Ephesus - The Backslidden (Loveless) Church

This is my old version of this study. I am working on a commentary on the whole book of Revelation, which will include more indepth studies on the letters to the seven churches, and eventually the rest of the book, Lord willing.

Click here for Revelation Commentary Table Of Contents

Ephesus

The Backslidden (Loveless) Church

Revelation 2:1-7

Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith He that holdeth the seven stars in His right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for My name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

The messages to the churches have a threefold meaning:

Firstly, each letter has a primary association, having a local and direct bearing upon the church to which it was written. Each letter was a measuring rod by which each church could know its standing in the sight of the risen Lord.

Secondly, each letter has a personal application. Even though Christ addresses each church as a whole, the message to overcome is addressed to the individual.

Thirdly, each church individually, and the seven churches combined, set forth prophetic anticipation. We see in them seven eras of the life of the church on earth. Seven in the Bible is the number of perfection, completion, fullness. In these letters we have a prophetic picture of the church's complete history on earth.

Each of the seven letters follows the same general format:
1) Name (of the church that particular letter is addressed to)
2) Its Description of Christ.
3) Commendation - What that church is praised for.
4) Warning - What that church is rebuked for.
5) Promise. (Not applicable to this letter.)
6) To The Overcomers.
7) Prophetic Application. (As revealed in church history, found throughout the letter.)

Name: Ephesus- meaning "To let go, relax." According to some sources, also means "Desirable."

Description: He that holdeth the seven stars in His right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.

The stars are the angels (messengers, pastors) of the seven churches. Christ holds the pastors in His right hand, in the position of honour and the place of power. This is the only place where His servants can be sustained and strengthened.

The golden candlesticks are the seven churches. In the early days of the church of Ephesus, Christ walked in their midst as the recognized head, and men took instructions from Him. (See Ephesians 1:22-23) Jesus is the Light of the world, and as His representatives, we are the light of the world, holding forth the Gospel light, the Word of Life. (John 8:12; Matthew 5:14; Philippians 2:15-16a)

Commendation: The Lord Jesus approved them for their sacrificial service (v. 2; Romans 12:1-2), suppression of evil (v.2; 1 Peter 5:8-9), spiritual discernment (v. 2; 1 John 4:1; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15), steadfastness (v. 3; 1 Corinthians 15:58), and their stand against the deeds of the Nicolaitans (v.6; 1 Corinthians 16:13).

In verse 2, Jesus commended the Ephesians for their works, labour, and patience. They were faithful in service, toiling for their master. The word "patience" is Strong's # 5281, meaning to "stay under", ie. persevere in trials.

They obeyed Paul's instructions to them in Acts 20:28-31. They could not bear those who were evil. They tried (Strong's #3985 - tested, proved) those who said they were apostles (ones directly "sent from" the Lord), and found them to be liars. They proved these imposters wrong by testing their message and their fruit and realizing that these did not line up with the Word of God.

In our modern age of ecumenical or apostate Christianity, it is prudent to be aware of what the Bible says about the requirements for an apostle:

Acts 1:21-22 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that He was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of His resurrection.

Other than the original twelve disciples that Jesus chose as His apostles, the only other person that ever met these requirements was the apostle Paul. While he was not a disciple of Jesus Christ's during His public ministry, Paul was trained for three years personally by the Lord, according to Galatians 1:11-18. He was also a witness of the resurrected Christ, according to 1 Corinthians 9:1 and 15:7-9.

It is obvious from the clear testimony of the Scriptures that there is no one like that today! Truly the apostle Paul was the last of the apostles!

They had borne (#941 - endured), and had patience (#5281 - perseverance), and laboured (#2872 - to feel fatigue; by implication, to work hard; toil) for Christ's name's sake. And they had not fainted (#2577 - become weary).

