

D.   In 321, he declared Sunday a day of rest. – Sun god and Christianity weren’t too far apart for Constantine. declared himself arbitrator for church sees. (equal Bishops)

E.    Presided at the council of Nicea 325. Purposes:

1.     deal with the Arian conflict and

2.     fix the time of Easter  (see church struggles)

3.     paid for by the state. 200 clergy attended, only 20 from the west. England was there. about 300 total.

F.     Moved the capitol of the empire to Constantinople 330 (Now called Istanbul).

1.     No temples to idols, only churches, largest was Sancta Sophia (sacred Wisdom) burned in 537 and rebuilt.

2.     Church overshadowed by throne.

3.     Moved bodies of Paul and Peter to legitimize the importance of this church.

G.   Ordered 50 copies of the Bible. (impetus to finalize the books to be included)  - Canon 

H.   His mother took pilgrimages to Israel. Located most of the holy sites that are referenced today.

I.      He was baptized on his death bed, to absolve all sins          

II. Good things that came from the connection of the church to the state.

1.     Crucifixion was abolished

2.     Infanticide was discouraged and repressed. Killing infants.

3.     Half of the population was slaves with no rights. Christianity gave them rights.

4.     Gladiator games were ended. Never started in Constantinople. Not until 404 in Rome where a monk gave his life to stop the killing.

5.     Great evangelistic effort.

6.     New churches built, temples converted – using state funds (previously given to the pagan churches)

7.     Christmas, emphasized Jesus birth and manhood.

1.     Too many people joined the church too fast.

2.     Sate began to control the church. Made official state religion 381, however Trinity was decreed.

3.     Church became corrupt as Bishops got more power – separation of clergy and members.

4.     Pagan beliefs and customs entered the church.

5.     Worship of martyred saints as a substitute for heroes.

IV. Church struggles

A.    Donatist church formed in North Africa to protest the forgiveness of the clergy after the Diocletian persecution.

B.    Arius said Christ was less than God since God created him. He was divine but not diety.

1.     Athanasius – argued successfully against Arius, only 30 years old and couldn’t vote at the council. Went on to be Bishop of Alexandria. Brought monasteries to West.

2.     Nicene council condemned Arius but he used politics to win later by lying about Athanasius.

3.     Only in 381 was it finally killed. Emperor decreed anyone not declaring the trinity would be killed. This decree later used against the Unitarians. state forced the church on everyone.n

4.     Even so Arianism was taught in Africa and believed by many in the Eastern church. It was vigorously pushed especially into heathen areas.

5.     Nicene creed written to clarify Trinity.

C.    Eastern and western churches celebrated Easter on different days. Finally solved Dionysius Exiguss 525 AD Calendar.

D.   Some removed themselves from society – Monks were formed. Began in Egypt as individuals and moved to west later as groups. Athanasius is credited with bringing the movement to the west in one of his exiles in Egypt.

E.    By 381 council at Constantinople the Roman church was elevated to first place. There were 7 councils.

F.     Church takes on the emperor – Bishop of Milan – Ambrose. Imperial Governor of Milan, became the Bishop. Gave up worldly possessions and studied scriptures.

1.  City kills governor after he jails star of chariot race for being a homosexual.

2.  Emperor kills 7000 in city Thessalonica 390.

3.  Required to seek forgiveness to take communion.

G.   Church takes on the Visigoths,

V. Church Evangelizes Barbarians.

A.    Barbarians (bar, bar) babble. Used by Rome as mercenaries. They soon wanted more, chased by Attila.

B.    Antioch sends missionary to Persia. Antioch rivals Rome

C.    Armenia about 310 – First nation to be Christian. NT translated.

D.   Athanasius sent a missionary to Ethiopians

E.    British Isles – Celtic Patrick reaches Ireland in fifth century.

F.     Goths reached middle of 4th century by Arian Christian Ulfilas. Translated Bible (except Kings and Samuel because they were too warlike) losing side of theology evangelizes

G.   Martin Tours, patron saint of France, reaches Burgundians in southern Gaul.

H.   5th century the Armenians, Syrians, Ethiopians separate from Greek Church (become Coptic church today)

I.      Franks converted 495 Clovis – Arians first but switches

J.     Columba reaches Scotland 6th century.

VI. Leaders

A.    John called Chrysostom “Golden mouthed” after death. Mother widowed at 20 – devoted life to educating her son. Lawyer – became a monk. Patriarch of Constantinople. Banished by Emperoress when he denounced her placing of a silver statue of herself near Saint Sophia.

