Habakkuk 1:5 Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. -LORD God
These are the last of words of Jesus before He comes for His bride the Church. Revelation The Last Letter looks at the seven churches in their historical and geographical context in the first century. These were actual churches in actual ancient cities in what is modern day Turkey. What did Jesus actually say to the churches? Please, listen to the good news from Jesus Himself…
This is a great resource for small group Bible studies. Study questions are provided at the end of each chapter.
Revelation 3:22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
All seven churches in the book of Revelation are told… “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” This is the last time Jesus addresses the churches. It is an open invitation to whoever wants to listen. We all have ears. Please use them.
Please… “Hear” or ακουο/akouo… This is where we get the English word “acoustics”.The word can mean the following: attend; consider what is or has been said; to understand or perceive the sense of what is said; to find out, learn; to give ear to a teaching or a teacher; to comprehend. Definitions provided by Strong’s Concordance.
Seven times, the body of Christ is addressed. Each individual church (Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea) is told. Each single, local church is encouraged to proclaim to the whole body. Please listen.
Revelation 2:7a He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches…
Revelation 2:11a He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches…
Revelation 2:17a He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches…
Revelation 2:29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Revelation 3:6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Revelation 3:13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Revelation 3:22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Please…respond to what the Lord God is saying. There is time now. At some point, conditions are going to deteriorate. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit do not want to crush mankind like a bug. An out into a glorious eternity will be offered. Jesus is not going to give up on people when the going gets tough. He will continue to plea and reach out, even when things turn ugly. The call will be to all of humanity on Earth at this future time.
Revelation 13:9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear:
The next time Christ will make His plea, it will be during the context of the beast or the antichrist. The beast will be physically present on Earth during his reign. In this time, the beast will be in absolute authority, tyranny. The antichrist will demand to be worshipped or one will pay with their earthly, flesh and blood life.
Revelation 13:7-8 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, all who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.
The choice for the believer in Jesus will be scary and grim for their present life. The focus will need to be on eternity with God in spite of their earthly circumstances.
Revelation 13:10 If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.
Treacherous times are coming. Get over yourself. Don’t think you are immune to deception.
Matthew 24:24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
Matthew 24:25 See, I have told you in advance. -Jesus
Revelation 3:18c…and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.
Jesus is taking a direct shot at man-made medicine.
The locals at the church in Laodicia had access to best medical care in the known world. The worship of the medicine god Aesculpius took place throughout the region of what is modern day Turkey. The temple of Men Karou was located near Laodicea. This was a famous medical school. Phrygian powder was a medicine for the eyes that was produced locally.
The world offered powder. Documents did not indicate the powder was a cure for blindness.
Jesus was offering a salve to rub in their eyes. And He has a purpose.
…that you may see… This is the Greek word βλέπω/blepó. This is more than physically seeing. It is also about discernment, awareness, and perception.
This is not the first time Christ rubbed something in somebody’s eyes. One man was born blind. This miracle caused all sorts of issues. The miracle was performed by Jesus on the Sabbath. Faith and reality for the Pharisees were called into question. The origin of Jesus was a consideration. Peer pressure and social status were on the line.
John 9:6-7 When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam ” (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing.
And Jesus can make adjustments if necessary. Glasses, contacts, and laser surgery are not necessary. Some would argue, Jesus corrected the neurological disorder of visual agnosia. The condition is an impairment in recognition of visually presented objects. Visual agnosia occurs when there is brain damage along the pathways that connect the occipital lobe of the brain with the parietal and temporal lobes. The occipital lobe assembles incoming visual information. The parietal and temporal lobes allow you to understand the meaning of this information.
Mark 8:23-25 And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.
Man made powder or some spit and dirt from the Creator??? Jesus is offering physical vision and spiritual insight.
Revelation 3:18b …and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen…
Jesus is recommending “white garments”. This is a priestly garment. The term for garment in the Greek is ἱμάτιον/himation. The garment is a long flowing outer tunic, cloak, or robe (Strong’s Concordance). The color white is indicative of purity.
Heavenly, priestly garments are made of linen. Exodus 28 gives instructions for the priestly garments. The clothing for the priest is to be made of linen. Exodus 28:5 They shall take the gold and the blue and the purple and the scarlet material and the fine linen.The concept is stated seven more times in Exodus 28. Priestly garments are of linen (Exodus 28:6, 8, 15, 39, 39, 42).
Laodicea was a prominent textile producer. It was world famous for its black wool. (Holman Bible Dictionary).
The culture had infiltrated the church with worldly materialism.
The church in Laodicea and locals were proud of their earthly, wool clothing. As opposed to the white garments Christ was offering, Laodicea loved their black clothing.
…you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen…
The locals needed clothes because they were naked. This church thinks they have the finest of clothes. They are hip and trendy.
Job 26:6 Naked is Sheol before Him, and Abaddon has no covering.
