Revelation 2

The Seven Churches (Revelation 2-3)

The first chapter has presented to us the vision of 1 Christ, the Son of Man, in His character as Judge, forming the first division of the Revelation, spoken of in verse 19 as "The things which thou hast seen." In the second and third chapters there passes before us "The things which are." It is plain, from Revelation 1: 4, 11, and 20, that the Revelation was addressed to seven churches existing in the days of the Apostles in a province of Asia Minor. But it can hardly be questioned that these particular churches were selected in order to present pictures of the moral conditions that would successively develop in the Christian profession from the days of the Apostles until the close of the church period. Thus, "the things which are" prophetically present the whole period of the church's history on earth. Moreover, these seven churches are seen under the symbol of seven candlesticks. This surely indicates that these addresses view the church in its responsibility to be a light for Christ in the time of His absence.

Further, we see that the Lord is presented as walking in the midst of the churches as the Judge, to discover how far the Church has answered to its responsibility to shine for Christ. From these addresses we learn that the church, as with all others, would utterly break down in responsibility. We see the root of all the failure exposed, its progress traced through the ages, and its end foretold when the professing church will be utterly rejected as nauseous to Christ. Nevertheless, in the midst of all the failure we learn there is that which the Lord approves, and that it is possible for the individual to overcome that which the Lord condemns; and to such there are special promises of blessing.

How encouraging that, in the closing days of Christendom, we are not left to form our own judgment of the evils of Christendom, nor of that which has the approval of the Lord in the midst of failure. In these addresses we have the mind of the Lord. In each address we have the exhortation, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." How deeply important then that we should listen to the Lord's words, recorded by the Spirit, and thus learn the Lord's mind for the individual in a day of ruin. If, however, we speak of the ruin of the church, let us ever remember, as it has been said, that, "as regards the purpose of God the church cannot be ruined, but as regards its actual present condition as a testimony for God on earth it is in ruin."

Further, if we own the ruin of the church in responsibility let us beware of being content with the knowledge that as believers our salvation is sure, and remain listlessly indifferent to the Lord's mind for us in the midst of the ruin. Let us beware of thinking, as one has said, "that the power of the Lord is enfeebled when there is actual present ruin. His working will be according to the state the church is in, not the state she is not in.... What we want is ... real practical faith in the application of the resources of God to meet present circumstances.... Living faith sees not only the need but also the thoughts and mind of the Lord about that need, and counts on the present love of the Lord." With the desire to know His mind may we consider the addresses to the seven churches and thus refuse all that the Lord condemns while seeking to answer to that which has His approval.

(1) The Address to the Church in Ephesus (Rev. 2: 1-7)

In this address, may we not say that we have a presentation of the church, as seen by Christ in the closing days of the apostles? In each address it will be found that the Lord presents Himself in a character that corresponds to the condition of the church. At this early stage of the church's history there were no outward signs of departure. Christ is still seen as the One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, and walks in the midst of the churches. Does this not indicate that those who were set in subordinate authority under the guidance of the Lord to represent His interests in the assembly, were still held in His power and under His direction? Moreover, the Lord was still able to walk in the midst of the churches, and not outside the door as in Laodicea.

In this early stage of the church's history there was still much that the Lord could approve. The saints were marked by labour and endurance in the Lord's service. They had borne trial for Christ's Name, and had not wearied. They had resisted every attack of Satan from without to corrupt the church by false pretension and evil deeds.

Nevertheless, while outwardly blameless, the Lord, who knows the heart, has to say, "I have against thee, that thou hast left thy first love." Here we have the root of all failure in the church in responsibility. One has said, "What injures and finally ruins, is invariably from within, not from without. In vain does Satan seek to cast down those who, resting on Christ's love, have Him as the loved object of their life and soul." Having lost their first love for Christ, the Lord has to pronounce the solemn words, "Thou art fallen." However outwardly blameless their testimony might be before the world, the church was a fallen church in the sight of the Lord. The warning follows that unless there was repentance their candlestick would be removed. If the first love for Christ was lost, the light before men would fail.

What is true of the church as a whole, is surely true in the history of any local assembly, as, indeed, of each individual believer. The root of all failure is within, in the heart, and unless there is repentance the outward testimony will, in the government of God, cease to have any power. Nevertheless, if, as we know, there was no recovery on the part of the church as a whole, it was possible for individuals to overcome this solemn inward failure and to maintain first love to Christ. To such the Lord would reveal Himself as the Tree of Life — the hidden source of spiritual sustenance in the paradise of God, where no enemy will ever intrude to draw our hearts from Christ.

(2) The Address to the Church in Smyrna (Rev. 2: 8-11)

This address would surely indicate the days of persecution that we know the church was allowed to pass through after its declension from apostolic purity. The Lord presents Himself in a way that would be of the deepest encouragement to saints that were being persecuted, even to death. He is before all that rise up against His people, and will remain when the persecutors have for ever passed away. If the saints are called to face death let them remember that Christ has been into death and lives. In Smyrna we see the fresh evils by which the church was attacked; the tribulation the Lord allowed to arrest these growing evils; and the devotedness of individual overcomers who, in the midst of persecution, were faithful unto death.

