A Journey through Revelation, Part 4: The Message to Ephesus

In this study, we begin to look at what the Lord has to say to each of the seven churches. 

This is a great opportunity for us to learn from them – what they did right and what they did wrong and how the Lord looks at our churches.

 

 

THE LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES:

Each letter has its own distinctive characteristics, but there are similarities:        

• Each message begins with “I know your works . . . “
• Each offers a promise, “to him that overcomes . . .”
• Each has the same concluding sentence, “he that hath and ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”
• Most of the messages contain words of warning as well as a promise to those who hear and respond appropriately.
• These messages are letters of reproof, rebuke, instruction and reassurance.

 

 

Let’s begin with chapter 2, verse 1.

 

v.1, “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:  The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:”

• v.1a, “to the angel”  - remember, we said that this was a human messenger, not a heavenly angel because: 

o   Angels don’t receive reprimands.

o   Angels aren’t heads of churches.

 

• This first message is being sent to the church at Ephesus.

 

• What do we know about Ephesus?

o   It was a major city of Asia Minor.

o   It had a busy seaport.

o   It was the location of the great temple of Artemis (the goddess Diana):

§  There were 1000 temple prostitutes at this temple.

§  Silversmiths made their living by making idols to sell to visitors.

o   It is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

o   Paul had visited Ephesus around A.D. 53, about 43 years before this letter in Revelation was sent to them.

o   Paul remained in Ephesus for several years and preached the gospel so effectively, according to Acts 19:10,  “all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.”

o   This large city was so thoroughly stirred by Paul’s message that in acts 19:11-41, those same silversmiths created a riot because their business of making shrines of Artemis was threatened.

o   This church had a long history and was the most prominent one in the area.

 

 

• vv.1b-c, “The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:”

o   Who is this?

o   We know from our last study that this is Jesus, the Lord of the Church.

o   He is in the midst of all His churches.  He sees all that is going on in His churches.  He has control of His churches.

o   There is no question as to who is dictating this message to John.

 

 

v.2, “I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot endure evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false;”

• v.2a, Jesus says, “I know your deeds”:

o   “know” in the Greek text means a complete knowledge; totally familiar.

o   As Lord of the churches, Jesus knows, completely, what’s happening in each church:

§  What they’re going through and how well they are doing.

 

• “deeds”, is the Greek word, ergon, which means “to work” with the idea of expending a lot of energy:

o   This church was diligent in its service to the Lord and Jesus acknowledges that fact.

o   He also acknowledges their toil:

§  “toil” means laborious toil; stress and trouble.

 

o   Next, He talks about their “perseverance”:

§  “perseverance” is defined as:  to continue to bear up despite difficulty and suffering.

 

• v.2b, “and that you cannot endure evil men”:

o   This phrase has the idea that they hated those who were evil.  They were repulsed by the wicked and the sinful of their day.  They couldn’t stand to be around them.

o   Can you relate to that?

 

 

• v.2c, “and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false;”

o   They tested all those who would come and proclaim themselves to be “apostles.”

o   Discovered that they were not!

o   An “apostle” was one chosen specifically by Jesus Christ:

§  Before or after His resurrection.

 

• They were laboring, or toiling, with patience.  They were hating what is evil or wicked; readily detecting false teachers and false teaching.  These were the anti-gospel teachers and their teachings.  These are the characteristics that are sorely needed in the church today:

o   Too often there is a failure to serve the Lord patiently.

o   Too often there is a tendency to compromise both with moral and theological evil.

o   Too often there is an open acceptance of false teachers for several reasons:

§  Some don’t know the Bible well enough to be able to challenge them.

§  Some don’t want to be labeled as “intolerant.”

§  Some believe, “Well, after all, we all serve the same God”:

a.  Islam

b.  Mormons

c.  Jehovah’s witnesses

d.  Buddhists

e.  New agers

 

o   Some don’t believe biblical doctrine is important enough to take a stand:

§  They say, “That’s just your interpretation.”

§  Or, “We should seek unity at all costs.”

 

o   The Ephesians were not willing compromise, and Jesus commends them for that.

 

 

v.3, “and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary.”

• “Perseverance,” in the Greek text, means to continue to bear up despite difficulty and suffering.

