And when the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” Then I looked and saw a black horse, and its rider held in his hand a pair of scales. And I heard what sounded like a voice from among the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius,a and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not waste the oil and wine.”
The black horse and its rider were sent out to bring famine on the earth. During John’s time, there were several such famines. The grains used to make bread had shallow roots and would wither quickly in a drought, so bread would be scarce. Several times in the Old Testament God warned the Jews that if they disobeyed Him, famine would come and they would have weigh every morsel of the bread they were to eat. Being able to eat as much bread as one wanted was considered a sign of wealth. Vines and olive trees had deeper roots, so there would still be oil and wine. At the same time, the prices mentioned for the bread indicated that a poor working man would barely make enough money to feed himself each day with nothing left over. Only the rich would be able to afford the oil and wine!
Another equally valid interpretation is the problem of those who enjoy luxuries such as oil and wine, continuing in lavish lifestyles while the poor suffer. Barclay comments “There is always something radically wrong with a situation in which some have too much and others too little. This is always a sign that the society in which it occurs is hastening to its ruin.”
As Christians, the question facing us is this: yes, poverty exists in the world. What are we doing about it? Are we pursuing our own pleasure or are we trying to take practical steps to help those around us?
The Fourth Seal: Death
And when the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” Then I looked and saw a pale horse. Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed close behind. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill by sword, by famine, by plague, and by the beasts of the earth.” This horse is not merely a white horse, but it is the color to which one’s face would change if one were terrified. This horse and rider are to bring death and pestilence on the earth, but not a complete end to all the people. One fourth of the earth’s population will be destroyed, but three fourths will be left.
We don’t know the nature of this pestilence, but in recent times we have seen several horrifying diseases. In 2014 there were Ebola outbreaks in several parts of Africa. Ebola is a viral illness so contagious that contact with any blood or body fluid, even sweat or tears, is enough to spread the disease. One Catholic father in Liberia contracted Ebola when he reached out compassionately to carry a lady from a taxi cab into a hospital so that she could be treated. That man died within a week of this exposure. As I write these words, there is a possible resurgence of COVID – 19 in several parts of the world. While some people are exposed and have no problems, others have died quickly.
Again, what should our response be to all these terrors?
1. God is still on the throne and is sovereign. Nothing can come to us that has not come through the hand of God.
2. We must trust God and be faithful, no matter our circumstances. If we are only willing to serve God when things are easy, our faith is no faith at all.
3. We can trust that the Blood of Jesus still cleanses us from all sin.
Romans 14:8 says, “For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.” As Christians, we have the assurance that God is always with us, no matter what happens.
PRAYER: Father God, please help us not to be frightened or discouraged by these verses but to realize that no matter what happens to us, you are always with us and that we have your promise of eternal life in Jesus. Christ. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Revelation 6: 1 – 3 The First Seal: The White Horse
“Then I watched as the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say in a thunderous voice, “Come!”
So I looked and saw a white horse, and its rider had a bow. And he was given a crown, and he rode out to overcome and conquer.
The Second Seal: War
And when the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” Then another horse went forth. It was bright red, and its rider was granted permission to take peace from the earth and to make men slay one another. And he was given a great sword. “
We have just been treated to one of the most fantastic worship experiences recorded. But the Lamb did not come just to enjoy worship and praise. And now the seven seals are going to be opened.
The opening of the first seal summons a white horse and its rider, who carries a bow. In John’s day, victorious Roman generals would parade through the streets with their captives behind them, and white horses would pull their chariots. White was the symbol of victory. Releasing this rider on the earth meant that militarism and conquest would dominate the earth.
The opening of the second seal summons the spirit of war on a blood red horse. Once released, this spirit would bring unending bitter conflict throughout the world. Nation would turn against nation; tribe would turn against tribe, neighbors would turn against neighbor; and even brothers would seek to destroy one another. There would be no peace anywhere! Barclay comments that “It is still true that the nation in which there is division between man and man and class and class and hatred based on competitive ambition and selfish desire is doomed; and the world in which nation is set against nation is hastening to its end.”
What are the lessons that we can learn from these verses? First, we must realize that Jesus, the Sacrificed Lamb and Victorious King, is sovereign and has control over events. Second, we need to remember that no matter what happens, we can still trust God to care for us. Nothing should sway us from that trust. Dr. Jeanette Troupe was a pediatrician at the SIM Hospital in Jos, Nigeria in the 1960’s when Lassa Fever first broke out. Dr. Troupe was exposed to Lassa when she was doing a postmortem on a patient and accidently cut herself. One of Dr. Troupe’s missionary friends reminded her that “nothing can come to us without first going through God’s hands.” Dr. Troupe died from Lassa, but the information she secured helped save many other lives. Third, we should not become frightened by these visions. But we should realize that we stand on the brink of eternity. None of us knows the day or the hour when we will take that final step from this life to the next. Recognizing that our time is fleeting, we should do well to put our entire trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The only time we are guaranteed is right now. Today is the day to make that decision.
