Bible Study no 4 of Revelation

Well, good evening, brethren, to our fourth Bible study on the book of Revelation. And as a very brief point of introduction, we concluded the last time in verses 19 and 20 of chapter 1, in which it says, Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this, the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden sticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches. Right, so Yah is the apostle, instructed, this apostle John instructed, to write the things which he has seen.

So, for instance, chapter 1 and other things that you will see, but things you have seen. The things that there in chapter 1 represented, for instance, Jesus Christ as the King, as the glorious King, the coming King. Then, you also write the things which are, which include events, for instance, events that are happening, and also events about the church, and things that Jesus says, and that, as we're going to see, events in the church, we've got to understand them in their historical context.

And then he's also instructed to write things which will take place after this. In other words, the words of prophecy. If we read in chapter 1 verse 3, it says, Blessed is he who reads, and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it, for the time is near. So, not just hearing, but we need to keep them.

And so, he's to write what will take place, basically, the words of this prophecy. Also, in verse 10 of chapter 1, if we read in verse 10, it says, I, John, John, obviously is the one who is referring to himself, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day. So, this is talking about events towards during and beyond the Lord's Day. And we will address and discuss more about the Lord's Day in another session.

So, this is very important for us to understand what is meant by the Lord's Day. We did approach it briefly, which represented, and we did say, that was that one year at the end of the three and a half years of the Great Tribulation, but we'll go through that again later on in the future study. Something else here also in verse 20 talks about the seven stars.

So, it's giving a definition of the seven stars and the seven lampstands. The seven stars are the agolos, as it says, are the angels of the seven churches, and the Greek word there is agolos, which means a messenger, an envoy or envoy, one who sent an angel or a messenger from God, which we will also talk a little bit more about that in a little moment. Then it says, and the seven lampstands.

Now, the lampstands, the function, the function of a lampstand is to give light. And therefore, seeing that we're talking about the churches, because we just saw the seven churches, the churches are to give light to the world. So, it's like the light to the world. So, it's a lot of symbology, a lot of symbols. Then it's also talking about the seven golden lampstands, which obviously is the church, but they are golden, which are symbolic of Christ's divinity and glory, because Christ is among the church, and the glory of Christ is in the church.

So, it's symbolic of his divinity and glory. And there's something else which is not mentioned yet, but obviously is implied. It's the olive oil that is in the lampstands. And in those days, they didn't have electricity. So, it was olive oil, the oil in the lampstands, and there is a symbol of the power of God's Holy Spirit making or working and giving the light in the church.

So, that is more or less where we stopped last time, but I have added a little bit to what we stopped last time for us to be able to continue. And now we're going to address chapters 2 and 3, but today we'll only address one of the churches, the church in Ephesus, in chapter 2.

But chapters 2 and 3 have got the messages to the seven churches, which symbolize seven eras and seven attitudes. So, God chose these seven churches to teach us certain spiritual lessons. In the first century, there were larger congregations or larger churches. However, God did not choose to include those larger congregations in the series of messages. He specifically chose these seven geographical congregations in a very tight, close-by geographical location. So, Yahit demonstrates these seven churches. The symbolism that is shown to us by the physical descriptions of these seven churches demonstrates the divine revelation and exhortation to today's era in that spiritual symbolism.

So, these exhortations are very significant, are very important to the doctrine that we have to hold fast and to our Christian life, our daily conduct. So, that's why in each of the churches' areas is that we all are to listen to the messages to those seven churches. Now, each church congregation, let's call it, or geographical congregation in Asia Minor that is referred amongst these seven, each church requires a particular message, which tied in, in a way, to the physical conditions of that geographical area.

But the physical conditions themselves is not what is important. It's rather what the importance in the message is the spiritual component of that instruction to the church, which matches the era, and therefore is an exhortation which fits that era of God's church, as well as it fits as individually as spiritual lessons.

So, therefore, the physical condition for the physical conditions of each local congregation in Asia Minor in the first century, so basically taking lessons from the physical parts of those congregations, serve as spiritual lessons to the church during the centuries that followed, and as spiritual lessons for us to be able to have a spiritual lesson.