 

• Through all their difficulties, the Ephesians persevered:

o   They endured for the highest of reasons:  for the sake of Jesus’ name.

o   And they had done so without having grown weary.

 

• They had not yielded to disappointment, ingratitude or criticism from others.

 

• They remained:

o   Faithful to the Lord, loyal to His Word, and to the work to which He had called them.

o   However, they had done something that Jesus needs to point out to them.

 

 

v.4, “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”

• Despite all the praiseworthy things found in the Ephesian church, the penetrating, Omniscient, Lord of the Church had spotted something that they needed to correct:

o   It appears that their service had degenerated into mechanical doing.

 

• At one time, according to Ephesians 1, 3, & 6, they were a very loving church:

o   Forty years later the affection of the first generation of believers had gone cold.

 

• The current generation was maintaining the doctrine handed down to them but …….

 

• They had left their first love:

o   They were lacking a deep devotion to Christ.

o   How the Church today needs to heed this same warning, that orthodoxy and service are not enough.

o   Plans and programs are not enough.

o   Christ wants believers’ hearts as well as their hands and heads.

 

• The Ephesians had sunk to the place where they were carrying out their Christian responsibilities with a declining love for the Lord and for others.

 

• In the battle to maintain sound teaching, moral and doctrinal purity, its possible to lose a loving spirit.  Yet we need both.

 

• Prolonged conflict can weaken or destroy patience and affection.

 

• However, in defending the faith, we must guard against anything that would weaken our love for Jesus.

 

 

v.5, “‘Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you, and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.”

• Paul had once commended the church at Ephesus for its love for God and for others.

 

• That love is pictured at the height from which they had fallen:

o   They were way up here.  But they fell a long way.

o   From a ministry sparked by love for God, it went to a ministry running on something else.

 

• Jesus called this church back to love:

o   In Matthew 10:37, Jesus said that one’s love for God should be greater than his love for his closest relatives, including father, mother, son, and daughter.

 

• They needed to repent, to change their minds, to turn around, from their lack of love and go back to do the things they did at first:

o   Love as they had originally loved, with enthusiasm and devotion to and for Christ.

 

• If they refused to repent, to change their ways, Christ said that He would come and remove the church’s lampstand from its place.

 

• For Jesus to remove a church’s lampstand from its place would mean the church would cease to be a church:

o   He would effectively close the doors.

o   Shut them down.

o   It happens today all too frequently.

 

• Just as the seven branched candlestick in the temple gave light for the priests to see, the churches were to give light to their surrounding communities:

o   To shine brightly and lead people to the Savior.

o   That’s why we’re here.

o   Programs are great, but they don’t save a person’s soul.

o   If we’re not careful, programs can fuel the ministry instead of a deep love for Christ.

 

 

 

• Jesus warns them that their lights could go out.

 

• In fact, Jesus Himself would extinguish any light that did not fulfill its purpose.

 

• The church at Ephesus had to turn from of its sins:

o   Change its mind; have a different attitude toward Christ

o   Turn back to the love that they were once famous for.

 

 

v.6, “‘Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.”

• No one can say for sure what this cult was all about.

 

• The church father Irenaeus, who lived in the first part of the second century, says the heretical sect was started by Nicholas of Antioch, one of the seven original deacons of Acts 6:5:

o   Many of the early church fathers support this view.

 

• It is said that Nicholas abandoned true Christianity and went with the cult turning it into a licentious, lawless religion:

o   It sought to link Christianity and paganism with a form of Gnosticism.

o   It appears that they were a Gnostic sect.

o   Gnostics believe that the spirit good and that matter bad.

o   Jesus, as well as the congregation at Ephesus, “hated” this group and their deeds.

 

• “Hate” in the Greek text means to dislike strongly, with the implication of loathing and hostility:

o   The tense of the word “hate” is present active, which means, “I hate right now.”

 

• Who would have thought that they would hear the word “hate” coming from the mouth of sweet Jesus?

o   He hates anything that tries to alter the truth of the gospel message.

o   He hates the false teachers.

o   He hates the false teachings.

o   He hates those who would try to lead his Church astray.

o   Is that a little hard to wrap your mind around?

 

 

v.7, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.’”

