Yeah, good, good, good.
Song of Solomon, Chapter 1, Verse 8:
If thou know not, O thou fairest among women,
Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock.
John, Chapter 10, Verse 16:
And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold:
them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice;
and they shall become one flock, one shepherd.
John, Chapter 10, Verses 22-23:
And it was the feast of the dedication at Jerusalem: it was winter;
and Jesus was walking in the temple in Solomon’s porch.
John, Chapter 10, Verse 27:
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
Let us have a further word of prayer.
Lord, we thank You that by Your grace You have called us unto Yourself today. We believe that You have a specific and special word for us today, because we have a special need.
Only You are our answer. Individually, we have no way. Corporately, we have no way. You are our way.
So we want to thank You. The church has a tomorrow because You are our way. The church is waiting for Your return.
We pray that during this afternoon You will truly speak to each and every one. We thank You for speaking to us this morning, and for this evening’s word we also look unto You.
We commit the word now unto You. Speak to the depths of our hearts. In Jesus’ precious name, amen.
We know that the theme of the conference this time is the testimony of Jesus Christ in His church.
We will actually have three topics this afternoon, and they concern the footsteps of the flock. This theme is so profound, so we are going to look at it from three different perspectives.
Our brother mentioned this morning and showed us the perspective of experience. This evening, our brother is going to share from the perspective of truth. This afternoon, we are going to see it from the perspective of church history.
We read in the Song of Solomon the words that Solomon spoke to the Shulamite. Our Lord is the true Solomon, and we are the Shulamite. There is one phrase that we need to remember: “Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock.”
Our Lord has a flock. This flock in the whole world is a small flock, but He is going to draw them into one flock under one Shepherd.
John remembered the background of those words. Even though John was almost one hundred years old, he remembered specifically the events of his life and his dealings with the Lord. He especially remembered that it was during the Feast of Dedication, and that it was winter.
Jesus was walking in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. Then He said:
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
Here we see John giving us the background. It is a very interesting background.
At that time, the temple was no longer the temple of Solomon. It was the second temple, the temple associated with Zerubbabel. But there was a king named Herod, and for forty-six years he sought to beautify the temple.
Before this, the court of the temple had been square in shape. Under Herod it became rectangular, and the area was much larger. From south to north it was approximately the length of six football fields, and from west to east it was approximately the length of five football fields.
At that time, it was one of the largest temple courts in history. Not only that, Herod beautified the edifice with much gold and marble.
The historians tell us that especially when the sun rose in the morning, the temple presented a very majestic view because of the marble and gold upon it.
In Solomon’s time, the Holy of Holies had only one level; now it had become two levels. No wonder all the Jews were very proud. King Herod gave them a reason to be proud.
Everybody who came to Jerusalem could see this great temple. So the disciples said to Jesus, “You see such a great temple and such great stones.” But what did Jesus say? He said that one day not one stone would be left upon another.
How do we understand this? If we remember how the Lord walked in Solomon’s porch that day, then we will understand.
The Lord used His own hand to draw out the pattern of Solomon’s temple. Therefore, Solomon’s temple represents God’s original will for that time.
But because of King Herod’s work, it was no longer the same as in the time of Solomon. Everything was different. There was more marble and more gold.
Only Solomon’s porch remained. It was situated on the eastern side of the temple complex. Strictly speaking, even though they had built a second temple, Solomon’s porch was original.
Everywhere else one would see gold and marble, but the Jews noticed that the one place still not beautified was Solomon’s porch. So they went to King Herod and asked, “Can you also beautify this section with marble and gold?”
That portion was a simple colonnade. It could not compare with the elaborate Greek structures and Corinthian columns elsewhere in the temple complex.
But King Herod told them, “Sorry, we have used up all our money. We have run out of money.”
So, in the entire temple, there was only one corner left that reminded people of God’s original purpose in Solomon’s temple.
When elderly John looked back to that time, he remembered that it was winter and that Jesus was walking in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. Then the Lord said:
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
And He spoke of having a flock. Here we see the footsteps of the flock. The background is Solomon’s porch.
What does this verse remind us? We know that the temple in the Bible is a type of the church.
What Solomon’s temple represents is the most glorious moment. That corresponds to the church at Pentecost, when the church was born.
