“His death, which some men deny, is a mystery whereby we attained unto belief, and for this cause we endure patiently, that we may be found disciples of Jesus Christ, our only teacher. If this be so, how shall we be able to live apart from Him?”
Polycarp led in prayer. Then he said, “As we believe Jesus Christ is our only teacher, how blessed are we that we enjoy, in our midst, one who was His disciple, an eyewitness to His ministry, with Him when He performed His first miracle and several to follow. Our Lord has seen fit to teach us anew through His disciple via a divine revelation that will astound you as it has me. And while our revered mentor is still regaining his strength after his exile, I ask only that he introduce the text this evening, and I shall endeavor to read to you the rest.”
A holy hush fell over the assembled as John slowly rose and was welcomed to the position of honor. In trembling hands he bore the missive he had carried across the sea from Patmos. After greeting the assembled and thanking them for their prayers and hospitality, he said, “The Lord has not granted me the freedom to speak of my predicament in Rome and how He delivered me. Perhaps another time.”
There seemed a sigh of disappointment, to which John responded, “Verily, you will see that greater things than these are prophesied.”
The old man told the story of his life on Patmos and what happened to him that fateful Lord’s Day in the cave of marble. By the time he got to the papyrus, it was clear the people could wait no longer. He read the introduction and moved directly into the admonitions to the churches.
“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.”’”
At this John glanced up and saw smiles.
“‘“Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.
“‘“But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
“‘“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.”’”
“Beloved,” John said, “as was made clear in the introduction, the seven stars are the angels—or leaders—of the seven churches in Asia, and the seven lampstands are the churches themselves. The Lord gave me similar exhortations to the six other churches that have been under my care. I have debated with my colleague whether to share those with you, and we have concluded that it would be instructive. But let us examine first what God is saying to us here. When He tells me to write to the angel of the church of Ephesus, you may wonder who that is, with Timothy now departed and my having been away from you so long. I believe He is referring to Polycarp. And though he is young and must follow in the footsteps of beloved predecessors like Paul, Timothy, and Tychicus—”
“Not to mention you!” Polycarp called out, and the people laughed.
“And while he is neither yet your pastor nor your bishop, we have conferred upon him the role of an elder. Regardless, the message to the angel of each church is in reality a message to the people as well. It is to be conferred upon the leaders so they can reveal it to those under their charge.
“Now, when the Lord refers to this body’s ability to discern between the real and the deceitful, I believe He is recognizing your fearlessness in testing those who have falsely claimed authority they did not have. And in the four decades since the founding of this church, you have endured and been found faithful to your original purpose, to lift up the name of Christ and His reputation.
“But the Lord says He has this against us, and so it behooves us to know what this is. He is referring to the dimming of our first love of Christ. Our zeal and our service cannot cover that our passion for the risen Christ has grown stale.
“He does give us this, however, for which we must be grateful: that we resisted the Nicolaitans. Only those new to us would be unaware of the apostasy that invaded when we once made a deacon of a false believer. Nicolas led us into sin, immorality, and sensual temptation. As believers and saints, we enjoy grace and liberty from the law, but Nicolas would have had us pervert this as license to act as we pleased. Praise God He recognizes that we hated such heresy as He does.
“And when the Lord promises, ‘To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God,’ I trust you see this immediately as His promise that believers will one day join him in heaven.
“And now let me read to you what He revealed to me for the six other churches:
“‘And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, “These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life…”’”
Suddenly it seemed as if the years had melted away from the beloved disciple. He was doing what he had been born to do—preach and teach and exhort. He grew animated, began to move about, looking this and that one in the eye, asking that his listeners interact with him aloud. “The ‘angel’ at the church in Smyrna is?” he said.
“The pastor or the bishop,” someone called out.
“Excellent, yes. And that is who currently?”
The people laughed, for everyone was aware that the position was vacant and that John had long sought someone to fill it. He could not tell them whom he had in mind for the role, for it would have vexed them and drawn their attention from the important matter at hand.
“All right, who is the ‘first and last’? Come, come, you know this. We have studied the ancient texts.”
“God,” a man called out.
“Yes, of course. The Holy Scriptures refer to Him in just that way. And so who is He ‘who was dead, and came to life’?”
A long pause.
“Jesus?” one suggested timidly.
“Why did you not all cry out His name in unison? For years I have taught you that Jesus, the One who died for our sins and arose on the third day is the Son of God and is God Himself! Listen now to what He says to the church at Smyrna:
“‘I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.’”
“What is Jesus saying here, people? The believers in the beautiful port city of Smyrna work tirelessly for the kingdom of God despite tribulation from Rome. The rest of the city worships the emperor and even offers annual sacrifices, which believers in the Lord Christ must not and cannot do. For this reason they are labeled blasphemers and rebels. They are in poverty materially—indeed, many are slaves—but Jesus reminds them they are rich in the spiritual realm.
