Two Addresses on Revelation 2-3
Ebenezer John Thomas
Table of Contents
Two Addresses on Revelation 2-3: No. 1
I will first say a few words about the Book of Revelation itself. I suppose you know that it is nearly the most neglected book in the entire Bible, and yet it is the only book to which there is a very special promise of blessing attached. It commences, “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy.” It is very full of symbols and figures, and that, I suppose, is one reason why people have neglected it, and also because they have not had the key to understand it; but of late years God, in His grace, has opened it up very much, and given a much better understanding than, perhaps, there ever was before, and as the age proceeds, it becomes increasingly important. There are developments which we see before our eyes which we could not clearly see previously in this book. I do not intend to go into the whole book, but offer these preliminary remarks about the book itself. The promise may encourage us, however, to look a little into the book.
In the second and third chapters we have seven churches, and probably, as seven is a number signifying completeness, it is here a symbolic number. The number seven is used as a figure more than fifty times in the book of Revelation. No doubt there were seven actual churches in Asia, indicated in their names here, but there were several more that are not included. Why, then, should these seven be mentioned? They have been selected to give a picture of the history of the church from its first setting up to its rapture. The number is symbolical, and here indicates that it is the entire church that is looked at.
We find Christ taking different characters in the respective epistles to these several churches, and there are two characters distinct from the others in this first epistle to Ephesus and in that to Sardis. Much there is that indicates He has the seven churches under his entire purview. When He comes to Smyrna He drops the general character, and takes a special character according to the character of the church. “And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These things saith the First and the Last, which was dead and is alive.” Smyrna is written to about persecution, and therefore the Lord takes a special character to them— “the One which was dead and is alive.” He had Himself experienced persecution in its furthermost form, and, similarly, to the church in Pergamos and the other churches.
But to the churches of Ephesus and Sardis He takes a general character. Why did He take a general character for Sardis? I believe He referred to the Reformation. At the Reformation a new commencement was made. That was a great work of God that Luther did. In Sardis Christ takes this character— “He that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars.” You see, that is general, and does not relate to the specific state of the church. The moral teaching to the several churches is exceedingly important, and exceedingly blessed. It gives both judgment and encouragement.
The Lord, in the epistle to the Ephesians, takes the character of one who walks in the midst of the golden candlesticks, and He holds the seven stars in His right hand. The golden candlesticks, I need hardly explain, represent the seven churches. There is the Lord, passing and re-passing up and down through the churches. He knows all that is going on, the particular state of everyone; not only of the church, but of the individual. He has eyes like unto a flame of fire, and sees and judges everything; and that he is so discriminating, so piercing in His judgment is full of gracious and blessed exhortation to the individual. Take, for instance, the second verse of the second chapter. “I know thy works,” etc. It illustrates the way in which the Lord recites the several virtues and merits of each particular church. He knew them all, and though He proceeds to judge them, He first of all sets down every item in their favor. Is not that a very encouraging thing for us, a blessed thing that when dealing with our faults the Lord will have in remembrance everything that is true to Himself?
The church at Ephesus was a remarkable church. Ephesus is, I believe, to be in the foreground of all the churches. It was the scene of three years’ labor by the Apostle Paul, and he was the one to whom was given the revelation of the church. It is a representation, a symbolical representation of the church in its first state, and we all know what a blessed state of love, and faithfulness, and devotedness there was in the church at first, so that it came to be said, “Behold how these Christians love one another!” So Ephesus takes the first place, but already there was a symptom of decay. There was the beginning of retrogression, of spiritual decay. When the soul is first converted how full it is of love for Christ. There seems to the man when he gets deliverance from his sin nothing so great and blessed; but, by and by, too often the world begins to steal upon his heart. He leaves his first love; and that which so often happens to the individual has happened to the church collectively.
Now here we get an important thing to notice; that if the church did not repent, the candlestick would be removed from its place. That is, the church having failed, and not having repented, will, as a vessel of testimony be removed. This first epistle indicates that that is the liability of the church. And so it will he. The church as a vessel of testimony has failed deeply and will ultimately be removed. “But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes.” Many might say, “What are these deeds of the Nicolaitanes?” And in the epistle to the church of Pergamos we have the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes. I believe that God has intentionally concealed these. They are not explicitly stated. There have been various efforts to discover them from the derivation of the name, and those who are pleased with that can accept it. To my mind, God has purposely left the statement indefinite so that it may apply to unknown evils that may occur.