God had a will. It was as if God used His own finger to design the blueprint. But very sadly, after three hundred years, there was a Roman emperor called Constantine.
Constantine no longer persecuted Christians; instead, he embraced Christianity as a state religion. Historians tell us that, on the surface, the church was raised up, but in reality it had fallen.
Because of the power of the Roman Empire, it was like the power of King Herod. It was as if the entire church had been beautified, but beautified to such a point that one could no longer recognize it.
Indeed, it was full of gold and marble. But if we compare it with what God did during Pentecost, especially today in the twenty-first century, we must ask about the condition of the church.
Is the church today in the condition of the temple in the time of King Herod? Where is the way of the church?
Thank the Lord: no matter how cold the temperature, the Bible tells us that Jesus was walking in Solomon’s porch. Wherever He is, we know where the foundation of the temple is. Wherever He is, we know where the blueprint of the church is.
Does the church have a tomorrow? If we see the condition of the church today, perhaps we would say, “It is over. Two thousand one hundred years have passed. Look at today’s condition.”
You may not be able to find a place that appears to be from the original pattern of Solomon. The people of Israel go to Jerusalem because they know there is one place where they believe God answers their prayers: the Western Wall.
They believe it is a wall left from King Solomon. They believe that when they weep at that wall, God will listen.
But when Herod beautified the temple, he could not expand toward the east because the Kidron Valley was there. He could only expand toward the north, south, and west.
The wall that the Jews consider to be Solomon’s wall is actually not the original wall. It is almost as if they have wasted their tears, because it is not the original wall of Solomon.
Before the Lord’s return, does the church have a way? Is there a place where we can find what is left over from Solomon’s time?
Thank the Lord. Wherever the Lord walks, that is where the blueprint is. That is where the example is. That is where the way is.
For this reason, the Lord tells us to follow in the footsteps of the flock.
For these three afternoons, we are going to return to the Word. We want to see, through the past two thousand years, where these footsteps have been.
If the Lord tarries, there is still some way to walk. Perhaps it is the most difficult way. Perhaps it is the most painful way. But we do know that there is still a portion of that way from the past, to the present, and to the future, before the Lord’s return.
The Lord specifically told us that there are footsteps called the footsteps of the flock. The sheep have already walked, they have left their footsteps, and they have gone through history.
If we study the history of the church, we should be able to find those footsteps. But here is the problem: we may read church history, but who is to explain that history? Not historians.
Historians can describe history, but the One who can truly explain it is the Holy Spirit Himself. Only the Holy Spirit can explain the history of the church.
How do we understand the history of the church? Where can we find the explanation of the Holy Spirit? The only place is in God’s Word.
When we read God’s Word, we see that the Bible is full of prophecy: prophecies concerning the world, prophecies concerning Israel, and prophecies concerning the church.
When we speak of prophecy, we see that God is the God of history. God is the One who created history. Before something happens, God has already told us. Then afterward, history is fulfilled according to what was said.
If you read these prophecies, you see not only how the church is to be in the future. Do not forget that God’s Word was spoken in the first century. Some of those things are still future to us, but some have already happened in history.
When we compare prophecy with history, we do not merely say, “Yes, this prophecy has been fulfilled.” Most importantly, we ask, “How was this prophecy fulfilled?”
Then we know how the Holy Spirit explains history. This is very important.
In these three afternoons, we are going to cover church history according to God’s Word so that we may hear the explanation of the Holy Spirit. There is still a way before us, and how are we to walk that way?
There are still prophecies to be fulfilled, but the direction is very clear. Therefore, this time we will concentrate on Revelation, Chapters 2 and 3, because here it speaks of the seven churches.
Do not forget that these seven churches were churches of the first century, churches of the apostolic age. The Lord spoke to the church in Ephesus, to the church in Smyrna, and to the other churches.
John was on the island of Patmos on the Lord’s Day. Perhaps his face was turned toward Asia Minor. If the weather were good, he might have been able to see Ephesus. Further on were Smyrna, Pergamum, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.
When John was remembering these seven churches, our Lord spoke directly to them. These words were spoken directly by our Lord.
Paul also wrote letters to churches, but those letters were written during the normal condition of the church. Through Paul, the Holy Spirit spoke. But thirty or so years had passed, and the condition of the church was no longer the same.
