Ed Urzi

Despite the positive developments that characterized the first-century church at Ephesus, there was a certain matter that required immediate attention…

“Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love” (Revelation 2:4).

So what is the “first love” that Jesus speaks of here? To answer that question, we can look in on a conversation that occurred between Jesus and a religious teacher that is chronicled for us in Mark chapter twelve. That passage relates the account of a spiritual leader who heard Jesus speak to another group of religious authorities. He was impressed by the way Jesus answered a seemingly impossible question, and His response prompted the religious leader to ask a question of his own: “…Which is the first commandment of all?” (Mark 12:28).

The following verses provide us with Jesus’ response…

“Jesus answered him, ‘The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment'” (Mark 12:29-30).

This answer offers some valuable insight into the term “first love” from Revelation 2:4. When Jesus says, “…I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first” (ESV), it implies that the Christians in Ephesus had departed from their greatest and most important love- their love for God.

In our text from the Gospel of Mark, Jesus informs us that humanity’s primary job description involves the responsibility to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Thus, our highest-ranking love should be expressed toward God. Unfortunately, it seems as if the Christians in Ephesus were so busy doing good things that they forgot the most important thing: to love God first and foremost.

Of course, this message is just as applicable today (if not more so) as it was for the first-century church at Ephesus. We can gauge these potential vulnerabilities in our own lives with two questions:

1. Has there ever been a time when I loved God more than I do now?
2. Are there things in my life that have a higher priority than Christ?

If the answer to one or both of those questions is “yes,” then we should consider the possibility that Jesus’ message to the Ephesian church in Revelation 2:4 applies to us as well. Fortunately, we can address these concerns by following the instructions that Jesus offers next.

Image Attribution: pickpik.com

“I know your works as well as your labor and steadfast endurance, and that you cannot tolerate evil. You have even put to the test those who refer to themselves as apostles (but are not), and have discovered that they are false” (Revelation 2:2).

When Jesus speaks of labor and endurance in this passage, He uses a word that alludes to “intense labour united with trouble and toil.” ₍₁₎ So it seems that there weren’t many lazy individuals within this church. In fact, it was just the opposite; they were determined to persevere when things became difficult.

He then continued by saying, “I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars” (NLT). This is especially interesting when we consider the Apostle Paul’s earlier warning to this fellowship…

“I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. Watch out!…” (Acts 20:29-31 NLT)

So it appears that the Ephesian church took Paul’s warning seriously and Jesus responded with a message of approval. More good things follow in the next verse…

“and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary” (Revelation 2:3).

Judging from this portion of Jesus’ letter, we may conclude that the church at Ephesus featured a group of individuals who refused to give up, even during times of hardship. If the Christians at Ephesus “patiently suffered” for their belief in Christ, then it can only mean that they remained steadfast in their commitment to Him despite the trials, adversities, and difficulties they encountered. It also seems reasonable to assume that the members of the Ephesian church displayed unwavering determination and resilience in the face of various challenges. Finally, we can say that the Ephesian Christians exhibited faithfulness in dealing with stressful conditions.

So things seemed to be going well for the Christian community at Ephesus according to Revelation 2:2-3…

• The Christians in Ephesus were hard workers.
• They didn’t tolerate people who dishonored God.
• They tested those who claimed to be spiritual leaders and representatives of God to verify their truthfulness.
• Those who weren’t what they claimed to be were exposed as liars.

The church at Ephesus thus offers a good example for us to follow today. However, Jesus had a few additional things to say to this fellowship, and we’ll consider that portion of His letter next.

Image Attribution: Perseverance by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Pix4free

(1) G2873 – kopos – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (kjv). (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2873/kjv/tr/0-1/

The ancient city of Ephesus was a prominent business, cultural, and religious center at the time of Jesus’ letter to the Christian community there. With these things in mind, here is how Jesus opened His message to the church at Ephesus…

“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands’” (Revelation 2:1).

These references to “stars” and “lampstands” were explained earlier in Revelation 1:20: “The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches” (NIV). So, after this brief introduction, Jesus continued by saying…

“I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars” (Revelation 2:2).

This passage begins with an important statement: “I know all the things you do” (NLT). This was not only true of the ancient Ephesians, but it is also true of us as well. You see, Jesus is someone who can say to everyone, “I know your works.” That realization should be troubling to those who may be seeking to hide or disguise their sins, or those who feel as if they can escape the consequences of their misconduct. This passage thus reminds us that Jesus sees every secret thought, every hidden motive, and everything we’ve ever done- and He alone can say, “I know your works.”

