Revelation 2:6

⁶ Yet you have this [in your favor and to your credit]: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans [what they are doing as corrupters of the people], which I Myself also detest.

·         The nicolaitans set up a ruling class over the rest of the people. Basically teaching and believing that everyone is not equal. Think about how Jesus acted when He was here on the earth as a man with the people. He never had them bowing down to Him. They called Him by His name, Jesus. He took on a servant’s towel and washed their feet. He prayed that everything that He was would be ours as well.

·         Think about how Jesus is right now, He ever lives to intercede for us so that we might be saved to the uttermost. Jesus hates when people try and make a select few higher or better than others. This is happening all over religion today. Pastors are set up way to high. Church names and buildings are elevated and worshipped. We have bishops and popes who are proclaimed to be Christ on the earth, when the Truth is that all who are saved are one with Christ on this earth. The thoughts and practices of the nicolaitans are all throughout religion today and Jesus hates it.

·         Now think of the end times when men will be lovers of self, prideful, and boastful. Place that attitude with the attitude of the nicolaitans and how they will try to require people to take their mark, the mark of the beast, and you will see the end time church of the anti-christ.

·         But He said, Woe to you, the lawyers, also! For you load men with oppressive burdens hard to bear, and you do not personally [even gently] touch the burdens with one of your fingers. Luke 11:46

·         What we will study later in Revelation is that the anti-christ will set up all kinds of laws. This will be anti-christ because people will be trying to serve God by what they do, not hwat He is doing through them. This is why he is called anti-christ, not anti-jesus. Christ is our Father’s power working through us. Law’s take the focus from our Father and place it on something other than Christ.

Revelation 2:5

⁵ Remember then from what heights you have fallen. Repent (change the inner man to meet God’s will) and do the works you did previously [when first you knew the Lord], or else I will visit you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you change your mind and repent.

·         This seems to tell us that at one time there were truly saved leaders in the Church at Ephesus. But they have either moved on or died. The ones who remained were now doing it through themselves and Jesus is not getting the credit that He deserves.

·         Notice that Jesus doesn’t encourage the leaders of the church of Ephesus with the Truth that the Holy Spirit would cause them to remember their first love. Or that He would Shepherd them back to green pastures, or that He was greater within them, then whatever was in this world. The Truth for the true believer is that Jesus never leaves or forsakes us, even when we are wrong, He will correct us.

·         But when we [fall short and] are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined and chastened, so that we may not [finally] be condemned [to eternal punishment along] with the world. 1 Corinthians 11:32. 

·         Our Father prophesied through Ezekiel that He would place His Spirit within us and cause us to walk in His statutes and keep His judgments, Ezekiel 36:27. But we really don’t read that Jesus spoke to the leaders of Ephesus in this way. Jesus told them remember or they would lose their church! We can do nothing without Jesus, John 15:5, especially in correcting our bad behavior. Our Father knows full well how we are, so He did something about it, He empowered us with the fullness of Himself, to seal and keep us until the day of our redemption.

·         And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [do not offend or vex or sadden Him], by Whom you were sealed (marked, branded as God's own, secured) for the day of redemption (of final deliverance through Christ from evil and the consequences of sin). Ephesians 4:30

·         There are many churches like this today. They do a ton of good things, but man is getting the credit and not Jesus. They will talk about Jesus, but the underlying message is always what we are doing for Him, not what He is doing through us.

·         Jesus told us that the cares of this world could hinder us from being used to produce fruit, Matthew 13:22. So the care of doing works and the care of being seen by others chokes out our Father actually working through us. Jesus tells us to do our good works in secret and don’t make a show of it, Matthew 6. This is what could have been going on at Ephesus and this for sure goes on today in many churches.

·         One thing is also for sure, this is what will be going on in the anti-christ’s church. It will be all about showing others what it is doing. The members of his church will be boastful, prideful, arrogant, lovers of self, and extreme lovers of money. They will have a form of godliness, but deny the power of our Father.

Revelation 2:4

⁴ But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love].

