The Churches at Ephesus and Smyrna
INTRODUCTORY WORDS
In the second and third Chapter s of the Book of Revelation, God has recorded for us His messages to the seven Churches of Asia. The question which comes before us is this: Do the messages to those Churches have anything to do with the churches of today? Do they all fit our churches, or is it, as some have felt, true that only the seventh Church fits and parallels the church of our own hour? There are some questions, therefore, which we want to answer:
1. Were the seven Churches seven literal churches? We believe that they were. In fact, we know they were. We may even know their location. In the seven cities mentioned, God bad His testimony. The Churches lay in a geographical line from John, as he wrote from the Isle of Patmos.
2. Did the churches of those days need such strenuous words of approval and condemnation as are recorded in these two Chapter s? There Is no doubt but that they needed it. The Lord knew what He was writing about, and He knew the very inner throbbings of the people who composed the seven Churches. All that we are, and do, is naked and open unto Him. "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him."
3. Did the seven Churches type seven periods of church life, beginning with the days of the Apostles, and concluding with the churches of our own time? Perhaps they did. There are some who think so. That God was writing in His message to the Church at Ephesus to the Early Church may be true. In Smyrna. He was writing to the churches of the next period. In Pergamos, to the next period, until at last, in the Church at Laodicea, He was writing to the churches of our own time. As these messages to the Churches are studied, one cannot feel but that there was a sequence, a development, sometimes of evil and sometimes of good. Therefore we judge that God may have had something like this in mind.
4. Were there In the early days, and in every period that followed, including our own church life, churches which were existent in each age, churches some like Ephesus, some like Smyrna, some like Pergamos, and so on through Laodicea? There is no doubt but what this is true. It is peculiarly true today. To say that all the churches of the present hour are Laodicean is absolutely incorrect. We have churches like the Church at Ephesus. We also have them like the Church at Smyrna, and like all the rest of them.
5. Is there anything in the Letters to the Churches to show that God intended what He wrote to the seven Churches of Asia to foe a direct message to the churches of the 20th century, as well as to other churches during the years? Yes, there is unanswerable evidence. Here is an. expression which occurs in each, of the seven Letters: "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches." The expression carries with it the thought that the Spirit is continually speaking; that He is saying, to the churches of our period, what He said of old.
This fact is patent throughout the whole Bible. For instance, in the Book of Malachi God gives a message to a certain people, exposing their infidelities; particularly in the realm of the recognized Headship of Christ, including a special message on their serving and giving.
It would be very easy to raise an umbrella and let everything that God said to and through Malachi fall over onto the people of Malachi's day, but God wants us also to grasp the truth, because everything written by Malachi has a message to us, It is written, "All Scripture * * is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."
I. SOME GOOD THINGS AT EPHESUS (Revelation 2:2-3)
1. "I know thy works, and thy labour." There must be a difference between works and labor, because God is not increasing words to fill up space. Works suggest tasks that are wrought out, but labor suggests tasks wrought out laboriously. When you labor you perspire, so to speak. You work in difficult places, but keep on working. This was well spoken, because Ephesus was a hard-working people. Christianity to them was not a pastime, a mere trifle lo be observed once a week, Christianity was something to them which appealed to the strenuous and continual efforts of the saints. Does Christ know our works and our labor?
2. "I know thy * * patience." Here is a continuance of truth, It is working even unto labor, and working on and on and on. It is bearing burdens without giving up. It is fidelity to Christ unmoved by persecution, or pain. "I know thy * * patience." Thou mayest become faint at times and wearied at times, but thou dost patiently endure. Thou dost not fret under thy burden. Thou dost not talk back to thy Master, but, unabashed, thou dost work on and on.
3. "I know * * thou canst not bear them which are evil." Here is something worthy of note. There is so much of evil in our churches today, and the church-goers not only bear with them which are evil, but they sometimes even commend evil workers.
There is, however, a peculiar kind of evil mentioned in Revelation 2:2. It is "them which say they are apostles, and are not." The Church at Ephesus tried and found them liars. They insisted that they were sent of God, but they lied. Let us look into our own churches. Do we not need to weigh our deeds by the deeds of this remarkable Church?
II. SOME OTHER GOOD THINGS AT EPHESUS (Revelation 2:3)
1. Thou "hast borne." Back of these words is a beautiful vision of the fidelity of Ephesus to her Lord. It is not so much the bearing of the burdens of spiritual labor and toil, as it is bearing the shame, the stigma, and the ignominy of the faith.
In the days of the Church in Ephesus, there was much of persecution, much of suffering, in the behalf of Christ. Ephesus, however, bore their cross. They knew what it was to have tribulation for Christ's sake. They knew what it was to be maligned, misrepresented.
Perhaps some of them were separated from the company of men, all because of their fidelity to their Saviour. In all this they gladly bore the shame. They remembered that Jesus Christ bore shame and spittle for them. They remembered that being smitten, He smote not again; but went like a lamb to the slaughter, and, like a sheep before her shearers, He was dumb. They therefore bent their backs to take stripes, and to bear shame for His Name's sake.
