Revelation Study

Revelation Study - Chapter 2

(Revelation 2:1) "Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;"

"Unto the angel." As I have already stated, I believe the angel of each church was an inspired man (probably the "reader" of vs 3) who would read and by inspiration of the Spirit "make known the sense" of these signs and symbols. Remember, an angel was a messenger, either heavenly or earthly. Some say this word is indicative of the spirit of the churches. But an angel is a person so I will stay with my interpretation. Each of the churches were addressed by Jesus but one of the descriptive phrases of chapter one is used to introduce Him to each church. So there will be no need of discussing each one of these descriptive phrases as we go along. It is always the same Jesus.

Vs 2 "I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:"

He, being omniscient, knows all about them, their good points and their bad ones. Here are two good points in their favor and a few more in vs 3. "canst not bear them which are evil" Just what this evil is, we are not told. We, of course, think about moral goodness. "thou hast tried them which say they are apostles" Evidently apostles were still in existence at this time. Had they all been dead, as it was in 96 A.D., except John, then they would have known immediately that they lied. Paul speaks of "the signs of an apostle" in writing to the Corinthians and evidently the ones who claimed to be apostles didn't meet the standard. They couldn't work miracles. I debated a man who affirmed that he "Had the Holy Spirit even as the apostles did." I pointed out that if that were true then all he needed to do was to work a miracle and it would be settled. He was found to be a liar.

Vs 4 "Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love."

There has been a great deal of speculation concerning what their first love was. In vs 5 he mentions their "first works." I assume "first love" and "first works" refer to the same thing. Perhaps it was the initial zeal they had as new born creatures in Christ. Most all have a little more zeal immediately after conversion which diminishes along the way. To me their first love was Christ. And to love Christ one puts Him first in all areas. Now they were letting other things hinder them in their service (works) to Him. So, he gives them a warning.

Vs 5 "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, except thou repent."

He calls them to repentance, a change of will, that will cause them to do the first works. Then the judgment if they don't. Remember this is He who walks among the candlesticks (churches). He will remove them from this walk with Him, this fellowship they enjoy. In other words, they will no longer be considered a church of Christ. This teaches plainly that a church can digress to the degree that it will no longer be worthy of the name of Christ. Some have reached that point in thispresent age.

Vs 6 "But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate."

He doesn't hate the Nicolaitans, He hates their deeds, their practice. We must not hate people who are in error but we must hate their works. There is little to be found about the Nicolaitans. Some say that one Nicolas formulated a doctrine which included sensuous acts in connection with the worship of God. William Hurte in his Commentary says that the name Nicolas means "a conqueror of the people," and then defines the doctrine of the Nicolaitans as one who subjects the people to human rule or pre-eminence in the church. I don't know whether his idea is correct or not but it sounds like the very thing that took place in Ephesus. They are mentioned also in connection with the church at Pergamos. The people to whom these letters were written were aware of what he was talking about even if we are not. So the warning was just. It's good that the Ephesians hated their deeds even as the Lord did.

We might notice also that Paul warned the elders of Ephesus (Acts 20) about an apostasy that was coming and sent Timothy to help them solve their problems. But evidently they didn't heed the Lord's warning nor Paul's warning for in looking at the history of the churches of the first few centuries, Ephesus was a leader in the apostasy. Paul had said, "And from among yourselves (the elders-the bishops) will men arise .. and draw away disciples after them." Hence we read of an Ephesian council of bishops in the third century A.D. It had happened.

Vs 7 "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God."

Seven time will we read this statement, "He that hath an ear, let him hear ..." All had ears but all did not have hearing ears. "... their ears are dull of hearing." It was the words of Jesus they were to hear so he gave these words to the revelator, the Spirit, but the Spirit's message is always handled by man. So, the inspired man, the reader, the angel of the church, caused them to hear (understand) what the Spirit was saying.

Seven times we will hear a blessing pronounced upon those who hear and apply the lessons revealed to them. The message is different each time but, actually, each individual blessing was for all the churches. If you were the ones who heard and obeyed, all seven blessings would be yours. Not one kind of blessing for one group and another kind of blessing for the other group. Kind of like the beatitudes. All true Christians would have all the blessings of Matthew 5. If one was pure in heart, he would see God. If one was meek, he would inherit the earth. They both were to be the same kind of people and in so being, each would see God and each would inherit the earth.

This statement is made in all seven letters: "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." Notice that what is said to Ephesus is said, not to just Ephesus, but to all the churches, including us today.

Man had been separated from the tree of life in the garden of Eden. Now he could come in contact with it once again. Seven times the statement, "To him that overcometh."

Vs 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;"

Notice my statements on vs 1. Jesus saith. A different descriptive phrase but the same one.

Vs 9 "I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich ) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan."

Smyrna was one of two churches against which there was no criticism. "I know." The omniscient one. They had little of material things but they were rich in good works. "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." We are not told what this blasphemy was but, evidently, the people of Smyrna did.

Vs 10 "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."

