Revelation 3:14–22 - BibleStudy.ph

These are the original teaching notes from this passage.

Review…

The Context…
- Three times – Revelation 1:19
  - PAST – John wrote the things he HAD seen – vison of Jesus – Revelation 1
  - PRESENT – the things which ARE – the SEVEN churches – Revelation 2-3
  - FUTURE – AFTER these things [Μετὰ ταῦτα] – Revelation 4-22
- Three events…
  - The RAPTURE – Revelation 4-5
  - The WRATH – Revelation 6-18
  - The RETURN of Jesus Christ – Revelation 19-22
- Three judgements…
  - The seven SEAL judgments – Revelation 6-8
  - The seven TRUMPET judgments – Revelation 8-14
  - The seven BOWL judgment – Revelation 15-18
  - Seven Churches…
- Letters…
  - Out of the 27 books of the NT – 21 are LETTERS written to churches…
  - But the SECOND section of REVELATION – gives us SEVEN more letters…
  - Given by Jesus – written down by John – with THREE possible interpretations!
  - SEVEN literal churches in Asia Minor [modern day Turkey]
  - Different KINDS of churches – the TOTAL [seven] church…
  - The HISTORY of the church – from PENTECOST to the RAPTURE…
  - It is worth noting that the churches run in a clockwise circle [countdown]
  - And that the LAST is the FARTHEST away from the Sea [far from the Lord]
- FOUR sections….
  - In general the LETTERS to the churches contain FOUR sections…
  - Introduction – Positive – Negative – and Encouragement…
  - But NOT all of the churches receive all FOUR sections…
  - TWO of the churches receive no NEGATIVE [Smyrna and Philadelphia]
  - ONE of the churches did not get any POSITIVE [Laodicea]

The Worldly church…

1^st – The introduction… vs. 14
- 1^st – The Angel…
  - To the angel!
  - There are TWO thoughts on WHO this ANGEL was…
  - FIRST – a guardian ANGEL – who watched over LAODICEA – Psalm 91:11
  - SECOND – it could be the PASTOR of the church…
  - ANGEL [ἄγγελος] – means messenger – one who gives Gods WORD…
  - Therefore – Jesus is talking about the PASTOR – who gave His church His Word!
- 2^nd – The City…
  - Of the church of the Laodiceans write!
    - The ruins of the city of LAODICEA [Λαοδικεύς] are in beautiful Lycus river valley…
    - It is the farthest inland from the Aegean Sea of all the SEVEN cities…
    - It is a part of a TRI-city area – Laodicea – Colossae [20km east]– and Hierapolis [12km west]
    - The letter to the Colossians was to these THREE cities – Colossians 4:13
    - The area today is known by the name Pamukkale [resort town]
  - Amazing ruins…
    - LAODICEA boasts some of the most extensive RUINS of all SEVEN of the churches…
    - There are multiple TEMPLES – vast MARKETS – a huge THEATRE [25k seats]
    - But the most impressive RUIN – is the CHURCH [the only one in ALL of the SEVEN cities]
    - The church – built in the FOURTH century – takes up an entire city BLOCK!
  - Famous for THREE things…
    - FIRST for its WEALTH – LAODICEA was a VERY rich…
    - It was the center of BANKING for Asia Minor – making the city VERY prosperous…
    - When the city was leveled by an earthquake in 60 AD – Rome offered to help rebuild…
    - But they refused – they did NOT need any help – they rebuilt it themselves!
    - SECOND – they had an expensive BLACK wool cloth – created from BLACK sheep!
    - THIRD – they had a HOSPITAL [temple] – as part of their worship to ASKLEPION…
    - And they were famous for their Phrygian powder – they mixed into an eye cream!
- 3^rd – The Tone…
  - Describing Jesus…
    - In His INTRODUCTION to each of the Churches…
    - Jesus highlights specific CHARACTERISTICS of the Vision from – Revelation 1:11-18
    - The choice of CHARACTERISTICS – sets the TONE for the LETTER to that church…
    - The TONE to LAODICEA – was one of REPENTANCE…
    - The church believed they were RICH – but they were WEALTHY in the wrong way!
  - These things says the Amen!
    - The word AMEN is used 181x in the Bible – 30x in OT [אָמֵן] – 151x in NT [ἀμήν]
    - If the word is used at the BEGINNING of a sentence – it means it is the TRUTH…
    - If it is used and the END of a sentence – it means it will HAPPEN…
    - But here is it is UNIQUELY [only here in Bible] used as a TITLE!
    - To this WEALTHY church – who thought they needed NOTHING…
    - Who believed their MONEY could make things HAPPEN…
    - Jesus tells them He is the AMEN – the TRUTH is only what He says will HAPPEN!
