Welcome to our study today on the Laodiceans, we want to find out who they are and what is their great deception. Join us as Universal Publishing Association 7 South Africa delivers a quick Bible lesson to unpack this timely revealed truth.
Bible Text for study
“14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” — Revelation 3:14-18
Deceived
- When people are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked as are the Laodiceans, and do not know it, then the only title that can be given them is “Deceived,”
- yet ironically the Laodiceans are the people most fearful of being deceived!
- They think themselves in need of nothing, although the Lord Himself says that they are in need of everything.
- They think themselves rich and increased with goods.
Who are the Laodiceans?
“God is leading out a people. He has a chosen people, a church on the earth, whom He has made the depositaries of His law. He has committed to them sacred trust and eternal truth to be given to the world. He would reprove and correct them. The message to the Laodiceans is applicable to Seventh-day Adventists who have had great light and have not walked in the light. It is those who have made great profession, but have not kept in step with their Leader, that will be spewed out of His mouth unless they repent…”— Selected Messages Book 2, p. 66.2 See also Testimonies to the Church Vol. 3 p. 252.1
- Seventh Day Adventists are the Laodicean church.
- Indeed, this mark of identification is pointed out by the very name Laodicea, compounded of the two Greek words lao and dekei meaning people declaring judgment.
- The church therefore, which declares, “Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come” (Rev. 14:7), is evidently the one called Laodicea.
- The Seventh-day Adventist church which carries the judgment message of Revelation 14:7 and is therefore unchallenged in her claim to the title, Laodicea.
Question
- With a ministry wretched, miserable, poor blind, and naked, what church (candlestick) could possibly stay lighted?
- And with her light thus gone out or but flickering dimly, how could she lighten the world as God has set her to do?
- Through the eyes of the True Witness, therefore, the tragedy of Laodicea is starkly seen.
What is their great deception?
“The Lord here shows us that the message to be borne to His people by ministers whom He has called to warn the people is not a peace-and-safety message. It is not merely theoretical, but practical in every particular. The people of God are represented in the message to the Laodiceans as in a position of carnal security. They are at ease, believing themselves to be in an exalted condition of spiritual attainments. “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” — Testimonies to the Church Vol 3 p. 252.3
“What greater deception can come upon human minds than a confidence that they are right when they are all wrong! The message of the True Witness finds the people of God in a sad deception, yet honest in that deception. They know not that their condition is deplorable in the sight of God. While those addressed are flattering themselves that they are in an exalted spiritual condition, the message of the True Witness breaks their security by the startling denunciation of their true condition of spiritual blindness, poverty, and wretchedness. The testimony, so cutting and severe, cannot be a mistake, for it is the True Witness who speaks, and His testimony must be correct.” — Testimonies to the Church Vol. 3 p. 252.4
False sense of security – a feeling of being safer than one really is
- It is with supposedly sufficient Bible Truth that they are satisfied.
- confident that they have all the revealed Truth they need to take them through to the Kingdom this is their great deception.
- do not know their great need of Truth now while the Church is about to enter upon the final phase of her work.
- This next phase of the Church’s work cannot be carried on with her old phase of Truth.
What is the counsel of the True Witness?
“I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen, and was shown that it would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the True Witness to the Laodiceans. This will have its effect upon the heart of the receiver, and will lead him to exalt the standard and pour forth the straight truth. Some will not bear this straight testimony. They will rise up against it, and this will cause a shaking among God’s people. — Testimonies for the Church Vol 1 p 181.1
The testimony of the True Witness has not been half heeded. The solemn testimony upon which the destiny of the church hangs has been lightly esteemed, if not entirely disregarded. This testimony must work deep repentance, and all that truly receive it will obey it and be purified.” — Testimonies for the Church Vol 1 p 181.2
We hope you have enjoyed this quick study on how to identify the Laodiceans and how to remedy their condition.
For more Shepherd’s Rod Studies
No responses yet