From here to the end of Revelation 6 we see Jesus truths on His judgements on the work of the devil and revealing the present eternal reality of heaven now, and building to the awesome truth of the COVID WAR of the Savage Riders in Revelation 6.
Revelation 2
To the Church in Ephesus
1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.
2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.
3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.
5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
6 But you have this in your favour: you hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
J D Douglas, Editor New Bible Dictionary has in-depth descriptions of the locations of the seven churches at John’s time. I give brief comments on the main points subject to Jesus’ concerns. The aim is to keep it simple. The Book of Revelation was written for each Christian’s lifetime of faithfulness, obedience and perseverance to the end of earthly life. To glorify Jesus and enjoy him forever.
2:1 Jesus holds seven stars – right hand, signifying strength in Jesus’ right hand – church leaders – golden lampstands – seven churches in Asia.
2:2 Jesus knows their hard work and perseverance – their testing – their rejection of wickedness – the Nicolaitans. Jesus has words against them. First love forsaken. From zeal to formality? Like liberalism, traditionalism in some churches today? A great danger.
2:5 Remove lampstand – Jesus leaves through faithlessness.
2:7 Overcomes – eat from tree of life.
The temple of Artemis was in this ‘free’ city – a Roman ‘free’ city. Near the temple was a tree of asylum for criminals. They congregated there to ensure freedom. Jesus encourages them to remember true freedom only in Him (John 8:32, 36) and to remember the ‘tree of life’ in Glory and be faithful and obedient. (Genesis 2:9; Revelation 22:2, 14, 19).
Each letter is to the angel – the messenger in each church. In each church respectively there are “words” from Jesus, the Living Word.
Revelation 2
To the Church in Smyrna
8 “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.
9 I know your afflictions and your poverty – yet you are rich: I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.
11 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.
John’s Reflection Concerning His Time and/or All Lifetimes
At Smyrna
2:8 First and last – died and rose.
2:9 Jesus knows their afflictions. Jesus has nothing against them. He knows it is a free Roman city – a city of beautiful planning and architecture. A rich city, a maritime hub for commerce. It had temples to Apollo, Asklepios, Aphrodite and Cybele cults. Jesus knew of Jewish stand towards Christians – from synagogue of Satan! In their lifetime they were to suffer. The Jews had protected status with Rome and paid special temple taxes, and did not have to worship the Emperor. Thus Christians were vulnerable and were slandered. Bishop Polycarp was burnt there.
2:10 Jesus says be faithful to death and receive the ‘crown of life’. The emblem for Smyrna was a crown. There is no fear from the second death for the elect (1 Corinthians 9:25).
To the Church in Pergamum
12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.
13 I know where you live – where Satan has his throne.
Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city – where Satan lives.
14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality.
15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.
John’s Reflection Concerning His Time and/or All Lifetimes
At Pergamum
2:12 “…the sharp, double-edged sword”. Jesus used this term as this city was the capital of Asia at the time and the Roman governor resided there. It was the seat of power – thus a religious centre – temples to Zeus, Athena, Dionysus and Asklepios were there. In 29BC Augustus approved of a temple to himself there. The Roman gladiator sword was not equivalent to the eternal power of Jesus. They all had to answer to Jesus for judgement for eternity!
2:13 “…true to my Name …” The joy of trusting and obeying Jesus through dreadful persecution, tribulation, even to death. But then eternal life with Jesus.
2:14 “…against you… some… hold to teachings of Balaam…” Return to paganism. Same for immorality of Nicolaitans.
2:16f “…Repent…” or reject the “hidden manna” – Jesus who is unseen to the pagan world (Rom 3:10-12) but who is the bread of life in each generation of the elect – each lifetime. Revelation is about the ‘now’ – each day in our journey with Jesus.
A white stone – personally engraved and known by Jesus and the owner – an individual admission to Glory. “…sword of my mouth…” – simply the word of Jesus – the Living Word (John 1:1; Revelation 5:5-6, 19:21).
To the Church in Thyatira
18 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.
19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.
20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.
21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.
22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways.
23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you,
25 except to hold on to what you have until I come.’
26 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations –
27 that one ‘will rule them with an iron sceptre and will dash them to pieces like pottery’ – just as I have received authority from my Father.
28 I will also give that one the morning star.
29 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
John’s Reflection Concerning His Time and/or All Lifetimes
At Thyatira
Founded by Seleucus I (311-280BC) – military outpost – many trade guilds (home of Lydia (Acts 16:14)).
2:18 “eyes…blazing feet…burnished bronze…”
In Daniel 10:4-6 a vision of the reality of Revelation 1:12-16 – the Eternal Second Person of Yahweh – Jesus. Lord of eternity.
