Rev 2:1-7, Introduction to Churches and First Church Ephesus

• Common characteristics
• Messages to churches; last audible message of Christ in the scriptures
• The message is to the visible church (as opposed to the invisible church, which would be all believers)
• Visible church is the local body or local church manifestation
• Church is made up of believers and unbelievers (in differing percentages)
• Sitting in a church does not make you a believer
• Example of Derwood Elder
• Invisible church has only believers
• Tone
• Jesus has something negative to say to 5 of the 7 (2 have nothing negative)
• Jesus has something good to say to 6
• One church, the 7th church has nothing good to say about it
• Four common things in all 7 letters
• Description of the Messiah
• Every letter contains the words "I know" -- God is not unaware
• Every letter has the phrase "he that overcomes" -- promise
• Every letter has the phrase "he who has an ear, let him hear" -- obedience
• Interpretation
• They are clearly 7 real churches (LITERAL)
• All 7 church types have existed throughout history (UNIVERSAL)
• [Controversial] "The historical-prophetic interpretation" -- while all types of churches always exist, one type dominates a particular era of church history (PROPHETIC)
• Letter outline
• Destination
• Description of Jesus
• Commendation
• Condemnation
• Exhortation
• Promise
• Angel
• Definition: literal angels (do concordance search in LOGOS)
• 79 results in 75 verses
• Notice Greek words
• Notice assumption: Greek word is not always present but assumed in the context
• Some think they are messengers or pastors (it is possible, but does not fit the context well. I think the author would have used a different word)
• Why the picture or image of a star?
• Over us
• Doesn't change
• Marker in the sky (helpful) -- Hebrews: ministering angels to serve the church
• Church
• Why seven? Completeness
• We are all part of the one church: universal church
• Seven churches are the local representation of the church
• Seven lamps on a lampstand remind us of the menorah
• Menorah was in the tabernacle
• Light to the nations
• Responsibility of the light to the nation is now the church's (we are salt and light)
• Seven churches of Revelation
• All scholars seem to agree on 2 propositions; the third is questioned by some
1. They were real churches
2. All the church types have existed throughout church history
3. One particular type of church dominates an era
• Timeline (Fruchtenbaum, 2003)
• Ephesus, AD 30-100, Apostolic Church
• Smyrna, AD 100-313, Persecuted Church
• Pergamum,  AD 313-600, Married Church, Age of Constantine
• Thyatira, 600-1517, Dark ages
• Sardis, 1517-1648, Reformation Church
• Philadelphia, 1648-1900, Missionary movement
• Laodicea, 1900-present, Apostasy


Rev 2:1-7 (ESV) "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.


2 "'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.  3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary.  4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.  5 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.  6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.  7  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.'


• Destination is Ephesus. What might be significant about Ephesus in context with the whole book?
• Meaning of the name: Desired or desirable (Fruchtenbaum)
• Important port city. Very wealthy and prosperous. At its peak in the first and second centuries
• Lots of sailors
• Largest city in Roman Asia
• Many temples in the city
• Sexuality was common in pagan worship
• Largest number of believers in the first century -- probably the most important Christian center by the end of the first century
• Commercial center status changes as the harbor and river is silted up
• Goths destroyed city in 263 AD. Earthquake destroyed it again in 614 AD. There is no church in Ephesus today
• Early church writers suggest that John was ministering at Ephesus prior to and after his imprisonment. Timothy ministered here, as did Paul
• What is the point of the description of Jesus?
• It comes from 1:13, 16, 20
• It points to Jesus overall authority and control over all the churches (and under the historical-prophetic, over all the church age)
• In other words, "I can fire you"
• God can remove a church (its lampstand)
• What do we learn about the church from the commendations?
• Deeds -- actually doing things; not just playing church
• Hard work (NIV); toil (ESV) - (Grk kopos: literally a cut, translated toil or pain)
• 1/2 Timothy, there is an issue of false teachers, so possibly the commendation is related to dealing with that issue
• They did "hard" work. Whatever the problems or issues, it wasn't easy. Sometimes there is this false thinking that everything in the Christian life has to be easy because we have to "let go and let God." But here, the needed to put effort into their service
• Perseverance (NIV); patient endurance (ESV)
• What are the conditions that require perseverance? Things don't work the first time; change happens slowly; there doesn't seem to be any effect
• Very pagan city with a lot of immorality
• The Ephesians didn't give up even when things did not go right the first time ("they were blessed")
• Related to perseverance is the phrase (you cannot bear with those who are evil). What is Jesus saying?
• They didn't compromise
• I believe they hated the sin, but I am not saying they hated the sinners
• They have tested those who claim to be apostles, and found them to be false
• How do we discover false teaching today? We compare it against the word of God
• Acts 20, Paul warns them of false teachers
Acts 20:29-32 (ESV) 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 everyone with tears. 32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified

• Timothy is also warned of false teachers (1 Tim 1:19,20; 2Tim 2:17-18; 2 Tim 4:3-4)
1 Timothy 1:18–20 (ESV) — 18 This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19 holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, 20 among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
2 Timothy 2:16–18 (ESV) — 16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some.
2 Timothy 4:3–5 (ESV) — 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

• How does false teaching slip into a church?
• If we don't know the word, we are susceptible to error
• We fall for Gnosticism (idea of secret teachings)
• APPLICATION: Highly recommend a daily reading program (both Youversion and DailyBible apps have really improved their daily reading programs). Also recommend a regular QT (5-10 minutes a day of a short devotion)
• They haven't grown weary. How do we see that today or maybe the opposite?
• Nowadays, lots of young adult believers have grown weary of the faith
• It's not your parent's faith, make it your own
• #1 suggestion: don't give up meeting together with other believers (Heb 10:24, 25)
• The verse in Hebrews is written to second generation believers who were having their doubts
• They were thinking of going back to Judaism
• We need fellowship to encourage us and give us strength
• (verse 2:6) Hate the work of the Nicolaitans
• There is no record or mention of this group in church history, so we need to imply the meaning from the word itself (three lines of thinking …)
• Nicolaitans: Greek means victor or destroyer of people. Fruchtenbaum suggest "rule over the people." In this sense the word could mean an attempt to separate the church into clergy and laity, where the clergy exercise leadership over the laity
• Elders do have authority to lead the church but they are subject to the local church. This would appear to go much farther
• Issue is not authority. The issue is the idea of gaining higher status and people come to clergy to go to God (UNBIBLICAL)
• Also, there is some suggestion that they were compromisers. They would fit pagan practices into biblical understandings in order to create peace. They took Paul's teach on "meat sacrificed to idols" to an extreme (to include sexual immorality)
• Finally, there is some literature suggesting they were Gnostics, believing in secret teachings not revealed in the bible
• What do we learn from the condemnation?
• They had lost their first love. What is the first love?
• Love for God
• Love for his word
• Two thoughts
• This is probably the second generation of believers and they don't have the same zeal and fervor as the first generation (this is very similar to the book of Hebrews)
• Wealth has pushed God to the side. This was a very rich city
• What is the solution?
• Repent
• Return
• Take action -- do the things you did at first (I believe this starts with a love for the word of God)
• What about the consequence of not returning, can you lose your salvation? What is Jesus saying?
• First of all, you can never lose your salvation for that would violate other scripture (remember our hermeneutic, scripture interprets scripture)
• Secondly, the warning is to remove the lampstand from its place. What is the lampstand and how does that help us to understand the meaning?
• It is the church. The light represents the witness
• Failure to respond will be the removal of the local body as a light in the community
• This church was removed. It does not exist today
• The promise in this letter is specific to the individuals. What does it mean "to eat from the tree of life?"
• What is eating associated with? Fellowship protects a person from losing their joy
• Who is the tree of life? Jesus
• There the promise is deeper fellowship with Jesus to the person who overcomes. Fruchtenbaum suggest participation in the future order (reward)
• For the purpose of the historical-prophetic interpretation,  Ephesus is the "The Apostolic Church" and covers the period of AD 30-100

Rev 1, Theme, Purpose, Outline, and the Picture of the Conquering Lamb

Rev 1:1-3 (ESV) The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2  who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 3  Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.


• What is the purpose of the book?
• A revelation of Jesus Christ -- Greek word ἀποκάλυψις. The word means to unveil (see LOGOS)
• To show his servants what the things that must soon take place (we will come back to this point)
• Interestingly, the book is a revelation of Jesus Christ. So what does the book reveal about Jesus?
• It reveals the person of Jesus, who he is (the climax of Christology)
• The books gives titles to Jesus which expands our understanding of what and who Jesus is -- He is more than the Messiah to the people of Israel
• The book reveals the power of Jesus (over all things)
• The book reveals the program of Jesus (1:19) to include his purpose
• A key point is a word that first appears here and then 44 times in the book ("I saw")
• John is telling us what he saw. He is describing the future from the view of a first century believer
• There are actually seven blessings mentioned in the book of Revelation. Here is the first, it is a blessing to those who read it
• Who wouldn't want a free blessing?
• APPLICATION: Make a goal to read through the book at least once over the next few weeks. Recognize that Revelation is similar to a modern TV series (it flashes back and forward in time, and it repeats exact sequences but for a new or unique perspective)
• APPLICATION: If you have a smartphone, use the youversion app to listen to the book of Revelation
• We have already talked about the word "near." It means imminent, that is it could happen at any time (i.e., the whole course and not some individual items)


Rev 1:4-8 (ESV) John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

8  "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."