A trace of the words "fainted" and "weary" throughout Scripture reveal some of the Lord's intended ways for us to refresh our spirits. We are to continually:

• seek God in prayer (Luke 18:1)
• wait upon the Lord (Isaiah 40:31)
• remember that it is He Himself who fights our battles and delivers us from our troubles and distresses (Deuteronomy 20:3-4; Psalm 107:5-6)
• hope and trust in His Word and the promises contained therein (Psalm 119:81)
• study His Word and look to the Scriptures for comfort (Isaiah 50:4-5; Amos 8:11-13)
• look for Jesus Christ throughout the Scriptures (Isaiah 28:9-13, 16; also see Matthew 11:28 and Acts 3:19)
• rely on God's mercy and grace (2 Corinthians 4:1, 16)
• take Christ's yoke of service upon us (Matthew 11:29)
• persevere in well doing (Galatians 6:9)
• keep looking unto Jesus and remembering His example (Hebrews 12:1-3)

All these things the Ephesians no doubt did when their love for Jesus was fervent and fresh, but somewhere along the way they took their eyes off of Him.

Jesus also commended this church for hating the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which He also hates. Nicolaitans comes from two Greek words: Nikao meaning "to conquer" and Laos (laity) meaning "the people". Christ hates those who conquer the people, who rise above His brethren and subdue them. A pastor (shepherd) is to be an example to the flock, not to Lord it over them, but to lead them. (1 Peter 5:3) They are to be in submission to their pastor, but his authority comes solely from the Word of God, and they are to follow him as he follows Christ and preaches the Word - not his own opinions and traditions. (Hebrews 13:7, 17; 1 Corinthians 11:1; 1:17-18; Matthew 15:6) In 3rd John 9-10, we are given a clear example of a "Nicolaitan" in the first-century church: Diotrephes, who loved to have the preeminence and who took on unbiblical authority.

Through the dark ages, we were given an even greater example of the Nicolaitans in the Catholic Church (and in certain Protestant churches) that made an unbiblical distinction between "the clergy and the laity". The clergy, according to them, had the inside favour with God, and who alone could supposedly correctly interpret the Word of God. The common people were held in bondage to this slavish system of works and rituals. Instead of having the freedom to read, study, and believe the Word of God for themselves, they had it taken away from them - and that faithful remnant who chose to preach and preserve this Word (by copying and memorizing it), were persecuted. Many paid the price of their faithfulness with their lives.

You would figure that our modern churches would have learned from this conquering of the people, but the sad fact is that most have not. While many are running back to Rome, others are resisting this Romeward trend; unfortunately, the majority of Christendom is running after new "Bibles" translated from Roman Catholic manuscripts. Now we have modern scholars and translators conquering the common people through their correcting of our Bibles!

In reference to the problem of modern dynamic-equivalent (thought for thought) translations (rather than formal-equivalent, word for word, translations), Leland Ryken stated the following: "The very translators who make so much of the need to translate the Bible into immediately understandable terms, with all interpretive problems removed from readers, have themselves become the counterparts to medieval Roman Catholic priests. By means of preemptive interpretive strikes, these translators take to themselves the power of making readers' minds up for them, deciding for 'ignorant readers' what they think the text means and then doling out only those interpretations that they think correct. The reader is just as surely removed from the words of the text as the medieval Christian was." "Translators have no right to assume the role of priest, doling out the 'right' interpretation to the masses." (Leland Ryken, The Word of God in English, p. 78, 288)

The Catholic church and their Jesuit army have not given up the fight to keep the Bible from the common man; instead they have changed their Bibles, and brainwashed modern Christendom to accept their Nicolaitan philosophy of Bible criticism. The Nicolaitans cry of old was, "You can't read the Bible in your own language! Let us interpret the Bible for you!" Now their cry is, "You can have your own Bible, but let us declare which parts of it are true, and which passages must be corrected in the light of the older and better (need we say, corrupt Catholic) manuscripts!" Truly, what was once a deed (Revelation 2:6) became a doctrine (2:15)!

