Biblical Church History

Biblical Church History Following the Hand of God and the Hand of Satan

THE 7 PERIODS OF CHURCH HISTORY

ThyatIra S A R D I s Revelation 2:18-29 c.1000-1500 A.D. “RED ONES”

S A R D I s ThyatIra I. The Commission Rev. 3: 1a

(Rev 3:1) And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

S A R D I s • Remember, the name of each of the churches is directly correlated with God’s view point of that time period • The name “Sardis” means red ones • God’s view point of this church age during the darkest time to ever hit the earth through massive persecution and blood shed of bible believers was the “red ones”

S A R D I s • During the Dark Ages the Catholic Church slaughtered millions of Christians, and this atrocity is never mentioned today! The world has almost completely forgotten the many millions of people who were burned at the stake by the papacy because they wanted to worship God according to the Bible. • Karl Marx- “If you can separate people from their history, you can convince them of anything.”

S A R D I s ThyatIra II. The Character Rev. 3: 1b

S A R D I s • Remember every time the lord address one of these Churches, he reminds them of a characteristic of himself that John saw in Chapter 1 • That characteristic is the main point of him that those churches need during that time period

(Rev 4:5) And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

(Rev 5:6) And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of Godsent forth into all the earth.

S A R D I s ThyatIra III. The Condemnation Rev. 3: 1c

S A R D I s ThyatIra IV. The Correction Rev. 3: 2-3

(Rev 3:2-3) Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

S A R D I s • The key is to repent not reform • These that he is telling to repent are those that have been seduced into her bed.

S A R D I s ThyatIra V. The Commendation Rev. 3: 4

(Rev 3:4-5) Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Sardis • A. Population of the remnant “RED ONES”

S A R D I s • Historians place the number around 4 million • Don’t ever lose sight of the fact of no matter how dark Israel got in the Old Testament and the no matter how dark it may get in the church God has always had his faithful few. (1 Kings 19:18) • God has always had those who would not bow to Baal, nor defile their garments.

S A R D I s • In this Sardis church period there were those that who were never a part of the Catholic Church. People that stood for the Word of God and against that Church along time before the Reformation. • These people were not try to reform the Catholic Church because they were not ever a part of it.

Sardis • B. The myth of the Baptist being Protestant “RED ONES”

S A R D I s • In the Ephesus Church Period they are called Montanists • Because a man names Montanist stood against those that preached that there was a priestly class over the lay people. • And many people stood with him so they named them after him. • In the Smyrna Church Period they are called Novations • This man preached against infant baptism

S A R D I s • In the Pergamos Church Period they are called Donatists • This man preached against the state baptism • In the Thyatira Church Period they are called Paulicians • This group called out the Catholics about them not rightly dividing the truth by gathering their doctrine from the gospels.

S A R D I s • In the Sardis Church Period they called by the name of the region they are from in Europe • Cathari, Bogomils, Albigenses, Waldenses, Henricians, Bulgarians, Petrobusians, Arnoldists, LollardsHussites and Ana Baptist

S A R D I s • The Points of common theology • They all professed to believe that the Bible alone was the final authority in every matter. • They believed that baptism was for those that had trusted Christ as savior only, and was to be done by immersion • They all believed in separation of Church and State. • None of them would ever pray to the dead (saints) or for the dead (purgatory) • They all rejected the Catholic Mass

THE CRUSADES

A. The background of the Crusades from God’s Perspective

S A R D I s • Keep in mind as we move into the Crusades, the things we have learned about Satan: • The position he one held.. • The place he once was… • The pride that lifted him up… • The place and position he wants back… • The peoples(nations) he uses… • The plan he uses… (Church- State)

B. The background of the Crusades from Historical and Biblical Perspective

S A R D I s • The rise of Mohammed and the religion of Islam • The Moslems, through their power in the Turkish Nations had taken control of Jerusalem. • The devil has become firmly established in Europe, through what was called the Holy Roman Empire. • In the Sardis Period, he begins to turn his attention to the Middle East.

S A R D I s • This was the time of the “feudal” system • “Before the rise of national states in Western Europe, the people lived under a system called Feudalism. This was a social system of rights and obligations based on land ownership patterns.Each small district was ruled by a duke, count, or other noble. The noble’s power was based on the land he held in feud….

S A R D I s • ..This peculiar system of landholding determined the pattern of government. It also gave rise to fortified castles, knights in armor, and chivalry. The term “feudalism” therefore describes and entire way of life. The system of feudalism was established gradually, between the 8th and 11th centuries. France was the land of its earliest and most complete development, but in some for or other it was found in all the countries of Western Europe….

S A R D I s • …It flourished especially from the 11th to the end of the 13th century. There are survivals of feudalism in the laws and social usages of modern European countries.” • Compton’s New Century Encyclopedia & Reference Collection, Feudalism.

C. The actual beginning of the Crusades

S A R D I s • The time is 1095 A.D. • The Pope on the throne is Urban the 2nd

S A R D I s • Note the infatuation of the Roman Catholic church with relics, images, holy things and places… • To the {Catholics} of Europe; Jerusalem in the Holy Land was sacred city. The tomb of Christ, the Mount of Olives, Golgotha, and all places associated with the life and death of Christ were believed to have divine powers of healing and of absolving penitents of sin. People from all parts of Europe made pilgrimages to Jerusalem and other holy places. • Compton’s Encyclopedia, Crusades

S A R D I s • The report from the Catholics returning from their pilgrimages… • The response of Pope Urban II…

S A R D I s • In November of 1095 in Southern France, Pope Urban II calls the Council of Claremont. • It brought: • 14 Archbishops, 250 Bishops, 400 Abbots, and thousands of tents were pitched outside the walls. • PhillopSchaff, History of the Christian Church, V, 227

S A R D I s • After 9 days of deliberation, Urban walked out on an elevated platform to address the people.. • “The address was the most effective sermon ever preached by a pope or any other mortal. It stirred the deepest feelings of the hearers and was repeated throughout all Europe.” • Ibid.

S A R D I s • Key elements of the “sermon” • The Catholics are “the elect of God” • The Moslems (Turks) are “the accursed race” • We (European Catholics)a re the answer to the cry of our brothers and sisters in the East. • If we go, Christ Himself will lead the armies. • Those who fight will receive an “incorruptible crown”

S A R D I s • The theme throughout the “sermon” was… “God wills it!” • An excerpt from the “sermon” • “It is the will of God. Let these words be your war-cry when you unsheathe the sword. You are the soldiers of the cross. Wear on your breast or shoulders the blood-red sign of the cross. Wear it as a token that His help will never fail you, as the pledge of a vow to be recalled.” • Schaff, V, 229

S A R D I s • The response of the people: • “Thousands at once took the oath and sewed crosses on their garments or branded it upon their bare skin.” • Ibid

S A R D I s • Meanwhile back in Jerusalem.. • The leader of the Turks in Jerusalem is saying, “It is the will of Allah that we stay in Jerusalem!” • The Crusades were actually “It is the Will of God” vs. “It is the will of Allah.” • From a biblical perspective, however, the Crusades were a political move of Satan, dressed in the religious clothes of the Roman Catholic Church, to get the Holy Land under Rome’s domination in order to put his false Christ on the throne in Jerusalem.

D. The Crusades

S A R D I s • The First Crusades • 1096 to 1099 • The first wave was led by “Walter the penniless”.. • The second wave was led by “Peter the Hermit”.. • The third wave was led by the Nobles.. • On July 15, 1099, they finally conquered Jerusalem

S A R D I s • The Second Crusade • 1147 to 1149 • Let by two kings: Conrad III and Louise VII

Biblical Church History