Paul’s time in Ephesus is a remarkable period of his ministry. Ephesus was one of the largest commercial centres in the empire; it was a bustling ancient city, full of trade and a conglomeration of shrines to different gods. It also contained the renowned shrine of Artemis, the fertility goddess. Her temple was four times the size of the Parthenon in Athens and one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The festival of Artemis was celebrated with wild orgies and carousing. What we see happen here in Ephesus is a major upheaval brought about by Paul’s presence in that city. After being rejected by the local synagogue Paul ends up holding meetings in a lecture hall. These meetings soon become big rallies which Paul holds every day for two years. As a result of Paul’s ministry, the city is turned upside down as the trade surrounding the great temple of Artemis takes a dramatic downturn. This even leads to riots. The account in Acts is very brief and modest, so it is easy to miss the scale of what happened here. The local synagogue leaders must have been scratching their heads. There had been a Jewish community in that city for centuries with little effect on the spiritual environment. But then comes Paul who turns the place upside down within two years! That’s what the Holy Spirit can do through us. He can change environments so that the places and situations we find ourselves in are transformed by our presence.
Ask God to use you to change the environments of the places where you spend your time.
Read Acts 19:8-41
