CHAPTER TWO - GOD WARNING AND PREPARING HIS PEOPLE

2:1-7 EPHESUS - Positives: Works, labor, patience, and cannot bear those who are evil. Have tried false apostles and found them to be liars. Have worked without fainting in Jesus’ name. You hate the deeds of the Nicolaitanes which Jesus also hates. Negatives: Have left their first love. Warning: Remember from where you have fallen and repent. Do the first works or Jesus will come quickly and remove your candlestick. Reward: To those who overcome Jesus will give to eat of the tree of life in the midst of paradise. He who walks among the seven candlesticks and has made covenant with you (Gen 15:17).
You do not fit into the religious system (Nicolaitans) of those who control the lay people. Repent and eat of the tree of life and you will do great things in the spirit again.

2:8-11 SMYRNA - Positives: works, tribulation, poverty (but are rich). Recognize false Jews (Replacement Theology) and fear not the tribulation you see coming. You will be cast into prison for ten days, but be faithful unto death and receive a crown of life. Negatives: None. Warning: None. Reward: Not hurt by second death.

You’ve gone through testing and trials and feel spiritually poor--but you are coming through like gold. You are experiencing suffering and tribulation at the hands of false brethren and things are difficult but hang in there and you will receive your crown of life. (James 1:12) The church is experiencing tribulation. They refuse to believe in replacement theology (them which say they are Jews but are not), they are cast into prison, but are faithful unto death. These will not be hurt in the second death. Rev 20:5-6

2:12-17 PERGAMOS - Positives: Works, holding fast to Messiah’s name and have not denied faith in Jesus. They dwell where Satan’s seat is and have been faithful when Antipas was martyred. Negatives: You have among you
those who hold to the doctrine of Balaam who taught Balek to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel to eat things sacrificed to idols and to fornicate. You also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes which Jesus hates. Warning: Repent or else Jesus will come quickly and fight against them with the sword of His mouth. Reward: Jesus will give hidden manna and a white stone with a new name upon it.

You have not denied your faith even unto death but you should not be tolerating those in your midst who are eating at pagan tables and committing spiritual and physical fornication. You are allowing false doctrine and teachings into the church such as new age, paganism, and humanistic philosophies. The spirit of the age is in these things and I do not allow mixture says the Lord. As Balaam taught Balak how to seduce my people so have you allowed yourself to be seduced. I am coming to judge those who are not separated unto me. Come out! Eat of my manna and receive my name--know Me! Numbers 22-25 Numbers 31:16 Jeremiah 9:14 Balaam used divination and charged a divination fee. He shows Balak how to seduce God’s people--seducing them into breaking the law. Exodus 34:10-16 Mixing paganism, yet still worshipping the Lord. Sexual sin in the church. Ref: Temple prostitutes Deut 23.18-19.

2:18-29 THYATIRA - Positives: Works, charity, service, faith, patience and works (and the last to be more than the first.) Negatives: Tolerate Jezebel, the prophetess who teaches and seduces Jesus’ servants to eat things sacrificed to idols. (Eat at pagan tables.) Jesus gave her space to repent, but she repented not. Warning: Repent of their deeds or Jesus will cast her and those that commit adultery with her into a bed and bring upon them great tribulation. Jesus will kill her children with death. Jesus will give each person according to their works. Those who are not of this doctrine and have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak, no other burden will be put upon you. Reward: He who keeps the works until the end will be given power over the nations and they shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of a potter shall be shattered, together with Jesus. Jesus will give them the morning star.

Our God who has fire in His eyes and feet of brass (judgment) gives a very severe warning to these believers. They are compassionate and caring (all love, no discipline) but are tolerating government that is not of God. The spirit of Jezebel is the spirit of this world. She is the Queen of the Cosmos. She is lawless and works through Satan to create lawlessness in the church. 1 Kings 16:30-33 1 Kings 18:19 1 Kings 21 She is a lawless spirit that says anything goes and we can do as we want. We don’t have to obey the commandments of God. 1 John 3:4-6 Ref: Deut 23.18-19. We just have to love--but they forget about discipline and holy living!
Also see: Ethbaal Father of Jezebel. She also brings in new age, paganism, and humanistic philosophies. She rebels against all church authority, controls and manipulates leaders. This is church government gone astray, the “we are not under the law” group. She encourages lawlessness. (1 John 3.4) She also allows for sexual sins to run rampant in the church. We cannot tolerate this activity. The fear of God will be manifested again in the last days. The Lord says he will kill Jezebel’s children. Fornication is a metaphor for infidelity to God’s covenants. To those who overcome they will be given rule over the nations. Rule and reign with the Lord.