Revelation 2:1-7
Rev 2:1 Unto the angel of the
church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in
his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
Rev
2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, 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:
Rev
2:3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast
laboured, and hast not fainted.
Rev
2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast
left thy first love.
Rev
2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do
the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick
out of his place, except thou repent.
Rev
2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans,
which I also hate.
Rev
2:7 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 of the paradise of God.
We may go far in outward activity for the cause of the Redeemer and yet
be threatened with the removal of our candlestick. Full of labor, opposed to
wicked men and false teachers, persistently orthodox, not fainting in the day
of trial; and yet, if love be wanting, nothing can compensate. Is the complaint
true of us, that we have lost our first love? The exuberance of its emotion may
have passed with the years, but has it been replaced by a deep, all-constraining,
and masterful devotion to our Lord? It is the Spirit’s
prerogative to shed abroad His love in our hearts and to teach us to love Him.
But none of us can acquire that love without perpetually feeding on the Tree of
Life, which is the emblem of Himself.
Rev
22:14 Blessed
are
they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life,
and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away
from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out
of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which
are written in this book.
