Revelation 3:14 These Things Says the Amen, The Faithful, And True Witness, The Beginning of The Creation of God:[1]
14 “Write this letter to the leader of
the church in Laodicea:
“This message is from
the one who stands firm, the faithful and
true Witness of all that is or was or evermore shall be, the primeval source of God’s creation:
15 “I know you well—you
are neither hot nor cold; I wish you were
one or the other! 16 But since
you are merely lukewarm, I will spit you out
of my mouth!
17 “You say, ‘I am rich,
with everything I want; I don’t need a thing!’ And
you do not realize that spiritually you are wretched and miserable and poor and
blind and naked.
18 “My advice to you is to buy pure gold from me, gold purified by fire—only
then will you truly be rich. And to purchase
from me white garments, clean and pure so
that you will not be naked and ashamed; and
to get medicine from me to heal your eyes and give you back your sight. 19
I continually discipline and punish everyone
I love, so I must punish you unless you turn
from your indifference and become enthusiastic about the things of God.
20 “Look! I have been standing at the door, and I am constantly knocking. If anyone hears me calling him and opens the door, I will come in and fellowship with him, and he with me. 21 I will let everyone who conquers sit beside me on my throne, just as I took my place with my Father on his throne when I had conquered. 22 Let those who can hear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”[2]
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H. The Message to Laodicea: The Church That Is
Affluent but Lukewarm & Half-Committed, Revelation 3:14–22 1. The Recipients
(Re. 3:14). 2. The Speaker: Jesus (Re. 3:14). |
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1. The Recipients
a. The Messenger of the Church b. The Laodicean Church |
14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things
saith the |
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2. The Speaker:
Jesus |
Amen,
the faithful and true witness, the beginning of
the creation of God;
|
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3. The
complaint: Are neither cold nor hot, but lukewarm |
15 I
know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or
hot. |
|
4. The
warning: Will be spit out by Christ |
16 So
then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee
out of my mouth. |
|
a. Because of your
false profession: Saying you are rich & in need of nothing b. Because of your
true condition: You are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, naked |
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: |
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5. The
counsel a. Buy the things
of God of lasting value 1) Spiritual gold
or wealth 2) White clothing
or righteousness 3) Eye salve or
spiritual sight |
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. |
|
b. Know that the
Lord rebukes & chastens c. Be earnest &
repent |
19 As
many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore and repent. |
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d. Hear the Lord:
Open your heart & fellowship with Him |
20 Behold,
I stand at the door and knock: if any man hears my voice and opens the door,
I will come into him and will sup with him, and he with me. |
|
6. The
promise: To the overcomers a. Will rule with
Christ b. Will rule with
Christ even as He rules with His Father |
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. |
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22 He
that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. |
H. The
Message to Laodicea:
The Church That Is Affluent but Lukewarm and Half-Committed, Re. 3:14–22
(Revelation 3:14–22) Introduction: this is the last church addressed by Christ, and it is the worst church. Christ does not commend Laodicea at all. This is the one church about which He has nothing good to say. Imagine a church that may as well not exist—a church with no good within its body whatsoever—a church that does no good at all. What was it that made the church so bad? So useless and worthless? Lukewarmness, which means that the church was indifferent, complacent, lethargic, self-satisfied, half-hearted, and neutral. The church and its believers were only halfway committed to Christ, only half-hearted in their worship and service for Him. Imagine! To Christ, there is no good whatsoever in a lukewarm, half-committed believer, and most church members are lukewarm! There are few who are really hot, that is, really committed. Hence, this is a critical message that must be heeded by all churches and believers. We must study what Christ says to this church and heed His warning and counsel.
1. The Recipients (Re.
3:14).
2. The Speaker: Jesus (Re.
3:14).
3. The Complaint: are neither cold nor hot, but
lukewarm (Re. 3:15).
4. The Warning: will be spit out by Christ (Re. 3:16–17).
5. The Counsel (Re.
3:18–20).
6. The Promise: to the overcomers (Re. 3:21–22).
1 (Re. 3:14) Minister—Church: There are the Recipients. Christ sends this message to the minister, for he is the one who is ultimately responsible for the state of the church. Christ expects the minister to be the first to heed the warning against lukewarmness and half-hearted commitment. Then Christ expects the minister to take the message of the Lord to the church and declare His warning to its believers. The point to see is this: the minister is held accountable by Christ for the indifference and complacency of the believers. He expects the minister to arouse himself and repent, arouse the believers, and lead them to repentance and wholehearted commitment.
