February 1, 2017
Revelation 3:14, 16-21
(All scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated.)
Now we come to the last of the seven churches, the church in Laodicea. The Scripture is relatively long, even though it is condensed for this study. Here are portions of Revelation 3:14 and 16 through 21:
These things says…the Beginning of the creation of God…. “…because you
are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth….
Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of noth-
ing’ — and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and
naked — I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may
be rich, and white garments, that you may be clothed…and…eye salve, that
you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous
and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice
and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with Him….To him who
overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame….”
• Revelation 3:14 – “These things says…the Beginning of creation of God….” What does He mean when He says He is the Beginning of the creation of God?
✞ It does not mean that the Son of God was created! For it is written in John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” When creation happened, Jesus already was the Word…was with God, and…was God! (See Isaiah 9:6; Micah 5:2; II Timothy 1:9).
✞ It does mean that concerning creation He was there and very involved! John 1:3 states, “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” (See Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 1:2).
Praise God our Lord is eternal and all-powerful!
• Revelation 3:16 – “…because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth….” Jesus wants us either cold or hot! Anything else makes Him vomit! What makes us cold? He tells us in…
✞ …verse 17 (the way we look at it) – “Because you say…”
▸ “I am rich….” This is the thinking of Christians in prosperous and free societies – especially in the western world. “I have a lot of things, so I am rich!” But remember what the Lord said in Luke 12:15: “…one’s life does not consist of in the abundance of the things he possesses.” (see Mark 8:36).
▸ “I…have become wealthy…” We too often think the process of accumulating wealth is all me and not God! (See Deuteronomy 8:18; I Chronicles 29:14; Hosea 2:8).
▸ “I…have need of nothing.” If we think we have all we need, why would we need God? Remember Job, and how he lost it all (possessions and health) in such a short time! (Job 1:13-19; 2:7 – see also Matthew 6:19, 20; Luke 12:16-21).
Such Christians have “I ” trouble – as did Satan, which caused his fall! (See Isaiah 14:12-15). “I ” trouble, or selfishness, is behind all sin!
✞ …verse 17 – The way Jesus looks at it: “…and [you] do not know that…” (from Strong’s Greek Dictionary):
▸ “…you are wretched….” In the Greek the idea is that you are under an enduring trial, so you are miserable.
▸ “…you are…miserable….” Greek – pitable.
▸ “…you are…poor….” Greek – beggar, pauper.
▸ “…you are…blind….” Greek – blind (physically or mentally).
▸ “…you are…naked….” Greek – nude (…literally or figuratively).
✞ …verse 3:18 – The Lord spells out the remedy for being cold in taste to Him: “I counsel you to buy from Me…”
▸ “…gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich….” (See Zechariah 13:9; Luke 16:11). I would rather have the “…riches in glory by Christ Jesus…” (Philippians 4:19) than all the wealth of the world! (See I John 2:15-17; II Peter 3:10-13).
▸ “…white garments, that you may be clothed….” (See Isaiah 1:18; 61:10; Zechariah 3:3-5). We naturally wear the filthy garments of sin! (See Isaiah 64:6). But Jesus, by His sacrifice on the cross, has purchased for us the robe of His own righteousness to wear! (See II Corinthians 5:21).
▸ “…eye salve, that you may see.” What is more tragic than being physically blind? It is being spiritually blind, but thinking you see! (See John 9:41; Romans 2:17-23). But, as prophesied in Isaiah 9:2: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light….” For Jesus is “…the light of the world…” (John 8:12).
Praise Him that not only does He see and know our exact spiritual condition, but
Jesus also has the answer for anything that needs to be changed!
• Revelation 3:19 – “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.” Oh, praise God that He loves us, enough to give us eternal and abundant life! (See John 3:16; 10:10). But even though being rebuked and chastened (corrected) may be unpleasant, praise Jesus that He is so concerned and active in our Christian lives! (See Hebrews 12:5-11). Be zealous and repent before He has to rebuke and chasten us!
• Revelation 3:20 – “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with Him.” Christ will not bust down the door! We have free-will to open it or not! But if we do, praise God, He will come in, fellowship with us, and stay! (See Matthew 11:28; John 14:23; Hebrews 13:5).
• Revelation 3:21 – “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame….” That Christ overcame is the guarantee that we will overcome! And, as it says in Revelation 20:6, we “…shall reign with Him…” (see II Timothy 2:12; Revelation 5:10). He is worthy of our praise because He invites us to be co-administrators of the kingdom! (See Matthew 19:28; I Corinthians 6:2).