8. How did Jesus say the Ephesians should act?

⁸ Those Ephesians must rekindle the love they once had if they do not want to lose out. “Therefore,” Jesus tells them, “remember from what you have fallen, and repent and do the former deeds. If you do not, I am coming to you, and I will remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” (Revelation 2:5) How did the Christians in the Ephesian congregation receive those words? We do not know. We hope that they repented and succeeded in reawakening their love for Jehovah. If they did not, then their lamp would be extinguished and their lampstand removed. They would lose their privilege of beaming forth the truth.

9. (a) What encouraging word did Jesus have for the Ephesians? (b) How did the congregations after John’s day fail to heed Jesus’ counsel to the Ephesians?

⁹ Nevertheless, Jesus has this encouraging word for the Ephesians: “Still, you do have this, that you hate the deeds of the sect of Nicolaus, which I also hate.” (Revelation 2:6) At least they hated sectarian division, just as the Lord Jesus Christ hates it. As the years went by, however, many congregations failed to heed those words of Jesus. Lack of love for Jehovah, for the truth, and for one another resulted in their drifting into spiritual darkness. They became fragmented into numerous quarreling sects. “Christian” copyists who had no love for Jehovah removed God’s very name from Greek manuscripts of the Bible. Lack of love also allowed room for teaching Babylonish and Grecian doctrines, such as hellfire, purgatory, and the Trinity, in the name of Christianity. Having no love for God and for the truth, most of those who claimed to be Christian ceased to preach the good news of God’s Kingdom. They came to be dominated by a selfish clergy class that made its own kingdom here on earth.​—Compare 1 Corinthians 4:8.

10. What was the religious situation in Christendom in 1918?

¹⁰ When judgment started with the house of God in 1918, the sectarian clergy of Christendom were giving open support to World War I, urging Catholics and Protestants on both sides to slaughter one another. (1 Peter 4:17) Unlike the Ephesian congregation that hated what the sect of Nicolaus was doing, Christendom’s religions had long been riddled with conflicting, anti-God doctrines, and their clergy had thrown their lot in with the world, of which Jesus said his disciples must be no part. (John 15:17-19) Their congregations, ignorant of the Bible’s theme, God’s Kingdom, were not lampstands beaming forth Scriptural truth, nor were their members part of the spiritual temple of Jehovah. Their leading men (and women) were not stars but were revealed to be members of “the man of lawlessness.”​—2 Thessalonians 2:3; Malachi 3:1-3.

11. (a) What Christian group on the world scene in 1918 put into practice Jesus’ words to the Ephesians? (b) What did the John class do from 1919 onward?

¹¹ The John class, however, emerged from the tumultuous days of the first world war with a love for Jehovah and for the truth that impelled them to serve him with flaming zeal. They resisted those who tried to introduce sectarianism through practically idolizing the first president of the Watch Tower Society, Charles T. Russell, following his death in 1916. Disciplined by persecutions and adversities, this Christian group clearly received a judgment of “well done” from their Master and an invitation to enter into his joy. (Matthew 25:21, 23) They recognized in the course of world events, and in their own experiences, the fulfillment of the sign that Jesus had given to mark his invisible presence in Kingdom power. From 1919 onward, they moved forward to share in the further fulfillment of Jesus’ great prophecy: “And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.” (Matthew 6:9, 10; 24:3-14) If their love for Jehovah had been in some way lacking, it was fanned into a flame from that time onward.

12. (a) At a historic convention in 1922, what call went forth? (b) What name did true Christians embrace in 1931, and of what did they repent?

¹² At a historic convention, attended by 18,000 of these Christians, at Cedar Point, Ohio, U.S.A., September 5-13, 1922, the call went out: “Back to the field, O ye sons of the most high God! . . . The world must know that Jehovah is God and that Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords. . . . Therefore advertise, advertise, advertise, the King and his kingdom.” Jehovah’s precious name was being made more prominent. In 1931 these Christians, assembled in convention at Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A., rejoiced to embrace and take the name indicated by God in Isaiah’s prophecy​—Jehovah’s Witnesses. (Isaiah 43:10, 12) With its issue of March 1, 1939, the name of the organization’s principal journal was changed to The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom, thus giving primary honor to our Creator and his royal government. Jehovah’s Witnesses, with renewed love for Jehovah, have repented of any possible previous failure to honor and magnify his illustrious name and Kingdom.​—Psalm 106:6, 47, 48.

“To Him That Conquers”

13. (a) What blessing awaited the Ephesians if they ‘conquered’? (b) How would Ephesian Christians ‘conquer’?

¹³ Finally, as he does also in his other messages, Jesus calls attention to God’s spirit as making known through Jesus the rewards for faithfulness. To the Ephesians he says: “Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations: To him that conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” (Revelation 2:7) Those with hearing ears would be eager to heed that vital message, knowing that it did not come on Jesus’ initiative but that it flowed from the Sovereign Lord Jehovah himself through His holy spirit, or active force. How would they ‘conquer’? By following closely in the steps of Jesus, who kept integrity to the death and so could say: “Take courage! I have conquered the world.”​—John 8:28; 16:33; see also 1 John 5:4.

