Eze 3:17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
Who are the watchmen to the house of Israel?
In this presentation, I am going to be asking a lot of questions. I won’t be answering some of them, because they are designed to trigger your minds, to plant seeds of thought, and compel you to search out the answers to them yourselves.
Ever since I came into this message, I have had a burning desire to gain more knowledge. I study and study, the typologies of the Bible fascinate me. The charts, parallels and time prophecies have opened up a whole new field of study for me. It is awesome!
But it seems that the more knowledge that I gain, the more I keep hearing this still small voice in the back of my conscience, this little nagging thought, that says, “Something’s missing!”
No matter how much I have tried to ignore it, I just keep hearing that same thought – “There is something missing!”
Has anyone else experienced that thought?
Now for a long time, I just couldn’t put my finger on it. I mean, we have the correct understanding of the “daily”, we have the knowledge of the 2520, we have the charts and we understand our foundation and how we are repeating that history, we know where we are in the stream of time – so just what could be missing?
One of the quotes that has kept coming to my mind over and over, was this one from 4MR 287
“Let us give more time to the study of the Bible. We do not understand the Word as we should. The book of Revelation opens with an injunction to us to understand the instruction that it contains. "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy," God declares, "and keep those things which are written therein; for the time is at hand." When we as a people understand what this books means to us, there will be seen among us a great revival. We do not understand fully the lessons that it teaches, notwithstanding the injunction given us to search and study it.”
So here she is talking about the whole Bible, with a focus on the book of Revelation. She says that when we understand this the way we should, there will be seen a great revival.
Have we seen “a GREAT revival?” Now before you answer – let me give you the definition of the word “revival”
1. Return, recall or recovery to life from death or apparent death;
2. Return or recall to activity from a state of languor;
3. Recall, return or recovery from a state of neglect, oblivion, obscurity or depression;
4. Renewed and more active attention to religion;
So revival signifies recovery from death, from dullness of intellect, from neglect or depression, and renewed attention to religion.
Notice that the word “revival” means much more than just religious excitement and awe.
Now what other characteristic does Sister White give that defines “revival?”
“Unless this takes place, those who are lukewarm will continue to grow more abhorrent to the Lord, until He will refuse to acknowledge them as His children. A revival and a reformation must take place, under the ministration of the Holy Spirit. Revival and reformation are two different things. Revival signifies a renewal of spiritual life, a quickening of the powers of mind and heart, a resurrection from spiritual death. Reformation signifies a reorganization, a change in ideas and theories, habits and practices. Reformation will not bring forth the good fruit of righteousness unless it is connected with the revival of the Spirit. Revival and reformation are to do their appointed work, and in doing this work they must blend.” RH, February 25, 1902
So Sister White specifies that Revival and Reformation go hand in hand. In other words, there can be no true reformation without true revival, and there can be no true revival if it is not followed by true reformation!
Have we seen true Reformation? Before you answer that, let me give you the definition of “reformation”:
1. The act of reforming; correction or amendment of life, manners, or of anything vicious or corrupt;
So revival happens and that leads to reformation.
First we have a revival, a return, recall or recovery from spiritual death, from the dullness of our intellectual faculties, from our neglect of the Bible. In other words, we wake up!
And that should lead us to reformation, to correcting our lives, to amending our wrong habits and practices, to bringing ourselves into harmony with God’s Word. In other words, we move!
Have we seen this in this movement? I know there are some individuals that have, but I mean, the movement as a whole. Has everyone in this movement begun to “change and correct their lives?” – and I don’t mean “change” by getting us disfellowshipped from the structure!
We have been gaining the head knowledge (prophecies, charts, typology, etc.) – sometimes faster than some of us can wrap our minds around it – but is it really, truly, changing our lives – on the inside?
Some of the presentations that Glen and Blaine have given in the past, have really got me to thinking.
You know, we believe that the Millerite movement is repeating to the “very letter” right? We also picture this movement as the fulfillment of that. We are repeating the history of the Millerite movement!
Did it ever dawn on us, did we ever stop to think, that in the Millerite movement – the majority of the Millerite leadership and the majority of the believers – fell away from the truth?
Think about that for a minute. There were at least 300 Millerite preachers not including all the other believers (at first 200,000) – but in the end, there was only 50 faithful – and those 50 were not all leadership! That means that in the end, the majority of the Millerites and the majority of the Millerite leaders (yes, even those who were traveling around preaching the 2520 and the chart) abandoned the truth!
Now this is a very serious “wake up” call to those of us that are in this message, because I would venture to guess that everyone here wants to be among that small group that parallels those 50 in 1844 – Right?
I’m sure many of you recognize this slide, this is one that this movement has been showing to illustrate how Millerite history is being repeated in our day. Notice that this time period from 1798 – 1844 is shown to be the parable of the 10 virgins, it is also the first and second angel’s messages. This is the time period that we are repeating, this movement is repeating or paralleling the 1st and 2nd Angel’s messages!
With that in mind, look at this quote:
“Many who went forth to meet the Bridegroom under the messages of the first and second angels, refused the third angel's message, the last testing message to be given to the world. A similar work will be accomplished when that other angel, represented in Revelation 18, gives his message. The first, second, and third angels' messages will need to be repeated.” 16MR 270
In other words, many of those who had joined the Millerite movement during this period (which we are repeating right now) ended up rejecting the last part of the message when it came.
Why would they do that? Why would someone who had the truth, and preached the truth to others, end up turning away from the truth in the end?
One of the thoughts that have kept coming to my mind was about “the disappointment.”
We have been teaching that it is at the Sunday Law that we are going to be disappointed by seeing many of our friends and family leave the truth – and I believe that this is truly going to happen, but is that the parallel “great” disappointment that is going to come to us?
Remember, the Spirit of Prophecy has warned us that the majority will forsake us and we are sort of expecting people to forsake us – after all, some are doing it already – but the Millerites were not expecting disappointment! Being disappointed was not in their minds.
