Tuesday, December 2, 2025

One Year Journey Through the New Testament

Revelation 2

Welcome to our journey through the New Testament!

The Loveless Church

Revelation 2:1–7 (NKJV)

1 “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,
‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. 6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’

Points to Ponder:

• In this chapter, John begins to reveal the messages Christ sent to the churches in Asia Minor.
• The first church addressed is Ephesus.
• This writing or letter to Ephesus begins, as do most of the letters, with a commendation of their positive traits. After Jesus re-identifies Himself as the One who holds the seven stars and walks among the seven golden candlesticks, He states that he is aware of the works, labor, patience, and high standards of the church at Ephesus. He applauds there good acts, including their intolerance of those who are evil. They have been diligent to test those who claim to be apostles, even though they are not, and have exposed their lies. The people of the church at Ephesus have persevered through their hard road and persecution, and have patiently labored for Jesus’ name’s sake. They have shown great strength and determination in their representation of Jesus Christ and His church.
• However, the one thing Jesus has against them is that they have left their first love. This is an often-quoted passage of Scripture, used to encourage people to go back to their initial depth and commitment of love to Christ. The dedication of the members of the Ephesian church is without question. They are sold out, persevering in the face of great odds, and charging forward in the name of Jesus. However, where is their love and depth of relationship with Ghrist? Hating evil is not enough. One must love God just as much–if not more–than they hate evil if one is to have a solid relationship with Jesus Christ. Orthodoxy without relationship is empty.
• Jesus does not simply measure out a guilty verdict, but also gives the Ephesians a solution: repent! In his call to them, He instructs the reader to remember from where he or she has fallen, and collectively as a church, and renew or redo their first works. Recommit the church to not just the works to which they are called, but to the love in relationship that saved its members to begin with. The danger of getting the place of simply going through the motions is that in any relationship, love is the element that keeps the relationship alive. Love God with all your being. Love Him before you serve Him. Service should be the outgrowth of our love for God, not the ultimate goal of Christianity. In order to maintain their golden lampstand, and the Son of Man walking in and out of their church, watching over, protecting, calling, and anointing that church, one must at times go back to the altar and rededicate his or her life to God in a love covenant, remembering the great act of grace that saved him or her. The church can only be vital if its members are vital. Find a place of intimacy with God and lead others to that place as well, so that the church may be vibrant, alive, and in love with Christ.
• Keep hating the deeds of evil people, as God does as well, but never stop loving Jesus with all that is within you. Listen to the voice of the Lord and be attentive to what He says. If you overcome by your relationship with God and by your commitment to Him in love and service, you will one day eat of the tree of life and live in heaven with the Lord for eternity. The Paradise of God is created for those who keep their first love, and in moments of weakness, find an altar and repent so that their first love comes back to life and fills their world. Live in love with Christ above all!

The Persecuted Church

Revelation 2:8–11 (NKJV)

8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,
‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: 9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” ’

Points to Ponder:

• After offering corrective words to a hard-working but loveless church (Ephesus), John now pens words from Christ to the church in Smyrna, persecuted for their faith in God and their witness of Him.
• This message to the angel, or messenger, of the church in Smyrna begins with an identification of the giver of the vision, “the First and the Last,” a now-common moniker for Jesus Christ. He then offers praise for Smyrna, applauding their works, recognizing their tribulation, and their poverty, all the while characterizing them as rich in the things that matter. He further acknowledges that there are blasphemers who claim to be Jews, but are actually servants of Satan, even worshipping at his altar.
• Jesus simultaneously warns them and comforts them concerning the events that are to come in their near future. He then further explains what some of them are about to face: imprisonment, testing, tribulation that may last ten days at a time. He calls them to be faithful until death, following Christ for a lifetime. If they complete that type of lifelong commitment, they will receive the crown of life. Although they are to be tested fiercely, and face untold trouble, they will receive the eternal reward of God’s approval and recognition. The Spirit speaks again, and those who recognize the powerful message given will overcome death, suffering no harm from the second death. Eternal life is promised to those who hear and believe.