Warning: They had left their first love. They had become enamoured of things other than the person of Christ. (1 John 2:15-17) They hated false teachers and false teachings, as well they should, but they left their first love - Jesus no longer had the preeminence in their lives. (Psalm 119:104, 127-128; Romans 12:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22)

First love is:

1) The love of espousals. (Jeremiah 2:2)
2) The love of a bridegroom for his bride. (2 Corinthians 11:2)
3) The one thing that the Lord wants more than anything else. (Matthew 22:37-38; John 21:15-17; Deuteronomy 6:4-5)

A generation or two earlier, the Ephesians were commended for their love. (Ephesians 1:15-16) When Paul wrote to the believers at Ephesus, he reminded them of their exalted position in Christ. He told them that they were raised up together and seated in the heavenly places in Christ. (Ephesians 2:6) John simply says, "Thou art fallen." They had fallen from their fellowship with Him and had lost His power and the reality of His presence in their daily lives.

Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent. Before a person can get back to the Lord, he must acknowledge the fact he has fallen (into sin) and remember the place he left Christ. Repent means "a change of mind resulting in a change of conduct", to "turn" from sin and "turn" toward God. Repent and forsake sin. (Proverbs 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.) In the New Testament, the word "confess" means "to be of the same mind about, to agree with." So we can see in 1 John 1:9 that we are to agree with God that we have sinned against Him, agree with Him (and His Word) that whatever sin we had committed was wrong. And the promise here is that if we see our specific sins in the light of God's Word, and turn from them, we will be forgiven and cleansed from our sins.

We can learn from the Scriptural example and admonition in this regard. (1 Corinthians 10:11) In the book of Leviticus (chapters 4 and 5), when the Israelites sinned, they were to confess that specific sin and make restitution for it. Nowhere in the Word of God does it teach a general confession such as is prayed so often in our churches and homes, "Forgive me, Lord, if I've sinned today." That's not repentance - there's no acknowledgement of sin in that kind of confession. Also, the book of Leviticus teaches that the people of God were to confess a sin when it was brought to their attention - whether through preaching, Bible reading, conversation with others, etc. All too often we get religious, hold on to our sin and wait until we "feel" a certain amount of grief for what we have done wrong, before we will confess it and make it right. The Bible exhorts us to make the sin right when it is brought to our attention, not when we are grieved about it. The word "repent" in Greek literally means "a change of MIND", not a change of emotions. We are to make a choice to confess and forsake our sins, whether or not we feel sorrow at that specific time for them.

Jesus told the church at Ephesus to repent, and do the first works. This would mean devoting themselves as earnestly and fervently to the Lord as they were when they first walked with Him. Doing good works for the cause/sake of Christ, compassionately striving to win the lost, loving both God and man (charity), faithfully serving the Lord, diligently studying His Word, fervently and continually praying, among others. (See Revelation 2:19 and Romans 12:9-13) Maintaining a walk with Jesus where He takes first place in our lives. Doing the first works is the only proof that a backslider has repented.

To The Overcomer: To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. To the church at Ephesus (and the individual churches throughout history), the Lord promises that He will give the person that overcomes to eat from the Tree of Life. In Genesis 3:22-24, because of Adam and Eve's disobedience, mankind was denied access to this Tree - which represented eternal life - but now it is promised to all overcomers. Lest we arrive at the unbiblical doctrine of persevering to be saved, Scripture teaches us that we overcome through our faith in Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour. 1 John 5:4-5 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. To be saved and have the Holy Spirit indwelling us is to be an overcomer. (We receive the Holy Spirit when we believe on Jesus Christ as our Saviour. See Ephesians 1:13) In Jesus Christ, positionally, we share in Christ's victory and are overcomers; but practically, our obedience and faithfulness to God's Word will result in our daily overcoming of the world, the flesh, and the devil. (See 1 John 2:14)

Paradise (Heaven) is defined as the dwelling place of God. In Luke 23:43, Jesus told the repentant thief that when he died he would be with Jesus in Paradise. Paul, in 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, referred to Paradise as the third Heaven - the first two, according to the Bible, are as follows: the first heaven is where the birds fly, our atmosphere (Genesis 1:8, 20). The second heaven is the universe where the stars and planets are (Genesis 1:14-18; 2:1). The third Heaven is dwelling in the presence of God. (Hebrews 9:24) After the Millenium, Heaven will be on earth. (See Revelation 21-22)