• John writes this as one would write a letter. Also, this is specifically written to the seven churches in Asia (later referenced). Why only them?
• In past letters, John writes his letter in an open (no destination) style. Of course, Jerusalem is gone, but why not Rome, or Antioch, or others?
• In some ways, the seven churches represent the body Christ (my opinion)
• Also, there are more than seven churches in Asia. Troas, Hierapolis, and Colossae are not mentioned
• John also includes as the author of the book who (… and from … (3x))? The Triune God
• God the Father
• Who was
• Who is
• Who is to come
• Normally we think of this as Jesus, but if the Father is sending the son, it would be the same essential thing
• Also, the three-fold description represents his eternality
• The seven spirits (also the sevenfold spirit of God)
• While some argue that the term refers to the seven angelic messengers later sent to the churches or the archangels, that would sandwich angels between the Father and son and encourage angel worship
• A better view is that it is the Holy Spirit in all his fullness (7 meaning completeness)
• The 7 Spirits is seen in Isa 11:2 (NIV)
  The Spirit of the Lord[number one] will rest on him --
  the Spirit of wisdom[number two] and of understanding[three],
  the Spirit of counsel[four] and of power[five],
  the Spirit of knowledge[six] and of the fear of the Lord[seven] -- (Isaiah 11:2 NIV) From <http://www.raystedman.org/new-testament/revelation/behind-the-scenes-of-history>
• "… Moreover, two passages from the Tanakh suggest a special relationship between the Holy Spirit and the number seven—Isaiah 11:2, which gives seven attributes of the Spirit, and Zechariah 4:2-10 (better 4:2-6,10), in which some of the “seven”-imagery of Revelation is associated with the Spirit." (from Jewish New Testament Commentary Copyright © 1992 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved. Used by permission.)
• Jesus Christ
1. The faithful witness
2. The firstborn from the dead (references the first coming) as the suffering servant
3. The ruler of the kings of the earth (references the second coming) as the lion of the tribe of David
4. Loves us
5. Freed us
6. Made us a kingdom
7. Made us priests to God (we represent God to others). We appeal to God on the behalf of others
• The first prophetic oracle is verse 1:7-8. The only other one where God the Father speaks is 21:5-8. What is the point of the oracle?
• It is the theme of the book, the return of Jesus Christ and his ultimate victory
• This is a key promise in the book. It is also combines Daniel 7:13–14 (ESV) — 13 “I saw in the night visions, // and behold, with the clouds of heaven // there came one like a son of man, // and he came to the Ancient of Days // and was presented before him. // 14 And to him was given dominion // and glory and a kingdom, // that all peoples, nations, and languages // should serve him; // his dominion is an everlasting dominion, // which shall not pass away, // and his kingdom one // that shall not be destroyed.  with Zechariah 12:10 (ESV) — 10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.  The allusion to this combination occurs 31 times in Revelation. It is also the thesis statement
• He is coming
• Every eye will see him
• And they will wail (and not in a good sense)


Rev 1:9-16 (ESV) I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10  I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 11 saying, "Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea."

12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14  The hairs of his head were white like wool, as white as snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15  his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16  In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.