Its outward appearance had changed. Therefore, at this time our Lord specifically and directly spoke. This is what we see in Revelation, Chapters 2 and 3.
The seven churches are representative. There were more than seven local churches at that time. On earth, wherever there is one church, there is a lampstand in heaven.
If you see the condition of the church on earth, you may feel very discouraged. You may ask, “Does the church have a tomorrow?” Think about it: five of the seven churches had to repent. Do we have hope?
But when John turned around, he was comforted, because in heaven, in the holy place, each one of these churches had a lampstand. The lampstand in the Bible represents God’s testimony.
The Lord was walking among the lampstands. He is the Head of the church. Every church is accountable to that Head. The words He spoke to the churches are found in Revelation, Chapters 2 and 3.
Indeed, these conditions were found in the first century. The Lord showed John that churches which had been greatly served needed to repent.
Consider the church in Ephesus during the time of Paul. It was a glorious church, a mature church, full of comfort. But thirty years later, the church in Ephesus had fallen from its very high point to a very low point.
It could change so quickly in thirty years. Brothers and sisters, John was the only apostle left. It was as if he had walked the longest way.
John saw that the church had matured, but he also saw the church age. He did not think it strange that he himself had aged, but the church is the Body of Christ. Is it possible for it to have wrinkles?
When we walk closely with ourselves and closely with the world, we see that the church will age. But in Christ, the church should remain young.
Five out of the seven churches had to repent. Brothers and sisters, this was the first century, not the twenty-first century. It was only a few years later. They used to be abundant; they used to be glorious.
The church did not even go through two thousand years—less than one hundred years—and yet church aging had become a very real thing.
Paul went into glory. Paul showed us how the church should grow. Peter showed us the foundation of the church and how it began. But by the time we reach John, the condition is different.
The net of the gospel had already been torn, so John had to come and do the mending work. At this time, where was the way of the church?
The way Paul showed in his letters is still there, because that was the time when the church was normal and grew normally. But when there was abnormality in the church, when it had fallen into that condition, the Lord Himself had words to speak.
In this condition, we need a direct word from the Lord. Through Paul, the word was very good; we know it was revelation from the Lord.
But when the church has disease, wrinkles, and spots—when it needs repair and needs to repent—our Lord has a word to say.
The Lord expressed His words through these two chapters. The churches that John and Paul had served had changed in condition within only a few years. Five out of the seven churches had to repent.
But in the Lord’s eyes, He saw further than John saw. John may have seen seventy years, but the Lord saw at least until today—over two thousand years.
What would happen in these two thousand years in the church? If, in less than one hundred years, the church had already changed, then the Lord saw not merely the first century, but all the coming centuries of church history.
That condition is represented by the seven churches, because the Book of Revelation is a book of prophecy. These seven churches were indeed churches of that time, but the Lord has more to say.
The Lord uses the churches of the first century as prophecy to show us what would happen in the future.
Consider what the Lord spoke to the church in Philadelphia:
Because thou didst keep the word of My patience,
I also will keep thee from the hour of trial,
that hour which is to come upon the whole world.
This speaks of the great tribulation. Before the Lord’s return, there will be a great tribulation. But He gave a promise to the church in Philadelphia: “If thou didst keep the word of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of trial.”
Brothers and sisters, what does that mean? Yes, in the first century there was Philadelphia; but before the great tribulation, there will also be Philadelphia. The great tribulation had not arrived in the first century.
The condition of Philadelphia will continue all the way until the Lord returns. The Lord said, “I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown.”
Philadelphia has a crown. Do not lose your crown.
If we see the fulfillment through Scripture, we must say that this was not fulfilled in the first century, but it will be fulfilled. In our eyes, we see only the first century as John did, but our Lord is different.
Our Lord uses the condition of the church in the first century to show us the condition of the church before His return.
The church in Ephesus, on one hand, speaks of the church of that time; but it also speaks of a period, the church in the apostolic age. Ephesus means “to loosen,” and we see the church becoming loose and falling from its first love.
When we come to Smyrna, the Lord says that the church would have tribulation for ten days. This likely speaks of the persecution suffered under the Roman Empire. It speaks of the crown of life and of being faithful unto death.
