The Amazing, Sharp, and Informative Letters to the Seven Churches

The Amazing, Sharp, and Informative Letters to the Seven Churches

Part 2

The leader of the church in Smyrna (Rev. 2:8-11) was blameless, as were also those who followed him! He was poor in spirit, yet rich in God. He endured great tribulations and blasphemy from those who said they were genuine brothers but were not, and yet he remained in that sincere and tender warmth of his first love.

For him, to overcome meant exclusively that he remained faithful until death in all the good things.

What a glorious church—pure and good and blameless! Rich in God—in truth!

The leader of the church in Pergamos (Rev. 2:12-17) was also very praiseworthy. Satan had his throne—he was very active—in this church’s locale. A faithful servant of the Lord had even been killed there. Yet in spite of this, the leader of the church in Pergamos had not denied his faith or Jesus’ name.

He was not blamed for anything in his personal life, but when it concerned his ministry, he was weak. He permitted several in the church to hold the doctrine of Balaam, while others held the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which the Lord Himself hated.

Permitting things that Jesus hates is not a small matter! Therefore it was said to him, “Repent!”1 He was not told to convert the others, but that he should turn away from his pitiful weakness.

To overcome meant for him to be strong in the Lord his God so he could put an end to these unsound deceptions in the church. Either these deceptions had to get out of the people concerned, or these souls had to get out of the church.

What a glorious victory and what a blessing it would have been for the entire church!

The common misconception of God’s love is very widespread and fairly ingrained. The fact that Jesus hates sin in all shapes and guises is completely foreign to this misunderstanding.

We can learn to know God’s love as it is from these seven letters from heaven. For example, it reads thus: “I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.” V. 16.

The leader of the church in Thyatira received a singularly good testimony for his personal life, but he was far too weak in his ministry, as so many other good brothers have been. This is an exceptionally noteworthy point!!! May each individual take this to heart!

It is extremely desirable that everyone receive the same commendation for his life as the leader in Thyatira did: “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience, and as for your works, the last are more than the first.”

Love and its resulting works had grown! It was on the increase! Yet in spite of this he was so miserably weak that he let the woman Jezebel rule2 even though he knew how unsound her work was! Almost incomprehensible!

To overcome meant for this leader to put Jezebel in her place, to put a stop to her unsound, harmful work. After all, it is contrary to God’s Word to let a woman rule in the church. We also see this deplorable mistake in these days. However, there were also some in this church who kept themselves pure from and uninfluenced by Jezebel. They were fully approved by Him who has eyes like a flame of fire. How comforting this is!!! Keeping His works until the end means (among other things) to be strong and unafraid.

If he could now be strong and courageous and put Jezebel in her place, he would afterwards rule over the nations with a rod of iron!

Think about this last point, because it is outside the usual way of thinking.

It is written, “He who has an ear . . . .” Who is there who has an ear to hear something like this???