Not too many years ago a young man became the senior pastor of a new church. Many people joined him who had a passion for a biblically based church that taught scripture verse-by-verse. He was friendly and charismatic and had a wonderful zeal to minister to all age groups. The church had home Bible studies throughout the week (They are also called flocks, small groups, cell groups, or care groups in other churches). One day as we were talking about the church, he made it clear that he believed the Bible did not apply to him. He felt it was okay to ignore parts of the Bible when they were inconvenient. The young man’s words revealed his true character. He did not honor the Bible as the words of God. God’s Word did not have absolute authority over him. He would teach one thing to the people in the church and when he wanted to, he would ignore it in his own life.
City of Thyatira
The church of Thyatira had leaders very much like this young man. The young man hid his view from his congregation. But some leaders in the church at Thyatira were actively teaching things contrary to the Bible. We will see in a few minutes what was being taught.
The city of Thyatira is in ruins today. The modern city of Akihiar surrounds the one square block of what is left of the ancient city. Now there is nothing left but rubble. Thyatira was famous for its many trade guilds: wood, dye, linen, leather, bronze-smiths, tanning, coppersmiths, pottery, and slave trading. The ruins are located in a valley that has no natural defenses.
The first Christian from Thyatira appears to be a woman, Lydia, who had come to the city of Philippi to sell purple fabrics (Acts 16:14). There the apostle Paul introduced her to Jesus, and she responded positively to the wonderful news. From there the church grew. We do not know how many became Christians; but by the time God speaks to them through the apostle John, the church is having serious problems.
And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this: “I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray, so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.” Revelation 2:18-20 (NASB)
Important Truth
We saw in our last study that God had rebuked the church of Pergamum for sexual sin. Some of the Christians in that church believed their sin was okay. Now the church at Thyatira is doing the same thing; but they have gone one step farther. Someone is actively teaching the Christians in this church that sexual freedom is acceptable to God. There is an important truth in this passage that we do not want to forget. The truth is very simply this – if you twist the meaning of the Bible enough, you can make it say anything that you want. God has never approved of sexual sin – adultery, homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality, or any other behavior except for sex between a husband and wife.
God either names the woman in the church or at least says this woman teacher is as wicked as the Old Testament queen known as Jezebel. The Old Testament Jezebel is found in the book of 1 Kings. She killed many Old Testament prophets (1 Kings 18:4), brought the worship of the god Baal and the goddess Asherah to Israel, and installed prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:19). God knew who she was. She did not escape God’s eyes.
And I gave her time to repent; and she does not want to repent of her immorality. Revelation 2:21 (NASB)
Did Not Condemn False Teaching
The leadership and some of the people in this New Testament church ‘tolerated” her. The Greek word for “tolerate” is aphiemi meaning to “not forbid.” This means the leadership of the church and some of the people were not willing to stop her. Does this sound as though they did not want to “judge her” or “not show her love” by hurting her feelings? Some Christians are more concerned about a person’s feelings than about God’s feelings. God is treated as a second class citizen in some churches. What God wants seems to be unimportant. Whatever their reason, God said this was sin and it will stop.
God had been working on this woman, but she ignored Him. God may have already brought pain and suffering into her life. It might have been financial difficulty or illness. God does not tell us, but He gave her time to stop and change. She did not listen. She liked the group of people who followed her. She may have even thought she was correct.
Patmos and the Seven Churches
Most of us would think that God would discipline this woman and not her followers since she was doing the teaching. But this is not true. Listen.
Behold, I will cast her upon a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. And I will kill her children with pestilence; and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. Revelation 2:22-23 (NASB)
God is going to discipline the false teacher and her followers unless they stop. God will even take their lives in order to send a message to all the churches that He is serious about this sin. Pergamum indulged in sex, but Thyatira taught that sexual promiscuity was okay! Just because a Christian leader says the Bible teaches something as being true does not mean it is true.
Three Current Examples
A pastor once told his congregation that the way to win another person’s heart was to walk around him or her seven times just as the Israelites walked around the city of Jericho seven times (This is a true situation). Unfortunately, a young man believed this pastor and walked around a girl seven times. The girl had heard the pastor’s message and felt obligated to accept this young man’s proposal of marriage. Later this couple had problems in their marriage. This was not a surprise. False teaching from false teachers causes serious problems. It is even worse when someone believes them and follows.
There is a well-known pastor in Garden Grove, California in the United States who is a false teacher. For example, he says that “Sin is any act or thought that robs myself or another human being of his or her self-esteem.” (Schuller, Robert. Self-Esteem: The New Reformation. p. 14). That is, sin is defined as not feeling good about yourself. He does not agree with God who says,
. . . sin is lawlessness. 1 John 3:4 (NASB)
This pastor goes on to say on page 68, “To be born again means that we must be changed from a negative to a positive self-image — from inferiority to self-esteem, from fear to love, from doubt to trust.” God does not agree with him. What God has said in the Bible about salvation or being born again has not changed! The apostle Paul said that Jesus came to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). The reason Jesus died was not to give us a positive image, but to forgive our sins (John 1:29). We disobey God. That is the problem.
Thyatira Road And Ruins
Now for our third example of false teaching. During a major crusade in a coliseum, a well known preacher stopped preaching and claimed that the Holy Spirit was giving him new revelation. Then he told the crowd that he would share this new revelation with them and then said, “God the Father has a body, soul, and spirit. Jesus has a body, soul, and spirit. The Holy Spirit has a body, soul, and spirit. There are nine of them!” He told the audience that they needed to reject the “old denominational thinking” and accept this new revelation that “God is not a trinity – there are nine of them.”
These men have people listening to them and following them. Many would say these are men of God. Just look at the crowds who come to listen. Jezebel had people following her, too, but she was still a false teacher. Jezebel was wrong. Her followers were wrong, and God was going to judge all of them. A crowd of people is no proof that the teacher is correct. Large buildings, charismatic speakers, national radio or television programs do not mean that the teachers/preachers are truly anointed of God. Even false teachers have a following. We must remember that even false teachers need a following in order to be “successful” in the world’s eyes.
Conclusion
False doctrine does not usually enter a church quickly. It comes slowly. God calls us to be faithful to the Bible because through it He speaks to us. He calls us to be faithful. He calls teachers to be faithful.
And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. 2 Timothy 2:2 (NASB)
False teachers are not faithful to God, but are pursuing their own desires. God holds everyone responsible for false teaching – the teacher and followers. He does not want us tolerating false teachers. Now that is a serious warning.
But for those at Thyatira who were faithful to the Word of Truth, God encouraged them, and us, with this,
But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them – I place no other burden on you. Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come. And he who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS; AND HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, AS THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER ARE BROKEN TO PIECES, as I also have received authority from My Father; and I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Revelation 2:24-29. (NASB)
What a wonderful reward! Be faithful, be watchful, and be a good Bereans.
Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so. Acts 17:11 (NASB)
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Culture is determined by those living in it. It changes from country to country and even from one city to another city. It includes language, customs, and laws. In some countries automobiles are driven on one side of the road, and in other country they may be driven on the other side. Each country has a different flag, anthem, currency, and heroes. In some countries the weekend starts on Thursday, and in others the weekend begins with Saturday. Customs are different and so are the standards of acceptable conduct. Many of us believe that culture is neither good or bad. But that conclusion is wrong when the people in a country, province, city, or group start determining what is moral. When men and women ignore God and start determining what is right and wrong, the moral standards are determined by the population. The moral standards change because the men and women change.
City of Pergamum
The culture in Pergamum was like the culture in many other surrounding cities. You may soon discover that in some ways, it was like your culture. Pergamum was a famous city and the capital of Asia Minor. It was located in a valley and received its water from the Bergama Cayl River. The business center of the city (the acropolis) was located in a fortified stronghold on a rocky hill about 1,000 feet (305 meters) above the valley floor.
A famous library was built in the city during the second century by Eumenes II. The library had 200,000 volumes and was a rival of the library in Alexandria, Egypt. In fact, the city was named after the parchment used to make many of the books. The library was part of Pergamum’s culture. But this symbol of pride was given away by Mark Anthony to his “girl friend,” Cleopatra, as a gift. The library of Alexandria became even more famous. Today, there are no ruins of this cultural symbol.
The Temples
Pergamum was also known for its many temples. We will discover shortly that the temples in Ephesus, Sardis, and Pergamum were part of their everyday life – their culture. When God through His apostles spoke out against these religions, He rejected more than just the events which occurred inside a few temples. A visitor to Pergamum would have seen some fantastic temples dedicated to Asclepius, Athena, Demeter, Dionysus, Serapius, Trajan, and Zeus. We consider the various religions in the city. This is important because this changes our understanding of these ancient religions. We will see that these ancient religions are very different from the religious practices of our day. When God wants us to not be involved in other religions, He was talking about more than just worshipping at a temple.
Partmos and The Seven Churches
The temple to Trajan honored a caesar of Rome as if he were a god. The temple was beautiful and had a Corinthian design. The temple was on the terrace which led to the Pergamum’s famous library. The temple to Zeus was erected when Pergamum defeated the Galatians. The temple stood on top of the acropolis. It was very large and could be seen from the valley floor. Zeus was considered to be the “god of gods” by the Greeks and Romans. Athena was believed to be the goddess of war, wisdom, and skill. If one had wanted success in battle, wisdom in business, or skill in trade, the person would have wanted to honor her with worship.
Sacred Way To The Acropolis
One of the most significant goddesses was Demeter . She was believed to provide the human race with food. This religion had priests and included fasting, sacrifices, singing of hymns, and the sprinkling of holy water. A person joined this religion by a secret rite of initiation. There were three steps called the Lesser Mysteries, the Greater Mysteries, and the Epopteia. The pig was the symbol of cleanliness.
