In the Word
Revelation - The Truth Made Known - Lesson 2
[music] Hello and welcome to "In the Word with Michelle Telfur." Thanks for joining us for this in-depth study of God's Word, the Bible. For more of Michelle's free resources, visit her website at www.intheword.com. And now, Michelle. [music] In our last lesson, we learned that the Book of Revelation details a vision God gave to the Apostle John, while John was imprisoned on the island of Patmos in the year 95 AD. The vision itself falls into three parts. It begins with a vision of Christ revealed in all his glory in chapter 1. In chapter 2 and 3, Christ speaks his message to his church. And then in chapter 4 onwards, it describes the events surrounding Christ's second coming to earth. The document that John wrote detailing his vision was sent in the form of a letter to seven churches on the mainland. And interestingly, the order of the churches whom Christ speaks to follows the location of those churches along the mainland postal route of that time. Christ follows a very similar structure in each address to the churches. First, he connects with them in a unique and very personal way, often beginning with one of the descriptions of him found in chapter 1. Then he usually commends them by telling them what he knows about them, finding something good to say about each one. But in five of the seven messages, he also issues a rebuke detailing what he holds against them. Finally, he encourages them as to how they might do better and warns them as to what will happen should they choose to ignore his word to them, calling on them to have ears that really hear. As we study each of these churches, we'll begin with some background about the city and the people, before we do sake the message that Christ sends to them. The first message that John records is for the believers in Ephesus. Ephesus was the first town along the postal route. It was a wealthy city with up to 500,000 people from many different backgrounds living in it. In the time of John, it was known as the "Market Place of Asia" because of its great harbor and because all of the overland trade routes converged there. Ephesus was one of the most important places in the whole Roman Empire. It was different to other cities in the Roman territory in that it was considered a free city. That meant they were self-governing and didn't have to have Roman troops stationed there. Roman governors did make visits from time to time to try the most important court cases, but for the most part, the people of Ephesus were free to rule themselves. This city was a place of great culture, having a large library and a magnificent theatre that could seat 25,000 people. It was an important religious centre as well, not only did it have a temple for the worship of Domitian, who was the Roman emperor of the time, but also it had a huge temple dedicated to the goddess Artemis, who was Diana to the Romans. This temple, known as the Artemisian, was so large it was celebrated as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The people of Ephesus were very devoted to Artemis and the fame that she brought to the city. Several great teachers of the early church lived and worked in Ephesus as well. Paul spent three years there. Timothy became their pastor for a while, and the apostle John himself lived in Ephesus as a teacher before his arrest. So let's look at how Christ begins his letter to them. Starting at the beginning of chapter two, to the angel of the church in Ephesus' right, these are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name and have not grown weary. Christ addresses the angel of Ephesus and as we saw last week, angel also means messenger. So this word from the Lord is likely written to the pastor or the messenger God had sent to that group of believers in Ephesus. Notice how John begins with two descriptions of Christ from chapter one, revealing him as he who holds the seven stars in his right hand and as the one who walks among the seven golden lampstands. Remember that the stars were the messengers and the lampstands with the churches themselves. Why would he have begun his description of himself this way? Well, given that the believers at Ephesus had been blessed by so many great teachers in the past, it was possible that some of them might have become more focused on those messengers than on the one who had sent them. In revealing himself in this way, Christ wanted them to understand that he was greater than those he had sent and that he is the head of the church and that he was in their midst. They were not alone. Then Jesus tells them what he knows about them and he commends them, praising them for many things, for what they did for their hard work for the kingdom and for their perseverance in the gospel. He also acknowledges their careful attention to doctrine, which was so important at the time as many false teachers were trying to lead churches astray. Jesus commended them for testing those who were claiming to be apostles but were not. The Ephesians had apparently taken Paul's farewell warning to them in Acts 20 quite seriously to be on the lookout for false teachers who would try to harm the church. They'd been very careful to check out those who claimed to have been sent out by the Lord. They'd examined both the doctrine and the behaviour of these teachers and in many cases had found them to be