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Date Posted: 15:34:04 08/07/02 Wed
Author: Mondo
Author Host/IP: 199.214.48.10
Subject: Laodicean Glory: Beloved at the Door

Laodicean Glory: Beloved at the Door

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Revelation 3
3:14 "Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen – the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation:

3:15 "I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish you were one or the other!

3:16 But since you are like lukewarm water, I will spit you out of my mouth!

3:17 You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.

3:18 I advise you to buy gold from me – gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. And also buy white garments so you will not be shamed by your nakedness. And buy ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.

3:19 I am the one who corrects and disciplines everyone I love. Be diligent and turn from your indifference.

3:20 "Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends.

3:21 I will invite everyone who is victorious to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne.

3:22 Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches."

- Rev. 3:14-22 New Living Translation



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The saga of the Church of Laodicea is only half told it would seem. We have heard the bad news of this church being spewed out. But is there anything else for us to discover from this message from Jesus? But is it possible that there might also be some exceedingly good news from Laodicea?

The Laodicean church is the last mentioned church of the seven churches.-Rev.3:14-22 While it has probably existed in all ages many believe that this church will come onto the stage of holy history rather late. Perhaps the Laodicean church comes into its ultimate fullness and manifestation inside the first half of the 70th week amidst the harlotry and betrayal by "many" of God's Judeo-Christian people at that time.-Dan.9:27

One thing we can say about the Laodicean church experience. It will not be boring. The Laodicean church apparently enters into some dramatic adventures of discovery. Is it the endtime church? Laodicea is the last of the 7 churches given a message by Jesus in Rev.ch.3. There are many crosslinking scriptures indicating that the the spewing out of this church is a parallel prophecy to the endtime scattering of the people of God. This ultimate climactic scattering is spoken of repeatedly by the prophets.-Dan.12:7-9, Eccl.3:5, 1Kings 22:17, Ezek.34 and many others.

What is the conclusion to all this? After that spewing out we might suppose that there will be very little lukewarmness. Nominal Christians will be either turn hot for Him. Or they will be coldly apostasizing. These will be days of high drama. Because when the shepherds are struck and the sheep scattered the Lord takes it upon Himself as the Good Shepherd to personally regather all His people out from all the nations even on a dark and cloudy day.-Ezek.34

As we look at this somewhat daunting subject is there something wonderful (Heb. "surprise!!) hidden here? In spite of the spewing out element is this last mentioned church, the Laodicean church, actually offered a blessing more profound than the earlier mentioned churches? As we shall discover, this appears to be the case. In the promise given in verse 21 above what do we see? Is it not an invitation to sit with Christ on His throne? Truly this is a remarkable and glorious destiny. Yet this blessing is offered to a church that will be spewed out? What is going on here?

It seems that Jesus had been outside the Laodicean church for quite some time. They had assumed that He was in there with them in their lukewarm religious diversions. Apparently He was not. He had departed and left the religious country club or relgious political meeting to continue on. Apparently they had not noticed Him leave.

God's desire is for a deep communion relationship with His people. But there is a problem. The relationship has become lukewarm. The woman is comfortable inside a manmade structure. The Beloved is "out there" somewhere. He is outside our comfortable enclosure. Yet He is wooing His people. It is hard to be intimate with someone who is locked out. Will she get up from her bed of ease and "open the door" to Him? Jesus is standing outside the door of her heart. He is gently knocking. Will she respond?

Let's face it. We are talking about the discovery of a true Beloved. We see in Rev. 3 that the divine Visitor is knocking at the door. We see a similar scriptural snapshot in the Song of Songs. The Shulamite too hears her Beloved knocking at the door. But she is slow to respond. She is comfortable in her bed. One of her two dreams is a nightmare. She goes to the door and finds her beloved gone. She goes out looking for Him. She is afflicted by the watchmen of the city. They take away her veil. This story and the poetic imagery is packed with prophetic meaning.

Before the spewing/scattering Jesus was outside, knocking at the door. Finally, He sits before us. We sup together in intimate fellowship. Wouldn't this rediscovery of the most important Person in the cosmos and the root of our true esteem and happiness be be a wonderful serendipity? Would the resulting new intimacy be a glorious and happy new state of affairs far better than what we had known previously? In spite of the difficulties associated with being spewed out might the spiritual condition of the congregation of Laodicea be far better after the trouble came than it had been previously? Rather than being just a "negative" turn of events mightn't this latter situation actually lead to "Paradise restored"? This warning and prophetic message by Jesus actually has nestled within it a glorious new experience and a wonderful future promise. So mightn't this be considered as some exceedingly good news from the Laodicea?