Pergamum Acropolis and Theater
Fortifications of the Acropolis
Temple of Trajan
Temple of Zeus
Demeter Sacred Square
Aesulpium Northern Stoa
Pergamum Theater
Dionysus was a god of wine and happiness. In the ancient artifacts, he holds a cup in his hand as symbol of his power. The main followers of this male god were women. This religion involved dances, banquets, masquerades, and singing. The religion appealed to wealthy women. Ancient pictures and inscriptions reveal that these women would remove their clothes and participate in sexual activities. This was a religion that appealed to women. It had a feminine touch.
There were two gods who dealt with health. The first was Serapius. He was the god of healing and fertility. He could deliver a person from danger and disease. He was called the savior god. Mystical revelations were important in this religion.
Asclepius was the god of medicine. This may be one the most significant religions of the ancient world. The temple was white and circular with a covered dome. Snakes were a common symbol of this worship. The most significant symbol was a rod with a snake wrapped around it. It is the same symbol used today by medical doctors. This god was called the “savior from sickness.” The temple area included trees, baths, theaters, gyms, and the library. This religion was concerned with the physical and mental health of each man and woman. It included culture, reading, the arts, cleanliness, and healing. There are ancient testimonies of men and women who say they were cured of blindness and ulcers. The ancient records reveal that hypnosis, diet, bathing, and various medicines were commonly used to help people feel better and to “heal” their diseases.
What Is Your Religion?
Religion was more than worship at some temple. Religion was important to life and culture. A person could belong to several religions. Religion was connected to every part of daily life. It was the key to social success, food, happiness, the theater, literature, and even sex. While one religion provided for your mental and physical health, another was the key to pleasing the Roman caesar. The library, theater, medical doctor, bath house, and gardens were all part of the culture or religion of the day. The people determined the moral standard of the society and it was evil.
Religion is not very different today. For example, in the Society of Iobacchus, a person had to apply in order to be a member. The society voted on their admission on the ninth day of each month. If they were accepted, they had to make a monthly contribution. They had moral standards; members were not permitted to fight, swear, or be disorderly. The priest controlled the worship service. He determined who spoke. This group had a treasurer who collected dues. Does this sound like religion today? They worshipped the gods of health, the cultural arts, sports, and pleasure. When they gathered together, they expected the citizens to worship “god,” donate money, practice some form of holiness, be cared for by a priest, and hear inspiring religious messages.
Pergamum’s Christians
The Christians in Pergamum were not living in a culture free from religion. They were not living in a city of mud huts and straw shacks. They lived in an elegant city with roads, buildings, and temples made of stone and marble. They were living in a society that worshipped everything but the true God. Religion was more than bowing down before some idol in some temple.
Is it surprising that Jesus had the apostle John write,
And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this: “I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith, even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.” Revelation 2:12-13 (NASB)
Jesus is the One who is holding the two-edged sword. He reminds us that He is powerful and in control. He was calling them to be faithful. These Christians have not left Jesus or denied the faith. So He encouraged them to continuing holding on.
They were living where Satan’s throne existed. This seems to refer to Pergamum’s many religious temples. These religions were created by Satan then and he is still doing it now. Today his religions are more sophisticated. They just look different, sound different, and seem different. Today, men and women “worship” the same things: health, pleasure, the cultural arts, entertainment, food, and sex. Jesus Christ is not very important to them.
Something Is Wrong
Even among some “Christians” Jesus Christ is not very important. Why? Because there is something wrong in many churches. There was something wrong in the church in Pergamum.
But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit acts of immorality. Thus you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Revelation 2:14-15 (NASB)
The culture of Pergamum was having an impact on these Christians. The first sign of problems was that sexual immorality was now accepted by the church. Did you notice that Jesus rebuked them for the doctrine of Balaam and the teaching of the Nicolaitans? If we go back to Number 31:15-16, we discover that Balaam had counseled Balak to intermarry with the Israelites.
Behold, these caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, so the plague was among the congregation of the LORD. Numbers 31:16 (NASB)
Sexual Freedom
The doctrine of the Nicolaitans appears to come from Nicolas (Acts 6:5). Church historians tell us that his followers encouraged Christians to be sexually free – to have sex with anyone they desired. Today this is not usually taught, even though it is practiced in many churches. Sexual sin was being accepted in the church “as part of life.” The culture of our world has come into the church and it has been accepted. It is the “new Christian morality.” Just as sex was part of the religion of Dionysus, extra-marital sex is being accepted among some men and women who claim to be Christians. But Jesus warned them to stop.
Repent therefore; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it. Revelation 2:16-17 (NASB)
Marriage with non-Christians, living together before marriage, premarital sex, or any sexual activity before marriage is a sin. Adultery, homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality, and pornography are sins too!
Conclusion
Sexual sin is not God’s will for your life. God wants you to flee sexual sin. These Christians in Pergamum were living like non-Christians.
For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God . . . 1 Thessalonians 4:2-5 (NASB)
God wants us to be holy. Society’s standard of morality is not God’s standard of holiness. God does not want us to accept our culture’s standards but His. His moral standard is holiness.
. . . YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY. 1 Peter 1:16 (NASB)
The church at Ephesus had left their first love. That is the first step many take. The second step is to move toward false doctrine. It usually starts by a change in our life – a change in our moral standard. The second step is usually away from Jesus and toward some moral standard that is accepted by our society – by our culture. But it is not God’s holiness. Where are you?
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Phocas was a holy man who lived around A.D. 300 in the city of Sinope which was in the southern part of modern day Turkey. He was a grower of flowers who sold them to support himself. One night some strangers came to his home and asked for food and a place to sleep. So Phocas invited them into his home. While the men were eating the evening meal, Phocas asked them why they were traveling. They answered that they were looking for Phocas. They were sent to kill him. Phocas said nothing and showed them to bed. While they were sleeping, he went outside and dug a grave. In the morning the men asked him, “Where is this man?” Phocas answered, “I am he.” History tells us the men killed him and buried him in the grave that he had dug. Phocas was willing to die for his faith.
City of Smyrna
The next church in Revelation was located in the ancient city of Smyrna. Today there is only rubble in the ancient location. The agora or commercial center, is all that is left. It is not a glamour city like London, Los Angeles, or Singapore. The modern city is now called Izmir.
The city was located in a gulf of the Aegean Sea. It was known as the “faithful city” because of its loyalty to Rome. There are at least two key temples in the city, one to Tiberius and another to the goddess Athena. The city was a center for science and medicine. Aristides said it was like a flower. It was a beautiful city. Today there is nothing left of the ancient coliseum to which its citizens went for entertainment. There the gladiators fought for honor and prizes. Today there is no memory of their victories. They have been forgotten.
The city was not kind to the Christians, especially the Jews. It was there that many Christians died because they believed Jesus Christ was God. One of the best known martyrs among the early Christians was Polycarp. He was a pastor of this church and died in A.D. 155-156 at the age of eighty-six.
I Know Your Tribulation
The Lord Jesus has only kind and tender words for the Christians in this church. He has nothing negative to say to these suffering Christians.
And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this: “I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Revelation 2:8-9 (NASB)
Jesus says, “I know.” This verb is a perfect active tense in the Greek. This means that their suffering is not about to start; they have already been suffering. What was the nature of their suffering? The Greek word for tribulation is thlipsis. It means that they have been “afflicted, pressured, and mentally distressed. These Christians have been suffering for Jesus. They have been giving their lives for Him. These Christians did not stop telling others about Jesus when the suffering started. They did not stop when someone was offended because they prayed in public or shared the truth about Jesus. These Christians were bold. These Christians were suffering emotionally and physically. If you are a Christian, are you bold? Do you tell others about Jesus or are you afraid to suffer? Do you fear losing your job or possibly a friendship?
Willing to Suffer For Jesus
Jesus goes on to say that they were in poverty. This is an important Greek word to understand. There are two key Greek words for poverty. The first one has the idea of “having nothing extra” and the second word means to “have nothing at all.” Jesus uses the last word. They had nothing at all. But how can this be? The city was wealthy and so were its citizens.
Then why are these Christians poor? They were poor because they were being persecuted. In the book of Hebrews we discover that Christians lost their homes and possessions.
But remember the former days . . . you endured a great conflict of sufferings, partly, by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. For you showed sympathy to the prisoners, and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an abiding one. Heb. 10:32-34 (NASB)
Just like these Hebrew Christians, the Christians in Smyrna were willing to lose everything for Jesus. Are you willing to lose everything for God? They were! Jesus had only good things to say about them. Why? Because there was nothing more important in their life than Jesus. They were willing to die for Him. Jesus wants our life, and not what is left.
Patmos and the Seven Churches
Do Not Fear
These Christians needed encouragement. They were not just suffering emotionally. They were experiencing real pain.
Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days . . . Revelation 2:10a (NASB)
Most of us would be praying that the persecution would stop. But Jesus told them there is more suffering to come. It is going to get worse and not better. What a great lesson for us! Jesus may allow us to suffer for Him, and we should not stop telling others about Him if we start experiencing pain and rejection.
Street in Ancient Smyrna
Fortress in Ancient Smyrna
Temple Ruins of Ancient Smyrna
Downside of Suffering
How are you doing? Are you willing to suffer for Him? There is a danger when we suffer that many us do not think about. We have already seen that some early Christians lost their homes and earthly possessions. If we were to read the book of Hebrews, we would discover that these Christians were ministering to others. That sounds like these Christians were doing very well. But that was not true. They were drifting away from Jesus. Church had become a social event.
Hebrews 5:11-14 warned the readers that they were baby Christians because they were on a diet of spiritual milk. They were not interested in solid Bible teaching. We also find in Hebrews 10:24-25 that they had become irregular in their church attendance. These men and women were not growing in the faith. The entire book of Hebrews was written asking the readers to look at themselves and to see if they were real Christians. The Holy Spirit calls them to trust Jesus – to believe in Jesus. He encourages them to fix their eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-2).
