THE STATE OF THE CHURCH
So I would like to consider, and have us all deeply consider,
the spiritual weaknesses of the Church of God—of these "churches"—amidst
its strengths, as diagnosed by Jesus Christ, reflect on His rebuke
and His admonition as they may relate to us today and examine
the promises made by Him to the overcomer who does indeed take
to heart the diagnosis, the warnings and the encouragement. Christ's
promises to those who overcome, wonderful promises which should
motivate and inspire us, are rich in symbolism and provide us
with a little more insight into the glorious inheritance in store
for those who do indeed endure to the end.
What is of course promised to the overcomer in each of the typical
Churches is a promise to all who overcome. But let us also analyse
the promises made in the context of what is to be overcome.
EPHESUS AND THE TREE OF LIFE
So we might begin by asking ourselves, What practices and teaching
are we tolerating that is causing evil to insinuate itself into
the Church and prevail over the saints? How much do we hate evil
and evil works and teaching?
Here the Church can indeed demonstrate the works of the faith.
Yet, all of its doctrinal purity notwithstanding, it has left
its first love (v 4), linked in verse 5 to the "first works"
of the Church:
Could this happen to us? We pride ourselves on the fact that all
that is aired publicly from the Word of God is subject to scrutiny
and, if necessary, to censure—which is as it should be. In the
process, however, could we be missing a vital component? What
are our motives for our quest to keep the truth of God from being
polluted? Are they also pure?
Let us then notice the promise made to the Church, "to him
who overcomes":
If our zeal for the unpolluted Word of God is godly, then our
quest to uphold it will accord with the good works of the faith.
So what is the status of our first love? Which of our "first
works" has diminished because of neglect and is in need of
rekindling? Is our vision of access to the tree of life and the
New Jerusalem strong enough to motivate us to renew our commitment?
SMYRNA AND THE CROWN OF LIFE
The Church is here depicted as poor—in a rich city—but as spiritually-rich
(cf. Jas 2:5)—in contrast, as we will see, with Laodicea, physically
wealthy but spiritually impoverished—and is undergoing great opposition
and persecution which seem to have intensified its poverty. It
has been argued that there is no condemnation for the Church of
God here, and as also portrayed by Philadelphia. Is this so? True,
neither of the two are explicitly urged by Christ to "repent".
Yet is there therefore nothing specific that has to be "overcome"?
Let us notice:
Then again follow Christ's promises to those who overcome:
The promise is similar, the symbolism different. This imagery
of the crown was well-known because of the games at Smyrna and
elsewhere in which the prize consisted of a garland. Indeed, there
was a Smyrnaean custom of bestowing a crown as a posthumous honour
to distinguished citizens. The crown of life is awarded to the
saints for their victory in the race. Paul calls it our "crown
of righteousness" (2Ti 4:8), Peter the unfading "crown
of glory" (1Pe 5:4). It is our glorious reward for righteousness,
awarded to us by the Righteous Judge:
PERGAMUM: THE HIDDEN MANNA & THE WHITE STONE
The Church condition typified by Pergamum is one of faithfulness,
of holding fast to the Name of the Son of God, especially during
a time of great persecution (Rev 2:13), for which it is commended.
The promises to the overcomer in this instance are two-fold:
The true manna, the bread or food of angels (Ps 78:25), the true
bread of God, the ultimate gift of the self-sustaining eternal
life which God gives (Jn 5:26) is Christ himself, He whose life
on earth was morally excellent, and yet "hidden" from
the eyes of men. He is the Bread of God which
comes down from heaven:
Jesus Christ is promised—now and forever—to the overcomer. This
is the true food provided to us through our special fellowship
with the Son of God. Ours for the asking are the unsearchable
riches of Christ, "in whom are hidden all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge" (Col 2:3), and through Whom God's secret,
hidden wisdom is unveiled, as Paul puts it in 1Co 2:7-9 and Eph
3:8-11. This, the nature and the truths of the Mystery of God,
is ours to discover and to uncover, if we are so willing. Are
we being nourished on the true spiritual food provided by Jesus
Christ?
Also promised is a 'white stone':
The white stone was regarded also as a mark of well-being and
happiness. In a certain royal assembly possession of a stone entitled
one to free entertainment. We are further informed that festal
days were noted by a white "stone", days of calamity
by a black. A host's appreciation of a special guest was indicated
by a white stone with the name or a message written on it. For
us, this stone is our victory stone, our ticket of admission to
the Messianic Banquet, our new name, indicating our new status,
giving us the right and authority to be in attendance at the Wedding
Supper of the Lamb!
THYATIRA: AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS; THE MORNING STAR
Christ's introductory commendation of His Church as typified by
Thyatira is even more lavish than that of Ephesus!
Then follows Christ's rebuke:
The saints will have this authority bestowed upon them just Christ
was granted such authority by His Father.
Then the promise is made of "the morning star", of Christ
Himself, to the overcomer:
SARDIS: WHITE GARMENTS
The Church—as a whole here, with only a few exceptions (Rev 3:4)—partakes
of the character of the city, a city, as one scholar (W. M. Ramsay)
has put it "whose name was almost synonymous with pretensions
unjustified, promise unfulfilled, appearance without reality,
confidence which heralded ruin." During a time of freedom
from persecution there is spiritual decay amidst peace—the peace
of the cemetery, as it has been described—and a misplaced pride
in things past, false feelings of self-sufficiency, and arrogance.