2. Thou "hast patience." This is not the patience of Revelation 2:2. That was the patience in labor. This is patience under persecution, under the strain and the stress of the hatred of men. You remember how the Lord through James wrote, "Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the Coming of the Lord draweth nigh." Then He said, "Take, my brethren, the Prophets, who have spoken in the Name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience." We have all heard of the patience of Job, and we have heard also of the patience of many other precious saints. We know the patience of our Lord. Let us therefore be patient.
3. Thou "hast laboured" for "My Name's sake * * and hast not fainted." Here is something wonderful. The Church at Ephesus held high the hallowed Name of their Lord. They did not want to drag the banner of His honor down into the mire of the swineherd. Certainly God has given to us a very intimate relationship to His Name. The believers of today are called "Christians." The Name Christ, therefore, is inseparably linked to them. It is for the sake of that Name which they bear, that they labor and faint not.
Let each one of us lift high that precious Name. Let us never do anything in service, or in living, that will shame our Lord, that will make us blush. His Name should be the great incentive to us to serve. His Name is as ointment poured forth. Therefore do His children love Him, and therefore do they serve Him.
III. THE SEVENTH GOOD THING (Revelation 2:6)
1. "Thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes." The verse before us reads: "But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate."
The word "Nicolaitanes" suggests victory and authority over the laity. This authority was exerted by certain men who seemed to desire the pre-eminence. In the Church of Jesus Christ "One is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren."
The Church at Ephesus hated these things. They were not willing to be ruled, dominated, directed by men.
2. "Which I also hate." The word is very strong. "Thou hatest * * I also hate." Is it right for us to hate anything? Certainly it is. We are taught to hate the garments spotted by the flesh. Certainly we are to hate every evil way, not to hate it maliciously, but to hate it in the sense that we place the ban upon it; that we refuse to yield to it. Hate it in the sense that we are told, "If any man * * hate not his father, and mother, * * he cannot be My disciple."
Christ said, "I also hate" it, He hated the deeds of the Nicolaitanes. He hated them because they sought to displace Divine power with human power. They sought to place truth in the place of error. Christ saw down through the years, and saw the havoc which the exercise of human authority would work in the churches.
Even in the days of the Apostles, one man was saying, "I am of Paul, I am of Cephas, and I am of Apollos," and they were followers of men.
IV. THE ONE ONLY REBUKE AGAINST EPHESUS (Revelation 2:4-5)
1. "Thou hast left thy first love." One is almost astounded at such a statement. Had we gone to Ephesus we no doubt would have been so carried away with their work, and their labor, and their patience, and with their trials of false prophets, that we would have scarcely noticed any lack of love. Had we been there and had seen how they had borne for His Name's sake, and had had patience, and had labored and had not fainted, we would have taken it for granted that their hearts were filled with love for the Master.
The Lord Jesus, however, saw what we no doubt have overlooked. We would have been charmed that they hated the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which He also hated.
The truth of it all lay in this: that they were so consumed in the ardor of their labor and their trials of false prophets, in their bearing of persecutions, and in their hatred of the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, that they began to lessen in their love for Christ. What is the supreme desire in the heart of Christ? Christ wants love.
Let us look deep into our hearts. Do we love Him? Do we tell Him so? Do we manifest our love toward Him?
2. "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen." How great was the fall! How serious was the fall! In the lack of love, Jesus Christ saw the possibility of their labor soon becoming neglected, of their patience vanishing, of their trial of false prophets passing away. As their love for Him lessened, they would soon cease to bear for His sake. His Name would more and more become of no value whatever.
The truth, is that though we speak with tongues of men and of angels, that though we give our bodies to be burned, and though we have all faith so that we could remove mountains, and have not love, we are nothing.
V. A WONDERFUL STATEMENT TO THE CHURCH AT SMYRNA (Revelation 2:8)
1. "The First and the Last." To Smyrna Jesus Christ said, "These things saith the First and the Last."
The word "first" suggests the eternity of Christ. He was before all things. By Him all things were made.
He is the Last, because He endureth forever. After all His purposes and plans are wrought out, He Himself is still there, In other words, Jesus Christ is announced as the eternal Son, from everlasting to everlasting.
2. He that "was dead, and is alive." This was the second statement concerning Christ to Smyrna, In the expression, "was dead," we gather up all the woes of Calvary; all the wages of sin; He tasted the cup of death for every man. He took our curse. He gave His life for the sheep. He died that we might live. In the words. "Which was dead," we find a seeming victory of Satan, but that seeming defeat soon passes into the paeans of victory. Thank God that He died!
But He is alive again. Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph over His foes! His resurrection, however, was not His first triumph, because He triumphed upon the Cross in His death over sin and Satan, over principalities and over powers. On the Cross itself in the hour of His shame and ignominy. He vanquished Satan and all his hosts, and triumphed over them in it, making a show of them openly.