In this period of the church's history the effort of Satan to corrupt the church and mar all testimony took a twofold form. Firstly, there was the rise of the corrupting influence, within the Christian circle, of those who sought to add Judaism to Christianity. Secondly, opposition was raised to Christianity from without by Gentile persecutors. Both evils are traced to Satan. Regarding the judaising teachers, as long as the apostles were on earth all Satan's efforts to have Judaism recognised in the church of God were frustrated. After their departure there arose not only judaising individuals, but a definite party, here called the synagogue of Satan, that sought to attach the forms, ceremonies, and principles of Judaism to Christianity. This evil has been working ever since, so that to-day the Christian profession has lost its true heavenly character and become a great worldly system with magnificent buildings, and forms, and ceremonies, that appeal to the natural man after the pattern of the Jewish system.

In the presence of this grave departure the Lord allowed the church to pass through a period of persecution that brought to light, in the midst of the increasing darkness, those who were true to Himself, being "faithful unto death." Such have the assurance of the Lord that He is over all, and has set a limit to the sufferings of His people. He will reward their faithfulness unto death with a crown of life, and the promise that, though they may pass through death, they will never "be hurt of the second death."

(3) The Address to the Church in Pergamos (Rev. 2: 12-17)

In this address we see the further departure of the professing church that followed the days of persecution, and that was the outcome of the teaching and practices of the judaising party within the profession. To the Christian profession of this period the Lord presents Himself as the One with "the sharp sword with two edges." The solemn condition of the church is exposed by the cutting edge of the word of God. To link Judaism with Christianity is an attempt to accommodate Christianity to the world by the adoption of that which appeals to the sight and sense of the natural man. It ends not in drawing people out of the world, but in leading the Christian profession into the world. So the Lord has to say to the church of this period, "I know where thou dwellest, even where Satan's throne is." Where we dwell is a serious indication of what our hearts desire. To dwell where Satan's throne is would surely indicate a state of heart that desires to dwell under the patronage and glitter of a world of which Satan is the prince.

Nevertheless, though seeking the patronage of the world, at this period of the church's history, the great cardinal truths as to the Person and work of Christ were still maintained, for the Lord can say, "Thou holdest fast my Name and hast not denied my faith." As we know, councils were held which refused every effort of Arianism to deny the deity of Christ, and which asserted the great truths of the faith in the face of persecution and martyrdom.

Notwithstanding this measure of faithfulness to Christ and the faith, the church, having fallen under the patronage of the world, adopted the methods of the world and fell under the evils that marked Balaam of old. There arose in the professing church a class of men who, like that wicked man, turned ministry into a profitable profession and thus linked the church with the world and robbed it of its true position of a chaste virgin espoused to Christ. This, again, opened the door to Nicolaitanism, which apparently was the Antinomian doctrine that held the practical life of godliness to be of little account, seeing the believer is justified by faith. This was turning the grace of God into lasciviousness. Against such the Lord would use the two-edged sword of the word that truly tells us of the grace of God, but also warns us that "our God is a consuming fire."

The overcomer that refused to settle down in the world seeking public approval by adopting its methods would be rewarded with the secret approval of the Lord, and be sustained by Christ as "the hidden manna," who, in His pathway through this world, was a stranger with not where to lay His head.

(4) The Address to the Church in Thyatira (Rev. 2: 18-29)

Can it be questioned that in this address we have a forecast of the condition of the professing church in medieval times? The Lord is presented as the Son of God with eyes like unto a flame of fire, discerning all evil, and with feet like fine brass, prepared to act against the evil. The Lord's words indicate that at this period the professing church had two outstanding marks. Firstly, on the part of many there was great devotedness expressed by their works, love, faith, service, and endurance. Does not history confirm the Lord's words, for we know that in spite of much ignorance and superstition there were, during the middle ages, a great number of individuals marked by personal devotedness, unsparing self-denial, and patient suffering for Christ's sake.

Secondly, in spite of this devotedness on the part of individuals, the Lord's words indicate that at this period the professing church reached "the depths of Satan." For then it was there came to the fore that fearful system known as the Papacy, and symbolised by "that woman Jezebel." In this system we see the exaltation of the flesh, for this woman "calleth herself a prophetess." The church takes the place of a teacher to enunciate doctrine, leading to an unholy alliance with the world, and the setting up of a system of idolatry in the worship of images and saints. Here we see a great advance on the evil in Pergamos. There the church was settling down under the patronage of the world where Satan is enthroned. In Thyatira we see that the outcome of dwelling in the world is that the professing church seeks to exalt itself by ruling over the world and pandering to its lusts. The outcome of this fearful system is a generation within the professing church that comes under the sentence of death, and the searching judgments of the Lord, according to their works.

Nevertheless, in the presence of this corrupting system of evil the Lord had a remnant, who were personally free from its teaching, and strangers to the depths of Satan into which it had fallen. Such were not to look for any repentance or reformation in this awful system, but to hold fast to the truth they had until the Lord comes. Then they will have their reward. Having refused to reign in the world during the absence of Christ, they will rule in power over the nations in the day of His glory. In the meantime the overcomer will know Christ as the Morning Star — the One who lives for His people in all their trials, before the day dawns when He will come forth as the Sun of righteousness.

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