Commentary by Ron Beckham
Verse 1. "To
the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven
stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden
lampstands, says this:"
Leadership. Authority. To not understand and
appreciate delegated authority is to misunderstand how the Lord operates
in relation to people. Romans 13:1 observes that ALL authority is given
by God. He speaks to us and leads us through His Spirit, through the Word
of God, through "angels" (Greek "messenger") such as the one mentioned in
this verse, and through people, as well. To take these verses literally
is to acknowledge that Jesus leads the church through angelic messengers.
But also note that the "seven stars" (the
angels of the seven churches - Rev. 1:20) are in HIS hand. Jesus Christ
is the ultimate authority over all. He is the One who is the source of
power in all that we do. The phrase He “walks
among the seven golden lampstands" (or “churches” - Rev. 1:20)
reminds us that He is the One who is in charge of your life and mine.
Ephesus, by the way, was a magnificent city,
originally settled by Greeks from Athens, near the coast of what is now
the country of Turkey. The Romans called Ephesus "the first and greatest
metropolis of Asia." The principal Temple of the "goddess" Diana was
located there, and Ephesus contained the largest theater in the world,
with a seating capacity for 50,000 spectators (four times the size of the
Parthenon). The Gospel went to Asia right after Pentecost (Acts 2:9), and
Paul taught there for some years (Acts 19:1 and forward). Timothy was at
Ephesus (1 Timothy 1:3), and, according to tradition, John the Apostle
spent many years at Ephesus, where he later died and was buried. The
place is now partly occupied by a Turkish village called Ayasaluk, which
is regarded as a corruption of two Greek words, "hagios theologos" ("the
holy divine").
Verse 2. '"I
know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot
tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves
apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false;"
Continuing the idea that the "seven churches" in
Revelation Chapters 2 and 3, are not only historical, but are also
"typical" churches (you can find today's churches in these verses), this
church at Ephesus is very interesting. They did everything RIGHT! They
KNEW the Bible (as much as they had at the time), studied it diligently
and committed much of it to memory. They no doubt tithed, witnessed, had
meetings, prayed fervently, and especially, according to this verse, they
did not "tolerate evil men," rooting out those (false apostles) who did
not believe and teach as they should.
From an evangelical, fundamentalist perspective, the
leaders at Ephesus were perfect in all their ways. They no doubt held
something like "revival meetings" on a regular basis, and their efforts
were notably successful. Attendance at midweek meetings was almost as
good as those who showed for the weekend morning services. People
clamored to serve on boards and committees, and enthusiasm was high.
Numbers were increasing. They KNEW they were on the right track. They
were confident. From an outward perspective, all was well. Do you see
something of YOUR church in this verse?
Verse 3. "and
you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not
grown weary."
People get tired. You may have prayed for some kind
of "healing" in your life and circumstances, but it did not come, and you
lost interest --- The people at Ephesus were not like that. They stuck to
it! Church buildings were built, building capacities were reached, and
the people built more! There was light in their eyes and fire in their
souls. The kingdom of God was at stake, and so were the hearts of men and
women. There was only a little time and they would make the most of it!
Zeal was everywhere!
Most people are impressed with those who diligently
keep on trying, and Ephesus was that kind of place. At their church(es),
when one idea didn't seem to work, they'd try another, and another, until
finally, Eureka, that's it! They kept on persevering and enduring, never
seeming to tire from constant effort. They did not notice that grimness
had crept into all they said and did. Some of them must have thought,
"Something's missing, something's wrong;" but they didn't have time to
think about it, because there was so much to do. And besides, you could
not talk about it, because others might think you were "false apostles" as
in verse 2.
Verse 4. "But
I have this against you, that you have left your first love."
I remember Bill George, a man gifted in the
understanding of "agape" love. He simply went about telling others that
God's love in us is higher than mere outward activity. He often quoted 1
Corinthians 13, teaching that your life should be summed up by that
chapter and he also quoted John 13:34-35 - “A new
commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you,
that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My
disciples, if you have love for one another.” Bill was just a man,
like everybody else, but there was a peace in him that made you like him.
He knew something about the love of God that others don’t.