·         The Holy Spirit really had Paul write to the Ephesians about our oneness with Jesus. We can see what our Father had to say to them in: Ephesians 2:1, 2:6, 2:13, 2:15, 3:17, 4:6, 5:8, 5:30, and 5:32. I believe that many in the church of Ephesus were saved, yet it seems that the leadership, the messenger, of the organized body was something else, just like in so many churches today. Jesus cannot be fooled; He knows the beginning and the end. The letter, the Book of Ephesians, that Jesus had Paul write, was to true believers who knew what and who Jesus was, and they knew their relationship with Him. But as for the leadership of Ephesus, the messenger, they had left Jesus. The only way that this could have happened is because they were never really of Jesus. Jesus does not let His people leave. What kind of Shepherd would He be if His true sheep were allowed to wonder off? Can a branch decide to leave the Vine? Can an arm leave the body? Jesus tells us to have any part in the Kingdom of Heaven we have to be as little children, Matthew 18:3. Does a father allow his little children to leave his parenting? If God would allow His little children to wonder off, then He would be guilty of child abuse! These leaders, who had forgotten their first love, obviously had no root, they appeared to be with Jesus, but the Truth was they were never of Him. 

·         It is simple, the Truth is always simple, and the Bible is simple. If anyone tries to tell you that it isn’t, don’t listen to them. We have the very Spirit of our Father within us, not just in us, but one with us and the Holy Spirit teaches us all things, John 14:26. The Bible is not difficult for the Holy Spirit and the simple Truth is that He is the One teaching us everything. He knows each of us, He knows how we are and what we are, and He knows how to make each one of us learn the Truth that will set us free. The Truth is that we are either of our Father or we are not. If we are of Him, then we cannot lose our first love, which is Jesus.  We can’t lose the One Who we are now part of. The Truth tells us that Jesus will never leave us or forsake us, Hebrews 13:5. The Truth is that salvation is a gift, having Jesus as our first love is a gift from God, Ephesians 2:8. And a-men our Father never takes back His gifts.  

·         For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.] Romans 11:29

 

·  This is why the Holy Spirit had Paul write the Book of Ephesians about our oneness with Jesus. Faith comes from hearing and hearing by the Word of our Father. From what Jesus is saying here it would seem that the leadership of Ephesus were not one with our Father, they had never received the gift being one with God, so they left Him as they glorified themselves for what they were doing. These people worked a lot for Jesus, but they were trusting in what they thought they were doing for Him, not what He was doing through them. Remember that Jesus had this letter written to the messenger, or the leadership, of the church, not the children of God within the church.      

Revelation 2:2-3

² I know your industry and activities, laborious toil and trouble, and your patient endurance, and how you cannot tolerate wicked [men] and have tested and critically appraised those who call [themselves] apostles (special messengers of Christ) and yet are not, and have found them to be impostors and liars.

 

·         Look at what Jesus tells the leaders of Ephesus, that He knows their industry and their labors. Jesus does not start off by telling them that He knows our Fathers labors through them. Jesus tells us in the Gospel of Matthew that there will be many who stand before Him who did works in His name, but Jesus will say that He never knew them. Jesus will say this to these people because the works that they performed were of themselves; they were not our Father doing His works through them. Matthew 7:22-24. The works that many people do look righteous, but even though they have a form of godliness, they deny the power of our Father working through them, 2 Timothy 3:5. 

·         So how can we know which works are of our Father and which are not? We can know the Truth by listening to what the people are saying about the works. If a person’s confession is somewhere along the lines of, “look at what we are doing for God,” instead of, “look at what God is doing through us,” then you have your answer that the works are denying our Father’s power. It's that simple, if the confession of a person is that we have to do, or I did, or our responsibilities, then the works that are being done are glorifying man. Jesus told the people that it was the Father in Him doing the works, John 14:10. People who are truly being used by our Father always bring the power back to Him. So when you hear a confession of look at what our Father is doing, or it is the Father within us, and the confession always seems to drive the listener back to our Father, you may have peace and confidence that the works are of God. 

³ I know you are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name’s sake, and you have not fainted or become exhausted or grown weary.

·         We are shown that this group of people has been working for a long time.

·         Remember Jesus is still in the midst of these Churches. Even at our worst Jesus is with us.

Revelation 2:1

To the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Ephesus write: These are the words of Him Who holds the seven stars [which are the messengers of the seven churches] in His right hand, Who goes about among the seven golden lampstands [which are the seven churches]:

·         Ephesus means desired one, so this is to the messenger of the desired ones. Ephesus was a Greek city in Turkey, about 56,000 people lived there.

·         Angel here means messenger or one who is sent, Strong’s Concordance 32. The Greek word that angel is translated from is aggelos and it can be translated to mean a messenger, a person, or an angel of God. John would not be writing a physical letter to an angel of God, but Jesus does have him write a letter to the messenger, or the head, of the church of Ephesus. The first thing that John is told to tell the elder of Ephesus is that Jesus holds all of the power. 

