Revelation 1-2
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Chapter Review 1-2
Chapter Review 1-2
Chapter 1
An introduction to the book. We will be introduced to the four interpretation viewpoints that have been historically applied to understanding this book. I this study we will approach the book as if these things are yet to happen, but also contrast this with a popular interpretation known as the “preterist” view. As we start this chapter, we read that John is given commission to write the things that you have seen, things that are, and things that will take place ( 1:19 ). We see Christ walking among the churches which are depicted as lampstands.
Chapter 2
A message to the churches of Ephesus ( orthodox but cold ), Smyrna ( suffers persecution ), Pergamum( married to the world ) and Thyatira ( tolerates sin ). This letter is a circular letter and goes counter-clockwise to the seven churches
Read and summarize
Look for
— Prayers ( Blue )
— Promises ( Green )
— Warnings ( Red )
— Commands ( Purple )
Introduction
Introduction
The Glory of Christ
— The OT was the anticipation of Christ
— The Gospels were the incarnation of Christ
— The book of Acts was the proclamation of Christ
— The Epistles are the explanation of Christ
— The book of Hebrews which is the superiority of Christ
— The book of Revelation is the glorification of Christ
Author
John, the apostle
— The son of Zebedee
— His authorship is disputed by Dionysius, an early church father (247 AD)
Dionysius
— The first rejected the teaching of a literal thousand year kingdom
— Next, he rejected that John wrote it
Reasons
It had to be a different John (he offers no proof)
John doesn’t identify himself as an apostle but he does mention his own name ( 1:1, 4, 9; 22:8)
— His point is that he doesn’t do it the same way as in his epistles
— In the epistles he always establishes himself as an authoritative figure
3. His word choices
— Similar vocabulary for example
— “the life” ( Jn 1:4; 1 John 2:25)
— “the blood” ( Jn 6:53-56; 19:34)
— “the devil” ( 1 Jn 3:8; 2:14 )
Q: Can you see a problem?
The Problem
The problem is that Dionysius doesn’t have a concordance or a computer
— 12 of the 19 examples are found in Revelation ( Life 5x; The blood 5x, The Devil 5x)
Early Fathers
Testimony of the early church fathers is unanimous that John, the son of Zebedee, wrote Relation
— These Include
— Papias
— Justin Martyr
— Irenaeus
— Clemen of Alexandria
— Tertullian
— Hippolytus
— Origen
— Methodius
Jewish
Many of the symbols are very Jewish
— No direct quote from the OT but very Jewish allusions to the OT
— This is important when you try to read/interpret Revelation
— What lens should we use?
Interpretation
Four different ways to interpret the book of Revelation
— The lens that you use will determine everything else
Preterist
This approach ignores the book’s own claims to be prophecy
— The preterist says that all of Revelation and Matthew 24 ( The Olivet Discourse) were all fulfilled in the first century
— People who subscribe to this say that Christ’s second coming occurred at the destruction of the temple in AD 70
— The book opens and closes with declarations indicating that the things revealed in the book “must soon take place” (1:1; 22:6)
— It opens and closes with declarations indicating that “the time is near” (1:3; 22:10)
Popularized
— Popularized today by Gary Demar, President of American Vision
— Author of Last Days Madness
— Kenneth Gentry
— Author of Before Jerusalem Fell
— Douglas Wilson
— When the Man Comes around, a commentary on the book of Revelation
half-way
Some people sit on the fence and call themselves “partial preterist”
Some of Revelation was fulfilled and some is yet to be fulfilled
Not all of Revelation should be taken literally but should be interpreted symbolically
Traditional-Historical
This approach sees Revelation sweeping through Church history from the 1st century until now
— They allegorize the text to fit in historical events into the book
— The fall of the Roman Empire
— The Rise of the Catholic church
— The French Revolution
— A very subjective, whimsical approach
— They try to make words fit some preconceived notion
Idealist
The idealist sees Revelation as a struggle between good and evil
— They don’t see Revelation as prophecy tied to any historical events
— It is correct to assign God certain attributes that govern his dealings with the world
— But it denies the book as being prophetic
— No different than the Harry Potter books - good vs evil
Futurist
Sees chapters 4-22 as people and events yet to come
— Only this approach allows a literal, grammatical - historical approach to understanding the book
— The other “interpretive lens” require heavy spiritualizing and allegorizing the text
More
For a comparison, I recommend Revelation: Four Views: A parallel commentary by Steve Gregg
Our Approach
— We will take a literal historical view of Revelation and use use the “futurist lens” to interpret the book
— But we will also drop in and see how this compares to the preterist view
Q: Why are we considering the Preterist view?
Popular
— This interpretative lens has gained popularity today
— It is based on an early date of Revelation (AD 65)
— Basic motive is to support Christian Social and Political Activism
— if Revelation is yet to be fulfilled, there is no progress possible
— The world will have to get worse before it can get better
Date Written
— The date matters
— If you were writing about recent events would 1770 - 1780 (American Revolution) or 1940-1945 (WW II ) would the date matter?
Two Schools
— Early Date
— During the reign of Emperor Nero ( AD 54-68 )
— Late Date
— During the reign of Emperor Domitian (AD 81-96 )
Late Date
— The late date is my view
— This is the view of those who embrace Revelation as yet to be fulfilled ( Futurist )
Evidence
There is very little internal evidence to conclusively say an early or late date
External
The strongest external evidence is from the early church father Irenaeus
— Apostle of Polycarp ( speaking of 666 )
“ we will not, however, incur the risk of pronouncing positively as to the name of Antichrist; for if it were necessary that his name should be distinctly revealed in this present time ti would have been announced by him who beheld the apocalyptic vision. For that was seen not very long time since, but almost in our day, towards the end of Domitian’s reign”
Consensus
There is concensus among all of the early church fathers that Revelation was written during the Domitian reign (AD 96)
— Clement of Alexandria
— Origen
— Victorinus
— Eusebius
— Jerome
— If this were not so, why was it not corrected by the early church fathers
Wait a minute!
Kenneth Gentry, modern day Preterist objects
Thinks that the text was not translated correctly
The original text is extant ( no longer exists)
The text is vague - what is the subject of “was seen”
Was it “him who saw the apocalypse”
or the Apocalypse
Irenaeus once wrote that Jesus lived to 50
Therefore, we can’t trust anything he says
Q: Why is this important?
Why am I spending so much time on this?
Preterist
— If Revelation was written in AD 65, before Jerusalem was destroyed in AD70, John was seeing the actual temple (Rev 11)
— He is told to measure it
— If the book is written in AD65 Revelation could refer to the destruction of that temple
— Aligns with Matthew 24 and the Olivet Discourse
Futurist
If the futurist are correct and the book is written after AD70 when the temple was destroyed
— John is seeing a re-built temple ( which does not exist today)
— A future judgment on Isreal
Chapter 1
Chapter 1
An introduction to the book. We will be introduced to the four interpretation viewpoints that have been historically applied to understanding this book. I this study we will approach the book as if these things are yet to happen, but also contrast this with a popular interpretation known as the “preterist” view. As we start this chapter, we read that John is given commission to write the things that you have seen, things that are, and things that will take place ( 1:19 ). We see Christ walking among the churches which are depicted as lampstands.