false. The Lord commended them for the way they had persevered, the way they'd borne many hardships for the sake of his name and how they'd not grown weary in the effort. Yet Christ pointed out something about them that had changed. He said in verse 4, "Yet I hold this against you, you have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which 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. But you have this in your favour. You hate the practices of the Michelayatons, which I also hate. In the midst of all their work for the Lord, they had somehow forsaken him as their first love. Their personal relationship with Jesus had suffered. Somehow, in their determination to root out error, they had gotten out ahead of Jesus, leaving him behind. He'd not left them, but they had left him. Do we serve Christ out of gratitude for His love for us? Does our service flow out of our intimate relationship with Him? Or are we caught up in our own works and what we can do for Him? Christ doesn't leave the Ephesians or us with a rebuke ringing in our ears. He explains how to make the situation right. Look at verse 5, "Remember the height from which 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." There, Christ encourages them to do three things. Remember, repent and resume the things that they had done at the beginning when they first put their faith in Christ. As His followers, we need to review our lives with Him from time to time too. We are to remember what it was like when we first came to believe in Jesus. And we are to compare our attitude now to what it used to be. Has life been taken over by other things, even if those are good things that we do for Him? If so, we need to do the next thing, which is repent. The Greek word for repent is metanoeo, and it means far more than to just be sorry for our actions. Repentanoeo describes a complete change of direction. It's as if we were going in one direction, but realizing that we were wrong, we turn around and change our path to align ourselves with God. And our lives will begin to demonstrate that change of heart and direction. We will eagerly desire God's word and seek His presence. We'll be quick to obey His commands. We'll seek out the fellowship of other believers. We'll share what we have, and we'll live lives that are fully devoted to Him. Jesus must be the passion of our hearts, not just the first in a lineup of other equally important affections. Christ warns the people of Ephesus that if they do not do as He says, He will remove their church. In other words, they would no longer be used to shine His light in that area as they once had. They would lose their relevance. Sadly, that promise has been fulfilled, and the old city of Ephesus is nothing more than a ruin that has lost its former importance. There is, however, one more thing that Christ commends them for. It concerns a particular group of false teachers who were widespread at the time. He declares in verse 6, "But you have this in your favor. You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate." We can't be sure, but it is likely that the Nicolaitans were followers of a man by the name of Nicholas, who may have been one of the first deacons. So this would have been one of those false groups Paul warned about in Acts 20. Though we don't know their exact origin, we do know what the Nicolaitans believed. They believed that because Christians were forgiven and no longer under the law, they were free to do whatever they wanted, even to engage in every kind of immorality. These people did not want to live differently to the pagan culture around them, and they tried to bring those practices into the church. Unfortunately, old heresies don't die. They just change clothes. Even today, some who say that they've been sent out by the Lord offer a similar teaching that how you live does not matter as long as you have come to Christ. But Scripture teaches us that it matters very much how we live after we come to the Lord, because how else are we going to demonstrate His love, His holiness and His grace, are kept by the things that we do. Though Christ accepts us just the way that we are, He loves us too much to let us stay the way that we are. His great power changes our lives, and He'll always move us into greater holiness and right living. But there's something very important that we must notice what Christ says to the Ephesians. But there's something very important that we must notice about what Christ says to the Ephesians in verse 6. He tells them, "You hate the practices of the Nicolaitons, which I also hate. Christ commends them for hating the Nicolaiton's practices. He does not commend them for hating the people. Jesus hates the sin, but loves the sinner, and so should we. Christ then concludes His message to them with an interesting phrase that He often used in the Gospels. Look at verse 7. "He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life which is in the paradise of God." Though this is Christ's message to the church in Ephesus, the Holy Spirit is in fact speaking to the churches, plural. So this instruction is for all Christ's people, not just those long ago in that city. And although the instruction is universal, he wants our personal response. And our obedience to what he's commanded will prove that we've truly heard his voice. Jesus then promises that those who overcome will be given the right to eat from the tree of life which is in the paradise of God. My immediate question is how can a person become an overcomer? 