The city of Ephesus, which is located in Asia, is not a very interesting place to visit today. Maybe it was long ago when you could stand looking at the great stone temple built in honor of the goddess Diana. The people of Ephesus believed that her image fell down from heaven. But now the city has all crumbled into ruin, with little left of what had been a busy and successful center of business.
Several thousand years ago, Ephesus was one of the wonders of the world. Does everything have to crumble into ruin and leave us hopeless and sad? Yes, everything—even the best structures that man can build. God says that “the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3:1010But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. (2 Peter 3:10)). But we know of something that will NEVER pass away—God’s Word is FOREVER—and so is His home in heaven, which His Word, the Bible, tells us about.
The Apostle Paul visited Ephesus back when the temple of Diana stood proudly and beautiful. But Paul didn’t stand there and admire the great building. He had the “forever” message in his heart, and he didn’t keep it a secret. He knew our Jesus is forever, just like God’s Word. The temple of Diana was not.
For three months Paul told the people in Ephesus about Jesus, and some people listened. But after three months, some had heard enough and spoke against God’s message. So Paul went to another part of Ephesus where he found eager listeners, and he stayed there for two years. What did he tell them that kept them listening for so long?
He told them of God’s great love and the wonderful story of His Son Jesus. You can find the Book of Ephesians in your Bible, which is the letter he wrote to them after he left Ephesus. If you are a Christian, you will find that what he wrote in Ephesians is for you and me too.
God showed special miracles to prove the power of His words. Some of the believers brought to the sick people handkerchiefs or aprons that Paul had touched, and those who received them were instantly healed. As a result of Paul’s preaching, many of the people turned to Jesus from their idols.
The devil did not like this, just as he does not like you to listen to the Word of God now. He stirred up the silversmiths who sold little silver idols of the goddess Diana and made lots of money this way. Demetrius was their leader, and he was afraid people would stop buying the silver idols if they listened to Paul. He called together a crowd, which got to be a bigger and bigger crowd, until the whole city of Ephesus was one big shouting mob!
They shouted, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians” (Acts 19:2828And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. (Acts 19:28)), and they kept shouting for two whole hours. A Christian named Alexander tried to speak to the people, but nobody would listen. The angry mob just shouted louder!
The city clerk, whose business it was to control the people, finally got them quieted down. He gave a speech saying, Everybody knows that we worship Diana whose image fell down from heaven. Take Paul to the law courts if you must, but don’t get us into trouble with all this shouting. Go home quietly.
So quiet was restored, but was the city clerk’s message true? Is Diana forever? If, like he said, “Everyone knows,” then where is Diana today? But our Jesus came back from the dead and is alive in heaven right now. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:88Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8)).
When the Lord Jesus was here on earth, He said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but My words shall not pass away” (Mark 13:3131Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. (Mark 13:31)).
You may read this story of the Apostle Paul in Ephesus in Acts chapter 19.
ML-03/09/2014