Are you Spiritual Ephesus of Today?
Ephesus is the first community (aka. church) that the Messiah addresses through John in the Book of Revelation.
THE MESSAGE
Messiah loves:
your hard work and labour
your patient endurance for His name sake
your intolerance of evil doers
for testing those who claim to be x, y, z (Pastors, Evangelists, Prophets, Bishops etc.) in His name but you find them to be liars
your hate for the ways of the Nicholaitan (George Orwell’s “1984 - Big Brother is Watching You” like hierarchal corporate supervision over the children of The Most High), for He also hate their ways.
“But I have this against you,”
“You have forsaken your first love.” - Revelation 2:4 (TLV)
The name Ephesus means, “to let go”. The heart condition of spiritual Ephesus is best illustrated by the parable of the sower that’s repeated in the gospel of Mark, Matthew and Luke. Spiritual Ephesus in their shortcoming is comparable to seeds that fall on the rocky ground in combination with those that fall amongst thorns.
“The one sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. Yet he has no root in himself - lasts only a short while; and when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away.” - Matthew 13:20 (TLV)
“But the one sown among the thorns, this is the one who hears the word; and the worries of the world and the seduction of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” - Matthew 13:22 (TLV)
The head-over-heals joy that the seeds on the rocky road experience in hearing the good news of salvation is characteristic of the way spiritual Ephesus first receive The Messiah and His message. However, trouble nor persecution causes spiritual Ephesus to fall away. We know this because Yahushua expresses that He loves their intolerance of evil doers and their patient endurance for His name sake.
Their caution and prescription to repent and return to their first love is relatable to the condition of the seeds sown amongst thorns. Choked by the worries of the world (political, economical, environmental) and seduction of wealth, Spiritual Ephesus eventually becomes unfruitful in expressing the warmth and zeal they once had for the Messiah and His message.
In the beginning of their spiritual journey, their works were motivated and inspired by the mercy, grace and love they received from Christ — resulting in actions that were Christ-like. Choked by the cares (thorns) of the world, spiritual Ephesus merely go through the motions of excessive study seeking knowledge and observe technical rules and elaborate rituals to maintain personal (narcissistic) standards for life.
Ephesus today somewhat resembles the scribes and pharisees of Christ’s time — whose thoughts and ways were in conflict with the actual lion/lamb ways of the Messiah.
Prescription:
“Remember then from what you have fallen; repent, and do the words you did at first.” - Revelation 2:5 (TLV)
Caution:
“If not, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from it’s place, unless you repent.” - Revelation 2:5 (TLV)
“…To everyone who conquers,”
“I will give permission to eat from the tree of life.” - Revelation 2:7 (TLV)
THE WORD IN WHOLE… (TLV)
Ephesus: Return to Your First Love
To the angel of Messiah’s community in Ephesus write: “Thus says the One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks in the midst of the seven golden menorot:
“I know all about your deeds and your toil and your patient endurance, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. You have tested those who call themselves emissaries and are not, and have found them to be liars.
You have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and you have not grown weary.
But this I have against you, that you have forsaken your first love.
Remember then from where you have fallen. Repent and do the deeds you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your menorah from it’s place — unless you repent.
Yet you have this going for you, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Rauch is saying to Messiah’s communities. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to eat from the Tree of Life, which is in the Kingdom of Heaven."
Reading Aid:
The seven golden menorots that The Messiah is depicted as walking in the midst of are symbolic representation of the 7 churches [Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea].
The seven stars in His right hand are the leaders of each respective church.
Emissaries are individuals chosen to be on a special mission
Nicholaitans - Corporate church - George Orwell’s “1984 - Big Brother is Watching You”… like hierarchal corporate supervision over the children of The Most High
Rauch - a Hebrew word meaning, “wind”, “breath” or “spirit”
Spiritual Ephesus, what’s your personal strategy to stay lit in the Kingdom of Heaven?
Study Reference:
Scripture: The Book of RevelationPDF article: “Paul’s Epistles and the Seven Churches” by Fred R. Coulter - June 11, 2011Youtube Revelation Series by Minister Barton Porter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4neWDBUl6gM&list=PLmK-ixPVECI-OKK-rcb9A-ZlOMwBFY3khAnimated Revelation Literary Study Guide by The Bible Project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nvVVcYD-0wMerriam Webster Dictionary