Somehow, in their zeal to be "right," in their desire
to be "correct" in everything, the Ephesian Church had gone completely off
track. Outwardly, all was well, but inside, where it counts, though the
Ephesians performed seemingly loving acts, the love was gone. They
functioned out of duty, not love. What a danger for us all! It's time
for each one of us to get down on our knees and pray for our pastor(s),
for our church, for those in authority over us, for ourselves. Just as
Bill George said, we need the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, more
than anything of this world.
Verse 5. "Therefore
remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did
at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of
its place--unless you repent."
Many think that busy activities somehow satisfy God.
If I do this or that, I will be saved. If I act in such a manner, I will
please Him. But it isn't that your actions are supposed to be precisely
correct, otherwise the Lord would not be admonishing the Ephesians (and
possibly you) to "repent" (change direction) right at this moment. We
have "fallen" when we do not love. And the stakes are very high indeed.
If you go to Ephesus today, you will see a lot of
ruins. Oh yes, there is a village called Ayasaluk, and the ruins
themselves ARE interesting, but there is no church like the one in these
verses. John the Apostle came to Ephesus, teaching and loving, and no
doubt his message changed many. But not all were truly changed, and they
wandered again, away from love, and their "lampstand" was eventually
removed. The spirit of "Ephesus" does live today, in the busy activities
of many churches - What is YOUR church like? And if it’s like this one,
what should you do about it?
Verse 6.
"Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of
the Nicolaitans, which I also hate."
It is a good thing to avoid error and to help others
do the same. But, questions do tend to arise: WHO is in error? And what
IS error? On those points many disagree; often angrily pointing at one
another. One thing is certain: we see in this verse that it was the LORD
who observed that "the deeds of the Nicolaitans" were wrong. In concerns
about doctrinal error, we must look to His Word; look to Him in prayer,
and filter any "hate" we might have, through Him. We need His
perspective, for we are just people and He is God.
The "Nicolaitans" are interesting because many have
differing ideas about who they were. A common belief, stemming from the
early writings of Irenaeus and Clement of Alexandria, has been that the
group was founded by Nicolas of Antioch, one of the original seven deacons
(Acts 6). The doctrines of the Nicolaitans (this verse), of Balaam (verse
14), and of the woman Jezebel (verse 20), all seem to have taught that the
freedom we have in Christ is higher than moral law. Paul, however, was
very careful to say, "What shall we say then?
Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall
we who died to sin live any longer in it?" (Romans 6:1-2). In
Christ, we're set free FROM sin!
Verse 7. "He
who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him
who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the
Paradise of God."
Each of these churches is addressed (through the
angel in charge of them) as a corporate entity, and yet the concluding
statements to each church are made to individuals within them. "HE who
has an ear," is written to you and me. IF we have an ear, we will hear,
understand, and we are expected to respond. An "ear"
in this context is the capacity to "hear" with your "heart," made possible
in Christ, through the enabling of the Holy Spirit of God.
If you haven't received Jesus Christ, you're like a
deaf person; someone born without ears, not having even the capacity to
hear. Only this is more serious, for deafness of the human body only
lasts through the few decades of our lives, but a spiritual "deafness"
will cripple the person for eternity. To be able to "eat
of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God" is to receive
Christ and be filled with His Spirit. THAT person will hear, see and know
real life - forever!
Verse 8. "And
to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who
was dead, and has come to life, says this:"
Jesus Christ, who has been speaking to John the
Apostle in a vision about the Church at Ephesus, now speaks about the
Church at Smyrna, another city within the Roman Province of Asia (Asia
Minor). Smyrna still exists. Today the place has the name Izmir, and it
is located within the country of Turkey. It is interesting that even
though the area has been under Moslem domination for hundreds of years,
Christians have been there since shortly after the beginning of the
church. In fact, the place has been referred to by Moslems as "the
infidel city" because of the many Christians who live there.
The phrase that Jesus uses to introduce Himself, the
"first and the last, who was dead, and has come to
life," had special meaning in Smyna. Much like "Artemis" was the
special "goddess" of the Ephesians, "Dionysus" was the great "god" of
Smyrna. He was said to rule the productive powers of nature, and the myth
of his “death and resurrection" was frequently reenacted in the city. God
does speak through the circumstances around us. But, it is the real God
who spoke to them now, the Living One, who indeed died, and is alive
forevermore.
Verse 9. "I
know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the
blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue
of Satan."