PRAYER: Father God, please help everyone who reads this devotional to turn their hearts to you and to put their trust in you! Let them truly follow you. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Revelation 5:8 – 14 “When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song:
“Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, because You were slain,and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them into a kingdom, priests to serve our God, and they will reign upon the earth.” Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels and living creatures and elders encircling the throne, and their number was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands. In a loud voice they said:“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
And I heard every creature in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb,be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever!”And the four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.”
FORGET EVERY WORSHIP MUSIC VIDEO YOU HAVE EVER SEEN!
FORGET EVERY ROCK CONCERT YOU EVER ATTENDED!
FORGET EVERY LIGHT SHOW YOU HAVE EVER WITNESSED!
Jesus has triumphed and everyone and everything in heaven and earth is praising and worshiping Him. Remember that the twenty – four elders represent everything in nature and the entire church. These elders have harps, the traditional praise instruments used in the temple. They also have “golden bowls of incense that are the prayers of the saints.” In the Psalms, prayers are compared to incense. Incense was used as part of worship services; in fact, priests were specifically commanded to burn incense as a part of worship twice a day. This incense was very special and was manufactured using a recipe that was not to be duplicated for any other purpose. Here God is telling us that our prayers give Him as much pleasure as the smell of fragrant incense.
“Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, because You were slain,and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them into a kingdom, priests to serve our God, and they will reign upon the earth.” Jesus has triumphed and He alone is qualified to open the seals to the scroll that God has given Him. Jesus laid down His life and shed His blood on the cross for the sins of the whole world. There is no nation or tribe on earth for whom Jesus has not died! Through His sacrifice, Jesus opened the way to heaven for everyone who would believe! And all who believe will be united as a single kingdom. Although traditionally, only certain people were qualified to be priests, Jesus changed that whole situation! Now everyone who believes in the Name of Jesus will be a priest and will serve Him in worship forever.
“Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels and living creatures and elders encircling the throne, and their number was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands. In a loud voice they said:“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
And I heard every creature in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb,be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever!”And the four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.”
What must this have been like to see and to hear? Nothing John had ever seen before could compare with this, even when Jesus ascended into heaven. Pause for a moment and consider this picture: Light, brilliant, incredible scintillating light! Sound and light pulsating in waves as the voices continue to sing. Every color that you can imagine – all of it at once! Joy and peace and delight and energy surging together all at once.Come, let us adore Him!
PRAYER: Father God, help us to worship you! Help us to praise you! Thank you for making us priests! Thank you for treasuring our prayers! Thank you for your incredible glory! Lord, words fail us. Please accept the only thing we can give you…our hearts. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Revelation 5:1 – 7 “Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the One seated on the throne. It had writing on both sides and was sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or look inside it. And I began to weep bitterly, because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or look inside it. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
Then I saw a Lamb who appeared to have been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And He came and took the scroll from the right hand of the One seated on the throne.”
What is important about a scroll with writing on both sides that has been sealed with seven seals? Scrolls were made by connecting several sheets of papyrus together. If there wasn’t very much information to be written, the writing would be only on one side. But when the writing was extensive, both sides of the papyrus sheets would be used. Barclay explains the sealing of the scroll: “(a) When a roll was finished, it was fastened with threads and the threads were sealed at the knots. The one ordinarydocument sealed with seven seals was a will. Under Roman law the seven witnesses to a will sealed it with their seals, and it could only be opened when all seven, or their legal representatives, were present. The roll may be what we might describe as God’s will, his final settlement of the affairs of the universe.
(b) It is more likely that the seven seals stand simply for profound secrecy. The contents of the roll are so secret that it is sealed with seven seals….to make quite certain that no unauthorized person could possibly open it.”
“And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or look inside it. And I began to weep bitterly, because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or look inside it.” The mighty angel is making this announcement so that Jesus will be fully and completely revealed. John wept because he wanted so much to know what the scroll said and he wanted so much for God’s perfect will to be carried out. Those involved in intercession frequently find themselves begging God to fully reveal Himself because they are hungering and thirsting for righteousness. Sometimes, an intercessor might groan because words are so inadequate.
Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed to open the scroll and its seven seals. Then I saw a Lamb who appeared to have been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And He came and took the scroll from the right hand of the One seated on the throne.”
Who is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David? Jesus, the Messiah, King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Isaiah 11 speaks of the Messiah as the Root of Jesse. John the Baptist was quoted in John 1:29 as saying, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” When the Jews were making sacrifices, they selected a perfect lamb to be the sacrifice for sin. Jesus laid down his life for the sins of the whole world; this is why He is described as the Lamb of God. In Revelation, the Lamb has seven horns and seven eyes representing the seven spirits of God sent out into the whole earth. Remember that seven is considered the number of perfection, representing the Holy Spirit who has been sent out into all the world. And Jesus came and took the scroll. Jesus alone was – and is – worthy!
Why is Jesus portrayed as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah? The name “Judah” means “praise.” King David came from the Tribe of Judah and Jesus was descended from King David on His human side. In Bible times, lions were praised for their courage and for their qualities of leadership. Traditionally, the lion was considered the King of Beasts.
