By the time Paul arrived in Ephesus the area had been populated for thousands of years. The city itself was said to have been founded by Ephos the Queen of the Amazons. There are, of course, other stories related to the founding of the city.
Ephesus was the home of one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The Temple of Artemis, a building said to have dwarfed the Parthenon in size and grandeur was there, and the Cult of Artemis was a very important part of the culture. Interestingly, Artemis of the Ephesians was a cross between several goddesses that had been worshiped in the region. There are many statues, fountains, and other carvings of a woman with a beautiful face but dozens of breasts. The classical Greek Artemis was a virgin huntress. Artemis of the Ephesians was more like Mother Earth and was worshiped for fertility – hence the many breasts.
There is some thought that a large meteorite had crashed to earth near Ephesus, because in Acts one of the pagans resisting Paul’s evangelism commented that Artemis’ image had fallen from heaven on that very site.
Located in a natural harbor at the mouth of Caystor River, Ephesus was an important city in its day. It was big and well built with architecture influenced by both the Greeks and the Romans, and many of its ruins still stand. In fact, recently a member of my church brought me a book mark she has purchases after touring those ruins.
It is to the Christians living in that already ancient city which had strong culture and religious traditions that Paul writes, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.”
I sometimes shy away from the topic of predestination, but it is an especially important topic for us especially in a context like ancient Ephesus where Christians were persecuted. Too often we have played the “if . . . then” game with predestination. “IF” we are predestined to heaven and forgiveness, “THEN” all these people around us must not be! It’s logical, but incorrect. God wants all people to be saved. He never predestines anyone to Hell.
Predestination is intended to be a teaching of comfort for us as we face the struggles and troubles of the world. When we are abused by those who do not know the Lord we remember that before the world was created God looked into time and chose us. He loved us before we were born, before we were created, before we even had the opportunity to be lovable. Knowing that gives us hope and encouragement. We can press on. “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
How can we be sure that God has chosen us? How can we be sure that even as we face the worst the world has to offer that God’s blessings and love are still ours? Because, “We have redemption through [Jesus’] blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making know to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”
We have been given wisdom to understand a mystery – something once hidden that God has made known. God loves sinners and gives us forgiveness in Jesus though the cross and empty tomb.
Heavenly Father, thank you for choosing me. Help me to be confident of that choice as I face my daily troubles, and help me to share your love with others so they may have the comfort of knowing your love and forgiveness through Jesus, too. Amen.
Ephesus was the home of one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The Temple of Artemis, a building said to have dwarfed the Parthenon in size and grandeur was there, and the Cult of Artemis was a very important part of the culture. Interestingly, Artemis of the Ephesians was a cross between several goddesses that had been worshiped in the region. There are many statues, fountains, and other carvings of a woman with a beautiful face but dozens of breasts. The classical Greek Artemis was a virgin huntress. Artemis of the Ephesians was more like Mother Earth and was worshiped for fertility – hence the many breasts.
There is some thought that a large meteorite had crashed to earth near Ephesus, because in Acts one of the pagans resisting Paul’s evangelism commented that Artemis’ image had fallen from heaven on that very site.
Located in a natural harbor at the mouth of Caystor River, Ephesus was an important city in its day. It was big and well built with architecture influenced by both the Greeks and the Romans, and many of its ruins still stand. In fact, recently a member of my church brought me a book mark she has purchases after touring those ruins.
It is to the Christians living in that already ancient city which had strong culture and religious traditions that Paul writes, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.”
I sometimes shy away from the topic of predestination, but it is an especially important topic for us especially in a context like ancient Ephesus where Christians were persecuted. Too often we have played the “if . . . then” game with predestination. “IF” we are predestined to heaven and forgiveness, “THEN” all these people around us must not be! It’s logical, but incorrect. God wants all people to be saved. He never predestines anyone to Hell.
Predestination is intended to be a teaching of comfort for us as we face the struggles and troubles of the world. When we are abused by those who do not know the Lord we remember that before the world was created God looked into time and chose us. He loved us before we were born, before we were created, before we even had the opportunity to be lovable. Knowing that gives us hope and encouragement. We can press on. “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
How can we be sure that God has chosen us? How can we be sure that even as we face the worst the world has to offer that God’s blessings and love are still ours? Because, “We have redemption through [Jesus’] blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making know to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”
We have been given wisdom to understand a mystery – something once hidden that God has made known. God loves sinners and gives us forgiveness in Jesus though the cross and empty tomb.
Heavenly Father, thank you for choosing me. Help me to be confident of that choice as I face my daily troubles, and help me to share your love with others so they may have the comfort of knowing your love and forgiveness through Jesus, too. Amen.
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