Spiritually-speaking, Christ is our Tree of Life. It's in Him that we have eternal life; in Him we have abundant life; He is our life. (Colossians 3:4; Philippians 1:21; John 14:19) I believe the primary application of this promise is to have eternal life in Heaven, where we continually have access to the literal and spiritual Trees of Life, and secondarily, I believe that it is a promise to the overcomer that the power and presence of Jesus Christ will be with them in their Christian walk. We know the Lord has promised never to leave us nor forsake us, but we only sense His presence in our daily lives as we walk according to His Word, as we humbly obey Him. (John 14:15, 21, 23; Psalm 91:1; Isaiah 57:15)

A study of the promises to the overcomers in these seven letters will reveal that, although the promises are relevant to the saved (overcomers) of each specific church, they are all applicable to the true children of God throughout the church age. We will dwell with God in Heaven eternally; we will not be hurt by the second death (Hell), our names will not be blotted out of the Book of Life, etc. (These promises will be covered in more depth within the context of their particular letters.)

Prophetic Application: This letter corresponds to that of the Apostolic, first-century church, from Pentecost until the death of the Apostle John (tradition says he died of old age) - approximately, 32-100 A.D. It is the only one of the seven letters that uses the word "apostles" (verse 2). John was the last remaining of the twelve apostles, Peter and Paul (and the others) being martyred thirty years or more prior to him. (See comments above on the requirements for an apostle.)

During the course of the first century church - represented by Ephesus - what was once "desirable" became backslidden, as these believers "let go" of their love for the Lord Jesus Christ and "relaxed" their fervency and devotion to Him. It is interesting to note that the Lord kept His promise in Revelation 2:5, to remove their candlestick (their shining light) out of his place, unless they repented. This threat was carried out less than two centuries later when the city of Ephesus was destroyed by the Goths in 252 A.D.

And throughout history, we see this same warning fulfilled as churches which once stood for the truth of the Scriptures, lost their love and fervency for the Lord, and stopped preaching the Gospel to win the lost. Over time, these churches (if they still remain) became dead husks, dry of spiritual life, empty of spiritual light, dark:

O Ephesus, how you have grown -
Your works of faith and toil are known;
You've persevered, you've shone your light,
You've tested those who were not right;
You've laboured patiently - all for Him;
Yet somehow, somewhere, your love has dimmed.
Once exalted to the place of honour,
But now you've fallen from great heights;
Repent and do the first works or else,
Jesus will remove your candlestick from His sight.

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

May 1st, 2001
Jerry Bouey

The Seven Churches of Revelation 2-3:

Revelation Chapter One - An Overview
Ephesus: The Backslidden (Loveless) Church (This study)
Smyrna: The (Persecuted) Suffering Church
Laodicea: The Lukewarm Church

Revelation Chapter One - An Overview

Note: This is my old study and Introduction to Revelation One and the letters to the seven churches. A greatly expanded commentary on Revelation chapter One (the whole chapter) can be found here:
Commentary On Revelation Chapter One by Jerry Bouey (dated 2025)
Click here for Revelation Commentary Table Of Contents

Revelation Chapter One - An Overview

This chapter marks the background and overview for the letters to the seven churches recorded in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. This introduction and the following studies are based on the King James Bible (KJB).

Revelation 1:1-2. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to shew unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

Verses 1-2: God the Father gave Jesus Christ this revelation, which Jesus then gave to the Apostle John through an angel. Jesus, the second member of the Trinity, took on a human body and became a man in Bethlehem. Now as God and man, He is the perfect (and only) mediator between both. (1 Timothy 2:5) This explains why the Father would give Jesus the book of Revelation to pass on to His Apostle John. This revelation is intended for all His (Jesus') servants, to reveal to them - and to warn and encourage them about - "things which must shortly come to pass."