As Jesus was God made man, both fully human and fully divine, so He was also the Lamb of God and the Lion of the Tribe of Judah at the same time. Is it possible to completely explain these apparent contradictions? No. But is it necessary? Again, no. It is enough that we realize that Jesus was and is the One who has sacrificed his innocent blood once and for all so that all those who put their trust in Him will be saved from their sins. Come, let us adore Him!
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we don’t understand every thing about your nature, but we thank you and praise you and bless you for who you are! Thank you for loving each of us so much that you have died for us! Thank you for the hope you give us if we will only put our trust in you. Help each person who reads this devotional to strive to know you as Savior and Lord, Master and King. In your mighty and precious Name. Amen.
Revelation 4:5 – 11 “From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings, and peals of thunder. Before the throne burned seven torches of fire. These are the seven Spirits of God. And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, as clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, covered with eyes in front and back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second like a calf (ox), the third had a face like a man, and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. And each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around and within. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, and they worship Him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist, and came to be.”
Well, we are back in First Church with its 100 – voice professional choir and its 75 – piece orchestra. The Sunday morning service is about to begin, and the worship leader, JoJo Brown has a microphone in his hand and is ready to take off on the first song. JoJo just released this song on I Tunes this week, and already one million people have downloaded it. But down in the basement prayer room, Mama Gracie Jones is on her knees. “Father God, we beg you to come down this morning! Holy Spirit, we invite you, we beg you, come in your strength and your power! Lord, let your presence fill this place! Anoint all who are to minister, but above all else, Lord, demonstrate your presence in a mighty way.” Nobody else is with Mama Gracie; week after week, she is the only intercessor using the prayer room. And week after week, Mama Gracie’s prayers are always the same. But this morning is going to be different because this is the morning that God is going to answer Mama Gracie!
As the members take their places and as the ministers and worship leaders are about to get started, suddenly there is the sound of a mighty rushing wind. Without even thinking about what they are doing, the entire congregation, the ministers, the choir, the orchestra, and every one else find themselves flat on their faces on the floor, unable to move. Suddenly the huge cross in the front of the auditorium is shining so brightly that it hurts to look at it. And the auditorium is filled with voices chanting, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist, and came to be.” When the voices die away, all that can be heard throughout the huge church is the sound of weeping and wailing. Deacons who have paraded before the congregation for years are sobbing their hearts out! The leader of the Women’s Ministries is quietly tearing at her hair and rubbing reddened eyes. Throughout the entire congregation, men and women and children are humbling themselves before the Lord and worshiping Him. The weeping goes on for hours, punctuated by spontaneous singing of hymns. And as for JoJo, he spends the entire time flat on his face before God. No, nothing will ever be the same at First Church!
If you think this scene is impossible, read accounts of the Azusa Street Revivals, the Welsh Revivals, or the Great Awakening or Charles Finney’s meetings. Scenes such as the one I just described were common. When true revival hits, the awe of the Lord and the fear of the Lord are so strong that all anyone can do is to humble themselves under the hand of the Holy Spirit. May God send such revival on each and every one of us!
“From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings, and peals of thunder. Before the throne burned seven torches of fire. These are the seven Spirits of God. And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, as clear as crystal.” The psalms tell us that God rides on the clouds so thunder and lightning would naturally come from his throne. The seven torches of fire are the same seven spirits previously represented by the seven lampstands. What about the sea of glass? Remember, John is doing the best he can to describe sights that are are almost beyond words. How can you describer preciousness, purity and immense distance? A sea of glass might be the only thing John could think of.
“In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, covered with eyes in front and back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second like a calf (ox), the third had a face like a man, and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. And each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around and within.”
The first time the Bible mentions these four creatures is in the Book of Ezekiel. These creatures are cherubim. Barclay suggests: “the four faces represent that which is noblest, strongest, swiftest, and wisest in nature. Each has the preeminence in his own particular sphere. The lion is supreme among beasts; the ox is supreme among cattle; the eagle is supreme among birds; and man is supreme among all creatures. The beasts represent all the greatness and the strength and the beauty of nature; here we see nature praising God. In the verses to follow we see the twenty-four elders praising God; and when we put the two pictures together, we get the picture of both nature and man engaged in constant adoration of God. “The ceaseless activity of nature under the hand of God is a ceaseless tribute of praise.”
“And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, and they worship Him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist, and came to be.”
1 Corinthians 13:9 – 10 reminds us “For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial passes away.” As long as we are on earth, even our best efforts at praising God will be limited and incomplete. But meanwhile in heaven, perfect praise is going up to God continually. Why should this matter to us? Each one of us is already stepping into eternity. Either we will gladly serve the One True Living God, or we will reject Him. There is no neutrality in the spiritual world. And God is the Lord God Almighty whether or not we choose to believe it. Each of us has a choice: we can humble ourselves before God and praise Him throughout our lives, or we can turn away. But every time we turn away, we are stepping further into hell. God does not send anyone to hell; we choose to go there.
God chose John to record the Book of Revelation because John had spent a lifetime being faithful and God knew He could trust John to get it right. God has a calling for each of us. Today, open your heart and ask God to reveal Himself to you. When you do this, you are speaking to the One who loved you before the foundations of the world and who knows you better than you know yourself. Come to Him!