Then we come to Pergamum. Pergamum means marriage. Here we see the church and the world married. This is the time of Constantine.
Constantine used state power to help the church. From then on, Christianity was no longer the same. On the surface the church was exalted, but there was the teaching of Balaam and the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Slowly the church changed its form.
Then we arrive at Thyatira. Its special feature is that it represents the darkest age of the church.
How do we know that it was the darkest age? The Lord promised the overcomer that He would give him the morning star. The morning star appears before the sun rises, when it is darkest.
When we arrive at Thyatira, we see a church taken into captivity in Babylon. There are many Gentile marks, and there is the teaching of Jezebel. Jezebel was a Gentile. Slowly, the church was taken captive into Babylon.
Then we see Sardis. Sardis represents the time when Martin Luther and others rose up in the Reformation. When we look back and see the selling of indulgences and other things, then we understand.
We see the dawn coming through Martin Luther and Calvin. This is the church in Sardis.
Then we see Laodicea. It speaks of the lukewarmness of the church before the Lord’s return. Between Sardis and Laodicea, there is the church of Philadelphia.
The latter four churches all have to do with the return of the Lord. Here we see the entire course of church history, from the Lord’s first coming to His second coming.
The seven churches naturally become prophecy. If they are prophecy, then they have to be fulfilled. We must ask: How are these prophecies fulfilled? After they are fulfilled, what is the teaching behind them? What is the explanation of the Holy Spirit?
Can we find the way of the church when the church is in desolation? It is almost as if we can find Solomon’s porch. The Lord says, “Hear My voice.”
The Lord wants to show us that the church has a tomorrow. In man’s eyes, the flesh and the world seek to incapacitate the church. The world, on one hand, and the flesh, on the other, change the church so that it becomes different from before.
But can man’s flesh and the world overthrow God’s work? When we read Revelation, I have a very deep feeling. Many people read Revelation because they want to know what will happen tomorrow in the world.
But the more important question is: Does the church have a tomorrow?
Thank the Lord. He gave us these seven letters. If we read the Word correctly, understand these prophecies, and know how they have been fulfilled, then we can see the teaching. Then we can see how the Holy Spirit explains church history.
Then it is not difficult to see the footsteps of the flock.
Simply speaking, we see seven churches. There is a special arrangement concerning their condition.
Ephesus and Laodicea form one pair. Smyrna and Philadelphia form another pair. Pergamum and Sardis form another pair. Thyatira stands by itself in the middle, like a mirror.
Ephesus means looseness, and Laodicea means lukewarmness. Smyrna and Philadelphia both have a little power, and neither of these churches was rebuked.
Among the seven churches, these are the only two to which the Lord did not say they needed to repent. Pergamum and Sardis are like two sides of the same mirror.
At the beginning there are three churches; at the end there are three. The first three have already gone into history. The latter three continue until the Lord returns.
Thyatira is in the middle. Part of it is in the past, and part of it continues into the future.
If we are to know the way we should walk in the future, we should pay attention to the latter four churches, because they remain until the Lord’s return.
During the darkest time of the church, many people wanted to do a work of reformation. But sooner or later they discovered that the situation did not change, because Thyatira remains until the Lord’s return.
The Lord said, “I will cast her upon a bed of sickness.” Therefore, however fervent we may be to do a work of reformation, the Word is very clear: Thyatira will remain until the Lord returns.
Sardis will remain until the Lord returns. Philadelphia will remain until the Lord returns. Laodicea will remain until the Lord returns.
Before the Lord’s return, we will see four different conditions in the church: Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.
Under this condition, the Lord shows us where He is most satisfied. Undoubtedly, Philadelphia’s condition is the one in which the Lord rejoices most.
Many people say, “Do not think that you can find a perfect church.” That is indeed true. Nobody here is sinless and perfect. Only our Lord is sinless and perfect.
But do not forget: in God’s hand there is a standard. In the first century there was a church in Philadelphia. They were not sinlessly perfect, but among the seven churches, we must admit that the church in Philadelphia was a church with which the Lord was satisfied.
Not only did He not rebuke the church in Philadelphia; He also praised them.
If this is representative of the condition of the church before the Lord’s return, then we will never find a perfect church. Often it is not that the church is imperfect; it is because I am part of it that it is imperfect. Because you are there, it is not perfect.
