Main Themes

• Revelation intends to provide comfort for the present and the future.
• Revelation gives insights into the “tactics” by which the spiritual war is fought.
• Oldest understanding of Revelation is that it is a collection of over 60 visions John had on Patmos that he organized to make a theological point that ties BACK TO THE LETTERS!

Important Context

• Emperor during writing (Flavian Dynasty):
  • Domitian was the youngest son of Vespasian
  • Vespasian was the General sent by Nero who conquered Jerusalem in 68 AD
  • When Nero committed suicide in 69 AD, Vespasian returned to Rome where he prevailed to be the next emperor of Rome
  • Vespasian sent his son Titus back to Jerusalem to finish the Jewish war
  • Vespasian died in 79 AD leaving the empire to his oldest son Titus
  • Titus died of a fever 2 years later, leaving the empire to Domitian
  • Domitian was given honorary and ceremonial titles through his father’s and brother’s reign, but NEVER had real governing responsibility
    • Untrained in leadership and governance
    • Vastly committed to traditional Roman religion, especially the worship of Jupiter
    • Led to harsh and un-negotiable enforcement of Roman occult during his reign, which Christians ran into direct conflict with

*Point: Domitian was vastly unprepared to be emperor as he received no training for it, which would play a large role in the events during his reign and the events addressed in Revelation

• Saturninus Revolt (89 AD)
  • Reason for revolt unclear, but what is clear is that the senate and some generals were unhappy with his military strategy.
  • Revolt lasted and was squashed in 24 days, but what followed would set the stage for Revelation.
  • After this revolt, Domitian tightened the noose and ruled with a heavy fist, it was then that John was exiled to Patmos for not participating in the Roman occult, and the same situation all the churches were facing.
• Domitians Demise
  • By 96 AD, people had enough and he was assassinated by court officials
  • Emperor Nerva took over, and one of his first acts was rescinding all Domitians heavy-handed decrees (taking property, exile, etc.)

*John was one of those restored from exile, where he lived out the rest of his life in Ephesus

Ephesus Context

• City of around 250,000 and was the Roman capital of Asia Minor
• Was the Temple warden for the imperial cult of Asia
• Artemis was the matriarchal goddess of the city

Revelation 2:1-7

“To the angel^[a] of the church in Ephesus write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. 

• Earlier in Revelation 1, Christ defines what the stars and lampstands are:
  • Stars = “Messengers to the churches” i.e. pastors
  • Lampstands = The churches
• Jesus wants to make something very clear: JESUS IS IN CONTROL AND CHARGE OF HIS PASTORS AND CHURCHES
  • Rome doesn’t dictate who can lead a church or how a church operates
  • Jewish leaders don’t dictate who can lead a church or how a church operates
  • The CHURCH doesn’t dictate who can lead a church or how a church operates

² I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.

• There is a lot of good, solid, mature, and strong church
• They had some of the best discipleship.
  • Leaders included: Paul, Barnabas, Timothy, Onesimus, John
  • Paul warns of false teaching to this church (1 Timothy 4; 6, Ephesians 4:14-15) and they heeded it

 ³ You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name and have not grown weary.

• Following the Saturninus revolt, Domitian forced all cities to establish an altar to himself to pay homage to before you can conduct commerce
  • To not bend the knee made conducting life and business very hard
    • Example: Palestinian Christians
  • To not bend the knee meant losing property or exile (As in John’s case)
    • John was exiled from Ephesus
  • The Jews and followers of Artemis loathed Christians in Ephesus and actively worked with Roman authority to identify Christians.
    • Revelation 13
      • The beast of earth and sea: Religious authority working through political authority

⁴ Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. ⁵ Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.

• As the church experienced hardships and hate from many people, it resulted in a love growing cold
• Jesus predicted this in Matthew 24:9-12,

*Jesus confirms His warning to churches: As wickedness increases the church’s love will naturally decrease

• We must conscience of our love. To not let the wickedness, lawlessness, and hate of the world move us off our LOVE!
  • Modern Examples:
    • LGBTQ, Trans
    • Politics

*We forget that the “trans person” or the “politician” is not our enemy, rather they are vessels our enemy is working through. Jesus NEVER viewed His opposers as the enemy!

If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

• Simply: If you do not start loving the way you should, it doesn’t matter how much you oppose satan, because your called to oppose and love
• They did not fall from message, courage, or faith, but from love (Love God, Love neighbor: two greatest commandments)

*Our labor means NOTHING if we don’t do it in love. True of ministry, charity, biblical lifestyles/disciplines

 ⁶ But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

• Nicolaitans were a form of Gnosticism
  • Gnosticism comes from Greek “gnosis” meaning “to be in the know”
  • They believed:
    • Necessary to abuse the flesh which promoted sexual immorality

⁷ Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

• “Right to eat from the tree of life”
  • Three main temples in Ephesus:
    • Artemis: Temple surrounded a tree growing through the temple
    • Aklepios: god of healing represented by a snake (medicine sign caduceus)
    • Roman Occult: Emperor worship (worshiping men like gods)
  • Eden in Genesis 3
    • Surrounds two trees (Tree of knowledge and tree of life)
    • Serpent tempts
    • Temptation to “be like God”

*Ephesus is like Satan’s Eden, but Jesus gives them the real hope to the real Eden- See Revelation 22

• Revelation 12 is also a retelling and “spiritual perspective” of the curse of Genesis 3