Revelation Chapter Two
(Chapter 2 from Dr. Hyle's excellent book, Let's Study The Revelation)
THE LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS:
Verse 1:
"UNTO THE ANGEL." The word "angel "means "messenger." Probably this pertained to the pastor of the church. Why do you suppose that Jesus was writing to the pastor? It was probably because no church can rise any higher than its pastor. The same is true with a Sunday School class or any organization. The class will rise no higher than its leaders."OF THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS." "Ephesus "means "love. " This is the greatest need of every church. How would you like for Jesus to come back and find you and a fellow church member at variance? "I don’t like her, " "She did it first, "and "I just can’t stand him "are not words of the true child of God.
"THESE THINGS SAITH HE THAT HOLDETH THE SEVEN STARS IN HIS RIGHT HAND." Read verse 20 of chapter one for the explanation. The stars are the messengers or pastors. Thank God He holds us in His right hand. Read John 10:27-30.
"WHO WALKETH IN THE MIDST OF THE SEVEN GOLDEN CANDLESTICKS." In 1:20 you find that the candlesticks are the churches. So you see that Jesus walks in the midst of the churches. Imagine Him walking in may of our present-day churches.
Verse 2:
"I KNOW THY WORKS, AND THEY LABOUR. " It was a working church. Thank God for churches that work. On the other hand there are many churches that are working who are not yet satisfying the Lord Jesus. This church could get many men to come to help work on the building; they could get ladies to cook and sew for the needy; they could get a large crowd at the Worker’s Conference, and yet they were not working for Jesus. There is a difference in church work and Jesus work."AND HOW THOU CANST NOT BEAR THEM WHICH ARE EVIL. " This church hated sin. How we need churches today who hate sin and fight it. Sam Jones used to say that when he first started preaching he was afraid that he would make somebody man, and that later on he was afraid that he wouldn’t make anybody mad.
"AND THOU HAST TRIED THEM WHICH SAY THEY ARE APOSTLES, AND ARE NOT, AND HAST FOUND THEM LIARS. " This church was sound in the faith. Yet God was not pleased with it. Lots of folks are sound on baptism but are not baptizing anybody.
Lots of folks are sound on soul winning but are not winning anybody.
Let’s get our doctrine on fire for God.
Verse 3:
This verse probably means that they had borne reproach for Jesus’ Name. His name has never been popular in this world. To be a real church means bearing His reproach. When a church really gets down to business for God, there is going to be a certain stigma about it. Thank God for the privilege of bearing reproach for Jesus.Verse 4:
In this verse Jesus says the bad things that He has to say about the church. Notice that He says everything good first before he mentions a single bad thing. Wouldn’t this be a wonderful world if we would do the same thing? "THOU HAST LEFT THY FIRST LOVE. " Much like newlyweds whose love lessens with the years, often churches lose their first love. Let us always keep the sweet, pure love of our honeymoon with Jesus!Verse 5:
"REMEMBER THEREFORE FROM WHENCE THOU ART FALLEN, AND REPENT." Repent means "to turn around." What Jesus is saying is to get back on your honeymoon. Suppose a married couple could regain the sweet love they had when they first married, wouldn’t it be wonderful?"AND DO THE FIRST WORKS." What are the first works of a new Christian? Telling somebody else about Jesus, of course. Let us get back to it.
"OR ELSE I WILL COME UNTO THEE QUICKLY." Jesus tells them that He wants to find them winning souls when He comes again. Oh, to be pleasing Him when He comes.
"AND WILL REMOVE THY CANDLESTICK. " The candlestick in 1:20 is the church. Some churches have ceased to be real churches because they left soul winning and Jesus removed their power. Let us guard the power that we have lest we find ourselves without our candlestick.
Verse 6:
Note the word "Nicolaitanes. " It means to "rule the people. " God does not expect a church to be ruled by anyone. It is a spiritual democracy. A true New Testament church has no place for bishops, popes, etc. We take our orders only from God.Verse 7:
"HE THAT HATH AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAITH UNTO THE CHURCHES. " It means a spiritual ear. In other words, "you who are spiritual, hear these things. "THE TREE OF LIFE is for the healing of the nation as mentioned in Revelation 22:2. Thank God for the provisions He has made for His own.
THE LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT SMYRNA:
Verse 8:
"AND UNTO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA WRITE. " The word "Smyrna "is the same word for "myrrh, " which was a sweet smelling perfume. This church was a fragrance to the Lord. They were willing to suffer for Jesus."THESE THINGS SAITH THE FIRST. " That forever settles the possibility of evolution. Jesus was first and made man from dust.
