Revelation 2:5

Revelation 2:5. The exhortation to the church now follows in three parts: (1) Remember therefore from whence thou hast fallen; her first condition being regarded as a height; (2) and repent, by contrasting thy present with thy former state; (3) and do the first works; for it is the duty of the church to ‘abide' in Christ: ‘Even as the Father hath loved Me,' says Jesus Himself, ‘I also have loved you; abide ye in My love' (John 15:9). ‘Works' are here to be understood in that widest sense of the word peculiar to St. John. The Lord does not bid His Church act as if acting were everything and feeling nothing. Feeling is rather the thing mainly thought of. There was no want of action: what was needed was the love which alone makes action valuable (cp. 1 Corinthians 13).

or else I come unto thee; not the final judgment, or the Second Coming of the Lord; for, in that case, we should hardly have had the words ‘unto thee' attached to the warning, but a special coming in judgment, an earnest and symbol of the great Coming at the last.

And will move thy candlestick out of its place, except thou repent. The removal of the church's candlestick denotes removal from her high standing and privileges in the sanctuary of God. There is nothing here of what has been described as simply ‘the removal of the candlestick, not the extinction of the candle; judgment for some, but that very judgment the occasion of mercy for others.' The word ‘move' is in the Apocalypse a word of judgment (cp. chap. Revelation 6:14), and there is no thought of anything else in the warning given. Surely also, it may be remarked in passing, the warning distinctly shows us that the ‘angel' of the church cannot possibly be its bishop. ‘ Thy candlestick!' where is the Church spoken of as if she belonged to any of her office-bearers? She is always the Church of Christ. Contrast with ‘thy candlestick' ‘My sheep,' ‘My lambs' (John 21:15-17).