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Readings
Revelation 2:1-4; 18-19; 3:14-15
Introduction
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For many, the Song of Solomon is a neglected book, a matter
which is very sad since it illustrates three principles which do
not wax or wane. They are: |
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a) |
The unceasing yearning of the Lord for fellowship with His own
(whither it is the individual Jew, Christian, the Nation of
Israel, the local or corporate church). |
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b) |
The waywardness of the human heart, nationally and individually,
and at times indifference to God and the Lord. |
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c) |
The joy of restored fellowship due to God’s yearnings of love. |
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It is the first and second of these truths that one of the
lessons from letters to the seven churches in Asia is concerned
with (Rev. 2:1-3:22). |
Basic Observations
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1) |
God is a jealous God, a matter which some find hard to
understand, for in our thinking jealousy indicates
discontentment with what we have and the yearning for that which
another has. This is
not the meaning when
used of God. When God is spoken of as “a jealous God” (Ex.
20:5; 34:14), it means that He longs to have all of one’s hearts
affection. This is not for personal egotism, but rather, the
more the individual loves Him the more His love for them can be
comprehended by them. God loves us with a singular,
wholehearted love and yearns that the individual will be totally
devoted to Him. God is jealous of our love, therefore, He will
teach us to, “Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart” (Matt.
22:37). Peter was not asked “How well can you preach”, or “How
great is your knowledge and understanding of divine truths?”
Rather it was, “Lovest thou me?” (Jn. 21:15-17). |
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a) |
The Song of Solomon and the letters to the churches in Asia have
at least one thing in common, the yearnings of the heart of the
Lord for the unreserved love of the one they love. |
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2) |
Often when the seven letters to the churches in Asia (Rev. chs.
2-3 ) are considered, it is in a prophetical way, and the matter
is left there. However, there are other avenues of truth in
which they can be enriching, such as: |
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a) |
Historically,
considering why these seven literal churches were chosen and
what they reveal about the early churches. |
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b) |
Characteristically
from three avenues: |
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i) |
As they relate to any church today, and how the local church
fluctuates in its spirituality depending on the response to the
message from the Lord. |
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ii) |
As they relate to the individual believer in the onward path of
spirituality. |
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iii) |
As they relate to Israel in which we see that the same wayward
features of Israel are seen in the church today. |
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c) |
Prophetically
of the church age, whither they indicate successive periods or
the major characteristics of the church throughout its
duration. This is not our consideration here. |
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3) |
In considering the three churches, Ephesus, Thyatira and
Laodicea, it is observed that each had its own characteristics. |
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a) |
The main characteristic of Ephesus was the hating of evil but
the leaving of its first love (Rev. 2:4). It means that the
major characteristic of the majority of the saints was that of
cold legalism without love. Despite the ofttimes teaching that
“first love” is the first zeal and fervor after being saved, it
is rather the love for the Lord. He is to be the first love.
The Lord Himself said, “He that loveth father or mother more
than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter
more than me is not worthy of me” (Matt. 10:37). Sadly, when
that love for the Lord is left, then regulations take over and
man made legalism rules the church. The church at Ephesus was
so intent on holding the truth, they made that an end in
itself. They had a restricted fellowship which was biblical and
no doubt held to apostolic principles, but it was all dead
formality. It may have been kept to stay in line with some of
the other churches, but they were not listening to 1 Cor.
13:1-3, busy with dead formality and functioning resulting in
zero spiritual development, all because they had left their
first love. Some would have called this a “good church
standing for the truth,” but God saw it otherwise. |
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b) |
The main characteristic of Thyatira was a church where there was
love and two truths were evident. They were the only chu who were commended for their love (Rev. 2:19) but they
failed to hate that which was contrary to the Lord. Many would
have condemned them and written them off as a local church, but
God did not, and there is no talk of the candlestick being
removed as there was to Ephesus (Rev. 2:5). They were spiritual
schizophrenics. This is a characteristic of, dare I say, ”us
all”. We profess to love the Lord and at times in all sincerity
we do, yet we hold and allow attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors,
which God hates, dominate us. |
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c) |
The major characteristic of Laodicea was a church which neither
loved nor hated, it was “neither cold nor hot” (Rev. 3:15, 16).
Today we would possibly call them a balanced church,
tolerating some things but not others, inconsistency and seeing
themselves to be rich spiritually, and having the attitude, “We
are the last bastion of assembly truth”. Yet, God looks and
says, “you are blind, etc”. They were so intent on their
imagined spiritually, despite the fact they were seeing nothing
done spiritually in salvation or spiritual development,
functioning, but the Lord outside. Putting it simply, they had
no center point, and no boundaries. |
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4) |
The question each church ought to have asked was, and by
association us today, “How can the spiritual level of the
church I am in be lifted?” My evaluation is of no
consequence, only the evaluation of the Lord. As I see things,
there are three attitudes which need to be changed: |
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a) |
The willingness to take a hard look at the almost
non-effectiveness of the personal and church’s outreach, the
spiritual development of the saints. Why are we not having an
impact on a hungry world? |
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b) |
The personal appreciation of personal responsibility in light of
the Judgment Seat. |
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c) |
The whole hearted individual submitting to God so that we love
the Lord and His things and hate that which He hates.
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5) |
While many groups called themselves assemblies, families etc.,
and loudly proclaim to love each other, yet another question to
be faced is, “What is love and do we really love the two
principles spoken of in
Romans 12:9, 10? Love is to be without dissimulation, that is,
hypocrisy, and this is presented on two fronts: |
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a) |
Love regarding principles (Rom. 12:9) |
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b) |
Love in regards to persons (Rom. 12:10) |
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It does not say, “like without dissimulation, or like principles
or persons,” but love. The question then is, what is the
difference between “love” and “like”? I have a very nice car, I
like it, enjoy it, and am very happy with it but I do not love
it. Like is the pleasure one perhaps gets in dancing, a sports
game, the company of a friend, but love is a deep passion one
has for another. “Like” is a preference but “love” is an
automatic response to another. It is unconditional whereas
“like” is conditional. |
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The love that God desires between His people is not a “because
love” as the Psalmist said (Psa. 116:1) and John expressed (1 Jn.
4:19). To love the Lord is to be passionately desirous of being
with him and seeing Him. It is the deep yearning to spend time
with Him, soaking up every iota of truth about Him. When this
is true of an individual and a group of saints, there will be no
correction needed by the Lord, for they will be in total harmony
with Him. |
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