1 John, chapter 5, verse 3 through 5, tells us that whoever is born of God overcomes the world. And all that's needed in order to be born of God is for us to believe in Jesus. This kind of belief is not an intellectual acceptance of Christ. True biblical belief requires that we surrender our lives to him as Lord and that we take him as our first love. And when we do that, the Bible tells us that we will be overcomers. It is because we belong to Christ that we will be given the right to eat from the tree of life which is in the paradise of God. That tree of life is the same tree that Adam and Eve were allowed to eat from in the garden of Eden before they sinned. It appears again in heaven in the paradecios of God where we will once more be able to eat of its fruit. And it's all because Christ has paid for our sin and because he has opened up the way for us to enter God's presence once more. Christ then addressed the church in Smyrna, the next town along the postal route which was about 35 miles from Ephesus. Smyrna remains an active community even today, though it's now known as the city of Ismir in modern-day Turkey. The word Smyrna refers to Mer, a fragrant herb used to prepare the dead for burial. Interestingly, the herb had to be crushed for its perfume to be released and we will see the significance of that in a moment. Smyrna was an ancient city that had been built by the Greeks as far back as a thousand years before Jesus. Around 600 BC the city had been destroyed by raiders and it lay barren for 400 years before it was rebuilt and grew into a large prosperous city once more. That might be why Christ reveals himself to them as the one who died and came back to life again because their city had resurrected, if you will, as well. Smyrna was not only rich in trade, it was a place where culture flourished. It also was an important religious centre in the pagan world. The towers of several temples to false gods encircled the hill behind the city and because these temples gave the impression of a crown on the hill, Smyrna was known as the crown of Asia, a title that will factor into what Christ says to them. Despite the pagan culture in Smyrna it was really the Jews living in the city that caused the most problems for the Christians. Many believers in Christ were martyred in Smyrna, the most famous of them was a man called Polycarp, who was the bishop of that city and who at one time had been a disciple of the Apostle John. Polycarp was burned to death decades after this letter of revelation was written because he refused to worship the emperor. Interestingly he was killed on a Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, on which no work was allowed. However, the Jews were so determined to put him to death that they broke their own Sabbath laws to collect wood for his furnace. Truly Smyrna was a hard place for believers, their persecution was intense and the threat of death was an inescapable reality. Jesus speaks to this persecuted church in verse 8 saying, "To the angel of the church in Smyrna write, these are the words of him who is the first and the last, who died and came to life again. I know your afflictions and your poverty, yet you are rich. I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan." The Lord introduces himself as the first and the last who died and came to life again. In declaring himself to be the first and last, Jesus is reminding them that he has God himself despite what their persecutors may proclaim. He is the sovereign Lord, the one who was in the beginning and will be in all eternity. There's no one above him and he is the one who has overcome death itself. He's conquered the ultimate threat of the enemy against us and he lives to reign forever. Death no longer has any power on us. What does Jesus say that he knew about these believers in Smyrna? He knew that they were being crushed under the weight of their hardships and their afflictions. He was not disinterested or unaware of their circumstances and he is not disinterested or unaware of ours. He knew their poverty. However, he wanted them to realize that they were actually rich, rich with the true riches that don't depend on a bank account, but on a relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus knew that they were being persecuted, slandered and falsely accused by the Jews in that city. It must have been an especially bitter form of persecution because these were the people who claimed to belong to God, but who proved by their very actions that they did not. In fact, Jesus described these self-proclaimed Jews as belonging to the synagogue of Satan. For in persecuting the Christians they were really proving that they were working against God himself, despite what they imagined. This is the first time that we come across the name Satan in Revelation and it means the adversary. Elsewhere in Revelation he's called the devil and the accuser and he is the enemy of God's people. Jesus confirms this enemy was behind the persecution in Smyrna as he begins to warn the believers there of what is coming. Verse 10, "Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you the devil will put some of you in prison to test you and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful even to the