Read and summarize
( 1:1-6 ) The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. 4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Revelation Αποκαλυψις Ιησου Χριστου
— The Revelation of Jesus Christ
— The book title usually comes from after the book
— Rare for the title of the book to be in the book
— John provided the title
— apokalýptō, revelation, unveiling
— We will learn things about Jesus we would never know without this book
Not Hidden
— Revelation is viewed as hidden
— Hard to understand
— But the book actually reveals truth
— Not trying to make it vague
Disclosure
The name means disclosure of what was hidden
Reveals
It reveals:
— Warns the church of the danger of sin
— Shows our strength in Christ vs. Satan
— God’s majesty in Heaven
— The Worship of God in heaven
— End of Human History
— Final religious and political / economic systems
— The career of the anti-christ
— The battle of Armageddon
— The Second (2nd) coming of Christ
— Establishment on earth of His kingdom
— Reveals the great white throne judgment
— Reveals the ultimate victory over sin and wickedness
Q: The phrase “Revelation” of Jesus Christ is oddly written. What does it mean? Is is a revelation about Him or from Him?
Both
It is a revelation from Him
— “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” ( Rev 22:16 )
It is a revelation about Him
— When other books in the NT use the phrase Revelation of Jesus Christ, the context is about Jesus ( cf 1 Cor 1:7; Gal 1:12; 2 Thess 1:7; 1 Pet 1:7 )
Q: When will these events happen?
( 1:1 ) things which must shortly take place.
Shortly εν ταχει (en, tachos ) shortly
— soon
— can mean a brief time or quickly
— In other words, it could mean that these will occur in “rapid-fire sequence” or “speedily”
— This word is used three ( 3 ) other times in Revelation ( 22:7, 12, 20 )
— Used numerous times in NT ( Acts 17:15, 25:4; Ro 16:20; 1 Cor 4:19; Phil 2:19, 24; 1 Tim 3:14; 2 Tim 4:9; Heb 13:19, 23; 2 Pet 1:14 )
Imminent
Always carries the idea of imminent
— The next thing on God’s calendar
— The problem we have with this clear meaning is that 2,000 years have passed and we are still waiting
Conclusion
— We conclude that “soon” is not intended to set a time limit
— but to teach the imminence of the events
Preterist
Preterist Explanation
— The things that He saw described are things that must happen shortly
— This means that Revelation is largely concerned with events in the 1st Century
— These are bookends; everything in between is to happen shortly
( 1: 1 ) And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,
Angels
— Only book in the NT sent and communicated by Angels
— Angels in every chapter but 4, 13
— Sometimes Christ speaks directly to John ( 6:9-17 )
— Other times, Angels ( 17:1; 21:9 )
Servant John
John the Apostle
— brother of James, son of Zebedee
— Exiled to the island of Patmos
— Early church fathers affirm John as the author
— Most significant is Irenaeus, disciple of Polycarp (who was discipled directly by John)
— Also Justin Martyr (both lived in Ephesus and Smyrna)
Q: What is promised to the reader (1:3) ?
( 1: 3 ) Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it;
Blessing
A blessing is promised to the reader and those who hear
— Early christian practice of reading aloud scripture
— Carry over from the Jewish practice in the synagogues
— This is a beatitude of Jesus found in Revelation and is the first of seven ( 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7; 22:14 )
Robert Thomas
Because writing materials were expensive and scarce, so were copies of the books that were part of the biblical cannon. As a rule, one copy per Christian assembly was the best that could be hoped for. Public reading was the only means that rank-and-file Christians had for becoming familiar with the contents of these books
( 1: 3 ) for the time is near
— Imminent
— Restates 1:1
— right around the corner
Time καιρός (kairos). n. masc. time, season, appointed time
— Used generally for time but sometimes for specific times
— This word is often used to translate עֵת (ʿēt) and sometimes מוֹעֵד (môʿēd) in the LXX
— Used for seasons, epochs, eras
— It also is used in the sense of an expected or predicted event, usually one ordained by God (Matt 8:29; 26:18; Mark 13:33; John 7:6; Rom 5:6; Eph 1:10)
— If John were referring to “clock time,” he would have used a different word, Chronos, which is time like a clock
— The return of Christ is next on God’s prophetic calendar
Q: Who is John writing to?
( 1: 4-5a ) to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth
— Writing to the seven churches of Asia minor
God the Father
— who is and who was and who is to come
— We are tempted to see Jesus in these verses but Jesus is mentioned in ( 1:5 )
— This is God the Father
— First person of the trinity
— God uses time dimensions but He is timeless
Q: What is the significance of the seven (7) spirits ( 1:4 )?
( 1:4 ) and from the seven Spirits
— This is the third person of the trinity
The Number 7
— Fullness
— The 7 spirits depicts His fullness, completeness
— ( cf. 5:6; Isa 11:2; Zech 4:1-10 )
Is Isaiah 11:2 we have a description of the 7 spirits resting on the Messiah
The Spirit of the Lord
The Spirit of wisdom
and understanding
The Spirit of counsel
and might
The Spirit of knowledge
and fear
Robert Thomas
The LXX breaks the poetic parallelism and inserts ευσέβεια (eusebeias, godliness, devoutness ). So Thomas holds that Isaiah 11:2 is speaking of 6 not 7 fold ministry of the Spirit
— Zech 4:1-10 is the best answer
Sent with Greetings
— “ and from Jesus Christ” ( 1:5 )
— This is the second person of the trinity
— A letter from the trinity makes this a very special letter
Q: How is Jesus described in 1:5? In what sense is he the firstborn of the dead?
( 1:5 ) the firstborn from the dead,
— It doesn’t mean raised first chronologically
— There were resurrections in the OT
— Elijah raised the widow’s son ( 2 Ki 4:32-36 ; 1 Ki 17:17-23 )
— A dead man touched Elisha’s bones and came back to life ( 2 Ki 13:20-21 )
Jesus raised the dead
— Jesus stopped a funeral procession and gives a widow back her son ( Lk 7:11-15 )
— Jesus raises Lazarus ( Lk 11:30-44 )
— Jesus raises a sick girl belonging to a rich ruler ( Matt 9:23-25 )
23 When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, 24 He said to them, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him. 25 But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.
Firstborn πρωτότοκος (prōtotokos) Firstborn
— Firstborn in preeminence, importance
— He is the first fruits, never to die again
— (cf 1 Cor 15:23; Col 1:18 )
( 1:5 ) and the ruler over the kings of the earth
— The Roman Emperor Domitian lived a life of debauchery
— Destroyed those closest to him
— Killed people who made jokes about him
— Left his brother to die
— Seduced his niece
— Demanded to be addressed as “Lord and God”
( 1:5-6 ) To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Q: What has He done for us? 1:5-6? In what sense are we priests?
— Released us from our sins by His blood
— Made us to be priests ( 1 Pet 2:9-10 )
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
( 1:7-8 ) Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Q: What will happen when He comes? ( 1:7 ). Is this the final judgment or coming in some other sense?
