GOD’S WARNING TO HIS CHURCH:
Revelation 2:1-29, 3:1-22; Hebrews 12:1-29; 1 Peter 4:17, 18; Galatians 5:19-21; John 3:17-21; 15:1-6; 1 John 2:12-17.
In the first part of the study under this series, we considered the first division of the revelation of Apostle John under the phrase, “the things which thou hast seen”.
In this second part of the study, we shall be considering the second division under the phrase, “the things which are”, which will seek to explain the events concurrently going on at that material time, but in two different spheres of existence, namely:
1. On earth among the seven churches at Asia Minor (chapters 2 and 3).
2. In heaven at the Throne Room of God (chapters 4 and 5), respectively.
We shall proceed to study those messages to the churches at Asia Minor under the sub-topics in which they are presented below:
1. GOD’S WARNING TO A COMPLACENT CHURCH. Revelation 2:1-7
“Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, and who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;” Revelation 2:1.
The message to the first church (and indeed to the other six churches) was, curiously, addressed to her angel. The question which readily comes to mind here is whether this was a literal angel or whether the term was figuratively used.
The best way to answer this question is to first know the original word that was translated as angel. The New Testament was originally written in the Greek language, while the Hebrew language originally graced the other half of the Bible, the Old Testament. The Greek word translated as angel is AGGELOS, and the Hebrew word for the same translation is MALAK. Both words, in their original forms, are used to depict a messenger, and in both the New and Old Testaments, they are used to refer to both angels of God from heaven and God’s messengers or ministers here on earth.
The only criteria for determining whether a heavenly or an earthly messenger is the subject of any text would be the context in which it was used. For instance, Revelation 2:1, quoted above, clearly shows that a human malak or aggelos is the subject of the message for the following reasons, which also apply to the six other churches:
1. Apostle John was instructed by Jesus Christ on each of the seven instances in chapters 2 and 3 to write and deliver the message to the angel, which meant that whoever he was, he had to be physically present to meet with and collect the letter from him, thus denoting that a physical person was being considered here. *Revelation 2:1a.*
2. From the wordings of the letters, which Jesus Christ dictated to Apostle John, each of the seven angels addressed in the letters were supposed to have physically lived, laboured and witnessed for Jesus Christ in a particular location at Asia Minor. Revelation 2:2, 3.
3. The style of writing infers that the angels did not work all alone, but rather led their various churches in doing those works; now, it must be pre-supposed that they had to be physically present among their members to be able to lead them into doing those works for the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The facts outlined above and the argument canvassed in support thereof lead to a logical conclusion that the malak or the aggelos interpreted by the King James Bible translators was a human messenger or minister of the church of Jesus Christ.
To be precise, and judging from the historical timeline in which the book of Revelation was written, which was about the year AD 96, the angel of the church at Ephesus was most likely none other than Timothy, who, according to early church tradition, was the first Bishop of Ephesus. Historical accounts place his appointment to that office around AD 64 and his death around AD 97, just a year after the book of Revelation was written. Although the Scriptures do not explicitly identify Timothy as the angel addressed in Revelation 2:1, the historical circumstances make him a plausible candidate for that position.
In considering Christ’s first message, which was to the Ephesian church, we would want to ask the following questions: What was God’s message to the Ephesian church? What lessons should we learn from the warning Jesus Christ gave to them?
i. Jesus Christ acknowledged and commended their good and untiring works, labours, and godly virtues. He praised their uncompromising stance, which forbade them to be unequally yoked together with evil and unrepentant persons in their communities. Revelation 2:3-6; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Proverbs 24:19-25.
“My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change…” Proverbs 24:21.
ii. But at the height of their spiritual success, they became complacent and trusted in their good works of yesterday to take care of the ones for tomorrow. To become complacent means to be in that state of mind in which one is satisfied with one’s accomplishments and therefore loses focus or the drive for more achievements.
“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 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.” Revelation 2:4-5.
Read the followings: Hebrews 10:35-39; John 4:31-34, 9:4, 5; Matt. 9:36, 21:31-35; 1 Corinthians 9:22-27; 2 Timothy 4:1-5.
We should understand that in doing God’s work no efforts should be spared, even when we seem to be succeeding beyond our set goals, until the Owner of the work rests us.
“To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might BY ALL MEANS save some. And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.” 1 Corinthians 9:22, 23.