DEEPER
STUDY # 1
(Re. 3:14) Laodicea:
there is only one historical fact that seems to have a bearing upon this
letter. Laodicea was the chief city of Phrygia—an extremely wealthy and
prosperous city. It lay astride three of the most important highways of its
day. It was a city of enormous wealth. The city had three particular claims
to fame. It was … • a financial and
banking center • a clothing
manufacturing center • the location of
a famous medical school renowned for the eye salve that it produced. Perhaps
the condition of the church in Re. 3:17—“poor, blind,
and naked”—has reference to these
three industries. Paul
prayed for the Laodicean church (Col. 2:1–2)
and wrote a letter to them (Col. 2:1; 4:12–16). Archippus is said to have been the
first Bishop (pastor) of the church (The
Apostolic Constitutions, 8:46. Information from “The Pulpit Commentary,”
Vol.22, p.114). This seems to have some significance for what Christ says
to the church, for Laodicea is a church that Christ does not commend. He has
nothing good to say about the church. In writing Colossians, Paul exhorts
Archippus, Laodicea’s pastor: “Take heed to the ministry which thou hast
received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it” (Col.
4:17). The corruption and degeneration could have begun under his
ministry. |
2 (Re. 3:14) Jesus Christ: There is the Speaker, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Note how Christ describes Himself to the lukewarm and half-committed church and believer.
1.
Jesus Christ is the “Amen.” This is a title that Christ says
belongs to Him. The term Amen is used
to close prayer or to declare the truthfulness of some statement. It is a term
that declares and guarantees the truth. Therefore, Jesus Christ is the Amen, the declaration, the guarantee
of the truth. What He says is totally true and trustworthy. This means two
things to a lukewarm church.
⇒ The
lukewarm church can trust the promises of Christ. He will meet the needs of any
church that will repent and turn from its lukewarmness and wholly commit its
life to Christ.
⇒ The
lukewarm church had better heed the warning of Christ. He is the Amen; His words of judgment will be
carried out. The lukewarm church and believer will face the terrible judgment
of Christ, face it just like He has pronounced it in His Word. His Word is
true, completely guaranteed. What He has said will be. His pronouncement of
judgment will come to pass—unquestionably. The church that ignores or neglects
His Word does so at its own peril and loss.
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt
among us, (And we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the
Father,) full of grace and truth” (Jn. 1:14).
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way,
the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (Jn. 14:6).
“Pilate, therefore, said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered. Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice” (Jn. 18:37).
2. Jesus Christ is the “Faithful and True Witness.”
Jesus Christ is faithful to God the Father, and He bears a true witness to God
the Father.
⇒ Jesus
Christ is perfectly honest. He has
not told a single lie or untruth.
⇒ Jesus
Christ is also completely honest. He
holds nothing back about the truth. He does not keep us wondering or
questioning in seeking after and in knowing God. He has not kept a single thing
from us that God wanted us to know about Himself.
But
note: Jesus Christ is the faithful
and true witness; He is just what the church is not. The church is
lukewarm. It only tells part of the truth and only bears part of the witness.
It is only half-faithful to Christ and God. What the lukewarm church needs is
to get a renewed sight of Christ. They need to refocus their
attention upon Jesus Christ: the only way they will ever see God is to hear
the witness of Jesus Christ, the witness of Him who is faithful and true. If
the church is looking at other witnesses—depending upon the rituals of
baptism, church membership, ordinances, services, ceremonies, fellowship, and
worship attendance to make them acceptable to God—then the church is missing
the faithful and true witness of God. It is missing Christ, and to miss Christ
is to doom oneself.
“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, we
speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our
witness” (Jn. 3:11).
“And what he hath seen and heard, that
he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony” (Jn.
3:32).
“Jesus answered and said unto them,
Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I
come, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go” (Jn. 8:14).
“I give thee charge in the sight of
God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius
Pilate witnessed a good confession” (1 Tim. 6:13).
“And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth” (Re. 1:5).
3.
Jesus Christ is the “Beginning of the Creation of God.” Jesus
Christ is the great Creator of the universe, the Maker and Sustainer of the
universe, and all that is therein. Therefore, He is the source of all—all good
things, all real wealth and satisfaction, all-purpose, meaning, and
significance in life, all love, joy, and peace that a person experiences.
Therefore, the church must not depend upon its prosperity: its rituals,
ability, energy, wealth, and resources. Its only hope for life is to trust Him,
who is the beginning of creation and who alone can give the church abundant and
eternal life. Therefore, no matter how prosperous the church is, it is not the
creator or sustainer. Christ alone creates and sustains. The church’s wealth
and prosperity are meaningless and useless apart from being absolutely centered
on Jesus Christ.
“All things were made by him, and
without him was not anything made that was made” (Jn.
1:3).
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, the
hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of
God: and they that hear shall live” (Jn. 5:25).
“I am come that they might have life
and that they might have it more abundantly” (Jn.
10:10).
“But to us, there is but one God, the
Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by
whom are all things, and we by him” (1 Co. 8:6).
“For by him were all things created,
that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they
be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created
by him, and for him” (Col. 1:16).
“And ye are complete in him, which is
the head of all principality and power” (Col. 2:10).
“God, who at sundry times and in divers’ manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds” (He. 1:1–2).[3]
C. THE DECEIVED CHURCH
Revelation 3:14–22
Laodicea, the seventh and last of the seven churches written to in Revelation, was deceived badly about its true condition.
1.
