Chapters 2 and 3

Chapters 2 and 3 of the book of Revelation contain seven letters to the seven literal, local churches mentioned in chapter 1, verse 11. These letters have a number of applications. First, they are seven actual letters to seven actual churches situated in seven different cities. Second, they are letters to seven individuals within the seven churches. Third, they are messages applicable to all churches in all ages, for the seven churches picture seven periods, or stages, of church history. In each period, the Lord speaks to the churches in a judgmental way, portraying their failures, and then He calls them to repentance and zealousness. We will look at the first four this week.

Ephesus

Verse 1: Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks ;

The first church addressed is the church of Ephesus, covering the time period from approximately 33 A.D. (the birth of the church at Pentecost) until 100 A.D. when John, who wrote the Book of Revelation, died.

The letter is to the angel or, literally, the "messenger" of the church of Ephesus, and is from the One who holds the seven stars in his right hand and who in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. This, of course, is the glorified Christ, as we learned in chapter 1, verse 20. How thrilling to note that the Lord both holds the churches (all believers) in His hand and walks in the midst of them, as well! This is the Christian's security. The Saviour's walk among us is to bring us closer to himself. Next, Christ speaks...

Verse 2: I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

Notice that, in each of the seven letters, the Lord begins by commending the local assembly for whatever He can find in them that is good before scolding them for their sins. The Ephesus church began in all purity, as can be observed from a study of the Book of Acts. Then false prophets entered in. This is exactly the warning Paul had sounded during his last gathering in Ephesus: For know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember (Acts 20:29-31). The leaders of the church judged these false prophets in earlier days, but became lax as they lost their first love.

Today many think it is wrong to judge heresy or wickedness. Not so! The same Christ who said, Judge not, that ye be not judged (Matthew 7:1) also declared, Judge righteous judgment (John 7:24). A believer is never to judge a person as far as motives are concerned. However, he should definitely judge one when that individual's doctrine is heretical or his life is filled with wickedness. This is why John said, Try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world (1 John 4:1), and why Paul stated in 1 Timothy 5:19 and 20: Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. The church at Ephesus had slipped from its original moorings and was on the way down. Is it any wonder that Mohammedanism swept through the land and destroyed the compromising church that once was mighty under Paul?

Verse 3: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

Part of the reason this church (who had borne, and had patience, and for His name's sake had laboured, and had not fainted) failed may have been that they were too busy serving and not taking time for sweet fellowship at the feet of Jesus. When one is so active that he has no time for the Bible and prayer, he is too busy. Many have fallen to the indictment of...

Verse 4: Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

How true of multitudes today! When they were first saved they loved Jesus, loved to pray, loved to read the Word, loved to attend the services at God's house and loved to witness. Ah, but they have lost that first love!

Verse 5: Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick (or your local church) out of his place, except thou repent.

It happened! After the conquest of Mohammedanism, the church of Ephesus became nonexistent. Do not let this happen to your church or to you! Before God finishes His pronouncement of commendations and condemnations upon the church of Ephesus, he adds...

Verse 6: But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

Who were the Nicolaitans and what was it about them that so angered Almighty God? The term comes from two Greek words which mean "victory over the laity" a religious dictatorship that allowed little or no freedom to its members. This is precisely what the Holy Spirit had in mind when He told the church elders not to be lords over God's heritage, but... ensamples to the flock (1 Peter 5:3). How this message needs to be emphasized in our day as religious leaders try to impose their man-made rules on each and every member! After presenting this series of commendations and warnings, the Spirit of God adds...

Verse 7: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

How can one be an overcomer? By trusting in the merits of the shed blood of Jesus Christ: Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:5).

Verse 8: And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;

We saw in chapter 1, verse 11, that this first and the last, or Alpha and Omega, is the Lord Jesus Christ. He now begins His message to the next church.

Smyrna

Verse 9: I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

The Smyrna period of church history takes us from 100 A.D. to 312 A.D. These people probably suffered the greatest persecution in all Christianity. Their works, faithfully performed in the name of Jesus, brought great tribulation and accompanying poverty, materially. However, great riches were laid up for them in heaven. In addition, their relentless, dedicated efforts brought the Word of God to the entire Roman Empire. During the second and third centuries, the Smyrna church members were fed to the lions at Rome while multitudes cheered. Church history informs us that five million may have been martyred during this era. Every Christian ought to read Foxe's Christian Martyrs of the World. He will quickly discover the foolishness of complaining in this day of luxury and ease.