Revelation 1:3. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Verse 3: Notice the blessing is upon "he that readeth." "Readeth" is in present tense, implying continual reading, not just a quick skimming through of its contents. Many commentators take this to mean the person publicly reading the book of Revelation to a local gathering of believers, but I also believe it refers to any Bible-believer taking the time to diligently study it for himself. (See 2 Timothy 2:15) Contrary to popular opinion, and according to Rev. 22:10, this book was never sealed; God intended His servants to understand it. That is where the studying comes into place. Revelation is the culmination of the whole Bible, especially of Bible prophecy, concluding in the revealing (revelation) of Jesus Christ. There is a saying that the Book of Revelation is the Grand Central Station of the whole Bible, meaning that all the symbolism can be found and explained elsewhere in the Word of God. In 1 Corinthians 2:13, we are told to compare "spiritual things with spiritual"; this means comparing Scripture with Scripture. The Scriptures are the best commentary on themselves, and seeing how the Holy Spirit uses each word or phrase throughout the whole Bible is a better definition than any dictionary. The more you read and study all of Scripture, the more you will understand this book.

The blessing is also upon "they that hear... and keep those things that are written therein." A thoughtful and prayerful reading through of this book will give you a simple overview of events and a basic understanding of how the Lord wants His children to live, though more thorough study will put those events in context with the rest of Scripture.

There are three points I want to make at this time:

1) If you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, until you do, studying this book will be a fruitless exercise for you because you will not have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside you to help you understand it. This is according to what God Himself says in His Word. (1 Corinthians 2:9-14) The only way to remedy that situation is to repent of your sins and to come to Jesus Christ, accept Him as your Lord and Saviour, believing that He died for your sins, that He completely paid the penalty that you could never pay, that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day in fulfilment of the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) The moment you come to Jesus in repentance and faith, the Holy Spirit will seal, indwell, and guide you, to become your permanent Comforter and teacher.

2) All Scripture testifies of Jesus Christ. Our goal is to search the Scriptures to find Him, like treasure hidden in a field. Read the following verses: Matthew 13:44; Luke 24:27, 44-48; Acts 10:43; Hebrews 10:7. Revelation 19:10 also bears this out. "For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." The word "testimony" here is the same word in Greek as "testify" in John 5:39. It means to be a witness of. The way the word "prophecy" is used several other places in Revelation shows that here it is a synonym for the Scriptures. See Revelation 22:18-19. So this passage is teaching that the testimony (witness) of Jesus is the heart (spirit) of the Scriptures. Jesus is also at the heart of the book of Revelation; it is the revelation of Jesus Christ after all.

3) You don't need to understand the whole book of Revelation to obey it. There are many clear commands and admonitions in this book. In James 1:22, we are told to be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Scripture isn't intended to be an intellectual sharpening stone, but a book that we learn from and live by. (See John 13:17) If in all your reading of God's Word your life isn't changed, then you are missing the point of Bible study. (2 Timothy 3:15-17) Jesus promises to give us greater understanding and wisdom if we obey what we already know, if we put into practice what the Holy Spirit teaches us. (Matthew 13:12; 7:24-25)

The word "keep" in this verse is Strong's #5083 and means "to watch; to guard (from loss or injury, properly, by keeping the eye upon.)" Pay attention to what God is saying to you from His Word; keep it by applying it to your life, and then you will be blessed indeed!

Meditating on the Lord's soon return ought to stir you up to greater zeal and faithfulness. Contrast 1 John 3:2-3 with Matthew 24:48-51.
This is the first of seven "blesseds" in the book of Revelation. The other six are found in: 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14. Notice that the second to last one of these seven promises is also a blessing for keeping the Word of God (notice that the word "keepeth" here is the same word as used in 1:3):

Revelation 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

Revelation 1:4-8. John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from Him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before His throne; And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Verses 4-8: Grace and peace to you from the three members of the Godhead:

"From Him which is, and which was, and which is to come" - the Father.

"the seven Spirits which are before His throne" - the Holy Spirit. I believe the seven Spirits refers to the seven-fold attributes of the Holy Spirit found in Isaiah 11:2.