The Church as a whole is like a living corpse.
White robes, or garments, are promised to him who overcomes:
This language in Revelation is linked back to the "bright"
of Christ as the Morning Star (Rev 22:16), and the same word is
used to describe Christ's dazzling raiment in the vision of His
transfiguration (Lk 9:27-32). It is this glory that we, too, will
put on. To quote again from the prophet Daniel:
PHILADELPHIA: A PILLAR IN THE TEMPLE & A TRIPLE NAME
The claim is consistently made that in this instance the Church
is only commended by Christ—and it is indeed praised for holding
true to Christ's Name and His Word (v 8), and for its patient
endurance.
Note the first promise to the overcomer:
LAODICEA: SITTING ON CHRIST'S THRONE
The Smyrnian condition of the Church although—or perhaps because—it
is persecuted for the sake of the faith, is truly rich, as we
noted (Rev 2:9). On the other hand, the Church
here—Laodicea—is poor, yet it is deluded, thinking itself to be
spiritually rich. It is called on to become rich by turning to
God.
What about us? Could Christ ever be really disgusted with us—personally
and collectively—because we have become so prosperous—real or
imagined—that it distorts our perception of our true standing
before God? Is our spiritual vision of ourselves accurate? Are
we truly poor in spirit, acknowledging our inadequacy and dependence
upon God, or do we continue to rely upon our own resources to
attempt to compensate? Do we consider ourselves spiritually self-sufficient?
And then Christ's promise to the overcomer of authority over the
nations, paralleling that to the Church typified by Thyatira (Rev
2:26):
CONCLUSION
In what areas would Christ commend us? With what can He charge
us? What does He have "against" us? What would be His
prognosis of our current spiritual condition, personally and as
a Body? Can we, with His help, identify our spiritual lapses in
this analysis by Jesus Christ of His Church? And if we can, if
we do, will we also be sobered by His rebuke, motivated by His
correction, if it is indeed applicable to us, and inspired by
the vision of the wonderful promises to us if we overcome?
Christ is the heir of all things (Heb 1:2; cf. Eph 1:22) and we
are "heirs of God" and "joint-heirs with Christ"
(Ro 8:17). What does this mean to us? What should it mean to us?
Let's have one final glimpse at our glorious inheritance, the
birthright of the 'overcomer':
In the second and third chapters of the Book of Revelation we
are presented with a very incisive diagnosis of the spiritual
condition of seven "churches", all of which represent
and typify the one true Church of God—a diagnosis made by the
very Son of God Himself. It is a penetrating analysis and summation
of some of the spiritual weaknesses that have manifested themselves,
and will continue to manifest themselves—even amidst our strengths
and the good fruits of the Spirit of God—in the Church of God
striving to overcome the world. An analysis of Christ's
analysis of the state of His Church can help us to more accurately
diagnose our own spiritual condition.
The actual city of Ephesus, at the time of writing, was the greatest
commercial city of Asia Minor and capital of the Roman province
of Asia. It was a proud, rich, busy port and also a political
and religious centre, being home to the cult of the Ephesian Artemis,
whose temple there was one of the seven wonders of the world.
Yet we are also informed that Ephesus in the first century A.D.
was a dying city, given to parasite pursuits, and living on its
reputation of old. This flaw has likewise crept into the Church.
Rev 2:2-3,6 (NIV) "I know your deeds [NKJV: "works";
Christ utters similar words in each of the seven letters], your
hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate
[NKJV: "bear"—because bearing evil is a heavy burden]
wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles
but are not, and have found them false [and of course rejected
them; do we similarly reject those who are false leaders and teachers?].
3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name,
and have not grown weary.
The church is commended for its patient endurance, for having
worked hard to uphold the Name of Christ, for its readiness to
put to the test any who claimed to teach what was of God, and
for its unwillingness to tolerate evil, including "the works
of the Nicolaitans"—practices and teaching (Rev 2:15) which,
when the Greek is transcribed, caused evil to be "victorious
over the people of God". Verse 6 presumably only has validity
if these practices are extant in the Church, where
most, it would seem—but obviously not all—are commended for resisting
them.
6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of
the Nicolaitans, which I also hate."
Rev 2:4 (NIV) "Yet I hold this against you: You have
forsaken your first love."
It's almost paradoxical really, isn't it? To be so zealous for
the purity of the truth, yet the zeal for the faith and for the
works of the faith has waned. Christ has just praised them for
'persevering' and for not growing weary (v 3)! Yet even amidst
their zeal and perseverance they had in fact grown weary in this
vitally-important area. Co-incidentally, the apostle Paul commended
the actual Church in Ephesus for its "love toward all the
saints" (Eph 1:15). Do you think that those in the Church
here could have or would have diagnosed themselves as having lost
their first love? This loss of love is a mark of the end of the
age and it is linked, by Christ, to wickedness—which the Church
is commended for addressing!
Mt 24:12-13 (NIV) "Because of the increase of wickedness,
the love of most will grow cold, 13 [NKJV] But he who endures
to the end shall be saved."
When lawlessness increases, good works and the readiness to persist
in good works, including the good works of overcoming, decreases.
The true love of God, and the deeds of love, Christ said, is with
the heart, the soul, and the mind (Mk 12:30) and with the understanding.