Jesus Christ KNOWS the trouble you have been
experiencing in this life. Your faith is being "tested" (as in verse 10),
and the whole point is that you will learn to trust in Him, like you never
thought possible. People want to be rich in the things of this earth, but
Jesus taught us to not be like that. He said instead to "lay
up for yourselves treasures in heaven" (Matthew 6:19-20). What are
those "treasures"? Why, God's love in us,
His faith, and the certain hope we have; all of which are made possible
through trusting in Him. To be "rich" is
to know the Lord.
The chief friend of the early church should have been
the Jews. God created the Jewish people and their religion. They awaited
the Messiah, and when He came, He was born a Jew. He died for their sins
and was their King. The real issue was power - THEY wanted to be in
charge, when in fact, God expects you to trust in Him. But many of them
looked to themselves, which meant they placed themselves under the control
of the one called "Satan" (the adversary). Whether it is a synagogue, or
a church, or a mosque, or an ashram, it's all the same - Those who look to
themselves and their works instead of trusting in the Lord, place
themselves under the control of the evil one.
Note, by the way, that if your church and/or ministry
is small, poor, or whatever, it does not mean there is something wrong
with it. Smyrna is a classic example that large numbers do not
necessarily coincide with God’s pleasure in us. You can be “poor” in
numbers and “rich” in the Spirit at the same time.
Verse 10. "Do
not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast
some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have
tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the
crown of life."
Do not fear - anything! Jesus Christ will give you
the crown of life - forever! How is it that they must "be
faithful until death" if they are to receive the “crown
of life?” Does it mean that we must "work" in order to be saved?
Actually, it's the other way around. We are saved in order to be made
able to work (Ephesians 2:10). Here's good news: "Jesus
Christ is the author and finisher of your faith" (Hebrews 12:2),
which means that faith in you is created by, and is sustained by - Him!
The "work" is done in and through you by the Lord. Your job is to believe
in the Lord (John 6:29).
But this verse does not contain words that we like to
hear. For reasons that are beyond our comprehension, even beyond our
DESIRE to understand, some of them were about to be cast into prison! God
knew it would happen through the agency of the “devil” himself, and the
Lord was allowing it! I am reminded of our Chinese brethren, who have
been praying for Christians in "Western" countries. They feel, with good
reason, that we are too soft; and that our "faith" will be easily shaken
unless we are "tested" as in this verse. Actually, ALL will be tested.
ALL of us will experience tribulation in this world. When it comes -
trust in Him who died for you, and He will bring you through.
Verse 11. "He
who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who
overcomes will not be hurt by the second death."
If you have received Jesus
Christ, you have been given the Holy Spirit of God. He is not just some
dormant entity inside, but instead, He is Himself God in you, with power,
love and wonder greater than anything that could ever come from your
imagination. If you have an “ear” in the sense of this verse, it is
because you have been given the Spirit of God. You are enabled to simply
KNOW in the Spirit that which God intends to impart through you.
If you are in Christ and
He is in your heart, then you WILL overcome in relation to all that the
world can throw at you. And “death” has no power over you. “Death” as it
is seen in Scripture is interesting. The one who does not know God,
though he or she may be physically able to breathe and move around, is
dead already – inside, where it counts. In Christ, we are made alive,
truly alive for the first time. Our bodies may then “die”, but only for
awhile, and we will always be with Him. The “second
death” is subsequent to physical death, when the person who
refuses Christ is eternally cast away from Him. There is nothing you can
imagine that is worse than the second death.
Verse 12.
"And
to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp
two-edged sword says this:"
Jesus now speaks through John to the church
at Pergamum (Pergamos), or Bergama, as
it also has been called. Pergamum was a principal city in the Roman
Province of Asia, and is now in the country called Turkey. Pergamum was a
center of idolatry. A Caesar at the time of Jesus had taken the title
“Augustus” and the first and largest temple of the Imperial Religion in
Asia, was built to him in the city of Pergamum. This was a humanistic
religion, deifying the ideas of men. The power behind such humanistic
systems is Satan himself. Look carefully at your beliefs. The love of
God in Christ is what is to be in you.
The “sharp two-edged sword” is a reference
to the sharp-pointed, double-edged cut-and-thrust sword used by soldiers
in Roman legions. That sword had become the symbol of official authority
in the Roman Empire. The phrase “right
of the sword” was equivalent to our term “power
of life and death,” describing governmental authority.
