The Great Falling Away
Rev. 3:14-22
The city of Laodicea was located 40 miles southeast of Philadelphia. The church is a picture of this present church age. The age is referred to the age of apostasy.
This is the only Church that does not receive any commendation from the Lord.
The Lord introduces Himself as:
• The Amen (This refers to the sovereignty of God)
• The Faithful and True Witness
• The Beginning of the Creation of God
See: Col. 1:15 The verse speaks of position and not origin
See: Psalms 89:27 higher than the kings of the earth
He is above all the creation of God!
What will the final state of the Church be like?
1. They Have Lost Their Vigor
Vs.15 Thou art neither cold nor hot
This church completely understood what the Lord meant by such a statement. There was hot water piped from Hierapolis and cold water from Colossae to Laodicea and the time the water would arrive there it would be lukewarm.
Coffee or tea: Hot or cold, but lukewarm is not good.
See: Luke 24:32 a burning heart
Then: Matt. 24:12 A cold heart (at least here recognizable)
I would thou wert cold or hot!
They had become comfortable and complacent!
Mention: Vs.17 We have need of nothing
Vs.16 I will spue thee out of my mouth
2. They Lost Their Value
See: Vs.17
The city was known for its industry of making black wool cloth and salve. They like many have mistaken physical riches for spiritual riches
Mention: Rev. 2:9 The church of Smyrna was poor but yet the Lord said they were rich
See: Matt. 13:22 The deceitful riches of this world makes one unfruitful
And: Luke 18:24 How riches hinders people from coming to Christ. I believe people are chasing after perhaps what God would call fools gold.
See: Eph. 1:7, 18, 2:7, 3:8, 16
Mention: 2 Cor. 8:2 Christ became poor that we might become rich
See: Col. 2:1-2 Paul wrote that Laodicea might be comforted and knitted together in all riches of full assurance of understanding.
See: Vs.18a buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich.
“and a white raiment” They needed to exchange their black raiment for a white raiment
Mention: Genesis 15:1 God told Abram after he refused the riches offer by the king of Sodom “I Am thy shield and exceeding great reward”
3. They Lost Their Vision
Vs.18 anoint thine eye with eye salve
Thought: Matt. 13:15 Jesus mentioned to the spiritually lost they seeing could not see.
Salve: A medication used to heal common eye problems in the Middle East
Prov. 29:18 where there is no vision the people perish
Listen when the church losses its vision the world is given a false presentation of the gospel!
Vs.19 Those whom He loves He chastens
Mention: Hebrews 12:5-8 The chastening of the Lord provides evidence to those who are truly children and the lack thereof unto those who are not His.
He says to those that are His and out of His will be zealous therefore and repent!
In the final state of the Church the Bible speaks of a falling away by those who were really not of the Church.
See: 2 Thessa. 2:3, 2 Tim. 3:1-5, 4:3-4
Mention: Rev. 3:20-21 I stand at the door and knock…
