Revelation(11): A Commentary Rev. 4:1-6a

Note:  This is intended to be an “open source” commentary, meaning that additions and corrections by readers are welcomed and necessary.  In fact, such a way of commenting on the Bible is and ought to be “normal” in the life of any church or group of Christian believers.  Such a method is the way theology is done.  With that said, please feel free to make your own comments and additions to what is written here by either replying via email or by making a comment on one of Horizon’s web sites: Facebook: “Horizon Ministries” or Horizon’s WordPress Blog   —Jim Morse

 

Introduction to Revelation 4:1-6a

          After a tour of the seven churches, we now come to one of the great scenes in the Bible, the great throne room of God.  Here we see reality as it really is.  We see that the obstacles facing the seven churches are parodies, pretenders, of the real thing.  The real thing, the real ruler, is seen in his throne room, and chapter 4 introduces us to that great and awesome place.

          Like other people of the Bible, John is ushered by the Spirit to the throne room.  We can hear echoes of Isaiah 6 and Ezekiel. 

          But there is something hidden in plain sight here and we need to take a moment to ponder it.  The issue is heaven and where it is located.  When we think of heaven we usually think it is “up there,” in some other location, probably beyond our sight somewhere in the universe.  And while it is true that earth is not heaven, it is also true that heaven and earth are not that far apart.

          John merely “looked” and saw “a door standing open in heaven,” which indicates that heaven and earth are not far apart.  We would probably be better served by thinking about heaven as being another dimension and that it is accessible not be traveling a great physical distance, but by traveling, somehow, to another dimension (in this case, with the aid of the Spirit).  Paul talked about such an experience in 2 Corinthians 12.

          The work of physicists indicates the theoretical existence of multiple universes, parallel universes and/or multiverses.  They may be dovetailing with what is described here in Revelation, that different realities exist and are closely related to each other.

          Of course, such an understanding has always been the biblical view.  It is only when we think literally of things that are described symbolically that we become confused on this matter. 

          Let’s leave it at this: heaven is a real place that is different from here.  Different but similar physical laws may apply.  But heaven is the place where God is and where his will is perfectly done.  As we know, because Revelation was written after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, heaven is also the place where Jesus is and that he rules the earth as King from his throne, which is right next to the Father’s throne.

          Heaven and earth are close and they, at times, intersect.  According to Revelation, rightly so, there is interaction between heaven and earth right now. 

          This is entirely consistent with the biblical view of how God has interacted with his creation.  Throughout scripture there are times when heaven and earth intersected, touched.

          In the beginning, where human beings were made in God’s image and he then “rested” in the midst of that union.

          In the Garden of Eden, where God “hung out” with Adam and Eve.

          Jacob’s ladder.

          The tent of meeting in the wilderness, called the tabernacle.

          The temple in Jerusalem, where God “rested” between the cherubim on the top of the ark.

          Ultimately, in Jesus.

          All of these, and more, indicate that heaven and earth are not far apart and that God’s continuing desire is for the full and complete union of heaven and earth as one place.

          The goal of God’s purpose is not for us to join him in heaven, it is for him to join us on earth.  God’s redemption of humanity and creation is his plan of salvation to make that happen.

          Therefore, human beings will not be removed from earth when the Lord Jesus returns.  Instead, they will meet him as he returns to complete the work of making earth a fit habitation for God.  We won’t go to heaven with Jesus.  Jesus will come to earth to be with us.

          Those who teach the dispensational Rapture mislead Christians.  They get it backwards.  God loves us and creation so much that he wants to “make us right” so that his original plan of living on earth with us will be realized.  His desire is to renew creation, not abandon it.  What kind of a loving God would he be if he abandoned his creation and gave up on his original plan, clearly stated in Genesis (until things went radically wrong)?  God is going to fix things, not give up on them.

          In addition, the picture of heaven that is depicted in Revelation 4 & 5 is one of what heaven looks like now.  The heaven that exists now is not the heaven that will exist following the return of Jesus to fully establish his rule on earth.  Then, as we see at the end of Revelation, heaven and earth will be joined in one reality.  Heaven will “come down” to earth, for God’s great desire is to live on earth with human beings. 

          In the meantime, the earth must be made fit for the habitation of God.  And that, my friends, is what Revelation is really all about.  There, I’ve said it.

 

 

Revelation 4:1-6a (NIV) 

    After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” [2] At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. [3] And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. [4] Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. [5] From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. [6] Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

 

 

Comment:

           At the beginning of chapter 4 we find a dynamic that occurs throughout Revelation.  Several times, John hears something and then he looks.  In this instance, the looks and then hears a voice.  But it is the dynamic of looking and seeing, or seeing and looking, that is interesting because what is seen is often different from what was heard, or what is heard is different from what is seen.

          At the beginning of chapter 4, John first sees the door standing open in heaven (he’s been given “spiritual eyes” by the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit that was conveying Jesus’ message to the seven churches), and then he hears the inviting voice that sounds like a trumpet.

          He is invited into the throne room of God.  The one sitting on the throne is described as having an appearance of precious stones.  Are we to now think that God is made up of precious stones?  No.  This is a way of saying that God’s appearance is beyond description and that even though John needs to use words to describe what he’s experiencing, his choice of words indicate that he’s using the words in a symbolic, not literal, way.  Therefore, God is not made of jasper and carnelian.

          John sees a rainbow encircling the throne.  Throughout Revelation references from the Bible appear.  This important one is a reminder that, in the throne room of God as it now exists, the rainbow of Genesis that symbolizes God’s covenant promise to never again wipe out the people of the earth is present.  The rainbow encircles the throne.  It is surrounds the throne.  It is a covenant promise that God will not break.  People are very, very important to God’s purpose and plan in his creation and new creation.  To wipe them out would be to go against God’s stated purpose and plan that were revealed in Genesis.  Human beings are vital to God’s purpose of building a creation in which both he and his creatures will dwell in harmony.

          We see that in the next verse.  The 24 other thrones surround the one throne of God.  It is easy to see that the 24 elders on these thrones represent the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 apostles.  It is important to realize that God’s plan and purpose have been in play in both sets of people, Israel and the apostles.   

          These elders wear white robes and have golden crowns.  The white robes symbolize purity and victory.  But the crowns are the interesting aspect of their appearance.  Rulers wear crowns.  So these elders are rulers.  Rulers?

          God’s desire is to have human beings rule earth with him.  That’s what’s going on in Genesis 1-3.  The big snag in this plan occurred when Adam and Eve wanted to take over and rule without God.  They wanted to be God.  They wanted to be in charge of everything, their own lives especially, ignoring God’s desire to co-rule with them. 

          In the throne room of Revelation we see that God has co-rulers with him.  God does not give up on his plans for creation and for human beings.  We’re just on a long detour now.  But we’ll get there.

          What’s revealed (hence the name “Revelation”) in the throne room is how we’ll get there.  And it will be through the Son, Jesus Christ.

          All sorts of natural pyrotechnics occur, as John sees what’s going on in the heavenly throne room.  Again, this is a symbolic representation that the Lord of the universe, the God of creation, is in the house.  Much like Ezekiel 1.  Much like Mt. Sinai when Moses was ascending and descending it during the early stages of the wilderness wanderings of Israel.  Much like Isaiah’s experience in the “holy of holies” of the Temple.

          We’ll run across other instances in Revelation where earthly cataclysms occur.  But they always symbolize the same thing:  God is on the scene!