Christ then admonishes His Church:
Rev 2:5 (NRSV) " Remember then from what you have
fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will
come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you
repent."
This is a very serious situation, with the prospect of immediate
judgment from Christ if the problem is not addressed. The lampstands
symbolise the Church (Rev 1:12,20), which is supposed to be letting
its light shine. But it's going to go out, one way or another,
if this condition is allowed to persist, and the result will be
spiritual darkness for many. The works of love, the works of the
faith, need to be resurrected. No amount of works (and in each
of Christ's seven messages, as we will see, He addresses "works",
good or bad, alive or dead) devoid of true agape love, and no
amount of sound doctrine can replace them. We have to walk in
(the) truth (2Jn 4; 3Jn 3-4), love in (the) truth (2Jn 1; 3Jn
1)—not uphold the truth as some sort of an slogan, unaccompanied
by works of godly love.
1Jn 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word or
in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
The apostle Paul tells us (Tit 1:1) that godliness and
truth go hand in hand.
Rev 2:7 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes [overcomes in
general, but in this instance rekindles the lost first love by
redoing the "first works"] I will give to eat from the
tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God."
In Pr 11:30, "the fruit of the righteous" saints is
described as "a tree of life". Christ is the true Tree
of Life, the Way to the tree of life, to immortality, even as
He is the true Vine ancient Israel failed to be. Access
to the tree of life, through Jesus Christ, forbidden to
Adam and Eve (Ge 3:24)—because they rejected it—is given to those
who overcome and who keep their first love steadfast to the end.
The imagery and symbolism of the Garden of Eden, the figurative
antitype, is reintroduced, transplanted, into
the vision of the New Jerusalem,where
the tree of life its is fed by the river of life—the Water
of Life, if you like—which issues from the very throne-room of
God, to be established in the heavenly holy city.
Rev 22:1-2 (NIV) [compare also Ezk 47:12, in reference
to the millennial temple in Jerusalem] Then the angel showed me
the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from
the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great
street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of
life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every
month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations
[What nations? Spiritual nations!].
This fruit, for the saints of God, is abundant, complete, unimpeded,
the fullness of the operation of the Spirit of God.
Rev 21:6 And He said to me, "It is done! I am the
Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of
the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts."
The tree of life is indeed linked to the holy
city, the New Jerusalem:
Rev 22:14,19
(NIV) "Blessed are those who wash their robes [in the blood
of the Lamb], that they may have the right to the tree of life
and may go through the gates into the city."
Those who are privileged to partake of the tree of life in its
fullness do indeed become "like God", something which
was denied Adam upon his expulsion from the Garden of Eden (Ge
3:22).
19 And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy,
God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and
in the holy city, which are described in this book.
Smyrna was also one of the great cities of the province of Asia,
rivalling Ephesus, and was famous for science, medicine and for
the majesty of its buildings. The city maintained an ancient alliance
with Rome even before Rome became a great power, and actively
participated in the Caesar-cult, the Roman system of emperor worship.
The faithfulness and loyalty of the Smyrnians became proverbial.
We are informed of the city's "crown of porticoes",
a circle of beautiful public buildings which ringed the summit
of Mount Pagos like a diadem, and which once again provided some
of the imagery in Christ's words (Rev 3:10). 'Smyrna', we are
informed, is a transliterated Greek word meaning 'myrrh' (the
resinous gum used for embalming), alluding to the martyrdom that
was impending upon the Church.
Rev 2:9 "I know your works, tribulation, and poverty
(but you are rich [rich in grace (Eph 1:7); possessing "the
unsearchable riches of Christ" (Eph. 3:8); and rich toward
God]); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews
and are not [Ro 2:28-29 defines a true Jew], but are a synagogue
of Satan."
It is interesting, on an historical level, that there was an actual
synagogue in the very temple in Jerusalem in Christ's day. Why
is it that a "synagogue of Satan"—an organised assembly,
it would seem, claiming to be the true Israel of God—exists in
the midst of the Church of God, its adherents asserting that
they are right before God, and that those who are in fact
true saints are not approved of by God? What level of awareness
of the reality of this evil existed in the Church here? Synagogues
of Satan devour the servants of God, do they not? They "accuse"
the saints, even as the Devil does (Zec 3:1). Jewish sources tell
us that a synagogue could be established with as little as ten
men. So who and how many would make up such a synagogue, and who
would be blamed for its continued presence in the very Church?
We'll reconsider these questions shortly.
Could we be tolerating any synagogues of Satan, through whom the
Devil still has a foothold in our midst?
Rev 2:10-11 (NIV) "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
[cf. Da 1:12: ten symbolising completeness; there is a
time when our tribulations do come to an end]. Be faithful ['keep
on being faithful'], even to the point of 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 [in this instance
in standing fast in the face of suffering and persecution] will
not be hurt at all by the second death [the final judgment, the
alternative to eternal life, described in 20:14; 21:8 as the lake
of fire; but the 'second death' has no power over the priests
of God who are to reign with Christ (Rev 20:4)]."
We know the score, at least on paper, don't we?
Will we be faithful, even to death, if or when these fires of
persecution assail us?
Jas 1:12 (NIV) Blessed is the man who perseveres under
trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the
crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
Are we faithful athletes, purposeful athletes, who will endure
persecution and suffering, even unto death, to win our crown in
the arena?