Of course, the truth was in their hands the whole time, but because they had preconceived ideas based on misunderstanding, they set themselves up for a disappointment – one which they would not have experienced had they realized certain truths!
We know now that God used that experience to “test” His people, to differentiate between the true followers and those that were just following out of fear, curiosity, or excitement.
Are we setting ourselves up for a repeat of that experience?
Are we, because of some preconceived idea, setting ourselves up for a disappointment that is going to be used by God as a test to show the difference between those that are truly His people and those that are not?
What were the conditions that made it possible for them to experience the Great Disappointment?
Not only that, but their disappointment involved the fact that they were expecting something to happen with themselves, they were expecting to see Jesus and go to heaven, and that didn’t happen the way they thought it would.
In other words, is there also something that we haven’t realized, somewhere that we haven’t put 2 and 2 together, something that is poised, ready to cause us bitter disappointment if we do not recognize it and change something ourselves?
While I was pondering these thoughts and questions and studying and trying to figure out just what was missing, one day I was sorting through some of my books and I found this little book on my shelf that I didn’t know I had, in fact I don’t even know where it came from.
It was written by an Elder A. M. Dart, and it is talking about the message to Laodicea.
As I read through it, it has a lot of good information, but this one page sort of hit me between the eyes:
“This tearful message will do its work.” What striking terms! “startling denunciation,” “fearful message.” I fear many have lost sight of the definiteness of this message. Many others never comprehended it. No more definite, startling, fearful message is found in the Bible. The messages to the antediluvian world, to Nineveh, to Sodom, were no more so. 'When it was first presented, it led to close examination of heart. Sins were confessed and the people of God were stirred everywhere. Nearly all believed that this message would end in the loud cry of the third angel.' 1T p.186 Will it so end? Or will God’s message fail to do its appointed work? God has no other message to accomplish this work, nor will He ever have. Ponder a moment its deep significance in this light. I wonder if there is not danger of our thinking of the “loud cry,” talking of the “loud cry,” heralding the “loud cry,” and expecting the “loud cry,” without this important prelude. If so we shall meet with bitter disappointment.” God’s Last Effort to Awaken His People, A. M. Dart p.8
When I read that, it just blew me away. Could that be part of the answer? Is it possible that we could have gained a lot of Bible information, a lot of prophetic knowledge, the head knowledge, the revival part, but not be applying it to ourselves, in other words, be lacking the heart work, the reformation part?
Elder Dart ended this page with this comment:
“It is plain then, that fitness for the loud cry is found in heeding the straight testimony of the True Witness to the Laodiceans. God will not give the loud cry through backsliders, ambitious, covetous, world-loving, self-sufficient ones. All this, we must see, repent of and forsake.” Id p.8
Did you get that? There won’t be anyone involved with giving the Loud Cry, that is backsliding, or ambitious (you know, trying to get ahead, or trying to be important). There won’t be anyone who is covetous or world-loving. And this one really got me – there won’t be anyone involved with giving the Loud Cry that is self-sufficient!
Do you know what the definition is for Self-Sufficient?
“Having full confidence in one's own strength, abilities or endowments”
I’ve mentioned this before, and I know that Glen and Blaine have talked about it as well, and the more I study and read, the more I’m convinced that there is going to take place in this movement, a shaking. We like to get that Laodicean mindset that the shaking is happening in the mainstream SDA church and that this movement is the sort of the remnant of the mainstream, we’re like the only ones that are “staying faithful”.
But what we don’t seem to realize is that the typologies, the prophecies, and the Spirit of Prophecy counsel all point to us as the location for that shaking.
God doesn’t have categories for His remnant people – here is totally apostate SDA’s, here is good SDA’s, here is better SDA’s, and over here is the Latter-Rain message “chart” people – the best SDA’s.
No! that is not what God sees! He sees only two groups – those who are faithfully following on to know the Lord, the righteous, those that are walking up the path – following progressive truth; and those who are falling away, the unrighteous, those that are rejecting progressive truth and just stagnating!
Do you realize that something stagnates when it doesn’t move? In other words, if you accept today what is present truth, but then you stay at that point and don’t progress along with the truth, you are stagnating! Truth is always truth, it will never become error, but what was “Present Truth” last year – while it still remains truth – it is now outdated and there is now more “Present Truth” that needs to be realized and followed.
“The dealings of God with his people in the past should receive our careful attention. We should learn the lessons which they are designed to teach us. But we are not to rest content with them. God is leading out his people step by step. Truth is progressive. The earnest seeker will be constantly receiving light from Heaven. What is truth? should ever be our inquiry.” ST, May 26, 1881
Now listen to this quote, and while listening, don’t let the devil trick you into thinking about how it fits and applies to the mainstream SDA’s (the structurites) or to that person over there, think of how it applies to YOU!
“I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen. I was shown that it would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the True Witness to the Laodiceans. It will have its effect upon the heart of the receiver of the testimony, and it will lead him to exalt the standard and pour forth the straight truth. This straight testimony, some will not bear. They will rise up against it, and this will cause a shaking among God's people. I saw that 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.” RH, December 31, 1857
Notice that she specifies that the “shaking” is CAUSED by the “straight testimony called forth by the counsel of the True Witness to the Laodiceans.”
Mark this point and mark it well – The shaking is caused by the message to the Laodicean church!
She does not say that the shaking is CAUSED by presenting the charts.
She doesn’t say that it is caused by believing in the 2520.
Now we know from some of the studies that we have done, some of the connections, some of the aspects of how the charts and the 2520 are connected to the Laodicean message.
In fact, the 2520 has many more connections than the majority of us here in this room realize.
The 2520 is the prophecy about “breaking the pride” of God’s people. The remedy for that curse is:
2Chr. 7:13,14 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
We seem to have the prayer part memorized – but many times, I think that we forget this first stipulation of humbling ourselves!