          We then see that the throne room is adorned with seven lamps, symbolically representing the “seven spirits of God.” 

          Seven spirits of God?  We would think there is only one Spirit of God—the Holy Spirit.  So what’s up with seven spirits of God?

          Good question.

          The NIV and other translations try to skirt the problem by either inserting a footnote to the translation or directly translating these words as the “sevenfold Spirit.”  But the Greek says it is seven spirits of God.

          Let’s not panic.

          We met the seven churches of Revelation in chapters two and three.  Here we meet the seven spirits of God.

          The number seven is very important to the book of Revelation and to the Bible as a whole.  It is the number of perfection and of completion.  It is the perfect number and the complete number.  When the number seven is used, it is used to symbolically represent something that is both perfect and complete.

          It comes, first, from Genesis, where God completed his perfect creation in seven days.  He used six days to make everything, but it wasn’t complete until he “rested” or dwelled in the midst of all that he had made.

          As we proceed through Revelation we will meet the number seven again and again.  But we will also meet the number six again and again.  Six of the seals of the scroll will be open and then there will be a pause until the seventh one is opened (with the first trumpet).  Six trumpets will be blown and then there will be a pause before the seventh trumpet is blown.  And of course we remember the number of the beast, 666, in chapter 13.

          Perfection and completion are represented by the number 7.  The number 6 represents that which is incomplete but is pretending to be as good as that represented by the number 7.  The number 6 is the Pretender’s number.  It is the number representing a parody of the true reality.  It is the number of Satan, the Pretender to the throne of God.  And God is the true reality.

          We live in a world of competition between the sixes and the sevens; a world where Satan and God are doing battle.

          Revelation is book that reveals that reality to us and encourages us to cling to the true reality, represented by the God who is always sevens.

          Therefore, the seven Spirits are emissaries of the God who is sevens.  Better said, the seven Spirits are a symbolic representation of the Holy Spirit, the true emissary of God, who is also perfect and complete.

          There was an angel for each church addressed in Revelation.  We can rightly assume that each church had its own individual angel.  But it was the one Spirit of God who spoke to the angels and told them what to say.  And the Holy Spirit, the anonymous person of God, got his words from the Son, Jesus Christ (see John 14:26 & 16:13-15).

          We have to be cautious in attempting to apply the words of Revelation literally.  The words carry symbolic weight, attempting to describe something that is beyond the scope of mere words.  It’s like saying someone’s face glowed like the sun.  It would be a misunderstanding of what’s being said to then go and try to draw the person’s face as a literal sun.

          The seven Spirits before the throne of God, represented by the seven blazing lamps (fire is always a sign of the Holy Spirit), is a symbolic way of saying it is the Holy Spirit who is standing before the throne of God in all of his majesty and mystery, perfect and complete.

          Interestingly, at the foot of the throne in heaven is a sea of glass that is as clear as crystal.

          The sea is an important symbol in Revelation.  At the end of the book, when everything is said and done and the new heaven and the new earth are established, together at last, there will be no sea.

          The sea is the place from which the dragon comes.  Symbolically, that is saying that Satan comes from the sea.  So the sea is the symbolic representation of evil.  Biblically, if evil dwells somewhere, it is in the sea.  If evil has a home, it is in the sea.  So it makes sense that Satan comes out of the sea.

          But what is this sea doing in heaven?  Right now?  Even as we speak?

          First, it tells us that God is allowing the realm of evil to exist right now, even as close as his throne room.  That is the current state of things.

          But it also indicates to us that evil is confined.  It doesn’t get to do all that it wants to do.  It is under the sovereign rule of God.

          This is a great mystery and we aren’t going to get any answers that satisfy us.  But the sovereign God allows evil to exist and to exist even in his throne room in heaven.  But things will not always be that way.  There will come a day when the sea will exist no more.  Which means that in God’s new creation Satan will not be there and his dastardly, evil ways will not be in play. 

          That’s good news.  The world will be made right.

          Second, the sea is made of glass, clear as crystal. 

          In Revelation 21 we learn that the New Jerusalem will be a city of pure gold, as pure as glass (v. 18).  We also learn that the streets of this city are also made of pure gold, like transparent glass (v. 21).

          When gold is refined to a purity that is close, very close, to 100 percent, it changes color.  It is no longer gold-colored but clear, as clear as glass.  It becomes transparent.

          The heat required to accomplish such a state of purity is immense and rarely used.  In fact, it used to be that most people thought such an accomplishment was in the realm of alchemy, turning ordinary metals into gold through the use of an almost-magical catalyst.  Alchemy does not exist.  It’s not possible.

          What we have with the sea in the throne room of Revelation 4 is a sea that has been refined.  God has allowed the sea into the throne room—for now.  But he has changed it, purified it and refined it, so that it can be there under his sovereign and righteous control. 

          The stage is set; we are now ready to meet some of the others who inhabit the throne room of God.

 

Summary

          We have been ushered into the throne room of God as it is now.  There is more to be seen, but it is a place that is near, but far; filled with wonder and glory.

          As we move through the rest of chapter 4 and chapter 5, keep in mind all that is happening in heaven right now. 

          When you lose heart, know that God and all of the others in heaven are awake and active. 

          Know that God is mindful of you and of all of his creation. 

          Know that God is actively making things right, making them as they are meant to be.

          Know that there is a King in heaven who will one day make all of the sixes of this wo

Revelation(10): A Commentary Rev. 3:14-22

Note:  This is intended to be an “open source” commentary, meaning that additions and corrections by readers are welcomed and necessary.  In fact, such a way of commenting on the Bible is and ought to be “normal” in the life of any church or group of Christian believers.  Such a method is the way theology is done.  With that said, please feel free to make your own comments and additions to what is written here by either replying via email or by making a comment on one of Horizon’s web sites: Facebook: “Horizon Ministries” or Horizon’s WordPress Blog   —Jim Morse

 

Introduction to Revelation 3:14-22

          The letter to the church in Laodicea is probably the best-remembered and most-quoted church letter of Revelation.  It is the letter which contains the admonition to not be lukewarm and also Jesus knocking at the door.  This section will explain the meaning of both of those important parts of this letter.

          The recipient of the previous letter, the church in Philadelphia, were reminded that there was going to be some rebuilding, of the temple especially, and that they were going to be a special part of that rebuilding effort.  The Philadelphians were familiar with rebuilding.  Their city had been devastated by an earthquake in the first part of the first century and had received significant assistance from the empire in rebuilding their city.

          The church in Laodicea was also devastated by an earthquake in 61 A. D. (A. D. means Anno Domini—“Year of our Lord”).  But unlike Philadelphia, Laodicea was able to rebuild without the assistance of the empire.  They had the means to finance the rebuilding on their own, without any help.  They were self-sufficient in that regard.

          Why?  It just so happened that Laodicea, located in the Lycus valley, was well-positioned economically.  The city was at the junction of important and well-used trading routes and was a banking center.  But there was more.  The city was home to an excellent medical school where many people came to train to be doctors.  Laodicea also had, alongside its medical school, a school that specialized in ophthalmology or the healing of the eyes.  The city was a good place to get a well-known Phrygian (named after the region in which the city was located) eye powder.

          Also, the shepherds of Laodicea had developed a breed of sheep whose black wool was of a high quality.  The presence of this wool created its own fashions, which made both the clothes and wool of Laodicea in high demand.