Everyone will see Him
His glory will be seen by the entire human race
— On earth, only Peter, James and John saw His glory at the transfiguration
Two Groups
( 1) All the tribes of the earth
— Unbelieving Gentiles
( 2) Those who pierced him
— Unbelieving Jews
— Zechariah wrote more about the Messiah than any other OT book except Isaiah
— “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. ( Zech 12:10 )
Q: What “coming” is this? Is this the final judgement?
Coming of Jesus Christ
The topic of the whole book
— Jesus’ 2nd coming
— Coming in judgment
— John speaking, “He is coming”
— Fulfilled in chapter 19 ( 19:11-16 )
What is the timing?
— Matthew tell us, like here in Revelation
— Jesus uses a combination of Dan 7:13 and Zech 12:10 to tell us the timing
After the tribulation
— He is coming after the tribulation
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Preterist
Preterist Explanation
— "coming in the clouds” is from Daniel 7:13
— looking on Him whom “they pierced” is from Zech 12:10
Douglas Wilson
In Daniel, the coming on the clouds is not the second coming, but rather the coming of the glorified Son of man into the throne room of the Ancient of Days. It is a reference to his ascension, not to the second coming… the ascension was His coronation… Revelation is a description of how he began that reign two thousand years ago.
Gary Demar
The reference found in Daniel 7:13-14, the passage that Jesus quotes in Matthew 24:30, notice that the “coming of the son of Man” in Daniel 7 is not down, but up! The Son of Man, Jesus, comes up “with the clouds of heaven” to “the ancient of days and was presented before Him.” ( Last Days Madness, p. 161 )
Q: How was the Lord described in 1:8 ?
The Alpha and the Omega
— Here, the Lord is speaking directly
— God speaks; He speaks again in 21:5-8
Alpha
— First letter of the Greek alphabet
— He encompasses all, all knowledge is conveyed through the letters of the alphabet
Promises are certain
God affirms that He has all knowledge
— Therefore, His promises are certain
Almighty
All powerful, omnipotent
— Nothing can hinder Him from carrying out His plan
( 1:9-11 ) I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
Q: What did John share in common with those to whom he wrote (v9) ?
Shared Experience
— He shared as brother, companion, tribulation, kingdom, patience
— It was a shared experience
Brother
— He was at the same level as his readers
— He could have said that he was an apostle, or elder
Tribulation
— He was sharing in their afflictions
Kindgom
— He was part of the same kingdom of salvation
Patience
— He identified with the same perseverance, patience as his readers
— These are in Jews
— A unique Christian experience
Patmos
A volcanic island in the Aegean Sea
— Ten miles long, 5 miles wide
— 40 miles offshore from Miletus which is 30 miles South of Ephesus
— Catalina is 22 miles offshore
— So about 2x as far
Criminals
Criminals were sent to Patmos
— Living conditions would have been harsh
— Little clothing, food
— sleeping on the hard ground
Preterist
Preterist Explanation
— The Preterist say that John was too old to be banished to Patmos in his nineties
— They argue for an early dating of Revelation before AD 70
— “ Inevitably, therefore, when Domitian began his policy of persecution in 96 ( 36 years after the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 ), St. John must have been somewhere between 90 and 100 years old. We are asked to believe that at that at that great age he was able to stand the journey as a prisoner from Ephesus to Rome… to go through a trial before the emperor, to be scourged publically and cruelly in the forum; to be banished to Patmos to work under the lash in the mines, and, after having endured this, to return to Ephesus still possessed of enough vigour to reorganize the churches in Asia…and survive several more years” (Before Jerusalem fell )
Horse Chase
— Second, they say because John returned to Ephesus, and chased down a man he could not have been in his 90s
— Clement of Alexandria tells a story of a young man forsaking his faith, walking away from Jesus. And John pursues the young man on horseback with all his might, “but when he recognized John as he advanced, he turned, ashamed, to flight. The other (John) followed with all his might forgetting his age, crying, ‘Why, my son, dost thou flee from me, they father, unarmed, old? Son, pity me.’ “
— The preterist say that this cannot be a man in his 90s
— It must be a younger John, who was sent to Patmos in his 60s under Nero, no Domitian in the 90s
Q: What day of the week did John write this letter? ( 1:10 )
( 1:10 ) I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day
The Lord’s Day
— Sunday
— In the 2nd Century this came to mean Sunday
— Not saying the Day of the lord
Q: What did John hear ( 1:10 ) what what did the voice say ( 1:11 )?
( 1:10-11 ) I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
A loud voice
— A loud, clear voice
— Clear as a trumpet
— Whenever we see something “loud” about to happen, it means it is important, solemn, grave
— ( cf. 5:2, 12; 6:10; 7:2, 10 ; 8:13; 10:3; 11:12, 15; 12:10; 14:2, 15, 18; 16:1, 17; 19:1, 17 )
Write in a book
Jesus told John to write this vision in a book and send it to the 7 churches in Asia
— modern day Turkey
Q: Where did the one like the Son of Man stand ( 1:12-13 ) ? What do you think the lampstands represent ?
( 1:12-13 ) Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.
In the Midst
— He stood in the midst of the lampstands
— John turns too see the voice
— John receives his commission to write the book
— All this time the voice is behind him
—Now he turns arounds
Lampstands
— Identified as the 7 churches ( 1:20 )
— The lampstands symbolized their divine favor and capacity for usefulness in God’s work
— “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.” ( 2:5 )
Good Works
— The light of the lampstands (churches) represent their good works
— We are commanded to be as a light in the world
— “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.” ( Matt 5:15-16 )
OT Meaning
— Revelation relies heavily on the OT fro much of the symbolism
— Here, the lampstands were
— Seven
— Made of Gold
Seven ἑπτά (hepta, seven )
Made of Gold χρυσην (chrysas, “golden”)
— Ties them to Zechariah’s one golden lampstand with 7 lamps
— The temple mnorah
— Angel gives Zechariah a vision
— “And he said to me, “What do you see?” So I said, “I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps.” ( Zech 4:2 )
— Israel is the lampstand to to give light to the world
— The church has temporarily assumed this role ( Eph 5:8-9; Rev 1:12, 13, 20 )
Christ’s Appearance
Q: Describe Christ’s appearance in ( 1:13). What is the significance
Robe
Clothed in a robe down to his feet with a golden sash
— The meaning is debated
— Either a King or a Priest
Royalty
Someone of dignity
— The same phrase is found in Ezek 9
— Describes a man clothed down to the feet ( ποδήρης podērēs, reaching the feet )
— He moves among the people of Jerusalem and put a mark on the remnant
— Everyone else is killed by the sword
— Here in Revelation Christ is often seen extending mercy to those who will not face punishment / Judgment
Priest
Early church commentators see Christ dressed as a priest
— The word ( podērēs, reaching the feet ) is translated as robe 6 out of 7 times in the OT
— The LXX translates this as a priestly garment
( 1:13 ) and girded about the chest with a golden band
— This mirrors the way that an OT priest was clothed
— (cf. Ex 28:4; Lev 16:4 )
Hight Priest
If Christ is our high priest here, then we know that he can sympathize with all our
— Dangers
— Sorrows
— Trials
— and temptations ( Heb 2:18; 4:15 )
— He is moving in the midst of the churches to protect and provide comfort during the persecution
Christ’s Work
Q: Describe Christ in ( 1:14-15 ) and the significance ?