Believe it or not, the church flourished and grew during the Smyrna period! Perhaps a little persecution would do us some good today. We might learn to love other brothers in Christ who have a different religious label than ours. God forgive us for our sectarianism!

Much of Smyrna's heartache came through false professors of religion-those who said they were Jews as defined in Romans 2:29 (circumcised of the heart and the spirit rather than the letter) but who, in reality, were not! They did not really believe and were actually members of the synagogue of Satan! Beware of those who claim to be Christians but deny the deity of Christ. They, too, are of the synagogue of Satan: every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God (1 John 4:3). The same is true of those who mix law and grace. Paul said, I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed (Galatians 1:6-9).

Because of the false brethren propagating false doctrine and despising the true believers, persecution came from within and from without. In the face of such satanic opposition, Christ's message was...

Verse 10: Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

When the hour of trial arrived, the believers were not to fear. They were to keep their eyes on eternal rewards as mentioned in James 1:12: Blessed is the man that endureth : for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Many Bible scholars believe that the ten days of persecution consisted of ten literal periods of suffering. I agree, since church history emphatically supports this assertion. Still, the church of Smyrna was guaranteed final victory through the Lord's promises, power, and provision...

Verse 11: He that hath an ear; let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Pergamos

Verse 12: And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;

Again, chapter 1, verse 16, proves that the speaker is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse 13: I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr; who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

The letters to the first three churches begin with a commendation. To each Christ says, I know thy works. God sees what we do for Him. How sad when backsliding destroys the many good deeds performed in His name! We see this strange twist at Pergamos. Here the bad works outweigh the good ones.

This church period, extending from 312 A.D. to 606 A.D., was one of materialism, self-indulgence, and worldliness. Wickedness spread like a brushfire. The name Pergamos has in it the same root from which we get our English words bigamy and polygamy. Pergamos signifies a mixed marriage of the church and the world. This happened because the Babylonian religion established its headquarters at Pergamos and infiltrated Christianity. No wonder this local church is charged with dwelling in the area of Satan's seat or literally, "throne." They were perched on the doorstep of the devil's headquarters!

Of necessity, the believer in Christ is in the world. However, he must constantly guard against becoming involved in its ungodliness. The church of Pergamos became part and parcel of Satan's worldly establishment. They called themselves by Christ's name (Christians) and made verbal and written assent to the faith, even though they saw the danger of martyrdom in the example of Antipas. Nevertheless, they backslid.

Verse 14: But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

The first grievance against the church of Pergamos was the fact that they had embraced the pleasures of the world or become a worldly church. Secondly, they had given heed to false doctrine-the theology of Balaam. Remember Balaam? He had a smart donkey! How sad to be famous because of one's donkey. The animal was so smart it could outtalk Balaam. What was the doctrine of Balaam taught to Balac? First, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and second, to commit fornication. Balac had hired Balaam to curse Israel, and Balaam, the false prophet, was unable to get the anointing of Satan upon his spirit for the task. So he figured out a plan of destruction for the Jews. He said, "Let the choice of the women of Balac's kingdom display themselves before the eyes of God's people." As expected, the Jewish men became enamored with the beauty of the daughters of Balac's kingdom, committed fornication with them, married them, and were eventually drawn into idolatry. How wrong! Those who name the name of Jesus are not to become involved with the world in any manner, ye cannot drink the cup of the. ..Lord's table, and of the table of devils (1 Corinthians 10:21).

Verse 15: So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

Not only were the people of the first church of Pergamos worldly, sinful, and idolatrous, but they also shared in the wicked practice of Nicolaitanism as did the church at Ephesus. This, again, is ecclesiastical Hitlerism. It is when the minister or leader says, "I am the head, and you have no choice in the matter," allowing laymen no voice in the affairs of the church. Concerning the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, the condemnatory statement, which thing I hate, is uttered by the Lord God himself. The solution?

Verse 16: Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

This is serious business. The Christian is not to close his mind, heart, and ears to God's warning.

Verse 17: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; 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.

As previously noted, the overcomer is the true believer in Jesus (see 1 John 5:4). He is given the hidden manna (the Word of God) and is presented a white stone. During ancient court trials, the jurors would lay down white stones to signify a decision of acquittal. Praise the Lord, through the blood of Jesus, the white stones of acquittal have been presented and every Christian has a new name written down in glory!