1Co 9:25-27 (NIV) Everyone who competes in the games goes
into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not
last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26
Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not
fight like a man beating the air. 27 No, I beat my body and make
it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself
will not be disqualified for the prize.
Just how do we react—how will we react—when the pressure's on?
The name 'Pergamum' means 'citadel' (Gk: pergamos), or
'exalted', or 'lofty'; the city was so named from its commanding
position on a huge hill overlooking the Caicus valley. It was
a great political, cultural and religious centre, hosting many
pagan altars, including an altar to Zeus and a temple to the healing
god Asklepios, who was worshipped in the form of a serpent—hence
the references to the throne of Satan. It was also a centre of
emperor-worship. Incidentally, parchment was invented in Pergamum
Rev 2:13 (NIV) "I know where you live ['I know your
situation'; corresponding to "I know your works"]—where
Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did
not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my
faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan
lives."
Yet it is censured for its tolerance of people who held to false,
idolatrous doctrines of compromise with the world (vv 14-15),
such as "the teaching of Balaam", along with the apparently
identical teachings of the "Nicolaitans":
Rev 2:14 (NIV) "Nevertheless, I have a few things
against you [the Church as a whole is now reprimanded for the
sins of an apparent few—because the responsibility to be clean
before God is a collective one also; one rotten spiritual apple
can contaminate the entire crate]: You have people there ['among
you'; "people you shouldn't have there"] who hold to
the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites
to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual
immorality."
The imagery is one of idolatry and spiritual adultery. Balaam,
who tried to entice the Israelites into idolatry and licentiousness,
worked from the outside—hired by the world, by the Devil, if you
like—to try to cause Israel to stumble.
2Pe 2:15 They have forsaken the right way [Mt 7:13: "the
straight way"] and gone astray, following the way of Balaam
the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.
In what areas are we still accepting of the world and its ideas—idolatrous
notions deserving of rebuke, just as Balaam was rebuked—that
are turning our hearts away from God?
Notice Christ's injunction:
Rev 2:16 (NIV) "Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will
soon come to you [because the Church as a whole has been remiss
in harbouring, or in failing to act to root out false doctrines]
and will fight against them [specifically the adherents of false
teachings that compromise the truth of God] with the sword of
my mouth."
The Word of God is the sword of judgment. "The Words of Him
who has the sharp two-edged sword" (Rev 2:12; 1:16) will
smite any who fail to heed the admonition to be uncompromising
with the doctrines of Babylon.
Rev 2:17 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit says to the churches [so all of these promises to
the overcomer are the heritage of the entire Church]. To him who
overcomes [these idolatrous practices and teachings, the thinking
of the world], I will give some of the hidden manna…."
This manna was placed in a gold jar inside the ark of the covenant,
hidden from the people but visible to God [Ex. 16:32-34;
Heb. 9:4]. It was the "secret" food provided by God
to sustain Israel in the wilderness, of which the rest of the
world was unaware. So it is with us. The true food that sustains
us is "hidden" from the world, but is promised to us
now, and forever. "Your word I have hidden in my heart",
David declared in Ps 119:11.
Jn 6:32-35 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly,
I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but
My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread
of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the
world." 34 Then they said to Him, "Lord, give us this
bread always." 35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the
bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who
believes in Me shall never thirst."
If we have truly eaten of Christ, the Bread of Life, and continue
to do so, we will not die:
Jn 6:50-51 "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."
Our food now should be the Lamb of God, and nothing else! Are
we literally feasting on Christ, or still eating the wrong type
of food? Sometimes what sustains us, our minds, our thinking,
what motivates us, is not the pure food of God, but rather food
that has indeed been sacrificed to idols, as here depicted. Such
a diet will not bring us eternal life. What are we imbibing that
is still of the world?
Rev 2:17 "…. I will also give him a white stone
with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives
it."
White is the biblical colour of victory and joy. The overcomer,
the conqueror, is honored with the gift of a white stone inscribed
with a new name—in all likelihood the name of the victor, a name
that speaks of accomplishment!
There is a possible combination of imagery at work here, including
a reference to the precious stones in the breastplate of the high
priest which represented the twelve tribes of (Ex 28:15-21; 35:27).
In the athletic games, the Greeks gave a white stone to the victor
in a contest, and the Romans to gladiators at the games who had
won the admiration of the public and had been allowed to retire
from further combat. There is also the allusion to the Roman system
of judgment. This Greek word for stone is also used in Ac 26:10,
where Paul speaks of "depositing his pebble", or casting
his vote against the saints. The white stone cast into an urn
was used by jurors to signify acquittal, whereas a black meant
condemnation. In Rev 20:4, in line with this symbolism, those
who endure and do not accept the mark of the beast reign with
Christ for a thousand years and are given authority to judge.
Zion's new name is bestowed by Christ Himself:
Isa 62:1-3 (NIV) For Zion's sake I will not keep silent,
for Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness
shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch.
2 The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your
glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the
LORD will bestow. 3 You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord's
hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
How much do we desire this new name? We will consider the new
name of the overcomer a little more shortly.
Thyatira, the home of Lydia (Acts 16:14), was founded by Seleucus
1 about 300 B.C. as a garrison city. It was a centre of manufacturing
and trade, especially in the royal purple fabric. The temptation
to idolatry there is no doubt connected with
the strength of the pagan trade-guilds in that city. Each guild
had its own guardian god, and the Christian who did live there
and who valued his livelihood was under pressure to participate
in the idolatrous feasts of his guild. Again, this imagery is
carried over into the Church.