The Spirit of the LORD,
the Spirit of wisdom,
of understanding,
of counsel,
of might,
of knowledge,
of the fear of the LORD.

"and from Jesus Christ" - the Son.

In verse 5, Jesus is declared as Prophet (faithful witness), Priest (the first begotten of the dead - see Hebrews 7:27, 9:24-28 and Romans 4:25), and King (the prince of the kings of the earth. The word for "prince" here is Strong's #758, which means "first in rank or power; ie. chief ruler".)

Two ways that Christ has shown His love for us through His death, burial, and resurrection are: He washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests unto God the Father. Jesus Christ is coming again and all eyes will see Him.

Verse 7 is a quote from Zechariah 12:10, and refers to the fact that Christ's return will affect the whole world, whether mourning in repentance for sins (in the case of the remaining Jews - see Romans 11:26) or wailing in horror at the eternal judgements about to be pronounced on the nations of the world.

Jesus is (notice the seven different names or titles He has here in this first chapter of the book of Revelation):

Alpha and Omega,
the beginning and the ending,
the Lord,
which is, which was, and which is to come,*
the Almighty,
the first and the last, (verse 17) (This is a direct claim to Jesus' Deity - and there is only one true God. See Isaiah 44:6)
He that liveth and was dead... and is alive for evermore (verse 18)

*A comparison of verses 4 and 8 will reveal the Deity of Jesus Christ. In verse 4, God the Father is called "Him which is, and which was, and which is to come." In verse 8, Jesus is called by this same name, thereby giving Jesus equality with the Father.

Revelation 1:9-11. I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

Verses 9-11: Now we come to the background on John the Apostle. He was imprisoned on the Island of Patmos for the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. This, historically, was during the reign of the Roman Caesar, Domitian, in the year A.D. 96. This was the second persecution of Christians by the Roman Caesars; the first was under Nero. (Under Nero's reign, Peter and Paul were both martyred.)

John's vision in the book of Revelation fulfilled, in a way, Jesus' words in John 21:22. While those words may or may not have been prophetic, it is still very interesting that John lived to see (via revelation from God) the physical return of Christ and the coming Millennial kingdom.

John is the only Apostle to have died of old age, the rest of the twelve were martyred for their faith and their testimony about Jesus Christ, beginning with John's own brother, James, who was murdered by Herod (in Acts chapter 12).

The Greek word for "witness" and "testimony" used in the book of Revelation is 'martus' (Strong's #3144, 3141, or a form thereof); from this word we get our English word "martyr". Millions of true Christians throughout history sealed their testimony with their own lives. Three good books to read about this subject are: Foxe's Book of Martyrs by John Foxe; Martyr's Mirror by Thieleman J. van Braght (these two books can be found easily online, and downloadable in pdf format, and Foxe's Book Of Martyrs is included for free in various Bible study programs) ; and Rome and The Bible by David Cloud. I highly recommend brother Cloud's book which traces the history of the Roman Catholic Church and its persecution of the Bible and of Bible believers. This pdf file can be downloaded for free through Way of Life Literature.

Next, John is told to write down the visions that Jesus Christ gave him and send them to the seven churches which are in Asia. These seven are Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. The letters in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 depict these literal, local churches as they were in the first century, with varying degrees of faithfulness and compromise, running the whole spectrum in which any local church throughout time can fall into at any given moment. Each church (and each individual Christian) can examine itself in light of Christ's warnings, exhortations, and praises. A careful study of these churches and a comparison of their descriptions with the eras of church history from the time of Christ until His return again will reveal a prophetic overview of the Church Age. In the Bible, the number seven symbolically represents perfection; fullness; completion. In these seven letters we have a complete overview of church history and its development throughout the centuries from God's perspective.

