Laodicea
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Revelation 3:14-22
| Revelation | References |
|---|---|
| Rev 3:14 “To the angel of the Messianic Community in Laodicea, write: ‘Here is the message from the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the Ruler of God’s creation: | Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created … Joh 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. Isa 65:16 so that he who blesses himself in the land shall bless himself by the God of truth, and he who takes an oath in the land shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten and are hidden from my eyes. Deu 6:4 “Sh’mA, Yisra’el! Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai echaD |
| Rev 3:15-16 “I know what you are doing: you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were either one or the other! (16) So, because you are lukewarm, neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth! | Lev 18:24-25 “Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, for by all these the nations I am driving out before you have become unclean, (25) and the land became unclean so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. 1Ki 18:20-21 So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. (21) And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. Jas 1:8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Mat 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money |
| Rev 3:17-18 For you keep saying, ‘I am rich, I have gotten rich, I don’t need a thing!’ You don’t know that you are the one who is wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked! (18) My advice to you is to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich; and white clothing, so that you may be dressed and not have to be ashamed of your nakedness; and eyesalve to rub on your eyes, so that you may see. | Hos 12:6-8 “So you, by the help of your God, return, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God.” (7) A merchant, in whose hands are false balances, he loves to oppress. (8) Ephraim has said, “Ah, but I am rich; I have found wealth for myself; in all my labors they cannot find in me iniquity or sin.” Joh 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing |
| Rev 3:19 As for me, I rebuke and discipline everyone I love; so exert yourselves, and turn from your sins! | Pro 3:11-12 My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, (12) for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. (also quoted in Heb 12:6) Jas 5:19-20 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, (20) let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. |
| Rev 3:20 Here, I’m standing at the door, knocking. If someone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he will eat with me. | Gen 3:8-9 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. (9) But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” Zec 1:1-4 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying, (2) “The LORD was very angry with your fathers. (3) Therefore say to them, Thus declares the LORD of hosts: Return to me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. (4) Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the LORD. Luk 22:28-30 “You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, (29) and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, (30) that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. |
| Rev 3:21-22 I will let him who wins the victory sit with me on my throne, just as I myself also won the victory and sat down with my Father on his throne. (22) Those who have ears, let them hear what the Spirit is saying to the Messianic communities.” ’ " | Heb 4:14-16 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. (15) For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. (16) Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. He who has an ear 7x in Revelation and 7x in the Gospels: Mat 11:15, Mat 13:9, Mat 13:43; Mar 4:9, Mar 4:23, Luk 8:8, Luk 14:34 1Jn 5:4-5 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. (5) Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? Joh_16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” |
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Seven Letters Summary Table
| Ephesus | Smyrna | Pergamum | Thyatira | Sardis | Philadelphia | Laodicea | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| To | Darling; desired | Myrrh; death | Height; Mixed (strange) Marriage | Daughter | Precious stone | Brotherly Love | People ruling |
| From | Holds 7 stars/ walks among lampstands | First/last dead/alive | Sharp two-edged sword | Son of God; eyes of fire; feet of brass | Sevenfold Spirit & Seven Stars | Holy, True, Key of David Open Door | Amen, faithful and true witness, head of God’s creation |
| Praise | Don’t tolerate evil; Persevered; Acts 17:11 | Suffering (pressing, tribulation) and insults | Not denied faith; holds fast to His name; know they live where Satan has his throne | love, trust, service, and perseverance; improving | NONE | Kept Word and not denied | NONE |
| Judgment | Lost love they had at first | N/A | Tolerate those with sexual and dietary sin (Balaam) | Jezebel | False reputation; they are dead! Works are incomplete. Repent or He will come like a thief | None directed to Philadelphia – will sit in judgment of false Jews who will learn He loves | Lukewarm – to be vomited; think they are rich and in need of nothing but truly are wretched, poor, pitiable, blind, and naked. |
| Secondary Encouragement | Hates deeds of people who do things their own way instead of God’s | Do not fear suffering; remain faithful | N/A | Hold fast against teaching of deep things of Satan | A few who have not soiled clothes | Patient endurance will keep them from the worldwide hour of trial for earth-dwellers | Buy gold refined by fire (not poor), white clothing (not naked), eysalve (not blind). He rebukes those whom He loves, so repent! Those who open the door He will eat with them. |
| Location of “Ear” clause | Before | Before | Before | After | After | After | After |
| Promise | Eat from Tree/Life | Not taste 2nd death | Eat of Hidden Manna / A white stone/new name | Authority over nations; morning star | Dressed in white; name in Book, be acknowledged in Heaven | Pillar in Millennial temple; write on him name of my God, name of new Jerusalem, and His own Name | Sit on his throne |
| Application | Neglected priorities | Expect Satanic opposition | Beware spiritual compromise: (worshipping God AND something else) | Beware of pagan practices mixed in and corrupting the true faith: (worshipping something else pretending it’s God) | Be watchful and diligently guard the heart (not just doctrine) | Loyal ambassadorship | Beware of apostasy and denying what we once held true |
| Age | Apostolic (70-170) | Persecuted (170-312) | State Religion (312-606) | Catholic (606-present) | Protestant (1517 - present) | Missionary “on fire”; Raptured (1750-present) | Lazy, apostate (1900 – present) |
| Parable | Four Soils | Wheat/tares | Mustard seed | Woman/leaven | Treasure/Field | Pearl of Great Price | Dragnet |
| Paul | Ephesians | Philippians | 1/2 Corinthians | Galatians | Romans | 1/2 Thessalonians | Colossians |
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Chris Flanagan
Bible teacher and growing disciple of ישוע/Jesus
Former healthcare compliance auditing professional with a passion for understanding the biblical texts in their original context and applying these lessons to 21st century life.