          So it seems the city had a lot going for it.  But like people and other towns that think they are self-sufficient, they can get carried away with themselves.  It seems the church in Laodicea had been bitten by this virus, if we’re going to go by what Jesus had to say to them.

 

Revelation 3:14-22 (NIV) 

    “To the angel of the church in Laodicea 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 you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either 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 realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. [18] I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, 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 him, and he with me.

[21]   To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. [22] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

 

 

Comment:

 

         The letter opens recounting another few attributes of the One addressing the church in Laodicea.  It is Jesus, the Amen, the faithful and true witness and the ruler of God’s creation.

          It is tempting to stop here and remind ourselves that Revelation was written after the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus.  Let’s just say that Jesus has been established as Lord and King and is ruling the earth from his throne in heaven (to which we will get in the next couple of chapters).  Jesus’ work has been accomplished, it just awaits its fulfillment.  That’s what Revelation is really all about.

          Jesus is the “Amen.”  He is the “so be it,” meaning that his word is to be trusted and is always true.

          Jesus is the faithful and true witness.  He is the one who is both Israel’s Messiah and is also Savior and Lord for all of people and all of creation.

          Jesus is the ruler of God’s creation.  He is king.  He rules earth (all of the cosmos, really) from his throne in heaven, where he is seated (meaning that his work is finished) at the right hand of the Father.

          With these three things said, as reminders of who is addressing the church in Laodicea, it would seem that the church would be well-advised to listen!  As it says at the end of this letter, in v. 22, it is wise and good to grow a good set of ears.

          Remember how well situated Laodicea is.  It is a prosperous city.  Many Christians think, as did the Jews of first century Israel, that prosperity is a sign of God’s favor.  To be rich was to have God’s favor on you.  To be poor was to be in God’s doghouse.  So the rich gave themselves permission to hold themselves in high esteem, compared with the poor.

          But this letter starts with the deeds of the church in Laodicea, which are well-known to Jesus, who doesn’t miss a thing! 

          But what does the Lord mean when he says they are neither hot nor cold, but are lukewarm?  Where does this come from?

          Laodicea had a lot going for it, but it had bad water.  And its two water sources, one to the north and the other to the south, were as different as night and day.

          The one to the north, the city of Hierapolis, stood on a cliff and had hot springs.  When the river near Laodicea would dry up, as it would almost every summer, Laodicea would depend on water from Hierapolis that would be transported via aquaducts.  The mineral-rich water would travel the 4-5 miles to Laodicea but would no longer be hot when it reached Laodicea.  It would be lukewarm!  It would also be so concentrated with minerals that it would be, essentially, unfit to drink.

          From the south, from the city of Colosse, 11 miles away, there was an excellent supply of cool mountain water that flowed off Mount Cadmus.  However, by the time this water reached Laodicea it was no longer cool and refreshing.  It was lukewarm!

          When Jesus says the Laodicean church is neither hot nor cold, but is lukewarm, they know exactly what he’s talking about! 

          But Jesus is disgusted by this attribute.  He wants to spit them out of his mouth. The wording is even stronger in the original language.  Jesus says he wants to vomit them out of his mouth.  In other words, the Laodicean church makes Jesus sick.  Now is a good time to listen.

          Jesus then goes on to remind the church that, even though they might be wealthy when it comes to money and things, they are “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”  But they don’t realize it.  Jesus is not impressed with the smugness brought on by their riches and self-sufficiency. 

          It is also true that Jesus is not impressed by our self-sufficiency and our quest to be rich according to the standards of the world.  As we proceed through Revelation, we will find that Jesus calls us to give up everything if need be in order to be his faithful followers.  Modern American ears don’t have a high tolerance for such challenges.  We think it virtuous to be self-sufficient, depending on no one else.  In our self-delusion we think that to be otherwise is to be weak.  Jesus is not impressed.  He knows that we use wealth to hide our weaknesses from both him and from each other.

          Jesus tells the Laodicean church to buy gold from him, spiritual gold of great value that comes through the refining fire of his Holy Spirit, rather than depend on their accounts in the local banks.  Then they will be rich.

          Jesus tells them to put on white clothes, the purity given through the Holy Spirit, rather than the fashionable clothes made from the fine black wool taken from the local sheep.  At this time new converts to Christianity, when they were baptized, would put on white robes, signifying the purity that results from having their sins washed away and forgiven through the blood of Jesus.  To where white robes was to signal commitment to this new life, this holy life, in Jesus.

          And then Jesus tells them to put the salve that he provides on their eyes.  Remember that Laodicea was known for its local medical school for eyes and the Phrygian balm for eyes.  Only when our vision has been cleared up by Jesus can we see this world and ourselves as we really are. 

          It is easy to be self-deluded.  But having our eyes opened to see ourselves, the creation and Jesus for who/what they really are is a sober challenge.  Many would rather not know, but would rather persist in their false beliefs and delusions.

          In v. 19, Jesus tells the Christians in Laodicea how he treats his friends.  He rebukes them and disciplines them.  Hard to hear then.  Hard to hear now.

          But they are still his friends.  Even after the lengthy list of things he has against them, the band of followers in Laodicea are still the close personal friends of Jesus.  If he punishes them, disciplines them, speaks harsh words of correction to them, he does so only in the interest of bringing them to their senses.  We should never think that Jesus wants to devastate his followers.  Instead, he wants what’s best for us.

          A side story:  St. Teresa of Avila was known for her close communion with the Lord.  One time, when she was complaining to the Lord about her suffering, he told her, “This is how I treat my friends.”  To which she is reported to have replied, “Then you shouldn’t be surprised that you have so few of them.”

          As the British Catholic writer G. K. Chesterton wrote, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting, it has been found difficult and left untried.”

          The Lord encourages the Laodicean Christians to repent, to turn back to a true and authentic discipleship, letting Jesus lead the way.  The way will not be easy, but it will lead to life.

          As much as Jesus gets after the church in Laodicea, more than any other church, it is to the Laodicean church that he gives extravagant promises. 

          He says he is standing at the door and knocking and that he earnestly desires to eat with them, and they with him.

          But the question is this:  Whose door are we talking about?

          Remember how self-sufficient the Laodiceans thought they were?  How independent?  It would be tempting, as so many do today, to think that the door being talked about is MY door.  It is the door to my house.  It is the door to my heart (as it’s been preached so often).

          But remembering the gospels tells us that this is, instead, a picture of the master returning to his own house after he’s been away and has left his hired hands in charge of his vineyard, his crops, his property, his stuff, his house.  The hired hands are not owners, they are stewards who have been commissioned to take care of things so that there is a good harvest.

          In other words, the door being talked about here is the door to Jesus’ house!  He is the owner.  He is the Master returning to see how well his followers have done stewarding his creation.  To refuse entry to the rightful owner of the house is not only rude, it is unwise.

          Even more, the servant is to stay awake, expecting that the Master might return at any moment.  Constant vigilance is required.  This is a constant biblical theme for the faithful people of God.  We are to keep watch and be vigilant, for the Lord can return at any time.  It is best to not be found asleep.  And it is best to be alert and ready to open the door.

          The promise is that there will be the intimacy of table fellowship with the Lord, echoing Psalm 23 and the promises of the Good Shepherd.

          Even after being taken to the woodshed by the Lord, the Laodicean Christians are still promised a deep and abiding intimacy with the risen Jesus.  Us, too.