( 1:14-15 ) His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters;
Hair is white
— His hair is white like wool
— White as snow
— A reference to the OT
— “I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire;” ( Dan 7:9 )
The Father
Daniel in the OT describes the Father, the Ancient of Days
— John ascribes this to Christ
— Christ is pre-existent
— White -sinless
Daniel goes on
— “His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude.” ( Dan 10:6 )
Significance
( 1 ) Christ is walking among the lampstands, the church
— The church is not under the authority of
— Emperor
— King
— City Council
— Supreme Court
Christ rules over his church
We are not to conform to secular demands regarding
— Sexuality
— Marriage
— Gender
— Evolution
We don’t need to take surveys of our community to set our direction
— It is not our gospel
— It is Christ’s gospel
(2 ) Christ purifies the church
— Christ told his church to be pure
— “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” ( Matt 5:48 )
— “in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight” ( Col 1:22 )
Discipline
Christ will discipline his church ( cf Matt 18:15-17; John 15:2 )
— Peter said, “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?” ( 1 Pet 4:17 )
( 1:14 ) and His eyes like a flame of fire
— Christ see everything
— He has piercing clarity of everything that is happening among the lampstands
( 1:15 ) His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace
— Glowing flames
— Another reference to judgment
— These are his feet, he is moving among his church
— He loves his church so much that he wants our holiness
— He will use discipline & judgment when necessary
Christ controls his church
( 1:16 ) He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
Q: Describe Christ in ( 1:16 ). What does it signify ?
Seven Stars
The stars are messengers
— The leaders
— Elders of the church
— His right hand is strength, control
Objection
— Some will object because in ( 1:20 ) John identifies the stars as angels of the seven churches
— Stars are symbols of angels in several OT passages ( Job 38:7; Is 14:12ff )
— Seems strange that Jesus tells John to tell angels to churches His message
Star=Highest Rank
— Better to understand these as elders, men of high rank
— Star can also mean that in the OT ( Is 14:12 - Lucifer was a fallen star, angel but of high rank)
— The Messiah as a one of high rank, preeminence
— “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult.” ( Num 24:17 )
— “saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” ( Matt 2:2 )
— False teachers as stars
— “raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.” ( Jude 13 )
( 1:16 ) out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword
— Sword used to defend the church against external threats
— Quoted from the description of Messiah in Isaiah
— “But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.” ( Is 11:4 )
— We see it again when Christ is in the battle of Armageddon
— “ Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God” ( 19:15 )
— “And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.” ( 19:21 )
Enemies
Christ will use this sword as judgment against the wicked
— But here Christ is seen walking among the the lampstands
— His judgement is not outside but directed toward the enemies of the church inside the church
— White hair, blazing yes and feet
— A few verses later:
— “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, ‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword:” ( 2:12 )
— “Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.” ( 2:16 )
False Teachers
False teachers will come into the church
— They will teach
— lies
— sow discord
— compromise with the world
— teach the health and prosperity gospel
— easy believism ( cf. Acts 20:30; 1 Tim 1:20; 2 Tim 1:15; 2:17; Jude 3-4; 2 Pet 3:16 )
( 1:16b ) and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength
Glory
Describes His glory
— countenance could mean face or appearance
— John borrows the description from the OT
— “Thus let all Your enemies perish, O Lord! But let those who love Him be like the sun When it comes out in full strength.” So the land had rest for forty years.” ( Judges 5:31 )
( 1:17-19 ) And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. 19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.
Q: How did this effect John ( 1:17 ) ? What assurance was given?
Fell at his feet
— He fell as his feet as if dead
— Isaiah had a similar reaction when he saw God sitting on His throne
— “ So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.” ( Is 6:5 )
— Isaiah sees the pre-incarnate Christ
— John provides us insight in his gospel
— “These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.” (cf. John 12:41 )
— So, John has the same reaction as Isaiah when he sees Jesus, he falls down like a dead man
— (cf. Dan 10:8-9; 8:17; Ezek 1:28; 3:23; 9:8; 43:3; 44:4 )
Sampson’s Father
— The angel appeared to Sampson’s Father Manoah, announcing the birth of Sampson
— “And Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, because we have seen God!” ( Judges 13:22 )
Paul
— Paul, at his conversion, threw himself down to ground ( Acts 26:13 )
Today
— Today, we hear of people seeing God
— “Little Girl says she saw God,” FOX News 8 Cleveland, Jan 21, 2020
— “Near death experience puts man face-to-face with God,” The 700 club, Jan 11, 2019
— “Oklahoma women dead for nine minutes claims she spoke to God,” ABC News, Oct 28, 2013
— Frivolous experiences
— All of the biblical accounts are fear, trembling, worship
( 1:17 ) But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid
Assurance
— He placed his right hand on John
— He says, don’t be afraid
— This is assurance, comfort
— John had seen Christ once before in his glorified state at the transfiguration
— Jesus said the same thing to John, to comfort him
— “But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” ( Matt 17:7 )
Q: Jesus’ words of comfort are based on who He is. What names does Jesus call Himself in ( 1:17-18 ) ?
I am ( εγω ειμι, egō eimi, “I am” )
— The covenant name of God ( Ex 3:14)
— The name Jesus referred to Himself when they saw Him walking on water ( Matt 14:27 )
— Jesus said this in his claim to be God to the unbelieving Jews
57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” 59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
( 1:17 ) I am the First and the Last
— Jesus uses this several times to describe Himself ( 2:8; 22:13 )
— Title of God in the OT (cf. Is 44:6; 41:4; 48:12 )
— “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God.” ( Is 44:6 )
( 1:18 ) I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore
The Living One
— Used in both the OT and NT to describe God
— ( Josh 3:10; 1 Sam 17:26; Ps 84:2; Hos 1:10; Matt 16:16; 26:63; Acts 14:15; Ro 9:26 )
— “Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God.” ( 7:2 )
In case there is any confusion
— In case there is any confusion about who this is!
— I was dead but now I am alive
— A contrast
— Another translation
— “[came to be] dead with the endless life that He now lives, “[am] living”
Q: What happened to the 2nd person of the trinity when Jesus died?
His Physical Body died
— His physical body died
— But his spirit was still alive
— “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,” ( 1 Pet 3:18 )
Q: What does the keys to death and hades refer to? ( 1:18 )
( 1:18 ) And I have the keys of Hades and of Death
Keys to Hades
— Keys, authority over death
— Hades and death were synonymous
— Christ decides who lives and dies
— “Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” ( John 21:22 )
( 1:19 ) Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this
3 Division
( 1 ) Things you have seen
— Looking back at the vision of Christ which you saw ( 1:10-16 )
— His clothing like a priest
— Walking among the lampstands, his church
— His appearance of judgment with white hair like wool, a sword coming out of His mouth
( 2 ) Things which are
— The message to the seven churches ( Chapters 2-3 )
( 3 ) Things which will take place after this
— Future events ( Chapters 4-22 )
Preterist
Preterist Explanation
Douglas Wilson
"John is then instructed to write down what he has seen. Revelation has many ‘timestamps’ within it, but is also has some time hints, like this one. John is told to write what he has seen, the things that are happening in the present, and the things that will occur after that, in the future. He is not told to write down what has happened, what is happening right then, and then to hit the pause button for two-thousand years or more. The expectation clearly is that the ‘things hereafter’ are the things that will be unfolding in the immediate future.”