Then we come to the first of the promises. “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” There are three forms of overcoming mentioned in Scripture. John speaks of those who overcome the world, and he also speaks of overcoming false prophets, but what is this overcoming? It is an important thing to see that it is overcoming in a lapsed church. Ephesus had fallen, but there is a word of promise held out to those who overcome. Is not that an important exhortation to us? We also are in the midst of a lapsed church, but “to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” There was a tree of life in man’s paradise, the garden of Eden, but this is the tree of life in the paradise of God, where there will be no going out. So that promise is exceedingly fine and blessed.
Now we come to Smyrna. Notice I have left out the words, “I know thy works.” A translator or scribe thought to improve by putting in “works” in several places. He has put in “works” where it is not wanted, and where it detracts from the value of the parts that should be in. The Lord wished them to know, no doubt, that there was a particular trial of which He knew, and that He was not oblivious of that. And so He does not say anything about their works, but He does say, “I know thy tribulation and poverty (but thou art rich).” That is another illustration of how the Lord has complete knowledge of us. They might be ever so poor in this world, but they had an unfailing inheritance; they were rich for they had eternal wealth which could not pass away.
Then He goes on to say, “I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are of the synagogue of Satan.” The word “Jews” may be symbolical or actual. They might be Jews, and not true Jews; but I believe the word has a symbolical meaning towards the traditionary Christianity around us. When merely formal Christians come into contact with real, vital life they do not like it, and they speak and rail against it. That is what we have here. That is a solemn thing. There may be bodies of professing Christians who are of the synagogue of Satan. “Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer, behold the devil is about to cast 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 the crown of life.” Notice here the Lord knew they were in tribulation, and that they would be put into prison, but it was all under His control. The limit was appointed by Him, and could not go further: they should have tribulation ten days.
So it is with others, as is illustrated by Satan and Job. “He is in thy hand. Do what thou wilt with him, but on his life lay not thy hand.” Satan can only move against the children of God within the limits permitted by God. God’s hand is over it all. God has his eye upon you, and you will not be tried more than He permits; and it will be for your blessing. Here, in the case of Smyrna, they were to be cast into prison ten days, but the exhortation is “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life.” In the earthly law of Israel, faithfulness was rewarded by continuance of life. Speaking of the general status of the people, faithfulness was rewarded by earthly success, but now we have a new standard. We are not under a dispensation when God rewards faithfulness by earthly success. Often it is just the contrary. It is often very different indeed, for tribulation and persecution may proceed as far as death. The crown of life is also referred to by James. So there is a crown of life to those who endure temptation.
The names of some of these churches have a proper significance. In the case of Philadelphia, for instance—one of the best of the churches —the word means “brotherly love.” People suppose, and I do not say they are not correct, that the word Pergamos is significant. It means “marriage,” and here we have union with the world. That is what was the matter with Pergamos, for they held the doctrine of Balaam. Those who overcame were to eat of the hidden manna. That represents Christ, but Christ down here, in His life on earth. The blessed Lord Jesus is now in heaven, and we shall have communion with Him when we get there about the trials of this life. “I will give him of the hidden manna.” Then, again, the next promise is equally precious. I “will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it.” This is very remarkable—to receive a specific name from Christ; and not only that, but a name which no one knows but he that receives it. Is there not something beautiful in that? When you think of the Lord Jesus Christ and the millions around Him, you think He cannot possibly know each one, but here we find there is a sweet and individual token which Christ gives to the faithful, one which is known only by you and Christ. The white stone was a token of approval in those days, and it is also a token of His personal knowledge. There is something very special and blessed in that. It will be very blessed in the disposition of rewards, when Jesus stands with the faithful around Him to go up and receive your reward, and to have your name confessed before the glorious multitude in heaven. What an honor, what a scene that will be! when the Lord shall stand in the midst of the throng and confess your name. But sweeter than this we have a private reward, a secret name which only we and the Savior know. Is there not something truly encouraging and blessed in such a thing?