The Church (Revelation 3:14)
“Unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write” (Revelation 3:14). The city of Laodicea was located about ten miles northwest of Colossae. The church of Laodicea is mentioned at the end of the book of Colossians. The church was obviously affected by the city in which it was located, a city that was a very wealthy enterprising city with many theaters and a huge stadium, shopping centers, and public baths typical of a materially prosperous community in those days. It was not a healthy environment for spiritual growth and dedication.
2.
The Christ (Revelation 3:14)
“These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God” (Revelation 3:14). The reference in Revelation 1 to the “Amen” statement is found in Revelation 1:18. The “Amen” word “is translated from Hebrews into both Greek and English, meaning truth” (Strauss). The reference of Revelation 1:8 and 11, in which Christ is spoken of as the “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending … the first and the last” involves “the beginning of the creation of God” (Revelation 3:14). “This statement [Revelation 3:14] does not mean that Christ was the first of God’s created beings, but rather the One in whom creation had its beginning” (Strauss). Christ created the universe (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16).[4]
THE LUKEWARM CHURCH / 3:14–22
At the end of the route was Laodicea, about forty-five miles southeast of Philadelphia. The problem in this church was self-sufficiency, which caused believers to forget their need for pure love and faith in the Savior.
“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.” Re. 3:14 NIV
Laodicea was the wealthiest of
the seven cities. The city was known for its banks, its manufacture of a rare
black wool, and a medical school that produced eye salve. Laodicea lay at the
juncture of two major trade routes between Rome and the Orient. The main road
from Ephesus on the coast into Asia ran through Laodicea, as did the route from
the province’s capital in Pergamum to the Mediterranean coast.
The great earthquake of a.d.17 that had destroyed Philadelphia
and Sardis also destroyed Laodicea. But while the other cities had accepted
financial help from Rome for rebuilding, Laodicea had enough wealth to rebuild
on its own. Unfortunately, the city had a poor water supply. A six-mile-long
aqueduct brought water to the city from the south, so by the time it reached
the city, the water was lukewarm. The city was a center for the imperial cult
as well as for the worship of Asclepius (god of healing) and Zeus (chief of the
gods). The city also had a fairly large Jewish population.
The church may have been founded
by Epaphras (Colossians 4:12). It is unknown
whether Paul ever visited the city, although he did write them a letter, and
the letter to the Colossians was read by the Laodiceans (Colossians 4:16).
This church describes Christ as the Amen, the faithful and true witness. The word “amen” signals an acknowledgment of something true and binding. Christ was true and faithful, but the Laodiceans were not. They were rich and powerful but not “faithful and true.”
THEORIES REGARDING THE TRIBULATION
According to the premillennial view, the Tribulation is a seven-year period before Christ returns when the Antichrist will rule. The premillennial position believes in a literal 1000-year reign of Christ. All these theories hold that Christ will return to judge those who have been the enemies of God and his people. (Re. 7:2–3)
Pre-Tribulation
Christ will come at the beginning of the seven-year period of tribulation and take the church. Then he will return again at the end to defeat his enemies. Some Christians go as far as to divide the tribulation into specific sections. They base these divisions on the prophetic writings of Daniel 9:24–27. According to this view, the first half of the tribulation three-and-a-half years—will include the seven seal judgments (Revelation 6), the seven trumpet judgments (Revelation 8–9), the ministry of the two witnesses (Revelation 11:3–6), and the rise of the Antichrist and his forces (Revelation 12:3; Re. 13:1; Re. 17:12). The middle of the tribulation will be marked by the death and resurrection of the two witnesses (Re. 11:7–13), the persecution of the Jewish nation (Re. 12:1–6), the death and resurrection of the Antichrist (Re. 13:3–4), and the Antichrist’s defilement of the temple (Daniel 9:27; 2 Thessalonians 2:3–4). The last part of the tribulation will include the seven bowl judgments (Revelation 16), the battle of Armageddon (Re. 19:11–21), and the conversion of Israel (Romans 11:25–27).
Mid-Tribulation
Christians will be removed from the earth (“raptured”) halfway through the Tribulation (after three and a half years) when the Antichrist defiles the temple. At this time, Christ will return to take the church back, and then he will return again at the end of three and a half years to defeat his enemies.
Post-Tribulation
Christians must endure the catastrophes of the entire Tribulation period. Then, Christ will return at the end of the Tribulation to take all believers to heaven and immediately fight the forces of evil.[5]
Revelation 3:14 These Things Says the Amen, The Faithful, And True Witness, The Beginning of The Creation of God
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[1] The New King James
Version. 1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[2] Taylor, Kenneth Nathaniel. 1997. The Living Bible,
Paraphrased. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.
[3] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 1996. Revelation. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.
[4] Butler, John G. 2010. Analytical Bible
Expositor: Revelation. Clinton, IA: LBC Publications.
NIV
Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®.
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission
of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
[5] Barton, Bruce B. 2000. Revelation.
Edited by Grant R. Osborne. Life Application Bible Commentary. Wheaton, IL:
Tyndale House Publishers.
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