·         For it was in Him that all things were created, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him [by His service, intervention] and in and for Him. Colossians 1:16

·         Jesus has control and authority over all men, John 17:2

·         All judgment has been given to Jesus, John 5:22.

·         Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever, Hebrews 13:8

·         Our Father desires that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth, 1 Timothy 2:4.

·         We will read that five of the seven churches that Jesus has John write to have faults, even though they do Jesus is still there amongst them all.

·         Everyone may not all end up being Jesus’ Bride, but the Wedding Feast, which is another term for eternity, will be filled with guests as well.

·        And those servants went out on the crossroads and got together as many as they found, both bad and good, so [the room in which] the wedding feast [was held] was filled with guests. Matthew 22:10

·        The saved, or those who are called to serve with Jesus, are called the Bride of Christ, Revelation 22:17.

·        A bride is not a guest at her own wedding, so ask yourself, who are the guests? The glorious Truth is that there are more people who get to spend eternity with Jesus then just the Bride.

·         Later in Revelation we will be told that in the New Jerusalem that there are 12 trees bearing 12 manner of fruit for the healing of the nations, Revelation 22:2. We will be just like Jesus in eternity, 1 John 3:2, so these fruits are not for us, because we won’t need healing.

Revelation 1:18-20

¹⁸ And the Ever-living One [I am living in the eternity of the eternities]. I died, but see, I am alive forevermore; and I possess the keys of death and Hades (the realm of the dead).

·         Jesus totally controls death and Hades, and this Truth should be constantly remembered while reading this Prophecy of the end times. The Truth that sets us free is that Jesus is always in control. He is in control of everything and His perfect love drives all fear from us! What brings us so much peace with this is that we will only die when our Lord calls us home and not one second before. Our lives on this earth are never stolen from us.  

 

·         There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love's complete perfection]. 1 John 4:18

·         Satan doesn’t control anything, especially death, Hades, or Hell. 

·         Simon, Simon (Peter), listen! Satan has asked excessively that [all of] you be given up to him [out of the power and keeping of God], that he might sift [all of] you like grain, Luke 22:31

·         Notice that satan had to ask to attack the Disciples, he just couldn’t do what he wanted.

¹⁹ Write therefore the things you see, what they are [and signify] and what is to take place hereafter.

·         Remember here from verse 1 that we are told that Jesus is going to show us everything about the end times in their entirety.

²⁰ As to the hidden meaning (the mystery) of the seven stars which you saw on My right hand and the seven lampstands of gold: the seven stars are the seven angels (messengers) of the seven assemblies (churches) and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

·         We are shown what the meanings are of these fourteen items, seven Churches and seven messengers. Now a lot of people believe that these seven churches represent seven different church ages, or a history of the Church. That may be the case, but the problem that I have with that thinking is that Jesus is always the same, He never changes. One thing is clear though, Jesus does tell John to write to the seven churches that are in Asia. As I read what John writes to these churches one thing pops out of the writings, the faults and experiences of all the churches in Asia are shared by churches today. I can look around and see that many churches have all of the traits and some have others.  Here is the way that I see it, whether these seven churches represent seven specific churches, or seven church ages, or seven styles of churches, doesn’t seem to really matter to us as readers. What matters is what Jesus is saying to these churches. Heaven and earth will pass away, but Our Father’s Word will remain, and I am sure that the strengths and weaknesses of these churches still apply to churches today!

·         [There is] one body and one Spirit--just as there is also one hope [that belongs] to the calling you received-- Ephesians 4:4

·         Also remember that Jesus is with us all, regardless of how we are behaving. So Jesus is in and with all of these churches.  

·         As we study in the upcoming Chapters what Jesus tells six of the churches to do, I want you to notice how He places all of the burden on them to change themselves. I will point out specifics as we study each of the seven churches. But keep in mind that only with the one church, the church of Philadelphia, does Jesus say that He will keep them. So we are shown that Jesus will only keep one church. As for the other six, He never proclaims that God will prune them, as we read that He will do in John 15. We are never shown that God will strengthen the six churches as we read that He will do in Ezekiel 36, or that He will Shepherd them as we read that He will do in Hebrews 13, or that our Father will keep them from the evil as we read that He will do in John 17. Jesus never tells these six churches that He is actively involved in their changing, which is the only way that they could ever succeed. Jesus told them to act, He never used these scriptural references, or the many others that we can find in the Bible, to tell the six that He would lead them to victory. Our peace is that Jesus’ true church, His Bride, never fails. Jesus always has a remnant of chosen ones, or in other words, the Church of Philadelphia. There is only one body, one church, one hope, one love, and we are of one mind, and Jesus is keeping us! 