“ This is supported by timestamps that occur elsewhere in the book. Two-thousand years ago, the things described in this book were going to happen soon ( Rev 1:1 . The Lord was coming soon ( Rev 3:1 . The Christians of that era were warned about what must soon take place ( Rev 22:6 ). The Lord was indeed going to come and fulfill His words soon ( Rev 22:7, 12, 20 )
[emphasis added]
Robert Thomas
Dr. Robert Thomas goes into great detail, a very technical explanation of the Greek as to why this 3 division look is the best interpretation ( Revelation 1-7, an Exegetical Commentary, p. 113-116 )
The Mystery Explained
( 1:20 ) The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches
— Seven Stars
— Leaders of the seven churches
— holds them
— Under His power, authority, sovereign rule
— Lampstands
— The seven churches
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
This chapter and continuing with chapter 3 addresses the seven churches of Revelation. These churches are presented in the order that they appear on the postal route beginning with Ephesus and going counter-clockwise until Laodicea. Chapter two will look at the first four ( 4 ) churches: Ephesus the Loveless church, Smyrna the persecuted church, Pergamos the compromising church and Thyatira the corrupt church
Read and summarize
( 2:1 ) “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:
Q: In this vision Jesus instructs John to write letters to various churches. If Jesus were to send a letter to our church, what things might he commend our church for? Rebuke our church for? Why do you think so?
Angel
Could be an angelic being
— If believers have guardian angels, why not churches?
— More likely this is referring to the leader in the church
— Who was the elder?
Ephesus: The loveless Church
Q: What do we know about the church at Ephesus?
— Paul wrote one of his prison epistles from Rome to this church
— The letter to Ephesus
Started
— Paul did not start this church
— It was started by Priscilla and Aquila ( Acts 18:18-19 )
— They were a married couple and met Paul in Corinth during his 2nd missionary journey
— They were already Christians when Paul met them
Claudius, AD 49
— They were expelled from Rome when Claudius Caesar demanded that all Jews be expelled from Rome in AD 49
— They were tent makers, like Paul
— Paul stayed with them in Corinth
— No doubt they helped him establish a church there
— Paul took them to Ephesus and left them there
Apollos
— A follower of John the Baptist came to Ephesus and started to preach
— But his preaching was based on what John the Baptist knew
— the last OT prophet
— When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him under their wing ( Acts 18:24-26 )
24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. 25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
Taught him
— They taught Apollos, who became one of the great evangelists of the early church
— Together with Apollos, Priscilla and Aquila ministered in Ephesus
Martyred
— According to tradition, Priscilla and Aquila were martyred together
Paul
— Paul’s real work in Ephesus started during his 3rd missionary journey
— He stayed in Ephesus for three years ( Acts 20:31 )
— Paul taught the elders of the church leadership (Acts 20:17-38 )
— Timothy pastored in Ephesus ( 1 Tim 1:3 )
— Onesiphorus ministered there ( 2 Tim 1:16, 18 )
— Tychicus ministered there ( 2 Tim 4:12 )
— John was arrested in Ephesus and sent to Patmos
— he returned after his imprisonment
— he wrote 1, 2, 3 John from Ephesus
Profound Ministry
— Paul’s ministry had a profound effect
— Revival! (Acts 19:18-20 )
18 And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. 19 Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.
50,000
— The books were worth 50,000 pieces of silver
— That is 50,000 days of worker’s wages
7 Churches
— No doubt during Paul’s ministry in Ephesus these 7 churches were born
— “And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.” ( Acts 19:10 )
The City of Ephesus
Q: What do we know about the city of Ephesus?
Ephesus
— The largest city in Asia minor
— Not the capital but the home of the governor
— Population 250,000 - 500,000
— A harbor city on the Cayster River 3 miles downstream from the ocean
— Even in John’s day, silt from the river kept filling up the harbor
— There was no modern equipment to dredge the harbor
— The city would be abandoned to move close to the water
— Happened 4x
— Finally in the 13th century the residents gave up
— The old city is now 6 miles from the ocean
Diana
— Famous for the temple of the goddess Diana
— Originally, a Greek temple to Artemis
— She was the goddess of childbirth, chastity and wild animals
— When the Romana came they named it the temple to Diana
— One of the 7 wonders of the ancient world
The temple of Artemis at Ephesus
Great Pyramid at Giza, Egypt
Hanging gardens of Babylon
Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Greece
Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
Colossus of Rhodes
Lighthouse at Alexandria, Egypt
— The temple was secure that a bank operated inside the temple
— Also a sanctuary for criminals
— More importantly, it was the center of Diana worship
— consisted of thousands of temple prostitutes
John MacArthur
“The worship of Artemis was unspeakably vile. Her idol was a gross, many breasted monstrosity, popularly believed to have fallen from heaven (Acts 19:35 ). The temple was attended by numerous priests, eunuchs and slaves. Thousands of priestesses, who were little more than ritual prostitutes, played a major role in the worship of Artemis, The temple grounds were a chaotic cacophony of priests, prostitutes, bakers, musicians, danders and frenzied hysterical worshipers” ( Rev 1-11, p. 58 )
William Barclay
“The philosopher Heraclitus was called the weeping philosopher because no one, he declared, could live in Ephesus and not weep over its immorality (The Revelation of John)
The Message to the 7 Churches
— Structure to all 7 churches is the same
— “To the angel of the church ________”
— “He who has an ear, let him hear”
— And, the same outline
— Correspondant
— Church and city
— Commendation
— Concern
— Command
— Counsel
Robert Thomas
— Robert Thomas breaks the structure out into 7 parts
An address
Citation of certain attributes of the speaker
An assertion of complete knowledge about the people addressed ( oida, not ginosko )
A description of the state of the church good or bad
Promise of the Lord’s coming
A universal command to hear
A promise to the overcomer
The Commendation
( 2:2-3 ) “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.
Q: What did Jesus know about the church ( 2:2 )?
— Your works, labor, patience
— You hate evil
— You hav tested those who speak in your name
Patience
— John mentions patience in ( 1:2-3 )
— This is patience with circumstances, not people
— Dealing with everything that the world throws at you, some of which was evil
— They hated evil and were sensitive to sin in the church
( 2:2-3 ) “I know
I know οἶδα (oida), know
— Jesus said, I know
— To “have seen” something in the past becomes “to know” it in the present
— Oida often connotes not only having knowledge but also being able to understand that knowledge (Luke 2:49; Acts 3:17; Rom 6:9)
— in contrast to Ginosko which speaks of progress of knowledge
— Oida reflects fullness of knowledge (Thomas, p. 133 )
— In the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus equates others’ seeing his ability to heal with knowing he has the authority to forgive sins (Matt 9:6; Luke 5:24)
— The letters to the churches in the book of Revelation collectively imply that God has seen and come to know the deeds and circumstances of all humanity (Rev 2:2, 9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15).
