Overview of Ephesians

Ephesus had its beginning during Paul’s third missionary journey. He stayed there for two years preaching the gospel not only in Ephesus but through out Asia (Acts 19:10).

Paul left Ephesus and went to Greece. After that he determined to go to Jerusalem. On his way he stops in a port city named Miletus and from there called the elders of the church at Ephesus (Acts 20:17). He warns them that false prophets will come in among them, and reveals that this would be the last time he would see them. Then, after praying with them, he continued his journey to Jerusalem where he would be arrested.

After Paul’s arrest he was sent to Rome where he was a prisoner for at least three years. It was during this time that Paul wrote to the Ephesians.

The next we hear of the church at Ephesus is in the book of Revelation when Jesus speaks to the seven churches of Asia. At that time the Ephesians were on guard against false teachers, but Jesus tells them you have “left your fist love.” Apparently their zeal was lacking and Jesus calls them back to the zeal they had when Paul was with them.

The book breaks down into two parts.

I. Our Blessings in Christ, Ephesians 1-3

II. Our Walk in Christ, Ephesians 4-6

Paul begins the book by enumerating our spiritual blessings in Christ (chapter 1). In chapter 2 he reminds the Ephesians of what their life was like before becoming Christians (2:1-8), and how they became Christians (2:8-10). In chapter three Paul speaks of the blessing of revelation that was given to him and encourages the Ephesians not to be dismayed at his imprisonment (3:1-13); he then closes the chapter with a prayer for them.

In chapter 4 Paul encourages the Ephesians to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.” He enumerates the seven core principles that should unify Christians, and then speaks to them about Christian morality. In chapter five Paul speaks of the church using the marriage relationship to describe the relationship the church has with Christ. Finally, in chapter six Paul gives instructions to children, fathers and slaves. He then closes the book asking for their prayers.

To appreciate the theme of Ephesians one must read and meditate on chapter one where Paul enumerates the seven spiritual blessings we have “in Christ” (by or through the agency of Christ). These include the Savior, divine choice, predestination, redemption, revelation, inheritance (as children of God), and universality (salvation is for Jew and Gentile alike). All that Paul writes in Ephesians grows out of these spiritual blessings.

What a blessing it is to be a child of God!

Overview of Exodus

The theme of the Bible is redemption and Exodus certainly has a lot to say on that subject as it tells the story of how the children of Israel were redeemed from slavery.

The redemptive story begins in Genesis when man sins. God promises one will come who will crush Satan. The story in Genesis goes on to reveal the early steps in the fulfillment of this promise as God chooses Abraham, the man through whom the Christ would come. The book ends with Abraham’s descendants in Egypt.

Exodus picks up the story some 400 years later when Abraham’s family has grown into a nation. During this time they had become enslaved by Egypt. God strikes Egypt with a series of plagues. The final plague, in which all the first born of Egypt perish, convinces Pharaoh to allow Israel to leave. Israel itself is saved from this plague by placing blood on their doorpost.

After Israel’s departure from the land, Pharaoh changes his mind and pursues Israel. God parts the Red Sea so Israel can escape through it and then closes the sea on the Egyptian army.

Israel journeys from the Red Sea to Mount Sinai. When they arrive, God speaks the Ten Commandments for the first time in the hearing of all Israel. The people are frightened by God’s presence and ask God to speak to them through Moses. God grants their request and Moses goes up the mountain and spends forty days receiving the Law.

Meanwhile, down in the camp the people lose faith and convince Aaron to make them a golden calf to worship. God desires to destroy them and raise up the Christ through Moses, but Moses’ prayer prevails and God punishes the people instead.

Moses returns to the mountain for another 40 days and then brings the Law to the people. He also brings with him a pattern for a tabernacle in which God will dwell with the people.

The book breaks down nicely into three portions…

I. The Exodus, 1-18

II. The Law, 19-24

III. The Tabernacle, 25-40

Each part of the story has deep theological implications. The ten plagues are not just random disasters but are actually judgments against Egypt’s gods.

When God delivers the people through the blood on their doorposts He signifies that redemption will be with blood. This is fulfilled in Christ.

The journey through the Red Sea is a baptism into Moses and is the demarcation between slavery and freedom.

God speaking to the people through Moses has long term implications in which God doesn’t speak directly to man, but chooses prophets through whom He speaks. This finally has its fulfillment in Christ when God speaks to us through His Son.

The tabernacle is full of symbollogy connecting it to the scheme of redemption. The sacrifices on the altar symbolize the sacrifice of Christ for our sins. The laver symbolizes cleansing and perhaps is a picture of baptism. Within the tabernacle incense burns which represents the prayers of God’s people. A candlestick, representing the nation’s intended purpose of being a light to the world, provides light in the tabernacle, and bread represents the word of God. Finally, in the Holy of Holies the mercy seat itself represents God’s grace as He reveals His plan of redemption and grants the forgiveness of sins.