14. To what must “the paradise of God” mentioned by Jesus refer?

¹⁴ Since they have no prospect of living in an earthly paradise, how is it that anointed Christians, such as those Ephesians, are rewarded with eating “of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God”? This could not be the restored Paradise on earth, since the 144,000 anointed Christians, including those of the congregation at Ephesus, are bought from among mankind to rule with the Lamb, Christ Jesus, on the heavenly Mount Zion as spirit sons. (Ephesians 1:5-12; Revelation 14:1, 4) Hence, the reference here must be to the heavenly gardenlike realm inherited by these conquerors. There, “in the paradise of God,” yes, in the very presence of Jehovah himself, these overcomers who have been granted immortality will continue to live eternally, as symbolized here by their eating of the tree of life.

15. Why is Jesus’ encouragement to conquer of vital interest to the great crowd today?

¹⁵ What, then, of the loyal earthly supporters of the 144,000 anointed ones? A great crowd of these companion Witnesses are also conquering. But their hope rests on entering an earthly paradise, where they will drink from “a river of water of life” and find healing from “the leaves of the trees” planted alongside that river. (Revelation 7:4, 9, 17; 22:1, 2) If you are one of this group, may you too express your warm love for Jehovah and win out in the conquest of faith. Thus you may attain to the happiness of everlasting life in the Paradise earth.​—Compare 1 John 2:13, 14.

1. (a) What congregation next receives a message from the glorified Jesus? (b) By calling himself “the First and the Last,” of what did Jesus remind the Christians in that congregation?

TODAY, ancient Ephesus lies in ruins. But the destination of Jesus’ second message is still the site of a bustling city. About 35 miles north of the ruins of Ephesus is the Turkish city of Izmir, where four zealous congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses are to be found even today. Here, in the first century, was Smyrna. Note, now, Jesus’ next words: “And to the angel of the congregation in Smyrna write: These are the things that he says, ‘the First and the Last,’ who became dead and came to life again.” (Revelation 2:8) By stating this to those Christians in Smyrna, Jesus reminds them that he was the first integrity keeper that Jehovah directly resurrected to immortal spirit life and the last to be so raised. Jesus himself would resurrect all other anointed Christians. He is thus well qualified to give counsel to his brothers, who hope to share immortal heavenly life with him.

2. Why are all Christians comforted by the words of the One who “became dead and came to life again”?

² Jesus led the way in enduring persecution for righteousness’ sake, and he received the due reward. His faithfulness to the death and subsequent resurrection are the basis of hope for all Christians. (Acts 17:31) The fact that Jesus “became dead and came to life again” proves that whatever has to be endured in the cause of truth is not in vain. Jesus’ resurrection is a source of profound encouragement for all Christians, especially when they are called on to suffer for their faith. Is this your situation? Then you can take courage also from Jesus’ next words to the congregation in Smyrna:

3. (a) What encouragement did Jesus give the Christians in Smyrna? (b) Though the Christians in Smyrna were poor, why did Jesus say they were “rich”?

³ “I know your tribulation and poverty​—but you are rich—​and the blasphemy by those who say they themselves are Jews, and yet they are not but are a synagogue of Satan.” (Revelation 2:9) Jesus has no criticism for his brothers in Smyrna, only warm commendation. They have suffered much tribulation because of their faith. Materially they are poor, likely because of their faithfulness. (Hebrews 10:34) Their main concern, however, is with spiritual things, and they have stored up treasures in heaven, as Jesus advised. (Matthew 6:19, 20) Hence, the Chief Shepherd views them as being “rich.”​—Compare James 2:5.

4. From whom did the Christians in Smyrna suffer much opposition, and how did Jesus view those opposers?

⁴ Jesus notes particularly that the Christians in Smyrna have put up with much opposition at the hands of fleshly Jews. In earlier days, many of this religion determinedly opposed the spread of Christianity. (Acts 13:44, 45; 14:19) Now, just a few decades after the fall of Jerusalem, those Jews in Smyrna are showing the same satanic spirit. No wonder Jesus views them as “a synagogue of Satan”!a

5. What trials lay ahead for the Christians in Smyrna?

⁵ Faced with such hatred, the Christians in Smyrna are comforted by Jesus: “Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. Look! The Devil will keep on throwing some of YOU into prison that YOU may be fully put to the test, and that YOU may have tribulation ten days. Prove yourself faithful even to death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10) Here Jesus three times uses the Greek plural form of “you,” showing that his words embrace the congregation as a whole. Jesus cannot promise that the trials of the Christians in Smyrna will soon end. Some of them will continue to be persecuted and cast into prison. They will have tribulation for “ten days.” Ten is a number that symbolizes earthly completeness or entirety. Even those spiritually rich integrity keepers will receive a thorough testing while in the flesh.

6. (a) Why should the Christians in Smyrna not be afraid? (b) How did Jesus conclude his message to the congregation in Smyrna?

⁶ Nevertheless, the Christians in Smyrna should not be afraid or compromise. If they remain faithful to the end, there is laid up for them as a reward “the crown of life,” in their case immortal life in the heavens. (1 Corinthians 9:25; 2 Timothy 4:6-8) The apostle Paul viewed this precious prize as worth the sacrifice of everything else, even his earthly life. (Philippians 3:8) Evidently, those faithful ones in Smyrna feel the same way. Jesus concludes his message by saying: “Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations: He that conquers will by no means be harmed by the second death.” (Revelation 2:11) The conquerors are assured of immortal heavenly life that cannot be touched by death.​—1 Corinthians 15:53, 54.