Rev 2:19 (NRSV) "I know your works—your love [so love
here heads the list of the works of the Church], faith, service,
and patient endurance. I know that your last works are greater
than the first."
It is characterised by works of love, faith, service and patient
endurance (v 19)—works which, in contrast to Ephesus, are greater
now than they were at the beginning! How do we understand this
in the context of the Christian's "first love", supposedly
a spiritual frame of reference?
Rev 2:20 (NIV) "Nevertheless, I have this against
you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel [or perhaps 'that Jezebel
of a woman'], who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching
she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating
of food sacrificed to idols."
In this case, not only does the problem of false teaching exist
in the Church, but its proponents are also present, and, even
worse, are being accorded status. This "Jezebel" and
her teachings are tolerated, and in verse 23, she is depicted
as having "children". Again, what is the degree of awareness,
of recognition, of this false teaching in the Church? Unlike Balaam,
this "Jezebel" works from the inside to cause
the saints to stumble. There is no testing of what is taught,
as is the case in Ephesus.
Once again, a paradox: how is it that such great works co-exist
amidst the presence of such great error?
Rev 2:21 (NIV) "I have given her time to repent of
her immorality [again, the symbolism of compromise with false
teaching, with the world], but she is unwilling."
There is a finality of resolve here (cf. Christ's words in regard
to Jerusalem in Mt 23:37). There is now no alternative than judgment
from God.
Rev 2:22-23 (NIV) "So I will cast her on a bed of
suffering [not the type of bed she would expect!], and I will
make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless
they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children [those
who accept her spiritual adulteries] dead. Then all the churches
[so the influence of this 'Jezebel' is very pervasive] will know
that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each
of you according to your deeds."
How many warnings from God do we allow to go by unheeded, until
He is left with no other option than to send down His direct judgment?
Once again, what are we tolerating that is contrary to sound doctrine?
Yet to those—"the rest" in Tyatira: were they a minority
or a majority, we may wonder? —whose record is clean:
Rev 2:24-25 (NIV) 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 [masquerading as godly wisdom, supposedly
searching the 'deep things of God' (1Co 2:10; those who would
impose their esoteric "new understanding" upon the household
of God] (I will not impose any other burden on you): 25 Only
hold on to what you have until I come."
Notice once again the two-fold promise for overcoming:
Rev 2:26-27 "And he who overcomes [in the first instance,
overcomes this tolerance for false teaching, this attitude of
compromise], and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give
power over the nations; 27 'he shall rule ["lit: "shepherd"]
them with a rod of iron; they shall be dashed to pieces like the
potter's vessels'; as I also have received [power, authority]
from My Father." (Rev 20:4)
What does it mean to us to be given authority to rule "with
a rod of iron"? The reference to the iron rod, which was
apparently the shepherd's oak club, the end of which was capped
with iron, and the shattered clay vessels, links back to Psalm
2:
Ps 2:8-9 (NRSV) "Ask of me, and I will make the nations
your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You
shall break [they cannot be "shepherded until their rebellious
nature is first "broken"] them with a rod of iron, and
dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel [interestingly, among
the guilds that existed in Thyatira was a potter's guild]."
The shepherd's staff is a protection for the sheep but a weapon
of offence against their enemies. The rod, the sceptre is of iron:
the rule is strong. To us is promised a share in the dominion
and power of the Son of God. But Christ also rules with a "sword":
Rev 19:15 (NIV) Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword [the
sword of the Word: Rev 1:16; 2:12; Heb 4:12; Eph 6:17] with which
to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron
scepter [NKJV: "a rod of iron"]." He treads the
winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.
Yet it is also the sceptre of righteousness:
Heb 1:8 (NIV) But about the Son he says, "Your throne,
O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be
the scepter of your kingdom."
The two symbols of authority, the sword and the rod, will be combined
in the rulership of Christ and the saints over the nations.
Rev 1:6 (NIV) and has made us to be a kingdom and priests
to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever
and ever! Amen.
We are to share in His rulership over the earth, as we share in
His victory over His enemies. Does this challenge and responsibility
motivate and inspire us?
Rev 2:28 "I will also give him [the overcomer] the
morning star."
In his epistle, the apostle Peter uses a different Greek word
for the term "morning star":
Rev 22:16 (NIV) "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give
you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring
of David, and the bright Morning Star [the allusion back to Nu
24:17, to the royal 'star… out of Jacob', as prophesied by
Balaam]."
2Pe 1:19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed,
which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place,
until the day dawns and the morning star [Gk: phosphoros]
rises in your hearts.
The term "morning star" was used in classical Greek
of the planet Venus as the morning star, with
the connotation not only of beauty, but of daybreak, and so of
sovereignty and victory, of the type to be given the overcoming
saints. Christ, who gives us the light of spiritual perception,
is the Morning Star, the "Dayspring" (Lk 1:78-79)—the
dawn, the rising sun—who announces and ushers in the Day of God
and who symbolises the victory and the rulership to be accorded
to the saints. He is the Light-giver of the New Jerusalem (Rev
21:23) who is "given" to the saints—we share in His
reign, His rule (His "throne"), for we have overcome
as He overcame (Rev 3:21).