          And we are reminded of this close relationship every time we break bread and raise the cup of the covenant in the Lord’s Supper.  This is the meal that reminds us that we are not alone.  We have a Savior who does not forget or forsake us.  He might be a little hard on us once in a while, but he doesn’t give up on us.  Holy Communion is a reminder of that truth—the Lord comes in and eats with us, and we with him.

          But it gets better, and more mysterious.  Jesus promises that those who hang in there and subsequently overcome the temptations to give up following Jesus and instead follow him to the end (which is really the new beginning!), will sit with him on his throne and rule with him.

          Stop and think about that.  Sitting with Jesus on his throne in heaven. 

          Jesus rules from that throne.  So we will also rule from that throne.

          We get that right to share Jesus’ throne.

          It is good that we should never forget that God does not accomplish his purposes apart from human involvement, right down to the smallest part.  He shares his throne.  He shares the rulership.  He makes us into a royal priesthood.

 

Summary

 

          We’ve come to the end of the letters to the seven church of Revelation.  A lot was said.  We’ve covered a lot of ground and we’ve only just gotten started.  Revelation is a “deep” book that is multi-layered.

          We’ve been told over and over again to grow ears and listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. 

          But the kicker is that the Spirit is saying the same thing to the church of today as he said to the churches of Revelation.  What was said then is also a word for now.

          Therefore, Revelation is always a contemporary book.  It is always a book of the present time.  It is not locked in the past and easily relegated to a time gone by.

          And now we are ready to see what’s going on in heaven these days, as we enter into the awesome world of chapters 4 & 5.

 

Revelation(9): A Commentary Rev. 3:7-13

Note:  This is intended to be an “open source” commentary, meaning that additions and corrections by readers are welcomed and necessary.  In fact, such a way of commenting on the Bible is and ought to be “normal” in the life of any church or group of Christian believers.  Such a method is the way theology is done.  With that said, please feel free to make your own comments and additions to what is written here by either replying via email or by making a comment on one of Horizon’s web sites: Facebook: “Horizon Ministries.:—Jim Morse

 

Introduction to Revelation 3:7-13

           As we read through the letters to the churches of Revelation, it is always appropriate to remind ourselves that these words are for us, perhaps even more than they are/were for the churches named in Revelation. 

          We know this because all but one of the letters ends with a sentence like this: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”  Not past tense, but present tense.  This is the Spirit’s word to we who are now living, just as it was, indeed, for those who went before us, including the people who were the churches of the first century who are mentioned in Revelation.

          These are, in a sense, timeless words even though they are rooted in both history as we commonly understand the term and in God’s salvation history, which is the grand narrative which captures the reality and trajectory of all of creation, including the trajectory of humanity.

          We find in Revelation the roots of our problems and the ways in which God has, is and will solve them—all of that work rooted and grounded in the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

          In this letter to the church in Philadelphia, we hear that the entire creation is going to pass through a trial and be tested.  Therefore, when we hear how bad things are, we are reminded of two things after reading Revelation.  First, that God is going to allow evil/Satan to do its worst upon the earth, just as the Lord God allowed the worst of humanity to fall upon his Son on the cross.  Second, that God calls the followers of Jesus to continue the way of the cross as God executes his judgment upon Satan once and for all, allowing God’s wrath to fall upon them in the time before God’s full wrath falls upon the one who deserves it—Satan.

 

 

 Revelation 3:7-13 (NIV) 

    “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 upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.

[11]   I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. [12] Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him 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 him my new name. [13] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

  

 

Comment:

          Again, the letter starts with another attribute of Jesus the Risen One and King being trumpeted.  He is the one who holds the key of David.  He is the King.  He is in control.  If he opens something, no one can shut it.  If he shuts something, no one can then open it.  To be King means to have power.  Jesus is the Powerful One.

          The church needs this kind of reminder as we slug it out here on earth.  We need to be told again and again that Jesus is King and that he is the Powerful One.  We, mired in the swamps and forests of our lives, can easily lose this perspective.  Reading the letter to the church in Philadelphia is a good reminder of who is in charge and who holds the keys.

          Opportunity abounds to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ.  That is the open door that stands before the church in Philadelphia.  But more needs to be said because it would seem that all of the odds are stacked against them—and against us much of the time.

          About 50 years before this was written, the city of Philadelphia had been shaken by a tremendous earthquake.  It had damaged or ruined many of the major buildings, including some of the temples.  Rebuilding is always an arduous task. And destructive and hurtful experiences always leave their mark in our memory.  We don’t want to experience such terror and heartache again.  We remember all too well the earthquakes we have experienced.

          The Spirit admits that this little church in Philadelphia is not ready for heavy lifting, it is a small band.  But they are reminded that it is not their strength that matters, it is the strength of the Lord Jesus that matters for he is the one who holds the keys.  He has real power.

          The fact that the church is described as having kept the word of Jesus and have not denied his name means that they have probably experienced some persecution already.  And what follows might give an indication of the source of that persecution.

          When the Spirit mentions the “synagogue of Satan,” we need to again remember that Satan is the adversary or oppose of God and God’s purposes. 

          And we know that God’s purposes have been done both through his Son, Jesus the Messiah, and through the people who are the church, who are filled with the Holy Spirit, who are the body of Christ on earth, who are the bride of Christ and will one day be united as one spiritual body with the Groom Jesus.

          Therefore, if you do not follow Jesus as Messiah, then you are calling God a liar and are opposed to him and his purposes of redeeming the earth and its people.  This is doubly true if you are a Jew.

          Now in Philadelphia there was probably a large Jewish congregation.  But the church was composed of perhaps only a dozen or two people.  The synagogue looked more powerful.  It was certainly bigger.  The church looked like a minor player.

          It is quite probable that, as the Christians tried to explain that Jesus was the Messiah, the fulfillment of all of God’s promises and the Savior of not only Israel but all humankind, they were opposed.  But the Spirit says that those in the synagogue, those not acknowledging Jesus as the Messiah, are not really Jews!

          This is not the first time the issue comes up in Scripture.  In Romans 9:6, Paul writes: “For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.”  What Paul means is that it is not a flesh and blood inheritance that matters when it comes to being Israel.  Instead, with the coming of the Messiah in Jesus, it is those who recognize Jesus as Messiah in faith who are now the true and authentic Israel.  In other words, it is the Christians who are the real Israel.  In other words again, it is the Christians who are the real Jews! 

          The Spirit calls those in the synagogue in Philadelphia liars.  They are liars because they deny the Messiah who was sent to them by God.  They are saying, in effect, “We don’t believe you, God, that Jesus is the Messiah.”  Obviously, judging from this letter to the church in Philadelphia, God isn’t thrilled with being called a liar!

          Remember the story of Joseph from Genesis?  Remember how he got into all kinds of trouble because he had a couple of dreams in which he was shown that his brothers, some older than him, would one day bow down to him.  When he told his brothers about the dream they weren’t thrilled.  In fact, they removed Joseph from the scene and Joseph ended up in Egypt where he became a very powerful man.     When Joseph’s brothers were sent by their father Jacob to Egypt to see if they could get some grain, who did they end up in front of—Joseph!  They bowed down to him.  The one who was discarded and thrown away by his own brothers, was now the one in power.

          With that story in mind, we can now understand the context for the Spirit saying to the small band of Christians in Philadelphia that those in the synagogue, who appear to be strong in number, would one day “come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.”  God is saying to them, “Have courage and persevere because they day is coming when the truth about who you are will be evident to all.”

          Whenever you feel, as a follower of Jesus, discouraged and that you don’t have much power in this world, remember the words of the Spirit to the church in Philadelphia.  We might appear to be on the bottom of the pit now, but the day is coming … the day is coming.