B.    Jerome – commentator & Translator – Latin Vulgate translation from original languages. Also wrote a manual for monks, bible commentaries. Bible done in 405 (22 years).

C.    Eusebius of Caesarea – Church historian to 324. Right hand of Constantine at councils.

D.   Ambrose – Imperial governor of Milan, a layman became the bishop of Milan – preached with spiritual (allegorical) meaning.

E.    Augustine – Philosopher & Theologian (best since Paul). Wrote “City of God”, confessions (autobiography). Understood and preached predestination. First to do so. Student of Ambrose.

F.     Leo the Great – saved Rome several times. Jesus had two natures in one person.

I.      The two edged sword – Rev 1:16, Word of God – old and new.

A.    Pergamos has two meanings marriage and elevation

1.     marriage with the world

2.     Elevated to power.

B.    Center for scientific knowledge – especially medicine – vast library of 200,000 books

C. The Bible was finally nailed down in this period. The two sided sword.

II. Commendations (3)

A.    Understands their circumstances

B.    Satan’s seat – Emperor’s throne, the world.

C.    Hold fast to my name – great giants of the faith – Arian

D.   Hast not denied my faith – hold to the true doctrine.

E.    Antipas was a faithful martyr. - the name means “against

III. Condemnations

A.    Balaam Numbers 25:1-9 – doctrine corruption of intermarriage. Idolatry and Fornication. Civil leaders became Bishops.

B.    Nicolatians – doctrine Gnostics – remember Ephesus had rejected this. Priestly order?

C.    Repent or I will fight with the Sword of my mouth.

D.   He that hath an ear – He that overcomes.

1.  I give the hidden manna (contrast to food of idols)

2.  I will give him a white stone. (victory)

3.  I will give him a new name – secret between him and God.

4.  Rev 1:12-16 Rev 1:20 – Explains the first sign.

IV. Where were they at the close of this period

A.    Growing power of western church was solidified.

B.    Eastern Church under the thumb of the Government.

C.    Church still vibrant and alive – converting the heathens that invade

D.   Monasteries formed.

E.    Great men of faith established key doctrines.

F.     Latin Vulgate – fresh translation from Greek and Hebrew.

G.   Sole religion of the Empire

V.    Revelation prophecy fulfilled in history. (Historist view) Rev 6:12-

1.     winds of impending war with the heathens

2.     winds of impending error in the church

3.     Sealing is the King of the Goths preserving the Christians while sacking Rome

C.    144 Thousand – Rev 7:4-8

1.     The pure church that was preserved.

2.     The number of Jews saved in the Church

D.   Multitude – Rev 7:9-17

E.    ½ hour of silence in heaven – Rev 8:1

2.     70 years on earth equals ½ hour in heaven.

3.     Silence of expectation – Zech 2:13 (Matthew Henry)

F.     Coals of Fire Cast from altar to Earth – Rev 8:2-6

1.     The saints slain by Rome are about to be vindicated.

2.     The angel who offers incense is Christ.

G.   The first 4 trumpets represent the 4 great blows that fell on the Western Empire.

a.      Goths and Vandals under Alaric.

b.     Historian Edward Gibbon (a non Christian) used language like the Bible when he wrote: “the tremendous sound of the Gothic trumpet,” Rome had not had to confront foreign invaders for eight hundred years. “Blood and conflagration and the burning of trees and herbage marked their path.”

c.      Matthew Henry adds the calamities are also on the Church and the grass and trees are the clergy and laity.

d.     1/3 represents either 1/3 of the known world or the western empire is 1/3 of the total.

2.     Rev 8:8-9 – The second trumpet

a.      The mountain is the Vandals (428-468)

b.     Tyrant of the Sea – destroyed the Roman ships, sacked Carthage

3.     The third trumpet - Rev 8:10-11

a.      great star is Attila the Hun. Decimated the regions of the Rhine.

b.     In the Alps so many died as to pollute the springs.

c.      Symbolically it represents heresy.