They had taken their eyes off of Jesus and were looking at their problems. These men and women needed to be faithful and to be thankful that they could suffer for Jesus Christ. Suffering for Jesus will reveal what kind of Christian you really are. Suffering will either cause you to move away from Him or draw you to Himself in a new and fresh, spiritual way.
Conclusion
So Jesus calls them to suffer for Him. He wants the Christians in Smyrna to pass the test.
. . . Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.’ Revelation 2:10b-11 (NASB)
Jesus wants us to be faithful even until death. He promises us a wreath. This was an award given to the winning gladiator or “the victor” of a game in the coliseum. The winner usually also received a prize, so Jesus promised the winners or the ones who “overcome” a prize. He promised them that they will enter heaven. We will discover later that the second death is for those who are in hell and will end up in the Lake of Fire.
Some years later, the early church father known as Polycarp became the pastor of this church. He was a disciple of the apostle John. In about A.D. 86 he died for Jesus. The early church father Eusebius tells us what happened to him.
And when he came near, the proconsul asked him if he was Polycarp. After he confessed that he was, the proconsul tried to persuade him to deny Christ and said, “Have respect to your old age . . . swear by the fortune of Caesar; repent” . . . Then, the proconsul urging him . . . “Swear, and I will set you at liberty, reproach Christ;” Polycarp declared, “Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never did me any injury: how then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?”
And when the proconsul again pressed him, and said, “Swear by the fortune of Caesar,” he answered, “Since you are vainly urging . . . me to swear by the fortune of Caesar, and pretend not to know who and what I am, hear me declare with boldness, that I am a Christian . . . The proconsul then said to him, “I have wild beasts at hand; to these will I cast you, except thou repent.” But he answered, “Call them then . . . it is well for me to be changed from what is evil to what is righteous.” But again the proconsul said to him, “Seeing that you despise the wild beasts, I will cause you to be consumed by fire if you do not repent.” But Polycarp said, “You threaten me with fire which burns for only an hour, and after a little is extinguished, but you are ignorant of the fire of the coming judgment and of eternal punishment, reserved for the ungodly. Why do you delay? Bring forth what you will.” (Eusebius. The Encyclical Epistle Of The Church At Smyrna, chapters 9-10).
Jesus wants us to be faithful. He wants us to be willing to tell others about Himself – to be willing to die for Him! Are you willing?
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The introduction to Revelation has come to an end, and the Apostle John faithfully writes some words from our Lord to seven churches in Asia Minor. He sends a message to each church. Sometimes he gives words of encouragement, and at other times words of rebuke. Two of the seven churches receive only positive encouragement. but five of them are rebuked. These were real churches with real problems. These churches had problems just as we do today. The Lord’s warnings and encouragement to these seven churches are applicable to every church today. One of these churches probably compares to your church and to you. The first church our Lord writes to is Ephesus.
Introduction
Our Lord’s first words to the Christians in Ephesus are a reminder that He is in control.
To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this . . . Revelation 2:1 (NASB)
Revelation 1:20 reveals that the seven stars are the pastors of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. So Jesus is simply saying, “I am in control of each pastor and each church.” We will see in our coming studies of these churches that Jesus gives us freedom to do what is right or to commit sin. But He can destroy a church or bring blessings to it if He wants to. It depends on the people in the church and their leaders.
City of Ephesus
Ephesus was a harbor city near the Cayster River. It was the largest city in Asia Minor with a population estimated at 250,000. It was a great commercial center and had an amphitheater that could seat 24,000 people.
The city had many temples to various gods and goddesses. One such goddess was Artemis. Artemis was her Greek name, and Diana was her Roman name. Her temple was one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The temple was magnificent, with 127 columns which stood 197 feet high (60m). The temple measured 425 feet by 220 feet (130m x 67m), but today the temple is in ruins with only a single column remaining.
The Greeks believed that Artemis ruled the moon, was the goddess of the hunt, protected animals, and protected women during childbirth. She guarded three cities: Ephesus, Syracuse, and Massalia.
Her temple was a place of prostitution even though she was supposedly a virgin. The Ephesians highly respected her, even believing that her idol or image fell down out of heaven. We discover this in the book of Acts where we are told that a silversmith by the name of Demetrius was worried that his idol business would decrease when the Apostle Paul came telling others about Jesus. Listen to this,
For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, was bringing no little business to the craftsmen; these he gathered together . . . and said, “Men, you know that our prosperity depends upon this business. And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made with hands are no gods at all. And not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of Asia and the world worship should even be dethroned from her magnificence.” And when they heard this and were filled with rage, they began crying out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”. . . And after quieting the multitude, the town clerk said, “Men of Ephesus, what man is there after all who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, and of the image which fell down from heaven? Acts 19:24-28, 35 (NASB)
Partmos and The Seven Churches
Temple of Artemis in Ephesus
Temple of Hadrian
Library of Celsus
Another outstanding building in this city was the temple to Hadrian, a caesar of the Roman Empire. The city offered its citizens the Celsus library for the purpose of education. Some people think of the cities of the past and their citizens as being backward and living in poor conditions but the photographs of the ruins reveal that this is not true of Ephesus. Remember that Ephesus had one of the Seven Wonders of the World for the family to see on the weekend!
Positive Words
Jesus’ first words to the Ephesians are very positive. These are words that many of us would like to hear.
I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot endure evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. Revelation 2:2-3 (NASB)
These believers worked hard for Christ and continued even when trouble came to them. They did not grow weary. The Greek word for “grown weary” is kokopiakas. It means “to be spent with labor” or “to be faint from weariness.” But they were not weary! It is easy for a Christian to become weary in the Lord’s work when their effort is for the wrong reason. When we serve for position, honor, or to earn the respect of a pastor, church leader, spouse, or some friend, our labor becomes discouraging and weary. Why were the Ephesians not weary? They were serving for “My name’s sake.” They did it for Jesus! They did not do it for anyone else. Does that sound as though they loved Jesus? The answer is “yes!”
The Ephesian Christians did something that is not very popular today in some churches. They did not endure evil men, and they questioned the claims of their church members. It appears that they practiced church discipline and removed from the church those who were evil and those who claimed to be apostles. This means that they evaluated the live and claims of men and women in the church. Christians often struggle with church discipline. Church discipline is the removal of someone from the church who continue in sin. Jesus told His disciples to do this in Matthew 18:15-20. This was His idea. It simply means that if we see another Christian sinning, it is our responsibility to help him or her stop. It is helping another Christian to be holy, even as Jesus is holy (1 Pet. 1:16). It is not for judgment or to punish someone. The Ephesians were faithful to do this. They did not tolerate evil men and liars. Sometimes church discipline is limited to adultery, but not here at this church.
Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. Revelation 2:6 (NASB)
The Ephesians also hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans, a group of people who pursued pleasure. One of the early church fathers, Clement of Alexandria, said of the Nicolaitans ” . . . abandoning themselves to pleasure like goats . . . lead a life of self-indulgence; not knowing that the body is wasted . . . while their soul is buried in the mire of vice; following as they do the teaching of pleasure itself . . . ” (The Stromata, Or Miscellanies, Book 2, chap. 20). The Nicolaitans lived for pleasure. We see that in our world. The pursuit of pleasure is even common in the church, but it was not among the Ephesians.
Symptoms and Problems
But there was a problem in the Ephesian church.
But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you, and will remove your lampstand out of its place–unless you repent. Revelation 2:4-5 (NASB)
They had left their first love. What does this mean? We already know that they had worked very hard for Jesus and had not grown weary. Did they disappoint the Lord by not working hard enough? The answer is found in Jesus’ warning to “repent and do the deeds you did at first.” Those words are easy to miss. It is easy to jump to the conclusion that Jesus was simply disappointed that they did not love Him enough. Their deeds were missing because their love was missing.
One evening, I climbed into my car and inserted the key to start my car. Nothing happened. So I tried again, and still nothing happened. I raised the hood of my car, and someone was kind enough to stop and help me start my car. Then I discovered the problem was my battery. The fact that my car would not start was the symptom and not the problem. The real problem was my battery. So it is with the Ephesians. The problem was their hearts’ love for Jesus, and the symptom was the absence of some deeds they used to do!
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. 1 John 5:3 (NASB)
When men and women first became Christians in the early church, we are told that they . . .
. . . were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. And everyone kept feeling a sense of awe . . . Acts 2:42-43 (NASB)
But some of the other books in the New Testament such as 1 and 2 Corinthians and Hebrews tell us that the desires for teaching, communion, prayer, and love for one another did not last. Prayer was not very important after awhile. Evangelism was not very important either. At first the early Christians preached Christ with boldness and willingly suffered persecution. What were the symptoms at Ephesus? What was missing in their Christian life? While we do not know the symptoms, we do know that the problem was in their hearts. They did not love Jesus enough.
Ephesian Theater
Conclusion
They had a heart problem. Do you have a heart problem? The way to discover if you have a heart problem is to ask, “What are my symptoms? What is missing from my life that I used to do for Jesus?” The answer will be different for each of us. Whatever your symptoms may be, Jesus has told us that the cure for your heart problem starts with repentance and then doing those things that are missing. It starts by admitting to Jesus that you do not love Him as you used to! Ask Him to help you love Him.
When we first came to Jesus, we wanted to please Him. He was all that we could think about. He was all that we wanted. We wanted to do His will. We were in love with Him. But as time passed the Ephesians started loving other things. Is there anything in this world that you would rather do than love Jesus with all your heart? The Ephesians had apparently found something else. Have you? The issue is not what are you doing for Jesus, but are you doing the “first things?” Are you doing those things that you know that Jesus wants you to do for Him? Are you in love with Jesus? We are told that Augustine once said, “Lord, have You declared that no man can see Your face and live? – then let me die, that I may see You.” Augustine loved Jesus! What are your symptoms?
