ArmchairAdventists

Revelation: Justification by Faith Laodicea as a Lampstand The seventh church is, of course, disappointing. We would have expected much more from this final church than what we see, and it is hard to understand how Laodicea can still be considered a lampstand. It is lukewarm and lacks self-reflection, but even so, it is still a lampstand that must burn. Satan seems to have the upper hand again here. Once again, it seems as though Satan has won. But Christ gives this apparent defeat a chance for victory. He offers Laodicea medicine. However, the church must accept it. Then, like a fiery lampstand, it will spread and reflect warmth and light. It will fulfill its purpose. 

 Revelation: Justification by Faith Behold, I Stand at the Door and Knock Revelation: Justification by Faith Behold, I Stand at the Door and Knock 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 eat with him, and he with Me. 21. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with Me on My throne, as I also conquered and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. This is the promise to Laodicea. The promise has much to do with the second coming of Jesus. At that time, we will sit on the throne to judge, and Jesus will come, and we will have a meal with Him. But the first part is more related to the heart. Jesus knocks on the heart. He wants us to acknowledge Him and accept Him as the Bridegroom. He wants us to love Him as He loves us. In those days, sharing a meal with someone was a special sign of friendship and fellowship. That ...

 Revelation: Justification by Faith Correction and Discipline Laodicea had many issues. They were lukewarm, believed they were doing fine, but lacked faith, the righteousness of Jesus, and were blind and wretched. This church needed correction. They had to recognize their own problems in order to draw closer to Christ. However, when correction comes, people often feel as if everything they have done is rejected and fallen. Sometimes, they fall into complete despair. On the other hand, there is a spirit that resists change, loves sin, and rejects correction vehemently. Those who correct are often viewed as arrogant or proud, almost as if they are trying to bring someone down for pleasure. There is also a group that is indifferent, acknowledging the correction but remaining lukewarm. But this spirit must be completely rejected by the church: Revelation 3:19 (ESV) "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent." God does not correct out of a des...

Revelation: Justification by Faith Blindness Revelation 3:17-18 (ESV) "For you say, ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing,’ not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see." We have already seen that Laodicea is wretched and lacks the faith compared to gold. But the church in Laodicea is also blind. Isaiah speaks of this blindness: Isaiah 29:11-12 (ESV) "And the vision of all this has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed. When they give it to one who can read, saying, ‘Read this,’ he says, ‘I cannot, for it is sealed.’ And when they give the book to one who cannot read, saying, ‘Read this,’ he says, ‘I cannot read.’" Isaiah 29:13-14 (ESV) "And the Lord said: ‘Because this people ...

 Revelation: Justification by Faith Naked Laodicea Revelation 3:17-18 (ESV) "For you say, 'I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing,' not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see." Perhaps the most serious warning to Laodicea here is about their nakedness. Earlier in this study, we discussed this concept of nakedness. In the Bible, being clothed often represents having righteousness, and this is the meaning of it in Revelation . Sometimes it refers to our character, and other times it refers to the righteousness of Jesus that covers us and is credited to us as if it were our own: Isaiah 61:10 (ESV) "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garm...

Revelation: Justification by Faith Poor Laodicea Revelation 3:17-18 (ESV) "For you say, 'I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing,' not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see." The church in Laodicea thought they were rich, but in fact, they were poor. Earlier in Revelation , we saw the type of riches that Laodicea lacked. When speaking to Smyrna, the church that was suffering: Revelation 2:9 (ESV) "I know your works, your tribulation and your poverty—but you are rich—and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan." Peter tells us about this kind of wealth: 1 Peter 1:6-7 (ESV) "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessar...

Revelation: Justification by Faith Miserable Laodicea Revelation 3:17-18 (ESV) "For you say, 'I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing,' not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see." Laodicea believed they lacked nothing. They had no desire for more and were satisfied with what they had. But in reality, they were wretched and pitiable. They were not only in a seriously dangerous position, but also sinful. The Greek word for "wretched" here is used only once elsewhere in the New Testament. That is in Romans 7 . In Romans 7 , Paul talks about the experience of a converted Christian. In Romans 3, 4, and 5 , he speaks about justification by faith, and in Romans 6 , he applies this personally, leadin...