The devil would be working through his ministers and cause these people great distress. Some would be imprisoned and this tribulation would continue ten days. Remember we are dealing with signs and symbols. Ten days was not a literal ten 24 hour period of time. Ten is sometimes used to denote completeness. Ten days is in contrast to a thousand years. Both are complete periods of time but ten indicates a short but indefinite period of time while 1000 indicates a long but indefinite period. This tribulation, persecution, would be a trial of faith. So, be faithful even if it costs you your life and out yonder lies the crown of life. Remember Paul's statement in 2 Timothy 4:7-8: "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."

Vs 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."

Basically the same message that was given to all the churches. We'll hear more of the second death in the 20th chapter.

Vs 12 "And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;"

To the angel. Same as others. Here Jesus is introduced differently but it's the same Jesus.

Vs 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."

The omniscient one knows. Satan is also omnipresent but he is referred to here in hyperbole as it being Satan's seat, his place of rule, and as his dwelling place. They were doing well in some areas even when some, among them Antipas, was martyred. We don't know who Antipas was but the Lord did and so did these people.

Vs 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.

You probably remember the story of Balaam. Balac tried to get him to curse Israel but he was restrained from doing so. He did advise Balac to have social intercourse with the Israelites, which he did and they took the idols of Moab and committed fornication with them. Whether this is spiritual fornication (whoredom) or physical makes no difference for both would be sin. The bad thing in the church there was that some "hold" the doctrine or endorse it or have fellowship with it.

Vs 15 "So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate."

Like the doctrine of Balaam, some were "holding" on to the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, and the Lord hates the results of both. So should they and us. Same remarks on the church at Ephesus. He doesn't hate the Nicolaitans, He hates their deeds, their practice. We must not hate people who are in error but we must hate their works. There is little to be found about the Nicolaitans. Some say that one Nicolas formulated a doctrine which included sensuous acts in connection with the worship of God. William Hurte in his Commentary says that the name Nicolas means "a conqueror of the people," and then defines the doctrine of the Nicolaitans as one who subjects the people to human rule or pre-eminence in the church. I don't know whether his idea is correct or not but it sounds like the very same thing that took place in Ephesus.

Vs 16 "Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth."

"He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." So he gives them a warning and time to repent. We have had up to this moment of time to repent of any misdeeds we have done and we have had our warning. How much more time will he give us? Paul said, "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal (physical or material)." So the Lord would not use a literal sword but the weapon he gave all of us by inspiration. "The word of the Lord is quick and powerful and sharper than a two-edged sword."

Vs 17 "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth savinghe that receiveth it."

Once again, the understanding ear, the one who overcomes, and the blessing pronounced.

Vs 18 "And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;"

The angel, the reader, the interpreter and using another of the first chapter descriptions of Jesus.

Vs 19 "I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first."

The ever knowing, omniscient one, knows of their condition; the good and the bad. Their love, their service, their faith, their endurance and, once again, their works. And these works, seemingly different from Ephesus, had increased rather than diminished.

Vs 20 "Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols."

They suffered (to allow, permit, let, to allow one to do as he wishes, not to restrain, to let alone) Jezebel to do whatever it was she was doing. Jezebel stood as a symbol of evil for Bible believers of that day just as the name still stands for evil. Whether this was an actual woman, not one named Jezebel, or not, we cannot be sure but it does seem to be a woman inasmuch as this person is referred to as a prophetess. Just what her actual sin was, we are not told but, more than likely those of Thyatira knew what and whom he was talking about. She is rather symbolically the same as Balaam. Balaam caused these things to take place in Israel (God's people) as he worked from the outside. Jezebel was doing her work from among them, from the inside.

Vs 21 "And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not."

Evidently, she had been warned but she would not quit whatever it was she was doing.

Vs 22 "Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds."

Not only would this woman be punished. She would be excommunicated and those who had fellowship with her would, in like manner, be excommunicated and some kind of tribulation would be experienced. The "tribulation" is spoken of in many places as pertaining to the destruction of Jerusalem. The "elect" in Jerusalem were given an escape path from that tribulation. It is said of those of Philadelphia that "I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world," which, probably, is speaking of the same thing. She, Jezebel, with her fellowship of people would have no escape, except they repent.

Vs 23 "And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works."

Even though the word "death" as used here is the same word that indicates physical, it is also used in conjunction with spiritual death and I believe that is the use of the word here. But by the church excommunicating her and her followers, it would make known to the other churches that He would not condone such actions. Everyone would be dealt with according to their works.

Vs 24 "But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden."

Jezebel had taken her followers about as far as they go, and now he tells the rest of them (and I think that this last clause should go along with verse 25, so I'll put it like this:

Vs 25 "I will put upon you none other burden 25 But that which ye have already. Hold fast till I come."

They should take care of the Jezebel problem and then maintain what they had already accomplished.

Vs 26 "And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:"

Vs 27 "And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father."

Once again, a blessing pronounced but remember, the blessings pronounced at the end of each letter would be, not just for that particular church, but for all the churches who overcame. So it is with this one. To what extent this rule will extend it would be hard to say. There are several verses that speak of faithful Christians, especially those who had suffered persecution, as reigning with Christ. (1:6) "And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father;" "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us" (2 Timothy 2:12). This reign would be according to His word. It would not be changed. "A rod of iron."

Vs 28 "And I will give him the morning star."

He will have Jesus as his companion. (22:16) "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star." Vs 29 "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."