2:19 Jesus commends service and perseverance. No mention of severe persecution but being a member of a guild may have required involvement in Emperor cult worship.
2:20 Jezebel, a teacher of Balaam, was leading the church astray, likened to Jezebel (1 Kings 16:31). 2:22- 24 Secret rites worshipping Satan, Jesus knows our heart (Mark 2:8).
2:28 “Morning Star” – mentioned by original Balaam who mentioned this in an oracle (Numbers 24:17). This is Jesus (2 Peter 1:9; Revelation 22:26).
Revelation 3
To the Church in Sardis
1 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive but you are dead.
2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God.
3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.
4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.
5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels.
6 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
John’s Reflection Concerning His Time and/or All Lifetimes
At Sardis
Sardis was a wealthy city because of its central location and fertile soil. Built on a ridge it had control over surrounding areas.
3:1 A stern rebuke from Jesus – dead!
Was it false teaching or persecution? Like some churches, denominations today there is much activity but simply no Spirit filled worship, only liberal traditionalism. Some churches are run like businesses where the heresy of the prosperity gospel is always preached causing Christians who are in hard times to feel that the Lord has abandoned them. This author knows of a case where a woman gave all her savings to a miracle offering and lost her husband and home. This is always a difficult personal area.
3:4 “soiled their clothes…” a reference to moral compromise, again very similar to the liberal church today who say homo- sexuality is alright. It is evil (Romans 1:24ff; 1 Corinthians 6:9ff; cf 2 Peter 3:16).
3:5 Those faithful and obedient to Jesus are acknowledged before the Father. This is true righteousness. God’s righteousness is to do with His commitment to do for those faithful what they cannot do themselves – it’s to do with His rescue and acquittal of the elect before the Father.
The Father sees Jesus in us and us in Jesus (Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 1:9-2:6; Mark
8:38).
To the Church in Philadelphia
7 “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.
8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.
9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars – I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.
10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.
11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.
13 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
John’s Reflection Concerning His Time and/or All Lifetimes
At Philadelphia
3:7-8 “…Him…holy and true…holds
the Key of David…” Controls the open door and the door (John 10:7, cf Revelation 3:20).
3:9 “…synagogue of Satan…” Jews who are not of God’s chosen nation – His treasure – the House of Israel. The “Jews” were the teachers of the Law, Scribes, Pharisees, who were false – they were a source of great trouble to the Christians. Remember the Jews, under the Roman law, could pay taxes to be basically independent of the worship of the Emperor cult. Probably there was concern by the Roman pagans of the dreadful earthquakes (eg, AD17) which did alleviate persecution by focus on rebuilding – even to Domitian’s reign in AD92.
3:12 With all the re-building Jesus promises the elect who overcome to be “a pillar in the temple of my God…”
3:13 Jesus encourages, through the Holy Spirit, for us to listen. So what is different in our individual lifetimes as we serve our Lord and Saviour.
To the Church in Laodicia
14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicia write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.
15 I know your deeds, that your are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were one or the other!
16 So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realise that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fires, so you can become rich; the white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eye so you can see.
19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.
20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.
22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
John’s Reflection Concerning His Life and/or All Lifetimes
At Laodicea
3:14 “…the Amen…faithful and true witness…ruler of God’s creation…”
The Apostle Paul identifies Jesus similarly (Colossians 1:18). As in Sardis there seems to be no persecution from adherence to the Emperor–cult. As in 3:1-2 apathy and a dull routine in worship and daily life self-revelation.
3:15-16 Jesus knows their “deeds…neither cold nor hot…”
Again it is important to remember Jesus knows our hearts and words (Psalm 139:1-4; Mark 2:8). What a dreadful situation to be in with the Lord Jesus. Causing the Lord to vomit.
3:17 -18 Physical and Spiritual Condition. Physical – Spiritual
Deeds – hot – cold Lukewarm, weary, mediocre
No needs, support selves, proud, rich – did not need help from Rome. Wretched, pitiful in spirit
Rich – wealthy banking centre, able to pay for reconstruction of huge earthquake AD60 Poor in spirit
Blind – yet had produced effective eye medication Spiritually blind – not ‘seeing’ Jesus
Naked – good textile industry. Poor, shameful, character Jesus – counsels – Vs 18.
3:20 The wonderful truth to counsel those back-sliding (cf Hebrews 13:5).
3:21 Jesus’ encouragement and counsel to overcome is quoted in each letter (Revelation 2:7, 11; 2:17; 2:26;3:3; 3:12; 3:21).
Also the wonderful truth – not only with Jesus (Philippians 1:23) but to sit with Him – Jesus who overcame all (John 16:33). We take heart!