But this does not mean that we take a fatalistic approach and say that there is no hope. No, brothers and sisters, let us not mishear the Lord.
Whether in history or in the first century, you see that there is indeed a church, a group, with which the Lord was satisfied.
The Lord said only to the church in Philadelphia:
I have loved thee.
This was spoken in the context of persecution. The church had been Judaized, and those who walked the way of Philadelphia would be persecuted, misunderstood, and rejected.
But do not forget: “I want them to know that I have loved thee.” They may hate you, rebuke you, and reject you; but in their hearts, they may admire you because they know that the Lord is with you.
Do not merely give yourself an excuse. Do not defend yourself. When we are persecuted and misunderstood, what is the most important defense? It is that they know that the Lord has loved us.
The world does not know us. Nobody knows us. Only the Lord knows. The Lord says, “I have loved thee.” This is the condition of Philadelphia.
Not only that: “Hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown.” This crown is a victorious crown.
In other words, the entire church of Philadelphia is a victorious church. When the church is in desolation and the majority have fallen beneath the Lord’s standard, the Lord calls a certain people.
It is not that they are better than others. They are simply those who stand upon the standard. These are overcomers.
The church in Philadelphia already had a crown. In the whole Bible, Paul was one person who knew he had a crown before he went to be with the Lord. And there is one church we know had a crown: the church in Philadelphia.
The Lord said:
He that overcometh, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God.
There are three names upon that pillar: the name of God, the name of the city of God, and the Lord’s new name.
The New Jerusalem represents the finished eternal purpose of God, the ultimate manifestation of God’s purpose in the universe.
Thank the Lord. Upon the pillar of Philadelphia is the name of the city of God. This church is related to the eternal purpose of God. It not only fulfills His heart; it is also what the Lord wants to reach at the very end.
When we carefully read these matters, we clearly see a way: the way the Lord gives us is the way of Philadelphia.
Here is a church that satisfies God’s heart. Here is a condition which the Lord is able to praise. The Lord is able to say before our enemies, “I have loved thee.” He also says, “Do not lose thy crown.”
This, of course, is our way. But do not forget: Philadelphia will forever be our way, but it must not become our label.
Whenever we make Philadelphia our label, it becomes Laodicea. If there is richness in Philadelphia, we should give thanks and praise. We cannot be proud.
But when it becomes a label, that is a warning from the Bible.
For this reason, we will concentrate our time on the church in Philadelphia. Church history is very long, but we want to see whether the prophecy concerning the church in Philadelphia has already been fulfilled, and how it has been fulfilled.
We do not want merely to learn a method. What we want is the principle. How can we please God’s heart? How can we satisfy His heart?
Certain methods may be good, but that is history. If the Lord keeps us on this earth, we have to ask: What is in God’s heart? What does He desire? How can we satisfy His heart?
The principle of Philadelphia always comes from the Lord. It is not that we are already perfect. It is like Paul said: not because I am perfect, but because I press on toward the goal.
All those who walk the way of Philadelphia are running after the goal. They are never self-satisfied.
Our brother mentioned that in the life of a faithful servant of God there was a spiritual thirst that could never be quenched. How do we know that we are walking in this way? The goal is always before us.
By the Lord’s grace, we want to keep His Word. We do not want to deny His name. This is everything that we need to see in order to walk this way.
Whether the door is open or closed is in the Lord’s hands. But have we denied His name? Outside of Jesus’ name, do we have another name? In our midst, is there a name greater than the Lord’s name?
Perhaps if your explanation differs from another brother’s explanation, people have issues. But have we denied His name? Can we follow the Lord?
Even those who oppose us will come and bow down at our feet. When we refuse to accept that the church has been Judaized, the way we walk may be lonely.
But for this reason, we can experience the Lord’s love. He can dry our tears. There is a way of persecution, and we can keep the word of perseverance.
No wonder there is a promise of rapture. Rapture is for those who are mature. What the Lord wants in Philadelphia is the condition of the maturity of the church.
I believe Philadelphia is a way. When we look back, there are many who were faithful and loved the Lord. They left footprints.
When we look at their history and compare it with the Lord’s Word, we may say that they were indeed like Philadelphia.
