Revelation 2 - Jesus' Reward for Faithfulness!

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Passion Translation Click On Bubbles to Read Study Notes

(David Guzik) The letters to the seven churches share a similar structure. They each feature:

· An address to a particular congregation.

· An introduction of Jesus.

· A statement regarding the condition of the church.

· A verdict from Jesus regarding the condition of the church.

· A command from Jesus to the church.

· A general exhortation to all Christians.

· A promise of reward.

We can see the state of each of these seven churches – and the state of our own walk with Jesus – by looking at what Jesus has to say to each church in each section.

To the Church in Ephesus

2 “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. 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

The church of Ephesus was the biggest church in Asia Minor. John was an elder of the church. 

This great city was also world-famous as a religious, cultural, and economic center of the region. Ephesus had the notable temple of Diana, a fertility goddess worshipped with immoral sex. This tremendous temple to Diana in Ephesus was regarded as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It was supported by 127 pillars, each pillar 60 feet tall, and it was adorned with great sculptures. Guzik

As we said in yesterday's blog, these words are from Jesus, who is rules over all churches (the 7 lampstands) and the 7 pastors/elders (7 angels). He walks among them, showing he is well aware of what they were doing then just like he is aware of what the church is doing today. 

There are some good things Jesus has to say to the saints at Ephesus. They have worked hard, persevered under trial, they not had anything to do with the false teachers, and they don't tolerate wickedness. They stayed strong for their witness to Jesus even in the midst of persecution. 

4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far 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. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

But then Jesus has some pretty sobering words for them. They have "forgotten their first love".  They were doing all kinds of things for Jesus but seemingly not remembering why they were doing them. They started their relationship through Jesus, and apparently they became focused more on what they were doing for him. 

Paul says something says something similar to the church in Corinth. He said even if they spoke in tongues of angels and did all kinds of miracles, without love it meant nothing. 1 Corinthians 13. 

Jesus was so serious about this that he said if they didn't return to him (their first love), he would remove their lampstand from them. Then Jesus commended them for also hating the practices of the Nicolaitians. Who were the Nicolaitians?

Some church fathers associated them as followers of Nicolas, who was part of one of the first heresies called "gnosticism". Usually these followers claimed special knowledge from God, and often they beame indifferent to morality and chaste living. They indulged in the bodily desires because after all, the body was going to die, but the spirit was eternal. As such, they forgot that our bodies are made in God's image and are holy and good. Like our spirit and soul, it is corrupted by our sinful nature due to the Fall.

Another interpretation says the meaning of the word has do with power and authority, so some think the name "Nicolatians" refers to the beginning of hierarchy in the church. I.e. The appointing of priests rather every person being a priest, later called the "priesthood of all believers). 

7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

The reward is different for each church in terms of what Jesus will give if they are victorious. When you read for each church, I think you will see that they apply to all the churches. In this case the church of Ephesus will be given the right to eat from the tree of life of life, which is in paradise. 

This was a return to Eden, a restoration, and eternal life. (Guzik)

To the Church in Smyrna

8 “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. 9 I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 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 life as your victor’s crown.

This was a large, beautiful, and proud city. It was a center of learning and culture, and was proud of its standing as a city. “Smyrna was an outstandingly beautiful city. It claimed to be the ‘Glory of Asia.’” (Barclay)

We also know from history that it was a city deeply committed to idolatry and the worship of the Roman Emperor. On one famous street in Smyrna, called the “Golden Street,” stood magnificent temples to Cybele, Apollo, Asklepios, Aphrodite, and a great temple to Zeus – but the worship of those pagan gods was dying out. The real focus was on the worship of the Roman Emperor. (Guzik)

Smyrna is the location of modern day Turkey. 

The first verse again confirms it is Jesus saying these words. Though the city was rich, the Christians apparently were poor probably due to persecution. 

The Christians of Smyrna knew poverty because they were robbed and fired from jobs in persecution for the gospel. - Guzik

Among these persecutors were Jews, which is not surprising, because they also persecuted Jesus and the apostles. Jesus calls them a "synagogue of Satan", a strong term for these Jewish unbelievers. The are experiencing spiritual warfare. Some would be put in prison because of the devil's influence. 

If they persevered, they would receive the crown of life, which is one of five crowns referred to in the New Testament. This crown is reserved for those who are faithful to Jesus even to the point of death. 

11 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.

The reward for these believers is that they will not be hurt by the second death. What does second death mean? 