In His resurrection, He was acclaimed Victor. In His resurrection, the Father gave His signet to the victory which He wrought out on Calvary.
VI. THE GOOD IN THE CHURCH AT SMYRNA (Revelation 2:9)
1. "I know thy works." How glad we are that the Lord Jesus does not pick out, first of all, our failures and our faults. In each one of the seven Churches He always told the good before the bad. He emphasized their accomplishments before He mentioned their failures. This is to say that Christ bathed His people in a commendation of love to prepare them for the correction of love. Christ knew the works at Smyrna. Their works were somewhat different from the works at Ephesus, no doubt. They wrought in tribulation and in poverty. They wrought in the midst of blasphemy, and in the midst of the synagogue of Satan, where the evil one's authority and power were exerted. Thus it was that through great trials and afflictions, and great antagonisms against the truth, God saw their works.
2. "I know thy * * tribulation. Is it not wonderful that in the hour of our trial, He standeth near? Did He not say, "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with Thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee?" Can we not say: "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me"? We are so thankful that God does not cast us off in the hour of trial. It is in that hour that He is preciously near.
3. "I know thy * * poverty." Our Lord Himself had known poverty. The foxes had their holes, the birds of the air had their nests, but He, by whom were all things created, and for whom they were created, had nowhere to lay His head. Now He said to the Church at Smyrna, "I know thy * * poverty." "I know it because I have experience," He could have said. Where thou art, I have been. How wonderful, however, is His parenthetic statement: "I know thy * * poverty (but thou art rich)." It was true at Smyrna, and it is still true that when we are poor, we are rich rich in faith, in grace, and in all spiritual blessings, but not that alone. Be we ever so poor, we are rich, because He has said to the impoverished: "All things are yours." The things present are ours, and the things to come are ours. The passing things are ours, the eternal, ever-abiding things are ours: all are ours!
4. "I know the blasphemy of them which are * * the synagogue of Satan." In the Church at Smyrna there were certain ones who opposed and condemned and berated the saints. They claimed that they were Jews, but they were not: they were of the household of Satan.
VII. COMFORTING WORD TO THE CHURCH AT SMYRNA (Revelation 2:10-11)
1. "Fear none of those things." The Lord Jesus, walking upon the waters which were tossing the disciples and filling them with terror and were against them, said, "Fear not; it is I." When He was asleep in the boat on another occasion, and they awakened Him. saying, "Lord, save us: we perish," He said, "O ye of little faith." In other words, He said, "Why should you be afraid when I am here?" and why should Smyrna have been afraid? or why should we be afraid? Though all things be against us, what does that matter? The truth is that if Christ be for us, nothing can be against us.
2. "Be thou faithful unto death." This did not mean to be merely faithful until you die: it meant to be faithful though you are martyred. Be faithful, if necessary, even unto the stakes. Was He not faithful for us? Did He not love His own and love them even unto the end? Was He not faithful unto the death of the Cross? And shall we not be faithful? Shall we not be faithful even unto death? Suppose we do die for the faith. Suppose we are slain for Christ's sake. Shall our friends bemoan us, or shall our enemies rejoice over us? They have done no more than to open the door into the life everlasting.
3. "I will give thee a crown of life." The story is told of how 40 Christians were led out into the Siberian snows. They were placed upon the ice, in the scantiest of clothing. Guards were placed in shelters here and there, so that none could escape by running. As the guards gathered them together and left them to freeze unto their death, they said, "If any of you will recant, you will be received in our little hut where there is warmth." The Christians were singing hymns of praise, and none of them ran. None of them re-canted. Finally one of the guards fell asleep, and he saw forty angels with forty crowns. One Christian was overcome by the cold and died, only to receive his crown. Finally, the guard was awakened by one Christian knocking at the door, and crying out, "I can't stand it! Let me in! I recant!" The guard opened the door and looked at him, "Fool that you are. Take my gun. Stand in my stead. I am going out to die and get that fortieth crown!" Thus Christ said, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."
AN ILLUSTRATION
Ephesus did much, but did she stand under God's smile in all things? That was the main issue.
A tiny boy, two years old, stood in a ray of sunshine and said gayly, "Me standing in God's smile, mamma." His mother replied, "God grant my darling boy may so live as always to stand in God's smile." Not long after, God called the mother, and the boy was left to the care of others. He grew to manhood and grew in favor with the king, and tried to please him, and forgot to put God first. But he was restless and unhappy. God's smile was gone. One day looking over some relics, he found a paper parcel, and opening it found a tiny pair of shoes and these lines in his mother's handwriting: "These shoes were worn by my darling boy when he was two years of age. He stood in a ray of sunlight, 'Me standing in God's smile, mamma.' God grant that my darling boy may so live as always to stand in God's smile." Through these lines God spoke to him. He saw that he had been standing in the king's smile, and lost God's smile. He dedicated his life to his mother's God, and became a humble follower of her Saviour and Lord (Judges 1:1; Judges 1:21).