When Are We Now? The first of three studies of The Revelation of Jesus Christ by Paige Ramsey
The Church of Ephesus – Lesson 5
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Revelation 2:1-7
“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,
‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s
sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”’
Note Revelation 1:19 – Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which
will take place after this.
Things which you have seen: Revelation Chapter One
Things which are: Revelation Chapters Two and Three
Things which will take place: Revelation Chapters Four through Twenty-two
Revelation Chapters Two and Three are letters to the Seven Churches.
There is a pattern in these seven letters:
1) Christ commends before He points out their sin or weakness
a. This is a great example the Lord is giving to us
b. People respond better to negative criticism when they have been commended for their positive attributes
2) He points out special rewards given to overcomers
3) All the letters close the same way – “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches”
To the angel of the church of Ephesus – one “angel” (angelos = messenger)
God has always dealt with one man: Abraham – Isaac – Jacob – Joseph – Moses – Joshua – the Judges (one
at a time) – Samuel – David
We must be sure we are following a true man of God – one whom God is obviously leading – and get behind him.
Remember: Jesus is “Walking in the midst” –
Rev. 1:15 – His feet were like fine brass which symbolizes judgment (gold = deity, silver = redemption, brass =
judgment)
In the Old Testament, the priest would walk around in the temple or tabernacle to trim the wicks of the lamps so the light
would shine brightly, and pour in sacred oil, and clean the lamps. Jesus, as our high priest, has always been in the midst of His churches and He is in the midst of His churches today. He is trimming our wicks, cleaning our lamps, and replenishing our oil.
Do you notice the Lord cleaning His lamps? ______ How? __________________________
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Do you notice the Lord trimming His wicks? ______ How? _________________________
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Do you notice the Lord replenishing our oil? ______ How? _________________________
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Ephesus is the only church in the New Testament to receive letters from two apostles. Paul wrote the Book of Ephesians
in 50 AD (Eph. 3:14-19 – Paul praying for the church of Ephesus) and John wrote to the church of Ephesus in 95 AD (Rev. 2:1-7 – Jesus dictating).
Ephesus: the largest city in Asia Minor
It was a capital city in four different ways:
1. It was a commercial city – the trade capital of the world in that day. It was a major port with easy access to the
Mediterranean between Europe and Africa. On land, there were four major highways entering Ephesus.
2. It was a political city and it was free – independent. Because they were peaceful and had proven their ability to govern
well, the Romans had given Ephesus the right of self-government. There were no Roman soldiers in Ephesus.
3. It was an athletic center – people all over the world came to perform athletic events – similar to the great Olympics.
4. It was a major religious capital – The Temple of Diana (Artemis) was in Ephesus. This temple was one of the Seven
Wonders of the World. It was 425 feet long and 225 feet wide. 130 columns stood 65 feet tall! The temple of Diana
was 1) a museum displaying gold, jewels, statues, art, and intricate carvings; 2) an asylum – suspected criminals could
go there for protection until a hearing could be formed; 3) a bank – citizens and merchants entrusted their money
there; 4) a business center – they made small idols and relics of Diana to be sold so the people could worship her in
their homes.
The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World:
1) Pharaoh’s Lighthouse in Alexandria, Egypt; 2) the Great Pyramids in Giza, Egypt; 3) the Wall & Hanging Gardens of Babylon; 4) the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus; 5) the Colossus of Rhodes; 6) the Statue of Zeus on Mt. Olympus; 7) the Temple of Diana in Ephesus.
Antipater of Sidon, who compiled the list of the Seven Wonders, describes the finished temple:
I have set eyes on the wall of lofty Babylon on which is a road for chariots, and the statue of Zeus by the
Alpheus, and the hanging gardens, and the colossus of the Sun, and the huge labour of the high pyramids,
and the vast tomb of Mausolus; but when I saw the house of Artemis that mounted to the clouds, those other
marvels lost their brilliancy, and I said, "Lo, apart from Olympus, the Sun never looked on aught so grand". [i]
When Paul came to Ephesus, he was confronted with this temple.
Acts 19:1, 23-29 – And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples…
…And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. He called them together with the workers of similar
occupation, and said: “Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.” Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” So the whole city was filled with confusion, and rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul’s travel companions.
