We are in Revelation 2 today.
Last week, in Revelation 1, John was given a message, a vision, and instructions from Jesus. Revelation 1:19 NKJV Jesus tells John, “Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.”
Revelation 1 was what John had seen which was Jesus, standing amid 7 golden lampstands, holding 7 stars in his right hand. Verse 20 of Revelation 1 dispels any speculation we may have by telling us what the symbolism is. The 7 stars are the angels, messengers, or pastors and the 7 golden lampstands are the churches to which John is instructed to write. Chapters 2 & 3 are going to be those messages and are considered to be “the things which are” that Jesus refers to in Revelation 1:19.
What’s interesting is that all the messages were sent to all the churches. It wasn’t seven different letters, but instead it was one letter with seven separate messages. Think of a group text or a group email in which different people are addressed within the text. The commendations as well as the criticisms were all out in the open for all to see. And remember, these are not John’s assessments or observations, but rather, it’s Jesus that has the churches under the microscope.
As we go the 7 messages to the 7 churches, you’ll notice a few similarities. In every letter, Jesus identifies Himself using descriptions from Chapter 1 of Revelation. The title or the name that He gives Himself is intentional for the recipients of that message. We’ll talk about that as we go along. He also begins each message with the phrase “I know your works”. To some of the churches, He’ll add to that and list other things He knows. But He’s letting the churches and the individuals aware that what they do is not hidden from Him – whether good or bad.
Jesus will identify that which is pleasing to Him if there is anything and He will also identify that which is displeasing to Him. He’ll give warnings when necessary and He’ll list consequences if behaviors aren’t changed. But in every message, Jesus gives hope. There’s a lifeline in each message. He ends every message with “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Notice this is addressed to individuals. He and him, not they and them. And every message, including the accolades and the scoldings, are there for every reader’s benefit; not just the church to which it was addressed. This is why Revelation is so important to our church and to us, individually today.
So while we read these messages and can probably relate churches and congregations today to them, these messages and these commendations and criticisms apply to us, individually as well.
The first message is to Ephesus, the careless church.
Revelation 2:1 NKJV ““To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,
‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. 6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’
What are the good things that are said about Ephesus?
They labored, exhibited patience, removed themselves from evil and liars, and had endured.
“The name ‘Ephesus’ means desirable, and this was indeed the desirable church.”[i] They were doing a lot of good and seemed to be passionate about what they were doing. The word “labor” is used. The original word used here meant “toil to the point of exhaustion”.[ii] They worked hard. They had vetted the various apostles and spiritual leaders and removed those who weren’t true to God’s Word. They didn’t want any false teaching going on amongst them. There’s a reference to Nicolaitans and their deeds. We’ll see that again in the letter to Pergamos. Jesus says in this message that He hates the deeds of the Nicolaitans.
Who were the Nicolaitans and do they exist today?
It’s believed that the Nicolaitans were followers of Nicolas.[iii] Nicolas is named in Acts 6. He was one of the seven deacons chosen to look after the widows. Nicolas is identified as “Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism” (Acts 6:5). “That Luke calls him a proselyte tells us that he is a Gentile who converted to Judaism before his calling to Christianity. Becoming a proselyte required a Gentile to keep Jewish law in its entirety, undergo circumcision, be baptized, and make a special sacrifice at the Temple. This rigorous process indicates that Nicolas must also have been quite devout and dedicated in his beliefs. The church’s choice of him as one of the first deacons reveals he likely possessed standout natural abilities and leadership qualities, as well as fulfilling the apostles’ qualifications of being “of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom” (Acts 6:3).”[iv]
Over time, however, it seems that Nicholas took great liberties and left behind the sound doctrine of God’s Word and infused other beliefs and practices. [v] He taught that physical things were irrelevant and had no bearing on our spiritual lives. Eating of sacrificed foods or forbidden foods no longer mattered. Lying, stealing, sexual immorality, and such were little things that didn’t matter to God in his opinion. God was only concerned with our spiritual selves.
He created this new religion that was a melting pot. It was a combination of religious ideas and practices from not just Judaism and Christianity, but also from paganist religions. Nicolas stressed that knowledge was the key to it all and not a relationship. His followers adopted this free-for-all religion that was compromised and comfortable. Fortunately for the church of Ephesus, they didn’t fall for it and didn’t subscribe to it. In fact, they hated the activities of the Nicolaitans as did Jesus.
Interesting note. If you’ve seen or read the Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, you may recall that the Anti-Christ is named Nicolae. That ‘s probably not a coincidence.