— Expresses the Lord’s complete, perfect knowledge of the situation
— He had absolute knowledge of everything regarding the Ephesian church
— He is walking among the candlesticks
— His piercing eyes sees everything, good and bad
Q: What had the Ephesians done for Jesus? ( 2:3 )
( 2:3 ) and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary
— They persevered
— labored and did not grow weary
— They did this with the highest of motives
— for My name’s sake
The Concern
( 2:4 ) Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
Wilson
“The message began by praising them for their works but rapidly comes to the point of urging them to return to the works they did at first” ( Wilson, p. 242 )
knowledge without enthusiasm
— Just like when we fall in love
— There is the initial thrill
— When we become Christians, there is the thrill of forgiveness
— When we loose sight of the seriousness of sin, we loose the thrill of forgiveness
— “For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.” ( 2 Pet 1:9 )
The Command
Q: What must they do or what are the consequences? ( 2:4-5 ) What is this first love?
( 2:5 ) 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.
Wilson
“They were orthodox in their hatred, but not in their love” (Wilson, p. 251 )
First love
— Maybe their love of Christ
— Or their love for one another
— Love defined by obedience ( 2 John 6 )
Ezekiel
— Ezekiel paints a vivid picture of Israel walking away from God
4 As for your nativity, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed in water to cleanse you; you were not rubbed with salt nor wrapped in swaddling cloths. 5 No eye pitied you, to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you; but you were thrown out into the open field, when you yourself were loathed on the day you were born. 6 “And when I passed by you and saw you struggling in your own blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ Yes, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ 7 I made you thrive like a plant in the field; and you grew, matured, and became very beautiful. Your breasts were formed, your hair grew, but you were naked and bare. 8 “When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love; so I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine,” says the Lord God. 9 “Then I washed you in water; yes, I thoroughly washed off your blood, and I anointed you with oil. 10 I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals of badger skin; I clothed you with fine linen and covered you with silk. 11 I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your wrists, and a chain on your neck. 12 And I put a jewel in your nose, earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head. 13 Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. You ate pastry of fine flour, honey, and oil. You were exceedingly beautiful, and succeeded to royalty. 14 Your fame went out among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through My splendor which I had bestowed on you,” says the Lord God. 15 “But you trusted in your own beauty, played the harlot because of your fame, and poured out your harlotry on everyone passing by who would have it.
Q: Christ, the great physician, issued a prescription to the church in Ephesus in ( 2:5 ). If followed it would cure their spiritual condition. What was it in ( 2:5 )?
Remember
( 2:5 ) Remember therefore from where you have fallen;
— Literally, keep on remembering from where they had fallen
— Often this is the initial cause of spiritual decline
Repent
( 2:5 ) repent and
— Repent
— Deliberately reject their sins
— Because, to fail to love God with all your heart, soul and mind is sin ( Matt 22:36-38 )
Do
( 2:5 ) do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.
— Do the deeds they did first
— Bible study
— Prayer
— Worship
Q: Suppose someone claims that we please God so long as we simply do not sin sin and nothing more is required. How would you respond?
( 2:6 ) But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Nicolaitans
We will address this in the letter to Pergamum
Counsel
( 2:7 ) “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.” ’
Same Expression
— He who has an ear...
— We will see this expression used again and again ( 2:11, 17 , 29; 3:6, 13, 22 )
Q: Who is him who overcomes?
Overcomer
— All Christians
— This is not a higher level of Christian life
— If you have been genuinely saved, you are an overcomer
— All the redeemed will eat from teh tree of life
— Overcomer means to conquer
— Because we are in Christ we have conquered the evil world system, even death
— We have victory over Satan and and the world system
— “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” ( 1 John 5:4-5 )
The Postal Route
— The next church is Smyrna
— The church at Smyrna wasn’t the second most important church
— it was the second church along the “postal route”
— The letter went counter clock-wise
— On a clock Ephesus was 7 o’clock
— Then Smyrna
— Pergamum was 11 o’clock
— Thyatira was 10 o’clock
— Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea at 5 o’clock
Smyrna: The Persecuted Church
( 2:8 ) “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
The Correspondent
First and Last
— OT title for God
— Isaiah used the title several times ( cf Isa 44:6; 48:12 )
— “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God.” ( Isa 44:6 )
— “Listen to Me, O Jacob, And Israel, My called: I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last.” ( Isa 48:12 )
Comfort
— These titles should bring comfort to the persecuted church
Q: What do we know about the church at Smyrna?
— The only thing we know about the church at Smyrna is here in Revelation
Persecution
— At the end of the 1st century it faced persecution under Emperor Domitian
— It was a capital offense punishable by death not to offer a yearly sacrifice to Emperor Domitian
— He insisted being called Lord and God
Polycarp
— Most famous martyr from Smyrna was Polycarp
— He was executed by Domitian
— Polycarp was a disciple of John
Myrrh
— Smyrna means bitter myrrh
— Used as a perfume
— Myrrh was a precious ointment used to prepare dead bodies
— The three wise men brought Jesus “gold, frankincense, and myrrh” ( Matt 2:11 )
— Myrrh is a perfect picture of suffering
— When it is crushed it gives off a beautiful fragrance
— Smyrna endured crushing persecution
The City
Q: What do you know about the city of Smyrna?
On the gulf
— Not the biggerst city but said to be the most beautiful city in Asia
— On the gulf of the Aegean Sea
— It has an excellent harbor
— 45 Miles N of Ephesus
Izmir
— The city is called Izmir today and is located in modern day Turkey
— Rome fan boys
— The city endured numerous fires and earthquakes
— Fanatically devoted to Rome and Emperor worship
Shirt off their backs
During the time of Christ, a Roman General by the name of Lucias Cornelius Sulla Felix
— But his friends called him Sulla
— was waging war during the winter and his men were suffering because they were not dressed properly
— When this was announced to the citizens of Smyrna, they literally took the clothes off their backs and sent them to Sulla
The Commendation
Q: What did Jesus know about the church? Explain poverty and rich ( 2:9 )
( 2:9 ) “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.
Poor πτωχεία (ptōcheia). n. fem. poverty
— Not the normal word for poverty which means basic necessities but nothing superfluous
— Here (ptōcheia) translated “poverty” means abject, nothing at all
— How did they become poor?
— We don’t know but Hebrews gives us a hint
— Maybe their possessions were plundered by Angry Jews or Gentiles
— Not the first time in history or the last
— The writer of Hebrews writes:
— “for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven.” ( Heb 10:34 )
Rich
— But they were rich in the things that mattered
— Spiritual riches
— Faith in Christ
— Salvation
— Fellowship with the saints
— Holiness
— Grace
— Peace
Q: How were the Jews described in ( 2:9 )?