These periods are as follows (these dates are approximate):

1. Ephesus: 32 - 100 A.D. The Backslidden (Loveless) Church

2. Smyrna: 100 - 312 A.D. The (Persecuted) Suffering Church

3. Pergamos: 312 - 590 A.D. The Compromising Church

4. Thyatira: 590 - 1517 A.D. The Corrupt Church

5. Sardis: 1517 - 1750 A.D. The Dead Church

6. Philadelphia: 1750 - 1881 (or 1900) A.D. The Missionary Church

7. Laodicea: 1881 (or 1900) A.D. - the Tribulation. The Lukewarm Church

Revelation 1:12-18, 20. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and His eyes were as a flame of fire; And His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters. And He had in His right hand seven stars: and out of His mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in My right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Verses 12-18, 20: But before Christ gives His descriptions of the seven churches, He reveals His glorified self to His beloved Apostle. Though John was Jesus' closest friend, during His 3 1/2 years of ministry, and had previously caught a glimpse of Jesus' glory on the Mount of Transfiguration, he still fell at Jesus' feet as though dead. To comfort John, Jesus laid His right hand on him and told him to fear not.

Notice: when a person (especially a believer) is truly given a glimpse of the utter holiness and the glory of God, they are overwhelmed by their utter unworthiness and sinfulness, they are not lighthearted and frivolous. (See also Exodus 3:6; Isaiah 6:5; Luke 5:8; Acts 9:6.)

Here is what John saw: one like unto the Son of Man in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks (which are the seven churches - see verse 20). Jesus was holding in His right hand - the place of honour - seven stars, which represent the angels of the seven churches. The Greek word for "angel" (Strong's #32) also means "messenger", and is so translated seven times in the KJV. An angel is a messenger, one who is sent by God. In this case, the angels (messengers) refers to the pastors of the seven churches, to which each of the letters in chapters 2 and 3 are addressed. (See also Malachi 2:7.) In other words, Jesus was in the midst of His churches, and was holding the pastors (angels) in His right hand, in the place of honour.

It is interesting to note that John calls Jesus "one like unto the Son of Man." (See also Rev. 14:14.) Before Jesus' incarnation, Daniel also referred to Christ in this way in Daniel 7:13. In Daniel's time, Jesus may have revealed Himself as He would look six hundred years later when He would be incarnated in a human body. In the Old Testament (especially the book of Ezekiel), the term "son of man" was simply a reference to a human being. In His years of public ministry, Jesus referred many times to Himself as the Son of Man, giving this term the further connotation of Messiah - God's Anointed one who would be both God and man, in fulfilment of many O.T. prophecies. In A.D. 96, over sixty years later, John saw one like unto the Son of Man. Jesus was then (and forever will be) both God and man, but now in heaven He is glorified once again, bearing a recognizable, though changed, appearance.

All symbolism used throughout the book of Revelation is found elsewhere in the Word of God. A Strong's Concordance or good Bible program can easily help you find many other references where each item, name, and description are used elsewhere throughout the Bible. Prayerful study will reveal what God intends to convey by using each symbol in this book.

Note: I want to caution all readers against making everything in the book of Revelation into a symbol.

1st point: There is much in these 22 chapters that is plain and literal (like the New Jerusalem; the new heaven and earth; the thousand-year reign of Christ, the 144,000 sealed Jews, etc.), and even in some passages where obvious symbolism is used, there is still a literal event going on. (Like in Revelation 6:12-13 where the sun becomes black as sackcloth of hair, the moon becomes as blood, and the stars of heaven fall to the earth. This means the sun will literally turn black, but its colour will be like that of black sackcloth made of hair. In chapters 8, 9, and 16, "like" and "as" are used many times as comparisons.) By studying the rest of Scripture, you will realize that some of these events are also described elsewhere. (See Matthew 24:29 and Joel 2:31. Another example: compare Revelation 14:14-20 with Joel 3:12-15.)

One reason that I believe that the trumpet and vial judgements are real, literal events is because they are basically the same as the plagues that God (through Moses) poured out on Egypt, except now they are on a world-wide level instead of a local level. Check it out. Why would God perform literal, miraculous acts of judgement on Egypt 3500 years ago, and then use the same descriptions in regards to His end-time judgements, if He did not also mean to teach us that these plagues would also be literal? Romans 15:4 and 1 Corinthians 10:11 teach us that the Scriptures were given to us to learn from past examples and events. By seeing how God has worked in the past, we get a glimpse of how He will work in the future.

