Revelation 3:14-22

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5LNTy6rPRI


Bible study with Dr. Chuck Missler
The Letter to the Church at Laodicea


Revelation 3:14-22
“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.”




7 ELEMENTS OF THE LETTER TO THE CHURCH OF LAODICEA


1. Name of the Church: Laodicea
Lao = people
Diceans = rulers
Laodiceans = Rule by the people (not by Jesus!)


2. Title of Christ Chosen
“These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation” (Revelation 3:14).


Jesus is going back to the basics, stressing the foundational character of Himself:
- Amen = true; verily (Revelation 1:6, 7, 18; Isaiah 65:16; John 14:6; 1 Corinthians 1:18-22)
- Jesus is the faithful and true witness (Revelation 1:5; Psalms 89:34-37; Isaiah 55:4; John 18:37)


“Beginning of creation of God”
= beginning, first origin, first caue; ruling power, authority, ruler
- This phrase is used to denote rank and honor
- This is a unique expression used here and in Colossians 1:15
- Paul specifically instructed that Colossae and Laodicea to exchange epistles. (This is also a rebuttal to the gnostic errors beginning to make their appearance in the Lycus valley.)


3. Commendation
None!


4. Concern
“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” (Revelation 3:15-17).


Cross reference Matthew 7:21-23


5. Exhortation
“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” (Revelation 3:18-20).


Jesus gave the Laodiceans remedies to their blindness and nakedness. That is, blindness and nakedness are not incurable!


The Remedies
- Jesus, the ultimate refiner, offers His “gold”: (Psalms 19:7-11; 12:6; 1 Corinthians 3:12)
- Jesus, the bridegroom, offers His covering: white raiment vs. glossy (raven colored ) black wool (the prized product produced by the Laodiceans
- Jesus, the great physician, offers His remedy to really open their eyes with the Holy Spirit


"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."
- When read on its own, this passage is an invitation to welcome Jesus in--And it is. It is a positive message, encouraging us all to put our faith in Jesus. Invite Him in, and allow Him to change and guide us.
- However, when read in the context of this letter to the Laodiceans, we make the shocking realization that Jesus is telling them to let Him in. That is, Jesus has been kept OUTSIDE the church! Hence, in this context, this passage convicted the Laodiceans.


6. Promise to the Overcomer
"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" (Revelation 3:21).


7. Close
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (Revelation 3:22).


This phrase has occurred 7 times in Revelation and also 7 times in the Gospels (Matthew 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:23; 7:16; Luke 8:8; 14:35)




LEVELS OF APPLICATION


1. Local


Laodicea was a city of merchants, bankers, and gold refiners: At the junction of roads leading from Ephesus and Smyrna, much wealth flowed through Laodicea


Prosperous Neutrality
Since it was never militarily defendable, its posture was one of compromise. It was a highly successful commercial and financial center: Remains of a theater, aqueducts, baths, gymnasium and stadium still survive today to testify of its former luxury. (A lukewarm characteristic, yeah?)


Principal Products
- Textile manufacturing: Laodicea was known for the quality of black wool produced from a particular strain of sheep bred in the Lycus valley and for the cloth and carpets manufactured from it.
- A famous school of medicine was there, known especially for an ophthalmic ointment.


Water Supply
- Laodicea was near Hierapolis, 6 miles away that is known for its hot springs.
- Laodicea stood midway between the hots springs of Hierapolis and the cold waters of Colossae: Water was fed by an aqueduct from Hieropolis. The water was lukewarm when it arrived. (Another lukewarm characteristic!)


Church History
- Possibly founded by Epaphras (Colossians 4:12-14)
- Paul addressed a letter to it which may have been the circular letter which has been preserved as the Epistle to the Ephesians (Colossians 4:16).
- Paul’s first letter to Timothy was written by him from Laodicea (1 Timothy 6:21).
- Paul had warned Archippus (bishop of Laodicea) to be more diligent in fulfilling his ministry (Colossians 2:1; 4:16, 17). It may have been his weakness which contributed to the spiritual condition of the church here.
- Colossians and Laodiceans are so close, they were instructed to share letters. That is, the letter to Colossians were thought to address issues of Laodicea as well, and vice versa.