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God. Revelation 2:7 (NASB)
https://www.neverthirsty.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/neverthirstylogo.svg00Johnhttps://www.neverthirsty.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/neverthirstylogo.svgJohn2009-04-19 10:00:202024-04-24 08:37:03Symptoms of a Heart Problem — Church in Ephesus
Jesus died on a Friday. It was a black day. The sun and the stars could not be seen because the sky was black. The people shouted for Jesus’ death. They mocked Him while He hung on the cross. The soldiers crucified Jesus while the disciples ran away and hid in their homes.
Friday Was A Dark Day
Scripture tells us that on the night Jesus was betrayed, Judas kissed Him on the cheek and the disciples fled. There were only two disciples who remained with Jesus. One was at a distance and one stayed closer. That night Peter denied Jesus, and the women were crying. It was Friday, a dark, black day. Blood dripped from His head, His hands, His feet, and His side. It dripped from His back, chest, legs, and arms. It was Friday, and now Jesus was dead.
A rich man came and placed Jesus in the grave. He wanted to place Him in a grave because he was a devout man, a Pharisee, a leader in Jerusalem. Eventually the grave was sealed by a stone that was rolled into place. Darkness filled the tomb. Jesus’ body was in a hollow place that was totally dark. It was a dark day.
Friday was a bad day as far as the disciples were concerned. All of their hopes and dreams, all of their wishes and all of their expectations had vanished. It was a tough, difficult day for them. Only John was bold enough to stand at the cross along with Mary, Jesus’ mother. The rest had fled away, and John was left. When the afternoon had ended, John, Mary, and the other women left and went home. Eventually all of them were in hiding at home. It was a day they didn’t expect. They didn’t expect their Messiah, their Savior, to end up dead. You see, the disciples weren’t an “A Team.” They weren’t the “Mission Impossible” team, or the “Fantastic Eleven.” In fact, they were defeated and discouraged. They were disillusioned, full of doubt, and full of fear. In fact, it was a tough day for all of them, because Jesus was in the grave.
The future did not hold excitement for them. Instead, they were at home contemplating the tragedy of the day. It was a day of disappointment. Saturday arrived and because it was the Sabbath Day, they couldn’t go anywhere. They stayed at home. It was not until Sunday morning that something exciting occurred. They had rushed to put Jesus in the grave and to close the tomb. They did not have the time to finish the process of preparing the body for burial so on Sunday morning some women went to the tomb to complete that process.
The Women Come To The Tomb
Our study begins in Luke 24:1. It is now Sunday morning, and the events of the tragic weekend are behind them. But I am sure that as they walked towards the tomb, they were in anguish as they thought about their Messiah lying in a tomb on a cold slab. I am sure that there were tears. I am sure they were expressing their doubts and their disappointments over the crucifixion. It was a tough day. Verse 1 tells us,
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. Luke 24:1 (NASB)
The verse tells us that they had prepared the spices. This required special effort on their part. They prepared the spices themselves, and now they came in the early hours to the tomb. They came while the rays of the sun were just coming over the horizon. The light of the sky was just starting to turn from dark to something brilliant as they were coming to the tomb.
You may ask, “Who came?” I will tell you who did not come. None of the disciples came. Instead, some of the women came. Verse 10 gives some of their names.
Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles. Luke 24:10 (NASB)
There were other women present also. We do not know who they were, but I am sure that they were talking with one another about the events of Friday, about their expectation of what they were going to find. Maybe they were planning what they were going to do when they got to the tomb if they were able to roll that stone away. Mark tells us that one of the questions they had was how would they roll the stone back? The spices the women were bringing were to be used to properly finish the job of preparing the body for burial.
In verse 2 we are told that they unexpectedly found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Verse 3,
. . . but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. Luke 24:3 (NASB)
This must have been a great surprise for them. The fact that they were bringing spices meant that they expected His body still to be there. They thought He was dead. They were not looking for a risen Savior; they did not believe Jesus was going to rise again. When they saw that there was no body in the tomb, they were stunned. Look at verse 4,
While they were perplexed about this . . . Luke 24:4a (NASB)
The Greek word for “perplexed” is aporeo. It has the idea of being perplexed with the implication of serious anxiety. They were really surprised that Jesus’ body was not there. They did not know what it meant, and they were anxious about it. I suspect that one of the things they were thinking about is where could they go to find His body. What happened to it? Who took it? They should have remembered that Jesus told them on multiple occasions that He was going to suffer, die, and rise again on the third day. He told them right after the feeding of the five thousand. He told them after the Pharisees accused Him of casting out demons by the power of Satan. Jesus repeated the message to them after He cleansed the ten lepers. Jesus told them after He had a conversation with a rich young ruler. He even told them during the last Passover, sometimes called the Last Supper, but they did not understand His message. I am just surprised the women did not expect Him to be risen. So when they arrived at the tomb, they were expecting His body to be in the tomb. But verse 4 tells us instead they saw two men.
. . . two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing . . . Luke 24:4b (NASB)
Women Expect Jesus To Be Dead
We often think about angels being feminine, or looking like little cherubs. But these angels looked like men, and they were dazzling in their clothing. Verse 5 explains that the women were terrified.
. . . and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead?” Luke 24:5 (NASB)
I find it interesting the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground. The angels responded, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead?” Notice the angels said, “living One among the dead.” The angels were talking about Jesus. They were not talking about just anybody. They were speaking of Jesus. Jesus is alive! He was dead, but He is now alive. “Why do you seek the living one among the dead?” Verses 6-7 tell us that the women were beginning to understand as they thought about what Jesus had said,
He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. Luke 24:6-7 (NASB)
And verse 8 adds,
And they remembered His words . . . Luke 24:8 (NASB)
They did not remember His words earlier. They were expecting Jesus to be dead. That is the message of the Resurrection story. The women did not expect a risen Savior, and neither did the disciples. The disciples did not even show up at the tomb with the women. If they had they expected Jesus to rise from the dead, they would have come rejoicing with excitement that their Savior had risen from the grave. But they did not do that. The women came to finish the burial job, and when they did not find a body, they could not understand what had happened at first. They were clueless until the angels reminded them.
Disciples Do Not Believe Jesus Is Alive
Sometimes we need to be reminded ourselves, don’t we? The fact that we celebrate the Resurrection of Christ on this day is a good reminder of what Jesus did. Jesus is not dead. He is risen! He is risen indeed! We are told in verses 9 through 11 that the women,
. . . returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles. But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them. Luke 24:9-11 (NASB)
Think about what happened! The women returned and told the disciples that Jesus’ body was not there. They told the disciples that Jesus is risen from the dead, and the disciples responded, “Great! This is really wonderful!” No, they did not do that at all. The disciples said in effect, “You’re crazy.” The ancient Jews considered the testimony of women to be unreliable. So the women’s report was discounted. These disciples were not looking for the Messiah to rise from the grave. They thought He was dead and gone. They thought their dream were gone. This was another sad and dark day for them. They were not looking for a future; they thought everything was over. Consequently, when the women came and reported what they had experienced, the disciples rejected their report immediately, “This is nonsense!”
Jewish Literature About Christ
In sharp contrast, Matthew’s account tells us that the Jewish leaders believed the body was missing. The Roman soldiers came back and said, “The grave is empty. Nothing is there. The body is gone.” So these Jewish religious leaders, who were also politicians, concocted a story. Their story was that the disciples had stolen the body away. That can be read in Matthew 8:11-15.
But do you know what is interesting? Today you can read in Jewish literature the things they said about Jesus at that time. Jewish literature testifies to the fact that Jesus did miracles. In one particular passage, the writer states that Jewish priests were rebuked from doing miracles in Jesus’ name. Jewish priests had been trying to cast out demons using the power of Jesus’ name. The Jewish historical records tell us that their leaders rebuked the lower priests and told them to not do that. Now why would any priest try to heal the sick and cast out demons in Jesus’ name? The answer is that they knew Jesus healed, He cast out demons, and really did the miracles recorded in the Bible. Jewish literature admits that He did these things.
It is also interesting that the Jewish Talmud records that Jesus was killed by crucifixion. Jewish literature also admits that his grave was empty. But their public lie at that time was that the disciples stole the body. Isn’t it interesting that they admit that Jesus did miracles, Jesus died on a Friday and the grave was empty. They did not mind if Jesus did miracles. They just do not want Jesus to be alive—and neither does our world today. Non-Christians want to leave Him in the grave—in the cemetery. They just do not want Him to be … what? Alive!
If we read some of the Roman, Greek and Jewish writers of Jesus’ day, we discover that they all agree Jesus died. No one has any problem saying that He died. They just could not admit that He returned to life. So what do you believe? The Jews said the Resurrection was fictitious. Secular writers agreed there was a rumor of an empty grave. I will tell you how we can discover the truth. We can read some of the prophecies of the Old Testament.
Prophecies About Christ
Daniel 9:25 prophesied that Jesus would die in the week A.D. 33 and on the day of Nissan 14. It is even more interesting that early Jewish writers actually said that Daniel 9:25 prophesied the time of the Messiah’s death. Then two hundred years later they changed their position. They changed because it pointed to Jesus as being the Messiah.
Psalm 16:10 is another prophecy. Listen to this verse,
For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol;
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
Psalm 16:10 (NASB)
In Acts 2:22-24, the Apostle Peter explains Psalm 16:10.
Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know — this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. Acts 2:22-24 (NASB)
Peter said Jesus died and then returned to life. Then he explains that this is a fulfillment of prophecy.