We do not need to follow every outward way in which they were quiet before the Lord, or every way in which they were persecuted. But the principle remains.
The church has a tomorrow. What the church was in their lives can also be in our lives.
Without such examples, we might say that everything is only an ideal and can never happen. But no: in the first century, it happened. What the Lord has praised cannot be dismissed.
It happened in the first century, and it also happened in church history. It can happen in practicality. We can actually walk that way.
If something is only ideal, there may seem to be no way. But if it has already happened in reality, then there is a way.
If it happened and then they failed, that is another story. We need to learn from the teaching of their failure. Let us not fail; let us continue to move forward.
We cannot say that because there has been failure for two thousand years, we must fail as well. That is fatalism.
Today we may have fatalism. We say everything is impossible, as long as we ourselves are spiritual. But whenever I read Revelation, I am encouraged.
That is because the church has a way that can be walked, and this way has already appeared in history. Perhaps some failed, retreated, or fell in the wilderness, but who says that we are not the generation the Lord has raised up?
To enter into Canaan is God’s will. The first generation did not go in, but the second did.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, when you see the story of failure, do not lose heart. The overcoming life is in you and in me; otherwise, the Lord would not call for overcomers.
The Lord does not ask us to do something impossible. He calls for overcomers, and then He will finish His work.
The second point is this: when we read Philadelphia, we see that the entire church has a crown. This is a victorious condition.
But do not forget: in Thyatira, the Lord also called for overcomers. In Sardis, He also called for overcomers.
The principle of the overcomer is a spiritual principle. If you use different words, you can call the overcomer a spiritual man. Not only a spiritual man, but a normal Christian.
The calling of an overcomer is a spiritual calling. Why? Because the church has mixed with the world, has become worldly, and has become fleshly.
Therefore, the calling of overcomers is a spiritual calling. The spiritual calling is the calling of the cross.
All the richness in Philadelphia is according to the principle of the spiritual man. Yet this principle can already be found in Thyatira.
In the broad sense, Thyatira is already in desolation, but there is a group of overcomers. What did the Lord say to them?
He that overcometh, and he that keepeth My works unto the end,
to him will I give authority over the nations.
And what did He say to Philadelphia?
I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast.
It is very clear. Even before the time of Philadelphia had begun, the principle and the reality were already there. A group of brothers and sisters had already walked that way.
They were not perfect. Perhaps their richness was only a portion of that seen in Philadelphia. But during the darkest ages of the church, when nobody was reading the Bible, when the Bible was bound and changed, and when there was little revelation, even a small portion of the richness of Philadelphia was precious.
Before we come to Philadelphia, we already see people who walked in its principle. They were not proud.
The Lord indeed blesses many people, but some become proud. They say, “The Lord has given me some vision. What has He given to others that He has not already given to me?”
They act as if light comes from themselves, as if they cannot receive life from others. But no: the Lord has already gained some overcomers.
Therefore, in Philadelphia they inherited these riches. Much of our light is borrowed from others. We stand upon the shoulders of others.
When we read Philadelphia and gather together the Lord’s calling in each church, we see the condition of Philadelphia.
When we look back toward history, we find that during the time represented by Thyatira there were indeed some overcomers. The Lord had already prepared the principles and paved the way.
When we read the history of the church, we may think that there is nothing encouraging to read. When we read about Thyatira, we sigh and are sad. How did the church become this way?
Thankfully, Revelation 2:24 says:
But to you I say, to the rest that are in Thyatira,
as many as have not this teaching,
who know not the deep things of Satan, as they are wont to say;
I cast upon you none other burden.
And Verse 28 says:
And I will give him the morning star.
When we return to church history, the darkest age of the church was in the twelfth century. In Europe, the Lord raised up a group of people.
The throne of the pope was in Rome. Northward lay Milan in Italy and then the Alps. Beyond the Alps were Germany and part of Switzerland. Southwest across the Alps was France.
In that valley, the Lord had prepared some hidden people. We call them the brethren in the valley. In English, their name was the Waldenses.
The name Waldenses refers to those who lived in the valleys. There was already such a group of people in the twelfth century, during the darkest age of the church.
Why were they persecuted? Because they went out two by two and preached the gospel. They were all people who preached the gospel, and they all read the Bible.