The church at Ephesus received a good number of “atta-boys” from Jesus, but in verse 4, Jesus tells them what He has against them. They’ve lost their first love. They’ve lost their passion for Him.
First love “is the devotion to Christ that so often characterizes the new believer: fervent, personal, uninhibited, excited, and openly displayed. It’s the honeymoon love.”[vi] The people at Ephesus were passionate about what they were doing and worked tirelessly to the point of exhaustion, but they weren’t doing it for the love of Jesus. They weren’t exerting themselves to be pleasing to Him.
This wasn’t unexpected. The fact that their love for Jesus had fizzled and wasn’t as passionate as it once was had already been predicted by Jesus Himself. In Matthew 24, Jesus is sitting on the Mount of Olives when His disciples come to Him and ask what they should look for at the end of the age. Jesus lists many things that will happen and in the midst of that in verse 12 He says, “12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 24:12 NIV)
This is a great reminder for us to be mindful. Are we still as passionate about Jesus as we once were?
To the church at Ephesus, Jesus identifies Himself as the One who holds the seven stars in his right hand and stands in the midst of the seven lampstands. Jesus uses this description to remind the people of Ephesus that “He was in control of the ministry, placing the ‘stars’ were He pleased.”vi
We know that Paul, Timothy, and John had each ministered to the people of Ephesus at one point. They had benefitted from great teachers and leaders, but they had put those teachers and leaders on pedestals and had forgotten the real leader of the church. Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, reminds them Who should be the center of their church. Ephesians 4:4 NIV “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
This is something that is still a problem today although we may be reluctant to recognize it or admit it. How many of us have put a pastor on a pedestal? Someone who we see as being nearly perfect. Billy Graham comes to mind. Or is there a pastor that we seek approval from above anyone else, including God? It could also be that we place too much emphasis on who our pastor is rather than seeing Jesus as the head of our church. How many of us have told people that our pastor is Mel Blackaby, son of Henry Blackaby who wrote Experiencing God? We get caught up in the namedropping, especially in mega-churches so that the identity of the church is aligned with who is in the pulpit and not Who was on the cross. We can become enamored with and end up being followers of pastors and forsaking our first love of Jesus. Let’s call it what it is. Idolatry.
1 Corinthians 1:11 NIV “11 My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”
13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? “
It’s not unusual for people to have opinions about or to have allegiances to a pastor. Some people will leave a church because the new pastor isn’t like the former pastor. Or worse yet, they’ll stay at the church and constantly gripe and complain, stirring up division within the church by continuously making comparisons. Jesus isn’t divided. A church that’s following the Word of God shouldn’t be divided. A church should be rooted in the Word of God, driven by the Spirit of God, and focused on the Son of God. Any deviation from that could result in Jesus removing whom or what we idolize. That’s what the warning to the Ephesians was about. They had lost their first love for Jesus. It had grown cold.
Jesus tells those in Ephesus it’s not too late. They should remember their passion for Him, change their ways, and go back to living their lives as they did at the beginning of their relationship with Him. Those who overcome will be given access to the tree of life located in God’s paradise. “Our Lord knew well that the entire local assembly as such would not inherit the promise, inasmuch as there were unbelievers among the believers. So the promise was made to each individual believer in the assembly, ‘to him that overcometh.’ Salvation is a personal and an individual matter.”[vii]
Next is the message to the church at Smyrna, the crowned church. This is the shortest of the messages (only 4 verses).
Revelation 2:8 NKJV “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,
‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: 9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” ’
This is the only time the church in Smyrna is mentioned in the Bible.
Smyrna means “bitter”. One of the principal commercial products of Smyrna was myrrh.[viii] Myrrh was often used to make perfume or anointing oil for the priests or for the purpose of purification, but the only way to get the fragrance or the oil was to crush the myrrh. Myrrh is bitter in its natural state but was used to make pleasant and beneficial things.
Jesus purposefully identifies Himself to this church as The First and Last, the One who died and came back to life. He does this to console and commiserate with them as well as offer encouragement. Jesus acknowledges that they’ve faced tough times and tougher times are ahead. He can identify with that. Jesus faced cruelty, betrayal, and death because He was steadfast. He didn’t give in. These people can’t really catch a break, but Jesus tells them to be faithful and not be afraid of what’s ahead.
They were in proximity of the Roman imperial cult, so for them to deny Caesar as Lord put them at risk of being shunned by outsiders. As a result, they would have suffered unemployment and poverty by the world’s standards. But Jesus tells them, “Yes, you may be poor, but really, you’re rich!” They were poor in what others saw, but they were rich in what Jesus saw.
