Read Revelation 3:14–22
Questions from the Scripture text: To the messenger/preacher (NKJ ‘angel’) of which church is this letter addressed (Revelation 3:14)? In what three ways does Jesus describe Himself? What does He know (Revelation 3:15, cf. Revelation 2:2, Revelation 2:9, Revelation 2:13, Revelation 2:19, Revelation 3:1, Revelation 3:8)? What does He know that they are not? What could He wish? But what are they (Revelation 3:16)? And what will He do to them? What do they say (Revelation 3:17)? But what don’t they know? What does He counsel them to buy (Revelation 3:18)? From Whom? So that they may be what? And what else? So that they may be what? And what else? To do what? Why is He rebuking and chastening them (Revelation 3:19)? What should they do in response to this love? What does He command at the beginning of Revelation 3:20? Whom are they to behold? Where is He standing? How does He describe this repenting? What might one hear? What might one do? What will Jesus do? What does Revelation 3:21 now call this repenting and opening? What will Jesus grant to the one who does this? Who has previously done this? Whom does Revelation 3:22 address? What is such a person to do with this letter? Who is speaking this letter? To whom?
How harmful is spiritual pride? Revelation 3:14–22 looks forward to the hearing of God’s Word, publicly read, in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these nine verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that spiritual pride keeps one from fellowship with the glorious Savior.
Who Jesus reminds us that He is. He is the Amen (Revelation 3:14), the One Who Himself is as He ought to be, and in Whom all God’s promises are true (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:20). And He is the Faithful and True Witness. He tells the truth about Himself, first of all, as well as about us. Finally, He is the beginning of the creation of God. The language does not imply that He is a creature, but that He indeed is the One Who is the first cause of God’s creation—i.e., that He is God, the Creator.
What Jesus knows them to be. Sadly, Jesus knows that they neither boil with zeal for Him, nor are they cold and refreshing to Him—i.e., those who are glad to serve and please Him (Revelation 3:15). How did they get to be like this? They are satisfied with themselves (Revelation 3:17). They think that in themselves they are wealthy and need nothing, but the Faithful and True Witness says that they are “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” Laodicea was renowned in the earth for wealth, a medical school that specialized in the eye, and luxurious textiles for clothing. But the church there was now infamous with Christ for being exactly the opposite, spiritually.
What they need Jesus to be. They are on the verge of being rejected by Christ (Revelation 3:16). The language of being vomited is one of judicial wrath and covenantal judgment (cf. Leviticus 18:28). But it is this very same Christ Who is their only hope. His is the counsel by which they may remedy the situation (Revelation 3:18). And it is from Him that they may purchase true gold (refined in fire), white garments (Laodicea’s most famous cloth was black), and anointing salve. Jesus is all our riches, all our covering, and all our health and ability. He is the Beginning of the creation of God. In Him is all that we need.
What Jesus already is unto them. He loves them (Revelation 3:19). He is rebuking and chastening them in that love. This is the only letter of the seven that has no word of praise. But yet He loves them, and the letter is coming in that love. They may have grown cold to Him, but He has not grown cold to them. Dear believer, if you have grown cold to Jesus, know that His love to you urges love back to Him: “zealous” here is a word that means to boil unto Him (cf. being “fervent in spirit” in Romans 12:11). We do not stir up love to Him in order to get things from Him. We get the love itself from Him in the first place!
What thy must do unto Him. All that is required is to welcome Him. Though it can only be done by His own grace, which comes by the very Word that He now sends them, it is no great feat. There are two steps in Revelation 3:20: hear, and open. But it first takes humility. It would have been shocking to them to hear that Jesus was outside. For a backslider to have restored fellowship with Christ, he must admit that he has lost it.
What He does with them. Jesus promises to restore fellowship. In His earthly ministry, He was notorious for eating and drinking with repentant sinners. And for two thousand years, He has welcomed His saints to the Lord’s Supper for the communion of His body and communion of His blood. And here He promises to come in to where the believer is and restore fellowship. But He also promises something much greater: to welcome the believer to where He is—even on His throne, which is His Father’s throne (Revelation 3:21)! If He had not said it in holy Scripture, it would sound like a blasphemy, but the Lord marries the church to Himself, and she reigns with Him forever. Her members, He makes to be “kings and priests to our God” (cf. Revelation 5:10). What a reversal from “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked”! How could we ever be contented with what we are in ourselves, when this is what He offers to us in Himself?!
When was the last time you felt your neediness of Jesus? In what ways are you boiling toward Him with zeal? In what ways are you cool and refreshing to Him? How can you come to be like this? Who is urging you to do so?
Sample prayer: Lord, forgive us for considering ourselves wealthy and needing nothing. We confess that, in ourselves, we are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. So have pity upon us, and make us wealthy, clothed, and whole, in Yourself. In love, You have rebuked and chastened us. In love, come and have fellowship with us, and bring us safely, at last, to live and reign with You forever, we ask in Your Name, Lord Jesus, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP73C “Yet Constantly, I Am with You” or TPH508 “Jesus, Priceless Treasure”
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