          A battle is brewing.  The hour of trial is coming and it will involve the whole world.  The battle is between Satan and his followers … and Jesus and his followers.  And the battlefield is this earth, where the followers live.  More to the point, the battlefield is the hearts of human beings, with the entire creation affected by the outcome of the war.

          The test is this:  Satan or Jesus?  Not you or Jesus.  Not some other god/idol or Jesus.  Satan or Jesus?  And each one of us will have to answer this question.  Who is the king of your heart?  To whom have you given your allegiance?  Who is Lord?  All will be tested.  It’s a pass/fail test.  Even better—it’s a life/death test.

          When Jesus says he is coming soon in v. 11, it is more proper to hear “soon” as a “be ready” kind of warning.  We know that because of the next sentence in that verse, which encourages the believers in Philadelphia to hang on so they don’t lose their crown.  Remember from the first part of this comment:  Jesus has the power to put the crown on your head and he has the power to take it off. 

          However, he doesn’t really want to take the crown off the heads of any of his believers.  It is probably more true that it is we who would take the crown off.  If we change our allegiance from Jesus to Satan, then it is clear that we have switched sides.  We moved from the victorious side to the defeated side.  And if we move to the defeated side, then we don’t get to wear the crown of the victors, who are victorious in and through Jesus.

          Remember the history of earthquakes in Philadelphia?  A city that was both shaken and stirred (with apologies to James Bond!)?  The public buildings would have had large pillars holding them up.

          Here, the Christians in Philadelphia are told that, if they hang in there and persevere in their faith, then they will become pillars in the temple of God.  They will be the strength and support of the church.

          The temple is the place where God dwells.  We know from Paul’s letters that now the church is the temple of God because the church is now the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.  So rather than being a building, the temple is a people—the people who call upon the name of Jesus as Lord and Savior and follow him.

          We hear next that God is faithful and will not abandon his people, his temple, his dwelling place, on which are written both God’s name and the name of his city, the promised New Creation, the new city that we read about more fully at the end of Revelation.  It is the city that comes from heaven.

          God’s faithful people.

          God’s temple.

          God’s dwelling place.

          Us.

          We who follow Jesus as Savior and Lord.

Summary

          Remember the story from 2 Kings 6:8-23, where the prophet Elisha is being chased by the Arameans and is trapped in Dothan?  The king of Aram sent a large army and surrounded Dothan, laying a trap for Elisha because he was a pain in the neck to the king of Aram.

          Elisha’s servant gets up the next morning and, when he goes outside the tent he sees the Arameans who have surrounded the city.  And like a good servant shaking in his boots, he asks Elisha, “What shall we do?”  In other words, the servant is saying, “I know you’ve done some great things, but now is the time to do your best stuff or this is not going to be a very good day!”

          Elisha answers the servant this way (v. 16, one of the great verses in the Bible): “Don’t be afraid.  Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

          Then, after praying that the Lord would open the servant’s eyes so he could see what was really going on, we read (v. 17): “Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and say the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

          Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.

          The church in Philadelphia was told that someday … someday … those in the huge synagogue would bow down to them.

          They would be wearing the crowns.

          Why?

          Because the One who is with them is more than those who are with them.

          Us, too.

 

Revelation(8): A Commentary Rev. 3:1-6

Note:  This is intended to be an “open source” commentary, meaning that additions and corrections by readers are welcomed and necessary.  In fact, such a way of commenting on the Bible is and ought to be “normal” in the life of any church or group of Christian believers.  Such a method is the way theology is done.  With that said, please feel free to make your own comments and additions to what is written here by either replying via email or by making a comment on one of Horizon’s web sites: Facebook: “Horizon Ministries.”   —Jim Morse

 

 

Revelation 3:1-6 (NIV) 

    “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 not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. [3] Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, 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] He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. [6] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

 

 

 

 

Comment:

          As in all the letters to the churches of Revelation, this one begins with an echo of chapter 1 and an attribute of the One who holds the spirits and the stars.  We’re not dealing here with seven spirits as we are with the sevenfold Spirit, who is the Holy Spirit, complete and with no need of qualification or adaptation.

          Sardis was a “city on a hill,” with steep sides.  They considered themselves to be impregnable, unable to be conquered.  Until, that is, they were indeed conquered by some soldiers under the command of the Persian King Croesus who snuck up the cliffs and defeated Sardis.  Cyrus the Persian, a famous OT king, defeated Sardis in 546 b.c.  The city that thought it could not be conquered had learned its lesson.

          But, apparently, the church in Sardis had not.  They were resting on their laurels, but the fact was that they were far from the church they used to be.  Their reputation was good, but the reality was not quite so good.  They thought they could not be defeated, but they needed to wake up to what was really going on and “get back in the game.”

          The church is told that their deeds are not “complete” in the sight of God, which means they don’t pass the “sniff test” when it comes to being faithful followers of Jesus.  Even the perfume of a good reputation can’t mask the stink of a church that is lacking the marks of a faithful Christian congregation.

          The church is told, with the echoes of Sardis’ past resounding a strong echo, that they will be conquered when the Lord comes “like a thief” at a time they cannot know or anticipate.  This is a “be ready” warning.  The Lord Jesus is telling the church (and us) that absolute allegiance to him and his cause of restoration is what is required.

          We do not need to read “you will not know what time I will come to you” as a prediction of the Second Coming of Jesus.  It can also mean a more general “be ready” statement, much along the lines of Jesus’ warning in Luke 12:20, where he said to the rich man who felt the need to build many barns to keep his abundance, “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’”

          Now is the time to respond to Jesus for who he is.  The Lord encourages us to be found faithful when the time comes.

          In vv. 4-5, we hear the echoes of Rev. 6:11, describing the martyrs, 7:9 describing the great multitude standing before the throne of God, 7:13-14 describing those who washed their robes white with the blood of the Lamb and 19:14 depicting the great army riding on white horses and dressed in clean, white linen.  In short, it is the faithful, those who persevere in faith, who are dressed in white.  They are worthy.  They have overcome.

          The book of life is mentioned first here in v. 5 and then comes up again later in Revelation.  God’s faithful people have their names written in the book of life.  It is God who writes their names there.

          During the time of the writing of Revelation, each town would have a book filled with the names of its citizens.  However, some of those towns had a custom that when a citizen was condemned to death, his or her name would be blotted out of the book, so that the execution could proceed without any disrepute brought upon the town.

          Those who persevere in faith will never have their names blotted out of God’s book of life.  But the corollary seems to also apply: that those who do not persevere could have their names removed.  This is a fresh call that those who call themselves Christians should not presume that simply belonging to a church and going through the motions of attending, without follow-up behavior that would “convict” someone of actually being a follower of Jesus, is all that is required.

          But those whose names are in the book of life will be acknowledged by the Lord Jesus who will also acknowledge them before his Father in heaven.  That’s really cool!

 

Summary

          The gist of the letter to the church in Sardis is that Christians don’t coast, either as congregations or as individuals.

          There comes a time for us to wake up.

          This letter encourages those of us who are followers of Jesus to wake up now.