But even with those connections, from what I have studied and from what I am seeing played out in this movement, I believe that the shaking is going to come, and I believe that it has already started, by the whole Laodicean message being driven home to each person’s heart by the Holy Spirit.
In other words, not just a part of it (like the 2520), but every single aspect of it! The Laodicean message is, “How does all of this apply to my heart!”
Look at this quote, I will probably refer to this quote again later on in my presentations, because it drives this thought home better than any other I have found!
“The message to the Laodicean church is applicable to our condition. How plainly is pictured the position of those who think they have all the truth, who take pride in their knowledge of the Word of God, while its sanctifying power has not been felt in their lives. The fervor of the love of God is wanting in their hearts, but it is this very fervor of love that makes God's people the light of the world.” 1SM 357
“God leads his people on step by step. He brings them up to different points which are calculated to manifest what is in the heart. Some endure at one point, but fall off at the next. At every advanced point the heart is tested, and tried a little closer. If the professed people of God find their hearts opposed to the straight work of God, it should convince them that they have a work to do to overcome, or be spued out of the mouth of the Lord. Said the angel, "God will bring his work closer and closer to test them, and prove every one of his people." Some are willing to receive one point, but when God brings them to another testing point, they shrink from it and stand back, because they find it strikes directly at some cherished idol. Here they have opportunity to see what is in their hearts that shuts out Jesus. They prize something higher than the truth, and their hearts are not prepared to receive Jesus. Individuals are tested and proved a length of time to see if they will sacrifice their idols, and heed the counsel of the true Witness. If they will not be purified through obeying the truth, and overcome their selfishness, their pride, and evil passions, the angels of God have their charge,--"They are joined to their idols, let them alone,"--and they pass on to their work, leaving them with their evil traits unsubdued, to the control of evil angels. Those who come up to every point, and stand every test, and overcome, be the price what it may, have heeded the counsel of the true Witness, and they will be fitted for translation by the latter rain.” 4bSG 34
You know, Sister White says that God’s people will be tested over and over again and tried “a little closer. She also points out that all these tests are designed by God, to reveal what is in our hearts.
In other words, belief in the charts was a test, believing in the 2520 was also a test – but don’t sit back and rest comfortable with the thought that “whew! I made it – I believe all the right things – only the Sabbath/Sunday test left to go and I’m homefree!”
No way! God has many more tests for each one of us! Every day, you will get a new test! The Laodicean message is a testing process – a series of tests!
There is a lot more problems with each one of our hearts that God has to deal with, before we are prepared to pass the Sunday Law test!
Some of our people seem to have gotten the mindset that since we have passed the 2520 test and they think that the Sabbath is the next test, that anything that might show up before that is some form of error.
I was looking at a quote the other day, and a thought hit me that I had never realized before. It was this quote:
“Before the final visitation of God's judgments upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times. The Spirit and power of God will be poured out upon His children. At that time many will separate themselves from those churches in which the love of this world has supplanted love for God and His word. Many, both of ministers and people, will gladly accept those great truths which God has caused to be proclaimed at this time to prepare a people for the Lord's second coming. The enemy of souls desires to hinder this work; and before the time for such a movement shall come, he will endeavor to prevent it by introducing a counterfeit. In those churches which he can bring under his deceptive power he will make it appear that God's special blessing is poured out; there will be manifest what is thought to be great religious interest. Multitudes will exult that God is working marvelously for them, when the work is that of another spirit. Under a religious guise, Satan will seek to extend his influence over the Christian world.” GC 464
Now we have been thinking that this movement is this “true revival” and things like the “spiritual formation movement” is kind of like the counterfeit, right? At least, that’s what I’ve heard from some people.
But remember, for every one truth that God has, Satan has NUMEROUS counterfeits!
Question: Could it be possible that while we have been experiencing an enormous growth of Biblical knowledge and understanding of our foundation as part of this true revival, that Satan has kept us busy watching his “spiritual formation” counterfeit – while he has slipped another counterfeit through the back door?
We are warned that “if possible, he shall deceive the very elect.” And I don’t believe that is referring to the majority of the nominal Seventh-day Adventists! That is referring to "US", those in this message, that have the charts and are “asking for the Old Paths!”
Let me illustrate this point.
These two dollar bills are exactly the same, well, sort of. You see, one is genuine and one is counterfeit.
Which one is which? What makes the difference between the true and the false?
When we have read this last quote, we have, or at least I have always pictured that the counterfeit movement would be something totally separate from the true movement, a false separate movement that has some resemblance to the other true movement.
But think about this for a minute, what makes a counterfeit?
If I use all the correct colors, all the correct kind of ink, all the correct markings and identification, but I use the wrong kind of paper – then I have a counterfeit!
Or let’s say that I have the correct paper, and I use the correct ink and colors, and I use the correct design and markings, but I leave out the little metal strip – then I have a counterfeit!
Or, even more subtle, if I use all the right components, even getting my hands on a real genuine press from the Treasury department and I use the exact same kind of paper – but I don’t have the authority of the Federal Reserve giving me permission to print the bill – it is still a counterfeit!
Ps. 127:1 … Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
So in other words, there are many different ways of making a counterfeit!
“God is raising up a class to give the loud cry of the third angel's message. "Of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them" (Acts 20:30). It is Satan's object now to get up new theories to divert the mind from the true work and genuine message for this time. He stirs up minds to give false interpretation of Scripture, a spurious loud cry, that the real message may not have its effect when it does come. This is one of the greatest evidences that the loud cry will soon be heard and the earth will be lightened with the glory of God.”--Letter 20, 1884, p. 2. (To Uriah Smith, July 27, 1884.) White Estate Washington, D. C. January 16, 1979 9MR 27
This is what I believe the devil is trying to do to this movement – he is working to try to turn it into a counterfeit!
The devil doesn’t want anyone to wake up, he would much rather have everyone stay asleep.
But, if you do wake up, he really doesn’t care if you have the true revival – just so long as he can prevent you from having the true reformation!
