Revelation Chapter Two, Are We Listening?

Revelation 2:29 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’

The Lord Jesus Christ instructs believers to listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to the churches. Not just these seven Asiatic churches, but every church of every age from the onset of Pentecost to the last day when the Rapture occurs and the church ceases.

Mind you, believers will not cease. There will be millions of Jews converted and an army of Gentiles brought into the faith, but they will be what is referred to commonly as Tribulation saints, persecuted by the Antichrist over seven years. Unlike the church, whom the gates of Hell would not prevail against, these saints will be killed for their faith in droves. And then there will be the millennial saints, who enter the thousand years, or are born into it, and are saved by faith in Christ.

But we are not immediately concerned with these parties. Rather, we are looking at the church, and what the Holy Spirit is currently saying to us as a body. We find the Holy Spirit active in the church in the book of Acts right away. Chapter 2 officially begins the church dispensation, when the Holy Spirit settles on the apostles,a few of the mere one hundred twenty believers (see Acts 1:15). The distribution of spiritual gifts had begun, Acts 2:4. “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills,” 1 Corinthians 12:11. Peter, addressing the crowd before him, states that God’s intention was to pour out His Spirit upon humanity, Acts 2:17, 18. Referencing Joel 2:28-32, Peter asserts that the last days are upon us, and one may consider the church era or dispensation as a primer before the clock makes another stroke and the seven years begins. The Holy Spirit will be more abundantly poured out in the thousand years of Jesus’ reign on earth, where it is said that, “No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, ays the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sins I will remember no more,” Jeremiah 31:34.

This again references the thousand years, when the Jews will have repented nationally and individually and embraced their Messiah, entering into the fullness of His blessing. For now, the Holy Spirit gives us gifts, and appoints leadership within the church, Acts 20:28. He also disciplines, as was the tragic case with Ananias and his wife, Saphira, Acts 5:9. The Holy Spirit is the indwelling presence in every believer, as He has been since Pentecost, see Acts 8:15-17. He directs the ministry of godly men and women, for the edification of the church. In Philip’s case He spoke to him directly, instructing him to overtake the Ethiopian eunuch, so that the man might carry the gospel message into Ethiopia on his return trip, Acts 8:29. More than that, when Philip finished his ministry, the Holy Spirit translated him to Azotus; essentially Rapturing the man from one location to another, Acts 8:39, 40. The Holy Spirit likewise gave Peter a commission, one which turned the fortunes of the Gentile world forever, Acts 10:19, 20, 11:12. When Peter concluded his message, their hearts already being prepared by God, Cornelius and his family believed, and the Holy Spirit indwelt them, Acts 10:44. Cornelius and his household were saved this way for what I believe is a two-fold purpose. First, they did not have anyone lay on hands, which demonstrated that this was a symbolic acceptance of believers, not a necessary function to “pass on” the Holy Spirit to someone. Second, they spoke in tongues to make clear that the Holy Spirit had come upon them, and they were truly saved, again demonstrating that water baptism had nothing to do with salvation. They were born again by faith, and then baptized to publicly associate with the Lord, Acts 10:47, 48. Moments such as this weren’t exceptions, as some say, but examples to show us the simplicity of the gospel’s saving power.

The Holy Spirit also singled out Barnabas and Saul (or Paul), to begin the work He called them to, Acts 13:2, 4, see also Ephesians 2:10. The Holy Spirit also prevented Paul from entering certain regions (Asia, Mysia, Bithynia) for reasons of His own, Acts 16:6, 7. We know this was not for good, since the seven letters to the churches in Revelation are Asiatic. I could go on through the book of Acts, demonstrating the Holy Spirit’s superintendence over His church, but I believe the examples given suffice for the time being. The Holy Spirit compels us to listen. But we cannot listen, quite literally, if we do not have the Spirit, Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 2:11-14. Any sect or cult that denies the personhood and sovereignty of God the Holy Spirit does not have the Spirit, and therefore does not have God by the Bible’s own confession. We who are believers must attend to the voice of the Holy Spirit, who today speaks a message of reconciliation to a lost world through Jesus Chris to the churches, and gifts us appropriately for our portion in that ministry.