Then we come to Thyatira. Those who study the epistles in the light of the theory that they represent church history all agree that Thyatira represents Romanism. One need hardly explain that an eye like a flame of fire illustrates a penetrating eye. “His feet are like fine brass.” That is a symbolical representation of the judgment of the Son. “I know thy works.” Here works is properly put in. There was still a great deal of activity, a great deal of service, but what else was there? “Thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.” False teaching was permitted. In Thyatira there was a new feature; there was a remnant that feared God. There is also another feature—the Lord’s coming. The Lord’s coming is brought in as a hope, and something to direct the mind to. “That which ye have, hold fast till I come.” This, I need not say, is an exhortation which applies to all times, to hold fast to that which we have. Whatever we have, do not let it slip—do not be a backslider. If you have the truth, hold it fast. Then there is the promise— “He that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations.” This is a remarkable promise. It is to share in Christ’s judgment of the nations mentioned in the Second Psalm, vers. 8, 9. It refers to Christ’s coming and the judgment of the world, it does not refer to Christ’s coming to fetch the church which will be caught away to be with Christ before that. There is the promise that the church will come with Him, and share in the work of judging the nations. Then, again, you get the Lord’s coming, but now in a different way. “And I will give him the morning star.” The morning star refers to Christ in the character of His coming and receiving the church to Himself, before He appears to the world.
I will only slightly refer to Sardis. Thyatira represents Romanism, and Sardis shows what follows. It this case there is no error of doctrine; there is formal correctness. I may appeal to you; is it not very much the state of Protestantism in general? How many there are that are not alive! There is the ecclesiastical church, but where is the life? How much deadness there is. I do not mean the individual; I do not think it refers to the individual, although it may come down to that. The Book has a very close application to everyone of us. The exhortation it gives shows Christ’s perfect knowledge of our state. I will give unto every one of you, He says, according to his works. There is nothing overlooked; no fault is overlooked. Christ’s knowledge is perfect, and there is blessed encouragement and promise to press on and fight the good fight of faith. E. J. T.
Two Addresses on Revelation 2-3: No. 2
I remarked yesterday afternoon that the Revelation is very little read; in fact, you may say it is the most neglected book of the New Testament. Practically, it is not read, and yet it is of the deepest importance that it should be. This chapter is full of instruction and encouragement, calculated to minister to our hope, to strengthen us, and raise our hearts and thoughts, and help us on our way. In the strictly prophetic part of the book, there is instruction, but we will not look into that now. A word is necessary as to the “angel of the church” in the first verse. A good many are mystified as to this. What is the angel of the church? The general character of the book is based upon the forms and figures of the Old Testament, and the Jews, you know, had a good deal to do dispensationally with angels. The law was given by the disposition of angels, and Jehovah Himself takes the title of angel. In the 22nd chapter of Genesis we read, “And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham; and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him; for now know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me.” So you see the angel of the Lord, here, is the same as God Himself. God Himself, sometimes shrouds Himself by the title of angel; so the angel of the Lord is frequently Jehovah Himself, and we get a good deal about angels in the Revelation. In scripture “angel,” besides meaning an order of beings a little higher than man, is also used for the mystical representative of one (or more) not actually seen. So it was of Jehovah; so of Peter in Acts 12:15, and of little children in Matt. 18:10.
What, then, is the angel of the church? It is not the separate order of beings called angels; for how could John have sent a letter to an angel? Some state it was the principal officer of the church, but we find no such thing in Scripture as a principal officer of a church. Man has appointed officers and dignitaries of churches, but the modern idea of a bishop is without authority in Scripture; there we find several bishops in one church. Similarly, in the epistles to the churches. There are twenty-one epistles in the New Testament, but only six are addressed to individuals. The rest are addressed to the saints, or laity. That is the contrary of Romanism, which says that the people cannot understand the word. God, on the contrary, sends His instruction directly to the people of God; and the mere addresses of the epistles in the New Testament refute thus a cardinal error of Romanism. This by the way; but the angel cannot be the head of a church; it is a mystical representation, a symbol. It means an assembly of God’s people, and not a particular individual, for in addressing the angel it is said the devil shall cast “some of you” into prison (2:10), and again, Antipas is spoken of as having been “slain among you.” It may be, indeed, that “angel” symbolizes, also, the responsibility of the church, and in that sense would particularly imply all those who are specially responsible for the condition of the church. However, I think I have said enough to show that it does not mean a person, but that it is a symbol, a mystical representation of an assembly, or the responsibility of an assembly.
