End Time Study-Pt. 2

Truly if we are in the last of last days we must look at the church to see if she is prepared for the end-time events. Look at your own church , is it ready for the end-time events and harvest? Is the church at large equipped to answer the world's questions as end-time events are now unfolding? Do we know and understand the seasons and signs of the last days? I believe the seven churches of the Book of Revelation, among other things, are a picture of the end-time churches. This is why the end-time prophetic book begins by describing the churches. Yes, it is true that these were actual church regions in John's day, but they also hold the key to what the end-time church will look like. Most prophecy is given not just for the present time of the prophet, but also for the near and far future, thus it is recorded in our Bibles. If it were just for a one time event then it would not have been recorded for us today, except maybe for an example or historical significance.

We will begin our scriptural look at the end times by examining the churches of Revelation chapters two and three. Followed by dovetailing scriptures from Ezekiel, Daniel, Revelation, Matthew and others, in order to bring us into the current knowledge that God is revealing to His church.

Jesus begins His letters to the churches in chapter two verses one through seven with His letter to the church at Ephesus. As in all seven letters, this one is addressed to "the angel of the church." The term angel means the messenger or person sent or set by God to preside over His church. The Greek word used here is equivalent to the Hebrew "Sheliach Tsibbur" which means the messenger of the temple whose duties were to read, pray and teach in the synagogue. Today these letters would be addressed to the Senior Pastor or Minister of the church.

Jesus makes it clear in this verse that it is He who holds the true ministers of His Word in His right hand or, to say, by His power. He walks in the midst of the true churches of Jesus Christ, the candlesticks. Those churches bearing His light are those that He upholds in His right hand, or power. Unfortunately, today many ministers and churches are functioning without the light of Jesus. Many churches have become social bless me clubs while all the time believing that they are the true church. Yet, Ichabod (the Spirit has departed) has not only been written over the church but has labeled its minister. This will be the condition of some churches in the end time.

Some churches in the end times, like the church at Ephesus, will be known for their good works, labor and patience. They will not grow weary in well doing. They will be clothing the naked and feeding the hungry. They will be applauded by their communities for all their good works. They will be known as a church that opposes error in doctrine and never given to compromising the Word of God. They will have the reputation of being a church that will not tolerate evil and wicked people in their midst. They will not drop the standards of holiness. Plus, they will have great knowledge of the Word.

Because of their knowledge of the scriptures they test those claiming to be apostles. They know if the messages spoken are truly from God or merely a fabrication of the one delivering it. If the messengers do not measure up to the Word's requirements for his office and message, he is cast out as a liar. This is a church that rejects worldly music, immodest dress and lifestyles, false doctrine and anything forbidden by scripture. They have all the appearances of a New Testament church.

Like the church of Ephesus in verse three, the end-time church will be known as a church that perseveres through trials, persecutions and continues in good works. They will withstand the attempts of the false teachers to pull them away from the truth. Even though they will be keeping the faith, they will be found guilty of one thing by Jesus; namely, they have lost their first love.

An entire generation had elapsed since the founding of the church at Ephesus. With the passing of the first Ephesian converts came the inevitable cooling of spiritual zeal. The victories that the pioneers had won were taken for granted by the next generation of the church. They remained religious but had become unloving, self-righteous and proud. The church had become void of spiritual life. It did not retain its strong passion and affection for God which is present in a church that is in love with Jesus. But they had quit, forsaken, remitted, let down and lost their first love.

What is first love? It is much like the love between a man and a woman when they realize that they want to spend the rest of their lives together. This is first love. They act upon it and get married. But if they do not build upon their first love experience it will begin to grow cold and stagnate, especially during hard times. So it is with our first love experience with Jesus, our Bridegroom, we come to Him and we fall in love with Him; but if we do not build upon that first love experience, our love will grow cold and stagnate. We may continue going through the motions of being in love. We will testify of our love for Jesus. We will sing the songs of praise and worship. We will do all the things that a good bride is to do and all the while our love has grown cold, complacent and indifferent.

Our first love has another facet about it. When we have a first for anything or anyone it means that they are of the greatest value to us. Nothing else compares. No one else compares. The Ephesians had lost their first love for Jesus. Jesus was no longer their top priority. No matter how religious they appeared they no longer had the relationship with Jesus that they once had. The cares of life and the persecution of the saints had taken their toll. They were losing sight of the soon return of Jesus as decades past. They began to lose their relationship with God., through Jesus, and they did not even realize it.

Does this not happen in the church today? We too have persevered through trials and persecutions and have continued in good works. Yet our relationship with the Father, through Jesus, has turned into a religious lifestyle not the father-child relationship that it once was. The church today has become unloving, self-righteous and proud just like the Ephesian church. We have, for the most part, lost our zeal for spiritual things, holiness, righteousness, fear of God, and a strong passion and desire for a father-child relationship with God. In essence, we have lost our first love for Jesus. He is no longer our top priority. No longer does He occupy the number one spot in our hearts, desires and passions. We love Him for what He can give us or what He can do for us but not for who He is.

If the church is going to endure to the end of the tribulation, she must rediscover her first love experience. We must place supreme value on our relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ. We must have our total affections and trust set upon Him. To fall in love all over again with Jesus and to rekindle the passion for His presence will sustain us through every circumstance of life and equip us for His appearing. We then can expect to "eat from the tree of life."(v.7)