What does Jesus mean in Revelation 2:5 when he warns the church in Ephesus he might remove their lamp stand from its place among the churches?
In Rev. 1:12-19 John described the Lord standing in the midst of seven lamp stands. In Rev. 1:20 the Lord said the seven lamp stands represent the seven churches John had been told to write to in Rev. 1:11.
In the letter to Ephesus, the Lord commended the people for their work, but criticized them for not keeping Him first in their lives. In other words, they were so busy doing the King’s work they had forgotten the King. By warning them that if they didn’t repent He would remove their lamp stand, He meant the Church in Ephesus would cease to exist. Sadly, if you visit the ruins of Ephesus, as I have done, you’ll see the entire city, including the church, no longer exists and the region is now 99% Muslim.