On the other hand, let’s consider a scenario where someone faced a series of negative consequences, despite the fact that he or she chose to act with integrity. Or perhaps there was a time when someone made a God-honoring choice when no one seemed to notice or care. Or maybe someone rejected an opportunity to lie, steal, retaliate, or produce an inferior work product, and chose instead to work “…as though you were serving the Lord himself” (Colossians 3:23 CEV).

It may have seemed as if no one was watching in those instances. But Someone was watching, and Someone continues to watch today. No matter what the situation, it helps to remember that Jesus knows all the things we do. Happily for the Ephesian church, the words, “I know your works“ meant something good, as we’ll see next.

As we read through Jesus’ letters to the churches of Revelation chapters two and three, we’ll find that there are certain commonalties within these messages. For instance, we’ll find that Jesus gets directly to His point in each of these letters. He will address the condition of each church and offer a message of praise and approval if the church deserves it. In other instances, He will present a message of reprimand and disapproval. Sometimes, He will offer both. Jesus tells each church what He wants them to do regarding the issues that exist and warns them about what will happen if they fail to act.

Finally, Jesus will end each letter with a statement of encouragement and a promise to those who are victorious in living a God-honoring life. He then closes each letter with the same statement: “Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches” (NLT). This tells us that the things we read in these letters are for anyone who will listen and apply them- including those of us who live in the 21st century.

The first of these letters was delivered to the church that met in the ancient city of Ephesus. While the New Testament book of Colossians mentions the city of Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22) and Acts chapter sixteen features the city of Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-29), Ephesus was a far more prominent city from a Biblical perspective.

The first-century city of Ephesus was located in an area of the world that encompasses the modern-day nation of Turkey. At the time of this letter, Ephesus was a busy metropolitan area. It held a strategic position within the Roman Empire and featured a large harbor that facilitated the shipment of goods and passengers to various ports throughout the known world. Ephesus was also a place where wealthy first-century residents might keep a summer home.

Ephesus boasted a large theatre with a seating capacity of approximately 20-30,000 people that appears in Acts 19:29. In addition, the city featured an extensive library for the academically inclined. However, Ephesus was perhaps best known as the home of the Temple of Diana, a structure that was considered to be among the seven wonders of the ancient world.

Diana (or Artemis as she was also known) was a pagan deity who was worshiped as the “goddess” of the moon, hunting and wild animals. Her Temple was constructed of marble and stood 425 feet (130m) long and 220 feet (67m) wide. One hundred and twenty-seven vertical support columns standing sixty feet (18m) tall served to uphold this impressive structure.

We’ll continue our look at Jesus’ message to this church next.

Image Credit: Hamilton, N. H. (n.d.). Seven Wonders of Ancient World, undated. Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/nat507/44980191934>Roman_Drits

Imagine if Jesus wrote a personal letter to your church. What would He say in that message? Would His message be complimentary, or would He emphasize the need for change and improvement? Well, the answers to those questions were not a matter of speculation for seven churches of the New Testament era. Instead, Jesus provided those answers in the form of a personalized message to each church.

You see, Revelation chapters two and three comprise letters from Jesus to seven first-century congregations. Those letters contain personal messages to each church, but they also contain something more; they also contain important truths that are applicable to God’s people today.

Earlier in Revelation 1:11 we read this…

“Write down what you see, and send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea” (NLT).

This refers to the seven letters we’ll see beginning here in Revelation chapter two. But before we get to those letters, let’s first review their format. Each letter begins much like we might begin a piece of correspondence today. They start with a “To:” that is addressed to the angel of each church. That opening address is then followed by a “From:” that features a self-description of the One who sent it.

For example…

“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands…” (Revelation 2:1 NLT).

This naturally leads to a question: why are these letters addressed “…to the angel” of each church? To answer that question, it’s helpful to consider the word “angel” more closely. While the term “angel” often refers to a supernatural being today, this word (“angelos“) simply means “messenger” in the original language of Revelation. ₍₁₎ This may sound familiar to those who have traveled to southern California in the United States, for it explains why the city of “Los Angeles” is known as “The City of Angels.”

With respect to the letters of Revelation chapters two and three, we can understand this reference to “…the angel of the church” in two ways…

1. Each church may have a “guardian angel.” If this is the case, then Jesus is dictating each letter to that entity.
2. However, it’s probably better to understand this reference in a different way: Jesus is speaking to the human leader of each church in the sense that every church leader is (or should be) a messenger of God.

