Revelation Chapter 2

The First Church

VERSE 1 “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write…

Once again Ephesus signifies “first” or “desirable,” and is characteristic of the first period of church history. Contemporaneous with the lives of the apostles and sometimes designated the “Apostolic Era,” this period covers the time span from *A.D. 34 to 70.

In the effort of the early Christian Church to promulgate the gospel, two names predominate: the Apostles Peter and Paul. Of the two, Paul was chosen as the Lord’s special representative and servant to the Church at large during this era chiefly because his ministry, in both scope and influence, was more far-reaching than that of Peter. Although Peter possessed remarkable supernatural powers and performed many astonishing wonders, “God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul,” so that even the fallen spirits recognized Paul’s superior authority (Acts 19:11, 15).

Furthermore, Paul’s repeated warnings of existing detrimental conditions in the Church, as well as his constant exposure of dangerous teachers and teachings inimical to the interest of the Church, reveal that he was adapted for and fulfilled the prophetic description of the service to be performed by the servant of that era (Acts 15:1, 2; Gal. 1:6, 7; 1 Tim. 1:19, 20; 2 Tim. 1:15; 2:17). “The care of all the churches” rested upon Paul; he was a vessel chosen to bear the Lord’s name “before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15; 2 Cor. 11:28; Gal. 1:15). Moreover, the Church of Ephesus was founded by Paul.

It was not necessary for Paul’s ministry to have commenced at Jordan or at Pentecost to permit his designation as the first “STAR” of the Church, any more than this condition was essential for his apostleship. Nor was it a prerequisite for fulfillment that the Book of Revelation be written before this period and an understanding of verses 1 to 7 be revealed to the early Church as a whole. Addressed historically to the Church of Ephesus, this message merely epitomizes the nature of the Lord’s counsel and the method of his dealings peculiar to and characteristic of this particular era. These words also indicate that the risen Lord would and did superintend such a message and messenger, appropriate to the needs of his people at that time.” (The Keys of Revelation, Page 27, 28)

“IT IS IMPORTANT to note that this and all subsequent messages are specifically written TO the ANGELS (the appointed messengers), and NOT to the CHURCHES themselves, without hearing the angels, the various Churches could not receive the message which is meant to help them overcome.

Thus it is important that we attempt to correctly identify the specific angel appointed to each church age so that we might receive the correct message intended. Unfortunately the nominal or professing church has felled in this regards and rather than except the Lord’s appointed messengers have chosen to substitute their own.

See, “How to study the book of Revelation, Part 22” Qualifications for being one of the seven angels.

Now it was noted (under one of the threads on this forum), that there was some question over whether or not the angels to the seven churches were actual angels or men.

The word angel is the translation of words meaning, “Messenger” or “agent” (Young’s); “messenger” (Strong’s). These may be spirit or human creatures; they may also be inanimate objects, events catalyst (viz. wars, famines, earthquakes, revolutions) used to convey a message.

But in this case we believe these to be special individuals (men) chosen by the Lord to convey his message to the church at that particular time.

How can we know this for sure?

Well first of all in Chapter 1 Verse 11 the Lord speaking to John states:

“What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”

The scroll or book that John was going to write these words into is the book of Revelation itself.

WHAT YOU SEE, WRITE IN A BOOK: John is commanded by Jesus to record everything that he sees.

 “Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.” (Verse 19)

 John is commanded by Jesus to record history in advance —from the perspective of the end of the age (from our day, “The Lord’s Day,” Rev 1:10). He is then charged with the responsibility of sending that written message successively to each of the seven churches enumerated.

“To the angel of the church in ____ write“.

It is significant that the Lord states “to the angel OF the church” rather than “to the angel OVER the church”, the implication seems to be that the angel is a fellow member of the church at that time.

Now keep in mind that this is John (a mere man) who is writing these letters to be sent to these angels. If we were to considered these actual angels just how in the world would John send a letter to one of these? Is there some type of special heavenly postal service we don’t know about? If these were literal angels would not the Lord have simply relayed the message directly to them, why go through John to relay the message?

It should be self-evident to all that the angels were men, not literal angels.

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* Brother Shallieu has suggested the date of this first period to have been A.D. 34 to 70.

There are of course various opinions on the correct dates for the beginnings and endings of these seven periods.

The beginning of Ephesus stage of the Church is obvious —PENTECOST. Its end is determined by clues relating to the beginning of Smyrna.

SMYRNA: The word means BITTER. Therefore, all clues must be coupled with the fact that the beginning and the end of this period should be marked by the beginnings of persecutions and the end of persecutions —probably from pagan Rome since the Church ALWAYS has persecutions from someone.

Matt. 13:25 suggests one possible date A.D. 100 for the beginning of Smyrna. If this verse refers to the death of the Apostles, and if the Matthew 13 parables do, indeed, parallel the seven Church periods, the date of John’s death would be a likely beginning for Smyrna.

HOWEVER, persecutions from Rome do begin earlier leading some to date the beginning of Smyrna from Paul’s death at the hands of Nero A.D.  67, this has the advantage of having the Apostle John alive at the beginning of Smyrna to act as its “angel” —which he most likely is. We, for convenience, suggest the fall of Jerusalem A.D. 70 as a reasonable alternative.

Continued with next post.