  - The Faithful and True Witness!
    - Jesus Christ – is THE [ὁ] faithful witness – Revelation 1:5
    - Jesus is called THE faithful witness – because He always speaks the TRUTH!
    - People have lots of QUESTIONS about what is right…
    - And there were a LOT of different OPINIONS people will give as an ANSWER!
    - Proverbs 16:25 – “There is a way that seems right… but its end is the way of death.”
    - The KEY to finding the TRUTH – is to understand we do NOT have it…
    - The ONLY one who is FAITHFUL and TRUE – is the LORD – so we need to ask Him…
    - And the place where we can find what Jesus says – is in His WORD!
    - John 17:17 – “Your word is truth!”
  - The Beginning of the creation of God!
    - BEGINNING [ἀρχὴ] – simply means the FIRST or the HEAD…
    - Jesus is the [ὁ] HEAD of the [ὁ] CREATION of the [ὁ] one and ONLY God…
    - In other words – Jesus is the BOSS – He is the one in complete CONTROL!
    - As we will see in this RICH church – who thought their MONEY gave them CONTROL…
    - BLESSING and CURSING in life do NOT come from POVERTY or RICHES…
    - They come from a SOVEREIGN God – who is the BOSS – He is RULES over all!
2^nd – The Negative… vs. 15-20
- 1^st – Jesus KNOWS… vs. 15
  - I know [εἴδω] your works!
  - Jesus said this to all SEVEN churches – He sees [perfect] EVERYTHING – Hebrews 4:13
  - GOOD and BAD – nothing [perfect] is hidden from our Lord…
  - In the case of LAODICEA – He saw a WORDLY church!
- 2^nd – Lukewarm… vs. 15-16
  - You are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot!
    - Jesus desired [optative] that the church in LAODICEA was either COLD or HOT…
    - Often in the Bible Jesus uses something FAMILIAR to make a point…
    - The people of LAODICEA would immediately recognize the reference to HOT and COLD…
    - The nearby city of Hierapolis was known for its therapeutic HOT springs…
    - The city of Colossae was known for its refreshing COLD springs [slopes of mount Cadmus]
    - BOTH of the sources of water were GOOD – both had a PURPOSE…
    - But by the time the water was piped into the city of LAODICEA – neither HOT nor COLD…
    - The water would become ROOM temperature [lukewarm] – losing its benefits!
  - Because you are lukewarm – and neither cold nor hot – I will vomit you out of My mouth!
    - As a RESULT of being LUKEWARM – having NO purpose…
    - Jesus would VOMIT them out of His mouth – a VIOLENT action of rejection!
    - We are looking for ANSWERS – we want to have a SUCCESSFUL ministry…
    - And people are easily influenced – we tend to follow the EXAMPLE of others…
    - The problem is – by the time their EXAMPLE gets to us – it is LUKEWARM…
    - We end up living a REGURGITATED life – missing the BEST the Lord has for us!
    - If we want the ANSWER to having a BLESSED life – stop looking to others…
    - They may well be HOT or COLD – but that does not mean it will pass onto us…
    - We need to go straight to the SOURCE – we need to come to Jesus!
- 3^rd – Ignorant… vs. 17
  - Because you say – I am rich – have become wealthy – and have need of nothing!
    - LAODICEA was a LUKEWARM church – because of what they were SAYING [present]
    - NOTE – it was not the just the church as a WHOLE – it was the individuals…
    - I [singular] am RICH – and getting RICHER [perfect]
    - Therefore I do NOT need ANYTHING – or ANYONE [οὐδείς]!
    - Luke 18:24 – “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!”
    - God is SOVEREIGN – He can do ANYTHING – He is not limited by MONEY…
    - So why does God not bless us with abundant WEALTH…
    - The answer is EASY – if we had MONEY – where would we put our FAITH…
    - MONEY can be a CURSE – it give us FALSE confidence – we do NOT need the LORD!
  - [You] do not know!
    - People could NOT see [εἴδω] – MONEY blinded them to the TRUTH of who they were…
    - The people were DECEIVED by their MONEY – so they did not understanding FIVE things:
  - Wretched!
    - To go through TRAILS [πεῖρα] – as God weighs us on His scales [τάλαντον]
    - 2x in NT – used in reference to a LIFE dominated by SIN!
    - Romans 7:24 – “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death!”
  - Miserable!
    - Describing someone to be PITIED – because they have FALSE hope…
    - 2x in NT – used to describe the hopelessness of faith – if it is NOT in a RISEN Lord!
    - I Corinthians 15:19 – “In this life… we are of all men the most miserable.”