In the parable of the 10 virgins we see this scenario revealed, remember, they are all virgins. That means that they all not only profess a pure faith, they actually possess a pure faith – in other words, they are representing us, this movement today, those that are striving for the old paths!
Matt. 25:7 “Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.”
Remember that the virgins all had the truth, and they all woke up, in other words, they all experienced a revival.
They also all trimmed their lamps. To trim a lamp is to set the lamp in order so that it can burn properly. The lamp represents the Word of God:
Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
How do you trim a lamp? A little here and a little there!
That means that all 10 of the virgins were studying the Bible with the correct method of Bible Study – they were all using the Proof-text method.
But only half of them had the “whole” work, the reformation, necessary for salvation!
You will also notice that what called the virgins out was a two-fold message:
Mat 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Behold the Bridegroom cometh – Revival
Go ye out to meet Him – Reformation
All 10 of the virgins got the “Behold the Bridegroom cometh” message – but only five actually went out to meet Him!
What I am trying to get across to everyone, and what I want you to remember (even if you forget everything else that I say – remember this point) – if you jump on the prophecy bandwagon and you get all fired up about the charts, the daily, and the 2520, but there is little change of heart; if you gain all the head knowledge possible, but you don’t apply it here; if you have the REVIVAL, but you don’t have the REFORMATION – then Satan has deceived you into accepting one of his counterfeit movements!
It doesn’t matter if everything you believe is 100% truth – without the Reformation, without the heart work, it is just a counterfeit!
Another point I’d like to make, remember that Sister White said that:
“Before the final visitation of God's judgments upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times.” GC 464
Notice that this revival, this “waking up”, is referred to in future tense!
What is this revival of primitive godliness waiting on? She answers that question a few pages later.
"It is only as the law of God is restored to its rightful position that there can be a revival of primitive faith and godliness among His professed people. "Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls." Jeremiah 6:16.” GC 478
So she specifies that before God’s judgments (the plagues) there is going to be a great revival and that this revival can’t take place unless the law of God is “restored to its rightful position”.
Now remember that the word “revival” means “to wake up.” So it is only as the law of God is restored to its rightful position that we can truly wake up!
For the rest of the world, that revival will take place under the “Loud Cry” when we, Seventh-day Adventists, are taking the message about God’s law (the Sabbath) to the world through the power given by the Latter rain.
But in this quote, she specifies that the revival that she is talking about here is among “His professed people.” This is the revival that takes place among Seventh-day Adventists, and this has to take place before the Sunday Law and the Loud Cry, right? I mean, she also specifies in other places that the Holy Spirit cannot be poured out on us while we have one spot or stain on us.
Ponder the significance of this thought!
Now these quotes about a future revival were written, as best as I can find, sometime in the 1880’s.
Question: If the law of God had not been restored to its rightful position by the 1880’s, even in light of James White’s Law of God chart, the discovery of the seventh-day Sabbath, and the emphasis that Seventh-day Adventists placed on keeping all ten of the commandments, what part of the law is still waiting to be restored?
In the Bible story, what was the “book of the law” that was lost, and then found, in its rightful place in the temple?
On the mount of Transfiguration, when Peter, James, and John went up with Christ and the earth was “lightened with the glory of God” (HMMM-4th angel?) – Christ was in the middle, and there were two witnesses, two messengers – on one side was the Elijah message, and on the other side was what message?
Just some thoughts for you to think and pray about.
Now with that as an introduction, I want us to begin to take a look at the message to Laodicea found in Rev. 3:14-22 and we are going to break it down and look at some of the different details of this wake up call to Laodicea.
I’m going to share some of what I have been learning with you, but I want to make it clear, that I do not believe for a moment that the thoughts I have on the Laodicean message are the “only facet” there is. I truly believe that I have only scratched the surface!
You know, many times we tend to find some awesome truth and we like to think, this is the way it is, and if anyone else comes up with something that we haven’t seen, well, “their ideas are wrong because I don’t think that they agree with mine.”
Do you see that self, that pride issue popping up?
We, as a people, need to lose that kind of mentality!
God has given us the truth – and the truth cannot be totally contained in any one human mind – it is way too big!
It would be like trying to make an elephant fit into a thimble!
I know I have shared this quote many times from Ed. 171, but I am going to share it again – for one, it is loaded with significance that everyone must understand and for the other, it is my favorite quote!
Listen carefully.
“It is impossible for any human mind to exhaust even one truth or promise of the Bible. One catches the glory from one point of view, another from another point; yet we can discern only gleamings. The full radiance is beyond our vision. As we contemplate the great things of God's word, we look into a fountain that broadens and deepens beneath our gaze. Its breadth and depth pass our knowledge. As we gaze, the vision widens; stretched out before us we behold a boundless, shoreless sea. Such study has vivifying power. The mind and heart acquire new strength, new life. This experience is the highest evidence of the divine authorship of the Bible.”
Has anyone ever taken a good look at a diamond?
Picture the truth as a huge diamond here in the middle of the room, and you’re standing on that side and you’re standing on that side, and I’m standing over here on this side. Now each of you has a facet of that diamond that is facing you – in other words, you can see it plainly, clearly, and understand it easily. But you cannot see the other person’s facet like they can. Now you can see their facet, because it is reflecting through the diamond, but what you are seeing is their facet from a somewhat different angle than they do, which just adds another dimension, a “different dimension” to their facet.
Are you starting to “get the picture?”
What would happen to the diamond if each one of us were determined that the facet that we could see clearly was the only one and we were to start telling others that what they could see was all wrong, that what they understood was fanatical, or heretical?
We wouldn’t have a diamond anymore would we? We would only have separate facets – it would be like a shattered diamond! Satan loves to have us reject facets!
Now I’m not referring to something that is bold blatant error. If someone is “seeing” something that goes against clear Bible and Spirit of Prophecy evidence, then it is definitely wrong. In other words, if someone is “seeing” Sunday as the Sabbath – then they are, of course, wrong.