So, we see this, individually, today, in a way, spiritual exhortations and also warnings. So, it's instructions and warnings. And what do we see as the evolution? Let's just use the word evolution there, but it means that the development of the church throughout these eras, the development over time, we see as time passes, apostasy grows, and it leads to an attitude which is allowed to see an attitude, which basically is allowed to see a failure of the end time. So, there's an apostasy that starts attempts to come in right in the first church era, and then that apostasy goes through different eras. So, in the first year, they fight it, but then slowly starts infiltrating into the church over the different eras and causes trials over the centuries, as we know, until the time towards the end, there's got to be a re- what is the word? reinstating of the basic truths, and then there's the loudest seeing, cooling down attitude at the end of the time. So, we'll go through that through those phases of the church. So, let's look at chapter 2, and from verse 1 to verse 7 covers the letter to the church of Ephesus, and basically is the church that lost the first love. So, let's read verse 1. It says, To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, These things says he who holds the seven stars in his hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands. So, let's look first at the word angelia, because I did mention earlier on that the Greek for this word is angelos, and so the question is, who is this angelos? So, to give you some examples of the usage of angelos, let's look at Matthew 11. So, in Matthew 11, let's ask the question, who is this angelos? Because in Matthew 11, this Greek word is used. And then we read, For this is he who eats written. Now, this is Christ talking about John the Baptist. For this is he, and it was John the Baptist, he is he, of whom he eats written. I will send my messenger in Greek, I will send my angelos before your face, who will prepare your way before you. So, who is this angelos? It's a human being. It's John the Baptist. It was translated, yeah, angelos, as messenger. But it could have been translated as angel. It was a decision of the translator to each word to use. If you look at Mark 1, verse 2, Mark 1, verse 2, it says, It says, The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as it is written in the prophets, Behold, I will send my angelos before your face, who will prepare your way before you. The voice of one crying in the womb, prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Who is this angelos? This angel that could have been translated angel. It's John the Baptist. He's a physical human being.

Let's look at another example, and that is in Luke chapter 7, verse 24. Luke chapter 7, verse 24.

Who are these angelos of John the Baptizer? Oh, John the Baptist, John the Baptizer. It says, Jesus, verse 24. And when the messages, angelos of John had departed, the messages, the angelos of John the Baptist had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John the Baptist, John the Baptizer. What did you do? What did you go out into the wilderness to see? Now, who are these angelos? They were human beings. They were, let's call it, serpents or disciples of John the Baptist, which were human beings. And these had been sent by John to ask from Christ the question. So these angelos were human beings. And again, in Christ, verse 27, repeats the same quote that I read in Matthew 11 verse 10 and in Mark 1 verse 2. Behold, I'll send you my angelos. So the word angelos can be translated as messengers, which are human beings. The translator has to make a choice of which word to use. Let's look also at Luke chapter 9 verse 51 and 52. Luke chapter 9 verse 51 and 52. It says, Now it came to pass when the time had come for him to be received, that he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem. And this obviously is Christ, he wants to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers. Christ sent angelos. And who are the messengers that Christ sent? Obviously we're human beings with some of his disciples before his face. So Christ sent messengers in front of him, ahead of him, to prepare things. And as they went, they entered the village of the Samaritans to prepare for him. And they did not receive him. So you know the story then. Then, oh, shall we destroy them? And things like that. But the question here, who were these agalos of Jesus? They were human beings. They were some of his disciples. So we can see in these circumstances, there are three completely different circumstances, that the word agalos can be translated as messengers, which can be referring to human beings. In Revelation 2, verse 1, the translators had that choice as well of how to translate the word agalos. And they translated angel, but it could have also been translated as a human messenger or a human leader, or those in leadership positions of the Church of Ephesus. So consider the line of authority. In Revelation chapter 1, we see Revelation 1, verse 1. We see the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him. So we see this line of authority. God gave it to Jesus Christ. And then to show his servants, which things must surely come to pass, and he sent and signified it by his angel to his servant John. So we see this line of authority. It came from God the Father to Jesus, from Jesus to an angel, and that angel is the angel that appears often in Revelation talking to John the apostle. And then John wrote it to us. And now he's writing to us what Christ is saying in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 to the agalos of the different churches. So, Christ is therefore giving a message to the leader or the messenger responsible for these churches. Could be the pastors, could be the elders, could be those in positions of leadership. It's a messenger to the leaders, to those heading those churches.

