SCRIPTURE: REVELATION 2
MEMORY VERSE :
“Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10)
TO THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS (vs. 1-7)
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: 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 hand endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
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 favor. You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 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.
TO THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA (vs. 8-11)
“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. 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 hurt at all by the second death.
TO THE CHURCH IN PERGAMUM, (vs. 12-17)
“To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp double-edged sword. I know where you live – where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city – where Satan lives.
Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Repent therefore!@ Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.
TO THE CHURCH IN THYATIRA (vs. 18-29) – A center for 4 idolatrous cults (Zeus, Dionysius, Asclepius and Athena)
To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are not doing more than you did at first.
Nevertheless, I have this against you. You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you): Only hold on what you have until I come. To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations. He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery. – just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
THOUGHTS:
Judgment begins at “the house of God” so the seven churches will be the first to be dealt with. Here are the seven of the churches:
THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS: A church that refused to tolerate sins among its members.
Strength:
- They have good deeds, hard work and perseverance.
- They cannot tolerate wicked men.
- They examine the claims of false apostles.
- They have endured hardships for Christ’s name without quitting. They hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, who look for excuses in sin.
Weakness: They have forsaken their first love.
Counsel: Repent and do the things they did before.
Punishment: God will remove their lampstand from its place which means that the church will cease to be an effective church.
Reward to overcomers: They will be given the right to eat from the tree of life which will bring them eternal life with God.
THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA: A church with Jewish and non-Jewish population.
Strength: They have afflictions and are poor but are rich.
Counsel: Be faithful even to the point of death.
Reward to overcomers: God will give them the crown of life.
THE CHURCH IN PERGAMUM: A church located in a city having four cults (Zeus, Dionysius, Asclepius and Athene). They have a chief god called Asclepius, symbolized as a serpent and known as the god of healing.
Strength: They remain true and faithful to God.
Weakness:
- They have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality.
- They also havethose who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
Counsel: Repent therefore! Otherwise, God will fight against them with the sword of His mouth.
Reward to overcomers: God will give them some of the hidden manna and a white stone with a new name written on it. Manna signifies spiritual nourishment that can satisfy the deepest hunger. The white stone will bear the name of every person who truly believes in Christ.
THE CHURCH IN THYATIRA: A church located in a city with many trade guilds for cloth making, dyeing and pottery.
Strength:
- They have deeds, love and faith.
- They do more service and have perseverance than before.
Weakness: They tolerate Jezebel’s teaching of sexual immorality and the eating of goods sacrificed to idols.
Counsel: Repent and do not hold on to her teaching and do not learn Satan’s so-called deep secrets. Hold on to what they have.
Punishment:
- They will suffer intensely.
- God will repay each of them according to their deeds.
Reward:
- God will give them authority over the nations to rule with an iron scepter.
- God will give them the morning star. A morning star appears before dawn when the night is coldest and darkest. Christ is the light of truth that will expose evil with his light of truth.
REFLECTIONS:
- Will you remain true faithful to the Lord despite afflictions or hardships?
- Do you love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul and strength?
- Have you asked forgiveness of your sins and repented?
- Do you conform to the world’s culture and practices that are against God’s teachings?
- Have you done good deeds to the people around you?
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