Wednesday, December 2 –
We
are reading in the book of Revelation, and today we begin the messages of Jesus
to the Churches John is writing. Today’s
reading is Revelation 2:1 – 29. Please
come back after you’ve read the passage.
It was in 1:4, that John addressed his greetings to the seven churches that
were in Asia (modern Turkey). John was
on a Patmos – a prison island – “on account of the word of God and the
testimony of Jesus” (1:9). Then on a
Sunday, Jesus stands before him in all of his majesty. The vision of Jesus in his majesty led to
John’s commission by the Lord to “write therefore the things that you have
seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this” (1:19). Before the heavenly visions become
apparent, Jesus addresses the seven churches one-by-one. John is writing revelations Jesus is giving
him to the churches. The seven are in
proximity to one another but have different issues to resolve. They are Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira,
Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea (1:11).
On a map, they are listed clockwise beginning with Ephesus, where John
had pastored.
All
of these churches have begun to experience the tribulations and suffering that
came from the cult of Emperor worship.
The message Jesus sends to each one is based on two main things – “I
know your works” (2:2, 19; 3:1,8,15), and, “I know your tribulation –
suffering” (2:9, 10, 22). In
speaking to all the churches, the common refrain from the Lord Jesus is “I
know”. Common to all of the letters
is a similar pattern that occurs to each one.
First, he states the spiritual condition of the church; second, an
exhortation to be faithful, or repent, and sometimes, both. Lastly, a promise
is given which may or may not sound encouraging, but it represents the truth of
what Jesus sees. Perhaps that is where
we must begin in our own lives today.
Jesus knows our fellowship as a church.
He knows what is good, and what is not.
He knows whether a church is faithful, or failing. Nothing is hidden from his all-knowing mind.
The
first Church one is in Ephesus. John
pastored in Ephesus for years, and the city was a prominent city in the
Empire. Ephesus was known as a trade
city. It had a large port that led via a
road from the Aegean Sea to the city (about a mile inward). The message from Jesus was a mixture of both
“good” and “bad” things –
“To
the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven
stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. “‘I
know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear
with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and
are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently
and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary… Yet this you
have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate” (2:1-3, 5-6).
The
background to the letter – and all of the letters – comes from the increasing
pressure on the Churches, and the individual Christian in them, to “syncretize”
their faith with Rome’s Emperor cult.
The Romans didn’t mind Christians believing in Jesus, but they wanted
all Romans to give honor to the Caesar as a “god”. Christians, by and large, refused to do
so. Early in the church, Romans considered
Christians to be a sect of the Jews. As
the Gospel spread, so did Jewish opposition, and eventually, Jewish synagogues and their leaders turned on the Christians and separated from them, leaving the
churches, and the Christians open to persecution by the Roman local
rulers, as well as the Caesar who was in power.
As
John receives the revelation to Ephesus it is clear that they have been “patiently
enduring, bearing up for name’s sake” (2:3). Not only have they had to endure the Roman
pressures, but they have stood their ground in faithfulness to the word of God,
protecting the church from so-called people “who call themselves Apostles,
and are not”. Later, Jesus tells
them that he sees their desire for truth - “you hate the works of the
Nicolaitans, which I also hate” (2:6). The Nicolaitans, false teachers who probably
had brought in Gnostic heresy to Ephesus, as well as Pergamum (2:15). The word “Nicolaitan” is a combination
of two Greek words – Nikao, to rule over, and laos, the
people. Some have speculated these false
teachers came to divide the church between those who would rule over the people
– i.e., the split between clergy and laity.
What’s important is that Jesus says “I also hate them”.
In
their firmness of standing in the truth, something has happened that is not so
good – “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you
had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and
do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your
lampstand from its place, unless you repent” (2:4-5). What has occurred
over time is the struggle to be faithful replaces the person to who we are faithful
to. It is the story of many a believer
who having come to faith in Christ has a love that is passionate, centered
wholly on Christ. Joining a church is a
part of our growth, but the love of Christ, the passion for Christ we show in
worship, prayer, serving, must not die off as we live together in fellowship
with other believers. Soon, Christ
recedes, religion takes over, and our love is gone. What do we do? Repent!