And also, this message is applicable to us as individual members, because if we look at Revelation 2 verse 7, the first part, I am meaning the first part of Revelation 2 verse 7, says, Who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches, because it's applicable to us. So it's not just to the leaders of the churches, but us as individual members, it's equally applicable to us.

So, Yahweh have a message to the leadership of the church from Him that holds the seven churches in His hand and who walks in the midst of the landstands of the churches. So, what do we have here is a letter that is being written to Ephesus.

Ephesus is in Turkey, in the area of Turkey, and here we see where John was first, Isle of Patmos, and then he was moved to Ephesus, and then from there, that's, I mean, he got to Revelation while he was in Patmos, but he was the pastor of the church in Ephesus, and then the message goes first to the church in Ephesus. Now, the physical lessons in Yah is that Ephesus was a very prominent city in the region, that's in Asia Minor, in this western section of Turkey, a very, very small section of Turkey, west of even Antioch.

So, it's a small section there, but Ephesus was the richest city of Asia Minor, a very wealthy city, and in symbolically, very rich spiritually as well, because the apostles and Apostle John had been there. Also, Ephesus has a city that had a very good harbor.

You can see that it's protected from the outside sea in a very protected way. And this harbor served Asia Minor. The boats could come in there, and they could have material and goods to go inland from Yah into Asia, into the inner part of Asia. It was also called an area, so it had a very big harbor serving Asia Minor, and it was also an area that was seen or considered as, should I say, considered as the light of Asia, because the information came through there into other areas.

Lumen, Asia, and it had a population of about 300,000 people. In those days, it was quite a large city. But something else that was prominent in Ephesus, it was the center of worship of the goddess Diana. It's also referred to Artemis. It was the center of worship of the goddess Diana. Right, so let's look a little bit more about Ephesus. And basically, we know that the Gospel first reached Ephesus through Paul. Paul preached the Gospel in Ephesus for three years during his second missionary trip.

Let's look at that in Acts 19. In Acts 19, verse 1. And it happened when Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper region, came to Ephesus. And this is actually the section that is on his third trip. And then in verse 10, he says, and this continued for two years. So he was there in Ephesus during for two years. And then look at chapter 20, verse 31. So he actually was there during his third missionary trip, his third journey.

And from there, he went then north, and then he went to Greece. And on the way back, then he came back, and he passed nearby. And you can see that in chapter 20, starting from verse 17, that he went to Maletus, and then he called for the elders from Ephesus, and then they came. And then he called them, as you know, certain warnings that they would be deceived, that come from among them.

And then you can see in verse 31, he said, therefore watch and remember that for three years, I do not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears about this coming apostasy, because it was the center of the goddess Diana, that false worship. Now, Ephesus, on the other side, because it was in a male root, this church in Ephesus probably was the foundation where other churches in that male root, in the nearby neighborhood, let's call that, were founded and grew as a result of work done in Ephesus by Paul.

In Acts 19 verse 19, we read in Acts 19 verse 19, he says, and also, many of those who had practiced magic through their books together and burned them in the sight of all, and they counted up the value of them, and they totaled 50,000 pieces of silver. So that was a considerable amount of money. So through the work of Paul there, people started leaving this worship of the goddess Diana, and therefore you know that then it developed this riot in Ephesus because these people, craftsmen, they were making things and images and things that were there. And they were losing business. But yeah, we can see the city had a great concern for spirituality, but it obviously was pagan spirituality.

Now this word arts in verse 19, in the New King James Version that I read, is magic. In the King James Version is curious arts, also in Derby, and other versions, it has magic arts, and the NIV has a sorcery. So it's translated into different words. It actually comes from the Greek periargos, which is also translated when talking about people, that is option A for the meaning.

So it's basically busy about things that are trifle and neglectful of important matters. So if it's talking about people, that's people that are busybodies. But if it's talking about things, or things that are impertinent and superfluous, like magic arts, like curious arts, so it's those things of that kind. Adam Clogg's commentary writes, from the use of this word in the Greek writers, we know that it signified magical arts, sorceries, and incantations.