For David says of Him,
I saw the Lord always in my presence;
For he is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exulted;
Moreover my flesh also will live in hope;
Because you will not abandon my soul to hades,
Nor allow your holy one to undergo decay.
You have made known to me the ways of life;
You will make me full of gladness with your presence.
Acts 2:25-28 (NASB)
Then Peter makes the point that when King David died, he was buried and is still in the tomb.
Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Acts 2:29 (NASB)
Did you know that when you die, you’re dead? As my mother and I were driving to church this morning, she reminded me of an interesting statement. She said it is one hundred percent guaranteed that one out of one persons dies! Everyone dies. Someday you will be dead. That is a guaranteed fact, unless you are a Christian and Jesus raptures us and takes us to Heaven before we die. Short of that, someday you are going to die. In Acts 2:29 Peter reminds us that David died and is still dead.
Now notice verses 30-32,
And so, because he was a prophet and knew that GOD HAD SWORN TO HIM WITH AN OATH TO SEAT one OF HIS DESCENDANTS ON HIS THRONE, he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED TO HADES, NOR DID His flesh SUFFER DECAY. This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. Acts 2:30-32 (NASB)
What a great prophecy! It was written about one thousand years before Christ returned to life. We have discovered that there is a prophecy about the week in which Jesus would die, and he did. There is a prophecy in Psalm 16:10 that says He would return to life, and He did! He did not suffer decay. “Suffer decay” means you start to rot. His body did not rot. Instead He rose on the third day.
The Disciples Believed
Some people say the disciples created this hoax, that it is just fiction. I would like to ask you an interesting question. We know that Peter, John, and James owned a fishing business. Scripture tells us they had both servants and their own boats. They were men who were probably middle to upper middle class. Matthew was a wealthy tax collector. He was rich! Doubting Thomas would be called a scientist today because of his inquisitive mind. He wanted to have the exact details. The disciples were intelligent men and some of them had wealth. Now why would these men be willing to live in poverty and eventually die a cruel, horrible death all in defense of a lie? Some of them had their heads cut off. One of them was killed with a spear. It is believed that Peter died upside down on a cross. These men suffered extremely terrible deaths. Why would they be willing to suffer such horrible deaths for a lie? I can understand the terrorists of the day doing it for a cause, but why do it for a lie? And why would all eleven of them remain quiet about a lie?
One of the men who was involved in the Watergate scandal with Richard Nixon has made the statement that he just could not believe how these eleven men, the disciples, could keep such a fabrication a secret for so many years, when the men who were around Nixon could not keep quiet about the scandal for six months. It just does not make any sense. No, Jesus was not dead; Jesus was alive! Jesus is risen from the grave! He is risen! He is risen indeed!
The Good News
Why did He rise from the dead? There are primarily two reasons for the resurrection. Romans 1:3-4 tells us that He was resurrected so that we might know that He is the Son of God, indeed that we might know that He is God!
The second reason is that He is the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (Romans 4:25). The Resurrection proved that He could take away your sin and my sin. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul the apostle summarizes Christ’s death and resurrection. We will begin with verse 1.
Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand . . . 1 Corinthians 15:1 (NASB)
Paul says, “I preached the gospel to you.” The gospel is Good News. You might ask, “Paul, what is the Good News?” It is coming in verse 2,
. . . by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:2 (NASB)
Now we are going to come back to this verse, but first we discover what the Gospel is. Verses 3-10 describe the gospel.
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. 1 Corinthians 15:3-10 (NASB)
The Good News or the Gospel is that Jesus died for our sins. He died so that He could forgive your sins and my sins. Forgiveness occurs when we believe in Jesus Christ. John 3:16 says,
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NASB)
If we believe in Him, trust Him and want Him to forgive us of our sins, He will forgive our sins. He is the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The Resurrection proves He is God and can forgive our sins (Romans 4:25).
Now back to verse 2. Notice what the verse says at the end,
. . . unless you believed in vain.
Conclusion
I would like to ask, “Have you ever believed in Jesus Christ?” Maybe your response is, “Yes, I believe He lived and died.” But do you believe that He came back alive? Do you believe that He is risen? Do you believe that He can forgive you of your sins? Did you know that God wants to forgive you of your sins and to empower you through the Holy Spirit to live a changed life? Maybe there are things in your life that aren’t the way they ought to be. Maybe there are issues in your life with which you struggle. Maybe there are relationships in which you struggle. Maybe you struggle in your relationship with God. Did you know Jesus came to die and rise again to provide forgiveness for your sins, to make you right with God, and to change your life? That’s why Jesus came to earth – to make that possible.
The end of verse 2 tells us that it is possible for someone to believe in vain. There are some people who believe in Jesus, but what they believe is not going to take them to Heaven. Their sins really are not forgiven. They have vain faith. It is possible to believe some facts about Jesus and not really believe. Now you might say, “John, how do I know if I have real faith?” Real faith starts by believing these things about Jesus are true. There will be a response on your part that includes sorrowful repentance for your sins and you will want God to forgive your sins. You will desire to obey God. That is the response of real faith. The proof of your salvation will be evident in your life, in how you live. I encourage you to make that decision by speaking to God in prayer.
If you are a Christian, there is great reason for us to rejoice today and everyday, because He is risen! He is risen indeed!
https://www.neverthirsty.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/women-at-the-tomb-icon.jpg400400Johnhttps://www.neverthirsty.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/neverthirstylogo.svgJohn2009-04-16 10:00:152024-02-01 16:46:54The Sonrise of Joy
A three year old girl was talking with her grandmother and after awhile she asked, “Grandma, do you know what you and God have in common?” Her grandmother was eager to hear her answer, and after a moment her granddaughter said, “You are both old.” That would only come from a little child. But God has been around a lot longer than her grandmother. When we think about God, what comes to our minds? Years ago, I was invited to a meeting between a Mormon elder and a Christian woman. She had asked me to come to her home and help her understand what Mormons really taught. During the meeting, the Mormon elder said that they believed Jesus Christ was God. After awhile I asked, “Don’t you believe that Jesus was a man who became a god? You believe that we can become gods too!” The Mormon elder paused for a moment and then said, “That is our deeper teaching.” The Mormon’s view is that there are many gods and the god of our world was once like us. He is having babies with his many wives. It is not surprising that different views of God exist. A few are childish, some are demonic, and one is correct. In this study, Jesus gives us several unusual glimpses of Himself!
Reminder that God Shines as Light
First Glimpse of God
We saw in our last study that the prophecies in this book were given to the apostle John through God the Father to Jesus Christ, and then to the angels. But John adds a personal greeting to the churches about whom his vision was given.
John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne; and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth . . . Revelation 1:4-5a (NASB)
John welcomes seven churches that once existed in Asia Minor, in what is now the country of Turkey. In our coming studies we will see that these seven churches are Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.
They are also welcomed by Him “who is, who was, and is to come.” The meaning of these Greek words is wonderful because each of these three verbs – “is, was, and is to come” – implies continuous action. The idea is that God always was in the past. He continuously existed in the past, and continues existing in the present and will continue to exist in the future. God is not old like grandmother because He always exists. He never grows old. His eye is not dimmed nor does He get tired. Yet, He is the Ancient of Days. He was not a man who was born and then became a god. The Apostle John does not agree with the Mormon view of our God. The Mormons serve a pagan god – a god of their own imagination.
These things you have done, and I kept silence; You thought that I was just like you . . . Psalm 50:21 (NASB)
This is our first glimpse of God. He exists, but not us! We are physically born and we physically die. We enter this world and we leave this world. We often live for this world and not the next. Why? We come and we go. God is not like us.
Second Glimpse of God
The Holy Spirit also greets the seven churches. Here He is called the seven Spirits. This is very unusual, but it is an Old Testament reference to the Holy Spirit (compare Zechariah 4:2-10 with Revelation 4:5 and Revelation 5:6). Then Jesus Christ greets the seven churches. So God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit greet the seven churches but not the angels. Here is our second view of God. God is a trinity. God is not like us.
Third Glimpse of God
The Apostle John then speaks a very personal note to the one he loves – Jesus Christ. No introduction to any other New Testament book starts like this. It is a memory of the writer’s Master, a memory of the time that he had with Jesus when He was on this earth.
. . To Him who loves us, and released us from our sins by His blood, and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father; to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen Revelation 1:5b-6 (NASB)
This opening statement drips with love like water. The fourth gospel tells us that John was the disciple “whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7, 20). John remembers the One he loves and the One who loved him.
Patmos and the Seven Churches
But he includes all of us when he says “To Him who loves us . . .” John wants us to know that his Friend loves all of us and has released all Christians from the debt of our sins! He has promised all Christians that they will live in His kingdom and will spend eternity with the One who “is, was, and is to come.”
BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. Even so. Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:7-8 (NASB)
The Apostle John
John now identifies himself to the seven churches. History tells us that John had ministered to at least some of them and maybe all of them. Since some of the churches are going to be rebuked for their lack of love, faithfulness, and willingness to suffer for Jesus, John reminds them that he was on the island of Patmos. He is an example of how a Christian should be willing to suffer for Jesus.
I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos, because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. Revelation 1:9 (NASB)
The Romans had turned the island of Patmos into a prison. John was imprisoned there during the reign of Caesar Domitian because he was a Christian. Patmos is a small island about 37 miles or 59.6 kilometers off the coast of the nation of Turkey in the Aegean Sea. The island is small and measured about 10 miles by 6 miles (16.1 Km by 9.7 Km). The Romans would banish prisoners there and then force them to work the mines on the island until they were dead. John was about 85-90 years old. This would have been difficult for him. Yet, his heart remembers Jesus with loving warmth. History tells us that he was released later when the Roman emperor Nerva came to power.
