PROPHECY (1A) ISAIAH 4:1: CHURCH OF EPHESUS

Apostle John in the book of Revelation Chapters 2 and 3 reveals what is meant by the prophecy of Isaiah 4:1 when Isaiah wrote about "seven women and one man." John reveals Christ's message to the seven churches, namely, the churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. The seven churches represent all the churches, their different denominations, and their own weakness.

PROPHECY - ISAIAH 4:1

"And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, "We will eat our own bread and wear our own apparel Only let us be called by thy name To take away our reproach."

Explanation

The day will come when all the women (church, bride to be of Christ) will take hold of one man (Jesus Christ) saying, "We will eat our own bread (Manna, words of life, doctrine) and wear our own apparel (garments of salvation, robe of righteousness); only let us be called by thy name (Jesus, Christian) to take away our reproach (shame, scorn, disgrace).

The prophesy foretells the time when all the churches will call themselves Christians in name only because they will preach their own doctrine and explain their own interpretation of righteousness ignoring the commandments of God. They believe that in calling themselves Christians will take away their shame.

THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS Rev. 2:1-11

According to the apostle John in Revelation chapter 2:4, the church in Ephesus is active, sound in doctrine but deficient in love. Jesus Christ takes note of the labour and patience the church has but the church cannot bear those who are evil. However, Jesus has found that the church lacks love which is very essential in a true church of God.

"Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee,because thou has left thy first love (v.4). Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candelstick out of his place, except thou repent" (v.5).

The Church in Ephesus, Turkey

ORIGIN OF THE CHURCH

PARABLE OF THE SOWER (Luke 8:5-15)

The parable of the sower shows which type of soil a church is sown There are four types of soil in which the farmer gets to sow his seeds, (1) the seed that fell on the way side (trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it),

(2) some fell upon a rock (as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away because it lacked moisture).

(3) some fell among thorns (and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it).

(4) And others fell on good ground (and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold).

The church of Ephesus could be sown in any of the first three types of soil. Love is missing from the relationship between the church in Ephesus and Jesus Christ because it has grown cold and turns to other gods.

THE FIRST LOVE

In the beginning, there was an intimate degree of love and loyalty between the church and Christ but love seems to have vanished. What is left is but just an empty, hollow shell. Earlier in history, the church in Ephesus was like a youth espoused as a bride to the Lord.

We love God because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). The love should be reciprocal. "Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying , Thus saith the Lord; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, ..." (Jeremiah 2:2).

The church is often described figuratively as a "bride" waiting for the "Lamb". "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" (Rev. 21:2).

I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ" (2 Co. 11:2).

Later the church in Ephesus forsook God and turned to "foreign gods."

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

The ten commandments are given to mankind as a guide on how to love God and to love our fellow men. They can be divided into two sections. The first four commandments fall under "Love God" and the other six can be classified as "Love thy neighbour as thyself."

When the Ephesian church is chastised as "having left the first love", it means leaving God out of the equation, or not caring about God as important in their lives. The church would be careless in their worship for their hearts are turned to other things beside God.

The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength; this is the first commandment.

THE DOWNFALL OF THE CHURCH

The greatest downfall of the modern day Church of Ephesus is 

to disobey the first four commandments.  They also refuse to 

obey the Sabbath Day (Saturday) and follow the festivals of 

pagan gods such as keeping Christmas and Easter. God chose 

the Sabbath in the book of Genesis, but the people prefer to 

follow the dictates of man. Emperor Constantine changed the 

day from Saturday to Sunday on March, 321 AD.  In 336 AD. the

Council of Laodicea formally did away with the Sabbath and 

instituted the Lord's day (Sunday).

http://www.geocities.com/ark_pw/Sabbath/contents.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas#Pre-Christian_origins http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter

How can one say that one is walking in truth when one follows

the festivals inspired by pagan gods? 

DOES GOD HAVE TWO DIFFERENT DAYS OF KEEPING THE SABBATH? IS OUR LORD GOD DOUBLE-MINDED?

Did God specify that He ordained  one day for the Israelites 

and another day for the rest of the Gentile Christians who 

are grafted on the roots of the Israelites?

"And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made" (Gen. 2:2-3).

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy (4^th commandment - Exodus 20:8).

WHY CHRISTIANS KEEP SUNDAY AS A DAY OF REST?

Two Main Claims

(1) Statement: Disciples were gathered together on the first day of the week (Sunday).

Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, ...(John 20:19)

OBJECTION:

**The disciples gathered for fear of the Jews and not to observe the Sabbath. (John 20:19).

(1) We must remember the first day (Sunday) when Jesus rose from the dead..

"Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils" (Mark 16:9).

(2) We must remember the first day (Sundy) when Jesus returned from the dead.

"Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, ..."

OBJECTION:

** Though Jesus rose on the first day (Sunday) He gave no instructions to observe His resurrection on this day. Neither did any of His disciples say anything on the subject.

JESUS' Instruction on Remembering Him

Jesus instructed His disciples to partake of the Holy Communion to remember or commemorate His death till He returns again the second time and not His resurrection.

"And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also, he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me" (1 Co 11:24-25).

DEEDS OF THE NICOLAITANES

Jesus commended the church of Ephesus for hating the deeds of the Nicolaitans. They are compared to hold the teaching of Balaam. The Nicolaitans are accused of eating things offered to idols, mixing and encouraging idolatrous worship, and they are charged with denying God to be the creator of the world.

ADVICE TO EPHESUS CHURCH

"Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent (Rev. 2:5).

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God (Rev.2:7).

Remember thy first love, to love God with all thy heart, soul and mind and not to follow any false gods (Exodus 20:1-5).

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