Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 3:14-22 is about the church of the Laodiceans that illustrates the church in the last days.
Revelation 3:20-22
3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyaone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
3:21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
3:22 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'"
The main and last aim of our following to Jesus is not getting the physical matters, but until we sit together with Him on the throne of Heaven forever. The requirement is we must overcome with Him.
We must overcome the lukewarm spiritual condition.
Revelation 3:15-16
3:15 "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.
3:16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
The condition of the church of the Laodiceans, or the church in the last days, is being lukewarm, neither cold nor hot.
Exodus 32:17-18
32:17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "There isa noise of war in the camp."
32:18 But he said: "It isnot the noise of the shout of victory,
Nor the noise of the cry of defeat,
Butthe sound of singing I hear."
The spiritual condition of the church in the last days equals to the one of the Israelites at the foot of Mount Sinai. The consequence is worshiping the gold calf.
Exodus 32:9,7
32:9 And the Lord said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and indeed it isa stiff-necked people!
32:7 And the Lord said to Moses, "Go, get down! For your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves.
Worshiping the gold calf means being a stiff-necked, stubborn, and corrupt people.
Genesis 6:2,12
6:2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they werebeautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.
6:12 So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
It equals to the condition during the days of Noah, when men had corrupted their way on the earth.
Thus, the condition of the church in the last days equals to the one of men during the days of Noah, that is being corrupt.
There are three types of being corrupt as follows.
The consequence of destroying marriage, ministry, and oneself is having the wrath of God.
Exodus 32:10
32:10 Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation."
Isaiah 30:14
30:14 And He shall break it like the breaking of the potter's vessel,
Which is broken in pieces;
He shall not spare.
So there shall not be found among its fragments A shard to take fire from the hearth,
Or to take water from the cistern."
The condition of one who is corrupt is as the vessel that is broken in pieces. It means being useless. He will get the wrath of God and be destroyed forever.
Jeremiah 18:1-6
18:1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying:
18:2 "Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause you to hear My words."
18:3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and there he was, making something at the wheel.
18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.
18:5 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
18:6 "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?" says the Lord. "Look, as the clay isin the potter's hand, so areyou in My hand, O house of Israel!
God as the Potter still gives us chance so we can be formed as a new vessel, that is the vessel for the glory of God.
Romans 9:20-24
9:20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?"
9:21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
9:22 Whatif God, wanting to show Hiswrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
9:23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,
9:24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
The vessel for the glory of God equals to the one of His mercy, meaning everything comes from His mercy.
The process from God's side is as follows.
Isaiah 30:15
30:15 For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: "In returning and rest you shall be saved;
In quietness and confidence shall be your strength." But you would not,
From our side, we must be meek, meaning being silent and calm.
Being silent means correcting ourselves through the sharpness of the sword of the Word. If we find sin, we must confess it. If we are forgiven, we must not repeat it. If we do not find sin, we must keep silent. We repent and stop sinning. It equals to stopping the destruction.
1 Peter 4:7
4:7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
Being calm means controlling ourselves with all its desire, so we can be well and right shepherded. We do not put our hope to the others. We only believe and put our hope to God.
If we are meek, silent and calm, we are within the hands of God the Potter.
Luke 8:2-3
8:2 and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities--Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons,
8:3 and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.
Judas Iscariot was the vessel for the glory of God, but because he hardens his heart, he becomes a destroyed vessel. On the contrary, Mary Magdalene was a destroyed vessel, but she is meek and returns to the hand of the Potter. She becomes the vessel for the glory of God.
Whatever our condition is, if we are meek, we will become as a baby in the embrace of God's hands.
Isaiah 46:4
46:4 Even to yourold age, I amHe,
And evento gray hairs I will carry you!
I have made, and I will bear;
Even I will carry, and will deliver you.
The results are as follows.
God blesses us.
Revelation 3:14-22 is about the church of the Laodiceans that illustrates the church in the last days.
Revelation 3:20-22
3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyaone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
3:21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
3:22 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'"
The main and last aim of our following to Jesus is not getting the physical matters, but until we sit together with Him on the throne of Heaven forever. The requirement is we must overcome with Him.
We must overcome the lukewarm spiritual condition.
Revelation 3:15-16
3:15 "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.
3:16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
The condition of the church of the Laodiceans, or the church in the last days, is being lukewarm, neither cold nor hot.
Exodus 32:17-18
32:17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "There isa noise of war in the camp."
32:18 But he said: "It isnot the noise of the shout of victory,
Nor the noise of the cry of defeat,
Butthe sound of singing I hear."
The spiritual condition of the church in the last days equals to the one of the Israelites at the foot of Mount Sinai. The consequence is worshiping the gold calf.
Exodus 32:9,7
32:9 And the Lord said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and indeed it isa stiff-necked people!
32:7 And the Lord said to Moses, "Go, get down! For your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves.
Worshiping the gold calf means being a stiff-necked, stubborn, and corrupt people.
Genesis 6:2,12
6:2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they werebeautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.
6:12 So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
It equals to the condition during the days of Noah, when men had corrupted their way on the earth.
Thus, the condition of the church in the last days equals to the one of men during the days of Noah, that is being corrupt.
There are three types of being corrupt as follows.
- Being corrupt in marriage, destroying marriage.
The practices are as follows.- Mix marriage.
Mix marriage destroys the righteousness of marriage. Man only gets married by the desire of the eyes, without spiritual consideration.