2nd point: Look how Scripture defines Scripture, how God in His own Word explains what He means by a symbol. Some examples of this can be found in Revelation 1:20 and 17:7, 9-12, 15, 18. Passages like these remove much of the guesswork out of prophecy, and help you sort out false interpretations. Because the Lord Jesus said in 1:20, that the candlesticks stand for the churches, I don't need to search out another meaning. It would be pretty foolish of God to define a symbol by a symbol. (Please note previous comment about the word "angel." In this case the word has a double meaning.) He meant for His children to understand His Word - how else could we keep the sayings of the prophecy of this book? (Rev. 22:6) "For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance." Matthew 13:12 "He who hath ears to hear, let him hear."

Determine what the symbolism is, see how that word (or phrase) is used elsewhere in Scripture, and then see how that symbol fits into the passage you are studying. Let Scripture define and explain Scripture, and always seek the Holy Spirit's understanding and wisdom.

Notice the following seven-fold description of Christ in this chapter, and see how other passages of the Bible itself open up this symbolism for us.

Symbolism Explained:

1. Girt about the paps (chest) with a golden girdle.
- Jesus was dressed like a high priest. See Exodus 28:4
- Gold many times in Scripture symbolizes Jesus' deity, especially in reference to the tabernacle system.

2. His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow.
- White hair represents wisdom. Proverbs 16:31
- Also represents sinlessness, purity. Isaiah 1:18; John 14:30

3. His eyes were as a flame of fire.
- Christ's omniscience. His ability to know, see and judge all things. Jeremiah 32:19; Hebrews 4:13
- The judging power of God's Word. Jeremiah 23:29; Hebrews 4:12

4. His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace.
- Brass=judgement in reference to its use in the tabernacle, on the sacrificial altar and in the implements. Exodus 27:1-4
- Symbolic of judging and crushing Jesus' enemies underneath His feet. Romans 16:20; 1 Corinthians 15:25

5. His voice as the sound of many waters.
- God's glory. Ezekiel 43:2; 1:24 Also Revelation 17:15; Daniel 10:6 As Niagara Falls would drown out any sounds that we could make, so God's glory thunders and drowns out everything else.

6. Out of His mouth went a sharp twoedged sword.
- The Word of God; the Sword of the Spirit. Hebrews 4:12; Ephesians 6:17

7. His countenance was as the sun shineth* in his strength.
- The brightness of Christ's glory. 1 Timothy 6:16; Matthew 17:2; Mark 9:3; Acts 9:3-9; Revelation 21:23
- *The verb ending "eth" indicates ongoing action. Jesus' glory was only glimpsed temporarily by Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Transfiguration - shining for a time, but then veiled to man after that; however, now in Heaven, Jesus' glory is no longer veiled or hidden; it is revealed forever (and this is the glory He had before He came down to earth to take on a human body, His glory which is now shining forevermore). See also John 17:5.

I find it so comforting to know that Christ alone holds the keys of hell and of death. My times are in His hands. Truly if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground apart from the will of the Father, I know that even if I am to die for my witness of Jesus Christ, it will only be in God's perfect timing and completely in His sovereign control. I cannot die until God wills to take me home!

Revelation 1:19. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

Verse 19: Final comment about chapter one: God even tells us how to rightly divide the book of Revelation.

The things which thou hast seen - this vision of Jesus glorified (chapter 1).

The things which are - the Church Age. (Historic and Prophetic, chapters 2-3).

The things which shall be hereafter (after the Church Age) - the Tribulation (Revelation chapters 4-19), the Millennium (chapter 20), and eternity in the new heaven and new earth (chapters 21-22).

Jerry Bouey

More studies in this series:
Ephesus - The Backslidden (Loveless) Church
Smyrna - The Persecuted (Suffering) Church
Laodicea - The Lukewarm Church