• “He who has an ear . . . .” means to listen carefully:

o   There is a sense of sober responsibility here to listen to God’s voice in Scripture.

o   The Church as a whole, and the individual, is urged to respond to the exhortation and warning.

o   Remember, the blessings come when you read, hear and heed.

o   So get back to loving God and others as Jesus commands.

 

• “let him hear what the spirit says to the churches”:

o   The words of the Spirit are the words of Christ.

o   Part of the triune Godhead.

 

• “to him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life”:

o   The promise is addressed to “him who overcomes.”

o   This promise mentioned for “overcomers” is not a message to a special group of Christians distinguished by their spirituality and power in contrast to genuine Christians who lack these qualities.

o   It’s a general description of that which is normal; that which is to be expected among those who are true followers of the Lord.

o   Those in the Ephesian church who were genuine Christians, and by this definition had overcome the unbelief and sin of the world, they are promised the right to the tree of life – which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

o   The phrase, “to those who overcome” identifies all true believers.

o   Because all true believers will remain faithful to Christ no matter what the cost.

o   In 1 John 5:4-5, the apostle John explains it this way, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.  5 And who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”

o   Jesus will grant to all believers to eat or partake of, the tree of life that now resides in the paradise of God.

 

• The “tree of life,” first mentioned in Genesis 3:22, was in the Garden of Eden.

o   Later it reappears in the New Jerusalem where it bears abundant fruit (Rev. 22:2).

 

• According to Genesis 3:22, those who eat of it will never die:

o   This promise should not be thought of as a reward for only a special group of Christians, but as a normal expectation for all Christians.

 

• “The paradise of God” is more than likely another name for heaven.

 

• This encouragement toward true love would have reminded them of God’s gracious love and provision for salvation and eternal life.

 

• Love for God is not produced by legalistically observing commands, but by responding to one’s knowledge and appreciation of God’s love for us:

o   We love Him because he first loved us.

o   We all need to remember who our first love should be – Jesus our Savior.

 

 

May the Lord bless you and keep you, may His face shine upon you as you continue to learn more and more about Who He is and His great love of His people.

 

 

By His Grace,

Gary T. Dromi, Ph.D., D.Min.

 

 

A Journey through Revelation, Part 3: The Patmos Vision. Chapter 1:9-20

 As we continue our study of Revelation, this time we’ll begin to look at John’s vision while on the island of Patmos, which was a small island in the Aegean Sea.  It was southwest of Ephesus and between Asia Minor and Greece.  According to several early church fathers (Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, and Eusebius), John was sent to this island as a prisoner following his effective pastorate at Ephesus. Victorinus, the first commentator on the Book of Revelation, stated that John worked as a prisoner in the mines on this small island.  When the Emperor Domitian died in A.D. 96, his successor, Nerva, let John return to Ephesus. During John’s bleak days on Patmos, God gave him this tremendous revelation, which is the final book of the Bible.

“Patmos was a small rocky island to which the apostle John was banished and where he wrote the Book of Revelation (Rev. 1:9). The island, about 16 kilometers (ten miles) long and ten kilometers (six miles) wide, lies off the southwest coast of Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Because of its desolate and barren nature, Patmos was used by the Romans as a place to banish criminals, who were forced to work at hard labor in the mines and quarries of the island. Because Christians were regarded as criminals by the Roman emperor Domitian (ruled A.D. 81–96), the apostle John probably suffered from harsh treatment during his exile on Patmos. An early Christian tradition said John was in exile for 18 months.” (Ronald F. Youngblood, F. F. Bruce, and R. K. Harrison, Thomas Nelson Publishers, eds., Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1995).

 

Let’s pick up our study at verse 9.

 

v.9, “I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos, because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.”

• This section begins with the expression “I, John.”  This is the third reference to John as the human author in this chapter.

 

• v.9b, He describes himself as their “brother” in Christ because he and the persecuted believers were partners in suffering:

o   He was a “fellow partaker in the tribulation” that the seven churches were experiencing under the Roman rulers.

o   He was bound to them through the ties of spiritual life and kinship, and therefore was a companion of theirs.

 

• He partnered not only in their trouble, but also in the coming kingdom of Jesus Christ.

 

• And in the “perseverance,” or patient endurance, that they too were suffering because of their dedication to Christ:

o   This “perseverance,” or patience, is the idea of the hope that their faith produces.

