Faithfulness in Word and Deed

When reading the Revelation of John we must always keep in mind to whom the letter was written, the purpose of the letter, and the form of its writing style.

1. The letter was written to the seven churches of Asia Minor, churches that were started by the evangelistic efforts of the Apostle Paul 20 - 30 years before. The people in the churches have experienced a generation of persecution and were still maintaining the faith. However, doctrinal errors and compromise were entering the church, and the people were wondering if it was worth it all.
2. The writing of the letter was ordained by Jesus through the revelation of spiritual truths that were meant to encourage these people at this difficult time. The basic message is that Jesus is there with them, caring for them and protecting them and the judgment that the people feel that their persecutors deserve will done by God in His time.
3. The apocalyptic form of the letter is mostly characterized by the way that persons and principles are described. Rather than giving the reader a physical description, persons, places, and principles are described by their attributes. For example, the seven churches are referred to as seven lampstands as they provide a place from which to shine the light of the Gospel. The pastors of the seven churches are referred to as angels, as they are the messengers of the Gospel in that place. If one tries to read the descriptions of persons, places and principles in the Revelation in a literal sense, the translation process will be difficult, and the basic message of the verses will be lost.

In the first chapter, John described Jesus, not by name, but by attributes. In the second and third chapters of the book of revelation, Jesus will be using these attributes to describe Himself, identifying Himself as Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of Man, the Son of God.

Revelation 2:1.

Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

Ephesus was a "city of the Roman province of Asia, near the mouth of the Cayster river, 3 miles from the western coast of Asia Minor, and opposite the island of Samos. With an artificial harbor accessible to the largest ships, and rivaling the harbor at Miletus, standing at the entrance of the valley which reaches far into the interior of Asia Minor, and connected by highways with the chief cities of the province, Ephesus was the most easily accessible city in Asia, both by land and sea. Its location, therefore, favored its religious, political and commercial development, and presented a most advantageous field for the missionary labors of Paul.

Though Pergamos was the center of the Roman religion and of the government, Ephesus was the more accessible, the commercial center and the home of the native goddess Diana; and because of its wealth and situation it gradually became the chief city of the province. It is to the temple of Diana, however, that its great wealth and prominence are largely due. Not only was the temple of Diana a place of worship, and a treasure-house, but it was also a museum in which the best statuary and most beautiful paintings were preserved. Among the paintings was one by the famous Apelles, a native of Ephesus, representing Alexander the Great hurling a thunderbolt. It was also a sanctuary for the criminal, a kind of city of refuge, for none might be arrested for any crime whatever when within a bowshot of its walls. There sprang up, therefore, about the temple a village in which the thieves and murderers and other criminals made their homes. Not only did the temple bring vast numbers of pilgrims to the city, as does the Kaaba at Mecca at the present time, but it employed hosts of people apart from the priests and priestesses; among them were the large number of artisans who manufactured images of the goddess Diana, or shrines to sell to the visiting strangers." ^{E.J. Banks}

Rev. 2:2-3.

I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: ³And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

The Ephesian church was one of the earliest started and was the largest of these Asian churches. It was started by Paul and grew quickly because of the evangelistic spirit that was shared by its members. Most likely it was mentioned first because of this and also because it was the church with which John was most closely associated. He taught there prior to his exile, and tradition has it that he died there.

It is now a generation after the start of the church, and the legacy left by its founders is characterized by faithfulness through the years. What are some of the good things that Jesus identifies in this letter to the church?

1. Good works. These people touched the lives of one another and those outside the church with God’s love. What are some of the things that people in a church do that might be considered as "good works?" (Caring for the poor and widows, giving sacrificially to others in need. Visiting the sick, etc.) When we touch others with Agape love, even in the smallest ways, we are contributing to the furtherance of the Gospel and God’s Kingdom on earth.
2. Hard work. Though the burden of the gospel is easy, oftentimes the work is hard. How do we get involved in hard work for God’s purposes? (Disaster recovery and relief, helping others in difficult tasks, dealing with others in very difficult problems…)
3. Perseverance. These people have persevered through persecution. It might have been easier to give up and walk away. One of the more reliable patterns that exists when problems hit the church, is that those with marginal commitment hit the road. When a church goes through crisis the faithful core of the church is left to deal with it when others leave for another church that does not require as much effort. These have been faithful, core families through a generation of crisis. Jesus wants to make it very clear to them that He is very aware of that faithfulness.
4. Reject wickedness. Through the years the church has maintained an expectation of righteousness in its members despite the wicked community in which they lived. Ephasus was the largest of the Asian cities, and was the administrative center for the region, an administration based upon Roman emperor worship. Sin and wickedness abounded in the area, and when it entered the church body, it was rejected. How does this relate to the church today? (We use metaphors and euphemisms to redefine that which is wicked into that which is acceptable, and over time, things that were once considered wicked are accepted. The church in Ephasus did not do this.)
5. Reject false doctrine. In a time when far fewer doctrinal resources were available, they were still able to proactively ferret out those who would preach a different gospel, and once uncovered, they would reject the teaching and the teacher. Today, false teachers abound in the church. One only needs to watch a few minutes of gospels according to the likes of Benny Hinn, Jack Van Impe, and many others to see that there is a lot of bad doctrine around. It is amazing that the church is so poorly discipled, that these false prophets have successful and profitable careers.

