Wednesday, January 22, 2020

The Church of the Laodiceans Revelation 3:14

John the apostle saw the vision of Jesus in chapter one of “Revelation”, and he began to write to the “seven churches in Asia”. He started with the church located in “Ephesus”, then the “church of Smyrna, the “church in Pergamos”, the “church in Thyatira”, “the church in Sardis” and “the church in Philadelphia” where He told them, Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which you have, that no man take your crown”, and he added, “Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.” Jesus again declared, “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches.”, and in chapter three and verse fourteen of Revelation Jesus addressed “the church of the Laodiceans” where we read:

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

The verse reads, And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write;John began with the words, “and unto the angel” which means “toward the messenger, envoy, one who is sent and by implication the pastor” “of the church” or “pertaining to the assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting” “of the Laodiceans” which refers to “the inhabitants of Laodicea ” “write” which means “delineate or form letters on a tablet, parchment, paper or other material”. Jesus next addressed the “assembly of Christians” who were located in Laodicea.

The verse continues, “These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;” John added the words, ““these things” which means “that which John is about to write” “says” which means “speaks, utters, declares and proclaims” “the Amen” which refers to “the sure, true and fulfillment of”, “the faithful” or “the person who shows themselves faithful in the transaction of business, the execution of commands or the discharge of official duties” “and true witness” or “the real, genuine and opposite to what is fictitious, counterfeit, imaginary, simulated or pretended martyr and one who after his example have proved the strength and genuineness of His faith by undergoing a violent death”, “the beginning” or “the person who commences, the origin and active cause” “of the creation” which means “pertaining to the founding, establishing and building” “of God” which refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit”. Jesus identifies Himself as the “truth and fulfillment”, the “faithful”, the “real martyr” and from the origin of God.

When we meditate upon John's words in this verse, we see how Jesus has always been and shall always be. He fulfilled all “righteousness” and gave Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the world, and He has thereby become the “Savior and Lord” to everyone who receives and accepts Him as such. His identity as the “true and faithful witness” allows Him and Him alone to offer salvation to mankind, and all who are wise shall pay close attention to what He has to say to the “church of the Laodiceans”.

Next time we see John share how Jesus tells “the church of the Laodiceans”, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites,
http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.





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