Exodus ends full of promise. The people have met God and received the Law. It is time for them to move out and posses the land which God has promised them. A pillar of fire rests over the tabernacle each night. A pillar of cloud leads them through the wilderness by day. God feeds them with manna from heaven. What a wonderful picture of God dwelling with His people.

Notes on Revelation, Part 7

"And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this: 'I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 'Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie--I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you. 'Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 'I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 'He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

(Revelation 3:7-13)

Philadelphia is wholly commended by Jesus. There is no correction here. Apparently they were suffering persecution from the Jews, but Jesus promises to vindicate them. He also promises that He will keep them safe from the persecution that is coming.

The blessings Jesus cites here is that the one who overcomes will became a pillar in the temple of God, and he will dwell there forever. The Old Testament temple was sacred. Only the priest entered. This blessing has those who over come living in God’s temple forever.

Jesus also promises to write God’s name on them, they would be His possession, and the name of the New Jerusalem. That city of course was the capital of Israel and was sacred to them as it is today. God promises a New Jerusalem for His children in the world to come. Jesus also promises to write His new name on them. All of these symbolize the high respect of God.

Notes on Revelation, Part 6

"To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: 'I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 'Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. 'So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. 'But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 'He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'
(Revelation 3:1-6)

Although there are a few at Sardis who were faithful as a whole the church was dead. Outwardly people saw them as an active and good church, but Jesus, who knows the heart, knew better. He commands them to “wake up, and strengthen the things that remain.” If not, Jesus promised to “come” to them—that is to say He would judge them.

To those who over come Jesus promises a white garment; this signifies purity. He also promises not to erase the names of those who overcome from the book of life. This raises the possibility that some names could be erased. Jesus also promises to confess their names before the Father. What a blessing it would be to have Jesus speak of us highly before God the Father.

Notes on Revelation, Part 5

"And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this: 'I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first. 'But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 'I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. 'Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. 'And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. 'But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them--I place no other burden on you. 'Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come. 'He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS; AND HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, AS THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER ARE BROKEN TO PIECES, as I also have received authority from My Father; and I will give him the morning star. 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'
(Revelation 2:18-29)

Overall Thyatira receives a good report, but there is one huge problem. A woman there, Jezebel Jesus calls her, was leading saints into idolatry and immorality. She even called these things the deep things, but Jesus says they are of Satan.

The story of Jezebel is told in 1 Kings 16-21 and in 2 Kings 9. Suffice it to say that she was a wicked idolater who killed the prophets of God. The woman in our text probably wasn’t name Jezebel, but Jesus calls her this to point out her wickedness.
The blessings cited here include the idea that we will rule with Jesus if we hold fast. Jesus also promises the morning star to those who overcome. The morning star is Venus which heralds the morning and the rising sun. In chapter 22 Jesus describes Himself as the morning star. In this case, like the white stone, it refers to an ornament that the one who overcomes will receive and treasure. It will denote the passing of earth’s night and the coming of heaven’s morning.

Notes on Revelation, Part 4

"And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this: 'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 'But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. 'So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 'Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth. 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.'
(Revelation 2:12-17)

In the case of Pergamum as in the case of Ephesus we see them commended for faithfulness, but then condemned for acts of idolatry and immorality. Apparently there had already been some persecution and the death of a saint.

There may be a hint here about the teaching of the Nicolaitans. After saying there were those involved in idolatry and immorality the passage says “in the same way” some held the teaching of the Nicolaitians.

The story of Balaam is found in the book of Numbers 22. The prophet was called to curse Israel but God would not let him do so. He was offered a great sum of riches to do this and apparently was tempted by that so he taught Midian how to condemn Israel through idolatry and immorality.

The blessings Jesus mentions in this case are very interesting. First, those who overcome will receive “some of the hidden manna.” In the wilderness while the people wandered God fed them with manna from heaven. In this case the nourishment is spiritual in nature.

Jesus also says those who overcome will receive a white stone with a new name written on it which no one else knows. There is a great variety of ideas about what this means, but all agree that the stone and the new name are tokens of Jesus’ favor. What a blessing to receive something unique from Jesus!

Notes on Revelation, Part 3

"And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this: 'I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 'Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.'

(Revelation 2:8-11)

Smyrna was faithful to the Lord. They were being persecuted by Jews, and there was a short period of persecution to come. The “ten days” is probably not literal, but represents a short period of time.

They are promised a crown of life and that they will not be hurt by the second death. Physical death is the first death, spiritual death forever is the second death and it will be the end of the wicked.