Perhaps the Lord might have permitted the Ephesian Church’s complacency if there were no more souls to be won. But that was not the case. Every lost soul counts with God, so does every drop of the blood of His Son Jesus Christ, shed for the redemption of the sinner.
To take our hands off the plough and then fall leisurely into the arms of self-praise would be to undermine the extent of work still left undone. For every million souls won to Christ, there are still millions of other souls drawing near the gaping mouth of eternal hell fire who must be rescued too.
So, to comfort ourselves over the loss of two souls by applauding the gain of one would be tantamount to shaming the Good Shepherd, who left His ninety-nine to win the only one gone astray.
“Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria… That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, … That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music, like David; That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph…” Amos 6:1, 4-6.
Complacency would ruin any church that is in the habit of sacrificing tomorrow’s efforts on the altar of today’s gains. Should we relax because we see growth in church membership, financing or spiritual harmony with heaven presently? No, rather we should work even harder so as to maintain those growths. We should bear in mind that this earth is a labour field. Heaven is the ultimate resting place. A little rest here might prove too costly for our desire to finish the work which God has entrusted to us within the limited time of our life. Complacency does just that!
2. GOD’S COMMENDATION AND EXHORTATION TO A SUFFERING BUT FAITHFUL CHURCH. Revelation 2:8–11.
“I know thy works and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not but are the synagogue of Satan.” Revelation 2:9.
Ancient Smyrna (now located at Izmir, in Turkey) was a strategically located port city with commercial advantages to many inland towns and cities. With these good economic credentials, it would be assumed that the church of Christ in the city should be rich, but not so. Jesus Christ Himself bore witness to their “… tribulation and poverty ….”
One possible explanation for this is that, though they lived in the midst of much prosperity, the congregation had no access to the enjoyment of same, or that such access could not be had without the violation of their conscience or loyalty to Jesus Christ. Their poverty may have been connected with the economic and social consequences of their refusal to compromise their faith. They lived above the sinful compromises of their time, and the resultant tribulation (or persecution) and poverty may have been consequences of their godly choices.
“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: but be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” Revelation 2:10.
Happily, though, this church (and the church at Philadelphia) were the only churches, out of the seven, that were not reproved by Jesus Christ for any shortcomings, thus justifying their preference for the riches of God’s Kingdom over temporal, transient worldly riches, their tribulations and sufferings notwithstanding. See James 1:9–11; 5:1–6; 1 Peter 2:19–23; 1 Timothy 6:6–12, 17–19.
“For this is thank worthy, if a man for conscience towards God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.”
1 Peter 2:19.
This poor church’s godly example stands as a stark contrast to today’s money mongering churches who would do almost anything for money, including lowering the standards of God’s Word in their sermons just to accommodate the conveniences of thieving and corrupt members by whom their accounts are fattened.
3. GOD REBUKES A FAITHFUL BUT INDULGENT CHURCH.
Revelation 2:12–17.
Like He did with the Ephesian Church, Jesus Christ first commended the congregation in the church at Pergamos for their faithfulness in holding out against the onslaught of Satan and his agents, even when it resulted in the martyrdom of a fellow Christian brother, Antipas.
Nothing captures the intensity of that conflict between the church at Pergamos and the kingdom of Satan better than the words the Lord spoke in commending their faithfulness, thus:
“… I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where satan’s seat is and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith …” Revelation 2: 13a.
The phrase “where Satan’s seat is” or “where Satan dwelleth” identified Pergamos as a place of intense pagan religious activity, occultism and sinful practices. Historically, Pergamos was an important centre of pagan worship, including the worship of various Greek and Roman deities and emperor worship. These religious practices provide important historical context for understanding the expression “Satan’s seat”. However, different historical and theological explanations have been offered concerning the precise identification of Satan’s seat, and none should be presented as conclusively established. Rather, what’s more important to establish here beyond any doubt is that the Church at Pergamos prevailed over Satan by steadfastly holding their faith in Jesus Christ despite their ordeals in the hands of his cruel messengers.
Yes, against those vices, the church held out victoriously, in fulfilment of the proclamation of Jesus Christ in Matthew 16: 18: “And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”.
