Revelation 3:14-22

Revelation 3:14-22 Λαοδίκεια Outline: I. NAME OF CHURCH IDENTIFIED, Verse 14 II. IDENTIFICATION OF CHRIST AS SENDER, Verse 7 III. ASSERTION OF KNOWLEDGE, Verses 8-10 IV. COMMENT AND CONCERN, N/A V. EXHORTATION, Verses 11 VI. PROMISED BLESSING, Verse 12 VII. ADMONITION TO HEED, Verse 13 ∞≻≺∞ This letter will conclude the section that deals with the churches and the church age. I. NAME OF CHURCH IDENTIFIED, Verse 14 A. Laodicea the city. 1. The name. It is compound Lao means people and Diceans means rulers. Rule or rights of the people. a) What we have at Laodicea is the opposite of what was going on in the church of Ephesus and Pergamos with the Nicolaitans. That word, nicolaitans, means to rule over the people. This Jesus expressed clear hatred for. He not only expressed hatred for there deeds but also their 1 doctrine. b) But with Laodicea we see the opposite take place. They were not a church overran and ruled over by a clerical hierarchy which replaced Jesus but they as a people were claiming rights and asserting those writes to behave in any way and teach in any which way that pleased them. It was not a hierarchy but the individuals of the church that replaced the Lord. c) We need to understand that when ever we start claiming writes as a believer we become like the church of Laodicea. The word tells us so clearly that we “are not [our] own? For [we have been] bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” (2 Corinthians 6:19-20) d) Churches do what they want these days. They choose there pastor and then if they donʼt like how or what the pastor teaches they simply replace him. Churches preach what they want simply to raise attendance. And this is easy to do! Just be lukewarm and have no convictions about anything, do not be dogmatic about clear scriptural truths and never challenge or appeal to the conscience of the hearer and you will get people in the doors. But at the same time you will be sealing their fate to ever come into a relationship with the lord who died for them. Blind leading the blind and in the end they both fall into a ditch! 2. Some 72 kilometers, “South of Philadelphia, not far from Colossae, stood the large and prosperous city of Laodicea on the banks of the river Lycus. It was the twin of Hierapolis, ten kilometers away, which was renowned for its hot springs. Laodicea stood midway between the hot springs of Hierapolis and the cold waters of Colossae. (It was fed by an aqueduct from Hieropolis, the water being lukewarm when it arrived.)”1 3. “A highly successful commercial and financial center, remains of a theatre, aqueducts, baths, gymnasium and stadium still survive to testify of its former luxury.” 2 4. “It was never militarily defendable, so its strategic posture was one of compromise. The city was originally founded by the Ionians about 2000 B.C. as a relatively small town of Diospolis, but in the 19th century B.C. the Hittites added it to their expanding empire. A thousand years later it was captured by the Phrygians and soon afterwards by the Lydians. It was renamed Rhoas, but in about 250 B.C. it was taken by the Syrians, and Antiochus II rebuilt the town and renamed it after his wife, Laodice. It became part of the Kingdom of 1 Notes on Revelation, Chuck Missler, Pg.92 2 Ibid 2 Pergamos about 190 B.C. and ultimately passed into the hands of the Roman Empire. According to Josephus, there was a large Jewish colony there.” 3 5. In 62 AD it was destroyed by an earthquake and was able to rebuild itself without the financial help of Rome. They told Rome that we “have need of nothing”. 6. There were principle products that were produced in this city which made it so wealthy. a) Banking b) Black wool c) Eye ointment, Aristotle described it as “Phyrgian powder”4 (1) Christ speak to us where we are at! 7. The literal and historical become a parable of what was going on in the spiritual. II. IDENTIFICATION OF CHRIST AS SENDER, Verse 14 A. “…These things saith the Amen…” 1. In Hebrew, faithful, sure, truly, so be it. In Greek, firm, trustworthy, surely, verily, so be it. 2. If the most common definition of the word is “so be it” then Jesus who is declaring himself to be “the Amen” is saying that he is the unchangeable one or that He is immutable. Jesus is He who was, is, and is to come and “so be Him” for ever and ever. 3. Amidst the changing tide of life inside and outside of the church Jesus will remain the same. B. “…the faithful and true witness…” 1. Faithful–Quite wonderful to know that because Jesus is the immutable one then His faithfulness will likewise endure forever. However this doesnʼt only infer that His faithfulness will always be but He Himself is “the” Faithful One. It 3 Ibid 4 Chuck Missler, Notes on Revelation, Pg. 93 3 is part of who he is and not only something He performs. 