To suffer for Jesus means “I love you, Jesus.” It is the greatest sacrifice a person can make for our Lord, short of death. Yet, many do not want to suffer for Him. In fact, it is common for Christians to be afraid to witness for Jesus because they fear the words of rebuke. There is a statement that goes like this, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” I believe the statement is wrong. Words do hurt! They prevent us from telling others about Jesus. John did not fear the pain of working a mine. John was willing to suffer for his Friend. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said that those who suffer for Him will receive great reward.
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:10-12 (NASB)
Seven Churches
I wonder if Jesus gave John the vision that follows because he had suffered, because he had been faithful and was willing to suffer for Him. We are not told why Jesus visited him, but I wonder. Yet, it is only important that Jesus came. John received the vision on a Sunday. The Holy Spirit helped him to receive and understand the vision.
I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, saying, “Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.” Revelation 1:10-11 (NASB)
As the vision started, John must have been surprised to find that someone was speaking to him from behind. I am sure that he did not know who was talking. He simply heard the voice tell him to write a book and send it to seven of the churches, that were near his prison. Two of them were great churches but five of them were not.
Glimpse of Jesus
So John did what most of us would have done. He turned around to see who was speaking and saw seven golden lampstands and someone standing in the middle.
And I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; and in the middle of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His breast with a golden girdle. Revelation 1:12-13 (NASB)
“One like the son of man . . .” is Jesus Christ. He is clothed in a robe of royalty, and it speaks of His divine dignity and grace. The golden girdle, or better “the gold sash” is a picture of Jesus’ holiness (Ephesians 6:14), a holiness that we do not understand, a holiness that we can only receive when Jesus releases us from or removes our sinful deeds from the record of our lives.
And His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire and His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been caused to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. Revelation 1:14-15 (NASB)
Jesus’ white hair reminds us of His wisdom (Proverbs 16:31; 20:29). For it is from Him and in His Word that we find wisdom.
Wisdom is with aged men, With long life is understanding. Job 12:12 (NASB)
His eyes of fire remind us that He sees and knows all that we do (Job 34:21). There is no escape. The divine “camera” is on and a record of your deeds is being made, and His feet of burnished bronze means that He will some day be our just and holy Judge (Revelation 2:18-29). His voice is one of authority, for He spoke the world into existence and His Words are truth.
And in His right hand He held seven stars; and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength. Revelation 1:16 (NASB)
Just two verses ahead we are told that these stars are the seven angels or pastors of the seven churches.
As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. Revelation 1:20 (NASB)
These men are under Jesus’ control. He will judge them or bless them. It depends on them.
Jesus Is Light
And “His face was like the sun shining in its strength. . . .” Rarely do we think of God as shining as light. Isaiah the prophet describes our God as light when he talks about heaven.
No longer will you have the sun for light by day, nor for brightness will the moon give you light; but you will have the LORD for an everlasting light, and your God for your glory. Your sun will set no more, neither will your moon wane; for you will have the LORD for an everlasting light, and the days of your mourning will be finished. Isaiah 60:19 (NASB)
Revelation 21:22-23 says the same thing. God will light up heaven. There will be no need for stars or the sun. And when Jesus was here on the earth He appeared as light for a brief time.
And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. Matthew 17:2 (NASB)
I wonder if that is why He made the stars? Scripture says the heavens speak of the glory of God. God must be beautiful. He shines as light. And Revelation 1:16 says that Jesus’ “face was like the sun.”
John’s Reaction
John was afraid when he saw God.
“And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as a dead man. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.” Revelation 1:17-18 (NASB)
John’s friend did not look like the One he knew on earth. This meeting was different. It was not the meeting of two humans, but of a man and his glorified Friend – his God.
Conclusion
A kindergarten teacher told her students to draw a picture of something that was important to them. In the back of the room was Johnny. He was working hard even though everyone else had finished. So the teacher walked back to see what he was drawing. “What are you drawing?” asked the teacher. “God!” Johnny said. The teacher responded, “But no one knows what God looks like.” “Johnny answered, “They will when I am done!”
That is what the Apostle John did for us. He drew us word pictures of our God. God is holy, just, all powerful, and glorious! In His glory He shines as light!
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The voice of Jesus Christ is heard in the pages of this unique book called Revelation. It is the only book in the Bible with the promise of a blessing to those who read, hear, and pay attention to it. It is a direct revelation from Jesus to us. In it we see glimpses of Jesus that cannot be found in any other place. The gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John look back in time and reveal Jesus living on this earth as a man, but the book of Revelation reveals Jesus as God who lives in heaven. Jesus came as the Son of Man who would die and the Son of God who was sinless, but in Revelation we see Jesus as Conqueror, Judge, King of kings, Lord of lords, and our eternal God. In this study we will see Him in His majesty and when He comes again. Revelation is about Jesus Christ – the Alpha and Omega.
Unique Book
This book is unique. It is the only book in the New Testament in which we find seven lampstands, seven spirits, seven seals, seven eyes, seven horns, seven angels, seven trumpets, seven thunders, seven lamps, seven mountains, seven heads, seven kings, seven bowls, twelve stars, four horns, four angels, 666, 100 pounds of hail, four winds, and 144,000 witnesses. There is also evil: two beasts, a dragon, locusts coming out of smoke, scorpions with power, an angel of the abyss, the Serpent of Old, the Devil, Satan, unclean spirits, and a false prophet. But best of all there is the holy: new heaven and new earth, holy angels, the Root of David, the Lamb, God, the Son of God, and the Alpha and Omega. There is no other book like it in the Bible.
Who Wrote It?
So who wrote this unusual book? The first verse of Revelation tells us that it was written by invisible and visible authors. The prophecy in this book was given by God the Father to Jesus Christ. Then it was Jesus’ decision to give it to us through His angel who gave it to the Apostle John, who wrote the words we will be reading.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must shortly take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Revelation 1:1-2 (NASB)
In the coming weeks we will hear angels talking with John and telling him about the things to come. Angels have spoken in the pages of scripture before. This happened in Daniel 10-12 when God sent an angel to give Daniel a prophecy about the future. It was an answer to Daniel’s prayer. In Acts 7:53 and Galatians 3:19, we are told that angels helped to give Moses the Law, but we do not know how. They are going to do it again in this book. This is no ordinary book, because it was written for a special purpose and a divine reason. The authors are divine, holy, and one is an apostle. Why? Because it was written for you!
When Written
This revelation was given to the Apostle John about A.D. 95-96. The apostle wrote this book near the end of his life. The early church fathers say that he wrote it while he was exiled on the Isle of Patmos (Revelation 1:9) near the end of the reign of Domitian. Domitian was a Roman Caesar who ruled during the time of A.D. 81-96.
Major Views of Revelation
VIEW
APPROACH
DESCRIPTION
Preterists
Allegorical
This view understands Revelation allegorically and symbolically. It states that Revelation is not prophetic, it is a history book. Therefore, it is claimed that Revelation records the events between Christ's death and A.D. 70. Then the second coming of Christ occurred in A.D. 70. The view cites Flavius Josephus in support. In addition, it is said that Babylon the Great is Jerusalem, but this is difficult because Babylon is described as having worldwide control. That has never been true of Jerusalem. This view has much in common with postmillennialism.
Historicist
Allegorical
This view was popular during the Reformation. It claims that Revelation is a history book of the church age. It focuses on Western history with an overemphasis on the seven early churches in Revelation 2-3. It appears to seek application rather than communicating God the Father's plan for the future. Its symbolic approach denies a millennial kingdom and the literal future events that occur afterward. It teaches that the Vatican was Babylon the Great, but the Vatican never had worldwide control.
Idealists
Symbolic
This views teaches that Revelation describes the ongoing battle between good and evil. It holds that Revelation does not describe specific future events. It holds that the book is symbolic in nature.
Futurists
Literal
This view holds that Revelation 2-3 its historical, and prophetic in Revelation 4-22. This was the view of earliest church fathers: Justin Martyr (A.D. 100-165), Ireneaus (A.D. 130-200), Tertullian (A.D. 160-225), and Hippolytus (A.D. 170-236). They clearly taught a futurists view of Revelation including, a tribulation (Daniel's 70th week), the second coming of Christ, the millennial kingdom, the great white throne judgment, and then the eternal state (Revelation 21-22). This view was revived in the later sixteenth century.
How Do We Understand It?
Before we start our study, it is important to know how we should understand the book. There are four major view points of the book.
There are some who call themselves Preterists. They say that Revelation needs to be understood symbolically. It is all symbols. They say that Revelation is about the conflicts which occurred during early church history, and then add that Revelation 20 is the church’s victory over the world.
Others believe that Revelation represents all of church history. Some say it is symbolic of good and evil and add that it was written to encourage the early Christians during their struggles with suffering and death.
But these views are hard to accept. Why? How about a very practical question, “If we say that Revelation is completely symbolic, then how do we decide what the symbols mean?” and “Who decides the meaning of the symbols?” The answer is rather easy. The meaning of the symbols is left to the creative mind of the one explaining the passage. If we cannot understand the symbols literally, then the meaning of the symbols is subjective. Our amillennial friends take this approach when they say the church is the nation of Israel when they come to future things, which includes the book of Revelation. This is dangerous, because you can make symbols mean anything! It is left to the imagination of the teacher.
Yes, Revelation has symbols, but they must be understood as literally as possible; otherwise the meaning is left completely to our imagination. It is also an error to understand the symbols literally. Some men and women have tried that too! We will find that our study in Daniel will be helpful in understanding this book. While the book of Daniel was symbolic, it was also easily understood, because the symbols were explained. We will find that scripture will help us understand the symbols in Revelation too!
Revelation
The Greek word for Revelation is apokalupis. It means to “take the cover off.”