4.     The fourth trumpet – Rev 8:12

a.      The fall of Rome in 476 – the end of the west empire.

b.     Sun, moon, stars are the political firmament of Rome. 

I. State of the Western Church in 590

A.    Gregory I – First Pope (not called Pope)

1.     Born wealthy – gave it up to enter a monastery.

a.      At 33 was named prefect (mayor) of Rome

b.     Made a deacon in Church - Served 7 years as emissary to Constantinople – Never learned Greek.

c.      Became abbot of monastery.

2.     Drafted in 590 for Bishop of Rome.

a.      Did not want the job – tried to hide in the woods. Age 50.

b.     Rome was in a plague – no Bishop for 6 mos.

c.      Able administrator – credited with ending the plague

3.     Sent Augustine (of Canterbury) to convert the English

a.      Saw children slaves called angles

b.     Gregory said not angles but angels.

4.     Fought with Emperor and Patriarch of Constantinople over supremacy

a.      Lost first round – never called himself Pope but wouldn’t let anyone else have that name.

b.     Won when there was a new emperor. Begin rule.

B.    Beliefs

1.     Venerated Mary – replaced the goddess for the barbarians.

2.     Practicing all 7 sacraments but didn’t call them that yet.

a.      Marriage

b.     Baptism

c.      Lords Supper – Eucharist

d.     Ordination – Holy orders

e.      Penance

f.       Confirmation

g.      Extreme Unction (anointing of the sick)

3.     Gregory toned down original sin – no guilt from Adam.

4.     Turned Lord’s supper into a Mass

a.      Gregorian chant

b.     Almost a sacrifice. transubstantiation

C.    Other

1.     Land owned by Monasteries

2.     Kept Kings in line to some extent – Began the age where the Pope ruled the world.

3.     Outlawed divorce.

II. Conversion of England

A.    Celtic – Romans 1st Century

B.    Ireland won by Patrick 432-60

C.    Scotland won by Columba 593

D.   Modern Celtic fringe is still present.

E.    Roman

1.     Pagan Anglo-Saxon’s invade and destroy Christianity

2.     Roman Christianity re-introduced by Augustine of Cambridge 597 – sent by Gregory

3.     Celtic Christianity by Aidan 635

a.      Monks could marry

b.     Easter celebrated at a different time

c.      Hair was cut differently

4.     Roman Catholic form wins at Whitby 663

5.     Theodore organizes the Church – starts schools

F.     Britain is the shining star of Rome

1.     Supports the emperor

2.     Sent Missionary to convert the Germans.

3.     Converts the Vikings, Norwegians

III. The Muslims – Islam

A.    Mohamed started 622

1.     One God – Allah

2.     Fatalistic – all is will of God

3.     Opposition to all images

B.    Swept through Persia, North Africa, Spain

1.     Persia and Empire were fighting at the time.

2.     Stopped in the East by Constantinople

3.     Stopped in the West at Tours in 732 – Charles Martel – Grandfather of Charlemagne

4.     African population were pacifists. Dead Religion – no missionaries. Coptic church.

C.    Conquered lands had three choices

1.     become Islam

2.     pay a tribute

3.     be killed.

E.  Set up golden age of Arabs

1.     Contact with India

2.     Culture and Mathematics.

3.     Brought Greek culture to the west via Spain

4.     Higher culture than Europe

IV. Eastern Church

A.    Continued with the west with differences

1.     council in 680 permitted Priests to marry in the East

B.    Iconoclast problem

1.     Moslems called Christian heathens because of icons.

2.     Emperor outlawed icons – women revolted

3.     Council called 787

a.      veneration OK

b.     East made flat picture like carvings.