Readers in Pergamum would have been reminded of that, and also might have
thought about Paul’s description of the “sword
of the Spirit which is the Word of God” (in Ephesians
6:17). Real power belongs to God and His Word. Prayerfully read His
Word, and you will understand through His Spirit.
Verse 13.
"I
know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is; and you hold fast My name,
and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My
faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells."
Jesus Christ knows you. He knows everything
about you, and He is intimately acquainted with the stresses and strains
of your life. The phrase “Satan’s
throne” may directly refer to the emperor worship that was
rampant in the place, but there was more.
Pergamum was also a center of worship for Asclepius,
“god” of medicine, who was symbolized by the serpent, and Dionysius
(Bacchus), who essentially was the “god” of alcohol. The Christians in
that place were surrounded by the worship of false gods. Today, we are
surrounded by much that is false, much like they were.
To not engage in emperor worship was
dangerous, and indeed, a man named Antipas is here listed as one who was
killed because of trusting in the Lord. He was the first of many.
“Antipas” is the nickname of someone in the church at
Pergamum, who was actually named “Antipater.” This
is the only mention of him in Scripture, but just like Jesus Christ knew
(and knows) this man, He knows you, as well. Antipas was a good man who
trusted in Jesus, and if you receive Christ, you will be known by our Lord
– forever.
Verse 14.
"But
I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the
teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block
before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit
acts of immorality."
Note that unlike
Smyrna (verse 8 and forward), which was also a
suffering, persecuted church, some of those in Pergamum had fallen into
error. We can conclude from this that to be “small” and “persecuted” for
a church, is not a guarantee against error. It isn’t “small” or “large”
that defines us, but instead the Presence of the Holy Spirit in our
thoughts, words and responses. The nature of the errors they fell into,
by the way, is interesting.
Some of those in
Pergamum taught something very similar to the
apostasy of Balaam, a “prophet” of the Old Testament. You can find
Balaam, starting in
Numbers Chapter 22.
A local kinglet named Barak wanted to defeat Israel in battle, offering
money to Balaam to curse them. Balaam could not do it, but ultimately
counseled Balak to send godless women into the camp of Israel to
intermarry with them and bring false gods to them (Numbers
31:16). Balak followed his advice
and the worship of God, in Israel, became mixed with idolatry. Our
worship is to be pure and simple, trusting in our Lord.
Verse 15.
"So
you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the
Nicolaitans."
Something like the advice of Balaam was
contained within the false doctrines that were expressed in the “teaching
of the Nicolaitans” (see also
Revelation 2:6
– they taught that it was OK to sin). It’s important to note that Jesus
Christ died for the sins of the world. “Our
old man was crucified with (Jesus Christ)
that the body of sin might be done away with,
that we should no longer be slaves of sin” (Romans
6:6). And Paul continued,
“for he who has died has been
freed from sin” (Romans
6:7). We die to sin and
instead are led into holiness by the Spirit of God.
You might examine the doctrines you
believe in from this perspective: What
will they lead to, if you consistently follow them for many years?
If you sin (break the commandments of God), you will be led to greater
sin, and your trust in Him will be compromised. I read about a large
church that condones active homosexuality among its members. Promiscuity
of any kind is wrong, simply because God condemns it. You should “examine
yourselves” (2
Corinthians 13:5)
as to whether you and your teachings are from the Lord. What does your
church believe and teach? What do YOU believe? What do you allow? What
kind of attitudes do you have toward others? A lot depends on the answer
to those questions.
Verse 16. "Therefore
repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against
them with the sword of My mouth."
Notice that God calls the CHURCH at Pergamum to
repent. Not just those who are in error among them, but ALL of them are
to repent before the Holy God. In the Book of Daniel, we find a good man
(Daniel), who truly loved the Lord. His people had sinned, and yet, when
he prayed, it was in this manner: “WE have sinned and committed
iniquity, WE have done wickedly and rebelled…” (Daniel 9:5 &
context). If your church, city, or nation has done wrong, consider that
from God’s point of view, YOU are a PART of that church, city and nation,
and you should pray accordingly.