Dio Classio, speaking of the emperor Adrian, says, Adrian was exceedingly addicted to curious arts and practiced divination and magic. These practices prevailed in all nations of the earth, and particularly there in Ephesus, because it was the center of the worship for Diana. So in Acts 19, verses 23-29, we can see the situation that the Gospel was growing there in Ephesus, and it impacted or had a negative financial impact on the artistic business of these people that were having profits from making these idols to Diana.

Or Artemis. And so we developed a riot. But you can see there was a big impact of the church in Ephesus, so it became like a basis for the church to grow from that area. So what happens is that this pagan spirituality would slowly, over time, and subtly influence the church of God, and we'll see that coming in in future church eras, eras after Ephesus. Now, in Acts 20, verses 28, that's when Paul is saying goodbye to the elders in Ephesus, and he's saying to them, from amongst yourselves, there will come these false ideas and the false ministers that will bring these perverted ideas, secretism, in other words, mixing the truth of era.

And these subtle ideas would infiltrate into the church over time, which originally came from paganism, and more specifically, if you trace it back, came all the way from Babylon. That's why later on in the book of Revelation it says Babylon, Babylon, because all this false religion, which today we call false Christianity, it's called that, a lot of false things in Christianity today, even though they dressed with Christian names, they originate from Babylon. So it's paganism all the way from Babylon.

Sure, the names have changed, but the concepts are still the same. So in verse 38, then Paul said goodbye, and they would not see him again. He said, you're not going to see my face anymore. This was about year 57 of the current era. A few years later, then Paul writes a letter to the Ephesians from prison.

This is around when he was in prison somewhere between AD 61-63. So a few years later, maybe let's say three to five years later, he writes a letter to the Ephesians. So you can see that he started a letter at the church in Ephesus. This church became quite influential, just like it was physically an important arbor that opened up the door for the church to grow from there and to develop from there. Then it became actually the Apostle John, let's call it his area.

He was the pastor over that later on. And therefore we can see that Ephesus grew, and now we have, a few years later, after Paul had started the church in Ephesus, he writes a letter to the Ephesians. Now, one thing that we know is that Timothy, initially, when he became a minister initially, he became the pastor in the area of Ephesus.

So, therefore, Paul wrote two pastoral epistles to Timothy some years later, after he was writing Ephesus, about the year 65. So that is also significant for us to get some understanding of what was happening in Ephesus. So we get quite a lot of the early church in Ephesus through the Bible, through the book of Acts, we get also from the book of Ephesians, we also get it from the letters to Timothy, and then we also get it from the Apostle John later in life that he was responsible over the area of Ephesus. So we got a lot of information about Ephesus.

So it's like an area of a harbor that the truth came in there and it went into Asia Minor and a lot of the early church developed there as well. Now, obviously, it developed also first in Palestine, then it developed to Antioch, but then later on into Ephesus. So that is also very interesting. So, as I mentioned in the letters to Timothy, Paul is giving important instructions to Timothy and effectively to the church in Ephesus. And likewise, the instructions to Timothy are applicable to all of us, just like the seven letters to the seven churches of Christ are also applicable to us.

Right. Let us continue a bit further. And in the letters to Timothy, in the Epistles of Timothy, we see that Paul is highlighting a number of emerging problems in Ephesus, and he dealt with them in his letters. He uses them as teaching opportunities, but first he talks about relationships, applying love. And I'm not going to go through all these scriptures, but I'm just going to look at one or two of them. But in 1 Timothy chapter 1 verse 5, which is a very, very interesting one.

Let's go into that. 1 Timothy chapter 1 verse 5. It says, Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart and from good conscience and from sincere faith. So he's talking about love. The purpose of the instruction, the purpose of the letter he's writing there, the purpose of God's commandment, you know, again, it's like an onion. You peel different layers. God's scripture is like you peel different layers and it's got different depths of meaning. So, yeah, you could say, oh, well, what does he mean specifically or the purpose of the commandment is love?

Does he mean the commandment that he's writing in this letter? Yes, he does. Does it mean God's commandment's purpose is also love? Yes, it does. And see, the point is he got different layers of meaning. So he's saying, yeah, the purpose of the commandment is love. So yeah, is an important point going to the brethren, to the minister, to the elder that was responsible over Ephesus and he's saying, we need to apply love. Look at chapter 2. He says, I thought, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority.