PRAYER: Father God, thank you that perfect praise goes up to you continually! Lord, help us to seek your face, to praise you and to love you more each day than we did the day before. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Revelation 4:1 “After this I looked and saw a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had previously heard speak to me like a trumpet was saying, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after these things.”
By the time that John made it to Patmos and saw the visions that resulted in the Book of Revelation, he had traveled a good share of the known world. Even when John was still with Jesus, he had enough connections to make it into the High Priest’s palace without any problems. No, John was no longer a naive fisherman from Galilee! And John had had many experiences in prayer as a believer. But now John was about to enter a new dimension of experience. C.S. Lewis, in his book “The Great Divorce,” describes Heaven as being a place where things are so hard and so real that everything less is like a vapor. Those trying to enter heaven find that even the grass is hard and sharp on their ghostly feet, until they are transformed and made truly real. Those truly wishing to enter heaven entered a different dimension. John was about to have a similar experience.
Before Jesus was crucified, there was a huge densely woven curtain or veil between the Holy of Holies and the outer courts in the temple of Jerusalem. When Jesus was crucified, that curtain was torn from top to bottom, signifying that God Himself, had destroyed it. Traditionally, only the priests could enter the Holy of Holies and they had lots of restrictions on their movements. Through the blood of Jesus’ sacrifice, all mankind now had entrance into the Holy of Holies. Now God was opening the very door of Heaven to John and calling him to come up. John must have been thrilled and terrified all at the same time!
Revelation 4:2 – 4 “At once I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne standing in heaven, with someone seated on it. The One seated there looked like jasper and carnelian, and a rainbow that gleamed like an emerald encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and on these thrones sat twenty-four elders dressed in white, with golden crowns on their heads.”
Many people think of God as an old man with a beard dressed in white robes. Nothing could be farther from the truth! First of all, God transcends form. Second, God dwells in unapproachable light.
1 Timothy 6:16 says, “He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him, nor can anyone see Him. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.”
Three precious stones are mentioned in connection with God: jasper, carnelian, and emerald. William Barclay describes these gems in this fashion: The jasper is nowadays a dull opaque stone, but in the ancient world it seems to have been a translucent rock crystal, through which the light would come with an almost unbearable scintillation. Some think that here it means a diamond, and this is not impossible. The sardian (carnelian), so called because it was said to be found mainly near Sardis, was blood-red; it was a gem which was frequently used to have engravings incised on it and may correspond to the modern carnelian. The emerald is most likely the green emerald which we know.The picture of the presence of God which John saw was like the blinding flash of a diamond in the sun, with the dazzling blood-red of the sardian; and there flashed through both the more restful green of the emerald, for in that way alone could the eye bear to look upon the sight.It may well be that the jasper stands for the unbearable brightness of the purity of God; that the blood-red sardian stands for his avenging wrath; and that the gentle green of the emerald stands for his mercy by which alone we can meet his purity and his justice.”
Not to take anything away from Barclay, but I also wonder if the red sardian/carnelian symbolizes the Blood of Jesus that takes away all our sins and makes a way for us into heaven. And green traditionally has represented life. Why can’t the emerald symbolize new life and life eternal?
Who are the twenty – four elders surrounding God’s throne? Traditionally, the priests were organized into twenty – four groups or courses that served in the temple in strict rotation. At the same time, the twenty – four elders might represent the twelve apostles and the twelve Jewish patriarchs. Others feel that these elders represent the church as a whole, both Jewish and Gentile believers. Personally, I think there are several interpretations working simultaneously and that all of these are valid. God is the ultimate Multi – Tasker. Just when we think we understand exactly what God wants in a given situation, He goes off and does a totally new thing in a startling new fashion, leaving us blinking in amazement.
The elders are wearing white robes, the symbol of purity and holiness, while they bear gold crowns on their heads. Jesus promised the faithful in the letters to the churches that precedes these verses that they too would wear golden crowns if they persevered to the end.
What would we have done, had we been in John’s place? One advantage John had over many of us was that he really did believe in God as Immortal, Omnipotent, and above all our knowledge or comprehension. Many of us wish to believe in idols that we have cut down to suit ourselves. But we were not made to worship the creations of our hands, but the Creator who formed us and made us and who knows us better than we know ourselves. As you read through these verses, ask God to reveal Himself to you… but be prepared for a shock. For if you are truly seeking God, you might get a bigger vision than you bargained for, just as John did.
PRAYER: Father God, thank you for your Nature, for Holiness, Righteousness, Truth, and Light. Lord, please reveal yourself to each one who truly seeks you. In the mighty and powerful Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Revelation 3:3:14-22 “And to the angel of the Church in Laodicea, write: These things says the Amen, the witness on whom you can rely and who is true, the moving cause of the creation of God. I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! So, because you are tepid and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Because you say, I am rich and I have acquired riches, and I need nothing, and are quite unaware that it is you who are the wretched and the pitiable one, the poor and the blind and the naked one, I advise you to buy from me gold that has been refined by fire that you may be rich, white raiment that you may be clothed and that the shame of your nakedness may not be openly displayed, and eyesalve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.
