[:en]TO THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS (1-7)
Speaker: Word of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands
- Commendation: Good deeds, hard works, perseverance, hate the practice of Nicolaitians
- Rebuke: Forsake their first love
- Counsel: Repent and do the things you did at first
- Punishment; Remove your lampstand from its place
- Reeward: He who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the Tree of Life in the Paradise of God.
Remove your lampstand from its place would mean the church would cease to be an effective church. The church used to give lights to their surrounding communities. But Jesus would extinguish their lights if did not fulfill its purpose.
Nicolaitians were believers who compromised their faith in order to enjoy some of the sinful practices of Ephesian society. “Nicolaitian” is a Greek word similar to the Hebrew word for “Balamites”. Balaam was a prophet who induced the Israelite to carry out sinful desires.
Never make excuses to justify your behavior. Christ has strong words for those who look for excuses to sin.
Two trees were in the Garden of Eden. The Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The Tree of Life brings eternal life. The Tree of Knowledge brought realization of good and evil. When Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, they were barred from the Garden of Eden so that they cannot eat from the Tree of Life. But when evil will be destroyed, the believers will be brought into the restored Paradise. In the new earth, everyone wil eat from the Tree of LIfe and live forever.
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