Thyatira

Verse 18: And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;

Once again we see that the speaker is the Son of God. The description of His eyes and feet were discussed in chapter 1, verses 14 and 15.

Verse 19: I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.

To this point, all four churches have been complimented for their works. Thyatira, however, was loaded with meritorious service and unusual deeds. She was known for her good works, love, service, faith, patience, and last works. The term "last works" means that this church outdid herself. Her works became greater toward the end of her lifetime than they were at the beginning.

Historically, Thyatira covers the years 606 A.D. to 1520 A.D. However, many scholars believe that this church is found in the world until she is destroyed by the revived Roman Empire in chapters 17 and 18. Although Thyatira had many admirable qualities, she nevertheless had some deep-rooted problems as well.

Verse 20: Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

Who was Jezebel? In the Old Testament she was perhaps the most wicked woman of her day. She became so hated that she was thrown from a window and the dogs ate her flesh. The sin of this self-appointed prophetess was to bring Baalism into Israel as a new religion. She is accused of seducing God's servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols. This constituted the breaking of two of God's commandments to His people Israel: (1) Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them and (2) Thou shalt not commit adultery (Exodus 20:4, 5, 14). God called upon Thyatira to turn from her wicked ways.

Verse 21: I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.

The long-suffering and loving God gave Thyatira approximately 1,000 years to do what was right, but she resisted. How like many twenty-first century Christians, constantly rejecting the wooings of the blessed Holy Spirit. The result...

Verse 22: Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.

Judgment always comes: Be sure your sin will find you out (Numbers 32:23). The Lord promises to cast this church and her bed partners-those who have partaken of her abominable iniquity, including idolatry and unfaithfulness to the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ-into the Great Tribulation. At that point, the church which sits upon seven hills (chapter 17, verse 9) will be destroyed. The details concerning this event are discussed in chapters 17 and 18.

The obvious lesson here is that God hates sin. Sentimentalists say, "Oh, the blessed, loving Jesus would never condemn anyone ." Really? We know that God is love (1 John 4:8) and God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world (John 3:17). Nevertheless, when His love is repeatedly spurned and one deliberately follows a course of sin, God's holiness demands that the sinner be punished. Remember Christ himself is speaking in the following verse:

Verse 23: And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

How sad that the church of Thyatira, so highly praised for good works in the opening passages, must be horribly judged because of having undone every good thing that had been originally performed in the name of the Saviour. Likewise, today it is possible for the Christian to lose every reward he has earned, so look to yourselves, that lose not those things which have wrought (2 John 8). The only good news concerning Thyatira was that a remnant remained faithful in spite of the deterioration of this local church.

Verse 24: But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.

The Lord Jesus informed John that those who did not succumb to Jezebel's theological follies or fall into the fornication and idolatry propagated by this false Babylonian religion, would not have any other burden. They had experienced enough heartache.

Verse 25: But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.

Here the faithful remnant was admonished to continue in the truth of God's Word until Jesus returned.

Verse 26: And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

Verse 27: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; and as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Verse 28: And I will give him the morning star.

Christ has promised faithful believers three rewards upon His return to the earth: (1) rulership over the nations during the Millennium: For they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years (chapter 20, verse 4); (2) sharing in this glorious time of perfect righteousness resulting from Christ's personal enforcement and order (see Psalm 2:8,9); and (3) the abiding presence of the blessed Saviour throughout time and eternity as Christ himself, the bright and morning star, reigns (chapter 22, verses 14 and 16).

If your life is not what it once was for Christ, don't be a loser when rewards are distributed. Instead, about-face! Live for Him! Heed the warning of the next verse.

Verse 29: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Revelation 3: 1-22

Let's move on to the next church. The fifth letter, written to the local church in Sardis, is also from the Saviour, for Christ has the seven stars in His right hand in Chapter 1, verse 16. Again, the Saviour begins by commending Sardis for her works.

Sardis

Verse 1: And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; these things saith he that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

Sardis began in 1520 A.D., and undoubtedly extends, historically, into the Tribulation. This period of time covers the Reformation (with its dead, lukewarm churches) and is presently part of the Laodicean period as well. The reason for the deadness is that, during the Reformation, entire countries became Protestant without being born again. Protestantism was made the state religion, and was freely embraced by millions who did not know what it meant to become new creations in Christ Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). Thus, Sardis became the mother of dead orthodoxy. Her theme song was not "Standing on the Promises," but "Sleeping on the Premises" -her members were dead! God help us to have life!