"AND THE LAST. " That settles what is going to happen in the future. When all else is gone, Jesus will be here. This is a day when everyone seems to be worrying about the future. I do not know what the future hold, but I know that Jesus holds the future.
"WHICH WAS DEAD, AND IS ALIVE. " This is a encouragement to the suffering people at Smyrna. They were facing death for Jesus. He reminds them that He rose from the grave and that they will too. Jesus was saying, "They killed me too, Smyrna, but I got up again. "
Verse 9:
"I KNOW THY WORKS, AND TRIBULATION, AND POVERTY. " They did not have a lovely building to draw folks. They had no carpets, no stained glass windows, no rich members, no prestige in the community, but they had the approval of God."(BUT THOU ART RICH). " They were rich in things that money cannot buy. You cannot buy the power of God or spirit of unity among the church members. I know many churches who would gladly trade big buildings for a sweet spirit.
"WHICH SAY THEY ARE JEWS, AND ARE NOT. " Could this apply to the folks who say that all Anglo-Saxons are Jews (or the real Israel)?
"BUT ARE THE SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN. " "Synagogue "means "gathering together. " The word "church "means "called out. " We have too many gatherings today where the people have never been called out. The Devil has his churches. A church that does not teach salvation by grace, the blood of Jesus, etc., is a church of the Devil.
Verse 10:
"BE THOU FAITHFUL. " What a command. The one thing God wants from His churches is faithfulness."FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH, AND I WILL GIVE THEE A CROWN OF LIFE. " This has nothing to do with salvation. It simply refers to rewards. God is going to give a special crown to the faithful. Will you get one?
Verse 11:
"SHALL NOT BE HURT OF THE SECOND DEATH "can be translated to this: "is not about to go to the lake of fire. " Read Revelation 20:14.
THE LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT PERGAMOS:
Verse 12:
The word "Pergamos "means "marriage. ""THESE THINGS SAITH HE WHICH HATH THE SHARP SWORD WITH TWO EDGES. " This sword is the Word of God, as taught in Ephesians 6:17. This shows us that Jesus is bringing judgment upon the church at Pergamos. When a person is cut he cries. The same is true with a church that is cold and indifferent. When someone preaches the Gospel to them, they cry like babies.
Verse 13:
"I KNOW...WHERE THOU DWELLEST, EVEN WHERE SATAN’S SEAT IS. " The word "seat "should be translated "throne. " This church was living where Satan’s throne was. Where is Satan’s throne? Read II Corinthians 4:4 and John 12:31. Satan’s throne is in the world. Occasionally someone says, "God is on the throne of this world. " THAT IS NOT SO. The god of this world is Satan himself.From this, we find that this was a worldly church. Isn’t that a picture of the churches in many places today? Many have gone out of the soul-saving business into a recreation business. We have brought dances, card games, movies, pool tables, etc., right into the church house. God take us back to the business of winning souls to Jesus and get us out of the world. The drawing card of church is Jesus. That’s enough.
"AND THOU HOLDEST FAST MY NAME. " They believed that Jesus was God’s son. There are some among us who deny that Jesus is the Son of God. There are preachers who do not believe that Jesus is God’s Son. Yet this is not our greatest danger. Our greatest danger lies in the same place as that of Pergamos. Though we are fundamentally sound, we are getting more worldly by the day.
"AND HAST NOT DENIED MY FAITH. " They were straight on the plan of salvation. They did not believe that works were essential to being saved. They were straight on that and yet they were worldly. Brother, what you believe will not do you a big of good if it does not change your life.
"EVEN IN THOSE DAYS WHEREIN ANTIPAS WAS MY FAITHFUL MARTYR, WHO WAS SLAIN AMONG YOU, WHERE SATAN DWELLETH. " The word "martyr "means "witness. " Thank God for those who are willing to witness for Jesus.
Verse 14:
BUT I HAVE A FEW THINGS AGAINST THEE, BECAUSE THOU HAST THERE THEM THAT HOLD THE DOCTRINE OF BALAAM. " Read Numbers 22 and Numbers 31:36 for the story of Balaam:
Note these facts about Balaam:
He would not go to wicked King Balak in order to gain money for himself, but to please him he did go to him when God had forbidden him. He was a popularity seeker.
He caused the Israelites to intermarry and to tolerate idolatry. Since "Pergamos "means marriage, then could we not say that this doctrine was tied in with the fact that the members of this church were married to the world, where Satan dwelleth?