Admit to the Lord that we have replaced religion for our personal
love. Return to the things (works) you
did at first – worship, pray, serve, dive into the word to find Jesus
again. The promise of Jesus is “to
him who overcomes” – not a word for the super-saint, but a reminder that we
came to faith in Christ by grace, and when we discovered Jesus, we fell in love
with Him. The tree of life is in the
garden where God dwelt in communion with his creation, and sin was not present.
More
briefly, the other three in this chapter face somewhat different difficulties,
but similar encouragements and warnings.
Situated thirty-five miles to the north is Smyrna. Smyrna had a large
temple constructed to honor the Emperor Tiberius. Once a year the citizens of Smyrna had a
festival in which all citizens were required to burn incense on an altar to
Caesar. The city also boasted a large
Jewish population that opposed the Christian Church. Jesus words are clear – “And
to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the
last, who died and came to life (2:8). The pressure came from both the
Romans and the Jews and they faced poverty, slander (2:9), and persecution
(2:10). Jesus reminds them “I know”,
and reminds them that Satan is fighting, but he cannot win, even though for a
short period they will experience tribulation, and some will even be martyred
(2:10). Jesus’ promise to the church and
those who pay the ultimate price is that death cannot conquer life (2:11).
The
church in Pergamum (2:12 – 17) is faced with similar attacks, and Jesus says “I
know”. Specifically, he knows “where
they live” – i.e., what they are living through, and he also knows “where
Satan lives” – who Satan is using to put the pressure on them. One of their own, Antipas, was martyred for
his faith (2:13) because of Satan’s influence on the Roman rulers. What Jesus
confronts them is on their willingness to play along with the Romans, as Balaam
had led the children of Israel along.
The story in Numbers 22 – 25 is a reminder that this was a “stumbling
block” (2:14) that led to the destruction of many Jews. Satan’s attack against the church had failed,
but immorality, idolatry, and the threat of the Nicolaitan’s heresy was an
attack within the church. In all
likelihood, there were some who thought “let’s go along with the imperial
cult and participate in the incense offerings, even though we don’t mean it”. It was a significant lapse of judgment that
would lead to destruction within the church if allowed to remain. Jesus' words are clear – “Therefore repent.
If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth”
(2:16). The promise Jesus offers is
in symbols of manna (real bread of life), a white stone (used as
a token of admission, entrance to the Kingdom), and a new name (an
identity that is of God).
Lastly,
he writes to Thyatira, the city Lydia, the first convert in Philippi (Acts
16:14), had come from. What is good is
similar to the others: “love, faith, service, patient endurance” (2:19). What is not good is their tolerance of a woman
who was like the Old Testament woman Jezebel. Jezebel (1 Kings 16 – 18) was a
foreign Queen who introduced Baal worship to Israel and despised God’s
word. This woman in Thyatira has done likewise, declaring
Gnostic teachings and they have allowed her to speak (2:20, 24). The result of her impertinence and
unwillingness to repent is judgments (2:21-23).
To the church, Jesus says I see very clearly what is going on (2:18) – “you
cannot worship me as Lord on Sunday and then turn to the Roman cults to satisfy
your flesh on the rest of the days”.
Instead, he charges them to “hold on” to the Gospel (2:25), and “keep
my works to the end”, i.e., be faithful to the truth, waiting for Christ Jesus
who will reign on the earth, as the Morning Star – a likely reference to Psalm
2:8-9 – and we will reign with him.
The
words that Jesus finishes three of these four messages with is “He who has
an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation
2:7, 11, 17). It was familiar words
for John. Often in Jesus’ teaching, he
would remind the people that it takes a willingness to hear in order to
understand. Hearing God’s word is just
the beginning of how we learn to live out faith, and faithfulness in our lives.
What should remember is that the world’s pressures, even our tribulations, are
known by the Lord, and the Lord Jesus knows our responses also. Whether it’s the world’s seductions or the
world’s persecution doesn’t matter. We are
called to a faith that puts Christ Jesus and his word as our first
priority. Repent is not a fearful
command of intolerance, but an invitation to restoration. It was Martin Luther who reminded us in his
first of the ninety-five thesis: “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said
“repent”, he intended that the entire life of believers should be repentance”. It’s an invitation to keep Christ first.
Peace
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