I rebuke and discipline all those whom I love. Be eager, therefore, and repent. Behold, I am standing at the decor and knocking. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and will have my meal with him, and he with me. I will give to him who overcomes to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame and took myseat with my Father in his throne.Let him who has an ear hear what the Spirit is saying to the Churches.”
In real estate there is a saying, “LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION!” If you were looking for a city with a prime location, Laodicea had it all! Laodicea was on the main road from Ephesus to Syria, and there were two other main roads that also led through Laodicea. As a consequence of its location, Laodicea was a banking and financial center with so much wealth that when it was destroyed by an earthquake, its citizens REFUSED help from Rome and rebuilt the city themselves! Near by, there was a very wealthy Jewish congregation who probably were involved in the banking industry. Laodicea was the center of a major clothing trade and its cloth was famous. And Laodicea had a huge medical center and a medical school. The medical center was particularly known for producing ointment for ears and for eyes. These ointments were exported throughout the world. Yes, Laodicea appeared to have it all! And yet, this is the only one of the seven churches for which Jesus has nothing good to say! Why?
“And to the angel of the Church in Laodicea, write: These things says the Amen, the witness on whom you can rely and who is true, the moving cause of the creation of God.” Jesus is reminding those in Laodicea who He is. “The Amen”: when “Amen” is written at the end of a prayer, it is used as an indication that this prayer is true and real. Jesus is about to reprimand the believers in Laodicea and He wants to make sure they are not going to try to argue their way out from under His criticisms. “the moving cause of the creation of God…” John 1:1-3 says “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.” Jesus is the Living Word and the moving cause of the creation of God.
“I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! So, because you are tepid and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth.” Above all else, those Laodiceans were sharp businessmen and women. If there was any money to be made, rest assured, they would take every opportunity. But along the line, they had had to compromise. And once compromise became a fixed habit, it became a way of life. It’s very likely that the church in Laodicea was beautiful and that its members were sleek and well – dressed and complacent, much like many churches today who spend their money on themselves in the name of evangelism. Nobody ever heard the Gospel because the pew cushions were softer or the singing band had fancier outfits; yet, many modern churches spend huge amounts of money on these things.
Barclay says, “The problem of modern evangelism is not hostility to Christianity; it would be better if it were so. The problem is that to so many Christianity and the Church have ceased to have any relevance and men regard them with complete indifference. This indifference can be broken down only by the actual demonstration that Christianity is a power to make life strong and a grace to make life beautiful.”
Hot food can be very appealing, as can very cold food. But tepid food has little taste. Again, Barclay says, “The one impossible attitude to Christianity is neutrality. Jesus Christ works through men; and the man who remains completely detached in his attitude to him has by that very fact refused to undertake the work which is the divine purpose for him. The man who will not submit to Christ has necessarily resisted him.”
But Jesus is just really getting started. “Because you say, I am rich and I have acquired riches, and I need nothing, and are quite unaware that it is you who are the wretched and the pitiable one, the poor and the blind and the naked one, I advise you to buy from me gold that has been refined by fire that you may be rich, white raiment that you may be clothed and that the shame of your nakedness may not be openly displayed, and eyesalve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.”
Remember, this is the town that refused a government hand – out because they were so rich and felt they could take care of themselves without any outside assistance. But Jesus is stripping away that illusion! Spiritually, the Laodiceans are wretched and pitiable! Remember the textile industry? That cloth that was so highly prized? From the standpoint of Jesus, the Laodiceans are stark naked without a single spiritual covering because they have persistently refused to follow Him. And these same people who are so proud of their eye salve that they are exporting all over the known world? They themselves are blind and need eyesalve that only Jesus can give! In a few pithy statements, Jesus totally vaporizes all the things that made the Laodiceans so proud of themselves.
“I rebuke and discipline all those whom I love. Be eager, therefore, and repent.”
Jesus is warning the Laodiceans that they must do a complete turn – around before it’s too late! The Risen and Glorified Lord of All Creation is pleading with these people! Yes, Jesus is saying harsh things, but these warnings are necessary. Nothing less is going to grab anyone’s attention. As it is, we have no idea how many in Laodicea actually heeded these warnings and repented.
“Behold, I am standing at the door and knocking. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and will have my meal with him, and he with me.” This statement is in the continuous tense. That means that Jesus is continuing to stand at the door and continuing to knock. Even today, Jesus is still knocking on the door of hardened hearts!
In 1853 William Holman Hunt created a painting called “The Light of the World.”Based on these verses, the painting shows Jesus knocking on the door of a believer’s heart. There are two lights shown in the picture. The lantern is the light of conscience and the light around the head is the light of salvation with the door representing the human soul, which cannot be opened from the outside. There is no handle on the door, and the rusty nails and hinges overgrown with ivy denote that the door has never been opened and that the figure of Christ is asking for permission to enter. The bright light over the figure is the morning star, the dawn of the new day, and the autumn weeds and fallen fruit represent the autumn of life. The writing under the picture, which is rather hard to read, is taken from Revelation 3 ‘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.’
I will give to him who overcomes to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame and took my seat with my Father in his throne. Let him who has an ear hear what the Spirit is saying to the Churches.”