The Revelation of Jesus Christ . . . Revelation 1:1 (NASB)
That is what Jesus did.He received the divine treasure chest of prophecy from God the Father so that He could share it with His angels, who gave it to His apostle and then to us. Do you think the Apostle John was eager to know about the future? Do you remember how eager Daniel was about our future? All of them were eager to know about our future, and God knows that we are too. But did you know that we have some invisible friends who might be eager to know about the future, too, just as they wanted to know about Jesus!
It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven – things into which angels long to look. 1 Peter 1:12 (NASB)
We call them holy angels. Can you imagine how the angels felt when they gave the Apostle John the prophecies that we are going to study? I believe this is an expression of Jesus’ love for His angels too!
Promises of Blessings in Revelation
REVELATION
PROMISE OF BLESSING
1:3
Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it.
14:13
Blessed are the dead who bdie in the Lord from now on!
16:15
Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.
19:9
Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.
20:6
Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.
22:7
Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book.
22:14
Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may center by the gates into the city.
Conclusion
The book of Revelation is the only book in the New Testament with the promise of a blessing to the one who reads, hears, and “heeds” it.
Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near. Revelation 1:3 (NASB)
The Greek word for “heed” has the idea of “watch over” or “to keep in view.” This means that those who read, hear, and keep this book in view will receive a blessing. Why? Because the time is near! Because He is near. He is coming!
There are six other promises of blessing like this one in Revelation. All of them are promises about escaping from this life and living with God forever. Why? Well, we know the answer. We know that this life is not fun at times. We know that life has sickness, sadness and sorrow at times, and we know that the final days of this planet will be painful when God makes things worse. But the hope, comfort, and blessing for every Christian is that some day we will be able to escape. Some day we will always be happy. Some day we will no longer struggle with sin. Some day we will no longer wonder what He looks like for we will see His face. Some day we will no longer need to read His Word to know Him for we will see His glorious face. Some day we will no longer wonder what His voice sounds like for we will hear Him say, “I love you.” Some day our hearts will no longer long for Jesus for we will be with Him. Glory to God!
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” . . . He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Revelation 22:12, 20 (NASB)
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In our last study, we relived the events that surrounded the days before and after Jesus’ birth. We relived the struggle of the poor family—that is, Joseph and Mary—as they took Jesus up from Nazareth to Jerusalem. We relived the joy of the shepherds when an angel announced to them that Jesus was born, He was their Savior and Christ the Lord. We relived all of the events that surrounded what we refer to as Christmas Day.
Only Shepherds Visited Jesus On Christmas
I was impressed with this passage as I thought about the fact that the shepherds had visited Jesus while He was still in the manger. I was impressed by the fact that no one else apparently visited Jesus—at least it is not recorded. I can imagine there were people from nearby homes who did not visit Him. Remember that the shepherds went from place to place in search of Jesus. Surely there had to be some people who were interested in finding where He was and who He really was. Yet Scripture does not tell us. Scripture only tells us that some shepherds had visited Jesus and then told everybody as they left.
Prophet and Prophetess See Jesus
The next thing we discover in the gospel of Luke is that eight days later Jesus was taken up to Jerusalem to be dedicated. At the same time, He was also circumcised. We are told in Luke 2:25-38 that Simeon and Anna blessed Jesus. Simeon was a righteous and just man, and Anna was a prophetess. They had some wonderful things to say about Jesus.
Then Joseph, Mary, and Jesus returned to Bethlehem. But they did not go back to the inn, they moved into a house. Matthew 2 is the continuation of the biography of Jesus. It is obviously not an autobiography, because someone else is writing it. It is the “headline news,” if you please. I was thinking about our television programs and how some are simply headline news. That is what the Gospels are. The Gospels are headline news. They do not try to tell us everything and all the details. They only catch the headline news about Jesus, about what He did during His ministry.
Magi Arrive From the East
When we come to Matthew 2, we are given a summary of Luke’s account initially. Here is verse 1,
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the East arrived in Jerusalem, saying . . . Matthew 2:1 (NASB)
Now if you look at verse 1, you will find seven little, but important words. They are “Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea.” That is a summary of what Luke described in Luke 2. The gospel of Luke took about seven verses to describe the birth of Jesus Christ, or twenty verses, if we include the shepherds. Matthew summarizes Luke 2:1-20 in seven simple words: “Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea.” It is very interesting how much attention Matthew gives to the events of Christmas. Matthew 2:1 skips two years right in the middle of verse one. Scripture does that. Scripture will all of a sudden skip a large period of time between verses, and even within verses. This is a great example. We are told,
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea …
Now here we go. Two years later . . .
… in the days of Herod the king, magi from the East arrived in Jerusalem.
A two-year jump has just occurred. Now you might say, “How do you know that it is two years later?” The answer is given in verse 7. It says …
Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. Matthew 2:7 (NASB)
We are told that Herod called the magi and asked, “Hey magi, when did the star appear?” Notice that we are told Herod had . . .
… determined from them the exact time the star appeared.
This means the star had appeared for at least two years. The magi had been following the star for two years. It is safe to assume the star had appeared at Jesus’ birth. The time of two years is repeated in 16, which says,
Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under . . . Matthew 2:16 (NASB)
So verse 1 gives us a summary of Jesus’ birth. Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, and then two years pass. The magi arrive in Jerusalem from the East.
Who Were The Magi?
But “Who were the magi?” Our passage gives us a clue. It says they were “from the East.” Since we know where Bethlehem is located, the magi came from ancient Persia. Persia would include countries that we commonly refer to as Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan.
The magi first appeared about 7th century B.C.[1] They occupied an area known as the Babylonian Empire, which later became the Medo-Persian Empire, which later became the Grecian Empire. Jeremiah 39:3-13 refers to a man by the name of Nergalsarezer. He was the chief of the magi. He had the rights to become a priest by birth. Their Zoroastrian religion was centered primarily on astronomy and astrology. Originally, they believed in one God. They were heavily into the occult. These guys were the wise men.[2]
In the book of Daniel we discover that Daniel was put in charge of the magi (Daniel 2:46-49) but he did not adopt their religion. Daniel held to the true God of Israel. Consequently, Daniel had great influence over them. Later the Babylonian Empire was defeated by the Medo-Persian Empire. The Medo-Persian Empire was defeated by Greece, and eventually Greece was defeated by Rome.
History tells us that as the Romans tried to expand their empire East into the Parthian Empire, they were repulsed in 63 B.C., 55 B.C., and again in 37 B.C.[3] Consequently, there were tensions all along the border. The border between the Roman Empire and the Parthian Empire was the River Euphrates. When we were told that these magi came from the East, it was not Rome that they were coming from. They were coming from the Parthian Empire. They were coming from the old area that we call Persia.
I believe that these magi believed what Daniel believed. I believe that they read his writings, the book of Daniel. They had the Old Testament, because Daniel had the Old Testament with him. According to Daniel 9:2 he was reading the book of Jeremiah. He had questions about the deportation to Babylon and the return of the Jews to Jerusalem. I have a hard time believing that the magi were not believers, as you are going to soon see.
Saw His Star in the East
So in verse 1 we are told the magi had come from the East. Then in verse 2, we are told they arrive and ask this question,
Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him. Matthew 2:2 (NASB)
Now I find this very interesting. The magi have come searching for . . . Notice what they say. They have come searching for the person who is “born king of the Jews.” They knew who they were looking for, and they said, “We have seen His star in the East.” They did not call it an Eastern star. There is a group known as the Daughters of the Eastern Star. We must be careful to notice the magi did not say the star was the Eastern Star. In order for these men to see the star in the East and travel East, the star had to be in the West. They said, “We saw His star in the East and we have come to worship Him.”
They came to worship Him. These men had some knowledge about this baby. They understood He was to be the king of the Jews. They had associated the star with the king of the Jews. Now I asked myself these questions, “Why did these men associate the star with the king of the Jews? Why did these men believe that the star symbolized or represented this child? How did they make that connection? Who told them that? How did they figure that out?” So you have some very interesting questions.
Here is a very interesting thought. These magi had to be very serious to make this trip from the East. You may ask, “Why do they have to be very serious?” Stop to think for a second: there had been a regional conflict between the Roman Empire and the Parthian Empire. There had been border skirmishes. Therefore, these men were traveling though dangerous territory to in order to arrive in Jerusalem. That must have been a serious decision. Also, they would have traveled about 1,100 miles. The trip would have taken about two months. They did not have modern day transportation. The trip would have cost money and time. Their trip was not a simple little journey—get in your car and arrive in one or two days.
Two months at a minimum. Most likely, they did not travel by themselves. People often say there were only three magi. They think that because three gifts were brought to Jesus, there were three magi. In reality, there was probably a group of magi, who came with soldiers as protection because there had been skirmishes along the border. They probably had their wives and some children with them. They probably had attendants to prepare food and care for them. This was a big journey. Their trip was not a little fun trip. These men were serious. These men came because they believed they were coming to find the king of the Jews. They were coming to worship Jesus. They were following what they believed was His star. For astrologers and astronomers, to follow a star, that is very significant. These magi were following something they believed would lead them to Jesus.
Correct Time for the Birth of the King
Now why did these men even think that this was the right time to make the trip? Daniel 9:25 gives us some time markers. It prophesies about the time when the Messiah would die or be cut off. Daniel 9:25 states there would be sixty-nine weeks from the decree to build and restore Jerusalem (444 B.C.) to the death of Jesus, the Messiah. Since the seventy weeks is actually seventy times seven biblical years which must be converted into our Gregorian calendar, the date of the Messiah’s death is 33 A.D. Since these men were astronomers, if you please, they are scientists; mathematics was not a mystery to them. They would have known mathematics very well. Having determined the date of the Messiah’s death, they could then determine when he probably would be born. Before a person dies, the person must be born. So it would not be difficult for them to estimate when the king of the Jews would probably be born. So when they saw the star, they connected its appearance with the king of the Jews.