Verse 16:
What God says in this verse could be translated thusly: "Get out of the world before I come. I don’t want to find you in the world when I come again. "Verse 17:
"TO HIM THAT OVERCOMETH WILL I GIVE TO EAT OF THE HIDDEN MANNA. " The spiritual interpretation is this: God has hidden truths to teach us, but he will not let us understand them if we are living in the world. When we come out of the world, God lets us understand the hidden truths of His Word."AND WILL GIVE HIM A WHITE STONE, AND IN THE STONE A NEW NAME WRITTEN. " Praise God, He will engrave my name in Heaven. My name is in the Book of Life right now. Is yours?
"WHICH NO MAN KNOWETH SAVING HE THAT RECEIVETH IT. " No man knows your condition before God right now save you. Would you search your heart and find if you are right with God?
THE LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT THYATIRA:
Verse 18:
"THESE THINGS SAITH THE SON OF GOD. " If man had said these things, he would certainly have been criticized, so God reminds us that these things were said by Jesus. Bible preaching is hard preaching. When we preach the truth of Jesus, we must say some hard things and yet we must always say them in a tender spirit of love, as a parent who finds it necessary to punish a child."WHO HATH HIS EYES LIKE UNTO A FLAME OF FIRE, AND HIS FEET ARE LIKE FINE BRASS. " Brass is a symbol of judgment. God may be reminding Thyatira that certain judgment will come because of their sins.
Verse 19:
"I KNOW THEY WORKS, AND CHARITY [LOVE], AND SERVICE, AND FAITH, AND THY PATIENCE. " Notice that all of the good things that God said about this church are positive things. They stood for some things but did not stand against anything. Here was a church that did many good things, but did not take a strong stand against evil. Our Gospel is both positive and negative.You will also notice that this church was rich in social service. God did not commend them for soul winning. His commendations were for social service. That is good, but social service is not the main service of the New Testament church. To build hospitals, schools, etc., is good, but they are second to the reaching of men for Jesus. If we spent as much time doing soul service as we do social service, God would be pleased.
"AND THY WORKS; AND THE LAST TO BE MORE THAN THE FIRST. " Note that it was a growing church. Its last works were more than the first ones. Growth is not the only sign of a true church. In fact, it may not be a sign at all. Big reports and added membership are good, but not the sign of a real New Testament church.
Verse 20:
"NOTWITHSTANDING I HAVE A FEW THINGS AGAINST THEE, BECAUSE THOU SUFFEREST THAT WOMAN JEZEBEL. " Notice the word, "sufferest. " It means "to allow. " This church allowed sin to creep in. It did not judge sin and condemn it. It tolerated sin. A person can live like he wants to in many churches and never get his sins condemned.Notice the woman, Jezebel. There was a wife of a wicked king in the Old Testament named Jezebel. She dominated her husband. Obviously, Jesus was calling some woman in this church "a Jezebel. " Note these things about this Jezebel: She was worldly. She was out of her place Probably tried to run the church. Led in the church when she should have taken the place of a woman which the Bible says is to follow. It is believed that she may have been the preacher’s wife. Women preacher and bossy women are an abomination to God.
"TO TEACH AND TO SEDUCE MY SERVANTS TO COMMIT FORNICATION. " "Seduce "means to "mislead. " She shouldn’t have been allowed to teach in this church. This church was just too sweet to make the Devil mad.
"AND TO EAT THINGS SACRIFICED UNTO IDOLS. " This was the eating of the lambs, etc., that had been offered as a sacrifice to idols. It was not wrong in itself, but was doubtful and not to be eaten (Romans 14). Churches need to be taught to abstain from doubtful things.
Verse 21-22:
The rapture will not eve affect a church like this unless she repents. It will be left here during the Great Tribulation that is to come upon the earth after the true saints have gone up to meet Jesus in the air. The tribulation will last for seven years and will be a period of terrible wars and events. Thank God! I’ll be with Jesus. Will you?Verse 23:
In this verse Jesus reminds us that He will judge every church. We must stand the test before the judgment of God, so we need to watch our churches that they stay pure. Let us keep our program one of simply preaching, praying, and teaching the Word of God.Verse 24-25:
Jesus tells the real believers in this church to "Hold Fast "until He comes. In these days of darkness and apostasy, let us hold to the truth and look up for Jesus to come.Verses 26-28:
Look at those promises. God says that we will rule the nations. This refers to the one thousand years reign of peace upon the earth when we shall rule the earth with Jesus. Read Revelation 20:1-6. I makes the load lighter now when we realize that one day we will be kings and priests and shall rule and reign with Jesus.Notice that the morning is coming. It is spiritual night now. It is hard to stand up for Jesus and live the kind of life that God wants us to live, but morning is coming when Jesus is on the throne.
Verse 29:
Let us hear what the Spirit says to the churches and apply these teaching to our own church.
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