The meaning of Abaddon is “destruction”. Sin and destruction are both naked. Sin is naked before God. In the final analysis, there is no covering of sin apart from the cross work of Christ. God has always made provision for the sin of humanity. Apart from God, sin will be exposed, bare, and raw. Sin’s path leads to destruction.
Proverbs 15:11 Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD, how much more the hearts of men!
Like Adam and Eve in the garden, the church at Laodicea had an earthly solution for their covering. The Lord has a Heavenly solution with priestly linen. Christ has done the work.
Jesus says they need to cover themselves. Sin is embarrassing.
Revelation 3:17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
It is contrast time. And Jesus Christ is the One making the observations. On one hand we have the church at Laodicea and their self-perception. On the other hand, we have Jesus and His views on the local church. We are about to find out, these two views are 180 degrees out of phase. This post will be a contrast in vision (pun intended to the local church).
Like the church at Sardis, the believers in Laodicea had a lofty view of themselves. The church proclaimed to be rich, prosperous, and without need.
Rich…πλούσιος/plousios: noun; wealthy and abounding in.
Prospered… πλουτέω/plouteó: verb; to become rich, am rich, abound in.
Need nothing…
“We are rich and getting richer! Buzz off, we don’t you or anything else!”
All of Christ’s observations hit the Laodicean church at their self-perceived strengths. Jesus makes the implication these folks are so sure of themselves. And He states they have no sense of awareness. Here’s how Jesus describes the church at Laodicea.
Not realizing… οἶδα/eidó: know, remember, or appreciate. There is also a literal and metaphorical sense of vision associated with the verb. Jesus is taking a shot at their medical and vision schools. Christ is telling them, “You don’t know and you can’t even see it.”
Naked… γυμνός/gumnos: rarely stark-naked; generally wearing only the under-garment; bare, open, manifest. The best-case scenario, the church was standing at the town square in their underwear only.
The local body had no idea how desperately awful they appear to Christ. The church at Laodicea believed in the safety of their wealth. God’s word spells their outcome and offers some advice. Place your trust in the correct source of security.
Proverbs 11:28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.
Psalm 52:7 Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and was strong in his evil desire.
1 Timothy 6:17 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.
It would appear the coup has failed in Turkey. President Erdogan is likely to emerge from the event with more power. Turkey is a country that has a significant place in the Bible. All churches in the Book of Revelation are in modern day western Turkey. There are four references to Satan in those letters to the churches. The Apostle Paul started many churches on his missionary journeys (Acts) in what is modern day Turkey. New Testament books of the Bible are written to churches in what is modern day Turkey (Galatians, Ephesians for example). Ezekiel 38-39 focuses on a future invasion of Israel from the north. Areas of modern day Turkey are included in the list of nations. Modern day Turkey is a key piece to the end times scenario in the Bible.
Revelation 17:9 Here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits…
Revelation 17:18 The woman whom you saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth.
All seven churches of Revelation are located in Asia Minor, modern day Turkey.
Four of the seven churches in Revelation have references to Satan. Jesus is the one talking directly to the churches. Jesus got His information from God the Father (Revelation 1). This is not conjecture.
Revelation 2:9 (Smyrna) I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
Revelation 2:13 (Pergamum) I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
Jesus Himself states Pergamum is Satan’s capital. This is where Satan lives and reigns. Pergamum was credited with the art of making parchment or paper. This technique lead to wealth and splendor (New Unger’s Bible Dictionary). Pergamum means “citadel” (Holman Bible Dictionary). A 40 foot high altar of Zeus was located here. The altar was one of the wonders of the ancient world. Pergamum was home of a library of 200,000 volumes. Antipas was the first Christian martyred by Roman Empire in Pergamum (http://bibleatlas.org/).
Revelation 2:24 (Thyatira) But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them– I place no other burden on you.
Revelation 3:9 (Philadelphia) Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie– I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you.
Asia Minor is mentioned in the book of Acts.
Acts 16:6 They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia… The Holy Spirit made sure Paul and his companions stayed in modern day Turkey instead of advancing east to China. The regions of Phrygia and Galatia are in the heart of Asia Minor.
Acts 16:7 and after they came to Mysia, they were trying to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them…The Spirit of Jesus intervened and kept the crew in Mysia. Bithynia and Mysia are also in Turkey. Jesus wanted them in Mysia. The region of Mysia is home to the city of Pergamum, Satan’s city (Revelation 2:13). Paul was forbidden by the Spirit of Christ from going into the region of Bithynia, home to modern day Istanbul, Constantinople, or Byzantium (synonymous names). The Holy Spirit and Jesus clearly had a plan for the gospel in Satan’s back yard.
Satan has his trinity. He plays the role of God. The antichrist plays the role of Jesus. And the false prophet plays the role of the Holy Spirit. Satan clearly has a foot hold in Turkey per the comments of Jesus to the churches in Revelation. Satan has a religious system and structures in place in this geographical area. If Satan’s home land is modern day Turkey, would it make sense for him to establish his kingdom with his minions here?
Istanbul is known as the City on the Seven Hills. It was also the capital of the Roman Empire. There is a lot of New Testament action in Turkey.
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