Bible In Poetry: Revelation 2 Poem by Dr John Celes

To the Church in Ephesus:

1'To angel of the Ephesus’ church, you write:
These are the words of Him who holds
The seven stars in His right hand
And walks ’mongst seven gold lamp-stands:
2 I know your deeds and your hard work
I know your perseverance too.
You tolerate not wicked men,
You’ve tested those ‘false’ apostles.
3You’ve persevered a lot on earth
You’ve endured hardships in my name,
And haven’t grown weary until now.
4Yet I hold this charge against you:
You have forsaken your first love.
5 Rethink the height from which you’ve fallen!
Repent and do things as earlier.
If you do not, I will come to you,
Remove your lamp-stand from its place.
6 The point in your favor is this:
You hate the Nicolaitans’ work;
I also hate their practices.
7 He who has ears, let him then hear
What Spirit tells the churches now.
To him who overcomes, I’ll give
The right to eat from Tree of Life,
Which is in the Paradise of God.

To the Church in Smyrna:

8'To the church in Smyrna angel write:

These are the words of Him who is
The First and Last, who died, arose
And came to life again third day.
9I know your afflictions too well
Despite your poverty, you’re rich!
I know the slanderous ones who say
But really, they are not Jews,
But are a synagogue of Satan.
10 Don’t fear of your sufferings ahead!
The devil will put some of you
Into prison to test you faith,
For ten days, you’ll suffer like this.
Be faithful, ev’n to point of death,
And I will give you crown of life
11He who has ears, then let him hear
What Spirit says to the churches.
He who overcomes will not be
Hurt by the second death at all.

To the Church in Pergamum:

12'To the church in Pergamum’s angel write:

These are the words of him who has
The tongue like sharp, double-edged sword.
13 The place you live has Satan’s throne.
Yet you remain true to my name.
You didn’t renounce your faith in me,
Even in days of Antipas,
My faithful witness, who was killed
In your city—where Satan lives.
14 I have a few things against you:
Some people teach about Balaam,
Who taught Balak to entice all
Israelites to sin by food
That was sacrificed to idols
And by sexual immorality.
15Likewise you also have those that
Who teach of Nicolaitans there.
16Repent therefore or Otherwise,
I’ll come and fight against them son,
With sword that is within my mouth.
17 He who has ears, then let him hear
What Spirit says to the churches.
To him who overcomes, I will give
Some of the manna that’s hidden.
I will also give him a white stone with
A new name written upon it,
Known only to him who gets it.

To the Church in Thyatira:

18'To Thyatira church’s angel write:

These are the words of Son of God,
Whose eyes look like blazing fire,
And whose feet look like burnished bronze.
19I know your deeds, your love and faith,
Your service and perseverance,
You’re doing more than earlier.
20 But still, I have this against you:
You tolerated Jezebel,
Who calls herself a prophetess.
Who teaches misleading servants
To sexual immorality,
And eating foods, idols’ offered.
21I have given her time to repent
But she is unwilling to change.
22 I’ll cast her on bed of suffering,
I’ll make those who commit with her,
Adultery with her suffer much.
Unless they repent of her ways.
23I will strike her children dead at once.
Then all the churches will know that
I’m He, who searches hearts and minds,
And I’ll repay each of you
In accordance with your own deeds.
24 I say now to the rest of you
In Thyatira, who don’t teach well,
And haven’t learned Satan's deep secrets
(I’ll not impose burdens on you) :
25 Hold on to what you’ve till I come.
26 To him who overcomes these things
And does my will until the end,
I’ll give him power o’er nations—
27'He’ll rule with an iron scepter;

He’ll dash them to pieces like pottery'—
As I’ve received authority,
From my dear Father in Heaven.
28I will also give him the morning star.
29 He who has ears then let him hear
What Spirit tells the churches now.

Copyright by Dr John Celes 7-13-2007