Because they read the Bible, they understood its prophecy and revelation. They lived in the valleys and were very simple. Some were farmers, some were tailors, and some were bakers.
They were simple brothers, but not one of them failed to read the Bible. Some memorized the Book of Job. Many memorized the New Testament.
They understood the Bible. They understood justification by faith. They knew that idols should not be worshiped.
If you read their materials in detail, you will understand that their understanding of the Bible was substantial, although they were a very simple people.
When the established church dealt with them, the Inquisition came. The inquisitors studied these people and gave a report.
They said that, from the first century to the twelfth century, these people were among the greatest heresies they had encountered. They gave three reasons.
First, they said, these people were old. Their history could be traced back to the third century, perhaps even further. Second, they said, these people were everywhere.
In the fourteenth century, in Czechoslovakia alone, there were said to be eighty thousand, and very shortly after, there were eight hundred thousand.
At that time, if you went from Germany to Italy, you would not have needed to stay in a hotel. Every night you could sleep in a brother’s home.
They were clear concerning the Word of God. Most importantly, they saw that the pope was the Antichrist. They rejected the teaching of the Nicolaitans and rejected clericalism.
They loved the Lord and broke bread together. Whether in a baker’s room or in the shop of a tailor, they could meet together.
If you go to the valleys today, you can see simple structures where they once met. There may have been farm animals in front of the place.
Nearby was Milan, with one of Europe’s most beautiful cathedrals. When you put the two pictures together, you see how simple these brothers were.
Yet the Lord used them. They were everywhere. Most importantly, their conduct was so good.
Their enemies said, “They are typical Christians. Unfortunately, they are against the pope. Unfortunately, they are against clericalism.”
Because everybody read the Bible, and some memorized it, the pope was very nervous. He issued an edict that laypeople could not read the Bible.
The edict forbidding common people from reading the Bible was directed against these people.
Yet they still marched forward. In the end, they became a great danger and a great threat to the established church.
For thirty years, five times, crusaders were used against them. The Crusaders were supposed to deal with pagans, but five times they were used to persecute Christians.
The Waldensian brethren did not fight back. They kept the teaching of the Sermon on the Mount literally, and they waited for the Lord. They knew that the Lord would return soon.
They followed the Lord in a simple way in the valleys. Then the crusaders came to persecute them.
In wintertime, they were chased from the bottom of the valley all the way to the top of the mountain. At the top of the mountain, they reached France.
In France, thousands of them hid in a great cave. The crusaders came down from above, closed the mouth of the cave, and lit a fire.
Hundreds died, including many infants. In this way, they were martyred for the Lord.
The enemy hates the testimony of the Lord. These were very simple brethren. They did not have much reasoning or much theology, but they were clear concerning the truth.
They knew, “This is the Word of God.” They might not have understood how to put every truth together as Martin Luther and Calvin later did, but they had the Lord’s Word and understood God’s purpose.
The Lord greatly used these people. Within thirty years, the crusaders killed more than nine hundred thousand—almost one million—people.
In present-day numbers, that would be comparable to many millions. Do not forget: these died at the hands of the Church of Rome, while someone sat upon a throne and said, “I represent Christ.”
Just as Revelation says, they drank the blood of the saints. In the early stage of church persecution, millions of Christians died at the hands of the Roman Empire. But within thirty years, nearly one million were martyred in these persecutions.
No wonder John, through the vision of prophecy, saw that they drank the blood of the saints and made war with the saints.
For this reason, the gospel spread northward and reached Germany. There was a brother named John Tauler, a very spiritual man who greatly helped Martin Luther.
John Tauler was helped as a direct result of those brethren from the valleys. He was one who preached very well, but the Waldensian brethren helped him so that he preached with power.
John Tauler gave much spiritual help, and one reason was that the Waldenses had helped him.
In the twelfth century, there was a man named Peter Waldo. He was located in Lyons, France. He read the Word and was willing to deny himself and follow the Lord.
He gathered a group of brothers who believed in a very simple life. Because his name was Peter Waldo, some people thought that the Waldenses followed him.
Whatever the exact historical relationship may have been, the Waldensian witness existed before him. In the twelfth century, the two streams became united.
