(Rev. 2:1-71Unto 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; 2I know thy works, and thy labor, 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: 3And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast labored, and hast not fainted. 4Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5Remember 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. 6But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7He 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 2:1‑7)) Through the extended ministry of the Apostle Paul, the Assembly at Ephesus had probably enjoyed privileges unequaled by any Assembly before or since. It may well be for this reason that this is the first Assembly upon which the Lord passes His judgment.
To this Assembly the Apostle Paul had declared all the counsel of God. To these Ephesian saints he had unfolded the love of Christ-the love that passeth knowledge, and led them into their bridal relations with Christ. At Ephesus he had uttered his warnings as to the coming scattering of the saints after his departure, and there he exhorted the elders to take heed to themselves.
These privileges and warnings should have led the saints to shine for Christ in a dark world, while taking heed to themselves and watching against decline. The greater the privilege the greater the responsibility. Thus the Assembly that had privileges above all others, is the first to pass under the searching gaze of the Lord; and they were to discover that they to whom the highest truth had been ministered, were the Assembly in which decline commenced. The highest truth-the love of Christ to the Church-was the truth they failed to maintain. They did not, according to the exhortation of the Apostle, take heed to themselves. Of old the wise man had said, "Keep thy heart more than anything that is guarded" (Prov. 4:2323Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23), N. Tn.). Alas! while outwardly correct in conduct, they failed to guard the heart. They left their first love.
We must however remember that the condition of this first Assembly, sets forth the spiritual condition of the whole Assembly, under the eye of Christ, in the latter part of the life of the last Apostle, and, probably, the period immediately following his death. It thus gives us the mind of Christ as to the decline of the Assembly, as a whole, from its true place and character as a witness for Christ in this world.
(Vs. 1). The address is "unto the angel of the Assembly." It would seem that the angel represents those who are set to give heavenly light in each Assembly. Even as a star emits its light during the absence of the sun, so the angels (which are likened to stars) are representative of the absent Christ, to bring heavenly truth to the Assembly, which, as a whole, is responsible to be a light for Christ in the world. Thus it follows that the angel, in a special sense, is held responsible for the condition of the Assembly.
The Lord presents Himself to this Assembly as, "He that holdeth the seven stars in His right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks." The angels, who directly represent Christ in the Assembly, are here seen in their proper place of dependence upon the Lord. They are held in His right hand, indicating that they carry out their ministry under the direct authority and power of Christ. At this early period of the Church's history the time had not come when those, who are responsible to give heavenly light, take themselves out of the hand of Christ, to receive their authority from the hand of man.
Moreover the Lord is seen, not only in the midst of the candlesticks as in the vision seen by John, but as One "who walketh" in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. He is seen not as an onlooker but, as moving in the midst of the Assemblies, taking a deep and active interest in the condition of His people, who are viewed as the divinely appointed light bearers to shine for Himself in this world.
(Vs. 2). After this introductory presentation of the Lord, the address opens with the words, "I know." These are searching words that speak of the Assemblies being under the gaze of One from whom no secrets can be hid. We are limited in our knowledge, and therefore often partial in our judgments. The Lord knows all that is of Himself and all that is contrary to Himself, though often unknown to others. There was nothing in this Assembly that the world could take account of as being inconsistent with the Christian profession; nevertheless, the Lord knew what was lacking. "I know" are encouraging words for the heart, though searching words for the conscience.
As ever, the Lord speaks first of things that have His approval, and in this Assembly there was much in accord with His mind. First the Lord says, "I know thy works." These surely were works of which the Lord could approve, for there was in this Assembly much devoted activity in the service of the Lord.
Then the Lord commends the "labor" that marked their works. There may be much service and yet little labor in the service. The word indicates that energy, and real toil, were involved in their service. It cost these saints an expenditure of labor.
Further, the Lord finds patience, or "endurance," of which He can approve. Their service was not marked by mere human energy that ofttimes expends itself in a great outburst of activity. It was marked by that quiet endurance that continues in the Lord's work in the face of all hindrances, discouragements, and even opposition.