They may need a quiet and peaceful life in all gardeners and reverends. Again, things about love. Look at chapter 4 verse 12. Let no one, no man despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in war, in conduct, in love, in spirit. So it's talking about a conduct, an attitude, a spirit that we need to have. Then later on in chapter 5, talking about to the young men, treat them as a father, young men as brothers, older women as mothers, etc.

So it's basically showing them this principle of love. And we also know 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 6 and 7, that it says, Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God, which is in you through the layer of my hands, for God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. So he's stirring up this important point to Timothy, but by extension to Ephesus, and by extension to all of us, the importance of every sound, godly, loving relationship.

Secondly, he then talks to them about doctrine. And you know, Ephesus was the center of the goddess worship of Diana, and all these pagan ideas were coming in there. Well, there it is, 1 Timothy chapter 1 verse 3 and 4. He says, And I went into Mass. Don't remain in Ephesus, that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, that you need to tell them, don't deviate from the truth, and don't give it to fables and endless geology, genealogies, which cause disputes, rather than godly edification, which is in faith. So there is another example. Then look a bit further in chapter 4 verse 16.

So here we have areas that he's addressing. Another example in chapter 1 verse 8 through 11. Chapter 1 verse 8 through 11. But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully. Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless, for ungodly, for sinners, because it's then godly that under the law, in other words, they stand godly, that under the penalty of the law. Not the righteous man, the righteous man is not under the penalty of the law because he's obeying it.

So he goes on for fordicatas, for sodomites, etc. And any other thing that is contrary to some doctrine. So, you know, they were having problems with the law, and application of the law. So then they say, no, stick to the basic root of doctrine. Look at chapter 4 verse 1 through 3. One term of the chapter 4 verse 1 through 3. Now the Spirit explains, he says that in latter times, some will depart from the faith, giving heed to the receiving spirits and doctrines of demons. That means paganism, pagan doctrines.

And then he illustrates some. So there's examples. And look at chapter 6 verse 20. Chapter 6 verse 20. He says, Go to Matthew. Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings, and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge. What is falsely called knowledge? Knowledge is, the word for knowledge is Gnostic. It is Gnostic. Gnosticism. They are already having problems with Gnosticism. Falsely called knowledge. I guess in today's world you'd call it falsely called science.

But anyway, falsely called knowledge. And the other, the third emerging problem they were having is the danger of strain from the truth. And look in 1 Timothy 6 verse 6 through 7. He says, Now God is of contentment's great gain, for we brought nothing into this world, and if He certain we can carry nothing out, and having food and clothing with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be reached fall into temptation and the smear, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which have drawn men in destruction and perdition.

And so He says, Be careful, or hold on to the truth. Look at chapter 4. First, I beg your pardon, I was reading the wrong section. Sorry, I was reading the wrong section. I apologize. 1 Timothy chapter 1 verse 6 and 7. I apologize.

He says, From which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm. So they were straying from the truth, and they said, strayed, having turned aside to idle talk. Look at chapter 4, verse 1 and 2. Now the Spirit takes place, some will depart from the faith.

So that I mentioned before. So look at chapter 6, verse 3 to 6. And He says, If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to hold some words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords to Godness, he is proud, knowing nothing, and is obsessed with disputes and arguments and words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless rangeness of men, corrupt, and the destitute of truth, who suppose that Godness is a means of gain from such, withdraw yourself. And then now Godness of contentment is glad kindness. That's what I was reading earlier.

Look at 2 Timothy 2, verse 14 through 18. He says, And that message, verse 17, will spread like cancer, of which some people are already doing that, and verse 18, who have strayed concerning the truth. So verse, straying from the truth, people bringing in paganism and straying from the truth with ideas, with their ideas, was already happening. Look at 2 Timothy 4, verse 3 to 5. He says, By the time will come when they will not endure some doctrine, and they have itching years, and they have teachers, and they will turn their years away from the truth, and return to fables.

So that's what would happen. Therefore, be watchful, enjoy this, and fulfill your ministry, but stick to the truth. So there are certain warnings that are very important for us to keep in mind, yeah, of deviations that would happen in Ephesus. So the understanding we have is that the Apostle John, after being released from jail in Patmos, returned to Ephesus. It was there that according to historical records, he died. Therefore, John the Epistle, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, also give us a great understanding about Ephesus. Now, in John the Epistle, we see also instructions and warnings.