 

 

Revelation(7): A Commentary Rev. 2:18-29

Note:  This is intended to be an “open source” commentary, meaning that additions and corrections by readers are welcomed and necessary.  In fact, such a way of commenting on the Bible is and ought to be “normal” in the life of any church or group of Christian believers.  Such a method is the way theology is done.  With that said, please feel free to make your own comments and additions to what is written here by either replying via email or by making a comment on one of Horizon’s web sites: Facebook: “Horizon Ministries” or Horizon’s WordPress Blog   —Jim Morse\

Introduction

          Some cleanup on what the Jesus, through the Spirit, said to the church at Pergamum.
          First, the reference to Balak and Balaam and the subtle but effective luring of the Israelites away from allegiance to God and to the worship of idols.  While the temptation was presented in the form of the Moabite women marrying the Israelite men, let’s be clear that this does not in any way paint women as the seductresses of men, and thereby the downfall of everything.  That would be much too simplistic a understanding of what’s being said.
          Women have often been portrayed as the downfall of men.  But let’s be honest.  Men have been the downfall of women, too.  And through sexual temptation.  You’ve heard the maxim: “Women give sex to get love, while men give love to get sex.”  In other words, both moves are self-centered and are not motivated by love, which is seeking what’s best for the other person.  In both cases, the individuals are using the other person to get their own perceived needs met. 
          Therefore, what’s at the root of such behavior is sin, an extreme self-centeredness that views others not as people but as means through which to satisfy the wants of hedonism (pleasure-seeking) and narcissism (an extreme focus on oneself, especially one’s appearance, at the exclusion of others).
          We are so easily tempted to give up all allegiance to God, forsaking him and his ways.  It only took some smooth talking and a piece of fruit in the Garden of Eden.  Are we really any more savvy to the ways of the devil today?  I think not.
          Second, and we’ve already touched on it, at the root of any temptation is sin, the wrongness with which all human beings are stained.  The root of sin is the desire to be God.  It’s a simple as that.  But it’s also as complicated as that, for the desire to be like God involves an overreaching in the areas of control, knowledge and pride, which causes us to be overconfident when it comes to our ability to get things right.  Even a cursory look around gives clear evidence that we are not doing a very good job of running either our own lives or the lives of others. 
          Our attempts to solve problems are just as infected with sin as the problems we are trying to solve.  Why?  Because we are sinful creatures.  As soon as we put our hands on something, a wrongness comes into play that will, eventually if not sooner, mess things (including us) up.  That’s the way it is.  God put death into play so that we wouldn’t be able to mess things up forever.  Sounds like a good idea to me!
          But the Lord also gives us a way out, by forgiving our sin through Jesus and extending the offer of new life in his new creation to us.  That’s grace.
          Now we move on to the church in Thyatira.

Revelation 2:18-29 (NIV) 
    “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 prophetess. 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] Only hold on to what you have until I come.
[26]   To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations–
    [27] ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter;
        he will dash them to pieces like pottery’–
just as I have received authority from my Father. [28] I will also give him the morning star. [29] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

 

 

Comment:

          Confession time:  I don’t really know how to pronounce the name of this church!  I’ve tried different pronunciations, but none of them roll of the tongue, as far as I’m concerned.  So let’s just declare a “free zone” when it comes to how we say “Thyatira.”
          One of the things we know about Thyatira, even though it was a relatively minor city when compared to the other cities of the churches in Revelation, is that it was famous for its guilds, particularly in the bronze trade.  Of course, bronze required fire for its manufacture.  Hence, we meet Jesus again in the beginning of this letter with the attributes of  “eyes like blazing fire” and feet “like burnished bronze.”
          As we’ll see, the brilliance of Jesus is set against the community spirit of Thyatira.  And there is such a thing as a community spirit.  There are festivals and occasions that celebrate the thing for which is community is known.  The celebrations might include something as simple as a feast or it might come close to a form of worship.  To rebel against or not support the spirit of the community is to perhaps invite the ire, at least, or the wrath of the community (and its “spirit”).
          The church in Thyatira was doing well.  Its deeds of love and faith, along with service and perseverance, were commendable in the eyes of the Lord.  Not only that, but the trend has been up and to the right in these areas.
          “Nevertheless …”   We then meet another OT character, just as we met the characters of Balak and Balaam in the letter to the church in Pergamum, who has been tempting the church in Thyatira to forsake the Lord’s ways and follow other, let’s call them pagan, ways.
          The word pagan means to focus on the things of the earth.  Pagan worship is focused on natural phenomena such as the earth, the moon, the seasons, the sun, etc.  Pagan worship focuses on the creation, but forsakes the Creator.  Just as a figurine that is the focus of idol worship is a worshipping of something created (and which will, therefore, decay or pass away) rather than the One who is the Creator of all things and who will never pass away or decay.
          Jezebel was the wife of King Ahab, who is famous for instigating the showdown between Elijah and the priests of Baal.  So when you read the name Jezebel, who was a foreigner and had considerable influence on her king-husband, your mind should immediately think of Baal worship.  Baal was a fertility god of the land of Canaan.
          More needs to be said.  One of the features of Baal worship was sexual immorality.  In fact, the place to go looking for a prostitute was the temple grounds.  There were what were called sacred prostitutes.  Seriously, I’m not kidding.
          So when the Spirit says that Jezebel, either a real person associated with the church in Thyatira or a representation with an OT reference to what is happening in the city, is leading faithful Christians toward sexual immorality and eating food sacrificed to idols. 
          As always, there are layers of meaning in Revelation.  Knowing about the Jezebel of the OT and her husband King Ahab, helps us connect the dots.
          It is true that the Lord is long-suffering, meaning that he’ll put up with our wayward ways for quite a while, hoping that we’ll see the error of our ways and return to him and his ways.  But it is also true that a day of reckoning will come.  The Lord lets the church in Thyatira know that Jezebel’s time is up and that he is going to bring and end to the influence of Jezebel, her children and those who have followed her.  Fair notice had been given.  But there are real consequences to real rebellion against the King of kings.  The church in Thyatira is being told to wake up and get back on track.
          One of the abiding images for such rebellion in the OT is adultery.  The metaphor of marriage is common in biblical parlance.  Just as Israel is called God’s bride, the church is the bride of Christ and the day will come when the wedding will be consummated and the wedding feast of the Lamb will take place.  Of course, the church is the bride of Christ, as we see most fully at the end of Revelation.  Therefore, for the church to be faithful to anyone or anything else other than her groom, the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom she is already engaged/betrothed/married (think Joseph and Mary in the NT, Matthew and Luke in particular), is adultery.
          The church in Thyatira is being warned against continued adultery.  And there is way that the Lord isn’t going to know if his people are fooling around on him.  He is the one “who searches hearts and minds” and “will repay each of you according to your deeds.”  Remember the start of the letter and the Son of God who has eyes like blazing fire.  The church is encouraged to stay loyal.  The Lord’ going to know if we don’t.
          Apparently Jezebel’s teaching was known as “deep secrets.”  We are easily lured to those who claim to have a special knowledge.  We like to be in on things others don’t know.  But God’s truth is plain.  There are no secrets.  So any “deep secrets” apart from God’s truth come from the Adversary of God—Satan.  Hence, “Satan’s so-called deep secrets.” 
          The Lord tells the church in Thyatira that he won’t trick them with esoteric knowledge.  It would be a burden to do so.  Therefore, he encourages us to hold on to the truth they already know.  It is enough.
          The promise is that followers of Jesus will reign with him.  In v. 27 we find a quote from Psalm 2, which describes God’s plan to establish both his Son and his followers as the rulers of the nations.  Heady stuff, but true. 
          The promise to give the morning star could be the promise of Jesus himself to his followers.  We find out in Revelation 22:16 that Jesus himself is the Morning Star.  Therefore, to receive the morning star is to receive the promise of great intimacy with the Lord.
          But the morning star referred to here does not have to be a reference to Jesus.  The morning star is the planet Venus, which is bright just before the dawn of the day.  As we know, Revelation culminates in the fulfillment of the “new day” promised in the death and resurrection of Jesus.  Therefore, Christians are encouraged to be witnesses of the new day that has dawned in Jesus Christ.  Our witness is a sign of the new day that will come for all of creation, the day when all will be made right and God will dwell among his people here on the new earth/heaven in the holy city.

