Revelation Chapter 2

• Christ begins His message to the 7 churches

• Church can mean a local body of believers - as in these 7 churches

• Church can also mean the universal body of believers collectively known as the Bride of Christ

• Why these 7 churches?

• Jesus has a message for these 7

• These 7 could represent conditions or situations faced by any church

• Christ’s message to these churches can also be looked used to evaluate our personal relationship with Christ

• One theory is that Jesus prophetically chose these seven churches to represent 7 eras the church would experience through history until now.

• The Apostolic Church: 1st century

• The Persecuted Church: 1st century until Agustine, ~313

• Church and State: ~312-590

• Papal Church: ~590-1517

• Reformed Church: 1517-1750

• Revival Church: 1750-1925

• Apostate Church: 1900 through the end of the world

• The first 3 interpretations of the messages to these churches are clear from the text.  The last is more conjecture but all of these interpretations could be correct.

THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS

• Rev 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 of the church of Ephesus write. A bastion for the Apostles

• Paul founded a church in Ephesus on his second missionary trip.  On his 3rd missionary trip, he stayed at Ephesus for 2-3 years.

• He later wrote an epistle to this church which became the Book of Ephesians in our Bible

• In Paul’s letter to Timothy, 1 Timothy 1:3-4, Paul urges Timothy to remain in Ephesus and lead the people there.

• Tradition holds that John lived in Ephesus with Mary, the mother of Jesus, and wrote his 3 epistles and his gospel while there.

• Obviously it was a major church in its time

• These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

• Jesus makes a reference to the description John made of Him in Chapter 1

• The Bible often does this.  God will say something like, “I’m the God who brought you out of Egypt.,” then follow it with a message He wants His people to hear.

• Some might describe this with the legal term, standing.  God is pointing out why His command is relevant and binding to the people He is addressing.

• Example of a master artist

• Here, He points out that He is the One who walks in the midst of the golden candlesticks.  We’ll see how this is relevant in a moment

• v. 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: 

• Christ commends the church for its intolerance of false teachings

• This church that has seen many apostles appears to be on guard against false teachers that claim to be apostles but aren’t

• Paul’s message to the Bereans

• Acts 17:11, These [the Bereans] were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

• We should be eager to learn more about the Bible but don’t believe everything you hear.

• Even as I teach, don’t take my word for anything.  Read the Bible for yourself and compare what I say to the actual words of the Bible!

• v. 6, But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.

• An example of false teaching in the church.

• Some people think that Nicholas is the same person mentioned in Acts 6:5, And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:

• He’s believed to be a Greek convert to Christianity but began teaching what is now known as gnosticism.

• And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

• Jesus mentions their persecution but He doesn’t dwell on it.

• People often let their problems become their focus

• Remember Nehemiah when he was building the wall.  He met opposition from all sides but he would not let anything distract him from building the wall.

• We face issues in our society today: drugs, divorce, abortion, LGTBQ, etc.  

• We could start committees, campaigns, protests, etc to address these issues.  That might distract us from the main job of the church.

• Remember, we always need to make first things first!

• The best way to deal with these issues is to win people to Christ!

• Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

• In His letter to most of the Churches, Jesus begins by taking note of things they’re doing well, but then addresses an area in which they are lacking. 

• Leaving their first love could mean that, in their zeal to attack false teaching, they have become more interested in legalism than evangelism.  

• Ironically, Paul warns them against this in Ephesians 4:15 where he told them to speak the truth in love.

• We sometimes seem more interested in winning an argument than winning a soul.

• This church seemed to have a lot going on.  They may have had a great Sunday School program but the first job of any church is to bring people to Christ.  

• 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.

• Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, 

• We love Christ because He first loved us!

• We need to always remember we too had a past.  We were forgiven.  We need to be more forgiving.

• No matter how great a church might seem, if it is not bringing people to Christ, it is a dying church!

• Jesus began this message by saying He is the one who walks among the candlesticks.  Here, He reminds them that if they aren’t winning souls, they will cease to be a church.

• I gave you the candlestick, I can remove the candlestick!

• 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.

• Jesus points out that individual members who heed his words will still have their reward in heaven.  The collective church may cease to be a church but individual believers are still saved.

THE CHURCH AT SMYRNA

• Smyrna was a large and wealthy city about 25 miles north of Ephesus.

• The word smyrna is a variation of the word myrrh.  It was a very expensive ointment used as a medicine as well as a perfume for the living and for the dead.

• Remember that the gifts brought to Jesus by the magi were gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  This gives you an idea of the value placed on myrrh at that time.

• This city of Smyrna was literally named because of the exceptional quality of the myrrh it produced.

• John had 2 notable disciples of his own: Polycarp and Ignatius.

• Polycarp became the Bishop of Smyrna early in the 2nd century.  He was martyred by being burned at the stake.

• Ignatius was the Bishop of Antioch but wrote several epistles to the people of Smyrna and to Polycarp

• v. 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;

• Just like He did to the church at Ephesus, Jesus introduces Himself by referencing the description of Him from chapter 1.

• He’s identifying with them by reminding them of His own suffering and martyrdom.  He also points out that He is the one who has conquered death.

• v. 9, I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich)

• Jesus immediately addresses their persecution.

• Myrrh is produced by crushing a fragrant plant.  When it’s crushed, it releases its pleasing aroma.

• This is a fitting picture of the church at Smyrna.  The more it is crushed under persecution, the more beautiful is their faithfulness to God

• To a church, where its members are losing everything, Jesus is revealing to them they have an abundant treasure waiting for them.

• Matthew 5:10-12, Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven:....

• v. 9b, and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

• At Polycarp’s trial, the unbelieving Jews of Smyrna joined with the pagans in condemning him to death. Eusebius writes that “the Jews, being especially zealous . . . ran to procure fuel” for the burning (The Ecclesiastical History 4:15).

• v. 20 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.

• Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer:

• Matthew 10:28, And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

• behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: 

• Jesus is warning them against even more persecution that is about to happen.  He gives them words of encouragement

• be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

• When we face persecution, it’s easy for the persecution to become our entire focus.  We need to focus on the reward instead.

• Philippians 3:13-14, Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

• v. 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.

• There is a fate worse than death - the second death

• What does this world offer that is worth giving up an eternity with Christ?

• Mark 8:36, For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?