We’ll continue our overview of Revelation chapter two next.

Image Credit: Photo by Roman_Drits from Freerange Stock
(1) G32 – angelos – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (kjv). (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g32/kjv/tr/0-1/

“Therefore write what you have seen, what is, and what will take place after this. The mystery of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches” (Revelation 1:19-20 CSB).

So Revelation 1:19 provides us with a reference to the past (“what you have seen“), the present (“what is“), and the future (“what will take place after this“), all within a single verse. That being said, how do we know when the future begins in the book of Revelation? How can we separate the present from the future within this book?

Well, as mentioned earlier, Revelation chapters two and three comprise letters to seven churches that appear in verse eleven…

“’…I am A and Z, the First and Last!’ And then I heard him say, ‘Write down everything you see, and send your letter to the seven churches in Turkey: to the church in Ephesus, the one in Smyrna, and those in Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea’” (TLB).But following the conclusion of chapter three, Revelation chapter four opens in an interesting manner. The first thing we read beginning in Revelation chapter four are the words, “After these things…” or “After this…” (ESV). We can paraphrase that transition as follows: “After these letters to the seven churches, here’s what happens next.”

Furthermore, the same words that are used to signify “what will take place after this” in Revelation 1:19 are the very same words that open Revelation chapter four in the original language of each passage. Those words are “meta tauta” or “after this.” So the end of Revelation chapter one aligns with the beginning of Revelation chapter four. In between are Jesus’ letters to the churches as detailed in chapters two and three.

With this in mind, we can zero in on the question that opened this study: how do we know when the future begins in the book of Revelation? If the “past” ends here in Revelation chapter one, but the future doesn’t begin until Revelation chapter four, where does that leave us in the present? The answer is that it leaves us with Jesus’ letters to the seven churches, as we’ll see in the following chapters.

Those letters identify and evaluate the positive and negative qualities exhibited by individuals and church congregations then and now. Therefore, we would do well to pay close attention when Jesus speaks to these churches. While those messages applied to them, they also apply to us as well.

Image Credit: Mlibre, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

“Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches” (Revelation 1:19-20 NIV).These verses represent one of the most important passages in the book of Revelation. What we find in verse nineteen is a kind of “Table of Contents” for this book. Let’s take a closer look at this text, for it will help us navigate through many of the remaining chapters of this book.

This passage begins by saying, “Write, therefore, what you have seen…” In other words, John the Apostle was entrusted with the task of recording what he had witnessed up to that point. Next comes a reference to “…what is now.” This serves to identify the things that were taking place within these churches at the time John received the Book of Revelation. Jesus will elaborate on many of those topics in chapters two and three, where He will personally address each of these seven churches.

Finally, He says, “Write, therefore… what will take place later.” This is where the Book of Revelation begins to talk about the future, or the things that will occur later. So to summarize this passage, we can say that it speaks of…

• The past, or “what you have seen.”
• The present, or “what is now.” This reflects many of the subjects that will be discussed in chapters two and three.
• The future, or “what will take place later.”

This should raise an important question for modern-day readers of Revelation: “Where do current-day audiences fit within this ‘Table Of Contents?” The answer to that question largely depends on how one views the end of verse nineteen and its reference to “what will take place later.” We can look to various translations of Revelation 1:19 for help in finding an answer. For instance,

• If you are reading the GNT version, it says, “the things that will happen afterward.”
• The NKJV it says, “after this.”
• The KJV and ASV each use the word “hereafter.”
• The NASB and NET have the words, “after these things.”
• The NIV references “what will take place later.”

So, regardless of the translation, this portion of Scripture clearly points to future events. But how do we know when the future starts in the book of Revelation? We will address that question in the final installment of our look at this chapter next.

“and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band” (Revelation 1:13).Our text from Revelation 1:13 recalls Jesus’ message from the New Testament Gospel of Matthew: “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). However, we should notice that this passage identifies the speaker as someone who was “like unto the son of man” (KJV). Since “Son of Man” was one of Jesus’ favorite self-designations, why didn’t our author definitively identify Him as such?

We might find the answer to that question in the verses that follow…

“His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength” (Revelation 1:14-16).Before we continue, let’s reflect on the qualities that define Jesus from this passage….