What a chaos!! Apparantly, the officials allowed Paul and his companions to go free. Why? One suggestion is that they
would have been afraid to have such commotion in their city – especially since Paul was a Roman! They did not want to lose their freedoms in their independent government and be subjected to Roman rule.
Now, let’s look at this letter to the Ephesian church:
The Commendation – verses 2 and 3
I know your works.
God knows. Works = ergon (where we get our English word energy) The church of Ephesus had energetic works (all the programs you could possibly ask for).
I know your labor…
The church members at Ephesus went the distance! They kept at it even when it wasn’t convenient – they sacrificed to keep the work going.
I know your patience…
They did not become discouraged. They were not popcorn members – they loved their church.
Does God know your works? ______ What do you think He would say about your works?
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You cannot bear those who are evil.
They hadn’t gotten used to the dark. Have you ever walked out of a bright sunny day into a dark room? You can’t see anything! Yet, those who are in the room begin to talk to you, saying, “Come on over here!” As you squint your eyes,
trying to find your way without bumping into anything, you say, “But I can’t see anything in here!” to which they laugh and say, “Oh! You’ll get used to it!”
Ladies, we’ve gotten used to the dark – our churches have gotten used to the shady things we used to stand against. We turn our eyes away from blatant sin against God and use the excuse, “That’s just the way things are today” and “We
can’t do anything about it anyway.” We’ve just decided to live with it – to accept it – sometimes, even to embrace it.
The Lord sees your darkness meter. Is He pleased with how you are used to the world?
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You have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars.
The Ephesians knew their doctrines well. They were not easily fooled. Remember – this is in the day when there were no printing presses. Copies of the Word of God were few, and kept in synagogues. They had the teachings of the apostles
that they continued to teach. When Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesians, he filled it with doctrine. I re-read the book of Ephesians as I prepared for this lesson. It is stocked full of truths including:
“…just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world… having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will… in Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins… in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise… and He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all… and you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins… for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast… for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them… to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ… He who descended [into the lower parts of the earth] is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things… and He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints… that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men… that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened… and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in righteousness and true holiness… do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption… let no one deceive you with empty words… have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them… wives, submit to your own husbands… husbands, love your wives... children, obey your parents in the Lord… put on the whole armor of God… praying always… being watchful to this end with all perseverance…”
The church at Ephesus knew the doctrines (truths) of the Lord. They did not adhere to modernism. They would not allow
liberalism. When they sought a man of God, they knew the right questions to ask and what to look for in his life. The Lord was well pleased with the church at Ephesus for their stand and their keen sense for detecting falsehood where the
gospel is concerned. The Lord is pleased when we are careful to know the doctrines of the Lord and teach them exactly.
The Complaint – verse 4
I have somewhat against you – you have left your first love.
Their service had become mechanical. The preaching had become robotic. The singing had become mundane. The teaching had become tedious. Their devotion had become routine. Their enthusiasm had become molded. It was all monotonous – cut
& dried – without emotion or excitement.
We need to be careful to keep our relationship with Christ fresh and new each day. Amazingly, two people can attend the same worship service. One can go away feeling like he has just gone through the routine, empty, and unchanged. The other can come away feeling the joy of worship, refreshed, and ready to face the world once again. The difference? One has lost his first love. The other has kept her relationship with the Lord fresh – always in an attitude of prayer, reading God’s Word with fervency, expecting the Lord’s intervention at all times. One comes to see what the service can do for him. The other comes to give praise to the Lord for all He has done in her life. Don’t be negligent and lose your first love.
Is your love for the Lord vibrant and fresh? ______
The Counsel – “Remember…” – verse 5
Do you remember when you first came to know the Lord? Do you remember when you didn’t have to be coaxed out of bed on Sunday morning? Do you remember the love you had for the Lord, the Lord’s work, for His people? Do you remember the flame that burned in your heart to read His Word, to sing songs of praise to His name, to be taught His truths, and to tell others about Him? Do you remember the sweet fellowship you had with the Lord in prayer each night and every morning? Spend some time remembering.
Then… repent and do the first works. Ask the Lord for forgiveness for neglecting your relationship. Begin to watch for God’s hand in your life. As you take each step, expect Him to intervene. Be ready at all times to sing praises to His name, to pick up His Word for guidance and comfort. Do the first works – go, preach the gospel to all the world… your family needs your witness. Your neighbors need your influence. …or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.