·         The real lesson for me here has always been this, whether seven specific churches, seven church ages, or seven styles of church, they all fail without Jesus being the force within them that causes success! Jesus only tells one church that He is the power within them that will keep them. With the six other churches, Jesus tells them, you change this or you change that. But the Beginning and the End knows that they cannot change on their own, because He Alone has to be the power within us that allows change, John 15:5! This is why I personally believe that these are seven church styles, because there is only one true church. The true church is the one that is actually one with Jesus, the one that is being kept and used to proclaim the Truth by Him. There may be believers spread out in the six other churches, but even though the Holy Spirit has them serving in them, true believers are still only one! If these were ages, that would mean that Jesus only told one church age that He would keep them. And that just can’t be true! 

·         And this is the will of Him Who sent Me, that I should not lose any of all that He has given Me, but that I should give new life and raise [all them] up at the last day. John 6:39

 

Revelation 1:16-17

¹⁶ In His right hand He held seven stars, and from His mouth there came forth a sharp two-edged sword, and His face was like the sun shining in full power at midday.

·         Stars in prophecy often represent leaders, messages, or angels. Jesus is in control of the Truth. His hands direct it. Jesus controls everything. So Jesus controls the message and the messengers.

·         For it was in Him that all things were created, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him [by His service, intervention] and in and for Him. Colossians 1:16

·         Sword represents the power and authority of the Word of our Father. Heaven and earth will pass away, but our Father’s Word will remain, Mark 13:31.

·         Sun represents the brightest light. Jesus is the life giving force for all.  

·         After reading these verses we can see that Jesus doesn’t really look like any of the paintings that have been made of Him. Jesus is powerful, glorious, and triumphant. He defeated satan at the Cross and He is in total charge. We are His possessions and He never leaves us or forsakes us. Jesus is dominant, pure, and victorious. This is the appearance of the One Who Shepherds us and Who keeps us safe until the day of His return! Nothing is happening in this world that can overtake Jesus, or that is taking Him by surprise. Jesus is in control and He is victorious, and we are eternally in Him!

·         So we are shown that Jesus is in control of everything. We will be shown this Truth all throughout Revelation.

¹⁷ When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as if dead. But He laid His right hand on me and said, Do not be afraid! I am the First and the Last,

·         Jesus brings peace to us. This vision scared the life out of John, but Jesus was right there and gave John peace. John had no idea what was going on, but Jesus was right there with him. Jesus never leaves us or forsakes us. There are many who believe that man does not have the capacity to see our Father as He is right now. They believe that our Father’s glory will burn us up because of sin. But as Jesus told us in verse 5, we are free from sin and here John stands right before all of our Father’s glory and He lived to tell us about it!

·         Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.] John 14:27

·         I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.] John 16:33

·         John appeared to be dead, but Jesus brought him right back up. I think that there is a ton of Truth in this statement and it will hold true to those who appear to be dead, but Jesus will bring them back to life.

Revelation 1:13-15

¹³ And in the midst of the lampstands [One] like a Son of Man, clothed with a robe which reached to His feet and with a girdle of gold about His breast.

·        Gold represents  perfection and perfection surrounds Jesus’ heart.

·        The rob fully covers Jesus, so He is fully clothed in the perfection and glory of our Father.

·         For it was in Him that all things were created, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him [by His service, intervention] and in and for Him. Colossians 1:16

·        So for a second time in Chapter 1 we are told that Jesus is in all things. This is a very important Truth to remember. So many times when we see people who are wrong we think that Jesus isn't around but He is. Jesus' Love is everywhere. We may have been empowered to know a little more than some other people, others may have been empowered to know a little more than us, but none of that matters. What we are or aren't isn't the power, Jesus is the power and Jesus is always with all of us.  

¹⁴ His head and His hair were white like white wool, [as white] as snow, and His eyes [flashed] like a flame of fire.

·        White represents purity. Jesus is pure and He is perfect.

·        Wool in the Bible was to be provided to the Priests to take care of them, Deuteronomy 18:1-5. We see Jesus is our provision and His provision is good, it is warm and ever lasting.

