By Gustavo Barros
REVELATION 2:1-7:
1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write (Ephesus first because of its important location and spiritual importance as a mother church):
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
OUTLINE:
I – The presentation (v.1)
II – The commendation (vs.2-3, 6)
III – The Condemnation (vs.4-5a)
IV – The Remedy/Solution (v.5b)
VI – The Consequences: judgment (v.5c) and blessing (v.7)
I – The presentation (v.1)
1 “TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS WRITE: THESE ARE THE WORDS OF HIM WHO HOLDS THE SEVEN STARS IN HIS RIGHT HAND AND WALKS AMONG THE SEVEN GOLDEN LAMPSTANDS. (ΤῷἀγγέλῳτῷἐνἘφέσῳἐκκλησίαςγράψον·Τάδελέγειὁκρατῶντοὺςἑπτὰἀστέραςἐντῇδεξιᾷαὐτοῦ,ὁπεριπατῶνἐνμέσῳτῶνἑπτὰλυχνιῶντῶνχρυσῶν·)
In all the seven letters to the churches Jesus presents Himself with a characteristic that the church is lacking.
“THESE ARE THE WORDS OF HIM” – Every letter starts in the same way. This expression reminds the audience of the words of God and the words of royal characters. Kings spoke like this [II Chron. 36:23].
Jesus is presented in Revelation as the King of kings – so it is a call to all to pay much attention to the words from King Jesus, who is the God of the Old Testament.
“who holds the seven stars in his right hand” – Jesus presents Himself as the one who holds the seven stars.
What, or Who are the ‘seven stars’?
Revelation 1:20 - As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
“The seven stars”= the seven angels
seven – represents perfection
stars – In the Old Testament angels are called “stars”.There is a debate to define who the “angels” are. Are they only the messengers (preachers)? Are they the elders of the churches?
Between chapters 4-22 the word ἄγγελοςappears about 60 times, and it always refersto celestial beings. So the angels here are probably celestial beings who serve the churches, bringing the revelation of Jesus to challenge, reform, and help these churches. See Hebrews 1:14
In 1:1 we have the sequence: God /Jesus --- Angels --- John --- Churches
By having one angel for each church, Jesus shows that each church is unique.
holds the seven stars in his right hand -Jesus is showing Himself to be much greater than the angels, because He holds them in His hands.
HOLDING THE CHURCHES SYMBOLIZES:
1 – HIS SOVEREIGN CONTROL OVER THE CHURCHES
2 – HIS LOVING PROTECTION - The church is secure and safe in His mighty hand!
How good it is for us to know that Christ is controlling/governing His churches and that we, as members of His body, are protected in His hands!
John 10:27-29My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father,who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.
“AND WALKS [is walking] AMONG THE SEVEN LAMPSTANDS” – The “LAMPSTANDS” are defined for in 1:20 as the churches.
Why is the church called a lampstand?
The imagery is built on the Jewish Menorah. The church must be a light shining, bringing light to the dark world.
So when Jesus tells them that He “walks among the seven lampstands” He is saying that He has “concern and authority over the church” (Grant Osborne, E.C.N.T. in Revelation – Baker, pg. 112).
It is comforting, and at the same time terrifying, to know that Christ is walking among us.
* COMFORTING– because we know that He sees what is going on, what is happening, and that He is not far away as a distant Lord. He is near and He sees our affliction, He hears our cry.
* TERRIFYING – because He is watching everything that is happening not according to His standards!
Jesus presents Himself as the One who has total dominion over His church and He is among us. If people truly believed this, many things would change! We would come to church with more fear, we would worship Him with more reverence, and we would pay greater attention to what we do during our services.
So many churches have completely lost the idea that Christ is the Lord of the church and He is always present through the Holy Spirit. That is why people treat the church like concerts and companies – they have lost the fear of His presence and ownership!
II – The commendation (vs.2-3, 6)
2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary… 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Jesus starts with the verb: I KNOW --- That once again reveals His knowledge of everything that is happening.
It must be so comforting to hear from our Lord Jesus – “I KNOW YOUR DEEDS, YOUR HARD WORK AND YOUR PERSEVERANCE!”