Is there hope for the Laodicean Church or those who are in similar situations? Yes! Absolutely! Jesus continues to call all those on earth to come to Him. But we humans are time limited and none of us knows the day when time will end for us and eternity will begin. Today is the only day we have! Don’t make the mistake made by the Laodiceans! Without Christ, all of us are poor, naked, wretched, miserable, and blind.
PRAYER: Father God, please, please, please cause everyone who reads this devotional to turn their hearts to You now, while they still can! Open blinded eyes, Lord! And speak to every heart! In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Revelation 3:3:7-13 And to the angel of the Church in Philadelphia, write:
These things says he who is holy, he who is true, he who has the key of David, he who opens and no man will shut, and shuts and no man opens. I know your works. Behold, I have set before you a door which stands open and which no man shuts, because you have a little strength and because you have kept my word, and have not denied my name. Behold, I will give you those who belong to the synagogue of Satan, who call themselves Jews and who are not, but who lie. Behold, I will make them come and kneel before your feet, and they will know that I have loved you. Because you havekept my command to endure, I, too, will keep you safe from the hour of testing, which is to come upon the whole inhabited world, to test those who dwell upon the earth. I am coming quickly. Hold on to what you have, that no one may take your crown.
I will make him who overcomes a pillar in the temple of my God and he will go out no more; and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, of the new Jerusalem, which is coming down from heaven from my God, and my new name. Let him who has an ear hear what the Spirit is saying to the Churches.
The ancient city of Philadelphia was strategically located on one of the main Roman roads used by the Imperial Postal Service. While Philadelphia was in an ideal spot for spreading culture, language, and the Gospel, its location also was precarious! The city was located close to an earthquake fault and an ancient volcano. In AD 17 there was a catastrophic earthquake that destroyed Smyrna and heavily damaged Philadelphia. The after shocks went on for a long time, forcing people to live in the open for fear of being trapped in collapsed buildings. When Tiberius Caesar helped rebuild the city, the city changed its name to “Neocaesaria,” Latin for “the new city of Caesar.” Later on, Vespasian Flavius, another Caesar, also helped the city and the city changed its name again to “Flavia” as a sign of gratitude. Despite these official name changes, the city remained known to most people as “Philadelphia.”
“Because you have kept my command to endure, I, too, will keep you safe from the hour of testing, which is to come upon the whole inhabited world, to test those who dwell upon the earth.” We don’t know exactly what happened, but at some point, Christians in Philadelphia had faced severe testing and had acquitted themselves honorably. It’s quite possible that these tests might have come from the degenerate nature of Greek or Roman culture. It’s also possible that believers in Philadelphia had faced challenges similar to those in other cities dominated by Imperial Rome. Perhaps Christian tradesmen and artisans had suffered because they refused to acknowledge Caesar as a god. At any rate, these men and women had persevered and had emerged spiritually victorious. And Jesus was making them a fantastic promise: they were not going to suffer in the future as others would.
Had the Christians in Philadelphia prayed for deliverance? No. Oswald Chambers says in his “My Utmost for His Highest” November 11th reading that “If God has made your cup sweet, drink it with grace; or even if He has made it bitter, drink it in communion with Him. In the providential will of God means a hard and difficult time for you, go through it. But never decide the place of your own martyrdom, as if to say, “I will only go to there but no farther.” Had believers in Philadelphia shrunk back in fear, Jesus would never have commended them.
Most of us live in obscurity. No matter what challenges we might face, the world at large is unlikely to hear of us. But we should take heart from these passages. Jesus is praising the believers in Philadelphia for persevering. If we are faithful, we too will know His favor and approval. What was this hour of testing? It might have been the over-running of the Roman Empire by the barbarians; at any rate, Jesus was assuring believers of His protection.
“Hold on to what you have, that no one may take your crown.” The annals of Christianity are littered with stories of those who began ministry magnificently, only to fail later on. We must never become complacent; we should always be growing in our faith and not moving backwards. In Ghana it is very common to see lorry drivers who have adjusted their rear view mirrors so that they can admire themselves as they drive. Unfortunately, these adjustments render them blind to what is happening in the traffic around them! We need to keep our eyes on Jesus and not on our own accomplishments!
“I will make him who overcomes a pillar in the temple of my God and he will go out no more…” William Barclay says in his Commentary: “In the cities of Asia Minor, and in Philadelphia, when a priest died after a lifetime of faithfulness, men honored him, by erecting a new pillar in the temple in which he had served and by inscribing his name and the name of his father upon it. This then would describe the lasting honor which Christ pays to his faithful ones.” If we continue to be faithful, we will serve as spiritual pillars of the church, supporting and upholding the teaching of the Gospel and encouraging other believers.
“and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, of the new Jerusalem, which is coming down from heaven from my God, and my new name.” When slaves became part of a household, they were branded so that all would know they belonged to that household. In several different parts of the Old Testament, God speaks of placing His mark on the Children of Israel, so that everyone would know that these people belonged to the One True Living God. (Numbers 6:22-27)
What is the “new name” that is mentioned? Remember, Philadelphia actually had two new names, in addition to the original one. We do not know. But God, who dwells in unapproachable light, will someday bring a new heaven and a new earth. Why not a heavenly language with names that are beyond our understanding at this point? 1 Corinthians 13:9-10 tells us that “our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect, but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away.”
