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ARE WE LAODICEANS ?

Revelations 3:14-20

EACH time we read the Word, it is a great responsibility. The prophetic aspect of these chapters has often been considered, but what about the moral side of them? We look at various communities of Christians and see that some are whole-hearted, while many other, half-hearted in their application to the truth they have. Often there is a lack of knowledge of Divine Truth. They have a single eye for the gospel, although perhaps not much separation. How can those, who have received a whole treasury of truth, graciously recovered to us by God, be half-hearted?

 

                The letter is addressed to the angel of the assembly in Laodicea. The angel represents the responsible element: It is one of these seven stars which are in the right hand of the Lord and which give light (Rev. 1:16, 20). Thus the angel should be a light bearer. There are very few in the assembly who take this responsibility, yet are we not all responsible?

 

                Week after week the Laodiceans gathered together to answer to Acts 2:42, breaking bread and participating in other outward features of an assembly. Maybe there were some absent from time to time, and perhaps there were the regular late-comers, but outwardly there was a local assembly.

 

                It is important to notice that the word ' Lao-dicea' means: 'the people's voice, or, rights.' We see that this letter deals with present day circumstances, for we speak easily of 'my rights,' of   'women's rights,' 'justice for all,' etc. ...but what about the voice of the Lord? Incidentally, the essence of democracy serves the will of the people and the Christians desire should be to discern and to do God's will. What then is the real desire in our hearts? Why are we gathered here? We will answer 'to meet the Lord,' but does the Lord really find that in our hearts? Does everyone of us discern the Lord's voice?

 

Verse 15: 'I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou were cold or hot.'

The Lord reads what is in our hearts and can say: 'I know,' even if we are ashamed to speak of our failure and departure to anyone. While we have such a treasury of truth at our disposal, how can we have a divided heart? Surely this letter touches our consciences.

 

Verse 16: 'So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.'

                The Lord is everything to the faithful ones in the Philadelphian assembly. In Laodicea there is truth but no conviction; they are lukewarm. The morality of the Laodiceans is found in every place. Their great universal message is: MODERATION.

 

Verse 17: ' Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not thou that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked'.

                Many amongst us are in danger of thinking that everything is all right. But the Lord is speaking to us in this letter.

                The Laodiceans are most wretched and miserable. No other church bore this character. The Lord thinks contrary of what they were thinking. It is the last hour says John, and now it is the last minutes of the last hour. If we have the character of Laodicea, it is time to take heed of His Word.

 

Verse 19: 'As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: Be zealous therefore and repent'.

                Christ loves us to the end, what ever condition we may be found in. He demonstrate His love in rebuking and chastening. An earthly father may reject his children, but Christ does not forsake us.

 

Verse 20: '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'.

                This verse is often used in preaching   the gospel, but it is especially for believers. The Lord is outside, while Laodicea thinks they have Him in their midst according to Matt. 18:20 ! But her condition is so bad that the Lord is obliged to be outside. Loadicea's blindness means it does not realize that He is outside. Yet even here we the Lord's tender patience and long-suffering. He is knocking, and in spite of the greatest departure and indifference to what is due to Christ, there is hope.

                The call is to the individual. Will you heed? Even at this late hour and time of breakdown, He offers you this opportunity in the figure of a supper, the last meal towards the end of the day. Will you respond to this?

 

Verse 21: 'To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne. Even as I also overcome, and am set down with my Father in his throne'.

                The more we let the Lord in, the more we will be overcomers. He offers the overcomer a prize, His own reward. Our reward is Himself, to be with Him forever.

 

Verse 22: 'He that hath an ear, let him hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches'.

                Are our ears open to His voice? In the Old Testament we find written: 'Hear O Israel,' and in the New: ' Hear what the Spirit saith.'  His only desire is that Christ might be glorified. Shall we hear His voice today?

By E. N Cross     Chapter Two.