Your prayer is important. What would have happened
if Daniel had not prayed? What will happen to your church, your nation,
if you do not pray? The “sword” of His mouth is the Word of God (verse
12). That Word will either deliver you and your people or by your CHOICE,
it becomes a weapon of war against you. Balaam (verse 14) had a
choice. He could have followed the Lord and NOT gone when Balak summoned
him, but he chose to go. It was the drawn sword of the angel of the Lord
that withstood him (Numbers 22:23) and it was by the sword Balaam died
(Numbers 31:8). You and your church can live by the Word of God, but it
is “two-edged” and cuts in both directions. Follow God, repent before
Him, and by the Word of God, you will live.
Verse 17. "He
who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him
who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will
give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one
knows but he who receives it."
Those who receive and know Jesus Christ are given the
Holy Spirit of God, enabling them to “hear” God. Two men are reading
the Bible. To the one, it means nothing, but to the other who has
the Spirit of God, it is everything! The one who has that Spirit,
“overcomes” in this world, because the Spirit leads him and he (or she)
listens to the Lord. The Church, at the time of the writing of these
verses, was very Jewish in thought and word. As to the “hidden
manna,” there was a Jewish teaching that the Messiah would send manna from
God (Exodus 16:4, 15, John 6:30-32), which would be food for the righteous
(those who “hold fast My Name” – verse 13).
The “white stone” was well known in the Roman Empire,
in a variety of contexts. In a courtroom it was cast as a vote of
acquittal. It was used as a token of admission or membership in prized
organizations. At the gladiatorial games, it was a token that the
gladiator would live, and so on. In other words, LISTEN to the Word of
God as revealed by the Spirit of God, and the Bread of life (Jesus Christ
– John 6:35) will be yours. The stone cast will be for acquittal – you
will be free. And just as the bride takes the name of the groom, our
church must go forth in the Name of Jesus Christ. Who are we? – We are
the Church; we are His! This can only be known to those who bear His
Name.
We are NOT to be like Balaam, who knew the leading of
God, but instead responded to the urgings of men. We are not to be like
the Nicolaitans, who led people away from faith in Christ, into mere human
ideas. We are to trust in the Lord.
Verse 18. "And
to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has eyes
like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this:"
Thyatira was yet another city in the Roman province
of Asia; this one on the border of the district of Mysia. Thyatira was
famous for the weaving and dyeing of cloth. Lydia, who was probably named
after a nearby district of that name, and was “the
seller of purple” (actually “turkey red”) that Paul met in Philippi
(Acts 16:14), was a merchant who sold this dye. Thyatira, a city not
greatly important to Rome, was located about 35-miles inland, southeast of
Pergamum. The place was largely Macedonian in population – Macedon, by
the way, had been the home of Alexander the Great.
Jesus now speaks to the people of the church at
Thyatira, through the angel who has charge over them, and He speaks of
certain concerns in relation to them. He also has good things to say, but
opening His dialogue by emphasizing His eyes of fire (He knows them) and
His feet like metal that can trample out judgment on them, is an
indication that difficult words will follow. Compare this to His greeting
to the angel of the church in Smyrna, where He spoke of His death and
life, and then offered that life to them.
Verse 19. "I
know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and
that your deeds of late are greater than at first."
Thyatira was a proud city of guild workers, and their
diligence in craftsmanship, a blue-collar work ethic, was brought into the
church, and was reflected as faithful service. They were actually working
harder for the church (each “church” was several churches) at the present
time, than in the beginning. They felt pleased about what they were
doing. They had instituted and were maintaining solid programs within the
local churches that undoubtedly were accomplishing much good.
There were many fine, solid hard-working Christian
people within the church at Thyatira. Sound like Ephesus? Yes it does,
but with a difference. At Ephesus, the people had lapsed into a grim
working of “good” deeds, but the love of God was not present in what they
were doing. Here, the deeds were consistently there, and many had the
love of God in Christ for those they served, but something else was wrong,
and the Lord would now address His concern.
Verse 20. "But
I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls
herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so
that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols."
In our study of the Book of 1st
Corinthians, we looked several times at the gift of prophesy, in places
like 1 Corinthians 12:10. It’s a wonderful gift and the Bible owes much
to the prophets of God. But there were false prophets also, such as
Balaam, mentioned in relation to the church at Pergamum. He uttered many
true words, but his motives were wrong and he was condemned. The true
prophet has no motive except for the love of God and His Word.