 

• v.9c, He says he “was on the isle of Patmos”:

o   The Romans used Patmos to banish political prisoners.

 

• John was there “because of the Word of God and testimony of Jesus”:

o   So, we know that it was because of his faithfulness to the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, that John was exiled or banished.

o   According to the early church fathers, John was forced to labor in the mines on the island.

 

v.10, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet,”

• v.10a, “in the Spirit”:  What does that mean?

o   This phrase indicates a condition into which God placed John for the purpose of giving him the revelations that we read about in this book.

o   It was a state in which his ordinary senses of the flesh were suspended and somehow his spiritual senses were opened, or heightened.

o   God brought John’s spirit into direct contact with the invisible spiritual world and with the things in God’s own mind.

o   His experience transcended the bounds of normal human understanding.

o   Under the Holy Spirit’s control, John was transported to an experience and perception beyond that of the human senses.

o   While in that state, God supernaturally revealed things to him.

o   Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Peter and Paul all had similar experiences.

 

 

v.10b, John received this vision “on the Lord’s day”:

• Some argue that this is refers to a period of time known as the “Day of the Lord” spoken of by the prophets:

o   However, “the Day of the Lord” is a phrase used to as a description of the judgments that will come upon the world during the Great Tribulation,

o   But, due to the Greek construction of the words, it is best understood as a reference to Sunday.

 

• Also, the vision that John received had nothing to do with the “Day of the Lord”:

o   It was a vision of Christ’s present ministry in the Church and what the future coming of the Day of the Lord will look like, as God sends forth His wrath upon the earth and those who reject Him and His Son, Jesus.

 

• In the second century, the phrase “the Lord’s Day” was widely used to refer to Sunday. In western culture, it used to be known as “the Lord’s Day,” meaning Sunday:

o   This was because Christ’s resurrection happened on a Sunday.

 

  

v.10c, “and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet.”

• John hears a loud voice “like the sound of a trumpet.”  You know what a trumpet sounds like!
• Throughout the Scriptures we see trumpets being used to announce, or signal, very important events: 

o   A trumpet sounds and the dead will be raised imperishable.

o   A trumpet signals the catching away (Rapture) of the church.

o   Six trumpet blasts trigger six judgments upon the earth.

o   You can’t miss it when a trumpet sounds!!!

o   This voice that John hears is unmistakable; it’s as clear as the blast of a trumpet.

 

 

v.11, “saying, “Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”

• The word “write” is in the imperative form, which means that it is a command:

o   The voice commands John to record what he sees and he is to “send it to the seven churches.”

 

• As we said last time, these seven churches were in the area known as Asia Minor, what is now modern day Turkey.

 

• These churches were probably chosen because they were located in the key cities of the seven postal districts into which Asia was divided:

o   They were the central points for the distribution of information.

 

• We’ll take a closer look at these individual churches in chapters 2 - 3.

 

 

v.12, “And I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands;”

• It appears that his back was to the voice that was speaking to him so he “turned to see the voice that was speaking.”

 

• When he turned he saw “seven golden lampstands.”  These lampstands are later explained, in v.20, to represent the seven churches.

 

• The lampstands symbolize the churches as great lights in a world filled with darkness:

o   Paul writes in Philippians 2:15, “that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,”

 

• Notice that these lampstands are described as “golden”:

o   Gold was the most precious of metals in John’s day.

o   The golden metal, as in the days of the tabernacle and the temple, also represents the Deity and glory of Christ.

o   It’s also important to note that the church is to God the most beautiful and valuable entity on earth.

o   So valuable, that Jesus was willing to purchase it with His own blood.

o   These were real churches in real places, but they also represent all kinds of churches that exist throughout all of church history.

 

 

v.13, “and in the middle of the lampstands One like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His breast with a golden girdle.”

• “In the middle of the lampstands”:

o   Meaning In and amongst the lampstands.

 

• The glorified Christ, the Lord of the Church, is moving among His churches:

o   He said, “I will build My Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).

 

• “one like a son of man” :

o   This is a frequent title found in the gospels. The title emphasizes Christ’s humanity and Messianic position.