But what I am talking about is like for example: Miller and Edson arguing over which 2520 was the correct one. Each one could see his facet clearly and believed that the other was wrong – but we now know that they were both right! And now we can see some of the “different dimensions” of their facets that they never even realized themselves!
This is why God wants us to fellowship with each other, so that you can share your facet with me (the things you have been learning) and I can share my facet with you (the things I have been learning)and that will enable us to each begin to see the “different dimensions” or each other’s facet and begin to “get the picture” of the whole gemstone!
I believe that it is also more than just coincidence that if you turn the point of the diamond toward someone else, there are some facets that totally disappear, you can’t see them at all. But if you turn the point toward yourself, then you can see some dimensions of every single facet!
In other words, if you point the truth at others, there are some truths that you will never be able to see or understand, you will automatically think that those facets are error. But if you point the truth at yourself, you apply it to yourself, it enables you to get a better picture!
Another thing to remember is that the facets of a diamond work like a prism. What does a prism do? It takes “white light” and splits the white light into the different colors of the rainbow. But yet, if you take away some of the facets of the diamond, then it will not reveal the rainbow.
With that in mind,when, in the natural world, do we see rainbows? Before and after it rains.
Why? Because the sunlight or “white light” is reflecting through the moisture in the air – the “rain drops.”
Interesting that rain drops acts just like a prism, the same as the diamond!
Now what does “white light” represent? The color white obviously represents Purity. And Light represents Truth!
Ps. 43:3 O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.
So “White Light” is Pure Truth!
What does the rainbow represent? As a whole it is the token of the Everlasting Covenant.
Individually, each of those colors in the Bible symbolizes several different truths!
Just to give you an example: The color yellow –represents numerous things. Some of which is the “Holy Spirit” and “the Love of God”
Ps. 68:13 Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.
John 1:32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
“The heavens were opened, and beams of glory rested upon the Son of God, and assumed the form of a dove, in appearance like burnished gold.” 2SP 61
What do rain drops signify? Everyone should be able to get this one!
It’s the rain, the early and latter rain, with each little drop representing precept upon precept, here a little and there a little!
Are you beginning to see some spiritual lessons here?
OK, let me shift gears here and get back to Laodicea.
Rev 3:14 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;
First of all, what does it mean when it uses the phrase “angel of the church”? What does an angel represent? Messenger.
So God is sending this message for Laodicea from Himself to an angel, a “messenger of the church”, and from this messenger it is to pass on to the rest of the church.
What does the name “Laodicean” signify?
The name itself means, “A people judged” – signifying that judgment has begun on the people.
Who is Laodicea? We are.
In fact, we as Seventh-day Adventists have actually gotten so accustomed to the idea that we are the last church – that we seem to not realize our need. We freely admit, with almost a boastful attitude, “Yes, We are the Laodicean church!”
What a contradiction! Have we become so comfortable with our condition that we have forgotten that to be in a Laodicean condition is condemned by God?
I find it fascinating that while we study prophecy and understand that the whore of Babylon is Rome, the papacy, and we follow the Bible counsel to expose the “man of sin” and we preach against the false papal system of sun worship – the big bad papacy; that we like to boast that we are the Laodicean church!
Look at some of these parallels:
Rome is known as the city of seven hills, it was built on seven mountains. Laodicea was also built on seven hills!
“This was a once famous city near the river Lycus, had a wall of vast compass, and three marble theatres, and, like Rome, was built on seven hills.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary
Rome is known for its pride and boasting. Laodicea was also known for its pride and boasting!
“The boast, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing,” has in it not only a ring of independence but also a spirit of insolence and arrogance. The citizens wanted the world to know that their mercantile city at the meeting place of three important highways was no pauper.” The Seven Epistles Of Christ p.212
Rome is known for its wealth. Laodicea was also known for its wealth
“Laodicea was located in the midst of a rich farming country and was famed for its wealth.” The Seven Epistles Of Christ p.210
"The inhabitants were noted for their skill in manufacturing and dyeing garments, rich in color and exquisite in texture. In extravagant fashions and fine apparel the city was the Paris of its time.” The Seven Epistles Of Christ p.212
Rome is known for “replacing” the righteousness of Christ, the Lamb of God, with a false system of worship based on works and sun-worship, the blackness of sin and immorality. Laodicea was known for dying wool, the covering of the lamb, with black dye.
“The city was also noted for the black cloth manufactured there from wool produced in the valley. The wool was glossy black and of a soft texture almost like silk and became famous throughout the whole region. Black garments were almost universally worn by the Laodiceans, and of them they were very proud.” The Seven Epistles Of Christ p.210
Rome placed emphasis on pleasure, sports, and entertainment. Laodicea was also known for this.
“Laodicea was also famous as a pleasure resort for the physically strong and prosperous, and a health resort for the sick. The magnificent stadium, which was twelve years in building, had an arena nine hundred feet in length, in whose basin a modern ocean liner could easily anchor. There were at least two, and probably three, theaters, one of them with seats of polished marble with bases carved in the form of a lion’s feet. Its gymnasium was a work of art, containing chambers and porticoes and baths. There was also a library with reading rooms.” The Seven Epistles Of Christ p.212
I could go on and on – because there are numerous parallels between Laodicea and Rome.
In other words, while we have been busy pointing the finger at someone else, namely, the beast power of Bible prophecy, the devil has deceived us into incorporating many of those same characteristics into our own church today!
Now who is speaking here in this opening sentence of the Laodicean Message? He is identified as “the Amen”, “the faithful and true witness”, and the “beginning of the creation of God”!
The word “Amen” means “firm, trustworthy”.
In other words, this person that is speaking never changes and is worthy of your trust!
He doesn’t change His rules or requirements to accommodate each person’s little whims. He doesn’t require people from the 1800’s to obey certain rules and standards and then tell us that we don’t have to pay attention to them anymore since our culture is changed.
