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.
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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