As a result of these characteristics, the early Ephesian church was instrumental in the spread of the gospel through Asia Minor (Acts 19:10). It would seem that with all of these good things to say about the Ephesian church, there would be little left to comment about. However, Jesus continues…

Rev. 2:4-5.

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. ⁵Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

What were some of the things that the church would have done in its younger days? (Sincere evangelism.) The start of a church can be an exciting time of witnessing many new converts drawn by a small family of God that sincerely wants more people added to the Kingdom and to their numbers. People are sincerely evangelized for the contribution they can make to the new church as well as what the gospel can do for them. However, after time, the people with the original vision turn the helm over the next generation that does not share that original vision. The church starts to be self-sustaining, focusing inward instead of outward. They have replaced the love of God and the love of lost souls with a love for themselves. This seems to have happened in this case because of the threat that Jesus makes. Jesus calls upon them to remember where they were when they started, and comparing it to where they are, they will find that they have fallen a great distance. Jesus calls upon them to turn back from their introverted focus and look back to the harvest field of lost souls. He describes this as leaving their "first love." This is not much different that what God said of the Israelites through Jeremiah in Jer. 2:2-5.

Jer. 2:2-5.  Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown. ³Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD. ⁴Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel: ⁵Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?

What is the threat that Jesus makes to the Ephesian church for leaving their first love? If the church continues to be self-centered, God will remove from the congregation those who carry the true light of the gospel. The faithful core will leave the congregation to their "cruise-ship" mentality and move the light of the gospel to another place. This is not an unusual occurrence in the church today.

Rev. 2:6-7.

But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate. ⁷He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

The Nicolaitans practiced the sensual and indulgent pagan actions of their day, much as there are many who practice sensual and indulgent acts today. Jesus has a message for the church in Ephasus, but it is also for the church today. Who has an ear to hear what the Spirit says to the churches? Hopefully, all who call themselves by the name of Christian. The word "overcome" is similar to "to conquer" or to "have the victory." Victory is through faith in Jesus Christ, and to experience such victory is to eat of the tree of life, it is to experience eternal security within the presence of God, rather than eternal separation from Him.

Rev. 2:12.

And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;

Again, as John describes Jesus’ introduction, he does so by referring the His characteristics as described in the vision of Chapter 1. Again, do not lose sight of the metaphorical allusion used in the Revelation of John.

"Pergamum in Mysia (the northernmost of these seven cities, formerly the residence of the kings of Asia of the Attalian dynasty, and renowned for its large library of 200,000 volumes and the manufacture of parchment; hence the name charta Pergamena;—now Bergamo, a village inhabited by Turks, Greeks, and Armenians) was the seat of a church, which under trying circumstances had shown great fidelity, but tolerated in her bosom those who held dangerous Gnostic errors." ^{Philip Schaff}

Rev. 2:13.

I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

As Ephasus was a center of political influence, Pergamum was the center of the imperial cult that practiced the worship of Caesar. The failure to worship the emperor in Rome could be considered high treason. Such was the death of Antipas, who as a faithful witness of Christ was put to death by refusing to renounce his faith and claim obecience to the Emperor. Unlike the church in Ephasus, who received many accolades, this church received only the one, that they had remained true to the Name of Jesus and did not turn to Rome.

Revelation 2:14-15.

But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. ¹⁵So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.

Though, as a church they had not turned to Rome, they were not vigilant to take care to watch the practices of their own members. They had overlooked or ignored those in their own membership who maintained false ideas and convictions. Two particular pagan influences are described herein. The first, is the teaching of Balaam, described in Numbers 22-24. Balak, king of Moab, enlisted the prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites. God intervened with the famous talking donkey, and Balaam blessed them instead. This one shining period in Balaam’s life overshadows the idolatrous worship and immorality that had pervaded Israel at the time (Num. 25:1-3) and was attributed to him (Num. 31:16).

There were members of the Pergamum church who were involved in the pagan practices of idol worship and immorality. This immorality speaks particularly of the use of temple prostitutes in sexual perversions that were suppose to arouse the gods of fertility, making their land and people more fertile.

Unlike Ephasus who hated the Nicolaitans, the Pergamum church tolerated them. We are not clear of the difference between the Nicolaitans and the followers of Balaam, but we do know that in either case, we are witnessing the acts of false teachers, false prophets, and a false and sensual pagan religion.

Rev. 2:16-17.

Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. ¹⁷He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

The church in Pergamum is also called upon to repent. If they do not, Jesus will come in and do their job for them. The task involves the sword. What is this weapon? The Word of God. Those who are in the church and who maintain false doctrine must be confronted with the true Word of God. Often, messages that come from the leaders of churches today are so afraid of making anyone upset, their preaching is only tickling the ears of those who support the church. Such practice has caused entire denominations to accept worldly practices within the body, to the point that in some churches, the Word of God is never heard.