Summary

          This letter brings more encouragement to both us and to our ancient sisters and brothers in Christ.
         The word to the church in Thyatira is also a word to the other churches of Revelation and to the church today (as well as through the ages).
          Don’t wander.
          Stay faithful.
          Don’t try to be special by searching for some special truth.
          Don’t fall into the trap of the surrounding culture.
          What appears innocent at first might be perilous in the end.
          The church is the bride of Christ.
        Adultery won’t be tolerated.

Revelation(6): A Commentary Rev. 2:12-17

Note: This is intended to be an “open source” commentary, meaning that additions and corrections by readers are welcomed and necessary. In fact, such a way of commenting on the Bible is and ought to be “normal” in the life of any church or group of Christian believers. Such a method is the way theology is done. With that said, please feel free to make your own comments and additions to what is written here by either replying via email or by making a comment on one of Horizon’s web sites: Facebook: “Horizon Ministries” or Horizon’s WordPress Blog —Jim Morse

Sorry about the spacing and paragraph indentation on this post.  Couldn’t fix it.

Revelation 2:12-17 (NIV)
“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, 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: You have people 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. [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] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.

Comment:

Again we meet Jesus, the King who rules earth from his throne in heaven, who holds the “sharp, double-edged sword” of the truth, the gospel-in-a-person that he is. The sword of the Roman magistrate is nothing compared to this sword!
Pergamum was a “city on a hill,” or a mound at least. And it had many temples that accentuated the height of the city. Chief among these shrines was the one to Asclepius, the Roman healing god, whose symbol was a serpent. When we read the word “serpent” in the Bible, we know that we are most likely dealing with the “accuser,” the “adversary” of God—Satan.
The Spirit compliments the church in Pergamum on its faithfulness, even noting one individual, Antipas, who held fast to the faith even though he suffered death for his allegiance to Jesus. And the Spirit says that the name of Jesus is the one that is above all names and the very name to which/whom we, as followers of Jesus, remain true.
But Pergamum is a city where Satan has his throne and where he lives, which means that temptation towards some other name or names is in play.
What is the temptation? It is singular in nature, but varied in form.
First, the church in Pergamum was tempted toward accommodation to the local cultural practices, which seemed, I’m sure, innocent enough on the surface.
But the Spirit alludes to Balak and Balaam. Balak was an OT Moabite king who wanted to curse Israel. He commissioned Balaam (famous for his donkey!), who couldn’t bring himself to do the job. Instead, Balaam suggested that Balak send Moabite women into Israel to tempt the Israelites to marry them. In other words, Balaam said the king should use sex to bring the Israelites down. Which he did. And the Israelites ended up worshipping other Gods other than Yahweh. So Balak conquered (cursed, even) the Israelites through the temptation of sex.
Not the first time that strategy was employed and certainly not the last! It seems that Satan has used sex to get many followers of Jesus to compromise their allegiance, both then and now.
And who is the “force” behind such strategies? Why Satan of course! Satan always presents us with what seems like a good deal, but in the end we find we have lost everything. Idolatry always has the same features—the gods who are not God always make promises, but the fulfillment of the promises always cost us more … and more … and more, until we have given everything. And then the idol we have given our allegiance to wants … even more.
Christianity is the only religion I know of where that dynamic is not in play. The offer we receive in Jesus is life, abundant life filled with joy, and eternal life. And we don’t have to pay anything! Nothing is required of us other than to receive the gift. It almost seems too good to be true. Maybe that’s why so many sin-stained and fallen human beings reject the offer, instead making payment and costly payment to an idol that always demands more. Such is the wide path to destruction.
The church in Pergamum is told that Jesus can and will show up to deal with these idols. Be patient. And Jesus’ sword of love and justice is a much more powerful and reliable weapon than the sword of the earthly authorities in Pergamum or anywhere else.
This letter ends with a couple of strange references. The first is to the hidden manna. Remember that manna was the God-given food from above that was daily given to the Israelites during their 40-year wilderness sojourn before entering the Promised Land. The reference here is to food that God will give to his faithful followers.
The Pergamum church is encouraged, exhorted even, to not compromise and accommodate themselves to the surrounding culture. They are to rely on God to provide for them and not fall prey to the temptation of what’s going on around them. The road away from faithfulness to Jesus is paved with little stones of good intentions. Trust that Jesus’ provision of himself will prove to be enough and stay the course of faithful obedience.
Now the white stone. The temples of Pergamum were mostly made of a black local stone. When someone wanted to post a notice of some kind, they would inscribe it on a white stone and put it on one of the black buildings. It would then stand out and people would take notice.
Jesus tells the Pergamum Christians they will be given a white stone with a new name written on it. While that new name could be the name of Jesus, it is probably a new name for the Christian individual. Such a way of saying things, new name on a white stone, is a way of saying that, no matter how hard it gets to follow Jesus, the deeper truth is that we enjoy a deep and abiding intimacy with him.
This new name on the white stone is known only to the one who receives it, thereby giving us the clue that it is a signpost pointing to great intimacy with Jesus.
Just like the Israelites in the wilderness, Jesus will provide us with nourishment, the hidden manna—himself.
Just as sexual promiscuity offers false intimacy, the promise of a white stone with a name known only to ourselves and Jesus is one of authentic and life-nourishing intimacy. It is the offer of spiritual union with Jesus himself.

Summary

Temptations are all around us, calling us to accommodate ourselves to the cultural traditions that seem so innocent and innocuous on the surface. But small steps away from Jesus result in real spiritual and relational distance from him.
The offers of false intimacy are many. But they don’t satisfy. So we can’t keep promises to each other and easily move from one relationship to the next, proving ourselves to be both untrustworthy and undependable.
Jesus knows our temptations and he promises to meet our longings with himself, thereby providing the only thing that truly satisfies. The gift of himself is hidden manna offered daily. The white stone that bears the name that only Jesus and I know is a sign of the great intimacy that only he can give.
Manna is a gift.
The white stone with my name on it is a gift.
They can’t be manufactured.
They can’t be earned.
They can’t be given to me by anyone else other than Jesus.
They can only be received.
Let’s call it grace.

Revelation(5): A Commentary Rev. 2:1-11

Note:  This is intended to be an “open source” commentary, meaning that additions and corrections by readers are welcomed and necessary.  In fact, such a way of commenting on the Bible is and ought to be “normal” in the life of any church or group of Christian believers.  Such a method is the way theology is done.  With that said, please feel free to make your own comments and additions to what is written here by either replying via email or by making a comment on one of Horizon’s web sites: Facebook: “Horizon Ministries” or Horizon’s WordPress Blog  —Jim Morse

Introduction

          We come now, finally, to what the Spirit wants to say to the seven churches, who have seven angels and are represented by the seven stars.
          Seven, as noted before, is the perfect number.
          But seven is also the complete number or the number of completion, as seen in the seven days of creation, which form the foundation of our weekly rhythm of life.  That seven day pattern has been difficult, if not impossible, to escape and seems to be imprinted on creation.
          The messages to the seven churches of Revelation are for the entire or complete church, not just each individual church of this book of the Bible.  In other words, these words are for us.  They were timely to and for the seven churches of long ago, that no longer exist in those locations, and they are also meant for us today.  This is a timely and a timeless message, which makes a certain kind of sense, coming from the God who is both the creator of time and the Lord of time.