“Let him who has an ear hear what the Spirit is saying to the Churches.” Jesus wants believers to know that these messages are for all believers throughout the ages. It is as if the Holy Spirit is grabbing us by the ear and screaming, “LISTEN UP!!!” If we are wise, we will listen!
PRAYER: Father God, help us to truly hear your messages to us and to take them to heart! Help us to be faithful so that we will be pillars in your temple and so that we will never be forced to surrender our crowns to anyone else. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Revelation 3:3:7-13 “And to the angel of the Church in Philadelphia, write:These things says he who is holy, he who is true, he who has the key of David, he who opens and no man will shut, and shuts and no man opens. I know your works. Behold, I have set before you a door which stands open and which no man shuts, because you have a little strength and because you have kept my word, and have not denied my name. Behold, I will give you those who belong to the synagogue of Satan, who call themselves Jews and who are not, but who lie. Behold, I will make them come and kneel before your feet, and they will know that I have loved you. Because you havekept my command to endure, I, too, will keep you safe from the hour of testing, which is to come upon the whole inhabited world, to test those who dwell upon the earth. I am coming quickly. Hold on to what you have, that no one may take your crown.
I will make him who overcomes a pillar in the temple of my God and he will go out no more; and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, of the new Jerusalem, which is coming down from heaven from my God, and my new name. Let him who has an ear hear what the Spirit is saying to the Churches.“
Here in Ghana, people are fond of saying, “God is wonderful!” And the story of the Church in Philadelphia really underscores that fact. The Greeks founded Philadelphia at a critical location to peacefully spread the Greek language and culture into two non – Greek areas. Three hundred years later, Philadelphia now had an open opportunity to spread the Gospel to these same areas. God had all His plans in place and these plans were now coming to fulfillment.
“These things says he who is holy, he who is true, he who has the key of David, he who opens and no man will shut, and shuts and no man opens.” Jesus is speaking, reminding the Christians of Philadelphia that He has ultimate authority and control over times and seasons. Jesus is holy; His holiness is beyond dispute. There are two words used to indicate “true” in Greek. The first merely indicates something is not false, but the second word, alethinos, means to be real. Jesus is proclaiming His reality. “The key of David” refers to the keys to the city of New Jerusalem. Jesus has defeated hell, death, and the grave, and He controls entrance to the heavenly city.
Sometimes Christians wonder if God is really guiding them and leading in a particular direction, particularly when they encounter lots of obstacles. Nearly twenty – eight years ago, my husband and I came to a small village in northeastern Ghana to run the mission clinic there. At the time, it seemed totally crazy because I was and am a fully – trained general and pediatric surgeon and this was a tiny facility with eleven workers, no laboratory, no operating theater, and no electricity. When we had been in that location for a little over one year, a tribal conflict broke out and suddenly I became the only doctor for more than 100,000 people who had nowhere else to go. We started a small theater (OR), and I became the first laboratory technician. We also started transfusing blood from walk – in donors. As the only non – tribal workers in the hospital, we had to travel out to do all the purchasing for the clinic. We squeezed 37 inpatient beds, a pharmacy, a laboratory, an OR, and a consulting room into a health center – sized structure. We sterilized items in a big pressure cooker over a coal pot on the verandah. Today that town is a district capital and that small clinic is now a 112 – bed district hospital.
“I know your works. Behold, I have set before you a door which stands open and which no man shuts, because you have a little strength and because you have kept my word, and have not denied my name.” God knows us better than we know ourselves. Frankly, it was a good thing that we had no idea how many obstacles we were going to encounter; we might have given up before we had even started! And God knows our strength. 2 Corinthians 4:7 says “Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us.” If we will make ourselves available, God will work through us. 1 Corinthians 4:2 says, “Now it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.” Notice, it does NOT say “successful!”
“Behold, I will give you those who belong to the synagogue of Satan, who call themselves Jews and who are not, but who lie. Behold, I will make them come and kneel before your feet, and they will know that I have loved you.” Jesus told the religious leaders of His day, “Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, in whom you have put your hope. If you had believed Moses, you would believe Me, because he wrote about Me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?” John 5:45-47 Throughout history, there have always been sincere Jewish believers who have sought after God and who have longed for fellowship with Him. On the other hand, there have also been those who have used religion as a pretext for all kinds of evil. It is possible that the synagogue at Philadelphia had degenerated into a kind of cult with a Jewish overlay. Christians must constantly be on guard that our churches do not devolve into similar degenerate conditions!
There is a lot to learn from the Church at Philadelphia:
1. He Who calls us is Holy, True (Real), and has ultimate authority.
2. God controls the times and the seasons. God’s timing is perfect.
3. God is not nearly so interested in our ability as in our availability. While that sounds like something that might show up on a meme, nonetheless, it is perfectly true. Many times, God has to wound us so that we will back off and allow Him to work.