Mal 4:2-3 (NIV) "But for you who revere my name, the
sun [Sun] of righteousness will rise with healing in its [His]
wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from
the stall. 3 Then you will trample down the wicked; they will
be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these
things," says the LORD Almighty.
We will be with Him, and we will also be like Him in royal splendour:
Mt 13:43 (NIV) "Then the righteous will shine like
the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him
hear."
—quoting:
Da 12:3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness
of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like
the stars for ever and ever.
The imagery is truly awesome!
Sardis was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia, overthrown
by Cyrus in 546 B.C. The last Lydian king, Croesus, was legendary
for his wealth as well as for his pride and presumptuous arrogance.
Situated upon a virtually inaccessible hill with only one point
of access that could easily be fortified, the citizens of this
proud city were arrogant and over-confident in their conviction
that their capital was impregnable. One unobserved, unguarded
weak point was all it took to bring the city down on two occasions.
Although still wealthy, by Roman times it had lost its former
greatness, and it never recovered from a great earthquake which
devastated it in A.D. 17. It was in decay, and was slowly dying.
The principal trade of Sardis was the manufacture and dyeing of
woollen garments—hence the references to "white robes".
Rev 3:1 "….I know your works [so there are works!],
that you have a name that you are alive [just as the city had
a good reputation—but it was unmerited!], but you are dead [so
their works are 'dead works (Heb 9:14)']."
Similarly, are we Christians—spiritually-overconfident Christians—in
name only, "having a form of godliness but denying its power"
(Jas 2:17), a lot of style, but little substance? Is there still
power behind our conviction, or are we resting on some supposed
spiritual laurels? Is our opinion of our spiritual status matched
by the reality?
Jas 2:17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have
works, is dead.
Could it be that we have more 'dead works'—works that lead to
death (Heb 9:14)—than the 'good works' (Eph 2:10) which mark a
living faith? Is the Spirit of God within us being quenched through
our negligence (ITh 5:19)? If so, do we know when was it that
we ceased to persevere in overcoming? Would we recognise the symptoms
of spiritual stupor in ourselves, and in our midst? We all need
to take Christ's admonition and warning to heart:
Rev 3:2-3 (NIV) "Wake up! [out of this stupor] Strengthen
what remains [those little vestiges of spiritual life] and is
about to die, for I have not found your deeds [works] complete
in the sight of my God [their works had not measured up in the
eyes of God]. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received [the
deposit of God's Spirit in the first instance; the former zeal
and vitality] and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not
wake up, I will come [suddenly] like a thief [when you least expect
it], and you will not know [because you're not ready] at what
time I will come to you [the reference is not doubt also to the
fact that the city's steep citadel, a supposedly impregnable fortress,
was twice captured by surprise enemy attack]."
Or, as the apostle Paul put it to the Corinthians—and to us:
1Co 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for
some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.
And to the Ephesians:
Eph 5:14-16 (NIV) for it is light that makes everything
visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise
from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." 15 Be very
careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making
the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
Where are we spiritually vulnerable? If we do not come to recognise
it, it will be our undoing one day, in the most unexpected manner.
Rev 3:5 "He who overcomes [who awakens from this
state of spiritual lethargy to produce living, not dead works]
shall be clothed in white garments [the victory garments of righteousness],
and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life [the register
of the citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, if you like; see Ex
32:32; Ps 69:28; Isa 4:3; Mal 3:16; Lk 10:20; Php 4:3; Rev 13:8;
20:15; 21:27]; but I will confess his name [what the individual
is, the victory he has obtained in overcoming] before My Father
and before His angels."
This is of course linked to Christ's promise to acknowledge or
"confess" all those who, by their lives of faithful
overcoming, acknowledged Him:
Mt 10:32 (NIV) "Whoever acknowledges me before men,
I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven [almost
like a formal introduction to the Father, in the presence of the
holy angels]."
These white robes are defined for us. They are the robes of glory,
of salvation, the attire of the Bride of Christ:
Rev 19:7-8 "Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him
glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has
made herself ready." 8 And to her [the Church, the Bride
of Christ] it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and
bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
For some—the spiritually asleep—the acquisition of these robes
will be more painful than for others:
2Chr 6:41 (NIV) "Now arise, O LORD God, and come to
your resting place, you and the ark of your might. May your priests,
O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, may your saints rejoice
in your goodness."
Rev 6:11 (NIV) Then each of them was given a white robe,
and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of
their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they
had been was completed.
These then are the garments of the redeemed. These are the robes
that have been washed in the blood of the Lamb, even as are those
who have to be purified through tribulation, who have "washed
their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
(Rev 7:14).
Da 12:2-3 (NIV) Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the
earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and
everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise will shine like the
brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness,
like the stars for ever and ever.
Will we be found with the appropriate garments for the wedding
banquet, or will our garments still be "defiled by the flesh"
(Jude 23) because of spiritual neglect and a failure to persevere
in overcoming—so that we are left 'speechless' in the presence
of Christ, as in the parable (Mt 22:11-12)?
