THE BOOK OF REVELATION
Part 11
The Revelation Of Jesus Christ
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Message
to the Church in Laodicea
The Words of Jesus written to the Church of Laodicea
"To the angel of the church in
Laodicea write:
These are the Words of the Amen, the
Faithful and True Witness, the Ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that
you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So,
because you are lukewarm — neither hot nor cold — I am about to spit you out of
My mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.'
But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I
counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich;
and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve
to put on your eyes, so you can see.
Those whom I Love I rebuke and discipline.
So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone
hears My Voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with
Me.
To him who overcomes, I will give the
right to sit with Me on My Throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My
Father on His Throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what The Spirit says to the
churches."
Rev
3:14-22 NIV
Laodicea was a once famous city near the river
Lycus, had a wall of vast compass, and three marble theatres, and, like Rome,
was built on seven hills.
The apostle Paul was very instrumental in planting
the Gospel in this city, from which he wrote a letter, as he mentions in the
epistle to the Colossians, the last chapter, in which he sends salutations to
them, Laodicea not being above twenty miles distant from Colosse.
In this city was held a council in the fourth
century, but it has been long since demolished, and lies in its ruins to this
day, an awful monument of the wrath of God.
Our Lord Jesus came to this world and bore His
divine Testimony; He went to the cross, and suffered the agony of death, and having
been raised from the dead by The Spirit’s unlimited Power, He therefore is “the
Amen,” “the Faithful and True Witness,” “the Ruler of the creation of God.”
“The Amen” is the only One Who is steady and
unchangeable in all His Purposes and Promises, which are all ‘yea, and amen.’
“The Faithful and True Witness, has a Testimony which ought to be fully
believed and received.
“The Ruler of God’s creation” rules over ‘the new
creation’ and natural creation, and so He is the Beginning, Who is, the
Creator, and the Governor over all.
“The Laodicean church” was neither cold nor hot (v.
15). They were lukewarm and indifferent.
Why halt you between two opinions?
If GOD be GOD, follow Him; if Baal (be GOD), follow
him. There is no room for neutrality.
“An open enemy shall have a fairer contest than a
treacherous friend.”
Christ expects that men should declare themselves in
earnest either for Him or against Him.
A severe punishment awaits lukewarm Christians: “I
will spue thee out of My mouth.” As lukewarm water turns the stomach, and
provokes to a vomit, lukewarm-believers turn the heart of Christ against them. He
cannot long bear such.
“Laodicean saints” think they are very well already,
and therefore are very indifferent whether they grew better or not: Because
thou sayest, “I am rich, and increased with goods and do not need a thing” (v.
17).
Christ knows, though they know not, that they are
wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. Their state is
wretched in itself, and such as call for pity and compassion: though they are
proud of themselves, are pitiable. They are poor, really poor, because they
have no provision for their souls to live upon; their souls are starving in the
midst of their material abundance; they are ‘vastly indebted’ to the faithful
Call of God, and have nothing to pay off the least part of the debt.
“The Laodicean saints” are blind; they cannot see
their spiritual state, nor understand their way. They see no danger; they are
blind, and yet they think they see; the very light in them is darkness, and
then how great must that darkness be!
“The Laodicean saints” cannot see Jesus by faith.
They are unable to look into eternity.
They are naked, without clothing—they have neither
“the garment of righteousness,” nor “the garment of praise.” They have no home
of rest for they are without God, and He has been the Dwelling-Place of His
people in all ages; in Him alone the soul of man finds rest.
The riches of this life cannot enrich the soul; the
sight of the natural eyes cannot enlighten the soul; the most convenient house
for living cannot afford rest for the soul.
The soul is different from the body, and must have
accommodation suitable to its nature, or else in the midst of material
prosperity and bodily nourishment it will be wretched and miserable.
Church of Laodicea; “worldly church” that strives
for the peoples' rights. Lukewarm. "Modern church."