This is one of two churches where Jesus didn’t have any negative things to say. Instead, He encouraged them and reassured them that their bitterness and their persecutions would be turned into something beautiful and rewarding. Those who overcome will be given the crown of life. Different crowns are mentioned in the Bible that will be given in Heaven for different recognitions. One is the Crown of Life given to those who have endured and had victory over trials and temptations. James 1:12 references it. “12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12 NIV) It’s important to note that a person who perseveres through trials will be given the crown of life only IF they love Him.
“The Church at Smyrna would have been familiar with the extreme honor associated with a “victor’s crown.” The city was well known for its Olympic-style athletic contests. Garlands of victory were bestowed only to the highest-achieving athletes. No second-place prize existed. The crown of victory belonged to the victor alone, and every other competitor was considered defeated.”[ix]
The hope that Jesus gives the church of Smyrna is that, despite their sufferings and persecutions, He’s aware of it and in control. Their sufferings and their bitter circumstances will not be in vain. They’ll not be hurt by the second death. The second death refers to eternal death. “ There is a third type of death in Scripture that is different from spiritual death and physical death. This is known as eternal death, or the second death. Physical death is the separation of the body from the spirit. Spiritual death, the way all of us are born, is the spiritual separation of each of us from God. Eternal death, or the second death, is the eternal separation of a person from God. There is no escape from the second death.”[x]
“Because the recipients of this letter were already Christians, they could not be separated from God. Yet, at the final judgment, some Christians will experience a sense of loss, despite their eternal salvation, when Jesus rebukes their unfaithfulness (see Matt. 25:28-30; 1 Cor. 3:15). The faithful at Smyrna, in contrast, would be untouched by any negative consequence on that day.”[xi]
I want to dive a little bit more into that rebuking of unfaithfulness. This is Tony Evans’ commentary based on Matthew 25:28-30. This is the parable of the talents and of the man who was going on a journey and distributing talents to his servants. To one, he gave five talents. To another, he gave two. And to a third servant, he gave one. The servant with five talents and the servant with the two talents both doubled what they were given. The servant with the one talent played it safe and buried what had been given to him. His intentions were good but he totally missed an opportunity to multiply what had been given to him. Here’s what Tony Evans had to say regarding the rebuking that the unfaithful will receive. “…this text uses graphic language to speak- not of eternal judgment (as some interpreters argue) – but of the profound regret that many believers will experience when they receive no rewards because of their unfaithfulness in stewarding God’s resources. Those who were saved but whose earthly lives were useless to the King will lose out on full participation in and the benefits of Christ’s millennial kingdom. Don’t let this be you- making time for your personal priorities but giving no time for the kingdom. Don’t live for decades as a believer on earth and have nothing eternal to show for it.”x
Jesus saw the faithfulness of the members of the church in Smyrna and assured them they would not be injured. They had resilient and faithful leaders and they were commended by Jesus for their sufferings, their sacrifices, and their works.
One of their leaders was a man by the name of Polycarp who had been a disciple of John’s and in fact, took over after John’s death. Remember John was the last surviving apostle.
Polycarp lived for approximately 55 years after John passed away. He maintained the faithfulness and love for Jesus that John had.
“We know from historical records that the church at Smyrna persevered in its faithfulness. When Polycarp, the pastor of the church in Smyrna, was commanded to worship Caesar and renounce Christ in 155 A.D., he refused and said, “Eighty and six years have I served Him, and in nothing hath He wronged me; and how, then, can I blaspheme my King, who saved me?” As the fire was kindled around his feet to burn him at the stake, Polycarp was heard singing and praising the Son of God.”ix
Imagine the Heavenly crowns that John the Apostle, Polycarp, and others from the church at Smyrna earned.
Much is to be learned and much is challenged from just the two letters discussed today. Is Jesus still our first love and are we faithfully and willingly sacrificing for Him?
[i][i] Revelation by Lehmann Strauss
[ii] Be Victorious by Warren W. Wiersbe
[iii] Who Are the Nicolaitans? Bible Meaning and Definition (biblestudytools.com)
[iv] Acts 6:5 (KJV) – Forerunner Commentary (bibletools.org)
[v] Acts 6:5 (KJV) – Forerunner Commentary (bibletools.org)
[vi] Be Victorious by Warren W. Wiersbe
[vii]Revelation by Lehmann Strauss
[viii] Revelation by Lehmann Strauss
[ix] What Does God Say about the Church at Smyrna? (christianity.com)
[x] What Is the Second Death, or Eternal Death? (blueletterbible.org)
[xi] The Tony Evans Bible Commentary
Beacons of Light 