The word “Amen” makes us think of the end of a prayer, in other words, the end, it’s final and approved, what is said is set in stone and can’t be changed!
“Coming at the close of a sermon or prayer, Amen indicates the end or the last. It indicates that the Laodicean message finishes Christ’s appeals to His people, and that there is no more to be said. It is the last of the seven epistles to His church during the Christian dispensation, and therefore constitutes His final appeal before probation closes. No other message will follow. The divine Amen will never speak again to the church militant. Those who reject the Laodicean message will never hear another divine call to repentance and salvation.” The Seven Epistles Of Christ p.217
He is the faithful and true witness.
In other words, He always tells the truth and will give an accurate and precise account of what He has seen! He is not going to sugar coat His message and try to give us a “Peace and Safety” sermon when He knows that our eternal life is on the line!
He is going to give it to us straight and pointed! (Like the point of a diamond?)
And He is the “beginning of the creation of God.”
In other words, He is the Creator! This has direct reference back to John 1:1-3
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”
Here in this first verse, we also see some intimate connections to the 1st angel’s message in Rev. 14. But that is a study in itself.
Rev 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
So the Creator knows our works, no matter how much we try to do things in secret or hide them from our fellow man, He knows all – even our secret thoughts!
He also sees that our works are not cold and they are not hot – so that only leaves one option – our works are lukewarm! He specifies that He would rather us be either cold or hot. Why? What is some of the significance of being cold or hot?
One meaning, and the most commonly understood meaning of this reference is that the cold are the ones who don’t know about God, and the hot are those who are on fire for God. This I believe is one facet, but I believe there are many other facets.
What does sickness represent? Sin!
In fact, this has definitely been a learning experience for me, especially with my son’s condition, because as I have studied this topic out, I have become convinced that what Leukemia is to the physical world, Laodicea is to the spiritual world – but that is a whole different study in itself!
Now when you get sick, what is a good treatment for you to take? Hydrotherapy, hot and cold treatments.
What does the hot do? Among other things it opens the pores in the skin and makes you sweat to get the toxins (the sin) out of the body (the church).
What does the cold do? It closes the pores in the skin and prevents any further invasion of toxins.
What else does hot and cold represent?
I decided to look and see where the Bible first mentions these two together, and I found this text.
Gen. 8:22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
So here the Word of God likens the cold and hot to the seedtime and harvest-time. This concept opens a whole new field of study, which you all can follow out in your own studies.
We always think of seedtime in the spring, the beginning of the year, and harvest-time in the fall at the end of the year. But this is because we are used to our standard of seasons. In the Bible times, the seedtime was in the fall, around October, and the harvest-time was in the spring, around March or April.
Seedtime was when the new seeds were sown in the soil, and harvest-time was when the ripe fruit was gathered.
“Under the figure of the early and the latter rain, that falls in Eastern lands at seedtime and harvest, the Hebrew prophets foretold the bestowal of spiritual grace in extraordinary measure upon God's church.” AA 54
So here Sister White compares seedtime and harvest with the early and latter rain which fell at these times.
It is interesting to note that the early rain fell in and around October, and the Latter Rain fell in and around March.
This should really get our minds to perk up!
The early rain fell around October? Maybe, even leading up to Oct. 22? There is whole other study.
So another meaning for people to be cold or hot, is to be at the seedtime or the harvest-time, having the early rain or the latter rain.
In other words, God wants Laodicea, either to be new seeds sprouting under the power of the early rain, or He wants them to be developing ripe fruit under the power of the latter rain!
But according to this verse in Rev. 3, Laodicea is not growing, nor are they producing fruit. They are just sitting there content with themselves and their condition, they are stagnating. They sit in the pews of the different churches and feed off of someone else’s religious experience (or should I say, Gorge themselves off of other’s experiences) – this is nothing but spiritual gluttony!
This kind of plant will eventually rob the ground of its nutrients and in the process of not growing and not producing any fruit – it will poison the soil and destroy the land.
It is interesting to note that the city of Laodicea was founded by Antiochus II between 261 and 246 BC and was named in honor of his wife Laodice, who afterward poisoned him. (A woman that poisons her husband?)
It is also interesting that Lukewarm is a mixture of Hot and Cold, a blending of the two.
Just like the color gray in “gray areas” is the mixture of black and white, truth and error.
There are many lessons to be learned in this thought, but I’ll leave it to you to search them out for yourselves.
One thing that I did find, is that Satan has a counterfeit “hot and cold” to counteract God’s true “hot and cold.” So while God has a good “hot and cold”, Satan brings in a bad “hot and cold!”
“We have found in our experience that if Satan cannot keep souls bound in the ice of indifference, he will try to push them into the fire of fanaticism.” 5T 644
“Careful management on all points is needed, so that we shall neither run into the fire of fanaticism nor drift into formalism, which will freeze our own souls and the souls of others.” RH, February 12, 1901
Some people like to preach and talk about Love and that is all they focus on. Others like to sermonize about Law all the time. It would be well for us to remember, that if we take anything – no matter how true it is, and we make it the ALL, the EVERYTHING – that is fanaticism!
That is only focusing on one facet of the diamond and ignoring the other facets! And yes, that can be done not only with the love of God, with the law of God, and with the Sabbath, but it can even be done with the 2520 and the charts! God wants us to have ALL the truth – every single facet – combined!
Next verse:
Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
The city of Laodicea was also noted for its health resorts – they manufactured the famous Phrygian eye-salve. They also had mineral water in the form of hot springs, cold springs, and lukewarm springs, especially the lukewarm springs. The water was nice to bathe in but nauseous to those who drank it.
One thing to think about, is that hot and cold invigorates the system and gets your body moving, but lukewarm temperatures work well for lulling you to sleep!
Here are some things that Sister White points out about the Laodicean church!
