Our Text …
“14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”
Note that Jesus calls Himself the “Amen!”
That’s one of the Names by which Almighty God (Jehovah) is known in the Old Testament! Look …
Isaiah 65:16 … That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth (in Hebrew spelled AMEN); and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth (again, AMEN); because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes.
Yes, Jesus is God!
***
The wealth of the Church at Laodicea, a wealth in which they trusted, is a verifiable fact of history. It also may be modeled (as is much of Revelation) on something Isaiah said of ancient (and backslidden) Israel …
Hosea 12:8 … And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance: in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.
***
In verse 18 Jesus offers the Laodicean Church “counsel,” instead of some kind of fierce retribution!
Reminds me of Isaiah 9:6 …
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
And what a wise Counsellor He is!
***
Our Lord chastens those whom He loves …
Job 5:17 … Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.
Proverbs 3:12 … For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
He even reserves the right to chasten His Churches!
***
After the word “Church” (actually “Churches,” plural) is used in our Text, in verse 22 … it is not used again in the Book of Revelation until 22:16, five verses from the end! So, here’s another reason I do not believe the Church will have to endure the seven-year Tribulation! (The Tribulation covers Revelation chapters 6 through 19!)
***
Now, as I usually recommend, watch the whole Class if possible …
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
.