2. Admonitory (to all churches)
Do not compromise beliefs because of prosperity


3. Personal (Homiletics)
Repent and be committed


4. Prophetic
Apostate Church




Matthew 13 and the 7 Kingdom Parables
Jesus explains 3 of the 7 parables.
3-9: Parable 1: Sower and 4 Soils
10-17: Why Parables 1
18-23: Parable 2: Sower and 4 soils explained
24-30: Parable 3: Tares and Wheat
31-32: Parable 4: Mustard Seed
33: Parable 5: Woman and Leaven
34-35: Why Parables 2
36-43: Tares and Wheat explained
44: Parable 5: Treasure in the Field
45-46: Parable 6 Pearl of Great Price
46-50: Parable 7: Dragnet


Why Parables?
(Matthew 13:10-17; 34-35)
- These parables reveals “secrets” not found in the Old Testament
- Paul has the privilege of knowing what these secrets are and revealing them (Ephesians 3:4-6)
- The secret: That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel (Ephesians 3:6). The secret is not that the Gentiles will be saved; Isaiah made that very clear. The secret is the mystery of the church.


Parable 4: Mustard Seed
(Matthew 13:32-32)
- Why 3 measures of meal? Because Abraham had the Lord and the 2 angels visit, and Sarah made 3 measures for them. Hence, from Genesis 18 on, 3 measures of meal became the symbol of the fellowship offering. 
- An Israelite would gasp at the adding of leaven into the meal, because no one puts leaven in a fellowship offering!


Parable 5: Treasure in the Field
(Matthew 13:44)
- Remember from parable 3 that the field represents the world.
- Jesus is the merchant who “sold everything” to buy the treasure of the world. That is, He died to redeem us.


Parable 6 Pearl of Great Price
(Matthew 13:45-46)
- Oysters are not kosher! Israelites do not treasure pearls. So, why did Jesus use oysters? Because Jesus was talking about the Church!
- Pearl is an idiom of the Church.


The 7 Church Letters and the 7 Kingdom Parables
Ephesus = The Sower and 4 Soils
Smyrna = The Tares and the Wheat
Pergamos = The Mustard Seed
Thyatira = The Woman and the Leaven
Sardis = The Treasure in the Field
Philadelphia = The Pearl of Great Price
Laodicea = The Dragnet


Paul’s Epistles
Romans
1, 2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1, 2 Thessalonians
1, 2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon


Timothy, Titus, and Philemon are pastors; the corresponding epistles were thus written to these pastors. The other epistles correspond to 7 different churches.


7 Church Letters of Jesus and Paul
Ephesus = Ephesus
Smyrna = Philippians
Pergamos = Corinthians
Thyatira = Galatians
Sardis = Romans
Philadelphia = Thessalonians
Laodicea = Colossians




Commentary by Henry
Rev 3:14-22


We now come to the last and worst of all the seven Asian churches, the reverse of the church of Philadelphia; for, as there was nothing reproved in that, here is nothing commended in this, and yet this was one of the seven golden candlesticks, for a corrupt church may still be a church. Here we have, as before,


I. The inscription, to whom, and from whom.


1. To whom: To the angel of the church of Laodicea. This 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. It seems, 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 the Lamb.


2. From whom this message was sent. Here our Lord Jesus styles himself the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.


(1.) The Amen, one that is steady and unchangeable in all his purposes and promises, which are all yea, and all amen. 


(2.) The faithful and true witness, whose testimony of God to men ought to be received and fully believed, and whose testimony of men to God will be fully believed and regarded, and will be a swift but true witness against all indifferent lukewarm professors.


(3.) The beginning of the creation of God, either of the first creation, and so he is the beginning, that is, the first cause, the Creator, and the Governor of it; or of the second creation, the church; and so he is the head of that body, the first-born from the dead, as it is in Rev_1:5, whence these titles are taken. Christ, having raised up himself by his own divine power, as the head of a new world, raises up dead souls to be a living temple and church to himself.


II. The subject-matter, in which observe,


1. The heavy charge drawn up against this church, ministers and people, by one who knew them better than they knew themselves: Thou art neither cold nor hot, but worse than either; I would thou wert cold or hot, Rev_3:15. Lukewarmness or indifference in religion is the worst temper in the world. If religion is a real thing, it is the most excellent thing, and therefore we should be in good earnest in it; if it is not a real thing, it is the vilest imposture, and we should be earnest against it. If religion is worth any thing, it is worth every thing; an indifference here is inexcusable: Why halt you between two opinions? If God be God, follow him; if Baal (be God), follow him. Here is no room for neutrality. An open enemy shall have a fairer quarter than a perfidious neuter; and there is more hope of a heathen than of such. Christ expects that men should declare themselves in earnest either for him or against him.