I tried to explain yesterday afternoon that we get a new departure in the epistle to the church of Sardis. Now in the epistle to Ephesus the Lord had adopted a title which relates to the seven churches—that is to the whole church: it is “he which holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks” —there it is not special, applying to a particular church, as in the case of Smyrna for example. But Sardis represents Protestantism. That was a movement which affected the whole of Christendom; and consistently with this the Lord resumes His position towards the whole church, under the title “he that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars.” In Thyatira, where we have Romanism, then, for the first time, a remnant is distinguished; and this remnant under Romanism, becomes the church of Sardis in the succeeding epistle. His word to Sardis is—and it is a word for Protestantism universally— “I know thy works that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.” That is a remarkable feature of Protestantism. The work of the Reformation was a great and noble work; it recovered the truth of salvation by faith instead of by works. The reformers also taught that the word of God was our sufficient guide. Those were two great principles to recover out of the wreck and ruin of the church of that day. It was a great and noble work, but it was marked by one thing—it was obviously incomplete. What the Church was, was not found. The position of the Holy Ghost, the coming and abiding of the Holy Ghost in the church, as the power of worship, was wanting. The Lord’s coming was not brought out: these principal truths were deficient; and glorious as the work of the reformers was, it was incomplete.
Then again, there is another thing that marks Protestantism. “Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.” We know what the state was in what is called the Establishment in England —deadness. They had come out from Romanism, and rested at that, perfectly satisfied; went on with their forms of worship Sunday by Sunday, but where was the life? We know what the state was when God raised up Wesley, and Whitfield, and others like them. The remarkable characteristic in Sardis was incompleteness of works and deadness. But there is an exhortation: “Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” Now that coming is contrary to the hope of the church. We do not look for the Lord to come as a thief. For us His visit is one of love to “receive us to himself, that where he is we may be also.” The threat to Sardis is to be left behind at the rapture, to meet the Lord afterward as Judge. You will find it mentioned in Luke, chap. 12, vers. 45 and 46. It refers to the dead profession of Protestantism going on after the church has been caught up. It is a sweet thing to notice that in the midst of Sardis there were those who did not defile their garments, and we have the promise that he that overcometh shall be clothed in white raiment, “and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” That is a verse that has puzzled many. What is this blotting out? I believe it is a reference to what has just gone before: the fate of the dead professors. They will indeed be blotted out, no matter how bold their profession, if not ready to meet the Lord at His coming, they will indeed be blotted out. But He says to the others: that will not be your fate, but I will confess your name before My Father and before His angels. Of course, it does not imply that any believer could have his name blotted out of the book of life, but marks off the living as distinct from the dead profession of Sardis. The dead ones, the blotted-out ones, of Sardis, are simply the foolish virgins of Matt. 25.
Now we come to the epistle to the Philadelphians, which is very interesting. “These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no one shutteth, and shutteth, and no one openeth; I know thy works.” It is a precious thing that the Lord could leave it at that with those of Philadelphia. It is quite enough for the faithful to know that He knows. “Behold I have set before thee an open door, and no one can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.” This open door is one of the great privileges of the present moment. If you have looked at all into the future, after the church has gone, you know what a different state of things there will be then. Now, you can get into a railway train, and speak to someone about the gospel; you can preach in the streets, if not hindering traffic, and no one complains. You can print the gospel, and circulate it far and wide. There is, then, an open door everywhere, but there is this—we do not know when it may be closed. We do not know the moment when the Lord Jesus may come and catch up the church out of the world. The whole state of things will then be altered, and in the days of the Beast, nothing will be allowed, religiously or commercially, that has not his awful mark. Christian, use while you have it this great privilege of an open door. “For thou hast a little strength” —it is not much strength— “and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.” All these things are most precious to the one who has walked according to Christ’s word.