V. Charlemagne 800

A.    Roman empire (First Reich) – arts and culture

1.     Started schools in the Monasteries.

2.     Requested to help stop the Lombards by Pope

3.     Crowned emperor on Christmas 800 AD.

4.     Believed Emperor was above the Church.

B.    Couldn’t keep it together after he died because of Frank inheritance rights

1. Land divided between 3 sons, France, German, Italy

C.    Feudal system developed.

1.     Land owner had the wealth

2.     Bought the church – hired the Clergy.

D.   Church used lies to be more powerful

1.     Forged – Donation of Constantine – recognition of supremacy of Rome

2.     False Decretals of Isidore – decisions from early bishops of Rome setting highest claims.

3.     Not challenged, ignorance

VI. 900

A.    Holy Roman Empire (Second Reich) Otto the Great. 951

B.    Dark period for the west – harlots took over the Church

C.    East – conversion of Russia – Russian Orthodox

A.    1054 Split East & West Church

1.     Nicene Creed - Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father (and the Son)

2.     Church State vs. State Church

3.     Independence of the West – since Charlemagne

4.     Claims of Rome about the Pope.

B.    Hildebrand – Gregory VII

1.     Reformed the Church

2.     Made government subordinate to the Church – Challenged Henry IV of Germany

C.    Crusades – 7 major Crusades

1.     Caused by Pilgrims at Millennium and Turks taking over the Muslim world. (Y1K problem)

2.     Pope promised indulgences to crusaders, pergatory.

3.     1095-1099 – Took Jerusalem – lasted 100 years – Made tourism Safe

4.     1147-1149 – reinforcements for first Crusade

5.     1188-1192 Tourism guaranteed

a.      3 Kings started

b.     King Richard finally confronted Turks.

D.   At Home

1.     Nationalism begins to form

2.     Great Cathedrals built

3.     Education – Colleges formed

a.      Paris, Oxford, Cambridge

b.     Doctors of Divinity, Medicine, and Law

4.     Monks reform –

a.      Franciscan

b.     Dominicans

c.      Monastic reform

d.     Friars roam the countryside.

E.    Pope Innocent III 1198-1216

1.     The most powerful pope of all – in his inaugural address “The successor to St. Peter stands midway between God and man, below God, above man; Judge of all, judged by none.”

2.     Picked emperor Otto, Ruled Rome, Submission of French and English Kings. Used King of France to enforce his edits.

3.     Launched 4th Crusade, which got sidetracked and sacked Constantinople – 1204-1261 Roman Church.

4.     Started ‘Crusades’ against infidels, Moors in Spain.

a.      Spanish inquisition to drive out Islam

b.     Turned and used against all infidels – Jews, heretics

c.      Helped to nationalize Spain.

d.     Albigenese, Waldensians – reformers.

5.     Final Doctrine established for the Church

a.      Fourth Lateran Council of 1215

b.     Everything written down by St. Tomas Aquinas - scholastic

c.      His teaching that man’s will was not totally corrupted. By faith and the use of the means grace in the sacraments dispensed by the hierarchy, man could achieve salvation..

d.     Indulgences – guilt and eternal punishment were forgiven by God but that there was a temporal satisfaction that the repentant sinner must fulfill either in this life or in purgatory. This satisfaction might by a pilgrimage to a shrine, a payment of money to the Church, or some meritorious deed.

VIII. 1217 - 1517

A.    Great men of Faith

1.     Thomas Aquinas – 1225-1274 Greatest mind of the middle ages.

2.     A. Kempis – 1380-1471 author of “The Imitation of Christ”.

3.     Wycliff 1329-1415 – English translation of the Bible.

4.     John Huss – 1369-1415 Martyred – Prague, Bohemia

B.    1211 Mongol Leu Genghis Khan, who's mother was a Christian, conquers Iran and Iraq. In 1266 he contacts the Christian leaders and asks for 100 Christian teachers. The pope sends 7. In 1295 he converts to Muslim.

C.    Decline of Papal Power – began with Boniface VIII

1.     Babylonian captivity – 1305 to 1377 – pope was a figurehead under control of the French King.

a.      Clement V followed Boniface and transferred papal court to Avignon.

b.     Confirmed fears of England and Germany that pope was in France’s back pocket. They revolted.

c.      Black Plague 1/3 Europe died 1348-1351 40 million people died. – Church blamed (God's judgment), Jews blamed (because the cleanness laws preserved their neighborhoods).

2.     Council of Constance – 4 popes claimed the throne

3.     Popes continue to make high claims but no power.

4.     Total Failure of clergy – money hungry (taxation), took concubines and indulgences.

D.   Reforms

1.     Monk orders reform.

a.      Franciscan

b.     Dominicans

c.      Monastic reform

d.     Friars roaming the countryside.

2.     Puritan movement

3.     Waldenses

a.      Forbidden to preach because they had no formal training

b.     Wanted everyone to have a Bible.