But what is more interesting is the fact that God gave them a guidance system that would have fascinated them and they would have understood. God did not have to give these magi a star. Yet, God gave them a star. These men knew the stars. To find a very unusual star that they would have associated with the Messiah is extremely significant. If they had been studying the book of Daniel, they would have associated the star with the coming of the Messiah, because it was time for the birth of the Messiah to occur.
Numbers 24:17 prophesies of the Messiah using the symbols of a star and a scepter. It is a prophecy of Jesus Christ. Watch this: these men were serious. They believed that star represented the king of the Jews. They believed the king of the Jews was going to be born. They came to worship Him. They planned, prepared, traveled, and spent probably close to over a year planning. The star had appeared for two years and then they prepared for the trip and traveled. These men were very, very serious.
All Jerusalem Was Troubled
Verse 3 then tells that Herod and all of Jerusalem was worried.
When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Matthew 2:3 (NASB)
Why were they troubled? First, most likely Herod had a pride problem. He did not want any competition. The fact that they would announce that the king of the Jews was born, and that there was a star associated with this king, would have troubled Herod. Second, these men came with an entourage, that most likely included soldiers.
Birth Place of the King of the Jews
Next Herod calls the chief priests and scribes in order to answer the question of the magi. But we can be confident that he also wanted to know.
Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. Matthew 2:4 (NASB)
Once they arrived he asked where the Messiah would be born. Now notice what Herod did. Herod immediately understood the king of the Jews was the promised Messiah. He understood that, and more than likely the magi did too, because of Daniel 9:25-26. Herod asked the right question, “Where will the Messiah be born?” The scribes and the chief priests responded by quoting Micah 5:2.
Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:
‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH,
ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH;
FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER
WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’” Matthew 2:4-6 (NASB)
Here is Micah 5:2.
But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.
Micah 5:2 (NASB)
If you have ever wondered if Micah 5:2 was a prophecy about the birth place of Jesus, notice this very important fact: the chief priests and the scribes understood that the prophecy of Micah 5:2 is about the place of the Messiah.
Herod Questions The Magi
Next, verse 7 tells us that Herod wanted to know when the star had first appeared.
Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. Matthew 2:7 (NASB)
Herod was curious about the time of the star’s appearance. I think Herod was already planning to murder the child. He just wanted the magi to locate the baby. Then he would kill him.
Verse 8 tells us that Herod claimed he wanted to worship the baby too! It is difficult to believe that such a ruthless king would worship a baby, and as we discover later he wanted to kill the baby.
And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” Matthew 2:8 (NASB)
I have written in my notes, “Liar, liar!” He did not want to worship this baby. He would not bend his knee.
Magi Travel to Bethlehem
Verse 9 says that the magi finally left to locate the Messiah.
After hearing the king, they went their way . . . Matthew 2:9 (NASB)
Did you notice that no one else went with the magi? Herod did not go. Why? He was not interested in going. He only wanted to know where the child was located. All Herod wanted to do was to murder the child.
Did you notice who else did not travel to Bethlehem? The religious leaders did not go. If anyone else should have been extremely interested, you would have thought the religious leaders of Jerusalem—the Sadducees and the Pharisees, the chief priests and the scribes—would have wanted to go and see the king of the Jews, their Messiah. But they were not interested either! No! They did not want to go. I thought this was really incredible.
But the magi spent time, money, and effort to find the king of the Jews. They followed the star. They came searching. They wanted to worship. They brought gifts. Finally, they arrived in Jerusalem. The Sadducees and the Pharisees tell them where to find Him, but they are motivated enough to take the short trip of six miles from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. They are not even interested! I could not help but think, surely they must have heard about Jesus. After the shepherds were excited about Jesus, the Sadducees and the Pharisees probably heard maybe some rumors because Bethlehem was near. We know that the Jews were expecting their Messiah. It was rumored in the Roman Empire that the day of the Golden Age was to come. Many believed that someone from Israel would rule the world.
Why did the religious leaders not come? The answer is probably the same reason that some Christians would give today. They were just not very interested in Jesus. Some so-called Christians are too intellectual. The truth is they are not Christians. They are good religious people who are going to hell (Matthew 7:21-23).
There is a very interesting story that is told of an old aunt who made this following statement. She said,
I want deliberately to encourage this longing after God. The lack of it has brought us to our present low estate, the stiff and wooden quality about our religious lives is a result of our lack of holy wanting. Complacency is a deadly foe of all spiritual growth. Acute desire must be present, or there will be no manifestation of Christ to this people. He waits to be wanted. Too bad that with many of us He waits so long, so very long, in vain.
I think she is right. There are so-called Christians who are not hot or cold—they are just kind of lukewarm. They are content. They go to church. They are comfortable doing as they please. “Do not bother me. I do not want to have to do anything extra. I do not want to have to serve the Lord. Let me go to church and then I will go home. That is all.” Is this what the religious leaders in Israel thought?
Did you know I can be preoccupied with serving my service? I can just love serving my service, and miss loving God. It is very easy. I wonder if these religious leaders had that problem? They were buried in serving service and missed loving God? But the magi wanted to worship Jesus! We can understand Herod, but the religious leaders?
So the magi travel alone. Next, Matthew 2:9-10 says the star reappeared to the magi.
After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the East, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. Matthew 2:9-10 (NASB)
The Greek tells us that the magi rejoiced with very great joy when they saw the star! Some people have weird ideas about this star. Some people have said that it was a comet. In fact, some people have proposed that it was Haley’s Comet. The only problem with Haley’s Comet is that it had already arrived about 14-13 B.C. and it returns only every seventy-five years.[4] That is a problem since the magi made their trip about 2 to 1 B.C. Some people have said the star was a supernova. There is a problem with that too, as I will explain in just a minute. Some people say it was a planetary conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn with the constellation Pisces. This tremendous conjunction caused these magi to find Jesus. The problem with both of these theories is that this star moved. Notice that we are told the stat moved. “And the star which they had seen in the East went on before them” and later it stood still.
Now everyone knows that when we go outside at night and look up at the stars, the stars do not appear to move. The stars appear to be in the same place. But we know in reality they are moving and we are moving, but they are so far away that the stars appear to be stationary. Now I have to ask a good question. “How is it then that the star led them from one place to another place and then stopped where the Child was?” If the star was truly stationary, then the star had to be moving at the same rotation of the earth. But if that is true, then how did the star move before it stopped? Those who try to explain the star as a super nova or an alignment of planets or stars had ignored the obvious. God performed a miracle. The star was not a comet, Haley’s Comet, a supernova, nor a conjunction of planets. Those are all man’s explanations which try to explain away God’s miracle. God created a special “star” to lead the magi, which led them to Jesus. Remember that verse 10 said,
When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. Matthew 2:10 (NASB)
Magi Worship Jesus in a House
Verse 11 is the highlight of the study.
After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2:11 (NASB)
I love this verse because it tells me two very important facts about these magi. First, the magi came prepared for this visit. They brought gifts. They planned the journey, spent time, spent money, came to worship, and brought gifts in preparation for their worship. They came prepared. These men were—watch this—they were serious. They were serious about God. They were serious about this Child. They were serious about the king of the Jews. They were serious about the Messiah.
The second fact is that “They fell down and they worshiped.” The actual Greek says they fell to their knees! Herod would not do it. The religious leaders of Jerusalem did not want to do that. So, they did not come because they were not interested. But these magi, these Gentiles, came and the bowed the knee in worship. They worshiped Jesus. Notice the verse says, “child and Mary.” It does not mention Joseph. We do not know where Joseph was at this point, but it is the child and Mary. Also notice who they worshiped. They do not worship Mary, they worship Jesus. They worship Jesus. They did not worship Mary at all. This is not Mary worship. They worshiped Jesus.
The Magi Were Seeking Christ
Verse 12 tells us that God protected Jesus and his parents.
And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way. Matthew 2:12 (NASB)
Why did God visit these magi in a dream? When they were lost and could not find the star, God did not visit them in a dream and tell them where to go. So, why did God let them to go to Jerusalem on their own and make them ask about the birthplace of the Messiah? Why did God not help them earlier? I think there are two reasons. First, 2 Chronicles 32:31 tells us that God tests us. God tests our hearts. He tested King Herod and the religious leaders and they failed the test. How about you? Has God been testing your heart? God tests all our hearts. God tests us so that we can know if we are faithful. The most important treasure that you are going to find is Jesus. These magi found Jesus—that was the treasure.
Conclusion
Jeremiah 29:13-14 says,
You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you . . . Jeremiah 29:13-14 (NASB)
God wants us to be searching and longing for Him. These magi were wanting to find Jesus. They spent two years wanting to find Him. God wants our searching and God rewarded them—they found Him. I believe that they were believers. I believe that if they were not believers before they started the trip, I believe that they were believers when they ended the trip.
I trust that God has spoken to you. God wants more out of us than intellectualism. God wants more out of us than indifference. God wants more out of us than serving service. God wants us to be longing for Him. Do you long to know and love God? Are you searching for Jesus, as the magi were? What is important to you reveals who your heart loves.
References:
1. D. W. Jayne. “Magi.” The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible. Zondervan Publishing. 1977. vol. 4, p. 31.
2. Ibid. pp. 31-35.
3. Ibid. p. 34.
4. Elizabeth Howell. “Halley’s Comet: Facts About the Most Famous Comet.” Space.com. September 20, 2017.
https://www.neverthirsty.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/magi-were-seeking-christ-icon.jpg347347Johnhttps://www.neverthirsty.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/neverthirstylogo.svgJohn2008-12-28 15:26:222024-02-01 16:35:53The Magi of Christmas