4. No matter how severe the hardships that we encounter, we must continue to bear the Name of Jesus Christ at all times.
5. If we are faithful, at some point, God will even cause those who have troubled us to come under the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. The worse the persecution, the more we must pray for those who persecute us. (Matthew 5:44) Persecution demonstrates that those attacking us desperately need salvation. If we are unwilling to pray for them, who else will do so?
PRAYER: Father God, we thank you for the example of the believers in ancient Philadelphia! Lord, help us to be faithful. Help us to be true. Help us to watch for open doors and to go through them despite our fears! In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Revelation 3:3 – 6 “Remember, then, what you have received and heard. Keep it and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know the hour when I will come upon you. But you do have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments, and because they are worthy, they will walk with Me in white. Like them, he who overcomes will be dressed in white. And I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and His angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
First Church in Your USA, was a sight to see on Sundays! Some shopping malls were smaller than the First Church building. Many of the richest people in town were there dressed in their finery. The worship leader and the preacher were outstanding, and the 100 – voice choir and 75 – piece orchestra gave polished performances. There were huge video screens so that everyone in the huge auditorium or in other overflow areas could view the services. Yes, First Church really had it all together! But then one Sunday morning, a stranger showed up. Nobody noticed him at first; he was neatly dressed but not particularly impressive. Before anyone realized what was happening, the stranger ascended the platform and walked to the front of the stage. The head pastor and the deacons attempted to get up to stop the man, but found themselves paralyzed where they sat. With eyes flashing fire, the stranger spoke in a voice like thunder, “Let all the living come to me!” In an instant, a small part of the congregation disappeared, while those remaining looked around in horror! Instead of beautiful clothing and carefully arranged hairdos, those left in the congregation had the appearance of zombies – living corpses. Those who remained were literally dead men and women walking. Looking on the congregation with eyes full of tears, the stranger said, “Remember, then, what you have received and heard. Keep it and repent.” The stranger disappeared, and the congregation found themselves returned to normal appearances… but some of the members were still missing.
Yesterday we spoke about the church at Sardis and the fact that most of its members were spiritually dead! The church was literally on the brink of ruin, and most of its members had no idea how close they were to extinction. Just like the members of First Church in the story, those in Sardis had stopped watching. Barclay tells us that believers must be watchful at all times. We must be on the watch against the wiles of the devil. The Sardians didn’t all fall away at once; they slid away gradually, and it was their success that seduced them. Proverbs 30:7 – 9 says, “Two things I ask of You—do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion. Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God.”
Christians are to be on the watch against temptation. Oswald Chambers points out that many times we don’t fail at our weakest point, but at our strongest points, because it is there that we think we don’t need God to help us. We are to be on the watch for the coming of the Lord. Jesus himself warned his disciples that they were to be watchful at all times. (Matthew 24:42-43) Barclay says, “No man knows the day and the hour when for him eternity will invade time.” “The last day is a secret,” says Augustine, “that every day may be watched.”
Christians must watch out for false teaching. There have always been heresies and today there are more of them than ever. There are many who are attempting to combine various other religions with Christianity; however, Jesus said in John 14:6 “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father, except by Me.” This is no time for sloppy thinking; we must study the Scriptures and know what we believe and why.
Christians are to live in the reality of the fact that Jesus is watching us. “I have not found your works perfect,” says the Risen Christ, “in the sight of my God.” Barclay comments, “Here two great truths meet us. (a) Christ is looking for something from us. We so often regard him as the one to whom we look for things; for his strength, his help, his support, his comfort. But we must never forget that he is looking for our love, our loyalty and our service. (b) The things a man must do lie to his hand. The old saying is true: “Fate is what we must do; destiny is what we are meant to do.” The Christian does not believe in an inescapable fate; but he does believe in a destiny which he can accept or refuse.”
Verse 3 has 4 commands for us: “Remember, then, what you have received and heard. Keep it and repent.” Remember – we are to REMEMBER the Gospel. We are to KEEP the Gospel. We are to continuously REPENT. Repentance is not a one – time act but a continuous heart searching coupled with confession of sins so that we might receive forgiveness. And we are to WATCH!
“ But you do have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments, and because they are worthy, they will walk with Me in white. Like them, he who overcomes will be dressed in white. And I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and His angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Throughout the ages, white garments have had many meanings. White robes have symbolized purity and victory and celebration. Here in Ghana, people wear white clothes for special celebrations.
“they will walk with me…” Enoch was a man who pleased God and who walked with God. One day, Enoch simply went home with God. Jesus is promising believers that those who continue to confess Him and to follow him will walk with Him. Kings kept registers of the names of citizens and anyone who died had their name removed from the register. Jesus is promising that if we remain true to Him, our names will remain in His Book of Life forever and that Jesus will tell His Heavenly Father and the angels that we are His forever.
Today, we have a choice: will we be dead men and women walking, or will we repent, believe, follow and watch? The choice is ours, but remember that today is the only day in which we can make that choice. Nobody is guaranteed tomorrow!
PRAYER: Father God, let everyone who reads this devotional choose to follow you! Let them remember what Jesus has done for all of us, repent, keep the Gospel and watch! In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen. .
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