The Church Of Ephesus: The Flame That Became An Ember (Revelation 2:1-7)

Revelation 2 and 3 deal with seven specific churches listed by the Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:11). He gives orders to the apostle John to write down what He says and send it to the pastors of these churches in order to let them know that despite the circumstances in which they find themselves, He is aware of what they are doing and what they are having to endure. He gives each of them words of rebuke, commendation, and counsel for the purpose of renewing their love for Him, to refute the influences of the world, and refocus on the task of preaching the Gospel and being a light in the darkness. The counsel that the Lord Jesus gives to these churches are still in effect for every church today. If we want to avoid being merely "spiritual comfort zones" or worse, gatherings of those who practice religion but avoid the reality of Christ and the cross, we need to read what He says, think on our spiritual condition and give Him our total devotion, love, and dedication. He expects nothing less. With that in mind, let us look at the first of the seven churches, located in the city of Ephesus. This city and the church in which it was located were of prominent note both in the realms of ancient history and in the pages of Scripture.

Ephesus was a major port city within the Roman Empire, located on the western shores of Asia Minor (modern day Turkey). It was located on the Castor River, a few miles inland from the Aegean Sea. Ephesus was known for its magnificent harbor, and ships from all over the known world brought their goods and wares there to sell and trade. Ephesus was the richest city in the realm of Asia Minor, and because of its past services to Rome and its empire, it was granted the right to be what was known as a "free city". This meant that they were given the right to govern themselves. They were given the freedom to make whatever decisions they wanted for the benefit of the city and region. In the past century, when the British Empire was at its peak, countries such as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand were given the right of being "self-governing dominions", where they pledged allegiance to the Sovereign, but allowed to govern their own affairs. This is still in effect today within several of the nations under the British Commonwealth. Ephesus operated their affairs in an equivalent manner within the boundaries of the Roman Empire.

Ephesus was also known for its religious significance. It was where the temple of Artemis, or Diana, was located, and known as one of the "seven wonders of the ancient world". Diana was known as both the goddess of sex and fertility, represented by a grotesque statue of a multi-breasted woman. The temple was filled with hundreds of temple prostitutes, and the way someone worshipped Diana was to engage in sexual practices with one or many of the prostitutes there. The temple was also used as aa place for the safekeeping of valuables, much like a bank and served as a museum for fine art. it was also a place of refuge for criminals. If a lawbreaker could make it to the temple, they would be safe from prosecution. Little wonder that Ephesus was viewed by many of the ancients as a place of degeneracy, wickedness, and vice. The Greek philosopher Heraclitus was reported to have said, "No one could live in Ephesus without weeping over the immorality which he must see on every side."

The Lord sent the apostle Paul to minister in Ephesus (Acts 18:19-21, 20:17-38). He ministered in the city for two years and founded the church there. it was in Ephesus where he wrote 1 and 2 Corinthians. His "son in the faith" Timothy, served there as pastor (1 Timothy 1:3). Acts 18 records the work of Aquilla, Priscilla, and Apollos for the sake of the Gospel, and later, John spent his later years there, writing both his gospel and three epistles. It is also said that according to tradition, Mary the mother of Jesus was buried there. Ephesus was privileged to hear and know the "cream of the crop" in the early days of the church. Now thirty years have passed, and save for John, the other "champions of the faith" are all in their graves, having been either martyred or died by "natural means" for the sake of the Gospel. Still, Ephesus has "held on to the faith", and there is much to commend them for taking this stand. There is also a word of rebuke to Ephesus, showing that even the most "faithful" of churches needs to remain devoted to the LORD of the work and not just the "work of the LORD". Jesus is giving a personal message to not just Ephesus, but to all churches who bear His name. We would be amiss to think that these words are only applicable to what was happening then. The words of Scripture apply to all ages and all circumstances, and we are no exception. We need Jesus more than ever. Ephesus shows us this truth.