Waldo preached the gospel as far as what is today Czechoslovakia, and he died there. By the time of his death, there were said to be eighty thousand brethren in the valleys.
The greatest influence was in Czechoslovakia. About one hundred years before the Reformation, in Prague, there was a university president named John Huss.
John Huss saw the light and was martyred for the Lord. One reason he was martyred was that he had been helped by the Waldensian brethren.
Those brothers who rose up and were able to see spiritual light were greatly helped by the Waldenses.
When force could not deal with them, another method was used. Those in authority began to imitate them.
In Italy, groups such as the Franciscans arose. The pope gave them permission to live like Peter Waldo, to deny themselves, and to follow the Lord.
Soon after, in France, the Dominicans arose. They were called the Order of Preachers. They preached because these people preached, and they began to read the Bible because of the Waldensian witness.
Eventually, those who dealt with the Waldenses became the Dominicans, because they had learned how to deal with them.
From the twelfth to the sixteenth century, especially in the fifteenth century, the Lord did a great work in central Europe because of the seed these brethren had sown.
After John Huss was martyred, some who followed him compromised. Others wanted to protect themselves, and when the crusaders attacked, they took up weapons.
They turned farm equipment into weapons, but they did not have proper training. Near Prague, opposing groups fought against one another.
Unexpectedly, those who took up arms won battles. The whole of Europe, including crusaders and imperial armies, sought to deal with Czechoslovakia.
But the Lord’s Word says that those who take the sword will perish by the sword. We see that this was not the way that pleased the Lord.
Their hearts loved the Lord. If you read their stories, you see that many sought to live according to the Sermon on the Mount. But some said, “You need to protect yourselves,” and they took up arms.
Another group refused to take up weapons. The Lord gave them light, and they truly understood the Word.
They went to the outskirts of Czechoslovakia and Poland, into the forest. They knew they could never change Babylon.
The Lord gave them a word, and they understood that there must be no human leader. This matter had to be in the hands of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit worked. They had no arms and no weapons, but they understood the truth in the Bible. They said, “We have to have a new beginning.”
In the depths of the forest, there arose a group of brothers and sisters known as the Unity of the Brethren.
From the very beginning, they saw the unity of the children of God. Their prayer was for the children of God to be one. They went out to seek brothers, and they were persecuted.
They were dealt with by crusaders and by other forces. They fled from one place to another. They had no home of their own and could not return home.
But no matter what happened, they kept steadfastly the testimony of the Lord. This was one hundred years before Martin Luther.
The first group to leave the Church of Rome was not the Lutherans. When Martin Luther rose up, what he saw was the truth of the gospel: justification by faith.
The church dealt with Luther, and he read the Bible. Then he saw the Antichrist and finally separated himself from the church. But it was not his original intent; he stood up to recover the truth of the gospel.
The Unity of the Brethren, however, saw the truth of the church from the very beginning.
One brother among them wrote fifty books in the Czech language. The Czech language is difficult, and very little was translated into English, but some books have been translated.
When you read them, you feel sad and ashamed. We say that we understand these things in the twenty-first century, but in the darkest moments of the church, the Lord gave them the morning star.
The Lord gave them revelation. A brother who received this revelation was a farmer. These brothers rose up because they saw that the church was the Body of Christ.
The Holy Spirit is able to do a work that we would never have imagined. These are the overcomers.
Philadelphia afterward inherited this heritage from them. Unbeknown to Philadelphia, it was helped by them.
They saw that the church fell at the time of Constantine, and this opened many eyes. If you read the history of Philadelphia, there is nothing for its people to be proud of.
The reason they were rich was that they were like children sitting upon the shoulders of their fathers. These overcomers had walked before them.
Thank the Lord. Because of their blood, they paved the way—the way of Philadelphia.
When you read about these overcomers, you see that many of them were martyrs. We have to thank the Lord, because through their blood they paved the way so that today we can walk that way.
May the Lord be gracious.
Our time is gone. We will continue tomorrow. Let us have a word of prayer.
Lord, we thank You for giving us these words. If You desire, please use these words, especially for the younger generation, that they may see that this way is Your way.
In the time of Thyatira, in the darkest of times, You gave Your morning star to these brothers. We give You all the praise and worship.
In Jesus’ name, amen.