Now we encounter another false prophet, who is called in this verse,
“Jezebel” (a reference to 1 Kings 16-21). The workers guilds in Thyatira
were influenced by pagan worship, and feasts which ended in immorality
were common. She (or they) may well have encouraged Christians to take
part in those guilds. Paul, who passed through this region more than
once, cautioned, “Flee sexual immorality; every
sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual
immorality sins against his own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18). Good
advice! Such behavior dishonors the God who created you, and opens you to
diseases that may destroy your life. And sin separates us from God.
Verse 21. "I
gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her
immorality."
Isn’t it wonderful that God gave her time to repent?
It means that God is giving YOU time to repent as well. In the light of
these verses, look at YOUR life, and if there is sin in your thoughts and
actions, understand that Jesus, who has “eyes like
a flame of fire” (verse 18) knows everything about you. You may
have thought you got away with something, but He knows! If you have not
yet been judged, it is because He has been gentle and patient with you,
and longs for you to repent of your immoral thoughts and behavior.
There is hope, isn’t there? You merely have to give
your sins to Him, and you will discover that all of it was dealt with on
the Cross of Christ. He has been patient with you, and if you turn to Him
right now, you will be right with God, and forgiven in relation to those
who have been harmed by you. But don’t be like the “she”
of this verse, who did “not want to repent…”
The only remedy for sinners is the forgiveness, the grace of God,
expressed through the cross of Jesus Christ. There is no other way.
Verse 22. "Behold,
I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with
her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds."
Look around at others in your church. Is there a
kind of “sickness” of the soul among you? Do you see fear in your midst?
It may be there is someone among you who claims to be a “prophet” of God,
but is not, and is leading you astray. The Lord is pure and holy, and He
expects us to be the same. We are to be simple people, trusting in the
Lord and not in ourselves, in our experiences, or in clever ideas.
Speaking of the communion we are to have with one another, in the presence
of the Lord, Paul said, “He who eats and drinks
in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning
the Lord’s body. For this reason, many are weak and sick among you and
many sleep” (1 Corinthians 11:29-30).
We are to be consistent in what we allow to be taught
within our church. The spoken Word of God, in a healthy church, will be
consistent with the written Word of God, and will reflect His love. In 1st
Corinthians 11, Paul observed that communion had become some kind of
“party,” where some gorged themselves and others went hungry. This “Jezebel,”
as she is called in verse 22, was leading the people of God away from the
Word of God. She and her fanciful teachings would now be judged, and
so would those who had been listening to her.
Verse 23. "And
I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know
that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each
one of you according to your deeds."
“Her children” were
those who had been responding to the false doctrines and prophetic
utterances of this “Jezebel” as she is
called by the Lord in verse 20. And the others who have been listening to
her – they would be judged also. The punishment would take the form of
physical and possibly also mental disease. They would get sick and many
would die. This sounds harsh, but if you think about it, you were created
by a Holy God, and He also re-created you in Christ Jesus, if indeed you
have trusted in Him. Much is given to us, and much is expected from us.
He longs to give you every good thing, and certainly,
in eternity, all will be yours. If you are on the wrong “track,” He will
do everything possible to bring you back to Himself. You can go the easy
way or the hard way. If gentle persuasion won’t do it, He will bring you
through other measures. You will be measured by your “deeds”
as in this verse. Who are you listening to? What are they teaching? If
you follow their teachings, where will it lead? Prayerfully look to the
Lord – and follow HIM in what you say and do!
Verse 24. "But
I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching,
who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them--I place no
other burden on you."
Our walk with Jesus is very simple. We look to Him
and repent of our sins, trusting Him with all we have and all we are. He
gives us the Holy Spirit of God, who opens the written Word of God to our
understanding. We die to this world, to living for ourselves and come
alive in another, in Him. But, there are those who bring bad teachings
into the church. And all too many follow what they teach.
In this case, it was very bad, for some were teaching
what is called “the deep things of Satan.”
He who used the phrase “Synagogue of Satan”
in verse 9, and the “Throne of Satan” in
verse 13, now condemns certain teachings in Thyatira. They had deviated
from simply trusting in the Lord Jesus, substituting ideas that would lead
adherents AWAY from the Lord. “Deep” in
a variety of contexts was a favorite expression of the “Gnostics”
of the time, who taught that matter is evil. God, on the other hand,
created the material universe, and called it “good”
(Genesis 1:10).
