Revelation 3:14a
14 And[kai] unto the angel[aggelos] of the church[ekklesia] of the Laodiceans[Laodikeus] write;[grapho] These things[hode] saith
[lego] the Amen,[amen] the faithful[pistos] and[kai] true[alethinos] witness,[martus] the beginning[arche] of the creation[ktisis] of God;[theos] KJV-Interlinear
14 "And to the angel of the
church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the
Beginning of the creation of God, says this: NASB
Now for a brief story of
the nation of Israel. Perhaps the most disappointing theme in all
of history is their story. See if you
can identify a parallel between their history and ours, or even your personal life.
The Israelites were the recipients of unprecedented
spiritual privileges, the adoption into Gods family as adult first born sons, recipients
of the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple and its
service and the promises, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh,
who is over all, God blessed forever, Rom
9:4-5.
God chose them from all the world's peoples
(believers), rescued them from Egypt (sin), brought them into the Promised Land
(spiritual blessing), loved them, and cared for and protected them, Deut 4:37;
7:7-8.
Yet despite those privileges, Israel's history was
one of continual rebellion against God. After
their miraculous deliverance from Egypt, the Israelites' rebellion brought
God's severe judgment, as an entire generation perished in the wilderness, the
book of Exodus.
The cycle of Israel's sin, God's judgment, and
Israel's repentance and restoration runs throughout the book of Judges. The Jewish people's sinful pride led them to
reject God as their King and demand a human king. Their first king was the disobedient Saul, and
the nation was in turmoil for much of his reign. After a period of relative
peace and obedience under David and Solomon, Israel split into two kingdoms.
All of the northern kings (of Israel) and most of the southern ones (of Judah)
were wicked men, who led their people into the gross abominations of idolatry.
Both nations were finally punished by invasion from
Assyria and Babylon.
And so now we have the final church of Laodicea,
representing the total failure of what most Christians are guilty of – hypocritical
apathy toward God, Christ, doctrine, and their own spiritual life, despite
giving lip service to people, but disinterested within their own soul.
Laodicea represents the apostasy that has and will
capture most Christians within our dispensation, just as apostasy captured the
hearts and minds of the Israelites throughout their history and brought
destruction to them.
We have but one difference, whereas they had the
prophets and Gods visual miracles, we have the completed canon of scripture and
the complete picture of Gods plan in writing.
But without a positive attitude and Gods word within you, there is no
answer and no solution for mans sin nature and destiny to failure.
We have our chance as Royal Family, but we will be
removed at some time certain in the future.
They will still have seven more years (in the Tribulation) of phenomenal
miracles and signs to demonstrate their total failure.
And though this letter is addressed directly to the
people that lived in Johns day, they will not live for 1900 years to see our
day nor the Tribulation, but this letter is also addressed to us who will see
history or perhaps the end of our dispensation, and be witness to the
phenomenal apostasy (the great apostasy) that is predicted for us.
You just do not and should not, want to be a part
of it, for your own good.
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