Philadelphia, a city of some commercial importance located on
the main route between the east and the west, was also a city
of earthquakes. It was very heavily influenced by Greek culture,
and was at one stage known as "little Athens". Out of
gratitude to the Emperor Tiberius for relief given after the great
earthquake of A.D. 17, the city renamed itself Neocaesaria, the
"new city of Caesar"; later it changed its name to Philadelphia
Flavia to honour the emperor Flavius Vespasian. In the third century
A.D., the name was again altered to Philadelphia Neokoros, to
indicate that Philadelphia was the "keeper of the temples"
which honored the Roman emperors. This provides the setting for
Christ's reference to the "new name" in Rev 3:12.
Rev 3:10-11 "Because you have kept My command to persevere
[or endure patiently], I also will keep you from [or "safe
through"; cf. Jn 17:15] the hour of trial which shall come
upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11
Behold, I am coming quickly! [or "soon": the imminence
of Christ's return should mean that we are always prepared] Hold
fast what you have, that no one may take your crown [cf. Rev 2:25,
where Thyatira is similarly exhorted; these believers are in possession
of the crown of life. See also 2Jn 8]."
Yet the synagogue of Satan—those who claim to be the true Israel
of God, but who are in fact fulfilling the will of the Devil—is
to be found, once again, amidst them, as they are in the midst
of the Church where its spiritual condition is typified by Smyrna.
Rev 3:9 (NIV) "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 [because at present such people, tares among
the wheat, refuse to acknowledge that these are the true saints
of God, beloved by Christ; they themselves lay stake to this claim!]."
It will take the intervention of Jesus Christ to expose these
false elements of the congregation for all in the Church to see
them for what they are. But is this not the responsibility of
the Church here and now, as it exposes and purges out evil? So
Philadelphia likewise is not without blame, is it? When is the
only time that Christ will declare His Church blameless?
Can we also infer that just as the historical city of Philadelphia
sought, through this constant readiness to change its name, to
find favour in the eyes of outsiders, that such an attitude—an
attitude of accommodation—here exists in the Church, even though
unstated, an attitude which helps explain the continued presence
of evil-doers masquerading as the saints of God? They are accommodated
when they should have been exposed.
Rev 3:12 "Him who overcomes [which would include
a readiness to act to expose evil and evildoers] I will make a
pillar [something that is both fixed and which gives permanent
stability] in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave
it….[Unlike the pillars of Philadelphia, whose citizens had
to abandon their temples many times during the earthquakes, this
pillar will never be removed from its base in the Temple of God]."
This metaphor probably refers to the two pillars
which adorned the porch of Solomon's temple. Like the pillar
that is forever fixed, so is the overcomer, in character and in
status. He will remain forever in place as a mainstay in the Temple
of God in the New Jerusalem.
2Ti 2:12 (NRSV) if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he will also deny us.
We are God's temple (1Co 3:16; 2Co 6:16; Eph 2:21), whose foundation
consists of the prophets and apostles, and Christ, the Foundation,
as its "Cornerstone" (Eph 2:20). He is the living Stone
(1Pe 2:4), even as we are living stones (1Pe 2:5). This temple
will forever be "the pillar and foundation (or "bulwark")
of the truth" (1Ti 3:15): The new Jerusalem, with us as mainstays,
is this temple:
Rev 21:22 (NIV) I did not see a temple in the city, because
the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
Then, alluding to the city's penchant for often changing its name,
a triple name is promised to the overcomer:
Rev 7:15 (NIV) Therefore, "they [who have overcome
through tribulation] are before the throne of God and serve him
day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will
spread his tent over them."
Rev 3:12 "…. I will write on him [on him who
overcomes, on the "pillar"] the name of my God [whose
sons we are] and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem
[where we are already enrolled as citizens: Php 3:20; Heb 11:10,16,22;
13:14], which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I
will also write on him my new name [cf. Rev 19:12; so Christ,
our Lord, has, or will have, a new name too—a Name that will fully
describe His character, a Name whose meaning we will come to intimately
comprehend]."
God names things for what they are. The new names will denote
our new existence, our reward for overcoming! Just
as the gates of the city have the names of the twelve tribes as
an inscription (Rev 21:12), so on the pillars of the temple—upon
the firstfruits saints of God—is written the name of God, of the
Son of Man, and of the holy city. A new name in the New
Jerusalem (Rev 21:2), in the new heaven and new earth (2Pe 3:13;
Rev 21:1)! The overcomer receives this
triple name (of God, of the city of God, of Christ) on his forehead
(as a seal of ownership: cf. 14:1; 7:3; 22:4) denoting his citizenship
of the New Jerusalem, the City of God. We are God's, and Christ's—and
citizens of the New Jerusalem!
Isa 56:5 to them [the spiritual eunuchs of the Kingdom,
v 4] I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and
a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting
name that will not be cut off.
We human beings do have this constant need to identify with something,
to be recognised, yet so often we seek this recognition in a world
that is passing away. Can we identify with the heavenly city which
is eternal, in which we are promised an enduring
name?
Laodicea was a wealthy commercial and financial city originally
founded by the Seleucid king Antiochus 11 (261-246 B.C.), and
named after his wife Laodice. It was situated on the great
trade-route from Ephesus to the east and was the seat of banking
and large manufacturing operations, especially of woollen carpets
and clothing. The city had "need of nothing" (Rev 3:17),
not even the earthquake relief funds offered by the Roman Senate
after Laodicea was destroyed by an earthquake in A.D. 60. It was
also the home of a medical school, and the manufacture of collyrium,
a famous eye-salve (Rev 3:18). Lacking a natural water supply,
the city relied on an artificial pipeline
bringing water drawn from the hot springs at Denizli to the south,
water which was still tepid after flowing for five miles in stone
pipes and which was so impure as to have an emetic effect, inducing
nausea and vomiting, hence Christ's comments in 3:16.
