Devotions with Dre Episode 18: Book of Revelation Part 3: Ephesus

Rev 2:1-7 Ephesus

 To the angel[a] of the church in Ephesus write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lamp-stands. 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lamp-stand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. [it’s possible that “nicolaitans” was a word that described people who practice idolatry and sexual immorality]

7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

1) Who is the letter from/to?

“Him Who holds the 7 stars in His RH who walks among the 7 golden lamp-stands) (v1) “the Spirit says to the churches” (v7) - co-identification (is where theologians get idea of trinity from). Jesus the glorified Son of Man moves among the lamp-stands - John has set up the picture of Jesus in the midst of a menorah with stars above it.

“to (or “concerning, or with respect to”) the angel of the church” The 7 spirits, aka 7-fold spirit, aka 7 stars, aka 7 angels, aka 7 spiritual beings are identified with the 7 churches aka 7 lamp-stands in this book.

John is borrowing menorah imagery from Zech 4:1-2,10 where it also calls the 7 lights the “eyes of the Lord that roam the earth” These are divine beings that keep tabs for Him. (john is meshing visuals all over the place, so he’s prob meshing the identity of the angel and the church it’s assigned to as well).

(some minority of scholars think “angels” means pastors here but most of the 77 uses in the bk are clearly about supernatural beings who serve as messengers so why wouldn't these ref’s be as well)

(I’ve also heard Michael Heiser bring up the idea of Michael the archangel being assigned to the people of God (whether that was during exile, or the whole time) which would make this idea of angels being assigned to God’s people a familiar idea).

2) What was the first love that Ephesus abandoned?

Some scholars say “1st” is referring to chronological, others say it’s referring to importance (putting God first).

- Some say it’s the brotherly love for other believers that was evident after their conversion, like maybe now they’ve become so on-guard about theology that it’s suspicious, critical and legalistic? and still others say it’s the love for unbelievers that was driving them to spread the gospel in the face of persecution. So which is it?


What do we know about Ephesus? It was considered the most important city in western Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) at the time of John’s letter to the church there, because of its location at the cross section of major trade routes. The city had a huge temple for worshipping Artemis (aka Diana) that also served as a bank, place for socializing, employment for many etc, so the church was pushing against a lot culturally.

In Paul’s letter to the same church in Ephesus which was written 30 years prior to this book of Revelation, Paul commends the church in Ephesus for their brotherly love.

From the looks of this letter, the Ephesian church HADN’T walked away from serving and worshipping Jesus - He commends them for perseverance!

So, I think it’s the initial love for unbelievers.

Jesus commands them to go back to the way they were demonstrating love at the start. And He threatens to remove the lamp if not, which may mean removing them, but could also mean removing the assigned angel.

[Have you ever witnessed a church or group that stopped operating in God’s love? gets legalistic or starts being run by fear? How often the positive supernatural activity with decrease there. The atmosphere will shift down - from a place where God’s presence and love flow freely to a place where drama and stress and injury and goofiness flow - what if the actual angelic population has changed?]

The Glory Presence left Israel before the exile. In judges 2 THE angel of the Lord (Jesus) leaves and no longer leads them.

Mt 24:12-14 “12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

was the church in Ephesus letting something slow them down witnessing? maybe they started condemning their persecutors, instead of being willing to continue lovingly sharing truth.

When Paul went to Ephesus in acts there were riots, and the time of Johns letter here it was illegal for the Christian church to exist there. It’s harder to share Jesus with someone when they might have you killed for it.

3) How am I doing with loving unbelievers by sharing the gospel?

this is a challenging topic for me

what does it look like to love well and effectively communicate my faith???

Phil 2:1-16 AMP:

Therefore if there is any encouragement and comfort in Christ [as there certainly is in abundance], if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship [that we share] in the Spirit, if [there is] any [great depth of] affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, having the same [a]love [toward one another], knit together in spirit, intent on one purpose [and living a life that reflects your faith and spreads the gospel—the good news regarding salvation through faith in Christ]. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit [through factional motives, or strife], but with [an attitude of] humility [being neither arrogant nor self-righteous], regard others as more important than yourselves. 4 Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this same attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus [look to Him as your example in selfless humility], 6 who, although He existed in the form and unchanging essence of God [as One with Him, possessing the fullness of all the divine attributes—the entire nature of deity], did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped or asserted [as if He did not already possess it, or was afraid of losing it]; 7 but emptied Himself by assuming the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 After He was found in [terms of His] outward appearance as a man [for a divinely-appointed time], He humbled Himself [still further] by becoming obedient [to the Father] to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also [because He obeyed and so completely humbled Himself], God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus [b]every knee shall bow [in submission], of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess and openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord (sovereign God), to the glory of God the Father.

12 So then, my dear ones, just as you have always obeyed [my instructions with enthusiasm], not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ]. 13 For it is [not your strength, but it is] [c]God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure.

14 Do everything without murmuring or questioning [the providence of God], 15 so that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated, children of God without blemish in the midst of a [morally] crooked and [spiritually] perverted generation, among whom you are seen as bright lights [beacons shining out clearly] in the world [of darkness], 16 holding out and offering to everyone the word of life…