·        Fire represents the Holy Spirit, power, and righteous judgment. What Jesus sees He takes care of. He is a Lord of action through Love. His flaming eyes show us that He knows what is going on.

·        Remember Jesus is always the same, He never changes. When He was here on the earth, we saw how He acted towards others, with grace and mercy, so He has to be the same during the Great Tribulation. Everything that He does has to be in Love, Mercy, and Grace.

·        It is important that before we are shown any of the wrath, we see Who and What Jesus is and how He is in complete and total control of everything. It is also important that we see that Jesus is Love and everything that He does is in Love and designed to better all of us.

¹⁵ His feet glowed like burnished (bright) bronze as it is refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters.

·         Bronze represents that Jesus is firm and strong.

·        Water represents many people.

·        Jesus speaks through His body. He uses us to speak to the whole world, every tribe, nation and tongue.

·        And this good news of the kingdom (the Gospel) will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then will come the end. Matthew 24:14

Revelation 1:11-12

¹¹ Saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last. Write promptly what you see (your vision) in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia—to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.

 

·         Asia means sunrise.

·         Ephesus means the desired one

·         Smyrna means a highly valued spice

·         Pergamum means mixed marriage

·         Thyatira means hill graveyard

·         Sardis means those who come out

·         Philadelphia means brotherly love

·         Laodicea means law abiding people

·         I really do not know if the name of the seven churches means anything more than their name. But at as we study Revelation and we focus on the spiritual side and meaning of what we are shown I thought it would be nice to know.

¹² Then I turned to see [whose was] the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands,

·         Seven represents God’s timing, so the message has perfect timing. Remember too that we are being shown everything in its entirety for the end times, Revelation 1:1.

·         Gold represents perfect and true riches of faith.

·         Lamp stands are the holders of the Light. The Light is Jesus, so the lamp stands are seven churches. We will be shown this at the end of Chapter 1.

·         Jesus is everywhere. As we will read He is even in churches that are not really doing what they should or could be doing. The actions of the churches does not for one second limit Jesus from being there with them.  

·         This is a Truth that many fail to understand. Even when sin is abounding, our Father’s grace is there super abounding it.

·         But then Law came in, [only] to expand and increase the trespass [making it more apparent and exciting opposition]. But where sin increased and abounded, grace (God’s unmerited favor) has surpassed it and increased the more and superabounded, Romans 5:20

·         Our Father is the Father of all. So of course He is there regardless of how we are acting. A loving parent doesn’t abandon a child, they correct the child. So Jesus is everywhere regardless of the situation.

·         This is a great Truth to keep in mind as we study about the Great Tribulation. The Great Tribulation is a time of correction, it is not a time of our Father getting even with His children. It is a time that He corrects them. We  may kick and scream, but our Father will be victorious. He would that all men be saved and through Christ, all men will.

·          Who wishes all men to be saved and [increasingly] to perceive and recognize and discern and know precisely and correctly the [divine] Truth. 1 Timothy 2:4

 

 

Revelation 1:10

¹⁰ I was in the Spirit [rapt in His power] on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a great voice like the calling of a war trumpet,

 

·         There are times when the Holy Spirit just empowers us to another level. Paul was raised up to the third heaven by the power of the Spirit, 2 Corinthians 12:2. Stephen saw the glory of Jesus and shined as the sun as he was being stoned by the power of the Spirit, Acts 6. Just the shadow of Peter would heal people because of the power of the Holy Spirit that was working through him, Acts 5:15.

 

·         Look for our Father’s glory, eagerly desire it, and actually hope that He is willing and able to use you, just as He used all of our brothers and sisters that we read about in the Word. Ask yourself this question, why not me? Peter denied Jesus three times and our Father still used him. King David committed adultery and then killed off the woman’s husband and our Father still used him. So ask yourself, why not me Father? 

 

·         The Lord’s Day seems to represent Sunday. But it really doesn’t say. Even if it was Sunday this doesn’t mean that we have to worship our Father on a certain day. Many try to use this verse to tell us that our Father changed the Sabbath Day.

 

·         One man esteems one day as better than another, while another man esteems all days alike [sacred]. Let everyone be fully convinced (satisfied) in his own mind. Romans 14:5

 

·         Don’t get all caught up on a day. Every day we are new creatures in Christ. Every day we are more than conquerors through Christ Who loves us. So for the truly saved, every day is our Lord’s Day to use us to serve the world.