What can you do to improve your relationship with the Lord?_______________________
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In 268 AD, the Temple was destroyed or damaged in a raid by the Goths, an East Germanic tribe. In the time of emperor Gallienus: "Respa, Veduc and Thuruar, leaders of the Goths, took ship and sailed across the strait of the Hellespont to Asia. There they laid waste many populous cities and set fire to the renowned temple of Diana at Ephesus," reported Jordanes in
Getica. [ii]
It never recovered its glory. The coastline changed drastically until the famous port was no longer functional. Now there
is only a small village that tourists can visit. There is no church in Ephesus today.
God can remove our lampstand so that there is no light for our community. Even if we get all the doctrine right and have
all the programs going, if we have left our first love, it is in vain. Let us always be careful to keep our relationship with the Lord fresh and vibrant. Don’t leave your first love. Nothing else is so important.
Additional Commendation: But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. – verse 6
The Lord is so good!! Even though the Church in Ephesus had lost their first love and had become stale in their worship, the Lord loved them and had not given up on them. He did not want to leave them with a harsh complaint. Instead, He again
commended them for their adherence to the truth.
The name "Nicolaitans" is derived from the Greek word nikolaos, a compound of the words nikos and laos. The word nikos is
the Greek word that means to conquer or to subdue. The word laos is the Greek word for the people. It is also where we get the word laity. When these two words are compounded into one, they form the name Nicolas, which literally means one who conquers and subdues the people. It seems to suggest that the Nicolaitans were somehow conquering and subduing the
people. [iii]
Ireneus and Hippolytus, two leaders in the Early Church who recorded many of the events that occurred in the earliest
recorded days of Church history, said the Nicolaitans were the spiritual descendants of Nicolas of Antioch, who had been ordained as a deacon in Acts 6:5. [iii]
According to the writings of the Early Church leaders, Nicolas taught a doctrine of compromise, implying that total separation
between Christianity and the practice of occult paganism was not essential.[iii]
The Closing – He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Not everyone has an ear. In John 10:27, Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”
Only those who are born again have a spiritual ear to hear what the Spirit says. Do you hear what the Spirit is saying?
The Reward – To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of
God.
Genesis 2:9 tells us where the tree of life was created.
Genesis 3:22-24 tells us that God drove out Adam and Eve after they had sinned to protect them from eating of the tree of life in their sinful condition. God placed warrior angels (cherubim) and a flaming sword to keep man away from the tree of
life.
Only after one is born-again, the blood of Christ is applied, and the day of redemption has come, will the tree of life be offered to him.
Revelation 22:2 gives us a picture of the tree of life: it bears twelve different fruits, each one yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree will heal the nations so that all will live in peace forevermore.
Can you imagine how the fruits will taste? ______ Describe your thoughts of eternal life:
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Ignatius wrote in his first epistle to the Church at Ephesus (estimated date: 105-115 AD):
I have become acquainted with your name, much-beloved in God, which ye have acquired by the habit of
righteousness, according to the faith and love in Jesus Christ our Saviour. Being the followers of God, and
stirring up yourselves by the blood of God, ye have perfectly accomplished the work which was beseeming
to you. For, on hearing that I came bound from Syria for the common name and hope, trusting through your
prayers to be permitted to fight with beasts at Rome, that so by martyrdom I may indeed become the disciple
of Him “who gave Himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God, I received, therefore, your whole multitude
in the name of God, through Onesimus, a man of inexpressible love, and your bishop in the flesh, whom I
pray you by Jesus Christ to love, and that you would all seek to be like him. And blessed be He who has
granted unto you, being worthy, to obtain such an excellent bishop. [iv]
This was written ten to twenty years after John’s letter. Apparently, the church took the Lord’s counsel and became vibrant
in their love for the Lord at least for awhile.
[i] Antipater, Greek Anthology IX.58, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Artemis.
[ii] Jordanes, Getica xx.107. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Artemis.
[iii] Renner, Rick, Who Were the Nicolaitans and What was Their Doctrine and Deeds?, http://www.lightsource.com/ministry/refuel-with-rick/articles/who-were-the-nicolaitans-and-what-was-their-doctrine-and-deeds--14510.html.
[iv] Ignatius, First Epistle to the Church at Ephesus, 107 A.D., The Apostolic Fathers w/Justin Martyr and Irenaeus,
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.v.ii.i.html.