August, 1941
G S B U S I N E S S
309
INTERNATIONAL LESSON Commentary Outline and Exposition Children's Division Object Lesson Golden- Text Illustration By B. B. S utcliffe By H elen F razee -B ower By E lmer L. W ilder By À lan S. P earce Points and Problems B y A lva J. M c C lain , President of Grace Theological Seminary, Winona Lake, Ind.
SEPTEMBER 7, 1941 REVELATION: A MESSAGE TO PERSECUTED CHURCHES R evelation 1 to 3 ,
that He knew their works, their toll, their patience, their holiness, their de mand for reality, their long-suffering, and their continuance. He overlooke'd nothing, and He commended them for all that could be commended. ’ However, He said also: , “I have against thee.” (The word “somewhat” should not appear here.) What He had against them was that they had left their first love (v , .4)—and that is no small matter. The Epistle to the Ephesians reveals what place the Per son of Christ occupied in that, church in its early history. But alas! love to Christ Himself had waned and cooled, even though outward service had con-, tinued. The Lord therefore gave the exhortation to remember, to repent, and to do the first works (v. 5). Those first works were not done by rule, but by love. - j The reference to the “Nicolaitans” (v. 6) concerns an attempt which evi dently was made to institute a priestly Caste, whose members would “lord ft over” others. This assumed authority the church at Ephesus hajpd, as the Lord Himself did' The' message closes with a promise to the overcomers (v. 7). II. S myrna (8-11) This church, actually existent at Smyrna, represents the progress of the church as a whole through the days of persecution which continued for about two Centuries and included ten great persecutions. Possibly the words “ten (lays” (v .-10) have some reference' to therm Christ appears to this church as “the first.and the last, which was dead, and is alive”—the all-powerful and ever-liv ing One.i He. knew their. tribulation and their poverty. He Himself had passed through persecution.to the death, and could feel all that.IJis followers might suffer. He knew also their circumstances in the presence of legalistic blasphemers who were used by Satan. (Where, love of the Person of the .Lord Jesus Christ wanes, legalism invariably springs up and flourishes.) • “Fear none of those things whioh thou shalt suffer" (v. 10) was His-encourag ing command. He exhorted *them to i-be “faithful unto death,” and these words were obeyed literally by many during those days of persecution, From Him, the risen Christ, they were promised,*‘a .crown of life,” a, glorious -reward -for even the severest testing. ■■ -
things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.” The “and” indicates the divisions of the book. The things “seen” refer to the vision of the Son of man as Judge (ch. 1). The “things which are” refer to the present church age (chs. 2, 3). The “ things which shall be hereafter” refer to events which will occur after the church has been removed from the earth (chs. 4-22). The seven churches named were actual historical churches, in existence at the time the prophecy was given. They also are typical of.the character and condition of the church as a whole throughout the centuries. “The proof of the interpretation which, finds-in the messages to the seven churches a history in prophetic form of the visible church from the close of the apostolic period to the end, is unanswerable, for it consists of the history which the church has actually made” (C. ' I. Scofield). Wilbur M. Smith describes the con tents of the Book of Revelation thus: “ Christ’s messages to the seven churches of Asia (Rev. 2:1 to 3:22) are: (1) to Ephesus, the church, which has left its first love, 2:1-7; (2) to Smyrna, the church suffering persecution, 2:8-11; to Pergamos, the church under the spell of worldly favor, 2:12-17; to Thyatira, the corrupt church, 2:18-29; to Sardis, the church in danger of un watchfulness, 3:1-6; to Philadelphia, the faithful church, 3:7-13; and to Laodicea, the indifferent and apostate chùrch, 3:14-22.” The lesson today concerns only the first two churches in this group. Each church is addressed by the same Person under different aspects, and these aspects accord with the descrip tion of Him found in chapter 1. I. E phesus (1-7) .The “angel” is simply the messenger, one- of the "stars” in the hand of the Person of chapter 1 (cf: 1:20). The “candlestick” is the church itself. The church at Ephesus symbolizes condi tions to be found in the whole church during the period ending with the close of the apostolic era. The Lord announced His knowledge of this church—a knowl edge that is full and complete (vs. 2 ,3 ). Of the people involved, He could -say
Revelation 2:1 Urffo the itngel of the church of Eyhesun write; 'iiiewe thiugK w ith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; ■ 2 I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and.how thou canst not bear them which are eVil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found-them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast labored, and hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee,, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first work's; o f else I w ill come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds o f the Nicolai tans, which I. also hate. 7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst o f the paradise of God. 8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; 9 I know thy works, and' tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and -I know the blasphemy o f them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue o f Satan. . 10 Fear none o f those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you Into prison, that ye may he tried; and- ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. LESSON TEXT; Rev. 2:1-11. • GOLDEN TEXT: "Be thou faithful, unto death, and I will givfe thee* a crown of life” (Rev. 3:10). DEVOTIONAL READING; Psa. 34:15-22. Outline and Exposition . I N STUDYING any portion of the Book of the Revelation (indeed any book of the Bible), it is helpful to have in mind a broad outline of the whole book. In one verse (Rev. 1:19), an outline of the three main divisions of the Revelation is given: “Write the things which thou hast seen, and the [ These lessons are developed from outlines prepared by the Committee on Improved Uniform Lessons of the In ternational Council. The outlines are copyrighted by the International Coun cil of Religious Education and used by permission. Scripture portions quoted are from the King James Version unless otherwise stated .]
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