( 2:9 ) and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan
Synagogue of Satan
— Blaspheming Jesus
— Those who rejected Christ were as much Satan followers as were the idol worshippers
— “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” ( John 8:44 )
— The apostle Pauls said Idol worshippers follow Satan
— “ What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? 20 Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons.” ( 1 Cor 10:19-20 )
Smyrna Idols
— Smyrna was full of idol worship and Emperor Worship
— Zeus
— Apollo
— Askelpios
— and, especially Cybele - greek mother of the gods
Satan Worship
— Whether they were worshipping idols
— same as demon worship ( 1 Cor 10:20 )
— Or, like the Jews doing the bidding of Satan
— The church was in the midst of the synagogue of Satan
— Same phrase appears to the Philadelphia church ( 3:9 )
( 2:9 ) who say they are Jews and are not
— by birth and religion they were Jews outwardly
— inwardly, their hearts were not circumcised ( Ro 2:28-29 )
The Command
Q: The church at Smyrna was a persecuted church. What did they fear would happen to them ( 2:10 ) ?
( 2:10 ) 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.
The Devil
— The Devil will throw some of them in prison
— Don’t fear what you are about to suffer
— Satan is the accuser of the brethren ( 12:20 )
Tested
— They will be tested when they are thrown into prison
— They will prove that their faith is real
— Satan tested Job ( Job 1:22; 2:10 )
— Satan tested Peter ( Luke 22:31-32 )
— He wanted to sift Peter like wheat
— His assaults are intense but brief
Preterist
Preterist Explanation
— The Preterist don’t have much to say about the 7 churches in Rev 2-3
— But Douglas Wilson does comment on the persecution described in Smyrna
Douglas Wilson
“The tribulation would last for ten days...We do not have any extra-biblical record of a persecution there lasting for ten days, but there is no real reason we should.”
In other words… there is no proof that this actually happened but that doesn’t matter
The Counsel
Q: How do you get the crown of life? ( 2:10-11 )
( 2:10b-11 ) 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.” ’
Crown of Life
— By staying faithful until the end
— But what if I can’t?
— If you are
— called,
— sanctified,
— you will not fall away,
— you will persevere until the end
— The unmistakable teaching of scripture ( Matt 10:22; 24:13; Mark 4:13-20; parable of the soils; John 8:31; Col 1:21-23; 1 John 2:19; they went out because they were not of us )
Pergamos: The Compromising Church
Q: What is the two edged sword? Is it a literal sword?
( 2:12 ) “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, ‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword:
Jesus
— Jesus is the one who has the sharp two-edged sword, which is the sword of God
— He is coming to judge
— Both judge and executioner
— “ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;” ( Eph 6:17 )
Not a positive note
— The letter to Pergamos does not start on a promising note
— Not a positive introduction
— The first negative introduction
— Imminent Judgment and disaster to this church
Q: What do you know about the church at Pergamos?
The Church - Pergamum
— We don’t know anything except what is found here
— Nothing recorded in Acts
— Similar situation as Smyrna
— Most likely started during Paul’s 3 1/2 years at Ephesus
Q: What do we know about the city of Pergamum?
North of Ephesus
— 100 miles North of Ephesus
— Smyrna is about the 1/2 point
Capital
— But it was the Capital city of Asia
— Today it is the Turkish city of Bergama
Idol Worship
— Temples to the Greek and Roman dieties
— Athena was the Goddess of War, the female counterpart of Ares, daughter of Zeus
— Askelpios ( Asclepius) was the god of medicine
— Dionysos was the Olympian god of wine, vegetation, pleasure, festivity, madness and wild frenzy
— and Zeus is God of the Sky and thunder
Emperor Worship
— Overshadowing all of this was Emperor Worship
— Pergamum built the first temple dedicated to Emperor Worship
— They had temples to several Emperors
— Augustus: the first Roman Emperor known for the pax Romana, adopted son of Julies Caesar
— Trajan: soldier-emperor who presided over the second-greatest military expansion in Roman history after Augustus
— Septimus Severus - one of the emperors during the year of 5 Emperors
— Christians were in danger of the Emperor Worship cult
The Commendation
( 2: 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.
Q: What external problems did the church face ( 2:13 )?
Pagan Worship
— They were surrounded by idol worship
— Emperor worship
— A very large pagan metropolis
Satan’s Throne
— Many different intrepretations on what this might mean
— We don’t know for sure
— One possibility is the Altar to Zeues
— Another is the altar of Askelpios, the god of healing
— The god was depicted as a snake
—non-poisonous snakes would slither around the temple
— people would lie down or sleep on the floor hoping to be touched or healed by a snake
Snake / Satan
— Satan is symbolized as a snake in Revelation ( 12:9, 14, 15; 20:2 )
( 2: 13 ) And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith
— They held fast to his name despite being where Satan’s thrown was
— They did not deny the faith
( 2:13 ) even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
— Antipas was martyred in Pergamum
— He paid the ultimate price
— According to Christian tradition, John the Apostle ordained Antipas as bishop of Pergamon during the reign of the Roman emperor Nero
— The traditional account goes on to say Antipas was martyred during the reign of Nero (54-68)
The Concern
( 2:14-15 ) 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.
Q: The church at Pergamos was a compromising church, what doctrinal error did they face in ( 2:14-15 )?
2 Heresies
— OT Heresy of Balaam
— NT Heresy of the Nicolaitans
Balaam
— OT prophet for hire ( Num 22-25 )
— Israel had just settled in the land of Moab
— Moab were descendants of Lot
— The king of Moab, Balak, was terrified of Isreal
—Balak, the king of Moab, wanted Balaam the prophet to curse Israel but he would not
— Just to make sure Balaam had the right motives, his donkey spoke to him and then the angel of the Lord (Num 22:30 )
— The king wanted Balaam to curse Isreal and insisted 3x
— He took him to 3 mountains
— offered sacrifices
— But Balaam would not
Corrupt them
— Balaam could not curse Israel but he could corrupt them
— Balaam taught the king of Moab, Balak, to put a stumbling block before Isreal
— Commit sexual immorality
— This is implied in Num 25 and clearly stated in (Num 31:16 )
— “Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord.” ( Num 31:16 )
Peor
— Plague
— The Lord killed 24,000 ( Num 25:9 )
— Peter rebuked the followers of Balaam
— “ They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.” ( 2 Pet 2:15-16 )
( 2:15 ) Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
Nicolaitans
— Can’t be sure who this group is
— Some think it refers to Nicolas, one of the 7 men appointed to oversee the distribution of food ( Acts 6 )
— Whoever the Nicolaitans involved sexual immorality and eating things scarified to idols ( 2:14 )
Q: Why are these old examples of heresies important to us today?
Doctrinal Error
— many people turn a blind eye to biblical doctrinal error
— These people don’t think that doctrine is important
— Don’t believe in the sufficiency of Scripture
— Think that all religions lead to the same placd
— the Lord makes it clear that is not the case
— Doctrinal error must be confronted
— Such corruption still goes on today ( James 4:4; 1 Pe 2:11; Acts 15:29 )
The command
( 2:16 ) Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
Q: What does Jesus expect them to do about these doctrines ( 2:16 ) What were the consequences ?