2. True–Accurate, factual, Reality. Just as in His immutability He will always be the faithful one so too He will always be the True. He will never be or act in a way that wont resinate with His true nature. 3. Witness–Jesus is the Faithful and true (perfect) witness. He ever so faithfully and perfectly witnesses to the fact that He is the the risen one and that His name is the only name given among men by which we must be saved. He is the way the truth and the life and He is the faithful and perfect witness to these things. He will always represent Himself for who He actually and factually is. There will never be any discrepancy between His witness of Himself and who He actually is. 4. We may fail time to time to accurately portray the way of salvation and who He is but when we are unfaithful “He abideth faithful: he cannot deny Himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13) Just because we fail in our witness that does not mean that He canʼt reach the people we are trying reach. C. “…The beginning of the creation of God…” 1. Beginning–The word means commencement, first origin, first cause; ruling power, authority, ruler a) used of rank and honor b) unique expression only used here and in Colossians 1:15 c) Paul wanted this church and the church in Colossae to exchange letters to combat the spread of gnostic doctrine in this area during those times. 2. Jesus is the one from whom creation commenced. Even as it says in Colossians that he is the creator of all things so here it tells us that He is the one who commenced the creative process. 3. Colossians 1:15-16 it says “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, wether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for Him.” a) Image–He is the essence or is in very nature God. We get our word impression or icon from this word. It is as if God pushed his face into the material world and made an impression. Jesus Christ is the “impress” of the invisible God onto this material world. So if you have seen him you have seen the father. He is what the invisible God is, in essence and in 4 nature. b) Firstborn–keep reading and see verse 16, 17 and 18. There we see it says that he is the creator of all things(16) and he existed before all things and that by him all things do consist (17) and that He is the first5 born from the dead (18). The word “firstborn” is used to point out His preeminence. This passage doesnʼt say that God the father created all things through Him but that Jesus Himself is the creator. All things in creation issued from him and all things in creation are ultimately returning to Him. (1) John 14:9 “…he that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (2) John 1:1 “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the Word was God.” (3) John 1:14 “And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father,) full of grace and truth.” (4) John 1:18 “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared Him.” (5) He is God! III. ASSERTION OF KNOWLEDGE, Verse 15 A. “…that thou art neither cold nor hot:…” 1. This would be an illustration that would be very vivid in their minds. They need to be palatable and currently they werenʼt. 2. “Why should the Lord desire that they should rather be cold than lukewarm? This wish of the Lord can be understood by his statement to the Pharisees at the time he healed the man born blind…Christ had come into the world, He said, ʻthat they that see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind…ʼ and had concluded, ʻIf ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see, therefore your sin remainethʼ (John 9:39, 41). So the Lord is saying, if instead of being lukewarm, you were cold that you should feel that coldness, then the very feeling of your need might drive you to the true warmth, but now in your lukewarmness, you have just enough to protect yourself against a feeling of need.” 6 5 First born in the sense of preeminence. He is the first and only one born from the dead that produces life for everyone else 6 Donald Grey Barnhouse, Revelation, Pg. 85 5 IV. COMMENT AND CONCERN, Verses 16-17 A. “…I will spew thee out of my mouth…” 1. “The number of such churches today is legion, and they are a greater hindrance to the cause of Christ than if they were cold and dead. The latter reach no one, so they harm no one. The neutral churches, however,–the middle-of-the-road churches, the mediating churches, the compromising churches–reach many whose temperaments favor accommodationism anyhow and, with eloquent dissimulation, persuade them that, while a little religion is good, they must avoid fanaticism. Furthermore, they bitterly resent “hot” churches and do all they can to cool their enthusiasm and dilute their convictions. They cannot abide churches which, by their very existence, constitute a rebuke to their own lack of doctrinal conviction and missionary zeal.” 7 2. And so the Lord says, you make me want to vomit. 3. Vomiting is the act of violently expelling something harmful to the body. Churches like this are harmful to the body of Christ and the furtherance of the gospel. B. “…Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked…” 1. Wretched. The greek gives the force of the article, “the wretched one” 2. Miserable. The same word used in 1 Cor 15:19 “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” It is an object of pity. 3. Poor. Reduced to beggary, destitute of wealth, influence, position and honor. 4. Blind. Not physical, spiritual. 5. Naked. Open, lay bare. V. EXHORTATION, Verses 18-20 A. “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy 7 Henry Morris, The Revelation record, Pg. 76 6 nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” 1. “Counsel” He still seeks to lovingly guide this church the the correct path. Amazing the depth and breadth of the grace of our Lord. 2. “Buy”. Isaiah 55:1 tells us to buy without money and without price. the price has been paid already by Jesus they only needed to acknowledge their need, their lack, repent and receive from the Lord forgiveness. 3. “That you may be rich”. True riches only are found in Jesus. this world will devour and destroy you and all you have but the Lord will keep that which you have committed to him. lay up therefor treasure in heaven where moth nor rust can corrupt. a) “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:19-21 4. “Anoint” The Holy Spirit is needed so that they might see. “As eyesalve is needed for physical blindness, so their spiritual blindness must be assuaged by ʻthe spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,ʼ (Ephesians 1:17-18).8 VI. PROMISED BLESSING, Verse 21 A. “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” 1. The overcomer (1) Ephesus–To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. (2) Smyrna–He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. (3) Pergamos–To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth [it]. 8 Henry morris, The Revelation Record, Pg. 77 7 (4) Thyatira–And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: (5) Sardis–He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. (6) Philidelphia– Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, [which is] new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and [I will write upon him] my new name. (7) Laodicea–To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 2. Awesome promises given top the overcomer. VII. ADMONITION TO HEED, Verse 22 A. “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” Thus speaketh Christ our Lord to us: Ye call Me Master and obey Me not. Ye call Me Light and see Me not. Ye call Me Way and walk Me not. Ye call Me Life and choose Me not. Ye call Me Wise and follow Me not. Ye call Me Fair and love Me not. Ye call Me Rich and ask Me not. Ye call Me Eternal and seek Me not. Ye call Me Noble and serve Me not. Ye call Me Gracious and trust Me not. Ye call Me Might and honor Me not. Ye call Me Just and fear Me not. If I condemn you, blame Me not. —An inscription on a cathedral in Lubeck, Germany 8 The seven in brief review9 The Lord admonished the churches • Ephesus Devotion, not just doctrine. • Smyrna Endure persecution. • Pergamos Purify ambassadorship. • Thyatira Pagan practices. • Sardis Watchfulness, diligence. • Philadelphia Missionary outreach. • Laodicea Prosperous compromise. Personal Application • Ephesus Neglected Priorities. • Smyrna Satanic Opposition. • Pergamos Spiritual Compromise. • Thyatira Pagan Practices. • Sardis Watchfulness, Diligence. • Philadelphia Loyal Ambassadorship. • Laodicea Materialistic Apostasy. Overcomerʼs Promises in brief • Ephesus Eat of Tree of Life. • Smyrna Not hurt of second death. • Pergamos Manna, Stone, Name. • Thyatira Power over nations. • Sardis Walk with Him in white; name not blotted out. • Philadelphia Pillar in Temple, name of God, name of His city,new name. • Laodicea Sit with Him on His throne. 9 Chuck Missler, Notes on revelation, Pg. 96-98 9 10