 Revelation: Justification by Faith Lukewarm Laodicea In this blog, we finally come to the last and seventh church. If we follow the historical interpretation of the seven churches and believe that they also represent seven periods of church history from the time Jesus stands among the lampstands as the risen Savior, then this is the church that lives just before the return of Jesus and will experience it. From this church, we are justified in expecting much. Jesus is almost returning, they see the signs of the times, and they have a long history behind them to study as examples or warnings. How fervent they should be! How good! But sadly, Revelation tells us something different about the church of Laodicea. Revelation 3:14-16 (ESV) "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: 'The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, becau...

 Revelation: Justification by Faith Philadelphia as a Lampstand Philadelphia, like Smyrna, was a true light to the world. They were weak in themselves, but they held fast to the word and had not yet gone through the great tribulation, which gave them time to do their work freely. They had perseverance. Although there was still a false synagogue of Satan, they would overcome it. They would not deny God's name. For them, there was an open door, and they had access to all the riches that God could give them spiritually. In this way, they could be a true lampstand. They showed through their lives that it was Jesus who holds the key of David, who gives us access to God, and who frees us from death. All eyes had to be set on the Holy and True One who cannot lie. The church in Philadelphia cooperated well in this through their way of working. For this reason, they may rightly be seen as pillars in the temple of God, and God promised that they would never leave if they overcame. ...

 Revelation: Justification by Faith Pillar in the Temple Revelation 3:11-13 (ESV) "I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." To the pure church of Philadelphia, it was promised that if they overcame, they would be made a pillar in the temple of the God of Jesus. They would receive a new name from the city of the new Jerusalem, from God Himself, or also from Jesus. In a previous study, we discussed what a name means. It represents how we are known, our reputation, or our character. This name would be written on them. They would be so identified with it. They would be associated with the new Jerusalem, Go...

Revelation: Justification by Faith The Word of Perseverance Revelation 3:8 (ESV) "I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name." 9 "Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you." 10 "Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth." 11 "I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown." In Philadelphia, there were false 'Jews' or Christians. In the early church, it was not uncommon to refer to Gentile converts as Jews. In their view, it was the circumcision of the heart that truly matter...

  Revelation: Justification by Faith An Open Door Revelation 3:7-8 (ESV) "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the Holy One, the True One, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.’” This was spoken to Philadelphia, a name meaning "brotherly love." Though they had little strength, they remained faithful to God's Word and honored His name. Because of this, they were given an open door. In Revelation 1, this key is also called the key of the grave. Christ is the One who delivers us from the death sentence, granting us a way to escape from the prison of death. However, here the emphasis is on the very gate we pass through. This kind of language is also found in Isaiah: Isaiah 22:15-25 15 Thus says th...

Revelation: Justification by Faith Sardis as a Lampstand In the great conflict between Satan and Christ, Satan seemed to have gained the upper hand in Sardis. To people, they appeared to be a light and had a good reputation, but in reality, they were dead. And a dead person with a reputation of being alive can only give a distorted image of what life truly is. Thus, the light was polluted, just as the garments of Sardis were stained in their lives. However, there were a few names in Sardis who still shone the true light into the world. They received help from Jesus through the seven Spirits (the Holy Spirit), and Jesus held His servants firmly. They were awakened by the return of Jesus, clung to the pure message of the Gospel, and did not forget it. Satan, however, still eagerly made a claim on these people. He knew of their shortcomings and sins. Even though they were pure and walked in the Holy Spirit, in God's eyes, they were still clothed in filthy garments. In their li...

  Revelation: Justification by Faith Joshua the High Priest Revelation 3:5 (ESV) "The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels." In Zechariah, we find the image of white garments again. The context there is that the Jews had just returned from exile in a foreign land. They were to be restored in Jerusalem and the land of Judah. But they had still accumulated much guilt. God's people had sinned, and it was completely just for God to have punished them. In reality, they did not deserve to be restored at all. And did the Jews of that time not also have their own faults? For this reason, Satan decided to accuse the people in the person of Joshua. Zechariah 3:1 (ESV) "Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him." Just like Joshua, God's ...

  Revelation: Justification by Faith White Garments Revelation 3:4-6 (ESV) 4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. It may be striking, especially to a Protestant ear, to hear that white garments will still be given later in connection with justification or judgment. Jesus speaks here about the book of life. In this book, every name that will live forever is written, and from it, a judgment will be made. Jesus also speaks of how He will confess the names of Sardis before His Father and His angels—not just before the Father, but also before the angels. Thus, He pleads as our Redeemer before both the Father and the angels co...