Hundreds of churches follow Sardis's lead today. This is the reason millions are leaving liberal churches for good, old-fashioned, gospel-preaching lighthouses. Immediately, God called for a fivefold revival package.

Verse 2: Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

Verse 3: Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

Sardis was admonished to: (1) Be watchful or alert: knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep (Romans 13:11); (2) Strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: Her people were to do everything possible to salvage the little good that still remained in their bastion of dead orthodoxy; (3) Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard: The Sardis Christians were commanded to recall the former days-the early days of their salvation when they were filled with purity and zeal; (4) Hold fast: They were to retain the simple truth of the gospel and discard the excess baggage of ecclesiastical pomp and ceremony; and (5) Repent: They were to change their minds. Christ's call was not for personal repentance but for the entire church, yea, the entire movement, to change. The Reformation churches needed to turn back to Christ, seeking His will and His Spirit's teachings rather than man-made ideas about theological truth.

One of the areas of truth the Reformation churches failed to proclaim was the return of Christ. Therefore, the Lord said that this event would catch them unawares: Thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. No wonder many of the present-day offspring of the Reformation have ministers who say, "No one can understand the Book of Revelation. It is a deep, mysterious, symbolical, figurative book." Baloney! Preacher, layman, you are the one Christ had in mind. Awake thou that sleepest... and Christ shall (spiritually speaking).

In the midst of this deadness, Sardis had a few who could still wiggle, spiritually.

Verse 4: Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

Though the Reformation churches, like the mother out of whom they came, did not practice holiness unto the Lord, there were individuals who did not defile their garments in compromise with the world, the flesh, and the devil. They came out from among them, and not the unclean thing (2 Corinthians 6:17). As a result, they were promised the reward of being clothed in white garments, as stated in the latter part of verse 4 and in verse 5:

Verse 5: 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 1 will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

This white raiment is found upon the bride of Christ at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb: Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints (Revelation 19:7, 8). In addition, those who possess a genuine salvation experience will remain in the book of life eternally. What security! Christ says, I will not blot out his name... before my Father, and before his angels.

Verse 6: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Make sure YOUR experience is real!

Philadelphia

Let's progress to the next church. The sixth letter is written to the church of Philadelphia and covers historically the years from 1750 until the Rapture.

Verse 7: And to the angel of the church of Philadelphia write these things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

Once again the message is from the Lord Jesus Christ. However, instead of gleaning a picture from chapter 1, as we have in the past, we are now given a new and beautiful fourfold description of the Lord: (1) He that is holy: one finds this description of Christ in Hebrews 7:26; (2) He that is true: Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6); (3) He that hath the key of David: Jesus again said, I am the root and the offspring of David (chapter 22, verse 16); and (4) He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth. Christ is not only the One who opens the door, but He is the door (John 10:9). Christ's commendation is presented to the local church of Philadelphia in verses 8-10:

Verse 8: I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and /tact not denied my name.

Verse 9: Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

Verse 10: Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

We immediately realize from this text that the church of Philadelphia is loaded with good works. The open door speaks of missions, and the church covering this era of time undoubtedly has done, and is doing, more than any other group ever attempted to do in the annals of history. Thank God for such vision! Where there is no vision, the people perish (Proverbs 29:18).

Although this group does so much, they are still a minority, for a little strength. One of their great strengths was that they kept His name. Since the church of Philadelphia extends into our twenty-first century and even to the point of the Rapture, the command for each of us today is that we never deny His name, for if we deny him, he also will deny us (2 Timothy 2:12). Oh, the tremendous loss some will experience at the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10).

Christ also promises these faithful brethren that the members of the synagogue of Satan (false professors of religion as described in chapter 2, verse 9) will be forced to bow and worship the Lord God Almighty, willfully or unwillfully, at a future time (chapter 3, verse 9). This could be at the Judgment Day, for Paul informed the children of God that they would share with Christ in judgment. Hear him: Do ye not know that the saints will judge the world? (1 Corinthians 6:2). Christ himself spoke of that time when He stated: As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God (Romans 14:11).

Finally, because of their love for Christ, the Philadelphia-era believers are promised exemption from the day of the Lord's wrath, or the Great Tribulation hour: I... will keep thee from the hour of temptation (chapter 3, verse 10). In the Greek, the word from is ek, meaning "out of." God promises to keep the Philadelphia believers "out of"-not "through" (preservation), but "out of' (evacuation) the Tribulation.