 

• John now begins to describe what he saw Jesus wearing:

o   It’s not an accident that He is wearing these articles of clothing.

 

• “… clothed in a robe that reaches to his feet” :

o   This type of robe was worn by royalty, kings and prophets.

o   The word translated “robe” in the Greek text was a robe worn by the high priest of the Old Testament.

o   While Christ is presented as a prophet and a king, His majesty and dignity are emphasized.

o   The robe here, pictures Christ in His role as the great high priest for His people.

 

• “… and girded across his breast with a golden girdle”:

o   This phrase serves to reinforce what we just said:  the high priest in the Old Testament wore just such a sash.

 

 

Now John begins to try his best to describe what Jesus looks like. 

 

In an attempt to describe this amazing vision that he is having, John is searching for words to help the churches understand what he saw.

 

He uses the word “like” frequently, which indicates that he may have been unable to truly describe what he was seeing.

 

 

v.14, “And His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire;”

• v.14a, “his head and hair were white, like wool or snow” :
• This description is similar to the description we read in Daniel 7:9, “I kept looking until thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool.”

o   This parallel description helps affirm Christ’s Deity; He is God.

o   He possesses the same attributes of holiness and wisdom as the Ancient of Days, that is, God the Father.

o   “white” is the Greek word, leukos, which means bright or blazing or brilliant.

o   It symbolizes Christ’s eternal, glorious, holy truthfulness.

o   “White,” here, has the idea of complete purity rather than that of age.

 

• v.14b, “and His eyes were like a flame of fire”:

o   This phrase speaks of the searching righteousness and divine judgment upon all that is impure.

o   His searching, revealing, infallible gaze penetrates to the very depths of His Church, revealing to Him, with absolute clarity, everything there is to know about His Church.

 

v.15, “and His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been caused to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters.”

• v.15a, The metal described here as “burnished bronze” symbolizes Divine judgment as seen in the Old Testament types of the brazen altar and other items of brass used in connection with sacrifice for sin.

 

• In ancient times, kings sat on elevated thrones, so those being judged would always be beneath the king’s feet:

o   The feet of a king came to symbolize his authority.

 

• The red-hot, glowing feet of the Jesus picture Him moving through His Church to exercise His authority, to correct or discipline His Church as needed.

 

• v.15b, “and His voice was like the sound of many waters.”

o   Perhaps like the familiar sound of the surf crashing on the Isle of Patmos during a storm.  His thundering voice was also revealing the majesty and power of the Son of Man.

o   And when that majesty and power is made fully known, then, every human authority must bow before Him.

 

 

v.16, “And in His right hand He held seven stars; and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.”

• v.16a, We don’t know what these seven stars are just yet.  We’ll find out in verse 20.

 

• We do know that, because these stars are in His right hand, He is in total control of these stars.

 

• v.16b, “and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword”:

o   This sword represents divine judgment.

o   In chapter 19, the sharp two-edged sword will defend the Church against external threats.

o   But there is a sense, here at least, that this is speaking of divine judgment against enemies from within the Church:

§  Those who attack Christ’s Church, those who would sow seeds of discord or strife.

§  Those who would do harm to His people, whether from within or from without, will be personally dealt with by the Lord of the Church.

§  This should be quite a warning for those who grumble; for those who stir up trouble; those who gossip and slander; those who sit in judgment of others, those with a hidden agenda or are seeking power within a local church.

§  This is Jesus’ church, not ours!!!

 

o   John saw a sharp double-edged sword coming out of His mouth.  This type of sword was used by the Romans in a stabbing action designed to kill.

 

o   Jesus Christ is no longer a baby in Bethlehem, or a man of sorrows crowned with thorns.  He was now the Lord of glory!!

 

 

• v.16c, “and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.”

o   John’s vision culminates in a description of the radiant glory that he saw on the face of Jesus.

o   He could only describe it as “like the sun shining in its strength.”

o   The bright light that is often manifest by the glory of God was seen by John.

o   Just as it was seen by Peter, James and John on the Mount of Transfiguration; just as it was seen by Paul on the road to Damascus.

o   That bright shining light, which is terrifying to the sinner, gives assurance to the believer.

o   The glory of God, through the Lord Jesus Christ, should shine in and through any Christian church.  The church should be a reflection of His glory to the world.  And that, then, results in Him being glorified by us.

o   In our glorified body, we will be able to see the Lord in all His glory.

o   That assurance is given in 1 John 3:2, “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is.”

