The History of Decay in Revelation 2 and 3
The author of this article is Hugo Bouter. It ties in with the previous blog “The Collapse of Christianity”
Despite all the conflicts that have resulted from the failure of the Church in its responsibility, the Lord leads His faithful warriors to victory. Thus they go from strength to strength and find grace to obtain help at the right time.
When we think of such dangers as abandoning the first love (Ephesus), persecution and slander (Smyrna), unholy mixing with the world (Pergamus), false prophecy (Tyatira), formalism (Sardis), Judaism (Philadelphia), and spiritual lukewarmness and indifference (Laodicea), we can only stand in the strength of the Lord Himself, the great Conqueror over the power of the enemy.
He does not lead us to victory by human means, but by His Word and Spirit. That is why we read again and again in Revelation 2 and 3 the refrain: 'He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches'. The Spirit speaks through the Word. The main criticism of the church at Ephesus is that it has forsaken the first love (Rev. 2:4). That is the starting point of the departure from the Lord and from His Word: the real devotion, the true enthusiasm for Him and His Word has been let go.
Thus begins the downward line in the history of the responsible church, ending with the lukewarmness of Laodicea and the Lord's rejection. He will spew them out of His mouth (Rev. 3:16). But even then there is the call to repentance and return to Him, a last appeal, for He stands at the door and He knocks. He wants to dine with us and let us enjoy all that He has to offer His own (Rev. 3:20).
But fortunately there were also points of approval with regard to the congregation at Ephesus. They could not bear evil men and deceivers, and they had exposed false apostles as liars. They had therefore rejected the claims of false apostles, and that is actually very topical. Paul was also involved (2 Cor. 11:1-15; Rev. 2:2-3).
Furthermore, they had rejected and even hated the works of the Nicolaitans, just as the Lord Himself rejected those works and hated them (Rev. 2:6). Here it is about the presumption of clericalism, which created a class of clergy that rose above the ordinary believers. That happened very quickly in the history of the church in the first centuries of our era. Indeed, the works of the Nicolaitans developed into a recognized teaching in Pergamos (Rev. 2:15), and this eventually led to the domination, false prophecy and deception of the woman Jezebel in the congregation of Thyatira. Then we have arrived in the dark ages (Rev. 2:20-23). This episode is very similar to the apostasy and idolatry of King Ahab in the time of Elijah (1 Kings 16:29-34).
In the church of Smyrna people had to deal with oppression, poverty and slander. There was spiritual and physical opposition and severe persecution. We therefore hear no criticism of the exalted Christ, only the call to endure and be faithful until death (Rev. 2:10). The overcomers had the crown of life and they would not suffer any harm from the second death, which is the lake of fire (Rev. 2:11; 20:14). The spiritual opposition came from Judaizers, professed names who had hardened themselves and brought reproach upon the name of Jesus. We find them again later in the congregation of Philadelphia. There they pay tribute to the faithful believers and recognize that the Lord has loved them (Rev. 3:9).
In Pergamos there is also persecution, but we mainly see that the church mixes with the world. The church has found a permanent residence where the throne of Satan is (Rev. 2:13). The error of Balaam (Jude.:11), has become a recognized teaching through which idolatry and fornication have become commonplace (Rev. 2:14). This corresponds to what happened at the end of Israel's wilderness journey, when Balaam was forced to bless God's people in the fields of Moab on the Jordan near Jericho, but at the same time advised Balak to invite them to the sacrificial meals in honor of Baal-peor (Num. 22-25; 31:16). As mentioned, the mingling with an idolatrous world reaches a low point in the congregation of Thyatira, who did not want to repent at all from her fornication and idolatry (Rev. 2:20-22).
Then the dawn of the Reformation dawns, which, however, is soon followed by formal training and a confession without life. The Lord's diagnosis of Sardis is serious and confrontational: "You have a name to live, but you are dead" (Rev. 3:1). He will unexpectedly come with His judgment, just as the world will unexpectedly have to deal with His judgments (2 Pet. 3:10; Rev. 3:3). Fortunately there are some faithful who have not defiled themselves with the general worldly thinking, and therefore receive His special approval. Glorious rewards are set before the overcomers, who will walk with Him in white robes, because they are worthy (Rev. 3:4-5).
Philadelphia receives no reproach from the Lord, nor does the persecuted church at Smyrna. He does find that there is only a small strength left, although they had happily clung to His Word and had not denied His Name (Rev. 3:8). There are special promises of blessing for the present and for the future, associating the overcomers with the glory of the Lord, which is soon to come, and the glory of the New Jerusalem, which will come down from heaven after the years of the Great Tribulation. descend and illumine the earth with divine brightness (Rev. 3:10-12).
We have already said a few things about the church in the end times – Laodicea (see above). Mental poverty here goes together with human pretensions and the denial of the reality that one is in fact miserable, pitiful, blind and naked. That poverty is contrasted here with the spiritual riches the Lord still offers to all who love Him and sincerely want to serve Him (Rev. 3:17-19). Repentance leads to rich fellowship with Him now and participation in His reign in the Kingdom of Peace at the Second Coming (Rev. 3:20-21).
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