Thus, the Church will be gone when the terrible hour of Tribulation judgment comes upon all the world to try the earth dwellers. Praise God, "This world is not my home, I'm only passing through." We believers are not earth dwellers, for our citizenship is in heaven (see Philippians 3:20). In the light of the coming of Christ, an admonition is given in the next verse.

Verse 11: Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Here the Christian is warned to be faithful, lest all rewards (not salvation, but rewards) be lost-even the loss of one's crown. The promise of verse 12 is to those who are faithful.

Verse 12: 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.

Three blessings are mentioned for the faithful: (1) They become pillars in the temple of God; (2) they have the name of God written upon them, thus identifying them and allowing them access into the city of God-the New Jerusalem described in Revelation 21 and 22; and (3) they have the new name written upon them. The name of God allows them to enter the Holy City, but the new name of Christ entitles them to be His servants, where they shall see His face (chapter 22, verses 3 and 4). Because the future blessings are so wonderful, the admonition continues.

Verse 13: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches.

Laodicea

The seventh and final letter is to the local church of Laodicea, which covers the years from 1900 to the Tribulation Hour. The message, as in all previous letters, is from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse 14: 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,

This threefold description of the Saviour includes: (1) the Amen. In Hebrew, this word means "true." The complete meaning is "truth in its finality," which pictures Christ as the final truth; (2) the faithful and true witness. This statement links Christ to chapter 1, verse 5, where He is called true, and (3) the beginning of the creation of God. Since the Lord is the firstborn of all creation (see Colossians 1:15), we again recognize Him as the speaker.

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

The Laodicean church also has works, but her service is rendered in a lukewarm fashion. What a picture of the present age! Some of our churches are so cold that signs above the doors could advertise these religious refrigerators as, "First Church of the Deep Freeze, pastored by Dr. Jack Frost." The situation is so drastic that, whereas parishioners used to quote the verse, "Many are called but few are chosen," they now think the "New Reversed Version" states, "Many are cold and a few are frozen!" God alone knows how serious the present situation literally is.

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

The condition of the Laodicean church makes God so violently ill that He wants to spue this group out of His mouth. The Greek word is emeo, from which we get the word emetic. An emetic is given to one who has swallowed poison in order to make him regurgitate. Think of that! A lukewarm church is an emetic to Christ. But what's the reason for this lukewarmness, coldness, indifference, and carnality?

Verse 17: 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:

The Laodicean era is a highly prosperous one. As a result, her people have erected elaborate church structures worth millions of dollars. (Stop a moment and consider the money presently being invested in buildings used one to three hours weekly.) Laodicean pastors often attack the "electronic church" ministries. The command of Jesus is, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). However, the "electronic church" ministers are simply obeying the Saviour. God help each of us to see that although buildings are necessary for worship and service, they should be humble edifices rather than the latest multi-million dollar architectural monstrosities which glorify men.

God tells the Laodiceans that they are really wretched and miserable, poor (spiritually, though rich materially), blind, and naked. This is true because riches usually make one wretched and miserable. One spends forty years accumulating his wealth and the final thirty years keeping others from getting it. The Laodiceans are also blind because they cannot see the need of the millions who are dying without the Saviour and going into eternal loss. Because of this fact, they are naked both now and in eternity, for they are not clothed with Christ's robe of righteousness (see 2 Corinthians 5:21). His plea to them is...

Verse 18: 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.

Christ instructs the Laodiceans to: (1) buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich. This probably refers to 1 Peter 1:7, where the trial of faith ...more than of gold; (2) buy white raiment-undoubtedly, the reference is to the garments of salvation and the robe of righteousness mentioned in Isaiah 61:10; and (3) anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. This speaks of illumination which only the saved share: The natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14). Because of the conditions prevalent in the Laodicean church, the Lord states...

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

This message reminds us of Hebrews 12:6, which states: Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Spiritual spankings are administered in order that we might be zealous and repent, or "change our minds." He continues...

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 actually a picture of Christ standing outside the door of the latter-day church rather than the heart of an individual, as we so often hear stated. Presently, entire churches and denominations are barring the Saviour's entrance. Unbelievable! However, those who listen to His appeal; open the door, and follow Jesus will not be sorry.

Verse 21: 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.

Finally, one last time, the Lord proclaims the warning...

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