Verse 25. "Nevertheless
what you have, hold fast until I come."
What do you have that you can “hold
fast”? Actually, you only have three possessions that will “abide”
(endure, remain, stand): Your faith in Him, your hope in Him, and the love
which He has given to you. That’s 1 Corinthians 13 in a nutshell,
especially verse 13, where we read, “But now
abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
This verse is similar to Revelation
3:11, where it is written, "Hold fast what you
have, that no one may take your crown." As to each individual
Christian (those who have truly received Him), NOTHING "shall
be able to separate us from the Lord of God which is in Christ Jesus”
(Romans 8:38-39). These words in the Book of Revelation are addressing
the church collectively - we must hold fast to the commission that has
been given to us in Christ Jesus.
Verse 26. "He
who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give
authority over the nations;"
To "overcome" in this world is to trust in the Lord.
To keep His "deeds" or "works"
is to believe in Him. That's what Jesus taught in John 6:29 - "This
is the work of God, that you BELIEVE in Him whom He sent." Those
who trust in Him are given His Spirit, who opens the Word to our
understanding, and shows us the way we should go. To “keep” His deeds is
actually to keep on recognizing that you are kept in the power of God.
To be given "authority over
the nations" is a command given to the church, in such places as
Matthew 28:19, where He said, "Go therefore and
make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." He will, in fact,
give great authority to the church that trusts in Him, listens to His
Word, and responds to His Spirit. Such authority is not found in human
programs, attractive as they may be, but instead it is from the Lord.
Verse 27. "And
He shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are
broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father;"
This verse is a direct quote from Psalm 2:8-9, “Ask
of Me and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends
of the earth for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of
iron; You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Psalm
2 is definitely what is called a “Messianic” Psalm that looked ahead to
the Messiah, the Anointed One, Jesus Christ. It can be successfully
argued that ALL the Old Testament looks to Him.
Immediately preceding the words of Psalm 2:8-9, is of
course, verse 7, which states, “The Lord has said
to Me, You are My Son, today I have begotten You.” Following these
Scriptures, in Psalm 2:12, we are advised to “Kiss
(do homage to) the Son, lest He be angry…”
This is a promise to the Son of God, Jesus Christ, but note that
Revelation 2:26 extends this promise to also include those of the Church.
“Authority over the nations” (Verse 26) is
delegated through the Lord Jesus Christ to those who love Him and trust in
His Name.
Verse 28. "and
I will give him the morning star."
As a little boy, I was shaken by the move away from
our home in the State of Maine. All my friends were gone from my life as
we headed to a new place my parents called “Southern California.” I had
some toy cars given by my grandmother as we left, but everything else
seemed – gone. Each morning though, I would wake up and open the sleeping
car curtain over my window on the train, and think, “Yes, it’s still
there!”
A bright morning star was always in the same place in
the sky, no matter how far the train moved across the continent. I’ve
seen a similar constancy in the Lord Jesus Christ. Circumstances change
radically, but He is always there. A couple of times, I’ve lost
“everything” in life, but He is still mine. When I die, I will be with
Him. He is my “Morning Star.” Is He
yours? Trust in Him now – He will always be with you, and you will be
safe in Him.
Verse 29. "He
who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
What IS the Spirit of God saying to you, right this
minute? You might respond, “Well, He’s not saying ANYTHING to me,” and
wonder what’s wrong. A process is involved, one that asks you to act
before you can hear. There is an interesting concept in Scripture,
clearly expressed in Romans 10:17 – “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing
by the Word of God.” You need the Word to reveal the Son, who will give
you His Spirit.
Everything received in the Kingdom of God is through
faith. We receive Christ because we take the risk of allowing His faith
to live in us. Note that the verse in Romans shows that faith itself
results from our willingness to encounter the “Word
of God” (or “Word of Christ” in
some translations). Your ability to “hear”
the Spirit is in direct proportion to your willingness to prayerfully read
the Word of God. Open His Word and let Him speak to you today. You’ll be
glad you did.
Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
P.O. Box 92131
Long Beach, CA
90809-2131 USA
www.fridaystudy.org
Ron@fridaystudy.org
