REVELATION 2

Letters to
God’s People
 1: EPHESUS 31 - 100 AD

“Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that
holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the
seven golden candlesticks;” Revelation 2:1.
Ephesus is the first and it was the church of John’s time. Its’ time was from
Jesus’ resurrection to around the death of the last of the apostles. This early
church was pure and eager to spread the truth about Jesus to the entire
world. They watched carefully, so that those who were false-hearted and
meant to sneak in and do the church harm, were sent away and the true
believers were carefully taught.
 1 - EPHESUS 31 - 100 AD

“I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not
bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are
apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast
patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.”
Revelation 2:2,3
The early apostolic church carried the Gospel to all the then known world
before the last of the Apostles died! They suffered persecution, many died
for their faith and their eagerness to obey Jesus' command to 'teach all
nations' carried them to the ends of the earth.
 1: EPHESUS 31 - 100 AD
“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy
first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and
do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy
candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” Revelation 2:4,5.
Already there was a problem in this church; Jesus said ‘they had left their
first love’. By John’s day there had come into the church those who wanted
to rule and tell all others what to do. Paul said 'the mystery of iniquity was
already at work'. They were already looking to men, and not as much to
Jesus, as they had been at first. Jesus warns them to go back to their first
love or he would ‘remove their candlestick’ and they would cease to be His
people.
 1: EPHESUS 31 - 100 AD
“But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I
also hate.” Revelation 2:6.
The Nicolaitans were followers of a teacher called Nicholas, who began,
among other things, to teach that the death of Christ on Calvary had
done away with God’s Ten Commandment Law and it was now not
longer necessary to keep it.
 1: EPHESUS 31 -
100 AD

This doctrine is also taught in our day. Some claim that the gospel of
Christ has made the law of God of no effect; that by "believing" we are
released from the necessity of being doers of the Word. This is the doctrine
of the Nicolaitans, which Christ so unsparingly condemned. Some say that
the teachings of this group also brought in the idea that the 'clergy' were
separate from the 'laity' and should rule over them. Of course that idea was
as old as paganism because it always taught that. Jesus says we all are
brethren!
 THE PROMISE:

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of
life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” Revelation 2:7.
 2: SMYRNA
100 - 313 AD

“And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith
the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; I know thy works,
and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the
blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the
synagogue of Satan.” Revelation 2:8,9
 2: SMYRNA
100 - 313 AD

Smyrna means a sweet smell, like a perfume. This was the time when God’s
people went through a terrible persecution by the emperor Diocletian. They
would "have tribulation ten days." In Prophecy a 'day' represents a literal
year. This refers to the ten years of persecution from A. D. 303-313, where
thousands were slain.
 2: SMYRNA
100 - 313 AD

Their faithfulness and they stood for His truth, was like a sweet perfume to
God. Though some of the people in the first ‘church’ had not gone back to
their ‘first love’, most had, and now in this church they stood bravely for the
truth. This is one church that Jesus has nothing bad to say about.
 2: SMYRNA 100 - 313 AD
“Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil
shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall
have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give
thee a crown of life.” Revelation 2:10
 2: SMYRNA 100 - 313 AD
Persecution has a way of making the church very pure, because selfish,
ease-loving people are afraid to join it, and those who do, are ready to die
for it. There were many martyrs during those ten years and if we are
faithful, we will meet them when Jesus comes and raises them to take them
home with all of His people.
 2: SMYRNA 100
- 313 AD

There were some in the beginning of the time of this church, who were
pretending to be Christians, but were not, and were just there to harm the
church. Because this is a prophecy, ‘Jews’ here means Christian believers,
because 3 ½ years after the death of Jesus, A.D. 34, the real Jews were no
longer God’s special people. The ten day persecution no doubt got rid of
many of the false ones as they would quickly leave.
The promise to this ‘church’ was that if faithful, they would not be ‘hurt by the
second death’. This means they would be raised to have Eternal Life.
 THE PROMISE:

“He that hath an ear, let him hear

what the Spirit saith unto the
churches; He that overcometh
shall not be hurt of the second
death.” Revelation 2:11.