“I am commissioned now to say to our brethren, Humble yourselves, and confess your sins, else God will humble you. The message to the Laodicean church comes home to those who do not apply it to themselves. They are neither cold nor hot, but lukewarm.” CW 99
“To those who do not practice it, the Word of God is a dead letter. Christ says of such, "I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." He cannot present their case to the Father. If they realized that they were sinners, He could plead in their behalf, and the Lord would arouse them by His Holy Spirit. But they are worse than dead in trespasses and sins. They hear the Word, but make no application of it to themselves; instead, they apply the Word spoken to their neighbors (MS 163a, 1898).” 7BC 963
So to be lukewarm, is to not apply the message to yourself! To be Laodicean, is to hear the Laodicean message and then apply it to any and every other person, but not take it as applying to you, or as talking about you!
“To the idlers in the Lord's vineyard the Laodicean message is sent (MS 26, 1905).” 7BC 961
“The message to the Laodicean church applies most decidedly to those whose religious experience is insipid, who do not bear decided witness in favor of the truth (Letter 98, 1901).” 7BC 962
“Many who profess to be looking for the speedy coming of Christ, are becoming conformed to this world, and seek more earnestly the applause of those around them, than the approbation of God. They are cold and formal, like the nominal church, that they but a short time since separated from. The words addressed to the Laodicean Church, describe their present condition perfectly... They are "neither cold nor hot," but "lukewarm." …The time has come when a large portion of those who once rejoiced, and shouted aloud for joy, in view of the immediate coming of the Lord, are on the ground of the churches and world who once scoffed at, and derided them for believing that Jesus was coming, and circulated all manner of falsehoods to raise prejudice against them, and destroy their influence… Many of these professed Christians dress, talk and act like the world, and the only thing by which they may be known, is their profession. Though they profess to be looking for Christ, their conversation is not in heaven, but on worldly things.” RH, June 10, 1852
To be lukewarm, is to be in a cold formal form of religion, one that has all the forms and ceremonies but not much vital godliness! They have, in a sense, fallen asleep, they aren’t doing anything for the kingdom or at least not much, and they are idle and insipid as far as true religion is concerned. They are more concerned with the principles of self-exaltation and the daily cares of this life – (making a living, etc.), than with preparing for the future life. They tend to try to mingle with the world by their dress, their talk, and their actions.
“There are those who, though professedly serving God, are witnessing against Him. To them the message to the Laodicean church is given. Christ says to them, "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot." When the avenging angel shall pass through the land, Christ cannot say of them, "Touch them not. I have graven them upon the palms of my hands." No; of these halfhearted ones He says, "I will spew them out of my mouth. They are offensive to me" (Letter 44, 1903).” 7BC 963
“Halfhearted Christians are worse than infidels; for their deceptive words and noncommittal position lead many astray. The infidel shows his colors. The lukewarm Christian deceives both parties. He is neither a good worldling nor a good Christian. Satan uses him to do a work that no one else can do (Letter 44, 1903).” 7BC 963
Sometimes I wonder why we seem to find it so easy to get caught up with the “daily grind.” I am sure that most of you have been there and done that. I know I have! Gotten caught up with working, trying to make a buck and pay my bills – if I actually took the time to spend any with God, it was just a 10 or 15 minute devotional, surface reading, then boom I was off to work – gotta go!
I remember God trying over and over to get me to understand – I was being “halfhearted!”
Wanting God, but wanting the world also! Half of my heart connected with religion, and half of it connected with the worries and cares of this life! Lukewarm!
Rev 3:17 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:
And because we are lukewarm, we get the mindset that we are doing pretty good and we don’t need anything more – except maybe a pay-raise to pay the bills, a better car, or a paid vacation – but we definitely don’t need anything more in the spiritual world!
“The message to the Laodicean church reveals our condition as a people.” RH Dec. 15, 1904
Yep! That’s the Laodicean message! I sure hope that so-n-so over there listens to this well. At least I have the charts and understand the 2520! I know what the truth is!
“The message to the Laodicean church is applicable to our condition. How plainly is pictured the position of those who think they have all the truth, who take pride in their knowledge of the Word of God, while its sanctifying power has not been felt in their lives. The fervor of the love of God is wanting in their hearts, but it is this very fervor of love that makes God's people the light of the world” RH July 23, 1889
Where is the love of Christ? Are we developing a Laodicean “my way or the highway” mentality? We can lay out all the prophecies and the typologies, and show where we are in the stream of time – but where is the love?
1Cor. 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
Why? What causes an increase of knowledge without the love of Christ?
“Love of self excludes the love of Christ. Those who live for self are ranged under the head of the Laodicean church who are lukewarm, neither cold nor hot. The ardor of the first love has lapsed into a selfish egotism. The love of Christ in the heart is expressed in the actions. If love for Christ is dull, the love for those for whom Christ has died will degenerate. There may be a wonderful appearance for zeal and ceremonies, but this is the substance of their self-inflated religion. Christ represents them as nauseating to His taste." OHC 348
“…(Revelation 3:17). Here is represented a people who pride themselves in their possession of spiritual knowledge and advantages. But they have not responded to the unmerited blessings that God has bestowed upon them. They have been full of rebellion, ingratitude, and forgetfulness of God; and still He has dealt with them as a loving, forgiving father deals with an ungrateful, wayward son. They have resisted His grace, abused His privileges, slighted His opportunities, and have been satisfied to sink down in contentment, in lamentable ingratitude, hollow formalism, and hypocritical insincerity. With Pharisaic pride they have vaunted themselves till it has been said of them, "Thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing." 1SM 357
Now I’m not talking about the “Love, Love, Love” doctrine that is so prevalent in our church today. Sister White is very clear, that doctrine is a disguised form of spiritualism!
What I am referring to, is the true love of Christ. The love that unites justice and mercy, obedience and faith, head knowledge and heart work – revival and reformation!
The Jewish nation had this problem. They had the truth, but because they were lifted up in pride, they didn’t have the love!
Who does the term “Jerusalem” symbolize in scripture? Literally speaking, it was the literal Jewish people. But we are the spiritual Jews – so Jerusalem is spiritually speaking about God’s church, us, the Laodiceans. The literal Jews had this boastful proud attitude, and it parallels the boastful proud attitude of us today - Laodicea.
