Ephesians 1 part 2

INTRODUCTION

G-Morning Life Church!

Today we will finish up chapter 1 of Ephesians.

For us to fully grasp the importance and value of this book we must keep in mind.

The first three chapters are a war motif.

The first three chapters are Paul’s apocalypse – revealing to the reader How Yahweh has conquered the fallen spiritual powers, who are ruled by Satan and govern the nations.

Secondly, this conquering by Yahweh over the elohim was for our benefit and salvation.

Watched a TV show Friday night -

African woman asks a couple / when they are getting their baby baptized.

Why? “It is only through the Spirit and Water that we can be saved from the dark and evil powers in this world.”

THIS WORLD VIEW BETTER REFLECTS THE WORLD VIEW OF PAUL AND HIS ORIGINAL AUDIENCE.

It also better reflects the cosmic worldview of the Bible as a whole.

Where, as our modern, materialistic, consumeristic, and individualistic world view ignores the spiritual realities the Bible speaks of.

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LET’S QUICKLY REVIEW WHAT WE LEARNED LAST WEEK.

At Babylon God divorced himself from the nations due to their desire to go their own way. He then turned them over to the sons of God or what Paul calls the Principalities and Powers.

Deut 32:7-9, Daniel 10:10-14

At some point these Principalities rebelled and began to desire worship for themselves, this rebellion led to the Principalities ruling over the nations influencing unjust behavior or the people and leading the nations into wars as the Elohim sought to expand their territories.

PSA 82 -

Yet, in God’s divine providence,

He has now blessed the gentiles with every spiritual blessing from His throne in the heavenlies.

This was always His divine plan though it was hidden from all the spiritual creations and only hinted at to the prophets of old.

Before the foundations of the world

God had planned to rescue both Jews and gentiles from these fallen spiritual powers through and in Jesus.

He had chosen us both Jews and gentiles in Jesus before the foundations of the world to be Holy and Blameless before Him.

In love God predestined the means for both Jew and gentiles to be adopted as sons and daughters of Yahweh. This means was Jesus.

Through and only in Jesus both Jews and us gentiles have been purchased back from the hostile spiritual forces that rule over the nations by, His blood sacrifice.

This sacrifice forgave us of our trespasses and made it possible for Yahweh to adopt us.

Yahweh now lavishes us with love and blessings in Jesus.

This was the mystery Jesus was placed in charge of, seeing to it that all creation would be summed up as one in and through Jesus.

As sons and daughters of God, we who are in Christ; both Jew and gentile have been sealed by the Holy Spirit for our inheritance.

Eternal, physical resurrection in a new Heaven and Earth now belong to us as Sons and Daughters of God.

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PAUL NOW PARAYS OVER THE SAINTS IN ASIA MINOR.

PRAYING THEIR EYES WOULD BE OPENED TO THE TRUTH OF YAHWEH’S BATTLE AND HIS VICTORY FOR THE CHURCH.

Ephesians 1:15–16 NASB95

For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers;

Ephesians 1:17 NASB95

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.

Holy Spirit giving you wisdom and revelation to understand the nature and character of the God who has purchased you from the powers and defeated the powers through Jesus.

Wisdom - insight or knowledge

Revelation - Apocalypse - Divine revealing of what was once concealed.

Ephesians 1:18 NASB95

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

Heart seat of thoughts, will, and emotion.

Hope of His calling - to be sons and daughters of Yahweh, inheriting a Physical resurrection and a new heaven and earth.

Ephesians 1:19 NASB95

and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might

His power towards those who place their faith in Jesus surpasses greatly all other powers, spiritual or physical.

Ephesians 1:20–21 NASB95

which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

1 Peter 3:22 ESV

who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

Daniel 7:13–14 NASB95

“I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. “And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.

It is through the Triumphant Jesus, that God has secured us from the fallen spiritual powers.

His triumph over the grave has established himself as the one who has authority over all human and spiritual powers.

The spiritual powers / the evil forces / the magical names / all rule and all authority both human and spiritual have been made subject to Jesus.

No force can threaten your position as a child and heir of God thanks be to Jesus!

Matthew 28:18 NASB95

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

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Ephesians 1:22–23 NASB95

And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Image of an Throned King seated far above the floor level.

On the floor level are the bowed defeated foes - under His feet.

Jesus head over all things and this is to the benefit of the Church!

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Conclusion -

You who are in Jesus are freed from the tyranny of the fallen spiritual powers that rule over the nations.

You have been bought with the blood of Jesus not just from Satan but from all spiritual powers.

Through Jesus, you have been adopted and sons and daughters of God. You in Christ now fully belong to the God who breathed the stars

You have been chosen as His inheritance, Holy and Blameless before Him.

And no power in this realm or the spiritual realm, in this age or the next can change your position in God!

Jesus has paid your redemption price in his death

secured His victory for you to the father in his resurrection

And Has taken His Kingly seat far above all rule, authority, and name.

All powers are under His feet

All for the sake of you, His church.

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Romans 8:31–39 NASB95

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.