Four Points Church

The city of Smyrna was located on the Aegean Sea. The city boasted an impressive harbor, a hill in the middle of the city known as the “crown of Smyrna,” and multiple idolatrous temples. There were temples to the Greek god Zeus and his daughter, Cybele. Smyrna also had a temple to the Roman goddess Roma. And, in AD 26, Smyrna erected a temple to the Roman emperor Tiberius, who had essentially been deified. It’s very clear that Smyrna was a city of pagan idolatry. The church in Smyrna, however, refuses to bow the knee to these false gods, particularly refusing to recognize the emperor as a deity. Strong oppression and tribulation come upon her for her faithfulness to Christ. This faithful church is one of only two churches (with Philadelphia being the other) out of all seven that Jesus brings no charge against.

The Ephesians were a wealthy and proud people. Their city boasted the great temple of Artemis (a fertility goddess, known as Diana to the Romans), which was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. This temple was four times the size of the Parthenon in Greece. Even when their temple was partially destroyed in the fourth century BC, the Ephesians refused help from Alexander the Great, and rebuilt the temple themselves. This shows the wealth and power of the city. Artemis was not the only deity in Ephesus. There were as many as 50 other gods and goddesses worshipped there. Pluralism was the social order of the day.

John begins this powerful letter by telling his audience that the contents have come directly from God. This message is a revelation (Revelation 1:1), or in the Greek, apokalupsis, from which we derive the English word apocalypse. However, that word has been somewhat misused in our modern context. The original word does not mean a mass catastrophe that brings about widespread destruction as movies portray. The word apokalupsis refers to mysterious truths that were once hidden, but that have now been graciously revealed. In this case, these truths are “things that must soon take place” (v. 1). Thus, John is referring to events that have begun to unfold in the age of the Church and will culminate in the end of all things, or the eschaton. This mystery has been disclosed to the apostle John, who is writing these truths down for the benefit and strengthening of the Church. This revelation of Jesus is to encourage the believers who are enduring widespread suffering and persecution. John invites his audience to read this revelation of Jesus, corporately, for their betterment and blessing. Those who hear and heed these words will be indeed blessed (v. 3).

In the final chapter of Exodus, the Lord once again speaks to Moses, giving him the order to erect the tabernacle of the tent of meeting (Exodus 40:1-2). Keep in mind that the tabernacle has been an ongoing project for Moses. The items that fill the tabernacle have been described and constructed previously in the story (See section on Exodus 25-27, 30, and section on Exodus 31, 35-39 in this study guide). The Lord tells Moses to place these items in certain locations within the tabernacle. Upon completion, the Lord will fill the tabernacle with His presence and dwell with Israel.

Throughout Exodus, we have seen God’s pattern of promise and fulfillment. First, He says what He will do, then He performs that action. A prominent example is found in Exodus 3:19-20 when He promises He will compel the king of Egypt to let the people of Israel go, by performing signs and wonders among the Egyptians. He fulfills this in Exodus 7-12 by bringing ten plagues on the Egyptians. In this passage, we see God interact with His people, following a similar pattern—this time, of command and obedience. God has commanded Moses to build the tabernacle according to His direction. We now see Israel obey God and carry out His plan. As a result, God blesses His people.

When Moses pleads with God on the people’s behalf, he asks for two things. First, he wants to know God better (v. 13). Second, he wants to see God’s glory (v. 18). God responds by saying, “I will cause My goodness to pass before you” (v. 19). Everything God does is good. When He judges other nations for their sin, it is good. When He forgives His people as they repent of their sins, it is good. God only does good!

For the past several chapters, God has been communicating with Moses on the mountain, giving him instructions for the building and establishment of the tabernacle. This chapter is a brief, but intentional, interruption in the flow of the narrative to tell us what is happening with the Israelites at the base of the mountain. We vividly see the human heart’s condition, and it's bent towards idolatry. And at the same time, we are graciously pointed to the mercy of God towards rebellious sinners. We also see that we are more like the Israelites than we think.

The high priest in the tabernacle had unique responsibilities before God and on behalf of the people that only he was authorized to do. Exodus 28-29 shows us how high priests are clothed for their office, and how they are set apart for the role of representing the people of Israel before a holy God. We will also see how Jesus fulfills the role of high priest in such a way as to remove the need for blood sacrifices forever.

People often ask, “Why do all religions seem to have the same practices and prayers?” The answer is simple: we all come from the same place. We are all, regardless of race, language, or geography, one people. We are sons and daughters of Adam and Eve. We are sons and daughters of Noah and his sons. World religions look similar in because our ancestors all heard from one God. Over time, people added their own ideas to the words of the one true God, and multiple religions emerged, but they all contain remnants of the original worship of the true God.

God has entered into a covenant with Israel. His chosen people have His moral law written on stone tablets. How are they now to apply that law to the everyday situations they may face? This section of Exodus answers that question. In chapters 21-23, God “sets rules before” His people that are to govern how they are to interact with one another as a called-out community of faith (Exodus 21:1). And then in chapter 24, we see the closing ceremonies of the covenant.