2. A severe punishment threatened: I will spue thee out of my mouth. As lukewarm water turns the stomach, and provokes to a vomit, lukewarm professors turn the heart of Christ against them. He is sick of them, and cannot long bear them. They may call their lukewarmness charity, meekness, moderation, and a largeness of soul; it is nauseous to Christ, and makes those so that allow themselves in it. They shall be rejected, and finally rejected; for far be it from the holy Jesus to return to that which has been thus rejected.


3. We have one cause of this indifference and inconsistency in religion assigned, and that is self-conceitedness or self-delusion. They thought they were very well already, and therefore they were very indifferent whether they grew better or no: Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, etc., Rev_3:17. Here observe, What a difference there was between the thoughts they had of themselves and the thoughts that Christ had of them.


(1.) The high thoughts they had of themselves: Thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, rich, and growing richer, and increased to such a degree as to be above all want or possibility of wanting. Perhaps they were well provided for as to their bodies, and this made them overlook the necessities of their souls. Or they thought themselves well furnished in their souls: they had learning, and they took it for religion; they had gifts, and they took them for grace; they had wit, and they took it for true wisdom; they had ordinances, and they took up with them instead of the God of ordinances. How careful should we be not to put the cheat upon our own souls! Doubtless there are many in hell that once thought themselves to be in the way to heaven. Let us daily beg of God that we may not be left to flatter and deceive ourselves in the concerns of our souls.


(2.) The mean thoughts that Christ had of them; and he was not mistaken. He knew, though they knew not, that they were wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. Their state was wretched in itself, and such as called for pity and compassion from others: though they were proud of themselves, they were pitied by all who knew their case. For,


[1.] They were poor, really poor, when they said and thought they were rich; they had no provision for their souls to live upon; their souls were starving in the midst of their abundance; they were vastly in debt to the justice of God, and had nothing to pay off the least part of the debt.


[2.] They were blind; they could not see their state, nor their way, nor their danger; they could not see into themselves; they could not look before them; they were blind, and yet they thought they saw; the very light that was in them was darkness, and then how great must that darkness be! They could not see Christ, though evidently set forth, and crucified, before their eyes. They could not see God by faith, though always present in them. They could not see death, though it was just before them. They could not look into eternity, though they stood upon the very brink of it continually.


[3.] They were naked, without clothing and without house and harbour for their souls. They were without clothing, had neither the garment of justification nor that of sanctification. Their nakedness both of guilt and pollution had no covering. They lay always exposed to sin and shame. Their righteousnesses were but filthy rags; they were rags, and would not cover them, filthy rags, and would defile them. And they were naked, without house or harbour, for they were without God, and he has been the dwelling-place of his people in all ages; in him alone the soul of man can find rest, and safety, and all suitable accommodations. The riches of the body will not enrich the soul; the sight of the body will not enlighten the soul; the most convenient house for the body will not afford rest nor safety to the soul. The soul is a different thing from the body, and must have accommodation suitable to its nature, or else in the midst of bodily prosperity it will be wretched and miserable.


4. We have good counsel given by Christ to this sinful people, and that is that they drop their vain and false opinion they had of themselves, and endeavour to be that really which they would seem to be: I counsel thee to buy of me, etc., Rev_3:18. Observe,


(1.) Our Lord Jesus Christ continues to give good counsel to those who have cast his counsels behind their backs.


(2.) The condition of sinners in never desperate, while they enjoy the gracious calls and counsels of Christ.


(3.) Our blessed Lord, the counsellor, always gives the best advice, and that which is most suitable to the sinner's case; as here,


[1.] These people were poor; Christ counsels them to buy of him gold tried in the fire, that they might be rich. He lets them know where they might have true riches and how they might have them. First, Where they might have them - from himself; he sends them not to the streams of Pactolus, nor to the mines of Potosi, but invites them to himself, the pearl of price. Secondly, And how must they have this true gold from him? They must buy it. This seems to be unsaying all again. How can those that are poor buy gold? Just as they may buy of Christ wine and milk, that is, without money and without price, Isa_55:1. Something indeed must be parted with, but it is nothing of a valuable consideration, it is only to make room for receiving true riches. “Part with sin and self-sufficiency, and come to Christ with a sense of your poverty and emptiness, that you may be filled with his hidden treasure.”


[2.] These people were naked; Christ tells them where they might have clothing, and such as would cover the shame of their nakedness. This they must receive from Christ; and they must only put off their filthy rags that they might put on the white raiment which he had purchased and provided for them - his own imputed righteousness for justification and the garments of holiness and sanctification.


