Structure of Ephesus, Revelation 2:1-7
Study:
Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 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 candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 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. Revelation 2:1-7
Partial Structure:
The seven golden candlesticks
"...in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks..." vs. 1
In the sanctuary the "seven golden candlesticks (or lampstands)" is the seven branched lampstand or minorah. But, look at the design of the minorah:
And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same. And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side: Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick. And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers. And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick. Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold. And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it. And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall be of pure gold. Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels. Exodus 25:31-39
So according to the above Bible text, the minorah of the sanctuary looks like an almond tree having six branches, flowers, and almonds. But Revelation makes this minorah into seven separate lampstands so we don't have one almond tree but seven separate almond trees or a grove of almond trees or a garden?
Structure of Ephesus: Walking with Jesus in the Garden of Eden!
Layer 1:
The focus of this structure is the outer layer, the Garden of Eden. It answers the central issue or problem of the church of Ephesus. In it we find our first love and our first works, for Christ must be our first love and spending time with Him everyday, in the Garden alone, must be our first work of the day. He must be the first in our life; the most important object of desire in the life. Only by spending time with Him may we behold Him. And only by beholding may be be changed into His likeness. And only by being changed into His likeness can we be fitted for eternity, to be able to walk with Him in person for eternity. I so desperately want that!!! I hope you do to!
Layer 2:
This structure sets out that "the apostles who are liars" are the same as the group known as "the Nicolaitans".
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