Revelation 2:8 “And to the angel of the church of Smyrna write, ‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life:
Our Lord moves on to the second church, Smyrna. Smyrna has since become modern Izmir in Turkey, having been renamed in 1930. Smyrna is located thirty-five miles north of Ephesus. Apparently one of its claims to fame archaeologically speaking is the temple of Athena that was built in the late 7th century BC.
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.”’
This is the first of the “He who has an ear,” promises the Lord makes to the churches. First we should note that the promises the Lord makes here are to the churches, plural. Not just Ephesus, but Smyrna, etc., all benefit from the hearing and fulfilment of this promise, just as Ephesus benefits from Smyrna’s, etc.
Revelation 2:6 “But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
This verse leads us to a point of both curiosity and controversy: the Nicolaitans. Almost no evidence exists about this sect or cult that Christ condemns in this passage in Revelation. Some link the sect to Nicolas, the Gentile convert from Antioch, Acts 6:5. But no such connection can honestly be made.
Revelation 2:5 “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come and remove your lampstand from its place–unless you repent.
Jesus is calling on the Ephesian church to recall its former position. We must recall that our Lord is now talking to a body of individuals, each member contributing to the whole of that particular church. He warns them to remember where they stood formerly, or what their previous position was.