Again, Christ knows their works—their empty, dead works!—and
He can commend them for nothing. There is evident neither a steadfast
loyalty nor an active disloyalty, only a comfortable self-satisfaction,
which is also the Sardis condition, and which is blinding the
Church to the spiritual poverty that is indeed the reality. So
this is Christ's rebuke:
Rev 3:15-17 "I know your works, that you are neither
cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold [why would He wish they
were cold, we might ask?] or hot. 16 So then, because you are
lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you [or "I
am on the point of vomitting you"] out of My mouth. 17 Because
you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing
[like Christ's parable of the rich fool in Lk 12:16-21; cf. 1Co
4:7-8]'; and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor,
blind, and naked."
The irony here is that the Church thinks it possesses what it
in fact does not have, hence its delusion as to its true spiritual
condition. It is rich only in pride and conceit, not "rich
toward God" (Lk 12:21). Lukewarmness is usually unpalatable,
nauseating even, isn't it?; and so is it in the nostrils of Christ,
but the entire Church is blind to it. What a state!
And His admonition—and it's now a matter of life and death!:
Rev 3:18-20 (NIV) "I counsel you to buy from me gold
[an allusion to the wealth of the city] refined in the fire [1Pe
1:7: the fires of purification, which will prove whether or not
their faith is genuine; the Church is to ask for these,
so seriously ill is it, spiritually! Would we ever do this if
things were this bad in our lives?], so you can become [spiritually]
rich; and white clothes [spiritual refinement; in
contrast with the famous black wool of the area] to wear,
so you can cover your shameful nakedness [cf. Rev 16:15, where
the righteous are described as awake and clothed];
and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see [as in a city of
blind people where eye-ointments for weak eyes are sold, to no
avail, so is the Church spiritually-blind]. 19 Those whom I love
I rebuke and discipline [Pr 3:12; Heb 12:5-7]. So be earnest [or
zealous], and repent [of this sin of spiritual complacency]. 20
Here I am! I stand at the door [Christ wants to be let in! So
the Son of God has, as it were, no place in the life of His own
Church!] and knock. If anyone [at all] hears my voice [we would
hope that the Church as a whole does] and opens the door, I will
come in and eat with him, and he with me [the illusion is once
again to the great Banquet, but also to judging and ruling with
Christ, as we will see]."
Could we ever be so spiritually deluded, thinking we have perfect
vision yet blinded to our spiritual lethargy, listlessness, lack
of zeal? We are admonished by the apostle Paul to be "never
lacking in zeal" and always "fervent in spirit"
(Ro 12:1)? Does the fire truly burn, as we think it does, or are
there areas in our spiritual lives where we are indeed lukewarm,
complacent, apathetic, or careless—again, "a form of godliness"
exists, but there is a denial of its power (2Ti 3:5)? You know,
listlessness, if not addressed, can quickly result in lifelessness,
the state of Sardis.
Rev 3:21 (NIV) "To him who overcomes [beginning with
their spiritual lukewarmness, their spiritual delusion], I will
give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame
and sat down [or "took My seat" (a seat 'prepared for
Me'; as in Heb 1:3, where Christ "sat down at the right hand
of the Majesty…") with my Father on his throne [In Rev
22:1,3 we read of "the throne of God and of the Lamb"]
."
Sitting on His Father's throne is synonymous with sitting at the
Father's right hand (Mk 14:62; Ro 8:34)—in other words, sharing
in His rulership, in much the same way as the twelve thrones promised
to the apostles are but extensions of—a sharing in—Christ's sovereignty:
Lk 22:29-30 (NRSV) "and I confer on you, just as
my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, 30 so that you may
eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones
judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Mt 19:28)
In the first instance, this is a promise of rulership over the
earth, which we have previously considered. The saints, the apostle
Paul reminded the Church in Corinth (1Co 6:2), are to judge the
world.
Yet Christ, the apostle Peter tells us, "has gone into heaven
and is at God's right hand—with angels, authorities and powers
in submission to him" (1Pe 3:22). He is "seated .. far
above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every
name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which
is to come" (Eph 1:20-21). Recall that Christ said that "all
things" (Mt 11:27), and "all authority in heaven
and earth" (Mt 28:18) had been granted Him by His Father.
And in this, too, the saints are to share:
Eph 2:6 (NIV) And God raised us up with Christ and seated
us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.
It's as good as done! Can we begin to grasp the awesome glory
of the inheritance which is promised to us?
Yet before we can begin to inherit these wonderful promises, we
need to spiritually examine ourselves—constantly—individually,
and as the collective body of Christ. The diagnosis by Jesus Christ
of His Church which we have briefly considered, affords us an
excellent starting-point. Christ knows all our works, our strengths
and our shortcomings, and He knows the motivation we need to press
on and continue to overcome.
Rev 21:7 "He who overcomes [again, it is the overcomer
who inherits the promises] shall inherit all [these things
outlined here, and all] things [there are no exceptions!],
and I will be his God and he shall be My son."
May this vision be one day realised for each and every one of
us who have indeed overcome!
Rev 22:5 There shall be no night there [in the New Jerusalem]:
They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives
them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.