  - Poor!
    - Not PHYSICALLY poor – the believers in LAODICEA had money…
    - But they were SPIRITUALLY poor – they had no treasures in HEAVEN!
    - Luke 12:21 – “He who lays up treasure for himself – is not rich toward God.”
  - Blind!
    - The church was BLINDLY following others – not questioning where they were going!
    - Too often in life we blindly follow the examples of others around us…
    - We do what others do – because everyone else is doing the same thing…
    - It is always a wise question to ask – whom am I following – where are they going!
    - Matthew 15:14 – “If the blind leads the blind – both will fall into a ditch.”
  - Naked!
    - There is a famous TALE – called the Emperors new clothes…
    - Where a KING is convinced he has the FINEST clothes in the LAND…
    - The catch – the clothes are INVISIBLE to those who are STUPID…
    - The KING – not wanting to be STUPID – marches through his kingdom NAKED…
    - Not willing to ADMIT – he was the one who was being FOOLED!
    - The believers in LAODICEA were not literally – but SPIRITUALLY naked…
    - They convinced themselves their MONEY – TITHES – were enough to cover their SIN!
- 4^th – Counsel of the Lord… vs. 18
  - I counsel you!
    - In LIGHT of the desperate situation of those in the CHURCH…
    - A life dominated by SIN [wretched] – with no HOPE [miserable]
    - Spiritually POOR – unable to SEE where they were going – and NAKED before God…
    - Jesus advises [present] them to come to His MARKET and buy THREE things!
  - To buy from Me gold refined in the fire – that you may be rich!
    - BUY gold from Jesus – gold that had been BURNED [perfect] in the FIRE…
    - The REWARDS that come from the TRIALS of living by FAITH – I Peter 1:7
    - That way the believers could [subjunctive] be RICH [in God]!
    - The problem with having TREASURES in the wrong place…
    - Is we our HEART will follow wherever we place our TREASURE!
    - Matthew 6:21 – “Where your treasure is – there your heart will be also!”
  - White garments – that you may be clothed – the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed!
    - BUY white CLOTHES – to cover up the SHAME of their SINS [nakedness]
    - You will recall LAODICEA was famous for its rare BLACK wool…
    - The expensive fashion of the day – would have been BLACK clothing…
    - But the cost of the WHITE robes was far more expensive – no amount of money would do…
    - The PRICE was the life of Jesus on the cross of Calvary – Revelation 7:14
    - Because we CANNOT buy our way into heaven – TITHE enough to cover our sins!
    - Galatians 2:21 – “If we could be saved [another way] – there was no need for Christ to die.”
  - Anoint your eyes with eye salve – that you may see!
    - But ABOVE all – they MUST anoint their EYES so they might [subjunctive] SEE!
    - You will recall LAODICEA was famous for its EYE salve…
    - They boasted they could HEAL the sight of others – yet they were BLIND!
    - It is interesting that of all the things Jesus told them to BUY…
    - The only one He commanded [imperative] to get was the eye salve!
    - Because until we SEE our NEED for Jesus – there is NOTHING else we will do…
    - Until we are willing to ADMIT there is a PROBLEM – we will not look for the SOLUTION!
- 5^th – Loved by the Lord… vs. 19
  - As many as I love – I rebuke and chasten!
    - The only other church to have as much REBUKE – was Thyatira [also SIX verses]
    - It would have been easy for the church to question the LOVE of the LORD…
    - But – IF [subjunctive] Jesus LOVES [φιλέω] someone – the way He PROVES it…
    - REBUKE – to bring to light and EXPOSE our SINS…
    - CHASTEN [παιδεύω] – to PUNISH – so that a child can be TRAINED in doing what is RIGHT…
    - It seems He LOVED the church of LAODICEA a LOT!
  - Therefore be zealous and repent!
    - Therefore – knowing WHY the Lord was EXPOSING and PUNISHING the church…
    - They MUST [imperative] overflow [ζηλόω] with REPENTANCE for their SINS!
    - If we do not understand the CHASTENING of the Lord…
    - When God REBUKES – when He EXPOSES our flaws and sins…
    - It is easy to become [passive] OVERWHELMED by the PUNISHMENT we receive from God…
    - We get the impression God is just ANGRY with us – wants to harm us…
    - But once we see our PUNISHMENT is our opportunity to LEARN how to live a HOLY life…
    - It should change our PERSPECTIVE – see it as the LOVE God – driving us to REPENT!
    - Hebrews 12:5-6 – “My son – do not DESPISE the chastening [παιδεύω] of the LORD. For whom the LORD loves He chastens…”
- 6^th – Standing outside… vs. 20
  - [Look] – I stand at the door and knock!