Repent
— Urgent command to repent because they were guilty of unjustified tolerance
Punishment
— If they don’t deal with it He threatens do deal with it and punish the church ( at his second coming )
— Unbelievers, sinners and backslidden Christians should feel uncomfortable in church
— by the convicting preaching of the word
— In humility we should correct doctrinal error ( 2 Tim 2:24-25 )
The Counsel
( 2:17 ) “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.” ’
Q: What blessings are promised to overcomers ( 2:17 )?
Hidden Manna
— Jesus Christ, the Bread of life
— Mark it well, you are not saved without the hidden Christ ( Wilson)
48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
White Stone
— A new name
— Uniquely reflecting God’s love for us
Thyatira: The Corrupt Church
The Correspondent
( 2:18 ) “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:
Q: How did Jesus identify himself to the church at Thyatira ( 2:18 )?
( 2:18 ) who has eyes like a flame of fire,
— His eyes see everything
— like laser beams
— They penetrate
— Nothing is hidden from his sight
Sin is not hidden
— Jesus sees and knows every sin we have ever committed; expressed in the OT
— “ For My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from My face, nor is their iniquity hidden from My eyes.” ( Jer 16:17 )
— And repeated in the NT
— “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” ( Heb 4:13 )
( 2:18 ) and His feet like fine brass:
— Terrifying judgement
— Similar to Rev 19:15
— “He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” ( 19:15 )
The Church - Thyatira
Q: What do we know about the church at Thyatira?
Nothing
— Nothing is known
— Same situation as the churches at Smyrna and Pergamum
The City
Q: What do we know about the city at Thyatira?
— The most northern of the seven ( 7 ) cities continuing along the “postal route”
— Going counter-clockwise this is 11 o’clock on the clock
Commercial Center
— Flourishing commercial center
— At the time of Revelation
— Experienced the greatest prosperity
— Known for wool
— dyed good, especially purple extracted from madder root
— Also linen, outer garments, leather, bakers, and bronze smiths
— Lydia was a merchant of purple goods
— She was converted in Philippi but came from Thyatira ( Acts 16:14 )
Worship
— The pressure on Christians was to join a gild or union
— Each gild had its own patron deity and feasts
The Commendation
( 2:19 ) “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first.
Q: What did Jesus know about them ( 2:19 ) ? Specifically, what did he know about their works. Think: what previous church does this contrast with?
Love
— Love
— They showed love for God
— Thyatira had love; Ephesus did not have love ( 2:4 )
— This is the first church to be commended for love
Faith
— They had faith, fidelity, faithfulness
— Pergamos, the compromising church, also did not deny their faith ( 2:13 )
Service διακονία (diakonia). n. fem. ministry, service
— Service to others
— Obligation is free-willed
Like supplying food to the needy, supporting other churches
— Paul talked about saints making contributions to the saints in Jerusalem ( Ro 15:25-26 )
Supporting missionaries
— The church at Macedonia, although poor, gave to Paul according to their ability and beyond their ability ( 2 Cor 8:2-3 )
Increasing
( 2:19 ) as for your works, the last are more than the first
— These manifestations of love were increasing
— In Ephesus they were decreasing
Patience ὑπομονή (hypomonē), steadfastness
— Not talking about patience with people or patience with circumstances
— But, perseverance, endurance
— Those who are faithful will persevere in the faith ( Matt 16:24-26; Matt 24:13 )
Robert Thomas
Patience here should be thought of as endurance
The Concern
( 2:20-23 ) 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.
Q: What problem did Thyatira have ( 2:20 )? What other church is this like? And what about Jezebel?
( 2:21 ) because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality
Jezebel
— A pastor / teacher at the church
— One of the church leaders
— They allowed her to teach and violated scripture ( 1 Tim 2:12 )
— Emblematic of heresy allow to infiltrate the church
Internal
— the problem was not external but internal
— Pergamum had external problems with Baal and the Nicolaitan
— But the problem at Thyatira was worse because they tolerated it
Allow ἐάω (eaō), let; permit
— The Ephesians hated the Nicolaitans but the church at Thyatira permitted it
Acts of Immorality
— Sexual sin is a common
— Christians can fall into sexual sin ( 1 Cor 6:15-20 )
— This is not the only church that had this problem
— Paul told Timothy to flee youthful lusts ( 2 Tim 2:22 )
— Pergamos had this problem, the doctrine of Baal ( 2:14 )
— JOF has this problem!
Q: What does gave her time to repent tell us of God’s mercy?
( 2:21 ) And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent
— Gave her time to repent
— God’s great mercy
— His mercy is restorative
— Real repentance is not sorrow or shame or embarrassment
— That may be the onset
— But it must be a turning from, fleeing from sin
— Godly sorrow that leads to repentance ( 2 Cor 7:10 )
John MacArthur
False doctrine, sexual immorality are not to be allowed even under the banner of love, tolerance and unity
Did not repent
— Jezebel did not repent
— The sad truth is that people love their sin (darkness) more than light (John 3:19 )
Idolatry
— Christians can also fall into idolatry
— The church at Corinth fell into idolatry ( 1 Cor 10:21 ) as well as sexual immorality
Severe Punishment
( 2: 22-23 ) 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.
— But to lead someone into idolatry or sexual immorality or cause someone to stumble brings even more severe punishment
— Jesus teaches the penalty for causing someone to stumble ( Matt 18:6-10 ); better to have a millstone around your neck!
6 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! 8 “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire. 10 “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.
The Command
Q: What message did Jesus give those who had not accepted these doctrines ( 2:24-25 )
( 2:24-25 ) “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.
Hold fast
— Hold fast indicates that it will not be easy because He is coming in judgment
— But if they had not participated in Jezebel’s (perverse, libertine, licentious ) false theology he would not place any other burdens on them
The Counsel
Q: What does Jesus promise overcomers ( 2:26-29 ) ?
( 2:26-29 ) 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.” ’
Power
— Rule with him in the millennial kingdom ( Ps 2:7-9 )
Authority
— Authority over the nations, those who rebel during the millennial ( cf Rev 12:5; 19:15 )
Morning Star
— Not sure
— Maybe Christ’s glory ( cf 2 Pet 1:19 )
Additional Resources
The Preterist Approach to Revelation — The Unfolding of Biblical Eschatology, https://www.ligonier.org/blog/preterist-approach-revelation-unfolding-biblical-eschatology/
Steve Gregg, Revelation: Four Views; A parallel commentary
MacArthur, John. Revelation 1-11. Moody Press, 1999.
J Vernon McGee. Revelation Part 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2u7u6ItFh1c
J Vernon McGee. Revelation https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/thru-the-bible-with-j-vernon-mcgee/series/revelation
Chuck Missler. Revelation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ewny6LF_zXs
Wilson, Douglas. When the Man Comes around: a Commentary on the Book of Revelation. Canon Press, 2019.
DeMar, Gary. Last Days Madness: Obsession of the Modern Church. American Vision, 1999.
Thomas, Robert L. Revelation: an Exegetical Commentary. Moody Press, 2016.
Barkley, William. The Revelation of John, Philadelphia. Westminster, 1976.
Thyatira : http://www.turkeyculturaltour.com/tr/turkiye/35/ephesus-and-ionia-reagion/thyateira-biblical-city.html
