Revelation: Church at Ephesus

To the Church at Ephesus  2:1-7
V1     Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith He that holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
V2     I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil:  and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:  
V3     And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast labored, and hast not fainted.  
V4     Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.  
V5     Remember therefore from whence thou are fallen, and repent, and do the first works, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.  
V6     But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.  
V7     He that hath and ear, let him hear what the Spirit hath unto the churches; To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Attribute:  “He that holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

 V1    The seven stars and the seven golden candlesticks represent Light.  

The seven stars is the pastor of this church; the seven golden candlesticks is the church of Ephesus and also Christians today spreading his Light into the dark places.  

The number seven represents perfection-Jesus is perfect, He is Light and His Light is perfect and pure.      Jesus, the Revelator is shedding light onto the Ephesian Christians.  He is shedding His Light on the good and right things they are doing and encouraging them and He is shedding light on what needs to be fixed and He tells them how to fix it.

V2–3    Jesus reveals to Ephesian church:
 their works (2041 Gk ergon-where we get ergonomics)  It means WORK

 their labor (2873 Gk  kopos) toil; demands the whole strength of a person exerted to the uttermost if he is to accomplish the task which is before him.  Reminds me of a farmer.  Farming is very hard work.

 their patience 5281 hupomone the quality that does not surrender to circumstances or succumb under trial.  1 Thess 1:3 patience of hope

 how they can't not bear them which are evil

 that they tried them that say they are apostles and found them liars. 1John 4:1 believe not every spirit...
2 Corin 11:10-15 Amp

 and have borne (941 Gk bastazo) through the idea of removal; to lift, to bear, carry, take up John 20:15,  Acts 21:35-36

 have patience (5281 Gk hupomone) cheerful or hopeful endurance, constancy, patient continuance (waiting)

 has labored (2872 Gk to work hard and and feel fatigued (spiritually)

 they have not fainted (Gk 2577) they didn't quit, or get 'sick of it',

V4     While the Lord has complimented them on many things He continues by saying “Nevertheless”.  They have left their first love

What happened here is a couple of things.  

They are workers!   Also, they can’t “bear those which are evil have tried those that say they are apostles and found them liars”.  While both of these are good things, like Peter walking on the water, he got his focus off Jesus, they left their focus from off the Lord and quit shining the Light by living and preaching the Word of God to judging and  looking for evil  in everyone that comes into their midst.  The Lord doesn't call anyone to do that.  Also salvation is not by works as said in Ephesians 2:9, "Not of works, lest any man should boast."   And Jesus is telling them to STOP IT! and repent:  to remember where they came from and put their focus back on Jesus and His Word.  

It was like Peter walking on water.  Jesus called him to Himself and Peter did great until he got his eyes off Jesus and "saw" the wind boisterous then he started to sink.  Jesus called Ephesus to Himself and they did great until they got their eyes off on the problem–––or problem makers and then things went wrong.

V5    and He tells them ‘remember therefore from where you have fallen--"repent!, and do the first works; or else I will come unto you quickly, and will removed your candlestick out of his place except you repent."

They have left their first Love.  Remember when you first came to know the Lord and have made Him your Lord as well as Savior?  You felt clean, light.  The burden of sin was off of you.  You saw the world in a totally different way––as God's creation.  The colors were brighter and it was all good.  Also, you looked to God, to praise Him, to look for His guidance, to talk to Him, listen to Him.

As time goes on, we get caught up in the daily things we have to still do and may have added church work on top of that.  We start feeling the weight of those things again.  We get caught up in the work and leave aside reading God love letter to us and leave aside praying and listening to Him.  But while doing church work we think that is just what He wants.  But in reality most of that is just busy work.  Most of it does not need to be done.

What The Lord wants is our first love relationship we had with Him.  When we are in the relationship, our ears are keen to hear what He really wants us to do.  More things will get done.  It is more to the point.  And we rest content knowing we are in His will.   Our work should be done out of love and obedience to Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  Because we want to please Him.

We don't need to go looking for evil.  It is all around us and unfortunately, in the church as well.  I heard a preacher say once, that when you turn the light on, bugs will show up.  The devil will send his group to churches where the Word of God is being preached to distract, confuse, and lead away.  Once it is seen, yes, it needs to be dealt with to the point, if the person/people don't repent and do right, kicking them out of the church.  That is Biblical.  God doesn't want evil around to lead others away from Him.

V6     He commends them again.

V7    He is tell us the same thing:  Jesus ended His letter to this church with, "He that has and ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches;..."  So the messages is for us today as well as for the church at Ephesus so long ago.  If evil comes in our midst, yes it needs to be dealt with in the proper manner.  Don’t go looking for it!!  Keep our focus on Jesus and His Word––studying it and sharing it and keep in the love relationship that we first had when we first became Born Again.

Reward:  “To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”