Revelation Chapter 2 - 12-25-2010
II “1 For the messenger of the assembly in Ephesos, write: Thus says He commanding the seven stars in His right hand, He walking in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2 I know your works and your toil and patience, and that you are not able to bear evils, and have tried those calling themselves ambassadors yet they are not, and you have found them liars, 3 and you have patience and have endured on account of My Name and have not grown weary. 4 But I hold against you that you have left your first love. 5 Therefore remember from where you have fallen and repent and do these first works. But if not, I shall come to you and I shall remove your lampstand from its place, if you should not repent. 6 This other thing you have: that you hate the works of the people-conquerors, which I also hate. 7 He having an ear must hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies! To he who prevails I shall give to him to eat from the tree of life which is in the paradise of Yahweh.
Ephesos: The word is apparently from ephesis, which is a word with a wide variety of meanings. It may be a throwing, hurling or shooting, or in another sense permission or license. The name may also be appetite or desire, and so it may mean desirable. There was a famous festival held there in honor of the idol Artemis from the earliest times, and the town may have grown up around that, since if the name does refer to throwing and hurling, it seems to be named after the games. This town was long famous for its large but roofless temple of Artemis, whom the Romans called Diana.