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  5 Remember how far you have fallen. Return to me and change the way you think and act, and do what you did at first. I will come to you and take your lamp stand from its place if you don't change.
    REMEMBER how far you have fallen;
As with life, past experiences are vitally important to ongoing action. Don't do the things you did before if they were bad and do the things in the past which were good.

There is a parallel incident recorded in the Old Testament in 2 Chronicles 12:1-14 where King Rehoboam "forsook the law of the Lord". As a result, God allowed the King of Egypt to conquer Rehoboam and plunder the treasures of the house of the Lord, the temple.

    RETURN TO ME and CHANGE the way you think and act,
Rehoboam humbled himself and bought temporary reprieve. The full anger of the Lord was turned away from him (v. 12).
    and DO what you did at first,
We do what we do for the Lord not because it is printed in a church bulletin or because "I like that person" - we do those deeds because we LOVE the Lord.

Rehoboam never did the deeds he did at first. In fact, he did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the Lord (v. 14).

    I
    1. will come to you and

      2. Those eyes of fire are coming to you (Revelation 1:14).

    2. and take your LAMP STAND from its place --

      3. The lamp stand is NOT destroyed just removed. Why? Later in Revelation, the pseudo church will need these "removed" lamp stands to form its organization. However be aware that Christ does not walk in its midst.

    if you don't CHANGE.

What is that FIRST LOVE? 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 tells us exactly what that love is. The question before you then becomes: Do you fake your LOVE or is it the real FIRST LOVE?
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References to the Revelation of Jesus Christ are in bold italics. All other references are in bold only. Return from cross-references by using the BACK button.