Then there is a prophecy. “Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.” That refers to a revulsion of feeling toward those who have the particular testimony of Christ. The time would come when opponents would be compelled to own that the despised ones were loved by the Lord. Have we not seen something of this sort? I remember when the Lord’s coming was a thing absolutely unknown, and when mentioned was scouted; when in every pulpit it was taught that the coming of the Lord meant death, and the real truth about the Lord’s coming was ridiculed and opposed. What do we find to-day? The truth has spread everywhere, and people are acknowledging what fifty years ago they rejected; and not only so, they now acknowledge in great measure their indebtedness to those who have been God’s instruments for bringing out this and other truths. So we can see before our eyes some fulfillment of the Lord’s promise that He would extort an acknowledgment from those who had opposed the truth. Indeed one may say that there is danger to ourselves in this; some would even give place and recognition to “the Brethren,” as a new, and now acknowledged, denomination of Christendom. But we do not want this. It may be pleasing to the flesh to be spoken well of, but we do not want acceptance by, and incorporation into, the Babylon of Christendom. “Come out of her, my people,” is the standing cry with reference to Babylon. Babylon and Philadelphia are at the opposite extremes of the scale, and we would at least aspire to, make our aim for, the character of Philadelphia, however earnestly we repudiate any claim to be Philadelphia.
In the next verse we read, “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” What does that mean? Some think it means the “great tribulation”; it is not, however, tribulation, but temptation. There is going to be an hour of terrible temptation in this world, when God will be given up, and the name of Christ will be absolutely abandoned. After the church has gone, a Satanic flood will come across the earth, and the temptation will be to give up God altogether. But it cannot come while we are here. “I will keep thee from the hour of temptation.” Atheism is rife, and there is a general tendency to give up Christianity altogether. The great temptation seems to be throwing its shadow before, and we do not know how soon the church may be caught up. Immediately following that is, “I come quickly; hold that fast which thou hast, that no one take thy crown.” You see there is a crown; a crown of life as was seen yesterday afternoon, and it will be given to everyone that awaits Christ’s coming.
Laodicea represents the last state of the church, which will be rejected at the translation of the church. Christ will tolerate it no longer. “I will spue thee out of my mouth.” When that takes place, the people of God will have been caught up. He will spue out deadness, but it is a different deadness to that found in Sardis. These were boasting of richness, and we have a reflection of it in what we see around us to-day: people are becoming more blatant and boastful; they do not want truth at all. That is like those of Laodicea. But there’s another mark. “Neither cold nor hot.” Well, I am sure we should be very sorry to be lukewarm, but there is a great danger of getting into that state. We do not like such a character ourselves. We do not value a person who is neither one thing nor the other. If there is a thing in this world which is worth being hearty about, it is Christianity, and remember the testimony which God has given us in His word. Oh, let us see that “neither cold nor hot” does not represent our state. We want to be more warm towards Christ. “Anoint thine eyes with eyesalve.” There is inability to see things as they are; but there is this blessed remark, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous, therefore, and repent.”
There is a blessed promise for the worst state of the church, and of the individual. Christ is outside the church, but He is knocking at each individual door, and “if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” There is many a church in a state of deadness. The minister over it is dead; perhaps there are hardly any in his congregation that are not dead. Perhaps there is not one, and what is to prevent the same thing going on when the living ones have been caught away? Of course, we know that at the Apostasy dead profession will be thrown off, with Romanism at its head, but that will be later. Meanwhile, when all the living are caught away to meet the Lord there is nothing to show, as I see, that the dead profession may not continue for a brief time. Brethren, we occupy a very solemn position. Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea are all around us. The first three churches pass into one another (and indeed the third into the fourth), but the last four run on concurrently to the end. We have not to wait for Laodicea to be manifested. Laodicea is here already, and no one can tell whether the Lord may not at any moment descend into the air and catch us away forever, spuing the corrupt profession from Him. Meanwhile let us not be Laodiceans; let us seek to be true Philadelphians. We do not know when the Lord Jesus may come. There are symptoms visible which seem to indicate that it may be very near. Remember the state of Christendom. What a change has come over it during the last twenty years! And some years before that, to be an infidel was thought a strange thing. Now it is common. Now you have denominations giving up Christianity. Well, the time will come when Christ will stand it no longer; He will take His people up, and spue the others out of His mouth. May the Lord give us greater earnestness suitable to the times. May He remind us of the open door, that great privilege which we have now, and grant that we may use it, not being ashamed to confess Christ. “Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father and before his angels.”
E. J. T.
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