Unfortunatley this devotional element has been missed by many Bible students. And now the church of Laodicea has become a political football for endtime crusaders. The Dominionist/Kingdom Now tele-preachers and some of the revolutionary "prophetic" brethren have put their own spin on this scripture. It is that the Laodicean church are an endtime people that lack militancy or politico/religious activism. Their reading on this whole issue is that we must be "militant" like them lest we be "Laodicean and lukewarm". But is this correct? Is this passage just an excuse for Christians to go crusading? Of late we are seeing a lot of strident rhetoric coming from a fearful established western church. Deep down they know that the endtime drama is near. There are indeed genuine stirrings of true revival this is true. And perhaps we are even seeing a true spirit of Elijah and a call to repentance to make straight the paths of the Lord. But within this godly move is an admixture of a spirit of fear and dismay. In response to this we are definitely seeing a resurfacing of the crusader spirit. Once again the worldly church as the damsel in distress is vulnerable to the worldly attentions of political knights in shining armour. The more militant elements of a resurgent Puritan ethic are also raising their voices on the airwaves of popular Christianity. These Dominionist religious spirits are intent on stirring up religious flesh. A "last crusade" is being preached from the pulpits just as it was preached by Pope Urban in France 900 years ago. But is that the proper response to the challenge of Laodicean lukewarmness?

The bad news about Laodicea is that it is lukewarm. However, the good news, (and it is right there in the same passage), is that Jesus is not going to let that state of deadly lukewarmness and mediocracy go unjudged. Why? Because he loves us! He wants us to come and sup with Him and not Constantine, or Charlemagne, or Godfrey de Boullion, or Richard the Lionhearted, or Napoleon, or Hitler or the endtime global peacemaker. Worldly princes cannot save us! They get thornier and thornier. And we come away more and more bloodied. And we shed more and more blood, innocent blood, with every war. Just how far are we prepared to go? Are we going to go "all the way" with the worldly principalities and powers?

We need not fear. We have an everlasting covenant with YHVH/God Almighty. The returning Christ, our Messiah, will take care of our enemies. We need to pray for them. They are the ones in trouble. Eternity is laid out before them, either an eternity in God's Presence or an eternity without Him in outer darkness. Because our Messiah is coming again. His return will come in holy vengeance and wrath on His enemies. And for His people He will come as a Deliverer.

Dear saints, Jesus is our Redeemer and Deliverer. As His witnesses, and as His beloved saints, we are destined to walk into the final acts of the play of the ages. He will personally take care of the details and all in good time. He has not asked us to take up a sword and take over the world in the manner that Crusaders and Muslims do! We've been down that sordid lustful corridor of church history already. The results are on record. It was a shameful and bloody period. Pray God we are not foolish enough to repeat it.


Well what is going on in this Laodicean church story? Well if the saints are spewed out or scattered then they will initially feel alienated and alone. The experience would probably be much like that of Joseph as he was being carried off into exile in Egypt. But was there not a happy ending to that story? Even while those all around are apostasizing there is always a believing remnant who will cry out to God. Does God know about His scattered sheep? Does He care? Will He respond?


Well that is the 'rest of the story' of the Laodicean church. This is the part we have not been told. Yes God does care! This same cycle of devotion leading to blessing leading to lukewarmness leading to forgetting God and leading to apostasy has happened repeatedly in past holy history. The cycle is seen time and time again in the old testament and in church history as well. But in His mercy God will not allow the process to go on to the point of our total spiritual ruin. He intervenes in jugement. He brings matters to a head because of His love for His people.

God is not the one who chooses our pathways. We do that. If we choose the thorny way is God to blame? Hosea tells the story of a harlot, who became his wife. This relationship was to be an object lesson for the people of God. As the wife of Hosea had gone off with her worldly lovers so had the people of God departed from YHVH, their God. Gomer left her true husband. She took the wayward path with her lovers. Eventually she came to be enclosed in thorns. Was Hosea to blame because she came to be bloodied? Was Hosea responsible for her afflictions? Gomer was the one who had entered into the compromising alliances and dalliances. (See Hosea chap. 2) Has not the church done the same? Has she not chosen worldly princes and protectors rather than trust God? Has not the established church, ever since Nicea, compromised herself before worldly princes? Has not the worldly church as damsel in distress swooned before certain knights in armour who carry a large sword inscribed, "Defender of the Faith"?