4.     Mysticism

a.      reaction to Scholasticism of the new colleges

b.     Wanted to get close personal contact with Jesus

c.      Imitations of Christ – Great book of the period

5.     Forerunners – attempted reform inside the Church

a.      John Wycliffe 1328-84

1)     Student of Oxford – professor

2)     Translated Bible into English

3)     Lollards carried on the work.

b.     John Hus – Bohemia (because of wife of King of England)

6.     Reforming Councils.

a.      Pisa 1409 – called by Cardinals to try and remove two Popes. Ended up with a third!

b.     Constance – tried to follow Constantine

1) elected a Pope

E.    Renaissance – awakening of Europe – opposition to the Church

1.     Interest in classic literature, art – art for arts sake

2.     Less interest in religion in Italy

3.     Greeks from the fall of Constantinople – 1453

4.     Printing Press invented 1456

5.     Biblical Humanists

6.     More rise of Nationalism and the middle class

F. The Greek Orthodox Church moved to Moscow (the third

IX. Thyratira Rev 2:18-29

A.    Thyratira comes from two words, one meaning a sacrifice, or an incense-offering; the other, that which goes on continually. A suggested interpretation, therefore, is “continual sacrifice"

1.     On the banks of the Lycus river, this was a prospering industrial city known especially for its flourishing trade guilds.

2.     The Catholic Church instituted the sacrifice of mass. In mass they offer a continual sacrifice for the sins of the living and the dead. – What happened to the finished work of Christ?

B.    Description of Jesus – Rev 1:14-15

1.     Son of God – conveys the Deity of Jesus (not the Son of Mary)

a. Christ, Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Son  of Man (1:13)

2.     Eyes link unto a flame of fire – speaks of His penetrating insight, holiness and righteousness.

3.     Feet are like fine brass – speaks of his judgment. Brazen altar symbolizes Christ work on Earth.

C.    Good works

1.     Charity, service, faith, and patience; the last works are more than the first.

2.     6 words of commendation

a.      Works – credentials of true believers – every hospital was either a convent or a monastery.

b.     Love – some wonderful saints

c.      Faith – the mainspring that turns the hands of works and love.

d.     Ministry – service

e.      Patience – endurance

f.       Increasing works – the last works are more than the first.

D.   Condemnation

1.     Jezebel brought paganism into the Northern Kingdom. Idol worship.

a.      Women who wouldn’t remove idolatry from the Church?

b.     Women who operated the throne during the darkest hour?

c.      Worship of Mary?

d.     The church itself - Popery

2.     Space to repent – time to change.

a.      Rome boasts that it never changes – semper idem (always the same).

b.     Church teaches that she cannot do wrong.

3.     She taught in the assembly and people followed her.

a.      Fornication (adultery) – Pagan practices in the Church holy days, rites, dogmas, ceremonies, vestments, and titles.

b.     Idolatry – worshipping other than God.

E.    Reversing the order of the end – signifies people rather than Church gets the prize. The church was given 1000 years to reform and has been condemned.

X. Revelation as fulfilled in History – Historic view.

A.    Rev 8:13 The 3 woes

1.     The first two woes represent the rise of Islam.

2.     These two trumpets are said to be an exact fit with history even by Futurists.

B.    Rev 9:1-6 The Fifth Trumpet – Locust

1.     Saracens – Arab Muslims. – Locust (Heb. arbeh) plagues often came from Arabia (Heb. arbi).

2.     The star fallen from heaven – Mohammed (Matthew Henry says Pope Boniface.

3.     Koran – “Destroy no palm trees, nor any fields of corn, cut down no fruit trees”

4.     5 months = 150 days = 150 years. Time from Mohammed to establishing capitol in Baghdad.

C.    Rev 9:7-12 description of the Locusts

1.     Turbans are crowns

2.     Bearded, long hair

3.     Saracens had iron coats of mail.

D.   Rev 9:13-15 The Sixth Trumpet – 1/3 of mankind killed.

1.     Turks - Ottoman

2.     Destroyed Eastern empire (1/3)

E.    Rev 9:16-19 Description of the Army.

1.     Used gunpowder to take Constantinople.

2.     Uniforms of scarlet, blue, and yellow.

3.     Rallied troops with horses tails tied to spears.

F.     Rev 9:20-21 No Repentance