Revelation 17
PNTRevelation 17:1
I am Alpha and Omega. These words are omitted in the Revised Version, as not found in the best MSS. What thou seest. In all the visions of the Book of Revelation. Write in a book. The Greek says “in a roll”, which was the form of books in the East at that time. Unto Ephesus. The seven churches are now named. For notes on these churches and the cities where they were located, see chapters 2 and 3. Two of the churches named had received epistles from the Apostle Paul.
Revelation 17:2
I saw seven golden lampstands. The first things seen when he turned to see whence the voice came were the seven golden lampstands, which symbolized the churches (Revelation 1:20).
Revelation 17:3
And in the midst. It is a beautiful thought that he who said “I will be with you always” is represented as moving in the midst of the church (Matthew 28:20). The Son of man. A term used in Daniel 7:13 and applied by the Savior to Himself, but never applied to him by the New Testament writers except here, Revelation 14:14, and Acts 7:56. A garment down to the foot. The long robe of a high priest girt about with the golden girdle of a king.
Revelation 17:4
His head and [his] hairs [were] white. White is the color of purity and of triumph. The idea here is not age but heavenly glory. His eyes [were] as a flame of fire. Bright, piercing, all seeing, flashing light, and also a consuming fire of the wicked.
Revelation 17:5
Feet like unto fine brass. Shedding forth splendor like burnished brass heated in a furnace. His voice as the sound of many waters. His voice was mighty like the sound of surging waters.
Revelation 17:6
In his right hand seven stars. See Revelation 1:20. And out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword. This two-edged sword is a symbol of the word by which Christ’s conquests are won. See Ephesians 6:17 Hebrews 4:12, and compare Revelation 19:15. His countenance [was] as the sun shineth in his strength. The glory of his countenance is the same that was manifested at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:2).
Revelation 17:7
I fell at his feet as dead. Overcome with awe. No sinful man can stand before God and live; hence the impression made by the appearance of the Lord is that of terror. Fear not. But when the Lord spoke to the disciple it was with the old love. How often before had Jesus said “Fear not”. I am the first and the last. See PNT Revelation 1:8. The attributes claimed for Jehovah are also claimed for Christ.
Revelation 17:8
He that liveth, and was dead. Put to death but living. And have the keys of hell and of death. “The keys of death and of Hades” (Revised Version). Not only a victor over death, but the very gates of death and Hades are under his control. Hence he can deliver from the dead whom he will.
Revelation 17:9
Write the things which thou hast seen. Not only the vision just seen, but the things which are, viz., the description of the state of the churches given in chapters 2 and 3; and also the things which shall be hereafter, viz., the revelation of future history recorded in chaps. 6-20.
Revelation 17:10
The mystery of the seven stars. The Lord himself at once explains what the seven stars and seven candlesticks symbolize. The seven candlesticks represent the churches, or organizations appointed to “let their light shine” (Matthew 5:16) and become “the light of the world” (Revelation 5:14). And the seven stars are the angels of the churches. These were, I think, the evangelists of the churches.
Revelation 17:12
Letters to the Churches SUMMARY OF REVELATION 2: The Letter to the Metropolitan Church of Ephesus. To the Angel of the Martyr Church of Smyrna. To the Angel of the Church at Pergamos, Persecuted by the. Heathen. To the Angel of the Church at Thyatira, Defiled by Idolatry. THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS To the angel. See “The Seven Stars”, topic 9652. The church of Ephesus. They city of Ephesus was the capital of the Roman province of Asia, and the greatest city. As a great center it was sought by the Apostle Paul, who founded the church and labored there more than three years (Acts 18:19 19:1), and afterwards addressed to it the Epistle to the Ephesians. At a later period he placed Timothy there and addressed two epistles to him. All early church tradition declares that John from about A.D. 70 made this city his home until his death. There is not now standing a single house upon the site of the ancient city, though the ruins are of the most imposing character. The Turkish village of Agasalouk, upon the Smyrna and Aidan R. R., is about two miles distant. These things saith he, etc. See Revelation 1:13,16,20.
Revelation 17:13
I know thy works. The manner of life of the church. There was much to commend. And thy patience. Rather, endurance. Perseverance in the face of difficulties. Thou hast tried them which say they are apostles. False teachers, who made false claims. Every age of revolution throws up such false teachers. We often find traces of them in the epistles. 1 John 4:1,2 shows how to test them. The Ephesian church had put them to the test and rejected them.
Revelation 17:14
Hast not fainted. Though called to bear afflictions for Christ they had not wearied.
Revelation 17:15
Nevertheless. After these words of promise a stain on the garments of the church is pointed out. Thou hast left thy first love. They have not maintained the ardor and devotion of the love of their earlier history. Nothing but the fervent love of the Bride can satisfy the Bridegroom. This change shows that many years must have passed since the last communication of Paul to the Ephesian church.
Revelation 17:16
Remember, etc. Note what this exhortation includes: (1) From which. They had been at a height of excellence. (2) Thou hast fallen. They had fallen from that height; there had been a spiritual declension. (3) Repent. The comparison and its proof that they were retrograding should bring repentance. (4) Do the first works. There must be the first love, and the fruits of that love in a renewal of their first works. I will come. Unless this is done Christ will come. Not in person, but in providence and judgments. The church with a waning love will be repudiated. Will remove thy candlestick. “Thy” refers to the Angel of the church through whom the address is made. To remove the lampstand would be to suffer the church to cease to exist. How signally this has been fulfilled in the case of Ephesus is seen in the fact that not one vestige of the church remains, and of the city itself naught but moldering ruins. What concerns us, however, is that this warning is addressed “to every church which has lost its first love”. Unless it repents, and does its first works, its lampstand will finally be removed from its place.
Revelation 17:17
But this thou hast. There is another ground of commendation. They hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans. Opinions are not agreed concerning this sect, but it is probable that the followers of a Nicolaus are meant who taught that Christian liberty meant license to commit sensual sins.
Revelation 17:18
He that hath an ear. The call to solemn attention found at the close of each epistle. See Re 2: 7,11,17,29 3:6,13,22. To him that overcometh. The Christian life is a battle and must also be a victory. The Greek word “nikao”, rendered “overcome”, is peculiar to John. It occurs “once” in his Gospel (John 16:33), “six” times in his epistles (1 John 2:13,14 4:4 5:4,5), and “sixteen” times in Revelation (Revelation 2:7,11,17,26 3:5,12,21 5:5 6:2 11:7 12:11 13:7 Revelation 15:2 17:14 21:7), but only “three” times in all the rest of the New Testament (Lu 11:22 Romans 3:4 12:21). To eat of the tree of life. The symbol of eternal life. The tree is seen in Eden (Genesis 2:9 3:22), here, and in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 22:2). Which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Since the tree of life is found in both, Paradise and the New Jerusalem must mean the same. Paul uses the term as a synonym of the “Third Heaven”, or Heaven itself (2 Corinthians 12:2-4).