Maybe no one noticed their hard work, your hard work, but the Lord knows and He cares!
That is a reference to the hard work they were doing inside the church. They were persevering in the sound teaching because of the hard labor they were doing!
The Lord cares and appreciates the hard work a church does to keep the sound doctrine and the purity of the Gospel, especially in days when people don´t care about preserving the true Biblical Gospel of Grace!
The churches in Ephesus had a very hard time with false teachings. The epistles to Timothy and some of John´s letters were written to churches in this city. Look at what Paul prophesied about there: Acts 20 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. 28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.
* That is an amazing church. They work hard, they labor like no other church to keep the sound doctrine.
“I KNOW YOUR DEEDS, YOUR HARD WORK AND YOUR PERSEVERANCE (ὑπομονή - endurance, steadfastness – remain under pressure)” – it means that it wasn´t easy – constant attack and they remain faithful.
“I KNOW THAT YOU CANNOT TOLERATE WICKED PEOPLE” --- They hated sin. They had church discipline. It is a healthy church!
“THAT YOU HAVE TESTED THOSE WHO CLAIM TO BE APOSTLES BUT ARE NOT, AND HAVE FOUND THEM FALSE” --- They tested all the preachers and teachings. TESTED – πειράζω. The Word was their standard. They tested everything according to the Scripture!
That is an awesome church. They have DISCERNMENT! They are praised by the Lord for their biblical discernment.
So many Christians don´t have any discernment! There is a huge lack of biblical discernment in the churches.
They are like the Bereans.
Jesus gives a clear example of how faithful they have been. A practical illustration:
v.6 – “YOU HAVE THIS IN YOUR FAVOR: YOU HATE THE PRACTICES OF THE NICOLAITANS, WHICH I ALSO HATE”
Most scholars believe that Nicolas was a false teacher who encouraged the Christians to compromise their faith. He taught that it was OK to be involved in sexual immorality, pagan services, and still be a Christian. Much like a lot of the churches today that say that it is OK for Christians to be just like the world – you can drink, you can go everywhere, you can watch whatever you want and hey, you are a Christian!
So Jesus praises them. It is a fantastic church:
- Sound doctrine.
- Reformed teachings.
- They are hard-working Christians.
- They labor under trials without compromising their faith.
- They have church discipline.
- They have biblical discernment.
Anyone who came to this church saw a church that was different. It was a healthy and holy church! Any pastor would love to shepherd these people.
But the One who has eyes of fire sees what man can´t see.
III – The Condemnation (v.4)
4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first/abandoned the love you had at first.
What shocking words!
Jesus is saying that all the amazing work they have been doing is becoming heartless, cold, religious duties.
Great work, great theology, great perseverance, and great discipline, but no passion!
People debate what the meaning is of “forsaking the first love.” The majority say it is losing your love, passion, and affection for God; when the person becomes a religious person, cold and legalistic.
I believe it is true.
But the big problem with the church in Ephesus is that they stopped loving the lost people. They had such an amazing zeal for the sound doctrine and for perfect ecclesiology that they forgot to love and reach and preach to the lost.
That is why Jesus says in v.5 ‘If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.’
“Although they were ever on guard to maintain the purity of the apostolic teaching, the Ephesian Christians were not diligent in witnessing to the same faith in the outside world… They no longer expressed their former zealous love for Jesus by witnessing to Him in the world” (G.K. Beale, T.N.I.G.T.C. in Revelation – Eerdmans, pg. 230)
Mtt. 24:12-14 (the link between cold and being a witness) And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Christ presents Himself as the One who walks among the lampstands. The “lampstand” is a symbol of the light shining in the darkness, of being a light to the people. They are neglecting their great calling – to go and preach and make disciples. But, to go and preach with sincerity, you must love the lost. You need to have a love for people to be an effective lampstand shining in this world.
How is your heart for the lost? How do you see the people around you who are going to hell? In your work, school, neighborhood, and family – does your heart burn for their salvation?
Most of the times when we stop loving people, we stop loving God. Your love for God and your love for peopleis completely connected.
We can do church so well, fight so hard for the sound teaching, know all the Solas, and still have abandoned our first love for God and people!