While Matthew 16:18 is a promise concerning the universal Church of Christ as a whole, Revelation 2:13 provides a specific testimony of how the church at Pergamos stood its ground against the forces of Satan and, thus, fulfilled that prophecy in their time. Both passages therefore complement each other in demonstrating the triumph of Christ’s Church over the kingdom of darkness. We also in our time, today, must strive to overcome all the antics of satan and his kingdom in solidarity with our predecessors in the faith. This will be the proof that Jesus Christ’s prophecy in Matthew 16:18 is also being fulfilled in us as well.
But then, the Lord also pointed out some weaknesses that were subtly eroding whatever gains they had made in their fight against the kingdom of Satan. He went on to say:
“But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate”. Revelation 2: 14, 15.
Who, though, were the Nicolaitans? One school of thought holds that they were the disciples of an apostate Christian leader of the early church called Nicholas, who encouraged his adherents to lead lives of self-indulgence, gratifying every pleasure that caught their fancy, all in the name of liberty in Christ. Sadly, this Nicolaitan spirit is still active in some local churches today. They sacrifice holiness in the name of spiritual freedom without realizing that such a reckless doctrine has cost many a soul their place in God’s Kingdom.
Galatians 5:13: “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”
Although this identification of Nicholas as the founder of the Nicolaitans may be disputed by some school of thought, which hold that historical evidence establishing the connection is inconclusive; yet our primary concern is that this practice, regardless of where or whom it came from, is a perversion of the grace of God, which teaches us that “Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ …” Titus 2:11 -13.
Another school of thought holds that the Nicolaitan doctrine had its name from a Greek expression interpreted to mean, “Let us eat”. This interpretation, however, is not an established linguistic derivation of the name Nicolaitans. Adherents of this view believe that grace confers on the believer the liberty to whet their appetites on whatever foods appeal to them, even foods that have been offered in sacrifice to idols.
Whichever of the two is right is of no relevance. What is relevant, though, is that Jesus Christ hated that doctrine, as well as the other one traced to Balaam. We should, therefore, avoid being associated with any such practices if truly we are His people. See Numbers 25:1-3; 31:1-9, 14-16; 2 Peter 2:14, 15.
“Having eyes full of adultery … which have forsaken the right way and are gone astray following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness…” 2 Peter 2:14, 15.
In rebuking the church at Pergamos, Jesus laid down the precedent that sin should not be indulged in the church but rebuked, and the sinner corrected with love, albeit with a firm resolve. See 1 Timothy 5:20; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13.
Again, by His condemnation of the Nicolaitan and Balaamic doctrines, Jesus Christ demonstrated His displeasure with Pastors who surrender their pulpits to guest preachers to use as platforms for the propagation of strange, unscriptural doctrines. This does not imply that inviting guest preachers is wrong in itself, but that the Church must not tolerate the propagation of doctrines that contradict the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Scriptures.
Such sinful indulgence, unless repented of and discontinued, would inevitably incur the wrath of God Almighty. See 1 Timothy 6:3-5; 1:1-4; Hebrews 13: 9; Romans 16: 17, 18; Ephesians 4: 14, 15.
“Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.” Revelation 2: 16.
LESSONS FROM THE CHURCHES AT SMYRNA AND PERGAMOS
The messages of Jesus Christ to these two churches reveal the following important lessons for the Church in every generation, but especially for today’s new generation churches.
1. Material poverty does not necessarily indicate spiritual poverty.
The church at Smyrna teaches us that a congregation may be materially disadvantaged and yet exceedingly rich in the sight of God. Their faithfulness to Christ, despite their tribulations and sufferings, demonstrated that the riches of God’s Kingdom are of far greater value than temporal, worldly riches.
2. A church can withstand external persecution while becoming vulnerable to internal corruption.
The church at Pergamos teaches us that victory over external opposition does not automatically translate into victory over internal spiritual weaknesses. Although the congregation had remained faithful in the face of Satan’s opposition, it had allowed doctrines and practices that Christ hated to find acceptance within it. This is a solemn warning that spiritual compromise can gradually undermine the gains made through faithfulness.
3. Christ’s commendation does not exempt a church from His correction.
Although the church at Pergamos had demonstrated remarkable faithfulness in holding fast to the name of Jesus Christ, the Lord did not overlook the things that were wrong among them. His rebuke demonstrates that He is concerned not merely with the Church’s ability to survive opposition, but also with its spiritual condition, purity, faithfulness and obedience.
These lessons remind us that the Church must remain steadfast against external opposition while maintaining its spiritual purity and fidelity to the teachings of Jesus Christ.
_TO BE CONTINUED._