 

 

That was a lot of information to take in!  Stay with me and we’ll continue with verse 17.

 

v.17, “And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as a dead man. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last”:

• v.17a, “And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as a dead man.” :

o   Fear was the normal reaction for those who had experienced such heavenly visions:

§  Daniel had no strength left in him when the angel appeared to him.

§  Isaiah cried out, “Woe is me, for I am ruined!”

§  Ezekiel’s response was the same; he fell on his face.

 

o   Paul was struck to the ground in a similar way when he saw Christ in His glory.

o   About 60 years earlier, John had put his head on Jesus’ chest and ate with Him.  But now, John could not be quite so informal with the Lord of glory.

 

 

• v.17b-18a, “And He laid His right hand upon me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One;”

o   Jesus’ touch was one of comfort and assurance. “Do not be afraid” is literally, “stop being afraid.”  He was compassionate and reassuring in His words.

o   The comfort Jesus offered was based on who He is and the authority He possesses.

 

• v.18b, “I am the first and the last, and the living One;”

o   Jesus identifies Himself as “the first and the last.”  That’s a title used of God in the Old Testament.

o   When all the false gods are gone, only He remains.  He existed before them and He will continue to exist eternally, long after all of mans’ gods have disappeared.

 

• v.18c, He is also “the living one”:

o   Here is a third title used to express His Deity.

o   Throughout the Scriptures we see this title used of God.

o   God is the eternal, uncaused, self-existent one.

 

• The One who’s presence struck fear into John’s heart, the “I Am,” the first and the last, the Living One, the One whose death freed John from his sins is the very One who comforted and reassured John in this moment of fear.

 

 

v.18c, “and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore,”

• The Living One, the eternally existing One, the One with no beginning and no end, the Alpha and the Omega.

 

• He took up residence in a human body and, literally, from the Greek, “became dead.”

 

• In His humanness He died, without ceasing to live as God.

 

• 1 Peter 3:18 tells us that He was “put to death in the flesh but made alive in the Spirit.”

 

• He became dead, but now, after His resurrection, He is alive forevermore:

o   Never to die again!

o   He defeated death and the grave.

o   And that’s what leads us to the next part of the verse.

 

 

v.18d, “and I have the keys of death and of Hades.”

• “keys” means control or access:

o   He controls life and death:

§  Eternal life and eternal death.

§  All the redeemed, all those who by faith have believed and received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, need not fear.

§  He has already conquered death and the grave and promises us imperishable bodies.

 

• In John 11:25, He has declared that “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live, even if he dies”

o   Because he lives, we too will live.

 

 

v.19, “Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall take place after these things.”

• Jesus commands John to record or write:

o   The things that He has already seen.

o   The things that are right now.

o   And the things that will take place in the future.

 

 

v.20, “As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands:  the seven stars are the angels [or messengers] of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”

• Here Jesus explains the symbolism behind the seven stars and the seven golden lampstands.

 

• The “seven stars,” – Are they “angels” or “messengers?”

o   In the Greek text, angellos can mean angels or messengers.

o   More than likely these are not angels, because the seven letters in Revelation 2-3 contain reprimands against the messengers, its doubtful that these “messengers” are heavenly messengers.

o   Also, angels are never considered to be heads of churches.

o   More than likely, these are earthly leaders, or earthly messengers, that John is writing to and they are accountable to God for the churches that they represent.

 

• “the seven lampstands are the seven churches”:

o   The seven golden lampstands, among which Christ had been standing in v.13, represent the seven churches to which this letter would be circulated.

o   The churches may have been facing difficulties and persecution, but they must never forget that Christ is standing among them, totally in control.

o   We, as modern-day believers must remember the same thing.  Remember who’s in charge.

 

 

Whew!!  That was a lot to digest.  Thanks for staying with me as we continue to learn more about future events, events that have not yet happened but will, most assuredly takes place as God moves us towards the culmination of human history at some time, yet future.

 

May the Lord bless you as you study and learn from His Word.

 

 

By His Grace,

Gary T. Dromi, Ph.D., D.Min.