Moreover, the Lord can say with approval, "Thou canst not bear them which are evil." They refused to tolerate, or compromise with evil, nor would they give countenance to the persons who compounded with it.
Again, the Lord commends them for the firmness and boldness that refused to receive people on their own commendation. Whatever profession people made, even to the pretension of being apostles, they tested, and refused such as were found to be liars.
(Vs. 3). Finally, the Lord delights to witness to their true, and devoted, love for Himself. Their endurance; their suffering; their unwearied labor, was for the name of Christ. It was not to make a name for themselves, but in love for His name.
How beautiful are these qualities that the Lord singles out for His approval; and well, indeed, that those who seek to be a light for Christ in this dark world should covet such excellent traits, and seek to possess them in combination; for each characteristic tempers the other. The "works," that the Lord approves, are kept by "toil" from becoming merely languid works taken up in a casual way. The "endurance" keeps the toil from being only a passing outburst of fervor. The hatred of evil prevents the patience from degenerating into tolerance of evil. The testing of profession, and exposure of pretension, proved their hatred of evil to be not mere lip profession, that ended in protest without any action against the evil. Moreover, doing all for Christ's name, proved that their works, their toil, their endurance, and their dealing with evil, was not simply to make, or preserve their own religious reputation. It was for Christ's sake.
(Vs. 4). It is thus evident that there was very much in the Assembly at Ephesus that met with the Lord's unqualified approval; and the Lord does not withhold His approval because of any defect that He may see. Nevertheless, He does not refrain from exposing the defect because of so much that He can approve. Under His eye there was in this Assembly decline, and that of a serious nature. In spite of much that the Lord approves He has to say, "Nevertheless I have against thee, that thou hast left thy first love." The word "somewhat" is a serious and unwarranted interpolation. It would give the wrong impression that to leave first love is a small matter in the eyes of the Lord. It was, on the contrary, so serious, that, in His sight, it constituted the Assembly a fallen Assembly. Outwardly there was nothing in the Assembly that the Lord condemns, and nothing about which the world would find fault. The Assembly might indeed be marked by characteristics that the world could neither understand nor imitate, but at any rate the world would hardly condemn those who are marked by works, toil, endurance, hatred of evil, and refusal of pretension. Outwardly all was fair, and the candlestick appeared to be burning brightly enough before the world. Yet, under the surface, there was that which, in the eye of the Lord spoiled all this fair show. The Assembly had left its first love to Christ. It was not that they had left their love to Christ; but they had left their first love to Christ. One has said, "How dreadful a dishonor to Christ is this, to lose one's first love! It is as if at first sight He was more than He proved on longer acquaintance."
What, we may ask, is first love? Is not first love an absorbing love: a love that finds complete satisfaction of heart in its object. The love that satisfies must be an absorbing love. A love that absorbs the mind and heart is the love that excludes other objects, and satisfies because it fills the heart.
There was a time when Christ was all in all to the Assembly at Ephesus. Then, indeed, Christ satisfied their hearts, absorbed their thoughts, and engrossed their energies. That early freshness had passed. They had not ceased to labor for Christ, nor love and suffer for Christ, but their labor and love had lost its early freshness. The first love had gone.
What was it, however, that had absorbed their love in those early days? Was it not the realization of Christ's love for them? The love that passeth knowledge-the love of Christ for His Assembly-had been set forth before them; but as time passed they lost in measure the sense of His great love for them, and thus they left their first love for Him.
The fact that Christ reproaches the Assembly with having left her first love, is a proof of the greatness of His love to the Assembly. Such is His love that He cannot be satisfied without the whole-hearted return of her love to Him. It is only the full response of love that can satisfy love. Works for Christ, however great, will not satisfy the heart of Christ. Mary's devoted love is more approved than Martha's toiling service. It is not that works will be lacking where there is love. Mary who chose the "good part," did the "good work," and, the Lord Himself, in this address links "first love" with "first works." There were indeed works at Ephesus of which the Lord could approve, but they were not the first works that were the outcome of first love.