[3.] They were blind; and he counsels them to buy of him eye-salve, that they might see, to give up their own wisdom and reason, which are but blindness in the things of God, and resign themselves to his word and Spirit, and their eyes shall be opened to see their way and their end, their duty and their true interest; a new and glorious scene would then open itself to their souls; a new world furnished with the most beautiful and excellent objects, and this light would be marvellous to those who were but just now delivered from the powers of darkness. This is the wise and good counsel Christ gives to careless souls; and, if they follow it, he will judge himself bound in honour to make it effectual.


5. Here is added great and gracious encouragement to this sinful people to take the admonition and advice well that Christ had given them, Rev_3:19, Rev_3:20. He tells them, 


(1.) It was given them in true and tender affection: “Whom I love, I rebuke and chasten. You may think I have given you hard words and severe reproofs; it is all out of love to your souls. I would not have thus openly rebuked and corrected your sinful lukewarmness and vain confidence, if I had not been a lover of your souls; had I hated you, I would have let you alone, to go on in sin till it had been your ruin.” Sinners ought to take the rebukes of God's word and rod as tokens of his good-will to their souls, and should accordingly repent in good earnest, and turn to him that smites them; better are the frowns and wounds of a friend than the flattering smiles of an enemy.


(2.) If they would comply with his admonitions, he was ready to make them good to their souls: Behold, I stand at the door and knock, etc., Rev_3:20. Here observe,


[1.] Christ is graciously pleased by his word and Spirit to come to the door of the heart of sinners; he draws near to them in a way of mercy, ready to make them a kind visit.


[2.] He finds this door shut against him; the heart of man is by nature shut up against Christ by ignorance, unbelief, sinful prejudices.


[3.] When he finds the heart shut, he does not immediately withdraw, but he waits to be gracious, even till his head be filled with the dew.


[4.] He uses all proper means to awaken sinners, and to cause them to open to him: he calls by his word, he knocks by the impulses of his Spirit upon their conscience.


[5.] Those who open to him shall enjoy his presence, to their great comfort and advantage. He will sup with them; he will accept of what is good in them; he will eat his pleasant fruit; and he will bring the best part of the entertainment with him. If what he finds would make but a poor feast, what he brings will make up the deficiency: he will give fresh supplies of graces and comforts, and thereby stir up fresh actings of faith, and love, and delight; and in all this Christ and his repenting people will enjoy pleasant communion with each other. Alas! what do careless obstinate sinners lose by refusing to open the door of the heart to Christ!


III. We now come to the conclusion of this epistle; and here we have as before,


1. The promise made to the overcoming believer. It is here implied,


(1.) That though this church seemed to be wholly overrun and overcome with lukewarmness and self-confidence, yet it was possible that by the reproofs and counsels of Christ they might be inspired with fresh zeal and vigour, and might come off conquerors in their spiritual warfare.


(2.) That, if they did so, all former faults should be forgiven, and they should have a great reward. And what is that reward? They shall sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame, and have sat down with my Father on his throne, Rev_3:21. Here it is intimated,


[1.] That Christ himself had met with his temptations and conflicts.


[2.] That he overcame them all, and was more than a conqueror.


[3.] That, as the reward of his conflict and victory, he has sat down with God the Father on his throne, possessed of that glory which he had with the Father from eternity, but which he was pleased very much to conceal on earth, leaving it as it were in the hands of the Father, as a pledge that he would fulfil the work of a Saviour before he reassumed that manifestative glory; and, having done so, then pignus reposcere - he demands the pledge, to appear in his divine glory equal to the Father.


[4.] That those who are conformed to Christ in his trials and victories shall be conformed to him in his glory; they shall sit down with him on his throne, on his throne of judgment at the end of the world, on his throne of glory to all eternity, shining in his beams by virtue of their union with him and relation to him, as the mystical body of which he is the head.


2. All is closed up with the general demand of attention (Rev_3:22), putting all to whom these epistles shall come in mind that what is contained in them is not of private interpretation, not intended for the instruction, reproof, and correction of those particular churches only, but of all the churches of Christ in all ages and parts of the world: and as there will be a resemblance in all succeeding churches to these, both in their graces and sins, so they may expect that God will deal with them as he dealt with these, which are patterns to all ages what faithful, and fruitful churches may expect to receive from God, and what those who are unfaithful may expect to suffer from his hand; yea, that God's dealings with his churches may afford useful instruction to the rest of the world, to put them upon considering, If judgment begin at the house of God, what shall the end of those be that do not obey the gospel of Christ? 1Pe_4:17. Thus end the messages of Christ to the Asian churches, the epistolary part of this book. We now come to the prophetical part.