In the book of Matthew 16, Jesus says in response to the revelation by Peter that He is the Christ, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” What a response! Jesus says HE WILL have His church, the devil will attack it but the devil will not prevail!
This rock, this stone is Him, Jesus himself! A ‘seven -faceted’ stone as spoken of by the prophet Zechariah (Zechariah 3:8-9) and on this stone – will be His ‘seven’ churches as written to in Revelation! The ‘seven’ churches as revealed by the Spirit, as well as being specific individual churches, also represent the ‘7-fold’ history of the church. Throughout the history of the church, the devil has continually attacked the Church of Christ. From persecution, murder, sending false teachers and even deceiving millions and infiltrating the Church the devil cannot destroy the Bride of Christ!
In the ‘seven’ letters to the churches, Jesus gives us the story and conditions of His church, plenty of encouragement and also warnings! Even to the church of Ephesus the first church, Jesus has plenty of good to say – but He also says, “I have this against you.” Oh no – what is He going to say?
Jesus tells the church that they had ‘abandoned’ the love they had at first. Love for Him and love for each other. Jesus says in John 15 verse 12 – “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” You are to love one another and though there were many good things that had been done, they had forsaken this commandment. Jesus continues to challenge us, as he says in John 14 verse 15 – “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Do you say that you love Him? If you do, Jesus says that you will keep His commandments that include loving one another!
The Church of Jesus Christ is built with Living Stones that love Jesus with ALL their heart and then love one another! This is a crucial part of the foundations of the Church of Christ! When we love each other, the devil cannot defeat that! He is powerless when we love each other and even those who come against us. There is nothing that can stop the building of Church – His true Church.
By the Spirit of prophecy, which is the testimony of Jesus, the letters to the churches exposes the schemes of the devil and they will be exposed. Stay with us as we start to explore these truths contained in the letters – they are a ‘revelation.’
“Upon this rock – I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”