    - LOOK [imperative] – Jesus was standing [perfect] OUTSIDE – KNOCKING [present]
    - This a verse that OFTEN gets misused – as an EVANGELISTIC verse…
    - But this is NOT written to UNBELIEVERS – it is written to the CHURCH…
    - And Jesus was NOT inside – He had been cast out of the CHURCH – was trying to get back in!
    - One of the most important concepts in understanding the Bible is CONTEXT…
    - Interpreting a verse or passage in relation to the surrounding verses…
    - Understanding a verse in the context of the other verses before and after…
    - That is why we study the whole Bible – teachings chapter by chapter…
    - So we learn the Bible in CONTEXT – have a right understanding of the WORD!
  - If anyone hears My voice and opens the door – I will come into him and dine with him!
    - IF [subjunctive] anyone is willing to LISTEN – and OPEN the door…
    - Jesus will [future] come in and eat DINNER with them…
    - What strikes me – is that the church of LAODICEA did NOT know Jesus was not there…
    - They were going about their MINISTRY – holding their services and events…
    - OBLIVIOUS to the absence of their LORD – who was OUTSIDE trying to get back in…
    - Why did they NOT know He was missing – they were not listening to His VOICE!
    - How many churches today are going about their ROUTINES…
    - And have NO idea Jesus is no longer there – they have REPLACED Him…
    - There are BOARD meeting – that establish BUDGETS – defining THEIR ministry…
    - Meanwhile the God of ALL creation – who has ALL wisdom and power…
    - Is left KNOCKING on the outside – wondering if ANYONE is LISTENING!
    - The church is NOT led by committees – defined by their RESOURCES…
    - We serve a God for whom NOTHING is impossible – Ephesians 3:20
    - Who wants to do EXCEEDINGLY – ABUNDANTLY – more than we can imagine…
    - And ABOVE all else – what He desires – is to have FELLOWSHIP [dinner] with us…
    - But the ONLY way to see God work – is to LISTEN to His WORD – and OPEN the door!
3^rd – The encouragement… vs. 21-22
- 1^st – Overcome … vs. 21
  - To him who overcomes!
  - This same CONCLUSION – is given to all SEVEN churches…
  - There are a variety of REWARDS described – but all with the same CONDITION…
  - OVERCOME [νικάω] – to those who have VICTORY [present]
- Ephesus – Loveless church…
- Smyrna – Persecuted church…
- Pergamos – the Compromised church…
- Thyatira – the Corrupt church…
- Sardis – the Dead church…
- Philadelphia – the Faithful church…
  - In the example of LAODICEA – those who LISTEN and OPEN the door to Jesus!
- 2^nd – The Throne of God… vs. 21
  - I will grant to sit with Me on My throne!
    - Jesus will GIVE [future] to SIT with Him on His THRONE…
    - To the ONE church that NOTHING positive is said about them…
    - Jesus gives the most INCREDIBLE promise of all SEVEN of the churches…
    - We have been given the RIGHT to sit with Him on THE [ὁ] throne!
    - Talk about RICHES – talk about REWARDS…
    - What in THIS life could ever compare to SITTING on the THRONE of God!
  - As I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne!
    - In the SAME manner – or following the EXAMPLE…
    - Of how Jesus OVERCAME [νικάω] – and now SITS on the THRONE with the FATHER…
    - We are to LOOK to Jesus – as the PATTERN to follow – that leads to the THRONE…
    - What was His EXAMPLE – He did NOT live for the RICHES of this LIFE…
    - Instead He endured the CROSS – and SHAME – looking for the JOY that came after!
    - Hebrews 12:2 – “Looking unto Jesus – the author and finisher of our faith – who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross – despising the shame – and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
    - The LESSON of LAODICEA – is all about what we SEEK in LIFE…
    - If we are after RICHES here – then we are going to MISS out on Jesus…
    - But if we SEE that nothing in this life compares to HEAVEN…
    - And LISTEN as Jesus knocks – to OPEN the door – to let Him back in…
    - We will have FELLOWSHIP [dinner] with the Lord…
    - With the PROMISE – one day we will SIT with Him – on His THRONE!
- 3^rd – Listen… vs. 22
  - He who has an ear – let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches!
  - This was NOT written just for the church in LAODICEA …
  - It is for ANYONE who has an EAR – they MUST [imperative] LISTEN…
  - Because the SPIRIT of God is SPEAKING [present] to ALL churches [plural]
  - This LETTER is for us – Jesus is writing to us TODAY…
  - If we are willing to LISTEN to what His SPIRIT has to SAY!