Monday, May 3, 2004
Revelation 2:1-7
2:1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.
“‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’ (ESV)
by Jeff Hazen
Christ, who holds the seven stars (angels in this vision), had very specific instructions for his church at Ephesus. He praised them for their perseverance, hard work, and rejection of false prophets. Yet, in the midst of their hard work, they had forgotten for whom they were working.
Have you forsaken Christ, your first love? If so, repent of it immediately and make him the center of everything you do. The Ephesian church was warned that if they did not repent, he would destroy their church. With repentance, sin would be overcome, and eternal life would be given. Don't you think that eternal life is the better choice?
Copyright Information
Daily Bible Meditations are taken from The Helping Hand,a Sabbath School student quarterly for youth and adults. Copyright © 2008, Seventh Day Baptist Board of Christian Education, Inc.
Scripture quotations marked "ESV" are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Text provided by the Crossway Bibles Web Service .
