Prophecies Jesus gave in Mathew 24 and Revevelation require internet and smartphone

Revelation 2:7

(1) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (2) To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the (3) tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.

1. Admonition = all seven churches receive this concluding admonition, which Aune indicates can have two nuances: (1) what is said has a deeper, hidden meaning or (2) the hearer must obey what is given. Both nuances are intended. The inclusion of "the churches" demands a near/far application
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The Lord Jesus is reported to have used a similar statement by Matthew, Mark and Luke (Mark 4:9, 23; Matthew 11:15, 13:9, 43; Luke 8:8, 14:35). In each case, the saying is a queue to look deeper into the Lord’s words. The "simple sense" is the basic story. The intended significance is the spiritual truth beneath the basic story.

2. Overcomes = this Greek verb nikan (from which we get our English word nike which means to conquer).

Nikan can refer in a metaphorical sense to either an athletic contest or military battle.

One can be an overcomer in two ways in the New Testament: (1) salvific and (2) sanctification. The difference is one of conditionality. John states in I John 5:4-5, "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" This is clearly salvific in nature. Our salvation is not conditional. 1 John 5:1 indicates that to be born of God, one must believe. Belief is not mere intellectual assent, but life transforming commitment to Jesus Christ. The result is eternal life.

However, the overcomer in Revelation is vastly different. The overcomer in Revelation is one who perseveres to the end. He remains faithful under difficult circumstances. "The overcomer is the individual Christian who enjoys special benefits in eternity for refusing to give up his faith in spite of persecution during life on earth." (J.C. Dillow, The Reign of the Servant Kings, 481) Revelation lists thirteen rewards for the overcomer:

(1) Authority over nations (2:26)
(2) Name not erased from book of life (3:5)
(3) Inherits the earth (21:7)
(4) New name on a white stone (2:17)
(5) Eat of hidden manna (2:17)
(6) Pillar in temple (3:12)
(7) Sits on Christ’s throne (3:21)
(8) Tree of life (2:7)
(9) Not hurt by second death (2:11)
(10) Morning star (2:28)
(11) White Garments (3:5)
(12) Name of God, city, and Christ written on him (3:12)
(13) Name confessed before the Father and His angels (3:5)

The rewards and the warnings make no sense unless some believers will not receive them because of their unfaithfulness. Why warn a person about something he cannot lose? We can debate what is lost, but there is no debate that something is lost with grave consequences to follow (See I Cor. 3:16 and I John 2:28).

Those individuals in the seven churches who are not overcomers are promised:

(1) War with the sword from the Lord’s month (2:16)
(2) To be thrown into the great tribulation (2:22)
(3) Children killed with the pestilence (2:23)
(4) To receive according to their deeds (2:23)
(5) Come like a thief (3:3)
(6) Spit out of the Lord’s mouth (3:16)
(7) Reproof and discipline (3:19)

True believers do not have to persevere to win salvation, nor must they be faithful to keep it. Any conditionality automatically removes the issue from a consideration of salvation to the issue of sanctification and rewards. The overcomer in Revelation can lose his reward. It is not eternal. To compromise in the face of physical danger will have severe consequences during the persecution by Antichrist and when one stands before the Lord in judgment.

The apostle Paul states in 2 Corinthians 5:10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." Paul indicates a "pay back" for the "bad" done in the body. What the "pay back" is for bad deeds is not indicated, but there is a "pay back."

3. Tree of life = first stated promise to the overcomers. The tree of life is first mentioned in Genesis 3:22. This tree stood in the Garden of Eden. This tree was not forbidden to Adam and Eve. Whether they ate from it before the fall is not certain. Only after their sin does God forbid their eating from it. If Adam and Eve had eaten from "the tree of life," they would have removed the curse of death—immortality. That the faithful, who already are immortal, will be able to eat from this tree indicates that immortality is not the benefit the righteous will derive from this tree.

[link to www.revelationcommentary.org]

Revelation 2:8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;

Verse 8. "Unto the angel" - This was probably the famous Polycarp

"These things saith the first and the last" - He who is eternal; from whom all things come, and to whom all things must return. Which was dead, for the redemption of the world; and is alive to die no more for ever, his glorified humanity being enthroned at the Father's right hand.

