Ephesus and Eternity

“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.’ ” 

Revelation 2:1–5 NKJV

In this message to the Ephesians, God commends them for their good works, for their labor, their patience, their intolerance of evil, for perseverance and labor for Christ’s name. He commends the fact that they have not become weary. That is quite a list, a wonderful litany of praise. Not one negative or evil or wrong is given concerning the things this church is doing. We find no sins of commission; however, it seems there is only one thing missing. To us, this lack may not even be discernable as they seem to be doing all the right things. This is a church that has left its first love. And due to that one ingredient being missing, Jesus says unless they repent, He will remove their lampstand from its place. That signifies a condition of being rejected—bottom line, a loss of eternity.

Do we, in our human point of view think this is a little unreasonable, maybe just a little stern, or too demanding? What a wonderful litany is given of this church’s character, and just because of the loss of one thing they are rejected? Well, let’s consider a few things in relation to this.

The following quote was written in 1856, just 14 short years after the disappointment of the expected return of Jesus. This article gives us a glimpse of God’s view of things. “The glory and majesty of God was made to pass before me. Said the angel, ‘He is terrible in His majesty, yet ye realize it not; terrible in His anger, yet ye offend Him daily. Strive to enter in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat; because straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it’ (Matthew 7:13).” The Review and Herald, January 6, 1863. This is God’s message also in the message to the church of Ephesus.

Let’s think for a moment about who God is. Human words are too feeble, too weak, too inadequate, so we will turn to God’s inspired Word to find descriptions of who God is.

“For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16, 17).

“And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3).

“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name” (1 Chronicles 29:11–13).

“ ‘There is none like unto Thee, O Jehovah; Thou art great, And Thy name is great in might. Who should not fear Thee, O King of the nations’ (Jeremiah 10:6, 7, A. R. V.)? …

“ ‘Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world.” “Who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counselor? Or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto Him again? For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory forever’ (Acts 15:18; Romans 11:34–36). …

“ ‘He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, And hangeth the earth upon nothing. He bindeth up the waters in His thick clouds; And the cloud is not rent under them. … He hath compassed the waters with bounds, Until the day and night come to an end’ (Job 26:7–10).

“ ‘The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at His rebuke. He stilleth the sea with His power. … By His Spirit the heavens are beauty; His hand hath pierced the gliding serpent. Lo, these are but the outskirts of His ways: And how small a whisper do we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand’ (Job 26:11-14, A. R. V., margin)?

“ ‘The Lord hath His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet’ (Nahum 1:3). …

“ ‘Great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised; And His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall laud Thy works to another, And shall declare Thy mighty acts. Of the glorious majesty of Thine honor, And of Thy wondrous works, will I meditate. And men shall speak of the might of Thy terrible acts; And I will declare Thy greatness. They shall utter the memory of Thy great goodness, And shall sing of Thy righteousness.’ …

“As we learn more and more of what God is, and of what we ourselves are in His sight, we shall fear and tremble before Him.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 281–283.

We see here a God of limitless power; a God of indescribable glory; God, the Great and Mighty, full of light brighter than the sun, the One who travels “from star to star.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 69. This is the God who is returning to this earth—not this time as “the meek and lowly one” (The Desire of Ages, 20, 112, 295, 422), but rather as “the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”

At this point in time, what would happen to any human being if they were once to catch a glimpse of this God? “The Father’s person I could not behold, for a cloud of glorious light covered Him. I asked Jesus if His Father had a form like Himself. He said He had, but I could not behold it, for said He, ‘If you should once behold the glory of His person, you would cease to exist.’ ” Early Writings, 54. First Timothy 6:16 KJV tells us, “Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.”

God does not want us to be destroyed. He loves us with a love stronger than death. What did He do, for a time that we might not be destroyed by His very presence? “God forbears for a time the full execution of the sentence of death pronounced upon man. Satan flattered himself that he had forever broken the link between Heaven and earth. But in this he was greatly mistaken and disappointed. The Father had given over the world into the hands of His Son for Him to redeem from the curse and the disgrace of Adam’s failure and fall. Through Christ alone can man now find access to God. And through Christ alone will the Lord hold communication with man.” The Review and Herald, February 24, 1874.

In His great mercy, love, and forbearance, the Father separated Himself from us that His majesty, His power, the brightness of His glory would not destroy us fallen, sinful, degraded human beings. Did He then abandon us? No, No. He now holds communion with man through Christ. Our God is so gracious, so merciful, so long-suffering. In mercy He separated Himself from fallen man, communicating His love, His mercy, His compassion, and the great plan for the restoration of fallen man, through Christ, His One and Only Son. He did this that His “light unapproachable” might not consume us! But He will not always maintain that separation.

“ ‘Hereafter,’ said Jesus, ‘shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven’ (Matthew 26:64). In these words Christ presented the reverse of the scene then taking place [in the judgment hall of Annas the high priest]. He, the Lord of life and glory, would be seated at God’s right hand.” The Desire of Ages, 707, 708. No, that separation will not be maintained forever.

At that time, not only will the Father return, but Christ will no longer veil the glory of the Father that He also bears. He will come in the full glory of the Father, who dwelt in light unapproachable by humanity, so full of glory that no man could behold his face and live (see 1 Timothy 6:16).

We don’t want to be destroyed by His coming. But I wonder sometimes if we really want to be changed to reflect His image, or if by our actions, if not by our very words, we rather express the unspoken desire that God Himself change and thereby accept us in our fallen state, or at least in some degree excuse or lesson the obligations just a little.

Let’s think that through for a moment. Do you want this God to change to meet us where we are? Just think what that would mean! Consider the earlier statements about who and what God is! He not only created ALL things, but He upholds ALL things through His power.

We all claim that we want a change from this world of pain, misery, sorrow and death. We all claim to desire heaven. Friends, the only option is for us to change—completely. There is no other option. If we didn’t change—completely, wholly, entirely, we would replicate this earth in heaven! This is why in Revelation 2, a message of rebuke is presented to the church of Ephesus. We must attain to the perfection of God if we want to meet Him at the second coming, if we want to “see His face” (Revelation 22:4) without being destroyed.

And the bottom line in this change, the motive power for this change, and all the things we think, say and do, must be love. Good works, perseverance, labor, intolerance of evil—all these things must be motivated or undergirded, must spring from the great underlying principle of all heaven, the very character of God—love. “God is love” (1 John 4:8). [Emphasis supplied.] Therefore, no matter what we do, think, say, are, if it is not undergirded by the very essence of God—love, it will not stand in the day of final account, and our lampstand will be removed.

This is the burden of my heart and thought—who God is, who we are, who and what we must become if we are to “see His face” and live.

My friends, let us “reason together” (Isaiah 1:18) as God invited us to do. Let us see the beauty, the wisdom, the love, the yearning, the tenderness, and the absolute justice of His will and way. Let us return unto our Lord with the motive of pure, unadulterated love so that we may “abide the day of His coming” and be able to “stand when He appeareth” (Malachi 3:2 KJV).

All Bible quotes NASB unless otherwise noted.

Brenda Douay is a staff member at Steps to Life. She may be contacted by email at: brendadouay@stepstolife.org.