And look at how they tie to the previous three. First, about love, 1 John, 1 John 2. Let's go to John's Epistles now. 1 John 2, 7. And it says, Brethren, I write no new commandment to you but an old commandment that you have heard from the beginning.

And then it says, verse 8, I guide a new commandment. And it says, He that hates his brother is not in the light, but you need to love your brother, and things like that. So you can see, he's talking about love. Look in chapter 3, verse 10. Is this in verse the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest? Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.

For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. So he says the important point is we gotta love one another. Look at, and it says more about that. Look at chapter 4, starting in verse 8. It says, He who does not love, does not know God, for God is love. And then there's a whole section here about love that you can read.

And in 2 John chapter 1, 2 John 1, verse 5 and 6, it says, This is love, that we walk according to his commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from beginning, you should walk in it. For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and antichrist. So he is focusing. We need to love one another.

And there is the message. Then he is talking about the antichrist. As I was reading now, there is the antichrist, false doctrine. You can see that in 1 John chapter 2 verse 18. 1 John chapter 2 verse 18 says, It is the last hour, and as you have heard, the antichrist is coming. Even now many antichrists have come. And so it's this teaching, this incorrect teaching. And then in 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 3. This is comparing against a sound doctrine. Because in 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 3.

2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 3.

It says, they will not enjoy a sound doctrine. So there was this continuous fight to push away false doctrine. Remember, they were right there in the very seat of the goddess Diana. And so there was this big pagan influence. And then the third point, which is related to people who were straying from the truth. And then he was saying and emphasizing what is truth. Practiced the truth. And he says truth is based on God's law. So 1 John chapter 1 verse 6. 1 John chapter 1 verse 6.

It says, if we say we have fellowship within and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. So we got to walk in light. We have the right fellowship with him. Because if we are walking in darkness, we're not practicing the truth. So there is a focus here on the truth. Look at chapter 2 verse 4 through 6. He says, he will say, I know him and does not keep his commandments. He's a liar. And the truth is not in him. So the truth is basically keeping God's commandments.

So he says, who says he abides in him? Verse 6, "...ought himself also to walk just as he Christ walked." In the commandments, fully in the commandments. That's the truth. Look at chapter 3 verse 5 through 9. He says, whoever says, as you know, that he was manifested to take away our sins, and in him there is no sin. Whoever abides in him does not sin. So we got to walk in the truth. We can't practice weakness. So that is a very important. He says, we cannot sin. We must not sin. We must strive. Look at chapter 5 verse 3. For this is the level of God that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. So there was a continuous instruction and warning from the apostle John about love, about being careful with false doctrine, and the deviation from the truth. Very similar to the instructions of Paul to Timothy, in which he instructed them as well about relationships, which is love, about doctrine, and also about avoiding to stray from the truth. So we can see similarities. They all better allow messages. So let's go on reading in Revelation chapter 2. And he says, I know you works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and not. And I have found them liars, and you have persevered, and have patience, and have labored for my name's sake, and have not become weary. So yeah, we have a church that Christ says, basically, he's walking amongst the churches, you know, and he says, I know your works, because he's amongst the churches. He holds them in his hands. And he says, I know your works. He knows what's happening. This is God's church. He knows what's going on. He's in control. And he is saying that the church in Ephesus, yeah, you will have an oath of approval, because they are not deviated from the doctrine. There was a lot of warnings about careful about deviating from the doctrine. Yes, there were a few that had strayed. Paul warned them. Apostle John warned them. But the bulk of the church stayed faithful to the doctrine. There was no deviation from the doctrine. They rejected false ministers. They showed patience and persevered. They did not become tired. Oh, I'm tired of this. I'm tired of continuing doing it. The world is making me tired. They were doing the right thing.

And therefore, he's saying, well done for that. I know your words that you cannot bear those who are evil, that you've tested those who say they are apostles and they're not. And that you found them liars. You've rejected false ministers. You've been patient and you persevered. They've done right things. But, look at verse 4 and 5, but nevertheless, I have this against you, that you left your first love. Remember, there were three things. One was love or relationships that I remember I talked to you. The other one was a doctrine, sticking to the doctrine, a sound doctrine, and avoid to stray from the truth. And yes, they avoided false doctrine. But why did Christ threaten to remove his presence from them?