• Next John relates a vision of the glorified Christ
• Why was he at Patmos?
• Probably some type of prison term or detention
• According to early church leaders, he was sent there from Ephesus in AD 95. The island is very close to Ephesus
• The island served as a Penal colony for political prisoners of Rome. He worked in the mines or quarry (probably)
• He was freed after AD 96  by Nerva, Domitian's successor
• John would be between 80 and 90 years old. APPLICATION: Who says God can't still use you late in life?
• The Lord's day is peculiar construction. Lord is used as an adjective, and so the exact phrase is Lordy day
• It could be Saturday (the Sabbath)
• It could be Sunday (the first day of the week and the day of Jesus' resurrection)
• It could be a day that he was in the spirit, praying (most likely)
• None of the NT writers refer to Sunday as the Lord's day, although it became common in the second and third centuries
• Point out the 7 churches on the map and Patmos
• Verses 12-16 describe the person who gave him his commission. What do we note in the description (also show Graphic)
• He is among the churches (7 lampstands--explained in the next passage) -- we are the body of Christ and he is in our midst. The world is supposed to see Jesus through the church
• Son of man (Rev 14:14 golden crown and a sharp sickle)
• Robe and golden sash emphasize his priestly role (Rev 15:16 angels with golden sashes carry the bowl judgments)
• This is his current role (interceding for us)
• During his first coming, he was a prophet
• During his second coming, he will be a conquering king
• White hair emphasizes wisdom
• White as snow emphasizing holiness
• Eyes like flame of fire -- fire burns and in this case it sees right through you (all-knowing) (Rev 19:12 -- at the second coming to judge the evil in the world)
• Feet of burnished bronze -- steadfast & immutable
• Voice like the roar of many waters -- could be authority; water can't be stopped (Rev 14:2 standing with 144K; Rev 19:6 announcement of the marriage supper but not sure if it Jesus)
• Right hand held seven stars -- the angels of the seven churches report to him (explained in the next passage)
• Sword comes out of his mouth. Revelation is a book of judgment. Jesus will judge the nations by his word (Heb 4:12) (Rev 19:15,21 second coming and judgment of evil upon the earth)
• APPLICATION:
• No matter how old you are, God can use you in his plan
• John's example of "Lordy day" is a challenge to us. Have you ever had a day alone with a God, or a half-day? A time of prayer, singing, reading, and writing down what the Spirit speaks. We see Pastors take "sabbatical" but why are we so slow to think that we don't need to do the same?


Rev 1:17-20 (ESV)  When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last,  18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.  19  Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.  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.


• This must have been an amazing sight for John. The man who laid his head on Jesus' chest and one of his closest human friends (as he tells us), and now to see him in his full glory -- I'm not surprised he collapsed at his feet
• Jesus, ruler over all, touches him and says "do not be afraid"
• We all could remember that touch
• How often we let the world steal our joy
• Jesus repeats the instruction to write down what he sees and gives him an outline
• Things you have seen
• Those that are
• Those that are to take place after this
• Now fitting the outline with the purpose (to reveal Jesus and to show the things that must soon take place) and the theme (he is coming, every eye will see, and they will wail)
• "The things you have seen" is Jesus, the vision of the future king (he holds the keys (vs.18))
• This is a revelation of him
• This also shows his future role in the tribulation and the age afterwards
• "Those that are" refers to the whole church (and its history). Why do I think that?
• The church is a mystery
• It is now but it didn't exist before
• It is also not something that was seen before (mystery)
• Eph 3:6 (ESV) This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
• Eph 3:8-10 (ESV) To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
• Also, remember the purpose
• To reveal Jesus (which is the purpose of the body of Christ)
• To show the things that must soon take place (how can the churches be part of the  "the things that must soon take place" if the letters to the churches are only current event letters?)
• Therefore the letters to the churches are also future-based (to fit with the purpose of the book)
• "Those that are to take place after this" -- same exact phrase points to 4:1
• "After this" would then refer to after the church period (the mystery)
• The strategic placement of this part of the outline makes it clear that the preceding part refers to "those that are"
• Preceding the start of the tribulation is also key
• Also another argument for a pre-trib rapture to remove the church prior to the tribulation
• The church is never mentioned again after 4:1 until the concluding salutation in Rev 22:16
• There are 18 mentions of the church prior to chapter to chapter 4, no mention in chapters 4 through 22:15. One mention in the last 5 verses of the book
• And Jesus begins to explain some of the symbols
• Seven lampstand are 7 churches. Why lampstand?
• Because the church is supposed to be a light in a dark world (the church is supposed to reveal Jesus to the world and to history)
• Seven stars are the angels of the 7 churches
• Since the word means messengers they could be the human representative of the churches -- pastor or elders
• Could be the spirit that characterized the church
• Could be actual angelic guardians
• Most likely if you look at the use of angel in the book
• Repeats a theme in the book where the angels have roles, authority, and purpose (good example: Rev 16:5 angel in charge of the waters)
• As we try to interpret symbols we will use scripture (Old and New Testament) when a symbol is clearly in use
• APPLICATION: Just as the 7 churches represent the larger body of Christ, so each one us represents part of the local body. We are called to be lights to a dark world. If the individual members are not lights then the local church will not have a light either