Revelation Chapter 2

Ephesus:

Located in Modern day Turkey.

Hosted around 250,000 residents.

Major economics were trad and idol worship. Home of the temple of Artemis one of the 7 wonders of the world.

The congregation of Ephesus was established 15-20 years after the death of YAHSHUA See Acts 20:17-38

(CJB)

But he did send from Miletus to Ephesus, summoning the elders of the Messianic community. When they arrived, he said to them, “You yourselves know how, from the first day I set foot in the province of Asia, I was with you the whole time, serving the Lord with much humility and with tears, in spite of the tests I had to undergo because of the plots of the unbelieving Jews. You know that I held back nothing that could be helpful to you, and that I taught you both in public and from house to house, declaring with utmost seriousness the same message to Jews and Greeks alike: turn from sin to God; and put your trust in our Lord, Yeshua the Messiah.

“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Yerushalayim. I don’t know what will happen to me there, other than that in every city the Ruach HaKodesh keeps warning me that imprisonment and persecution await me. But I consider my own life of no importance to me whatsoever, as long as I can finish the course ahead of me, the task I received from the Lord Yeshua—to declare in depth the Good News of God’s love and kindness.

“Now, listen! I know that none of you people among whom I have gone about proclaiming the Kingdom will ever see me again. Therefore, I testify on this day that I am innocent of the blood of all. For I did not shrink from proclaiming to you the whole plan of God.

“Watch out for yourselves, and for all the flock in which the Ruach HaKodesh has placed you as leaders, to shepherd God’s Messianic community, which he won for himself at the cost of his own Son’s blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you; and they won’t spare the flock. Even from among your own number, men will arise and teach perversions of the truth, in order to drag away the talmidim after themselves. So stay alert! Remember that for three years, night and day, with tears in my eyes, I never stopped warning you!

“And now I entrust you to the care of the Lord and to the message of his love and kindness, for it can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who have been set apart for God.

“I have not wanted for myself anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have provided not only for my own needs, but for the needs of my co-workers as well. In everything I have given you an example of how, by working hard like this, you must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Yeshua himself, ‘There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.’ ”

When he had finished speaking, Sha’ul kneeled down with them all and prayed. They were all in tears as they threw their arms around his neck and kissed him farewell. What saddened them the most was his remark that they would never see him again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.

Paul planted the congregation in Acts 18:19 and set a couple by the name of Pricilla and Aquila in charge of the Fellowship. This was about 43yrs prior to Johns Revelation from Messiah. Later a man named Apollos joined the leadership team as the main teacher of the local fellowship. Paul spent 3 years there (about a 65 day trip by foot) and later Timothy took over the fellowship and then John until he was exiled to Patmos. Ephesus became the head of the Seven Assembly's of Asia. By the time John wrote Revelation he was the only surviving Apostle.

7 of the NT writings were to or about the fellowship at Ephesus. Ephesians, 1 &11 Timothy, 1 &11& 111 John and Revelation

Nicolaitans were a heretical sect which encouraged mixing of Christianity and pagan worship in order to control the believers. They disobeyed the decree handed down from the Jerusalem council to not eat meat offered to idols.

It is very helpful to take the time to use the Menorah, Seven Spirits, 7 days of creation and the aleph-bet to decode and uncover the end from the beginning. (see hand out)

4 huge menorahs were in the court of the women. One for each corner of the earth. Each lamp held 7 gallons of oil. The wics were made of old priest garments. It is said that Messiahs garments were used as wics for the temple menorahs. The Jews declared these menorahs to be the light of the world which YAHSHUA addressed when He declared Himself to be the Light of the world in Jhn 8:12 and John 9:5 “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.””