Revelation 2:1-7 – THe message of Christ to the church in Ephesus

Apparently in Ephesus today, there is no dynamic church. This may seem incongruous since the church in Ephesus during Paul’s days was at its height. It was a major centre of Christianity. It was a model for Christian life and faith and witness. Reading the letter of Paul to the Ephesians would give us the impression that it was a thriving church. With no great church, or lively Christian fellowship from that once vibrant hub of Christianity, leaves one wondering and baffled. From Christ’s message to the church in Ephesus we now know the reason why the church there is in such a predicament today. This happens as Christ had warned them in His message recorded in Revelation 2:1-7. In verse 5, He said to them, “…remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.” Like much of His message to them, this was indeed a severe warning.

The messages of Christ to the seven churches in Asia Minor were indeed incisive and piercing. They were messages with all the warnings to them. The message to the church in Ephesus was the first. While what Christ had said was addressed to each of the seven churches in particular, they also served as a message to other Christian fellowships around that area at that time. And they are indeed accessible and relevant to all churches today. A close look at the seven messages tell us that each one began with some reminders of certain aspects of Christ presented in Revelation 1. Then the message would highlight certain praiseworthy characteristics of that particular church. We know that the seven church each had something praiseworthy except the church of Laodicea. And of the seven churches, only in Smyrna and Philadelphia that the Lord had found no fault. Each message would also end with a serious warning and a promise. Through them the Spirit is still speaking to the churches today. He is calling on us believers to be overcomers. He is also making promises of some outlooks of the glorious future that God has installed for us. All the warnings and all the promises Christ made to the seven churches are applicable to every believer then and now.

Here the Lord began by reminding the church in Ephesus that Jesus is the sovereign Lord. He is the one who still holds the seven stars in His right hand and the One who walks in the midst of His church. Jesus was pleased with the Christians of Ephesus then. They apparently were diligent and patient even when they faced great threat and persecution and did not grow weary. They had even drawn a clear line between the real followers of Jesus and those who were obviously not. They tested all self-proclaimed apostles that came to them and wisely discerned and saw through their falsehood. They would have nothing to do with their false teachings. While all these were well and good, they had fallen into a trap. Being diligent and adhere to strict orthodoxy were well and good, but they had fallen into a snare - they had deserted their first love. It could possibly refer to their love for Jesus. This is something that all of us must keep firm and central in our walk with Him. But Jesus was most probably referring to something which they did not do. Hence He told them to return to what they were doing at the beginning. Love is an action word. Showing hospitality and being generous to those in need are love in action. Practical help to the poor, the sick and needy are love in action. The early church was marked by such activities. This was and still is the best way to demonstrate God’s love. It is the best way to show our faith in Christ, our self-giving God.  We can be so self-absorbed, putting our own needs first that we forget to extend a hand to the needy. Like the Ephesians, if we have forgotten the plight of the needy, we need to wake up and remember what is pleasing to God, and repent and get back to those activities.

The Lord also commented the Ephesians for rejecting the “Nicolaitans.” There are debates concerning who this group of people were. We will not dwell in this needless pursuit. Suffice to say that they were a deviant group. As followers of Jesus we know we must evaluate all teachings with His Word. We can only accurately discern truths from what is false by our own prayerful, careful, and Spirit-guided study of God’s Word. Like the believers in Ephesus we must be discerning.

The worship of Artemis or the goddess Diana was common in Ephesus at that time. Apparently, in the temple of Artemis or the goddess Diana, there was also a tree used as an asylum. Criminals who came within certain distance of that tree would be free from capture and punishment. Hence it is no accident that John should conclude here with the tree of life in the paradise of God. But this tree is not a place for unrepentant sinners, but it is for those who repent and those who conquer. They are those who would have the right to partake of the fruit of this tree of life. The kind of life that God had intended for us to experience but had been kept from reach by our sin. This tree of life was in the Garden of Eden and will be there again in God’s New Jerusalem.

Bear in mind that Jesus was preparing the young church to face the threat coming against her. The call is to conquer persecution from the pagan. Like them we must also conquer by following the examples of Jesus who won through by His patient endurance. We may have to face hardship for our faith, but regardless of how tough our situation may be, we do it all to witness for Jesus by conquering through patience and not by fighting back.