Here then the Lord discovers to us the root of all decline, whether it be in the Assembly as a whole, or in the individual believer. All the ruin that has come in; all the subsequent evil that develops in other Assemblies, have their root in this first departure. In Ephesus we see the first step that leads to the complete breakdown of the Assembly in responsibility. In Laodicea we see the full result. The first step in Ephesus was loss of first love, the full result, in Laodicea, is the loss of Christ altogether. Christ is outside the door. If Christ is not retained in the heart of the Assembly, the time will come when Christ will be outside the door of the Assembly.
(Vs. 5). The exposure of this hidden source of decline is followed by a solemn word of warning. The Lord can say, "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen." In the eyes of others, the Assembly at Ephesus might well appear as a pattern Assembly; in the sight of Christ it was fallen. Not only is the Assembly called to remember, but repent. It is useless to bemoan the loss of early freshness if there is no repentance. What is repentance but owning our true condition before the Lord? If truly repentant we shall put our feet into the hands of the Lord that He may remove the defilement that has come in to hinder our enjoyment of His love to us, and dull our first love to Him. If our feet are in His hands, He can remove all the dust of the way, so that, like John of old we can, as it were, rest our heads on His bosom, there again to taste the joy of first love.
The result of getting back to first love would be seen in first works. The Thessalonian Assembly, like the Ephesian Assembly, was marked by "work," and "labor," and "patience," but of the Thessalonian Assembly we read that their work was a work of faith; their labor was labor of love; and their patience the patience of hope.
Then comes a last word of warning. If the Assembly does not repent-if there is no recovery, no return to first love-the Lord warns that He will come to them in the way of judgment and remove their candlestick out of its place. The place of the Assembly was to be a light for Christ in this dark world. This place can only be maintained as the heart is right with Christ. This loss of place with which the Assembly is threatened, is viewed as the Lord's own act. He will remove the candlestick, even as of old He removed Israel from the land in which they should have been a witness to Jehovah. In either case the removal may be effected through the instrumentality of the world, none the less it is the Lord's own act.
(Vs. 6). If however there was loss of first love for Christ, they had not yet lost their hatred of those who were a dishonor to Christ. The Nicolaitans appear to have been those who made the profession of Christianity a cover for sin. They used the grace of God to indulge the lusts of the flesh. Such conduct was hated by Christ, and rightly hated by the Assembly at Ephesus. This evil showed itself at first in abominable conduct. In the later Pergamos period of the Assembly's history, the evil so far progresses that evil deeds are supported by evil doctrine.
(Vs. 7). Following upon the warning there is the appeal to the one with the hearing ear, to hear what the Spirit has to say to the Assemblies. The Lord sends these addresses to the Assemblies, but throughout the ages the Spirit applies the Lord's words to the heart and conscience of the one with the hearing ear. Thus in the Lord's message to the angel of the Church at Ephesus there is disclosed to the one who has the opened ear the hidden root of all the increasing failure that has marked the Assembly in her long history as the responsible witness for Christ on the earth. The first failure was not in her testimony before the world, but in her secret relations with Christ. Inward departure ever precedes outward failure.
The address closes with the Lord's promise to the overcomer. The normal overcoming for the Assembly should be in relation to the world, even as John tells us, "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1 John 5:44For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. (1 John 5:4)). Here the overcoming has to be within the Christian profession, a sad witness to the fallen condition of the Church. For the encouragement of the overcomer the Lord holds out the promise of eating of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. In the paradise of man there were two trees, one connected with privilege and one with responsibility. Man disobeyed and lost all blessing on the ground of responsibility. God came into the garden only to drive out a fallen man. Now the way is opened for man to enter the paradise of God as the result of redemption, there to feed on Christ the tree of life, and to go no more out. The overcomer, the one who repents and gets back to first love, has the promise of being eternally satisfied with the fruit of the tree of life in the paradise of God. At the same time, the Lord surely intends that the overcomer should have a foretaste of these encouragements while he is overcoming down here.