As the story unfolds a wonderful serendipity emerges. It is in her tribulations that she begins to remember her original Betrothed. In idolatry and self will she had "dismembered" the covenant. Now, even in a day of scattering and in the midst of her tribulation the real truth of the matter comes home to her. And she "remembers". The worldly champions she had trusted in have been untrue. They have all deserted her. Now, out in the wilderness, even in the "Valley of Achor", she "remembers" the happy days gone by. She remembers the covenant she once had with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In a divine turnaround she rediscovers her "Ishi", her Beloved, her Love.

In all our adversities as the Judeo-Christian people of God, He knows that we shall eventually come to that climactic moment of crisis. Will He leave us there as we cry out to Him in our adversity? Not at all. He has a divine purpose in this. He intends to bring the wanderers home!

The Laodicean story is just the same. It is a story of true restoration. It is not just a political or ecclesiastical restoration. Rather it is a restoration of the garden of the heart for His people. That entry of the Prince of Peace to preside at the throne of human hearts the only true basis for lasting and meaningful peace. So in the context of the heavy rejection experience that scattered saints experience what do we find? Wonder of wonders! The One who just allowed history and our enemies to scatter us comes knocking at our door! Whilst we hole up in our demoralised state there He is! He is bidding us let Him in. He wants to come in and sup with us!

The gracious and peaceful rule of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah is the Shalom of God. Contrary to world politics of a global inclusivism of all "gods" our God is the One true God. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. He will bring the only real peace that this world will ever know. He will bring His peace/shalom when He comes to rule in human hearts out to the ends of the earth. And He will bring His peace/shalom when He rules from the throne of David in Jerusalem for 1,000 years.

Beloved saints, His desire, His passion, is towards us. He wants us to invite Him in so we can eat and drink with Him in sweet communion. It is completely understandable that He simply must at some stage "call us out", even in the midst of troublous times, to attend to His business. We are vitally involved in His blood covenant! We are His witnesses! We co-sign the New Covenant with Him! Yes, for us, this is the true "bottom line". It is deeper than all the "bottom lines" of lesser worldly contracts and covenants. And it is invisible to the world. Only those who have insight understand why this must be.-Dan. 12:8-10 Suffice to say that our witness is essential. It is destined to be inscribed on the pages of holy history!

Is it inevitable that the "nice day" we are now having must come to an end? Oh yes. Out here in the western nations it has been "nice". It has been comfortable too, for the most part. But in our lukewarm relationships we could hardly say it has been glorious. Holy history will move on beyond Laodicean lukewarmness. It must do so. I believe that all true saints know this in their heart of hearts. So it is unavoidable that somewhere down the line Jesus will call on us in a corporate sense to WITNESS His covenant. He calls on His beloved to sign the New Covenant (which is in His blood) along with Him. Like the betrothed signing the marriage registry we co-sign on the dotted line. We sign next to the signature of the Bridegroom. This is our personal witness to enter into our destiny with Him.

People who co-sign understand that they may be called upon at some future time to make good on their promise. Do we understand that? Is the two way street of blood covenant offensive to us? Does "grace" mean zero responsibility for us as believers in our covenant with Jesus Christ? That is what our Laodicean church is preaching. Is this correct according to scripture?

Here is the crux of the matter. What will happen to each of us if we are tested and forced by the events of future history to give an account of our Christian faith? How will we react? Will we respond in Edomite anger? Will we explode in wrath on that day? Will we "divorce" our God and "walk out" on the covenant? Or will we go on into a deeper and more awesome level of relationship with God than we have ever known before?


King Solomon too caught a glimpse of this high drama involving God's people. It is acted out in the life of the Shulamite girl as the Song of Solomon concludes. Corporately there will be a climactic defining moment for the people of God. They will make their final choice. Here is the conclusion of the matter as that love play of the ages, the Song of Songs, comes to its grand finale.


A RELATIVE
"Who is this coming up out of the wilderness leaning upon her beloved?"

THE SHULAMITE TO HER BELOVED

"Set me as a seal upon your heart,
As a seal upon your arm,
For love is as strong as death,
Jealousy, as cruel as the grave,
Its flames are flames of fire,
A most vehement flame.

Many waters cannot quench love,
Nor can the floods drown it.
If a man would give for love all the wealth of his house,
It would be utterly despised."

- Song of Solomon 8:5-7


Today in our churches or home fellowships we take the Cup of communion. We remember our Lord Jesus and His atoning sacrifice for us. And we thank Him for His gift, His wonderful salvation. But is their more in the communion cup? Have we drank "all of it" as Jesus asked us to do?

"And He took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying,
Drink ye all of it.
For this is my blood of the new testament
which is shed for many for the remission of sins."
- Mat.26:27-28 KJV

Our Lord Jesus is knocking at the door of our heart. He places "the cup" of His covenant before us. It is a more awesome covenant than we had been told.
How shall we respond?

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