Revelation 3:14-22 (MSB) To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds; you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other! 16 So because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to vomit you out of My mouth! 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. 19 Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
V14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation.” This assembly has few commendations and many warnings of their error. I believe that the love of money has infected them. Jesus describes Himself as the Amen. The word “Amen” is (G281) ἀμήν amḗn, which means faithful, truly (at the beginning of a statement), and so be it (may it be fulfilled in its use at the end of prayer). The Hebrew amen is (H543) אָמֵן ʼâmên, which means (Strongs) “sure; abstract, faithfulness; adverb, truly:—Amen, so be it, truth.” Jesus is the amen in the sense of faithful, true, and sure. Jesus is the faithful witness, for He spoke all that the Father wished (Matthew 11:27). Jesus is the true witness in that He cannot lie (Titus 1:2). He apparently was assigned by God the Father to create the universe and everything in it (John 1:3, Hebrews 1:2, and 1 Corinthians 8:6).
V15 “I know your deeds; you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other!” Unfortunately their actions in daily life did not reflect loyalty to Jesus’s law (Galatians 6:2) nor did they fail to do so consistently. Jesus wishes they would make up their minds. Compare 1 Kings 18:21 and Matthew 6:24.
V16 “So because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to vomit you out of My mouth!” So, this wishy washy Christianity is condemned by Jesus, for they have one foot in the church and one foot in the world. The consequence of such a life is Jesus spits them out. The Greek word for “spew” is (G1692) ἐμέω emeó, which means spit out, vomit. A strong illustration of Jesus’s displeasure of the believer’s lives. Let us be forewarned. Compare Romans 8:5-8.
V17 “You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.” I believe the love of money had taken root among them which destroyed their first love and even their testimonies. Their outward condition was of luxury and easy; their heart/soul condition was on life-support. They had ignored the clear teachings of Scripture and believed that material blessings equaled a great spiritual life. Jesus revealed to them their deep deception.
V18 “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.” This is the solution. They needed to buy gold from Jesus. Gold is compared to righteousness. Compare 1 Peter 1:7. Refined to remove all impurities (sin). When done so, they can be rich with spiritual treasures and eternal treasures. The white clothing is righteous deeds approved by Jesus. Nakedness is the removal of righteousness (Genesis 3:10-11). Jesus has the eye salve that can focus on spiritual things instead of worldly things.
V19 “Those I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.” Jesus tells them this rebuke is because He loves them (Hebrews 12:6). If they are zealous to do God’s will, they will quick to repent, ask for forgiveness, and stop what they are doing. Should not we follow Jesus’s counsel?
V20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me.” This is an invitation to let Jesus and all His ways enter their hearts and minds. It is fellowship and blessings. The illustration is one of joyful feasting.
V21 “To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” To overcome is to be obedient and do what Jesus requires. We must overcome, with God’s assisting grace, by making a decision to be spiritual and not carnal. We are joint heirs with the Lord Jesus (Romans 8:17), thus, sit with Him on His throne.
V22 “Everyone having ears, hear what the Spirit says to the congregations.” The necessity of obedience.
We learn:
- Jesus knows everything about us
- Jesus judges us
- Jesus rebukes those whom He loves
- Repentance is what Jesus seeks from us when we sin
- Restoration is important to have spiritual riches