Eating in Paradise with God – Revelation 2:1-7

Revelation 2:1: “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands.”

The Apostle Paul helped to establish the church in Ephesus. According to Acts 20:27-32, he declared to them the whole counsel of God. He warned them night and day with tears for three years. He urged the elders to carefully shepherd the church which Christ purchased with His own blood. He warned them that after his departure, savage wolves would attack the flock. Men from among them would speak perverse things to draw away the disciples after themselves. He told them to be watchful. He commended them to God and to God’s grace.

In Revelation 2:1-7, Jesus gives to John a message for His flock in Ephesus. Jesus holds this church in His right hand. His right hand is the hand of favor and strength. Jesus healed people with this hand during His earthly ministry. He walks with the golden lampstand, that is, with the pastor of the church.

Jesus speaks three similar sayings to the seven churches: “I know your works.” “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” “To Him who overcomes I will give...”

Revelation 2:2: “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not and have found them liars.”

“I know your works.” The Greek word for works in this text is “εργα.” We derive our English word “energy” from this word. Are we energetic for the Lord? Our outward works express our inward faith.

“I know your labor.” The Greek word for “labor” means to suffer a hit so hard that it seriously weakens and debilitates you.

“I know your patience.” The Greek word translated as “patience” in this text is ὑπομονή. It appears 32 times in the New Testament. It is translated as endurance, perseverance, or as patience according to the context of the passage. It means to remain steadfast under a heavy load or trial.

ὑπομονή appears in Luke 8:15: “The seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the Word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with endurance.”

ὑπομονή appears in Romans 5:3-4: “We also boast in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope.”

ὑπομονή appears in Hebrews 12:1: “Since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

Jesus commends them for not tolerating those who are evil. Κακους is the Greek word in this text for evil. Κακους refers to something that is rotten. They did not tolerate rot.

Jesus commended the Ephesians for testing the false apostles and exposing them as liars. Jesus affirms those who do not tolerate evil.

The Church is to be the pillar and the ground of the truth. In 1 Timothy 3:15, Paul said to Timothy, “I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”

In Isaiah 5:20, the Lord says, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Has anyone tried to convince you to take sides with evil and to condemn that which is good?

George Orwell said, “The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it.”

What measures can we take to protect ourselves from scammers? We can ask Jesus to help us interpret the Bible correctly. In Luke 24:44-45, Jesus opened the minds of His disciples to understand the Scriptures. Knowing the truth protects us from lies.

Revelation 2:3: “And you have persevered and have patience and have labored for My Name’s sake and have not become weary.”

Maintaining a big ego is costly. The world tells us to be heroes. Be the center of everyone’s attention. In Galatians 6:14, Paul wrote, “May I never boast except in the cross of Christ.” Persevere, be patient, labor for the Name of Jesus Christ! Point people to Jesus Christ!

Revelation 2:4-5: “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen. Repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.”

They did not lose their first love, they left it. They abandoned the thought of loving Jesus too much. Something can be lost accidentally but leaving is deliberate. Have you been mistreated for loving Jesus? The Ephesian church had good works and doctrine, but persecution iced their love for Jesus. [1]

Jesus called the Ephesian Christians to repent and turn back to their first works, namely, to love Him. In Luke 15:17-19, when the Prodigal Son came to his senses, he returned to his father and said to Him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before You.” He confessed his sin to God. To not love God is to fail the first and great commandment.

Lack of love was the issue that the Lord had with His people in Jeremiah 2:1-2. “The Word of the Lord came to me, saying. ‘Go and cry in the hearing of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: I remember the kindness of your youth, the love of your betrothal, when you went after Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.’”

The Lord wants a close relationship with you. Worship is when you tell Him, “I love You, Lord.”

Revelation 2:6: “But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.”

Jesus commended the Ephesians for hating the deeds of the Nicolaitans. “Irenaeus described the Nicolaitans as self-indulgent.” [2]

Revelation 2:7: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”

Are your ears hearing what the Holy Spirit is saying to the churches? The thief on the cross heard what the Spirit was saying as he beheld Jesus on the cross next to him.

In Luke 23:39-43, one of the two criminals next to Jesus on His cross blasphemed Him. The other criminal rebuked the first one, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds, but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Jesus promised to Ephesian overcomers that they would eat in paradise with God.

How do we Christians overcome? In 1 John 5:4-5, it is written, “This is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”


[1-2] Quotes from Adrian Rogers