The Compromising Church

Revelation 2:12–17 (NKJV)

12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,
‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: 13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. 15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 16 Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
17 “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 to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ’

Points to Ponder:

• After writing to the loveless church (Ephesus) and the Persecuted Church (Smyrna), John now begins his writing to the compromising church (Pergamos). This writing, from Christ through the Holy Spirit, addresses the fact that the church, although faithful in the face of persecution, began to adopt beliefs of heretical and sinful groups of their own volition.
• They had allowed the doctrine of Balaam to creep in, which included cursing others, eating meat offered to idols, and sexual immorality. Some had also adopted the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. He called them to repentence and promised them a reward if they did repent.

The Corrupt Church

Revelation 2:18–29 (NKJV)

18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write,
‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: 19 “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. 20 Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. 22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. 23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
24 “Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden. 25 But hold fast what you have till I come. 26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—

27 ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron;
They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’—

as I also have received from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star.
29 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

Points to Ponder:

• John moves to the fourth church of Revelation, Thyatira. He has written to Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamos in their particular circumstances, and now move to the church known as a church with corruption as their flaw.
• This letter opens with another ominous greeting, from the Son of God “who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass,” signifying an image that is piercing, able to see beyond the surface and into the sinfulness and wrongdoing that may happen behind the scenes. Thyatira seems to be a church that needs examination. Christ is also said to have feet of burnished brass, signifying the purity of Christ as opposed to the sinfulness of the city. Before the rebuke, however, Christ offers praise and commendation for the church’s works, love, service, faith, and patience.
• They serve well, doing great works, even more so as they continue in their service. They are a loving people, and are patient in tribulation and in waiting for the coming of the Lord. But, like two of the previous churches, Christ has something against them, in that they allow a contemporary Jezebel (controlling, lewd) to teach seductive doctrine within the church. She claims to be a prophetess, but she leads church members to engage in sexual sins and in eating things sacrificed to idols. Sexual immorality was a hallmark of the original Jezebel’s reign, as was idolatry, as she influenced the ancient Israelites to worship Baal. This modern Jezebel lead Christians to eat meat offered to idols, but this was not just eating meat, it was eaten in pagan temples and idolatry followed suit. She was adulterating church members physically and spiritually.
• Christ was patient with her, allowing her time to repent, but she did not. Therefore, He would cast her into a sick bed, allowing her to suffer illness as a result of her sexual sins, as He will anyone who commits adultery with her. They will all suffer tribulation, great tribulation as a matter of fact, unless they repent of their actions. He pledges to allow their children to die of disease as well, and then all the churches will know that Jesus searches hearts and minds, and that nothing is hidden from His piercing fiery eyes. As He sees and judges, each will receive the payment for their acts. This sounds very much like the epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases found in infants born to parents who are promiscuous. It also sounds like children born with addiction because of their parents’ drug use. The acts in which we engage have consequences far beyond the parents’ suffering. What we do affects everyone around us in some way. Sin in never an isolated incident. When a child is born into a sinful situation to sinful parents, they suffer consequences they never deserved, and they may grow up into the same sinful lifestyle that will one day kill them.
• Jesus then inspired John to write further to those who have not embraced the doctrine of their Jezebel. They will not feel any further burden if they have not known the depths of Satan taught by the sinful so-called prophetess. If they have rejected her ideology, they will not be judged as she and her disciples. They must, however, hold fast to their way of belief and not sway. The reward for the church in Thyatira involved political influence and spiritual authority. Those who overcome the enemy and keep the works of God will rule over the nations with power. They will wield a rod of iron and crush the heathen nations like they were pottery. This power and authority is of the same type as the power given to Jesus by the Father, and will be wielded after the battle of Armageddon, when Christ and His church will rule and reign for a thousand years. The overcomers in the church will also receive the morning star, which is an expression of the oneness with Christ that will be known by believers when they rule with Him. We will be like Him. What a promise, what an anticipated blessing! This is the promise to Thyatira and to us if we are faithful and hold fast our faith until He comes!

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All Scriptures from New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Join us this afternoon at 5:00 pm for a discussion of this chapter live online. Live@5 with Dr. Greg Sloop can be found on Facebook on the Dr. Greg Sloop page or on the Kannapolis Church of God Facebook page or Youtube page. Another blog will be posted each weekday at 6:00 a.m.