How kind Jesus was to point out

to these dear people going
through this terrible time, that He
had also been dead and rose
again, so they, if faithful, would
also.
 3: PERGAMOS 313 - 538 AD
“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he
which hath the sharp sword with two edges; I know thy works, and where
thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name,
and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my
faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.”
Revelation 2:12,13
 3: PERGAMOS 313-
538 AD

Pergamos means ‘lifted up’. This was when Constantine pretended to be a

Christian and it began to be popular to be a Christian. This church covers
the period of 323-538. During this time we see the rise of the Papacy; the
idea that the Bishop of Rome should rule the entire world as a ‘god on
earth’. This letter is addressed to those who were clinging to the truth and
not going along with the wrong that was coming in to the ‘Christian church’.
 3: PERGAMOS 313 - 538 AD
In all these letters we notice that Jesus does not see as people see. He
does not recognize the ones who have rejected His truth and are bringing
in their own ideas as His ‘church’. One of the things Jesus was telling
these people that they were doing wrong, was they were allowing the
people who had the wrong ideas, to stay and teach among them.
 3: PERGAMOS 313 - 538 AD
We see here the worship of idols coming in, and the
‘faithful martyr ‘Antipas’ dying for his faith. Who was this? It
wasn’t just one person, but meant those who refused to go
along with the idea of the Bishop of Rome being the ‘papa’
or pope over the church. Many were killed or had to flee for
their lives.
 3: PERGAMOS 313 - 538
AD

“But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them
that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a
stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed
unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold
the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.” Revelation 2:14,15.
 3: PERGAMOS 313 - 538 AD

The doctrine of the

Nicolaitans was the idea
that the death of Jesus on
the cross meant God’s law
no longer had to be kept.
This doctrine always
becomes popular when
Satan is busy bringing in
false doctrines and
practices that don’t belong
in the true worship of God!
 3: PERGAMOS 313 - 538 AD

It gets people saying or

thinking, “Well, it doesn’t
really matter that much what
I do, it doesn't really matter
so much what I believe, I
only have to believe in
Jesus and I am sure to go to
heaven.” It was popular
when the early church was
being corrupted into the
Papacy, and it is very
popular now!!
 3: PERGAMOS 313 - 538 AD
Balaam was the one who led Israel into joining with pagan idol
worshippers to celebrate their holidays. 'Committing fornication', meant
that the church was starting to seek power from Idol worship, and use
the government or civil power, to enforce her decrees. The true church is
to seek only the power that comes from Jesus.
 3: PERGAMOS 313 - 538 AD

“Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight
against them with the sword of my mouth.” Revelation 2:16.
This Sword of His mouth is the Word of God, the Bible, which
is what is to be used to expose wrong practices in the church.
 THE PROMISE:
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To
him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him
a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth
saving he that receiveth it.” Revelation 2:17.
 3: PERGAMOS 313 - 538 AD

Jesus promises those who remained

faithful that they would eat of the ‘hidden
manna’ and have a white stone with a
new name. The ‘hidden manna’ meant
several things; the first one was the
assurance that God would feed and care
for them even if they had to flee into the
wilderness like ancient Israel was fed as
they wandered in the wilderness. It also
meant that even though their leaders and
ministers were proving false and they
were not being given spiritual food in the
falling church, Jesus Himself would give
them spiritual food and be their teacher!!
That is the same for us today!
3: PERGAMOS 313 - 538 AD

“Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I

am against the shepherds; and I will
require my flock at their hand, and
cause them to cease from feeding
the flock; neither shall the shepherds
feed themselves any more; for I will
deliver my flock from their mouth, that
they may not be meat for them. For
thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I,
even I, will both search my sheep,
and seek them out. … I will feed
them in a good pasture, and upon the
high mountains of Israel shall their
fold be: there shall they lie in a good
fold, and in a fat pasture shall they
feed upon the mountains of Israel.
Ezekiel 34:10,11, 14.
The white stone with the new name, meant they would be members of the
heavenly church, even though they were being thrown out of the wicked
church that was claiming to be God’s true church, and they were having to
flee for their lives into the wilderness. ‘White’ means that Jesus would see
them as pure, even though the leaders of the now corrupt church declared
them to be black with sin because they would not be slaves to false
doctrines or give up obeying what was right and obey these apostate
leaders.
 4: THYATIRA 538 - 1517 AD
“And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the
Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like
fine brass; I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy
patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.” Revelation
2:18,19.
 4: THYATIRA 538
- 1517 AD

