Revelation 1:1 (NLT) sets the theme for the entire Book: “This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place.” The Book of Revelation is the revelation of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He’s revealed it to increase our knowledge regarding his Lordship and to show us, his servants, the events that will take place in the future. John 1:14 clearly states that Jesus Christ is the Word of God made flesh, and John 6:35 tells us that he is the bread of life. Learning about him sustains and enriches our lives, and as his brothers and sisters, our understanding would be incomplete without knowing as much about the end as we know about the beginning.
In Revelation 2:1 (NLT), Jesus instructed the Apostle John: “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Ephesus. This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands.” This church in Ephesus is the same one that Paul, who wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, addressed in his epistle to the Ephesians, many years before John was instructed by Christ to write the Book of Revelation. The connection between the epistle to the Ephesians and the message here in Revelation shows us the continuous and evolving nature of the church’s relationship with Christ over time.
In this verse, the seven stars represent the angels or messengers of the seven churches, and the lampstands symbolize the seven churches themselves. Our Lord and Savior is King of kings and Lord of lords. He is the head and we are his body. As believers, we’re his church; we belong to him, and he has an extremely important message for us. Revelation 2 begins the series of his letters to the seven churches that existed during the time John was instructed to record all that he heard from Christ. These seven churches represent Christ’s corporate church—the entire body of believers, and the messages in these letters hold timeless relevance for us today.
In John 10:11 (NLT), our Master Jesus declared, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.” This powerful statement reveals the depth of his commitment and love for us, and it is shown through his ultimate sacrifice on the cross. Through the life of His only begotten Son, God paid the highest price that could be paid for the cleansing of our sin. Jesus wasn't forced to give his life for us; he offered it freely because of his great love for us all. As his sheep, Revelation 2 shows this shepherding love in action. This chapter reassures us of Christ’s vigilant oversight and presence in our lives. In his letters, he encourages and commends us for our strengths and faithful actions, while also lovingly challenging us to address and correct our shortcomings before it is too late.
His Message to the Church in Ephesus
God never forgets what we do for Him. Jesus Christ said to the church in Ephesus in Revelation 2:2 (NLT), “I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars.” In this verse, Jesus isn’t referring to their secular jobs or work for compensation. He’s talking about their dedication to advancing God’s Kingdom—sharing the gospel, serving others, and opposing false teachings. He also commends their patient endurance, a term used to describe the suffering and persecution believers often face simply for being associated with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
In many ways, the church in Ephesus was on point. They didn’t tolerate the foolishness of those who claimed to be about Christ but really weren’t about that life. They put these folks to the test, discerning when false apostles were in their midst. As believers today, we should recognize that many claim to be sent from above but are not. They are trying to sell a mix of worldly practices that society overwhelmingly embraces with just a sprinkle of God’s Word here and there. This is not the Gospel, and we must know and understand God’s Word so that we can discern the difference.
We must also pay close attention to the authoritative manner in which Jesus Christ addresses the church. God’s judgment is soon to go forth, and our Redeemer’s tone represents the urgency and seriousness of his call. While there were aspects of the church in Ephesus that pleased him, there was also a very serious issue that did not, and he is delivering a straightforward rebuke. He told them in Revelation 2:4-5 (NLT), “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.”
In light of Jesus' message to the church in Ephesus, we're reminded of the crucial balance between staying true to our faith and keeping our love for God and each other strong. The Ephesians were great at standing firm against false teachings and enduring challenges, but they’d lost the passionate love they once had for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and for each other. As believers today, we need to ask ourselves if we're at risk of the same thing.
In Mark 12:30 (NLT), Jesus commands us, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” This isn’t just about knowing the right things or doing good deeds; it’s about having a heart that loves Jesus deeply and sincerely. We should take this as a call to go back to our first devotion and love for Christ and for one another, ensuring our actions come from a place of genuine affection and commitment. In a world full of distractions, tricks and plots of the enemy, and a bombardment of false teaching and messages, let’s return to our first love. Let’s stand boldly on God’s Word and live out our faith with renewed passion and a genuine desire to please God. ■
Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
"Revelation 2-Part A: You’ve Left Your First Love”, written for victoryinjesuschrist.life. Copyright© 2024. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
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