He says, I'll remove your lampstand from its place. So I'll remove my presence from you. Why? While doing the right things, they were defending the faith, they were identifying false teachers, the problem is many of them lost their first love for Christ. They lost their first love for God. Look at Ephesians chapter 1 verse 15 and 16. Ephesians chapter 1 verse 15 and 16. He says, therefore, there is Paul right into the Ephesians. I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you making nation of you in my praise. Their first love, they had love. They had love for Christ. They had love for the saints. That spirit of our own concern and love was preventing them.

But they lost it. They lost it.

Even though they were doing the right thing, they lost sight to why they were called. Verse 17 and 18 of the same chapter of Ephesus, Ephesians, chapter 1 says, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, in the eyes of your understanding, being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling. So that God may give you wisdom, that you may see what is the soul calling about, why we're called, to understand the riches of the glory and inheritance and exceeding great power of God. But don't forget why we're called. So while they were struggling to defend against doctrinal corruption, yes, we must earnestly contend for the faith once delivered, as we read in Jude, verse 3, but the struggle itself does not define us as Christians. Oh, yeah, you can have all the doctrines correct, and yes, you must have them. But if you don't have love, you have nothing. See? And they're lost at first love.

So, continuing, we must remember that our relationship with Christ is paramount. Our relationship with Christ is of prime importance.

Our relationship with God is priority number one.

Whilst, yes, we must not neglect doctrine. Yes, we must not neglect doctrine. But our relationship with God, based on love, is first. And, you know, it's the first to come on and love God and love your fellow man.

But many today, so this is applicable today, have fallen in the deadly trap. Oh, yeah, maybe you're careful of doctrine. And I'm not saying you must not be careful of doctrine, but you must not allow love to wax cold.

You know, Matthew 24 says, because iniquity will abound, and therefore many will wax cold. Oh, yes, the people may have the doctrine correct, but love is waxing cold. And therefore, you and I have to guard our relationship with our loving Father, God the Father, and our elder brother, Jesus Christ. We have to guard that and build that relationship in love. The nature of this relationship of love is given to us a little bit of understanding of that relationship in the purpose of marriage. The loving relationship that should be between husband and wife gives us an understanding of the spiritual meaning of what the relationship between us and God should be. And that's why we read in Ephesians 5. Again, still in Ephesians. Ephesians 5, verses 31 and 32. It says, For this reason shall a man leave his father and mother, and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become flesh. And this is a great mystery that I speak concerning Christ and the Church. So this relationship between us and God and Christ is of prime importance. And you and I need to love our loving Father and elder brother as priority number one.

And that's what they lost. That's what they lost. As with any relationship, our personal bond with God the Father and Jesus Christ must be nourished if it is to grow. We must feed it. We must care for it. We must work on it. Sell the question. Think about when you first came to the Church.

Do we still have the same desire to spend time in prayer, Bible study and meditation? Do we still have the same hunger for fellowship with others who share the same beliefs and convictions? You know, we want to have Christian fellowship. Look at Romans chapter 1 verse 11 and 12. Romans chapter 1. Yes, something that Paul said in Romans chapter 1 verse 11 and 12. It says, for I long to see you, there I may impart to you some spiritual gear so that you may be established. There is that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. There will be encouraged together with you. In other words, this Christian fellowship gives encouragement. So the love for brother, one another is equated to the love to God because you can't love God if you don't love the brethren.

And that's something they lost. The love for God cannot be expressed properly apart and separate from the way we shall love for one another. Look at Luke chapter 11 verse 42. But woe to you Pharisees, for you tithement and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done without leaving the others of time. We cannot let go of the love of God. We can't. Matthew 5 verse 20. It says, you will not enter into the kingdom. Let's just read it. Matthew 5 verse 20. Unless... Let's read Matthew 5 verse 20. It says, I say to you that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteous of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of God, kingdom of heaven. Our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees.

