01.4. Part 2.—The Things Which Are (Chapters 2 and 3.)

Part 2.—The Things Which Are (Rev 2:1-29 and Rev 3:1-22)

“The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in My right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks are seven churches.” (Rev 1:20.) The seven churches addressed by our Lord in the messages of Rev 2:1-29 and Rev 3:1-22 were not chosen from among the whole number of churches in Asia on account of their relative importance, for it is apparent that, excepting Ephesus, most of them were comparatively unimportant and obscure. These seven churches were evidently selected because they represented, in their spiritual condition, the seven successive phases of the professing church throughout the present Age. Seven is the number of completeness and these seven letters gave beforehand a complete view of what the churches should be during the seven successive periods of the Dispensation.

First. Ephesus stands for the latter part of the apostolic era—that is, at the time John wrote. The letter gives commendation for good remaining, but warns against the evil that threaten. Judaism had shown itself, for evil men had already attempted to introduce the doctrine of apostolic succession—they said they were apostles, and were not, and were found liars—but they had been rejected by the Church. There were Nicolaitans there also. This term doubtless describes those who sought to establish a separate order of priesthood among believers. The word means conqueror, or ruler, of the laity, or people. In our day this sin is so prevalent that it occasions no comment whatever. The churches set their pastors in a class by themselves and call them “Divines” and “the Clergy.” They apply titles to them, as “Reverend,” “Very Reverend,” “Right Reverend” and on through the list, until the pope is blasphemously called the “Holy Father.” All this is most unscriptural and dishonoring to God. “Holy and reverend is His name” only, and He Himself is the only “Holy Father.” (See Psa 111:9; John 17:11.) As for the Church of God, it is an equal brotherhood, and whoever divides it into unequal parts, as clergy and laity, is introducing schism into the body and is guilty of Nicolaitanism. Our Lord Jesus hates the deeds of the Nicolaitans and commends the Ephesian Church for hating these deeds also. Nevertheless, there is spiritual declension already noticed, for this Church had left her first love. The warning is sharp—Remember, repent and do the first works. Otherwise there is judgment awaiting the Church, whose lampstand will be removed. As for those individuals who should survive the wreck, the real believers or overcomers, they are promised the joy of the Tree of Life in the Paradise of God.

Second. The Smyrna period immediately followed the apostolic era. Great suffering is threatened, but the crown of life will be the reward of faithfulness. Judaism is rampant during the Smyrna period, men claiming to be Jews who are of the synagogue of Satan. The tribulation ten days probably refers to the ten distinct attempts during two hundred years to crush out the infant church. The sentence, “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life,” is found many times engraved on the walls of the catacombs of Rome.

Third. The Church of the Pergamum period showed in its early stages the purifying effects of the Smyrna sufferings. Dwelling where Satan’s throne was, the whole world lying in the Wicked One, the Church held fast the name and the faith of Jesus. But just then Emperor Constantine’s professed conversion occurred and the Church yielded to the temptation her Lord had overcome and allied herself with the world and settled down at ease. Church and State were united and the Church became the world’s mistress. Whole legions of soldiers were marched to the rivers and baptized—not into Christ indeed, but “into favor.” Heathen temples became “Christian churches” and heathen priests became “Christian priests.” This alliance with the world is the doctrine of Balaam so strongly condemned and the deeds of the Nicolaitans are now based upon a recognized doctrine, which thing the Lord hates. Judgment is again threatened for the corrupt Church and deliverance for the overcomer.

Fourth. The Thyatiran period showed a great preponderance of evil. The Lord did not fail to see and commend works and love and service and faith and endurance. But the woman Jezebel was suffered there. This marks the rise of the papacy and the awful descent of the Church into the dark ages of medieval Rome. The Old Testament Jezebel was the heathen wife of a Jewish king who upheld idolatry, set up an idolatrous priesthood, and put to death the Lord’s prophets. She carried out the doctrine of Balaam to its full extent. It is written of her husband in 1Ki 21:25, that he sinned so that there was none like unto Ahab which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of Jehovah, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up. The history of the Thyatiran period corresponds perfectly with all this. Professing to be the bride of Christ, the so-called Church became married to heathenism and stirred up more wickedness than can be found in any other period of Church history. No one who reads that history can doubt that this is a picture of Rome, the wicked Jezebel.

Fifth. Sardis comes next. The Protestant Reformation brought the dawn of the morning from the dark night of the middle ages. But the Reformed churches soon lapsed into cold lifeless formalism and the picture in the epistle to the Sardian Church is of this latter phase of that period. “Thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead." There was the form of godliness but little of its power. A few names were left, however, whose garments were not defiled and they shall walk with Him in white.

Sixth. Philadelphia is a phase of the Church growing out of the Reformation period. The word means “brotherly love" and the Philadelphia Church is made up of the few names that were left in Sardis—the remnant who are keeping themselves unspotted from the world. He that hath the key of David is watching over them. He finds no fault in them, but commends them because they have a little strength, having strengthened the things which remained. “Because thou hast kept the word of My patience," says the Lord to them, “I will keep thee from the hour of trial, that hour which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." This is His definite assurance that the Church of God will not pass through, nor even into the terrors of The Great Tribulation. We are delivered from the wrath to come (1Th 1:9-10). “Behold, I come quickly; hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”

Seventh. Laodicea is the last period of Church history. All who are not of Philadelphia are of Laodicea. The word “Laodicea" means “the people’s rights,” and surely many of the churches of these last days have become the “people’s churches.” Nominally the Lord Jesus is their Head, but really He is shut out. He says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” Lukewarm is the exact word to describe the condition of many so-called Christian churches of these days, and He who is about to come will spue them out of His mouth. Meanwhile if any man hear His voice and open the door, the Lord will come in unto him and sup with him and he with Him. “To him that overcometh” —and the overcoming is by the blood of the Lamb —“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.” Can there be any doubt in view of the import of these letters to the churches, that we are now living in the last days, the days of the apostate Church, the Church of the Laodiceans? And if that be so, then our Lord is about to come. May God help us to be ever ready for His coming—ever “serving the living and true God and waiting for His Son from Heaven.” He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.