It is this kind of church that seems to typify Pergamum. They still claim to carry the name of Jesus but they reject the Name of Jesus. Only by holding fast to the true Word of God, can we recognize and reject the subtle errors that can creep into the church which, if left unchecked, can be used of Satan to completely destroy the Christian testimony and effectiveness of the church.

Jesus offers an additional reward for their faithfulness: hidden manna, and a white stone. Manna was provided by God to the children of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness, meeting a need that could only be met by God’s intervention. God promises here to intervene in their lives to meet their needs. A white stone was used like an entry ticket into the Greek games. White, referring to purity, and a name written on it, representing permanence, provides a reminder of eternal life. The one receiving the white stone at the games is the ticket agent. So, this sentence refers to God’s knowledge of the name of those who are saved, those who have overcome.

Rev. 2:18.

And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;

Again, Jesus is referred to by the description in the vision of Chapter 1, referring to the eyes like fire, and the feet like burnished bronze.

"Thyatira was a wealthy town in the northern part of Lydia of the Roman province of Asia, on the river Lycus. Thyatira was specially noted for the trade guilds which were probably more completely organized there than in any other ancient city. Every artisan belonged to a guild, and every guild, which was an incorporated organization, possessed property in its own name, made contracts for great constructions, and wielded a wide influence. Powerful among them was the guild of coppersmiths; another was the guild of the dyers, who, it is believed, made use of the madder-root instead of shell-fish for making the purple dyestuffs. A member of this guild seems to have been Lydia of Thyatira, who, according to Acts 16:14, sold her dyes in Philippi. The color obtained by the use of this dye is now called Turkish red. The guilds were closely connected with the Asiatic religion of the place. Pagan feasts, with which immoral practices were associated, were held, and therefore the nature of the guilds was such that they were opposed to Christianity. According to Acts 19:10, Paul may have preached there while he was living at Ephesus, but this is uncertain; yet Christianity reached there at an early time. It was taught by many of the early church that no Christian might belong to one of the guilds, and thus the greatest opposition to Christianity was presented." ^{E.J. Banks}

Revelation 2:19.

I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.

Like the Ephesian church, there is much praise for the church in Thyatira. What is mentioned here?

1. Deeds. Like the church in Ephasus, Jesus recognizes them for their good deeds.
2. Love. Those in Thyatira did not lose their love. It was still the basis for their ministry.
3. Faith. The church in Thyatira demonstrated faithfulness.
4. Service. The people gave of their time and resources to the furtherance of the Gospel.
5. Perseverance. Like the other churches, they had persevered despite much outside pressure to compromise, to grant allegiance to Rome, to succumb to the sensual attraction of the pagan society.
6. Doing more. Unlike Ephasus, Thyatira was doing more for the gospel now than they had done when the church was first founded. This can only happen when the church leaders maintain their vision for the lost and the discipleship of the saved.

One would think that there was nothing to criticize with such an outstanding testimony.

Rev. 2:20-23.

Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. ²¹And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. ²²Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. ²³And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

What was the problem in the church in Thyatira? They tolerate pagan worship within the church body. Most likely, the description here does not refer to a literally named Jezebel, but rather to either an individual or group of people in the church who share the evil pagan nature of Jezebel, wife. The Old Testament Jezebel, was the daughter of pagan Ethbaal, king of Sidon (1 Kings 16:31-33.) Ahab was the King of Israel at that time, and is described as the most wicked king of all of Israel’s history. He took the pagan Jezebel as his wife, contrary to Mosaic law, and together they led Israel into years of pagan worship, turning the nation away from God.

There is no evidence that the Jezebel spirit in their church was to take over the congregation, but their tolerance of it within the body is a critical error. Jesus describes her influence as misleading members of the church into sexual immorality and idol worship, again the same problem identified in both Ephesus and Pergamum. Jesus threatens to place her on a bed of suffering along with all those who have had adulterous affairs with her. If taken literally, this sounds like a real suffering that could come from the distribution of a terrible sexually transmitted disease that debilitates the adults and causes the death of any children with it. This sounds a lot like the epidemic of AIDS that we are experiencing now.

Rev. 2:24-29.

But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. ²⁵But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. ²⁶And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: ²⁷And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. ²⁸And I will give him the morning star. ²⁹He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

What are some of the characteristics that these churches that demonstrated faithfulness? They all seem like the churches of today. Each has strengths in different areas. They have demonstrated faithfulness in many ways. They maintained that faithfulness despite persecution, and living in an evil world with sensual attractions attempting to draw them away from the faith. Unfortunately, like today’s churches, these churches all suffered from the same malady: they were compromising the faith by allowing the sin of the world to enter their lives. The worldliness that they demonstrated is no different from today. Often people cannot tell the difference between someone who claims the name of Christ and someone who does not. We are accepting of all manner of compromise in the body of Christ.

God is calling upon us who have an ear (an ability to hear God’s Word) to hear, to repent and come back to Him, demonstrating a purity of faith that rejects that which is ungodly. When we do this we will be more effective witnesses of the gospel, more effective agents in the spread of the Gospel, and we will reap the rewards of that faithfulness.