Page 15 - 03b The Seven Churhces-Smyrna

THE STORY OF THE SEER OF PATMOS

Stephen N. Haskell

“Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at
hand” Revelation 22:10.

danger of weakening. The shadow of the

enemy was falling upon the church. God called

after these first believers, “Remember

therefore from whence thou art fallen, and

repent, and do the first works; or else I will

come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy

candlestick out of his place.”

The Nicolaitanes, referred to in verse six, are

said by Mosheim to have been a branch of the

Gnostics, a sect living in Asia, who denied the

divinity of Christ, and “boasted of their being

able to restore to mankind the knowledge of

the true and Supreme Being.” Their belief

concerning the creation of the world,

conflicted with the writings of Moses, and led

to a denial of the divine authority of the Old

Testament. Still other beliefs, contrary to the