Now in Thyatira, which means ‘sacrifice and humility’, we see Jesus is no

longer talking to that great ‘church’ that had set itself up as the ‘ruler of the
world’, but rather to His true ‘church’ hiding in the wilderness. The apostate
church had not repented, but had kept on doing wickedness and bringing in
pagan practices. Jesus had removed their candlestick and they were no
longer any church of His. The faithful who refused to go along with the
majority had fled into wilderness areas and now Jesus sees them as His
true church on earth. This is the church of the 1260 years of papal
persecution, from 538-1517 or the start of the reformation.
 4: THYATIRA 538
- 1517 AD

Jesus is pleased with their works as they humbly do their best to serve
Him and still share His truths with the world, though often it cost their
lives. Their ‘works’ were so wonderful that Jesus mentions them twice.
"Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou
sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to
teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat
things sacrificed unto idols.” Revelation 2:20.
 4: THYATIRA 538
- 1517 AD

There was a problem here; they

were allowing Jezebel to come
among them. Who was this? In the
Bible, Jezebel was the wicked wife
of Ahab that led Israel into idol
worship.
They were compromising at times
by allowing teachers from Rome to
come in and teach among them.
 4: THYATIRA 538
- 1517 AD

This message talks about ‘adultery’; God says in the Bible, when His
people join with earthly rulers and also with pagan idol worshippers that
they commit adultery, just like a wife who runs away with another man,
not her husband. Jesus calls His true church His ‘Bride’.
 4: THYATIRA 538
- 1517 AD

As long as these churches of the wilderness remained pure and stayed

completely true to the Bible Truth, they had great protection from God.
Sometimes even armies sent out to destroy them were smitten with terror
and fled away without ever coming near to the people of God. Other
times God sent fog or storms to help his people and hide them from their
enemies.
 4: THYATIRA 538
- 1517 AD

But when, weary of persecution, they made deals with the Romans, and
began compromising on even ‘small’ points of truth, God could not fully
protect them, and terrible slaughters occurred. When Satan can’t get us to
go all wrong, he tries to get us to decide it is OK to just give in ‘just a little
bit’, to make others happy. But once we do this, Jesus cannot keep us fully
safe and soon Satan gets us all the way into his ranks. Never give in to
wrong, even a ‘little bit’!
 4: THYATIRA 538
- 1517 AD

"Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her
into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her
children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which
searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you
according to your works.“ Revelation 2:22, 23.
Here is a clear prophecy made by Jesus, that the course the church was
following to seek worldly power and control nations and kings, would lead
to great suffering and strife. The 'great tribulation' referred to here is the
1260 years of papal persecution.
 4 - THYATIRA
538 - 1517 AD

4 - THYATIRA 538 - 1517 AD

"But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this
doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I
will put upon you none other burden. But that which ye have already hold
fast till I come.“ Revelation 2:24, 25.
Here Jesus is encouraging those who have not gotten mixed up in this
power-seeking and compromise with the world; although they may not
know as much as they ought to, He accepts them as they are doing their
honest best to serve Him.
 THE PROMISE:

"And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I
give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as
the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of
my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He that hath an ear, let him
hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” Revelation 2:26-29.
The ‘church’ in those days was busy seeking power to rule the nations of
earth; the faithful were sorely harassed and hounded by church and state
powers but Jesus was telling the faithful ones that if they were true to Him,
the day would come when they would have the real power through Him.
Jesus here promises them the ‘Morning Star’. This is a wonderful
promise with several meanings. Jesus is the ‘Bright and Morning Star’,
so these people would have Jesus with them in their trials. The
Morning Star appeared close to dawn, so this means that even though
the terrible darkness of the ‘Dark Ages’ was with them, the dawn would
come again. Wycliffe, who was the first of the reformers to start
trying to return the Word of God to the common people, was known as
the ‘Morning Star of the Reformation’! Yes, the dawn would come! The
darkness would be made to flee!
CONTINUED IN REVELATION 3