Revelation 2:1-7 (NIV) 
    “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 men, 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 your first love. [5] Remember the height from which 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 favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
[7]   He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

 

Comment:

          As with most of these letters to the churches of Revelation,  this one starts off  introducing its author (Jesus, the risen Lord) and complimenting the Christian saints in Ephesus.  Then comes the “but…”
          It appears that the church in Ephesus has been invaded by some who claim to stand in the apostolic (coming from the original apostles) truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ but who really don’t.  They were false teachers.
          The Ephesian Christians have suffered and have exhibited patient endurance, both lauded in Revelation as being normal and characteristic of followers of Jesus.
          Then comes the “but…” 
          Ephesus was a major city of the Roman Empire.  But there is no church there today, even though a major council of church leaders was held in Ephesus in A.D. 431.  The warning is clear: it is easy to stand on your laurels and not continue in the ways of the Lord.  Any church or Christian can do great things for the Lord and his kingdom, but to then coast is not in the job description of either the individual follower of Jesus or any local Christian congregation.
          Hence the warning in v. 4 of leaving behind their first love.  But notice that, while this could be love for Jesus, v. 5 clearly indicates that the love that’s being talked about is about things the Ephesians did.  It is appropriate to conclude, therefore, that the first love the Ephesians have fallen away from is the doing of deeds of love, such as help for the poor and hospitality. 
          As we overhear this warning to the church in Ephesus, that the Lord Jesus, who is introduced in this letter and the rest of the letters with one of the attributes listed in chapter 1, can remove the lampstand from any church, we know this warning is for us, also.
          Then come the Nicolaitans, also mentioned in the letter to the church in Pergamum (v. 15).  The name comes from two Greek words meaning “to conquer or consume” and “people.”  So Nicolaitans, as their name indicates are intent on having their ideas prevail over others, usually for the purposes of either control or adulation.
          The Ephesians hate the Nicolaitans.  That is to their credit.
          Notice that v. 7 indicates that what is being said to the church in Ephesus is not for the Ephesian church only.  It is “what the Spirit says to the churches.”   That’s both the other churches of Revelation and us.
          The tree of life first appears in the Bible in Genesis.  Adam and Eve are tossed out of the Garden of Eden after their rebellious act of sin, denying them access to the tree of life.  Full access to the tree of life is promised both here in v. 7 and at the end of Revelation.
          While the first tree of life is in the Garden, the tree of life mentioned here is in “the paradise of God,” which means that it is located where Jesus is.  Think of Jesus’ words to the faithful thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43)  At the end of Revelation, we find out that the tree of life is in the New Jerusalem (22:2).  Jesus is there, too, so let’s call that paradise, also!
          Interestingly, in Ephesus, at the center of the garden surrounding the Temple of Artemis (which was one of the wonders of the ancient world), was a tree which provided asylum for criminals.  They would be free from capture and punishment if they came within a certain distance of this tree.
          The Ephesians are reminded that God has a tree and a garden, a paradise, also.  It is not a refuge for the unrepentant, though.  It is for those who do repent and humbly follow God.  Only those who repent and who conquer gain the right to eat from God’s tree of life in his paradise.

Revelation 2:8-11 (NIV) 
    “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 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 the crown of life.
[11]   He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.

Comment:

          This short letter starts, as do the rest, with words describing Jesus.  It then goes on to criticize about the saints (Christians) in Smyrna … nothing!
          Instead, Jesus warns the church in Smyrna that persecution is likely to come, with a fair likelihood of death, as they hold onto their faith.
          There were several things interesting about Smyrna in relation to this letter.  First, Smyrna was, as a whole, a wealthy city.  But the Christians were poor, probably because they were Christians and excluded from many economic circles.
          Second, Smyrna was a “city on a hill” that had been destroyed and rebuilt.  It was a comeback city.  It was a city that had known hardship and then, through its own efforts, had come back to life.
          Third, there was a sizable Jewish community centered in the synagogue, which brings us to a major point of this letter.  At issue is “Who is the true and authentic Jew?”
          The Christians in Smyrna are told that it is they, and not the ones who attended the local synagogue, who were the authentic and true Jews.
          Those who attended the synagogue said mean, nasty things about the Christians in Smyrna.  They refused to hear or believe the claims of the Christians that they were not a new religion, but instead they stood in the line of the Jewish faith, with Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah and the fulfillment of all God’s promises.  Those who believed Jesus was the Messiah of God, the Christians in Smyrna, were the real Jews, while those in the synagogue were not—even though they thought they were.
          That is why the synagogue in Smyrna is called a “synagogue of Satan.”  Satan is a liar and accuser.  Those in the synagogue of Smyrna were accusing the Christians of all kinds of nasty things, falsely so.  Hence the designation of being “of Satan.”  You can’t be a Jew and not believe in the Messiah of God—who is Jesus.
          Those are hard words for us to hear today, when we want to have it both ways or no way at all.  We have difficulty with truth claims, whether our own or others.  We don’t know how to talk to those who truth claims differ from ours, so we chicken out and say all claims to truth are equally valid and deserve the same footing in the public square.
          Nice try.
          The reality is that ideas do matter and that truth claims are both important and valid. 
          And, according to this letter to the church in Smyrna, what you believe to be the truth of things matters a lot.
          Jesus tells the Smyrnan Christians to hang in there.  The devil, the evil one, will cause them to suffer persecution to test their perseverance.  Ten days in v. 10 doesn’t mean a literal 10 days.  It means “a period of time,” which might, indeed, be 10 days—or it could mean a year.
          The Smyrnans were encouraged to be faithful (a theme throughout Revelation) even to the point of death, which was really in play for them even though it might not be for most of us.  As a result of their faithfulness, they would be given the crown of life, which means they would be given the full and everlasting life found in Jesus Christ.
          The crown is important, however.  It signifies that those who are martyred for their faith in Christ, those who persevere, are considered to be royalty by their Savior and Lord.

          A word about death.  There is physical death, called the first death, and there is the second death, mentioned in Rev. 20:14, that implies it will do for the entire personality of a person what the first death does to a person’s body.
          When we die physically, which we all will, our bodies decay and are planted in the earth much like a seed and we await our resurrection as spiritual bodies.  Those who cling to Jesus, the crucified and risen One, in faith, will be raised to glory, participating fully in Jesus’ resurrection.  Those who are unrepentant will also be raised as spiritual bodies—but to condemnation and torment.  The unrepentant will experience the “second death.”
          Those who remain faithful to Jesus and his kingdom agenda and way have no fear of either the first or the second death.  We will receive the crown of life after our first, physical death and will not be hurt by the second death.
          The Spirit says this to all of the churches and to us.
          The only question is, if you have ears, “Do you hear?”

Summary

          These words to the churches in Ephesus and Smyrna are not for them only.  They are also for us.
          We who are saints of Christ are called to love boldly without fear, for the One who has died and has risen has conquered both Satan and death.
          Faithful perseverance and testimony.