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The First and the Last: Jesus chose this title from His initial appearance to John (Revelation 1:11, 1:17) to speak of His eternal character. The First and the Last are titles that belong only to the Lord, Yahweh, according to Isaiah 41:4, 44:6, and 48:12.

Who was dead, and came to life: Jesus chose this title from His initial appearance to John (Revelation 1:18) to remind the Christians in Smyrna that they served the risen Lord, victorious over death. Death could not hold Jesus, and it cannot hold His people.

Revelation 2:9. "I know thy works" - As he had spoken to the preceding Church, so he speaks to this: I know all that ye have done, and all that ye have suffered. The tribulation here mentioned must mean persecution, either from the Jews, the heathens, or from the heretics, who, because of their flesh-pampering doctrines might have had many partisans at Smyrna.

"And poverty" - Stripped probably of all their temporal possessions, because of their attachment to the Gospel.

"But thou art rich" - Rich in faith, and heir of the kingdom of Christ.

"The blasphemy of them which say they are Jews" - There were persons there who professed Judaism, and had a synagogue in the place, and professed to worship the true God; but they had no genuine religion, and they served the devil rather than God. They applied a sacred name to an unholy thing: and this is one meaning of the word blasphemy in this book.

[link to www.godrules.net]

Revelation 10:1 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

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"Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer" - This may be addressed particularly to Polycarp, if he was at that time the bishop of this Church. He had much to suffer; and was at last burnt alive at Smyrna, about the year of our Lord 166. We have a very ancient account of his martyrdom, which has been translated by Cave, and is worthy of the reader's perusal. That account states that the Jews were particularly active in this martyrdom... Such persons must indeed have been of the synagogue of Satan.

"Ten days" - As the days in this book are what is commonly called prophetic days, each answering to a year, the ten years of tribulation may denote ten years of persecution; and this was precisely the duration of the persecution under Diocletian, during which all the Asiatic Churches were grievously afflicted...

or The Tribulation is actually 10 years.

Revelation 2 continued:

11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Only those with spiritual ears can hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Those that overcome will not be hurt of the second death. Later in this book, we will find out that the second death is the Lake of Fire. It is where all will go who are not written in the book of life. No one who overcomes by washing their sins away with the blood of the Lamb will ever take part in this second death.

This persecuted church is one of only two churches that Jesus has no message of criticism for. The other church is Philadelphia. Jesus in general is well pleased with the people who make up the Church at Smyrna.

Revelation 2:12 And to the angel of the Church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges

Jesus can cut deeply with his word.

Nation against nation

From Telegraph UK:

Thousands packed into North Korea stadium call for bloody revenge on US on Korean War anniversary

Revelation 2:13

I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

Commentary on verses 12 & 13:

2:12-13 Pergamos: The Church of Compromise, Early 300s-Mid 500s. Pergamos means height or elevation. It was located on a high mountain. The capital of the Roman province of Asia, it was a sophisticated city, a famous cultural center with a tremendous library and several pagan temples.

Prophetically, Pergamos represents the period from the early 300s to the mid-500s when the last major obstacle hindering the power of the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Church in Rome was removed. It was during this time that the church became strongly linked with the state. The bishop of Rome was made head of all the churches. The pomp, splendor, corruption and absolute authority wielded by the pope’s “seat” during this period could rightly be called “Satan’s seat.”

Commendation: During this time the Christian Church which had held fast to the truth in the midst of persecution began to compromise its principles because of its worldly success, the praise of men and its newfound political power. Yet there were many who held fast to their faith and opposed this corruption of Christianity.

[link to amazingdiscoveries.org]

2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

But the Lord also reproved them for allowing members who practiced the "doctrine of Balaam and the Nicolaitans" to remain within their congregation.

In his message to Pergamos, Jesus compares the conduct of some of these believers with the actions of the Israelites who compromised with the Moabites. He also condemned them for allowing the doctrine of the Nicolaitans to remain in their midst.

The word "Nicoliatane" comes from two Greek words, one meaning "to conquer" and the other meaning "the laity." It is symbolic of the development of a priestly order which ruled over the laity in contrast to Christ's command regarding serving one another given in Mat. 23 v.8-9: The headship of Christ had been set aside in favor of an ecclesiastical hierarchy.