2002-01-01
Good Morning Dear Ones,
In my last message, God led me to discuss His warnings against evil practices and a description of what they are. While this was a hard message to write, because the subject is so distasteful, it really necessary for us to have this "combat intelligence" to be able to fight to victory in Christ against the adversary. Our Lord felt that our knowing how to do battle in spiritual warfare was so important that He directed Luke to write about the situation in Ephesus in AC 19. This was to give us an example of the clash that goes on when God-centered and man-centered believe systems come in contact with one another.
To begin, let me give some background in the city of Ephesus, which is located in what was then Asia Minor and is now Turkey on its western shore boardering the Aegean Sea. At the time of the early Christian church, Ephesus was the fourth largest city of the Roman empire. It was a center for the worship of the pagan goddess of fertility, Diana (also known as Artemis). This was a commercial trade center with active pilgrim and silversmith trades. A main feature of the city was the temple of Diana, complete with temple prostitutes. Diana was thought of as the patroness of sexual instincts. The library of Celsus was there. Unlike most synagogues of its day, the one at Ephesus didn't house a copy of the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament. Therefore, it was unread by most of Ephesus' citizens. Instead, the predominant pagan religion included magic, sorcery, and the practice of witchcraft. The city also had a huge amphitheater built into the side of a cliff.
Now, let's look at what Luke writes in AC 19, about what happened during Paul's time in Ephesus. AC 19: 8-10, "Paul went into the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly with the people, holding discussions with them and trying to convince them about the Kingdom of God. But some of them were stubborn and would not believe, and before the whole group they said evil things about the Way of the Lord. So Paul left them and took the believers with him, and every day he held discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the people who live in the province of Asia, both Jews and Gentiles, heard the word of the Lord." During this time, the Lord was performing unusual miracles through Paul, driving away illness and evil spirits from the people. Many people were brought to faith by this, so many that it began to hit the silversmiths of Ephesus right where it hurt, in the wallet! They had been making a living from producing silver statues of the temple of the goddess Diana, and sales of them were affected by the growing number of conversions to Christianity.
AC 19: 21-41 tells the story of the revolt of the silversmiths in Ephesus. A certain silversmith named Demetrius brought his co-workers together conveying the problem from his point of view to them 24-27). Others overheard what was being said, and before long, the crowd became furious and shouted, "Great is Artemis of Ephesus!" (28). AC 19: 29, "The uproar spread throughout the whole city. The mob grabbed Gaius and Aristarchus, two Macedonians who were traveling with Paul, and rushed them to the amphitheater." Paul himself had wanted to go before the crowd, but some believers wouldn't let him. Even some provincial authorities who were his friends wrote him letters to dissuade him from going. Some of the people thought Alexander was responsible since some of his fellow Jews had made him go to the front. When Alexander tried to give a defense, the people wouldn't listen because he was a Jew (30-35). At last the city clerk was able to calm the crowd. He convinced them not to be reckless on the basis that the believers in Christ had not robbed the pagan temples or said evil things about the goddess Diana. He said their was no excuse for a riot and that these matters could be settled in a court, a legal meeting of the citizens of Ephesus. The meeting was then dismissed (36-41).
The story of the revolt of the silversmiths not only provides an example of spiritual warfare that arises and must be fought, but it also shows us that it can be won in Christ's name. To be sure, the believers prayed for no riot to happen. More than that, we look back with the hindsight that history gives us and find that while Christianity is still practiced today, the pagan worship of the goddess Diana disappeared off the scene. God and the Son live on to bless those who believe and to lead them to eternal life. Consider how that impacts our individual lives as we face whatever spiritual warfare we must encounter in them.
PRAYER: O Lord, You lead us to the truth that repentance and faith in Christ open the way to salvation for us. Then, You command us to live "in Christ," so that You can perfect us. To help us know and live by Your word, You caused the Holy Spirit to dwell within us as Your gift to us. Knowing we will encounter spiritual warfare along the way and that we must endure through the conflict between our outer fleshly selves and our inner spiritual selves, You make true David's plea in PS 31: 3-5. "You are my Refuge and Defense; guide me and lead me as You have promised. Keep me safe from the trap that has been set for me; shelter me from danger. I place myself in Your care. You will save me, Lord; You are a faithful God." The old adage that faith can move mountains is true, and the story of the silversmith's revolt in Ephesus bears that out. You know the war against Satan and his followers is not won yet, but You give us hope that it will be in Christ's name. We believe You, Dearest Abba, and submit to Your wisdom over our own. You bring the words of COL 3: 3 to mind. "For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." We must trust and obey You, and we can believe in the protection You will afford us when we do. You are indeed, a faithful God, Who loves His children. In humility, we bring confession of our sin, prayer that the Holy Spirit will fill us, trust, obedience, worship, adoration, diligence, loyalty, praise, and thanksgiving to Your altar. To You belongs the honor and glory for all the blessings You bestow upon us daily. In Christ's name, amen.
Tomorrow, God leads me to write more about the front lines of the battle between Spirit-led and flesh-led belief systems. I would like to believe that an angel is assigned to each believer, just as the Scriptures talk about a angel for each country. Where countries are concerned the Scriptures make it clear that not all these angels are righteous. However, where believers are concerned, I believe that a person's guardian angel is righteous. I'm not the only one to take comfort in this belief. Whether or not it is correct, the important thing for each of us to know is that our Lord loves us and keeps His promise to protect us when we endure in faith. We must fight spiritual warfare, but we don't go into it without being equipped to do so and covered by God's love for each of us. Peter and I send you our love too.
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn