Laodicea
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What Laodicea is.
Laodicea is one of the seven golden lampstands. This means that it is a part of the true Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Unlike the Antichrist, the False Prophet, and Babylon, the members of the church of the Laodiceans have the opportunity to receive the promises designated for the overcomer.
In fact, the most stupendous promise of all is offered to the Laodicean Christians—that of sitting on the throne of Christ.
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. (Revelation 3:21)
Laodicea is surfeited with material wealth and as a result is apathetic. Some believe that the seven churches of Asia portray seven historical periods of the Christian churches. If this is the case, it may be true that in the present hour we are in the period of Philadelphia and are approaching Laodicea.
Jesus, the Lord and Christ.
Notice the manner in which Christ presents Himself to the believers in Laodicea:
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; these things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; (Revelation 3:14)
The Lord Jesus is the "Amen." In an age when the values are held to be relative, when people are insisting that there is no fixed standard of righteousness, the Lord reveals Himself as the Amen of the Word and will of God. All that God has spoken shall come to pass in its entirety.
We either approve of all that God has said or the Lord Jesus will not approve of us. He is the fixed Standard of righteousness in an age of indecision and confusion.
Satan works in the gray, lukewarm areas. "Ye shall not surely die." Not, "ye shall die," or "ye shall not die," but "ye shall not surely die." It is Satan's business to put doubt in our mind concerning the Father's power and faithfulness. It is the business of Christ to say amen to God, thus driving away all indecision and lukewarmness. "Choose this day whom you will serve!"
The Lord is the "faithful" witness. We are in a time of unfaithfulness. People are unfaithful to God and unfaithful to other people. The individual who stands by his word whether or not he is hurting is becoming rare. Marriages, business agreements, and other promises are broken if the individual sees something "better" for himself. God and Christ are utterly faithful and they demand total faithfulness in those who would appear with them in the Day of the Lord.
Christ is the only "true witness." The civilized nations are one huge lie. The love of money readily leads people into lying. In the effort to sell merchandise, to make money, lying abounds. In real estate transactions, in the selling of cars, in the offering of investment opportunities, and in other areas of selling people often are cheated as the free-enterprise capitalist craves and amasses material wealth. The educational philosophies are one mammoth lie. The media are filled with lying as the editors influence the articles with their biases. The entertainment industry promotes wretched values that often are absorbed by children and young people.
Jesus is Truth! Truth does not answer the questions of what, where, what kind, when, how. Truth answers the question, what is the meaning, the significance of this? What is the final result? Will this bring peace and joy, or misery? One can gather scientific data concerning a thing or circumstance and never understand its significance. Truth is not found by the physical senses but only as we are in touch with the Lord Jesus. He advises us concerning the truth of a matter. He alone is Truth—God's Truth. He who is not in a proper relationship with Jesus has no means of obtaining truth. The Lord Jesus is the Beginning of the creation of God. The Lord is the Source of the first creation and the Firstborn from the dead of the new. As such He deserves the honor due the One who has begun all things.
Satan has placed doubt in the minds of people concerning their origin. The unsupported hypothesis termed evolution has done much to tear down the belief that man is accountable to his Creator, that there will be a Day of Judgment, a final reckoning.
Also, those who would deny the Deity of Jesus do not present Him as having risen from the dead. Christ indeed did rise from the dead physically and all people are accountable to Him. God has appointed a Day in which He will judge all men at the hand of Christ.
The churches of our day, in some instances need to be reminded that Jesus is the Amen, the faithful and true witness of God, the Beginning of all things. The worth of every circumstance, every relationship, every thing is measured by His standard. Christ is Judge of the creation. God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ.
That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: (Ephesians 1:10)
The Laodicean Christian. Antichrist, the False Prophet, and Babylon are self-centered, man-pleasing, deceitful, and wicked. They have influenced the Laodicean Christian and produced apathy in him. His spiritual life is nearly gone. The forces of darkness have robbed him of his zeal for Christ.
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. (Revelation 3:15) Sometimes the Laodicean believer is drawn away into the worldly, man-centered ways of Antichrist. Or he may get caught up in the False-Prophet attempts to manipulate the physical realm by using supernatural faith: "I will believe until it happens; I will speak it into existence; I will picture it in my mind and maintain the mental image until it is brought into reality."
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. (Revelation 3:16) The Laodicean Christian is not fit for Paradise or Hell. He is disgusting to the Lord, the King of all. Jesus will spit him out of His mouth.
The Laodicean Christian believes himself to be rich because of his abundance of material things. The Antichrist government has given him material security and is using him as part of the satanic plan to bring all people into a worldwide community.
The Antichrist will invite Christian leaders, including fundamentalists, into positions of leadership in the government. Satan understands that the best way to destroy a Christian is to put him at ease in the world.
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: (Revelation 3:17)
We believe that the world of Antichrist will be friendly to the Christians at first, in that Antichrist himself will be a Christian in the beginning (as was Judas). But soon Antichrist, the False Prophet, and Babylon will combine to force the Laodicean Christians to either cleave to the Lord with all their strength or else compromise their consecration to the Lord.
Those who compromise will be able to continue in their churches whether or not the churches are fundamental in doctrine. The true saints, those who live in a daily relationship with the Lord, will be forced into hiding, no longer able to engage in the world economic system.
It is not fundamentalism in doctrine that will deliver the saints from deception in the last days. Deliverance will come only by entering the power of Christ's resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, and cleaving to Him and depending on Him at all times. Sharing in Christ's power and sufferings is our insurance against being led astray by the deceiver.
The Lord's advice to the Christians in Laodicea.
The Lord Jesus Christ has some things to say to the believers in Laodicea.
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 nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. (Revelation 3:18)
The Christians in Laodicea will be wealthy and secure in material things but spiritually impoverished. The Lord counsels them to seek faith that can be purified only in the fires of tribulation in order that they may be rich in the sight of God Almighty.
The believers in Laodicea will be adorned in the finery of the world, admiring one another as they assemble in their ornate structures. But in the spirit realm they will be naked. Christ advises them to be filled with His Presence that they may behave in a righteous manner, thus clothing themselves with white raiment.
The members of the Christian assemblies in Laodicea will be confident that they see and understand the things of the Kingdom of God. The truth is, they will be blind, not seeing the Lord at all and understanding little of the Kingdom. The Lord Jesus warns them to begin to bear the fruit of the Spirit that they may truly see and understand His will for them.
For if these things [the traits of godliness] be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. (II Peter 1:8,9)
The Antichrist, the False Prophet, and Babylon all urge the Christian in Laodicea to seek ease, to seek pleasure, and to live sensuously. But the righteous Lord rebukes and chastens those whom He loves.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. (Revelation 3:19)
Some Christian leaders are telling their followers that a Christian must not repent. They claim that because we have made a profession of faith in Christ we have obtained an eternal amnesty that nothing can injure. No matter what we do, God sees us perfect in Christ. They claim there no longer is a need for repentance, except for the unsaved who are coming to Christ for the first time.
But Revelation 3:19 is addressing the angel of the church of the Laodiceans, not the unsaved community. It is the apathetic Christians in Laodicea who will be rebuked and chastened and who are to be zealous and repent.
These facts are so clearly stated it appears that those who attempt to refute them are willfully leading themselves and their followers into destruction.
The Lord Jesus stands outside the door of the hearts of the Christians in Laodicea. They are filled with material goods and are cared for by a seemingly benevolent government. They are in love with love and with one another but it is soulish love. They speak endlessly about love and how they desire to help mankind. They do not see their need of the virtue and power of the Lord. Many of them are doctrinally "correct" (more or less) and rejoice in their fundamentalism of belief. The Lord stands at the door and knocks!
Here and there is an individual in the church of the Laodiceans who hears the voice of the Bridegroom. He opens the door of his heart and the Lord enters. Then the heavenly romance begins. The Lord spreads a table for His beloved. His banner over him or her is love. The Song of Solomon is lived once again in a human being. Antichrist, the False Prophet, and Babylon offer their sensuous pleasures in vain. The Lord alone is worshiped in the throne room of the person. To the Bride is given one of the greatest of all promises:
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. (Revelation 3:21) The Throne of the Father is the Heart of Jesus. The throne of Jesus is the heart of the believer in Laodicea who removes himself or herself from the clamor of Antichrist, the False Prophet, and Babylon, and finds rest in the love and will of Jesus.
There is a throne room in every human being. This room is made for the Father and the Son. Until God and Christ are seated on the throne of a person he dwells in confusion and pain.
There is a place for us also on the throne that is in us. But we are not allowed to sit there with the Father and the Son until we overcome our love for the Antichrist world system, the lusts of our flesh, and the self-love and rebellion that are an integral part of our personality.
Notice that the two verses go together and refer to the same Kingdom attainment:
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 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. (Revelation 3:20,21)
From the apathy of Laodicea to the seat of the authority and power that control the creation! Many that are last in time shall be first in the Kingdom. The last days present the greatest opportunity and the greatest danger to the people living in that hour.