Revelation 2:1-11

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*

*April 21, 2010 <http://www.2rbetter.org/>*



   * REVELATION OF JOHN – Revelation 2:1-11*


 *D. 2:1-7 EPHESUS: A CHURCH HAVING LOST ITS FIRST LOVE*

*a. 2:1-3 8-FOLD COMMENDATION OF JESUS TO EPHESUS*

T*o* ag-GEl*o* t*o* en E-PHEs*o* ek-kl*e*SIas [1577] GRApson:

*To the angel :of **the **church in Ephesus write:*

TAde LEgei ho kraT*O*N [2902] tous hepTA asTEras en t*e* de-xiA auTOU,

*These **things **says he who holds the seven stars in his :right,*

ho pe-ri-paT*O*N [4043] en MEs*o* t*o*n hepTA luch-ni*O*N [3087] t*o*n chruS
*O*N:

*who walks midst the seven :golden lampstands:*

OIda ta ERga sou, kai ton KOpon [2873] kai t*e*n hu-po-moN*E*N [5281] sou,

*2 **I know your :works, and your :toil and :patience,*

kai HOti ou DUn*e* basTAsai [941] kaKOUS [2556],

*and that you cannot bear evil **men,*

kai ePEIra-sas [3985] tous LEgon-tas he-auTOUS a-posTOlous [642],

*and did try them that call themselves apostles,*

kai ouk eiSIN, kai HEUres auTOUS pseuDEIS [5571];

*and they are not, and did find them false;*

kai hu-po-moN*E*N Echeis kai eBASta-sas [941] diA to OnoMA [3686] mou,

*3 **and you have patience and did bear for my :name’**s sake,*

kai ou ke-koPIa-kes [2872].

*and have not grown weary.*


 *b. 2:4 LEAVING OF FIRST LOVE: SOLE REBUKE*

alLA Ech*o *kaTA sou,

*But I have **this** against you,*

HOti t*e*n aGAp*e*n [26] sou t*e*n PR*O*t*e*n [4413] aPH*E*kes [863].

*that you did leave your first :love.*


 *c. 2:5 REMEMBER AND REPENT – OR REMOVAL!*

mn*e*MOneu-e [3421] oun POthen PEPt*o*-kes [1601], kai me-taNO*e*-son [3340]

*Remember therefore whence you are fallen, and repent*

kai ta PR*O*ta ERga [2041] POI*e*-son; ei de m*e* ERchoMAI soi,

*and do the first works; else I come to you,*

kai kiN*E*s*o* [2795] t*e*n luchNIan sou ek tou TOpou [5117] auT*E*S,

*and will move your :lampstand out of its :place,*

eAN m*e* me-ta-no*E*s*e*s.

*except you repent.*


 *d. 2:6 COMMENDATION: HATRED OF WORKS OF NICOLAITANS*

alLA TOUto Echeis, HOti miSEIS [3404]

*But this you have, that you hate*

ta ERga t*o*n Ni-ko-la-iT*O*N, ha ka’ ’G*O* miS*O*.

*the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.*


 *e. 2:7a COMMAND: LET **ALL** CHURCHES HEAR THE WORD OF THE SPIRIT*

HO Ech*o*n ous,

*Who has an ear,*

a-kouSAt*o* [191] ti to PNEUma [4151] LEgei tais ek-kl*e*SIais.

*let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.*


 *f. 2:7b PROMISE TO OVERCOMERS – PARTAKERS OF THE TREE OF LIFE*

T*o* niK*O*Nti [3528],

*To him that overcomes,*

D*O*s*o* auT*O* phaGEIN ek tou XUlou [3586] t*e*s z*oE*S [2222],

*to him will I give to eat of the tree of :life,*

ho es-tin en t*o* pa-raDEIs*o* [3857] tou TheOU.

*which is in the Paradise of :God.*


 *E. 2:8-11 SMYRNA: A CHURCH IN TRIBULATION*

*a. 2:8-9 CHRIST KNOWS AND CARES ABOUT ALL OUR TROUBLES*

Kai t*o* agGEl*o* t*o* en SMURn*e* ek-kl*e*SIas GRApson:

*And to the angel :of **the** church in Smyrna write:*

TAde LEgei ho PR*O*tos kai ho EScha-tos [2078],

*These **things** says the first and the last,*

Hos eGEne-to neKROS [3498], kai Ez*e-*sen [2198]:

*who became dead, and lived:*

OiDA sou t*e*n THLIpsin [2347], kai t*e*n pt*o*CHEIan [4432] (alLA PLOUsi-os
[4145]) ei,

