1 “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.
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 favour: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
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.
Revelation 2:1-7
The angel (or star) refers to a messenger. In Scripture, when an angel is mentioned, they usually carry a message from the Lord of hosts. Here, we have a word from Christ to the angel of the church in Ephesus.
In verse 1, we see the authority of Jesus. This is no weak, insipid or apologetic word, but a powerful confirmation of what was written in Revelation 1:
I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
“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 1:18-20
From the Old Testament records, we have descriptions of the Temple furniture that tell us that there were golden lamp stands placed in the Temple, that used olive oil. Olive oil is a symbol of the presence of the Holy Spirit.
In verse 2, Jesus said “I know your works…” . Whilst can be a scary thought, you can be encouraged by it when you realise that God knows everything there is to know about you, and still loves you. Despite the fact that we make mistakes, we fail, we fall, and we have weaknesses to which we may succumb, we also have the wonderful fact that God is our Father and He holds us in His hands, knowing all that there is to know about us.
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. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
Revelation 2:2-3
Apostles, in the true sense of the word, often carry a strong anointing and an undeniable quality of being called and sent. Apostle means “sent one” or “called one”. True characteristics of apostles include the working of miracles, signs and wonders done in the name of Jesus, and being people of prayer and God’s Word.
We read that the church in Ephesus had examined the word spoken by people who claimed to be apostles; false apostles whom Jesus called liars (Revelation 2:2).
There are false apostles even today. Beware! Unless they are led by the Truth, hold sound doctrine, manifest Christ-like character, and perform signs that complement their ministry and claims, they are false apostles – they are liars. We have to be wary of people building their own kingdom instead of furthering the Kingdom of God.
In addition to commending them for being vigilant, Jesus also commended the church for being patient, persevering, proficient in their work and for making progress (Revelation 2:3).
In life, there are no real quick fixes. We go through a process of refining and testing. We go through storms and trials. We go through times of triumph and victory. We go through times of sadness, and times of peace and joy – this is life. Jesus commended the people in the church in Ephesus for their patience and perseverance through it all.
It is hard to keep going sometimes, but Jesus encourages us to remain faithful and consistent, and to keep persevering. It is not easy, as we often experience discouragement and obstacles from different areas in our life. Even when difficulties come, we can follow the example of the church in Ephesus and keep working hard and persevering, by keeping our focus on God.
However, Jesus also admonished the church in Ephesus, because they had left their first love (Revelation 2:4). The use of the word ‘left’ or ‘forsaken’ indicates something done intentionally, not accidentally. This could refer to the fact that the church at Ephesus had lost their love for Jesus and the love they once had for each other. Love is a common theme in John’s epistles, and is similarly reflected here in what Jesus told this church.
Love and devotion to Jesus must remain the first and final thing in our lives. If we don’t maintain our love of Jesus, that love or devotion can descend into duty, and duty in turn will descend into tasks, which in turn will descend into resentment, and eventually lead to bitterness. When we focus our love on Jesus, we can love others, and the things we do will be a delight rather than a duty. Our lives will be full of release rather than resentment. Instead of bitterness, our lives will be filled with blessing. So maintain your love and intense devotion for Jesus. Do not leave your first love!
In verse 5, Jesus gave the church the way to resolve this issue – repentance. Repent, and turn back to Him. If you ever realise that you have left your first love – turned away from your love of Jesus and love for others – repent and return to Jesus.
In verse 6, Jesus once again commended the church at Ephesus for their objection to the practice of the Nicolaitans, who were a group of people that put themselves above the rest of the congregation, and subjected the other believers to their position of ‘authority’. Instead of serving people, they wanted to lord over them. They had a casual attitude towards holiness and sin, blurring the lines between God’s leading and the ways of the world.
As Christians, we are called to serve people, not subdue them; that is God’s heart. Sadly, some “leaders” act like the Nicolaitans even today, exercising control and manipulation over the their church body.
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.
Revelation 2:7
For those who listened to (and heeded) what Jesus said, Jesus gives a beautiful promise – they will be given the right to eat from the tree of life. Jesus calls us to repentance, so that we may spend eternity with Him. This promise is welcome, unrestricted, and open access to eat from the tree of life.
ANYONE WITH EARS TO HEAR MUST LISTEN TO THE SPIRIT AND UNDERSTAND WHAT HE IS SAYING TO THE CHURCHES.