• He had a golden sash around his chest.
• His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow.
• His eyes were like blazing fire.
• His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace.
• His voice was like the sound of rushing waters.
• In his right hand, he held seven stars.
• Out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword.
• His face was like the sun “…shining in all its brilliance” (NIV).

This was Jesus, but He was not like the person who called John to serve as His disciple many decades earlier. This helps explain John’s use of a qualifier here in Revelation 1:13. He was like the Son of Man John once knew, but now, John saw Him as much, much more.

“And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death” (Revelation 1:17-18).

While some erroneously consider Satan to be the “keeper” of death and Hades, this passage identifies the one who actually possesses those keys. Therefore, we would be well-advised to make our peace with Christ, for He is the one who says, “I hold in my hand the keys of death and the grave” (Phillips).

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet” (Revelation 1:10).Trumpets served various purposes for the people of Old Testament Israel. For instance, trumpets were employed to gather an assembly, to signal an announcement, to summon military personnel, or to warn of an emergency. Modern-day societies continue to rely on various types of horns to signal an alert, an emergency, or a time of commemoration. These horns are effective because they command our attention, much like the voice John heard here in Revelation 1:10.

“saying, ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,’ and, ‘What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea'” (Revelation 1:11). The seven churches discussed in this text were not symbolic representations; they were actual churches that existed in John’s era. In fact, one can embark on a tour of these church locations today. The distance between these congregations varied from approximately thirty to fifty miles (48 to 80 km), and a first-century messenger would likely distribute this book in the order mentioned here.

As mentioned earlier, the fact that seven churches are referenced in this passage should alert us to the possibility that there is something more to these messages. As we move into our exploration of Revelation chapters two and three, we’ll find that these churches also reflect various aspects of the historic Christian community and continue to do so today. Some of those characteristics are honorable and virtuous, while others are much less so.

“Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands” (Revelation 1:12).When John turned to see who was speaking to him, he witnessed seven golden lampstands. We don’t need to interpret the meaning of these lampstands, for Jesus will identify them for us in the closing verse of this chapter. There, we learn that these seven lampstands are the seven churches mentioned here in verse twelve. So what was the connection between these lampstands and the churches of verse eleven?

The answer to that question becomes easier when we consider the function of a lampstand. The purpose of a lampstand is to provide light to others. This correlates with Jesus’ message to His followers in Matthew 5:14: “You are the light of the world…” With this in mind, we can say that these lampstands represent the assemblies of God’s people who serve as the light of the world. But even more significant is the fact that Jesus is in the midst of these lights, as we’ll see next.

Image Credit: Jonadab Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

“Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. So it is to be. Amen” (Revelation 1:7 CSB).We should note the significance of the phrase, “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him…” here in Revelation 1:7. This can only refer to the events that took place at Jesus’ crucifixion. This passage, along with its reference to those who will “mourn because of him” (NET), also carries a strong emotional component, for it conveys the image of those who wail and beat their chests to express their grief. ₍₁₎

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:8 NIV).In the original language of this passage, Alpha and Omega function much like the letters A and Z, for they each represent the first and last letters of their respective alphabets. Thus, we can understand this reference to mean that Jesus is the first, the last, and the “A to Z” of everything. Therefore, our text from Revelation 1:8 establishes Jesus as the beginning and the end of all things.

“I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:9). Patmos is a ten mile (16 km) long, six mile (10 km) wide island near the coast of the modern-day nation of Turkey. Church tradition tells us that John was exiled to Patmos for a period of eighteen months. One source discusses the role of the ancient Roman emperor Domitian to explain how and why John ended up on this island in the midst of the Aegean Sea…

“The emperor Domitian, who was naturally inclined to cruelty, first slew his brother, and then raised the second persecution against the Christians… Among the numerous martyrs that suffered during this persecution was Simeon, bishop of Jerusalem, who was crucified; and St. John, who was boiled in oil, and afterward banished to Patmos.” ₍₁₎If Domitian or one of his subordinates attempted to kill John with boiling oil, then it seems reasonable to assume that God miraculously spared his life. If He had not done so, then John would have never had the opportunity to serve as the human author of the Biblical book of Revelation.

(1) G2875 – kopto – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (kjv). (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2875/kjv/tr/0-1/

(2) John Foxe, The Project Gutenberg eBook of Fox’s Book Of Martyrs (n.d.). https://www.gutenberg.org/files/22400/22400-h/22400-h.htm [pg 20]