point of death and I will give you the crown of life." He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be heard at all by the second death. Jesus warns them that they were about to suffer even more, that it would be done at the devil's encouragement, and then he tells them not to be afraid, that though they would be thrown into prison and would suffer persecution, it would only be for ten days and in other words it would only be for a limited period of time or a time cut short by God himself. It would not last. Notice that the Lord does not ever say that he will prevent the persecution. In fact he gives them the command to be faithful even to death. And if they were faithful even to the point of death he would give them the crown of life. The Greek word for crown in the text is Stephanos. This was a crown that was given to victorious athletes when they won their sporting events. James also speaks of this crown in James chapter 1 verse 12 saying, "Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial, because having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him." In that city, known as the crown of Asia, every time they looked up at the circle of pagan worship that crowned their hill, those who knew Jesus as their Lord could remember that he promised them a crown, and that they had to be faithful unto death because Christ had defeated death. Like Muir, those in Smyrna were being crushed by persecution, but the fragrance of their faithful offering would win for them a prize that far outweighed anything the world had to offer. You and I need to remember the same. Let us be faithful to the Lord even to death, for he has said, "I am the resurrection and the life, the one who believes in me will live, even though they die." Verse 11 tells us what we need to hear the Spirit say to the churches and to us personally. He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. The Bible teaches that they are indeed two different kinds of death. Physical death is the natural death we all face when our bodies cease to function and the soul that dwells within us departs. And spiritual death is the condition of our souls apart from God and the life he brings. It's not being connected to him. We can be physically alive and yet spiritually dead at the same time. In fact, the Bible says that before coming to Christ, before accepting him as our Lord and Savior, though we were physically alive, we were spiritually dead in our sins. We were separated from God by our own actions and our refusal to believe in him and follow him. We can't avoid physical death, but thankfully we can avoid spiritual death. We do this by turning to Christ, repenting of our sins and placing our trust in him as our Savior. Those who turn to Christ are born again spiritually speaking. They are united with God and can enter into his presence and enjoy his abundant life forever. Those who reject Christ remain spiritually dead, separated from the life that Christ alone can offer. We'll learn more about the second death in the final chapters of Revelation, but it's important to understand from our text here that the second death does not affect overcomers, those who belong to Christ. It only affects those who reject him during the course of their lives and never turn to him in faith. After suffering physical death, they experience the second death, the eternal separation from God that they willingly chose when they were alive will continue. It is a sobering thing to think about. Those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God will have to face the first death, physical death, but we will not be separated from God for all eternity. That second death has no hold on us. Those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God will have to face the first death, physical death, but we will not be separated from God for all eternity. That second death has no hold on us. I remember it in this way. If I'm born twice, I will only die once. However, if I'm born only once, I will die twice. What amazing truths we've already uncovered so far in the first one and a half chapters of this book. What an encouragement to faithfully follow the Lord and keep our eyes focused on him, no matter even if the way gets hard. One of the most precious truths we've seen is that he's with us. He knows our pain. He understands. He knows what it is to suffer and he knows what it is to be human. Though he was without sin, Jesus understands our joys and our struggles in life. He has traced every step we take from the cradle to the grave. He's with us. Jesus knows what it is to be mocked and persecuted. He knows the struggles of poverty and of hard work. Jesus knows what it's like to have no place to rest your head. He understands how it feels to be lonely, to be tempted, to be betrayed. And he knows what it is to die for no fault of your own. He is with us. He loves us and he understands all that we face. But he wants us to trust him and to hold to the promises in his word, even unto death if need be. For in him we have strength for the present and also the assurance of a future where we will see him face to face. God bless you. ♪ Thank you for listening to In the Word with Michelle Telfer. Join us next week as we continue our study from God's Word, the Bible. Michelle's messages are also available on all major podcast platforms and on her website at intheword.com. ♪