*9 **I know your :tribulation, and :poverty (but you are rich),*

kai t*e*n blas-ph*e*MIan [988] ek t*o*n leGONt*o*n I-ouDAIous EInai
he-auTOUS,

*and the blasphemy from them that say they are Jews,*

kai ouk eiSIN, alLA su-na-g*o*G*E* [4864] tou Sa-taNA [4567].* *

*and are not, but **are** :Satan’s synagogue.*


 *b. 2:10a CHRIST CAN FORETELL EXCEPTIONALLY FIERY TRIALS*

m*e* phoBOU ha MELleis PASchein [3958]:

*Fear not what **things** you are about to suffer:*

iDOU, MELlei BALlein ho diAbo-los [1228] ex huM*O*N eis phu-laK*E*N [5438],

*lo, the devil is about to cast **some **of you into prison,*

HIna pei-rasTH*E*te [3985] kai Ech*e*-te THLIpsin h*e*-meR*O*N DEka.

*that you may be tried and have a tribulation of ten days.*


 *c. 1:10b A CROWN OF LIFE: THE REWARD OF MARTYRDOM*

GInou pisTOS Achri thaNAtou,

*Be you faithful unto death,*

kai D*O*s*o* soi ton STEpha-non [4735] t*e*s z*oE*S.

*and I will give you the crown of :life.*


 *d. 2:11a COMMAND: LET **ALL** CHURCHES HEAR THE WORD OF THE SPIRIT*

ho Ech*o*n ous,

*Who has an ear,*

a-kouSAt*o* ti to PNEUma LEgei tais ek-kl*e*SIais.

*let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.*


 *e. 2:11b PROMISE TO OVERCOMERS: NO PART IN SECOND DEATH*

ho niK*O*N [3528] ou m*e* a-di-k*e*TH*E* [91] ek tou thaNAtou tou deuTErou.

*Who overcomes shall in no wise be hurt of the second death.*



 *NOTE:* Many books have been written on the 7 churches of Revelation, from
many points of view. The Book of Revelation has been interpreted in 4 major
ways:

THE HISTORICAL – Everything recorded took place at the beginning of the
church age.

THE DISPENSATIONAL -- Each church represents one of the 7 church ages from
the beginning to the end.

THE SYMBOLICAL -- Everything represents a symbolical or spiritual
counterpart.

THE FUTURISTIC – All will take place in the future.


 Daniel Juster sees all 4 as having some relevancy, but with the emphasis
upon the future. The key to this book however is to see how it totally
unfolds from understanding the Passover and Exodus:

Pharaoh represents the coming antichrist

Egypt represents the world

Moses represents Jesus

Goshen represents God’s safety place for His people during tribulations and
judgments

Israel represents the church


 Juster has a message on this that he gave at an April Conference in Kansas
City for IHOP. By all means look into it.


 Following is another thought. Many have noted that there is a remarkable
association in many instances between various groupings of 7. With what
other groups of 7 might the 7 churches of Revelation be grouped? For
instance, look at Deuteronomy 7:1 and the 7 Canaanitish nations God
commanded Israel to drive them out of the Promised Land.


 Then see the 7 Capital sins that the Contemplative Movement of the Middle
Ages saw related in this area. And how about the 7 days of Creation?


 Then let’s consider EPHESUS, the first church of Asia Minor (Modern Turkey)
that Jesus addressed. The derivation of its name means “Desirable” or “A
Throwing.” The Hivites of Deuteronomy 7:1 moved strongly in a spirit of
“Self desire, selfishness or self love.” This is one of the powerful capital
sins that men like St. John of the Cross and Madame Guyon learned to see
crucified by Christ ruling us inwardly through the Gift of the Holy Spirit.


 When Ephesus left her “first love,” then this *other* spirit crept back in.
Is it any wonder that Jesus honed in on this one failure, that endangered
all the other 8-fold commendations?


 And what of SMYRNA? This name derives from “*myrrh*.” It is a precious
ointment associated with death and burial. And what brought Smyrna down to
such a low level? The spirit of *envy*, another of the 7 capital sins, and
associated with the Jebusite spirit.


 But Jesus would not allow Smyrna to rest in this spirit. He had no real
word of rebuke for her, bringing her into the fellowship of Philadelphia!
Yes – testings and fiery trials* were* appointed for her, but through the
love, power and goodness of the Lord – He would bring her successfully
through them all, with a tremendous promise for the Overcomer! Note also
that Jesus wanted his message to each individual church to be shared with
the other 6. We can actually see the spirit of each of these churches in
each of the succeeding church ages.


 The other 5 churches have equally revealing words from Jesus, and helpful
associations. And remember – The Interlinear texts above are from Ivan
Panin’s Numerically tested texts, the signature God chose to use to protect
His Word from counterfeiting. J.A.W.



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