How? How? By having love for one another and love for God. Our motivation must not be in lists of do's and don'ts, but we must be motivated by this unique relationship with God, a loving relationship. That's what must be our love that we must not lose. And then it continues in Revelation chapter 2 verse 6. It says, but thus you have that you hate the deeds of the Nicolators, which I also hate. Now, there is considerable speculation about who really were the Nicolators. But apparently, to cut through all that and without getting into too much little straws, which we don't really know what it is, but people spend and like a lot about it. But anyway, apparently it was a Gnostic sect.

The word Nicolaitans had to do with similar meaning to a conqueror of the people. Nicolau is a conqueror. And the most prevailing opinion is that it most probably was a sect started by Nicolus, a proselyte from Antioch, one of the seven dickels. That's what that deviated. That strayed away from the truth. And you know, things that God hates, there are things that God hates. It lists the eye in Isaiah 61 verse 8, Jeremiah 44, Amos 5, Zechariah 8, very things.

It's offerings and sacrifices, it's prayers, and it's all these other things that God hates, which it says, your feasts. Well, it means that, what it means, God hates people that are doing things like offering sacrifices or offering prayers or keeping the sandbooks or whatever it is. But because they're not doing it in a way that is adhering to God's principles, that is, they are distorting the truth. God hates them. So any biblical truth which is intentionally distorted, God hates. And so, yeah, it appears that the Lecolaitans with some people that were doing things that had knowledge, that brought in some Gnostic idea into the Church, and they were trying to use those ideas to change things in the Church.

And we see it gets mentioned later in another letter, because that, in the time of Ephesus, did not affect the Church, because it says at the beginning, you are now your works, and you know who they are, and you hate them, and you hate the deeds of the Lecolaitans, which I hate. So Ephesus, at that time, the Church did not allow false doctrine to come in, but we can see that later on, false doctrine did come into the Church.

But it says, yeah, these are things you hate, and I hate as well. So God hates things that are against God's law, even though they dressed up or appeared as Christians. Like, give an example. If you have things that you call Christian, but behind it is paganism, God hates that. That is that spirit of Lecolaitans. It's that things that God hates, which are Babylonian things, but dressed up as Christian things. God hates that. All right, then the last verse for today, for tonight, it says, He wears a near-letting ear, what the Spirit says to the churches, to Him who overcomes, I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

So what do we have here? It's an invitation and a promise. An invitation for us to hear what God says to the churches. So even though this was applicable to a church era, at that time in the primitive church era, in the early years, we now have a message saying it's applicable to us too.

Why? Because the spiritual lesson that we must not deviate from the truth, that we must hold the truth. We must hate this concept or this idea of infiltrating truth with gnostic ideas, but calling it Christian, like the Nicolaitans apparently were doing it. God hates that. So we must not allow that. But on the other side, we must not lose the first love. So that's why it says the message is not just for them, but also for us.

We must hold to doctrinal integrity in love. Ephesians chapter 4. Let's go back to Ephesians. And as suggested is to Ephesians, let's go back to Ephesians. Ephesians chapter 4, starting in verse 11, says, And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry.

In the words of the Greek word, the acronym, you know, it was for the work of service, for the edifying or the building up of the body of Christ, which is the church. We all come to the unity of faith, we all come together and grow in unity, and to the knowledge of the Son of God.

In other words, we need to grow in grace and knowledge, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. That's our goal. Why? Then we should no more be children tossed to and fro with every window of doctrine. In other words, not affected by this false doctrine, which comes in by trickery or man. And then it says, but speaking the truth in love. And as I gave a sermon recently, the word speaking is not in the Greek, so it's actually but true thing in love or being truth in love.

And so, yeah, we have. The letter to the Ephesus is basically about sticking to the truth, sticking to the basic doctrine. But don't let the first love go. So it's true thing in love. That is the message to Ephesus. Hold on to doctrinal integrity, but do it in love. So the question is, are we losing the first love? Do we still have that initial enthusiasm or are we getting tired? Jeremiah 48 verse 10 says, curse of easy that does the work of God negligently.

In other words, are we still doing the work with zeal and love? And last but not least, how do we treat our neighbor? John 13 verse 35. John 13 verse 35. Again, John. So you wrote John, the book of John, right towards the end of his life. Probably from Ephesus. So John 13 verse 35, quoting Christ, and it says, By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.