Mix marriage is continued with marrying-divorcing, up to marrying-being given in marriage. - Destroying the holiness of marriage through doing sexual immorality.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-4
4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality;
4:4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,
The will of God is we must keep the holiness of marriage, starting from the beginning of marriage, the journey, until the end (entering the marriage supper of the Lamb of God) through the sharpness of the Word. Outside the sword of the Word, there is no guarantee for the holiness of marriage. If one is already within the Word of God, but still destroying the marriage, actually he becomes as Judas Iscariot. - Children do not honor and obey their parents.
Proverbs 28:24
28:24 Whoever robs his father or his mother,
And says, "It is no transgression," The same iscompanion to a destroyer.
- Mix marriage.
- Destroying the ministry since there is idolatry.
Exodus 32:4-6
32:4 And he received the goldfrom their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf.Then they said, "This isyour god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!"
32:5 So when Aaron saw it,he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, "Tomorrow isa feast to the Lord."
32:6 Then they rose early on the next day, offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
The practices are as follows.- Ministering without sanctification, not prioritizing the true teaching Word.
- Ministering with aiming for the physical matters.
- Ministering in worldly ways. The church is conditioned as the world by including fleshly pleasure in the church.
If our ministry prioritizes the sword of the Word, we will be anointed by Holy Spirit, so we can minister orderly with honor to God. - Ministering with aiming for the physical matters.
- Being unfaithful in the ministry. It equals to being the friend of the destroyer. Leaving the ministry means being equal with Satan.
Proverbs 18:9
18:9 He who is slothful in his work
Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer. - The sin of stumbling, that is being a stumbling stone to the others or easily being stumbled.
Romans 14:20
14:20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed arepure, but it isevil for the man who eats with offense.
This kind of life is stubborn, until being as hard as the millstone.
- Ministering without sanctification, not prioritizing the true teaching Word.
- Destroying oneself.
The practices are as follows.- The heart is controlled by the lust of money, so one becomes stingy (being unable to give) and greedy (seizing the right of the others).
Ecclesiastes 7:7
7:7 Surely oppression destroys a wise man'sreason,
And a bribe debases the heart. - The adultery sin.
Proverbs 6:32
6:32 Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding;
He whodoes so destroys his own soul. - Useless words, lies, gossips, slanders.
Proverbs 21:23
21:23 Whoever guards his mouth and tongue
Keeps his soul from troubles.
- The heart is controlled by the lust of money, so one becomes stingy (being unable to give) and greedy (seizing the right of the others).
The consequence of destroying marriage, ministry, and oneself is having the wrath of God.
Exodus 32:10
32:10 Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation."
Isaiah 30:14
30:14 And He shall break it like the breaking of the potter's vessel,
Which is broken in pieces;
He shall not spare.
So there shall not be found among its fragments A shard to take fire from the hearth,
Or to take water from the cistern."
The condition of one who is corrupt is as the vessel that is broken in pieces. It means being useless. He will get the wrath of God and be destroyed forever.
Jeremiah 18:1-6
18:1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying:
18:2 "Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause you to hear My words."
18:3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and there he was, making something at the wheel.
18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.
18:5 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
18:6 "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?" says the Lord. "Look, as the clay isin the potter's hand, so areyou in My hand, O house of Israel!
God as the Potter still gives us chance so we can be formed as a new vessel, that is the vessel for the glory of God.
Romans 9:20-24
9:20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?"
9:21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
9:22 Whatif God, wanting to show Hiswrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
9:23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,
9:24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
The vessel for the glory of God equals to the one of His mercy, meaning everything comes from His mercy.
The process from God's side is as follows.
- Jesus who is glorious must be marred on the cross, so our terrible life can become as glorious as him.
Isaiah 52:13-14
52:13 Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently;
He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high.
52:14 Just as many were astonished at you,
So His visage was marred more than any man,
And His form more than the sons of men; - The longsuffering of God gives us chance to repent and forms us as the vessel for the glory of God.
Romans 9:22
9:22 Whatif God, wanting to show Hiswrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
Isaiah 30:15
30:15 For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: "In returning and rest you shall be saved;
In quietness and confidence shall be your strength." But you would not,
From our side, we must be meek, meaning being silent and calm.
Being silent means correcting ourselves through the sharpness of the sword of the Word. If we find sin, we must confess it. If we are forgiven, we must not repeat it. If we do not find sin, we must keep silent. We repent and stop sinning. It equals to stopping the destruction.
1 Peter 4:7
4:7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
Being calm means controlling ourselves with all its desire, so we can be well and right shepherded. We do not put our hope to the others. We only believe and put our hope to God.
If we are meek, silent and calm, we are within the hands of God the Potter.
Luke 8:2-3
8:2 and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities--Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons,
8:3 and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.
Judas Iscariot was the vessel for the glory of God, but because he hardens his heart, he becomes a destroyed vessel. On the contrary, Mary Magdalene was a destroyed vessel, but she is meek and returns to the hand of the Potter. She becomes the vessel for the glory of God.
Whatever our condition is, if we are meek, we will become as a baby in the embrace of God's hands.
Isaiah 46:4
46:4 Even to yourold age, I amHe,
And evento gray hairs I will carry you!
I have made, and I will bear;
Even I will carry, and will deliver you.
The results are as follows.
- God forms us as the vessel for His glory, until we are as glorious as Him.
- God bears our life. Our death and life are His responsibility, starting from our present life up to the eternal one forever.
- God carries us. He solves all our sins and problems, even the impossible ones.
- God delivers us, meaning He sanctifies and renews us until we are as perfect as Him.
God blesses us.