The first death would refer to our physical death. Since Jesus will come back to raise the living and the dead and their will be final judgment it could mean they are saved in the day of judgment. 

Those who overcome in Jesus will never be hurt by the second death. The second death is hell, the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14 and 21:8). Though Satan threatened and attacked their life, Jesus promises His overcomers that death is conquered for them. - Guzik

To the Church in Pergamum

12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:

These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. 13 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, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.

14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.

This was the political capital of the Roman Province of Asia the Less. When John wrote, Pergamos had been the capital city of the region for more than three hundred years. The city was a noted center for culture and education, having one of the great libraries of the ancient world, with more than 200,000 volumes. - Guzik

This city was especially known as a center for the worship of the deity known as Asclepios. Represented by a serpent, Asclepios was the god of healing and knowledge. There was a medical school at his temple in Pergamos. Because of the famous temple to the Roman god of healing, sick and diseased people from all over the Roman Empire flocked to Pergamos for relief. - Guzik

The sharp double edged sword always refers to the Word of God coming out of Jesus' mouth. Since Jesus was the Word (John 1) everything he said was guided by and inspired by God. Hebrews 4:12 tells us, "The word is living and active sharper than any double edged sword. It separtes soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

Once again Jesus explains that at the heart of this city and its idol worship is Satan. The devil's main purpose was to pervert the worship of the one, true God to many false gods, which are really nothing at all. Yet, there were some who were like Balaam, who neglected God's warning and enticed King Balak to lead the Israelites to eat food sacrificed to idols and sexual immorality. 

Balaam was a prototype of all corrupt teachers. According to Numbers 22-24 and 31, Balaam combined the sins of immorality and idolatry to please Balak, the king of Moab, because he could not curse Israel directly. - Guzik

To those who overcome Jesus would give them hidden manna and their name written on a white stone. What did those two things means?

Manna was God's provision to the Israelites in the desert, so the hidden manna would seem to be some kind of new superantural provision given to the victorious ones. 

 In the ancient world, the use of a white stone had many associations. A white stone could be a ticket to a banquet, a sign of friendship, evidence of having been counted, or as a sign of acquittal in a court of law. Jesus may have any one of these meanings in mind, but at the very least we know that it has the assurance of blessing. - Guzik

To the Church in Thyatira

18 “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. 19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.

The commendation for this church seems pretty brief compared to the other churches, but the themes are similar. The description of Jesus is similar to the one John gave us of Jesus in chapter 1. 

20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 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. 23 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.

This church has tolerated the teaching and actions of the so-called prophet Jezebel. She is another one of the false prophets, who also persuades her followers to commit sexual immorality and eating food sacrificed to idols. Some think her name is metaphorical though other don't, as we Jesus giving her a specific warning to repent before she would receive severe consequences. 

Jesus even gives her grace and time to repent, but she was unwilling to receive it. Those who follow her will also suffer for their sins. Notice Jesus, though he is merciful and kind, also hates evil as much as His Father is. This will be example to the other churches who are tolerating evil as well. 

The name Jezebel had a powerful association. If we call someone a Judas or a Hitler it means something strong. It was also a strong thing to call this woman Jezebel. “She was one of the most evil characters of the Old Testament, who attempted to combine the worship of Israel with the worship of the idol Baal… Jezebel herself had a most unenviable record of evil.” (Walvoord)

24 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, 25 except to hold on to what you have until I come.’

To the other believers who have not fallen for her wiles, once again fueled by Satan and his "so called secrets" (this refers to Gnosticism again which was a secret religion), Jesus tells them to hold on until he returns.  

26 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— 27 that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’[b]—just as I have received authority from my Father. 28 I will also give that one the morning star. 29 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Jesus gives this church (and by all application believers of all churches) the power to rule over nations. Who are these nations? 

Most assume it is ruling over nations in Jesus' coming kingdom, possibly during the 1,000 millenial reign Christ after the 7 year tribulation. 

The morning star is generally thought to be Jesus himself. 

Who are the false teachers of our day? We certainly see the profileration of many kinds of sexual immorality that infiltrate our churches and also tempt every Christian. 

How can Jesus' words strengthen you until He returns? Jesus promises rewards to those who "hold on". How does it help you to know you will be rewarded for your faithfulness?

This does not mean we work for our salvation, or we are rewarded with heaven for our works. It has to with faithfulness to what we have been given, which is salvation! See Parable of the Talents for the reward for remaining faithful with what you have been given. (Matthew 25)