Ephesus
1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These
things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in
the midst of the seven golden candlesticks (Revelation 1:16-20);
The previous verses state that the seven stars are the seven
angels which are held in the hand of Jesus and the seven golden candlesticks
are the seven churches. The main problem
is that the word translated angel in the verse means messenger, not
specifically an angel or spiritual creation of God. We know that stars were used to tell the
story of redemption so the star reference may talk of a messenger bringing the
words of Christ to the church. The
candlesticks or lampstands are the churches which should be set up tall to draw
all mankind (Luke 11:33). Notice it says
that Jesus is the one who upholds us and gives us strength, not we
ourselves. He is the one who walks amongst
all our churches.
Some scholars believe the ‘angels’ are the bishops of the
various churches. This point of view has
some validity because over the centuries, bishops (and apostles, prophets,
pastors, teachers and evangelists) would come and go, but the only thing
keeping everything correct and in accordance with God’s will is the Word of
God. The idea that these ‘angels’ are
actual angels has another problem. Why
would Christ chasten various angels for failing to keep the church serving,
obeying or loving correctly. They can
hardly be held responsible for our unwillingness or inability to obey God
perfectly.
No, the only thing that makes sense is that they are the
bishops or leaders of individual churches or groups (denominations) and Christ
is warning them to keep their doctrine, execution of His will and hearts pure
and upright. When you consider that no
denomination or group or idealists are going to last forever, but God’s Word
remains supreme, then this makes perfect sense.
As I said; bishops come and bishops go but the church, the body of
Christ will continue. There will always
be a remnant that keeps His Word sacrosanct and will not allow it to be diluted
or poisoned by this world’s rapidly changing moral climate. As He says in Malachi 3:6, “I am the Lord and
I change NOT.” Jesus is the Lord. He and His Father are one. Jesus is the Word of God made flesh. The Word is Eternal. It is unchangeable. It is perfect. It alone brings life.
What do I mean by all this?
Simply that God leads His church.
He holds the seven original churches in His hands and those seven
churches, those seven types, those seven leanings make up the seven types of
Christians, churches and religious lifestyles in the world throughout history. From the time of Adam until now Satan has
filled man’s days and nights with trickery, flattery and false promises to help
us stumble while God has quietly tugged at the hearts of those precious few to
establish His more noble leaders and workers of the truth. Like the mixed multitudes from Egypt who
followed Israel out of bondage and then caused them to waver in their
determination to obey the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, there are always
those who will consider taking shortcuts and adding bondages to the perfection
of God’s Word. It is to these souls that
God speaks His warnings of love and concern.
2 I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and
how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say
they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne,
and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast labored, and hast not fainted.
There are always those who decry and weep over the evil that
is in the world today. They cannot stand
the terrible pain and grief caused by those who would bend mankind’s will to
their plans or perversions. We have
often heard the saying, “Try the word (of the one speaking) by the word (of
God).” We who serve God know His Word is
perfect and entire. There are always
some who would malign this belief and call them fools or deluded dreamers. This is especially true of those who find
themselves in opposition to one or more rules or regulations found in the Word
of God. They will mock it or say it does
not say what it patently does say until the whole matter is thoroughly muddy
and then declare, “The Word of God is a farce!”
It is against these concerted attacks that God would speak to the
beloved children of Ephesus, “Stand fast!”
They have stood the test of time and have continued to hold
onto the proper doctrines and rules of God.
They have not allowed those tricky interlopers to taint, dilute or
pollute God’s doctrine. They are the
guardians of truth and the bane of false rhetoric. With tooth or claw, word and deed they
continue to battle against all who would dare speak against the promises of
God. They have girded up their loins
like men and fought for the scriptural truth.
They have endured. They are like
the fighter raising his hands after the battle, victorious but no longer
innocent; still passionate for the truth but having forgotten the center of
God’s passion in John 3:16…
“For God so loved…”
4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou
hast left thy first love.
We sing songs and quote scriptures devoted to the love and
passion of God and we do not realize that we are no longer protecting the Word of
God out of love for the lost and a desire to see them saved, but because we are
the protectors. We no longer do it
because our love for God and His purposes drives us on, but because we would
punish those who would sully or soil this perfect word. We have strained at a gnat and swallowed a
camel and it can choke the life out of us.
Our lives should be moved by statements like, “Love lifted me,” or “His
love constrains me,” or “I love you with the love of God.” We should not be angry and enraged because
you who do not know the grace of God have offended us. Love is greater than the offense. Love constrained Christ to die for us while
we were yet sinners. Without love we
become the offender.
5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent,
and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove
thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
So, Ephesus was patient and hated liars and those who commit
evil. The response of Jesus seems by
many to be excessive. They are defending
the faith and protecting the Word from those who seek to change its
meaning. Why then is Christ so
angry? Because they have forgotten why
God came to them in the first place; to love.
We’re not talking about the passionate eros love of strange flesh and one night stands, but the true love,
the agape love of God; the love that
gives and nurtures rather than bows to lust.
Jesus didn’t march around with signs saying, “God Hates Liars, Thieves
and Murderers.” Where to we think
saying, “God Hates Gays” is any more appropriate. They forgot that even in sin, sinners are
capable of embracing the gracious all giving love of God and having their hearts
changed and redeemed. God didn’t change
our lifestyle overnight and we should give others the same opportunity to bow
to His Word and mercy personally.
6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans,
which I also hate.
The Nicolaitans were a sect that was begun by a deacon named
Nicolas. He might be called the original
“It doesn’t take all that” troubler of the New Testament. A number of scholars state that he taught it
was allowed to eat meat offered to idols, swapped wives (holding wives in
common as has been put forth in several modern cults), and followed the acts of
Baalim who caused Israel to sin by offering loose women and other gods for them
to worship.
A sometimes quoted saying in churches is the idea that clean
sheets can’t get each other dirty. In
other words, two saved people can’t really sin because they are both holy in
Christ. By this theory you can sleep
with your brother’s wife because you are both saved and holy. This idea is an abomination to God and part
of the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. I’m
sure Nicolas wasn’t the first preacher to be loose with his morals but he
certainly was one of the first to have his name entered in Christ’s hall of
shame.
7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith
unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of
life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Do you hear this statement of Christ? To him that overcomes I will allow to eat of
the tree of life. The tree of the
knowledge of good and evil was side by side with the tree of life in the Garden
of Eden. God never destroyed the garden
but simply placed a true angel at the entrance so no man could enter
there. What we read here is that if we
are as Ephesus and carefully watch and guard our hearts and the churches of God
for true doctrine and do not allow it to be twisted within the church, and if
we continue to treat even our enemies with love, then we will be allowed to eat
of the tree of life. Sadly, with Satan’s
help we have managed to fail God badly and choose the knowledge of good and
evil over eternal life. One hopes we
will choose more wisely this time.
For a greater study of their struggles read Paul’s letter to
the Ephesians.
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