“Now, who are these who say they are Jews really of Satan? Those who inform Rome of the disobedience of the church of Christ. A true Jew would recognize his Messiah, but these rather attempt to destroy His followers.
“Jesus goes on to say:
“‘Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.’
“Oh, beloved!” John said, his mind fixed on Polycarp. “Martyrdom will surely come for some in Smyrna. Now you know why my heart is so heavy and I am troubled about whom I dare send to lead that flock. And yet our Lord tells us not to fear, for even such victims will one day receive the crown of life from the Master Himself.”
John continued, reading the letter to the church in Pergamos, whom He told to repent of their acceptance of false teaching “or els
e I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”
John looked up from his writings. “When God refers to the ‘sword of My mouth,’ He is speaking of judgment and the words Jesus will use to pronounce it. The hidden manna is Jesus, who called Himself the Bread of Life. And as we award victors in athletic contests a white stone, so the Lord will reward us, also giving us a new name.”
After reading the letters of warning to the church at Thyatira, which tolerated sin, and to Sardis (the dead church), John came to the church at Philadelphia. To this faithful church Jesus promised, “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
“Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.”
John asked for a chair and a cup of water. Polycarp approached, concern on his face, but John waved him off. “I can continue a few more minutes,” he said. “Thank you.” After a sip, he stood again. “Finally we come to the sad letter from the living Christ to the church at wealthy Laodicea.
“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
“‘“Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
“‘“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
“‘“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’”
John carefully handed the manuscript to Polycarp. “I shall sit now, if you will indulge me,” the old man said to the assembled. “But I know that some of the language the Lord gave me needs clarification. Allow me to explain some of it as my colleague reads the revelation.
“As you can see, dear children, there is much here that is rich and deep and worthy of intense study over several months. You will find this even more so with what Elder Polycarp reads, and I dare say the scope and supernaturalness of it will astound you.”
TWENTY-FIVE
John sat directly behind Polycarp, where he could judge the response of the Ephesian church while the young man read from the revelation God gave John in the cave of marble on the Isle of Patmos. He knew that for the rest of the evening he would relive the most profound experience of his life, since seeing for himself the resurrected Christ on that Lord’s Day so long before and living through his own intended execution so recently.
John believed the people would respond in much the way he had, as if they too were transported to heaven with an angel of God as their guide.
Polycarp began:
“After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, ‘Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.’
“Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.
“Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.”
The images cascaded over the Ephesians until they appeared overwhelmed.
“What does it mean?” a woman cried out, and several shushed her.
“No!” John said. “It is all right. I too was puzzled, and I was there. I should say, in the Spirit I was there. What troubles you most?”
“All of it!” she said. “Who are the twenty-four elders?”
“I believe they represent the church, and a little later you will see that they sing songs of worship to the Lamb, who is, of course, the risen Christ.”
“And the seven spirits?”
“The sevenfold ministry of the Holy Spirit,” John said.
Polycarp said, “Isaiah prophesied of this. He writes, ‘There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse’—that’s David’s father—‘and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.’ That’s Jesus. ‘The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him,’—and here are the sevenfold manifestations of the Spirit—‘the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.’ So, wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge, reverence, and deity.”
“Forgive me,” the woman whispered.
“Do not apologize, dear one,” John said. “If you have found this much curious, you can only imagine what is coming. It concerns a great evil one, an enemy of Christ. Polycarp and I will attempt to explain it all in time to come.”
Polycarp did wonders with the text, despite his lack of sleep, because, John decided, the young man had read and reread John’s scribbling and had himself begun to understand the import of the message.
As Polycarp continued, the church heard the majestic and terrifying language of God Himself, as He revealed to John what was to come. They sat rapt, gasping, moaning, weeping, sometimes sliding from their seats to kneel or even to lie prostrate as the spectacular, otherworldly words filled the room. At times John could not contain himself and rose to summarize. “Not long after the reappearance of Jesus in the clouds will come a seven-year period of tribulations so devastating that twenty-one curses and plagues will be hurled from heaven. Finally will come the glorious reappearing of Jesus on the earth to set up a millennial kingdom of peace.”
Polycarp continued:
“Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.
“The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.
“The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:
‘Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!’”
A man stood, causing John to lay a hand on Polycarp’s shoulder. “Yes, sir,” John said. “A question?”
“This is all so thrilling,” the man said, near tears. “But I fear I am not understanding. Who are these creatures? What do they represent?”
“They are angels,” John said. “I know this not only because I saw them. The great prophet Ezekiel called them cherubim. Their many eyes allow them to miss nothing, and that they have faces like a lion, a calf, a man, and an eagle makes me conclude that they represent wild be
asts, passive beasts, human beings, and flying creatures.”
“And why six wings?” the man said.
“Isaiah,” John said, “writes that with two they covered their eyes, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. So four of their wings have to do with worship, covering their eyes from looking at Almighty God in His glory, and covering their feet because they, as Moses, stand on holy ground.”
The man nodded and sat, and Polycarp continued.
“Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
‘You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created.’
“And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?’
“And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.’
“And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.