Mark 12:28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
See how Jesus connects the love for God with the love for others! If you truly love God, you will truly love those who were made in His image!
I Jo 4:7-8 7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
It is a warning for all of us who love the Reformed teaching, who have zeal for the sound doctrine – sometimes we can be doing everything right, but at the same time have our hearts cold and far away from true love.
The last thing I would like to hear from my Lord is that I have forsaken my first love for Him and for others.
Test your love for Him. Test you love for others.
- How much do you truly love God?
- How much do you think about Him during your day?
- How much do you talk to people about your Lord?
- How do people see you? Do they see you in a person who loves God with all that you have?
IV – The Remedy/Solution (v.5)
5 remember how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
Jesus not only condemns, but He also gives the remedy/solution.
1 – Remember – Remember where you were before the Lord saved you. Think about how your life was before His grace came to rescue you. Remember how wicked and sinful you were. Remember when you were first saved and how much you desired to be with Christ, how much you wanted to read and learn about your Bible.
Take time to think about how your relationship with Jesus is. Is it mechanical and cold?
2 – Repent – Don´t just think and remember, but act/do something. Confess your sin and pray that the Lord you renew your first love.
“REPENT AND DO THE WORKS YOU DID AT FIRST” – not only the work of keeping the sound teaching, but the work of being a witness!
To grow cold is a terrible sin, that is why Jesus calls us to repent. It is sinful to forsake your passion, your first love and enthusiasm for the Lord.
“When you love theology more than Christ, you lost your first love” (John MacArthur) – when we love theology more than the lost, we also have lost our first love.
“IF YOU DO NOT REPENT, I WILL COME TO YOU AND REMOVE YOUR LAMPSTAND FROM ITS PLACE”
LexTalionis – if they are not light, the light will be removed! “If they will not exercise their call to be a lamp of witness, then their lamp will be removed, as with Israel in the Old Testament”(G.K. Beale, T.N.I.G.T.C. in Revelation – Eerdmans, 231)
Jesus is saying that He will shut down that church!
VI – The Consequences (v.7):
7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
“The symbolic revelation will be received by the elect but rejected by unbelievers. Therefore, the exhortation assumes a mixed audience, of which only a part will respond positively. The formula also shows that Christ´s words are none than the words of the Spirit and that Christ dwells among the churches through the Spirit” (G.K. Beale, T.N.I.G.T.C. in Revelation – Eerdmans, 234)
According to Jesus´own words – only the true church can hear and obey His words.
TO THE ONE WHO IS VICTORIOUS, I WILL GIVE THE RIGHT TO EAT FROM THE TREE OF LIFE, WHICH IS IN THE PARADISE OF GOD. --
The wonderful promise of eternal life for those who conquer the sin of neglecting evangelism!
Those who overcome the sin of forsaking the first love will have the right to eat from the tree of life (together with the lampstand symbolizes the presence of God) – they will have eternal life.
The tree of life --- In Genesis 2-3 the image of the “tree of life” together with the “paradise of God” symbolizes the life-giving presence of God, from which Adam and Eve were separated. But when Jesus was hung on the tree, (cross) He took the curses upon Himselfand brought restoration to the fellowship between God and man.
And when we remember, that through Christ alone, we have the right to eat from the tree of life that is in the paradise of God, we must be moved to proclaim this Gospel to others!
What wonderful news – by Jesus being hung on the tree we now have access to the tree of life!
“A church that has forgotten to love is a church that has ceased to be a church, and that is why Jesus warns that He will ‘remove its lampstand’. We too need to heed the warning and remember (our own past) and repent (from our lack of concern for God and others). Then and only then can we experience ‘paradise’ in the present as well as the future. Yet when we do learn to ‘conquer’ not only heretics but our own sinful tendencies, we will experience the blessings of God in a new way and be assured of God´s ‘paradise’” (Grant Osborne, E.C.N.T. in Revelation – Baker, pg. 125).
Conclusion:
Be fervent for the sound doctrine, be zealous to keep the purity of the true Gospel, but above all, keep examining your love for Christ and consequently your love for others – how much do you love Jesus? How much do you want to be with Him during the day? How much do you love the people around you? How much do you desire to tell them about the Gospel?
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