Who did God say was a sister of Jerusalem?
Eze. 16:49,50 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.
Sounds like Sodom had those same Laodicean characteristics! That is pretty serious, especially in light of the fact that these conditions in Sodom were what brought in the sin that Sodom is not only known for but what also called for its destruction by God, and look at what movement is now coming into the remnant church today. (“as it was in the days of Lot!”)
“Laodicea was located in the midst of a rich farming country and was famed for its wealth. In it extensive banking operations were carried on... So wealthy were the citizens that when the city was destroyed by an earthquake in AD 60, they refused the help offered by the imperial Roman government and rebuilt at their own expense. This example of self-sufficiency was so rare that it made the city famous. Because of their situation Christ’s statement regarding the pride of spiritual wealth on the part of the church members is full of meaning. He spoke to the rich merchants and bankers of this wealthy mercantile city in their own dialect.” The Seven Epistles Of Christ p.210
That description sounds very familiar doesn’t it – at least, to us, in the spiritual sense!
“There is nothing so offensive to God or so dangerous to the human soul as pride and self-sufficiency. Of all sins it is the most hopeless, the most incurable.” COL 154
“No external arrangements in conformity with the world, to secure its friendship, can be made without positive danger of transgressing God's holy precepts. Pride and love of worldly praise lie at the foundation of all this self-exaltation and desire for recognition. These prompt a desire for outward show and an appearance of being linked with the friendship of the world. Self-righteousness which is so deceptive, is bound up with the unsanctified heart.” 1888 1713
Pride, love of praise, self-exaltation, desire for recognition (accreditation, incorporating as a 501c3 or charitable trust, joining hands with Caesar?) – that can’t be referring to any of us!
“The message to the Laodicean church is applicable to all who have had great light and many opportunities, and yet have not appreciated them” RH March 11, 1902
Friends, the message to Laodicea, it is the message to us – to the Seventh-day Adventist Latter Rain Message “Chart People” – I hope and pray that we will take this message to heart and not be found having a “bitter disappointment.”
The good news is that God did not consider Laodicea incurable!
Sabbath evening, we will take a look at what God specifies as the remedy for our condition.
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Part 2
Wed. evening we looked at just some of the many aspects that reveal that the Laodicean message applies to each one of us.
Tonight we are going to look at what God gives us as a remedy for our condition. As Paul Harvey would say, “The Rest of the Story.”
Notice, that I said it is God’s remedy for our condition.
We seem to have this tendency to search for man’s remedy, to try to fix the problem our own way, which of course always ends in failure!
“There is no greater deception than for man to suppose that in any difficulty he can find a better guide than God, a wiser counselor in any emergency, a stronger defense under any circumstance. Man cannot act more unwisely than to rely upon human wisdom, to devise and plan when Christ has said, "Without Me ye can do nothing" aright, to venture to unite with men who set aside the wisdom of God as unessential, and enter into plans devised by human agents who are worked by the enemy of righteousness. Human devices that should never have been allowed to come into existence have been adopted to escape from financial embarrassment. These will not help the matter, but make it tenfold worse. We are not to trust to the wisdom of men whose management has helped to bring about the difficulties.” 17MR 228
So what does Christ say, is His remedy?
Rev 3:18 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.
Notice that Laodicea’s problem was three-fold. They thought that they were rich, increased with goods, and in need of nothing.
Now Jesus Christ gives them the remedy for their problem, which is also three-fold. Gold tried in the fire, white raiment, and eyesalve.
In other words, the Laodicean message is not only a revival message but it’s a 3 part message as well.
This again, has many distinct parallels with the 3 angel’s messages that are sent to revive God’s people.
One interesting typology is the story of Elijah (the Elijah Message) with the widow of Zarephath. Here is the Elijah message living with a woman (a church), and her son (the only remaining seed that she has – the remnant) gets sick and there is no breath (no Spirit) left in him. The woman accuses Elijah of killing her son by calling her sin to remembrance. So with the Elijah message, there is an effort made to recall sin (with the purpose of repenting of any sins that have been hidden from memory).
The Elijah message takes the remnant where?
Up. The Elijah message is a call to come up higher! He takes him up to a loft and lays him on his own bed.
What is the bed used for in the physical world?
A bed is the place for rest and relationship! Elijah’s bed represents the seventh-day Sabbath – the place of rest and relationship with God.
Then the Elijah message prays and stretches himself out on the dead boy.
The word stretch used in this story means to measure. So the Elijah message is measuring the remnant to see how they “measure up.”
Elijah did this stretching 3 times in order to do what? Revive him!
The number 3 is used over and over throughout the Bible to show a revival and reformation.
Why do you think that the message has to be repeated three times in order to actually revive us?
“The message to the Laodicean church is highly applicable to us as a people. It has been placed before us for a long time, but has not been heeded as it should have been. When the work of repentance is earnest and deep, the individual members of the church will buy the rich goods of heaven. [Revelation 3:18 quoted.] Oh, how many behold things in a perverted light, in the light in which Satan would have them see.” 7BC 961
It is almost like we are so “asleep” that God has to “shake” us 3 times to wake us up! (The 3 Angels?)
It also seems very significant to me that in both the story of Elijah and the story of Elisha – in the house where they stayed, the son dies and has to be resurrected!
“In the words spoken to the Laodicean church we can see the sure result of half-hearted service. There are many who claim to believe the truth, who do not obey the truth in a way that the world can take knowledge of them that they have been with Jesus and learned of him. This condition of lukewarmness is a pitiable condition in which to be...Let none think that their understanding of the Scriptures, their knowledge of the truth for this time, will suffice to save them. Let none take the position before God that was taken by the people spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, who offered to God only outward service. "Wherefore have we fasted," they said to God, "and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge?" God showed this people that their worship was unacceptable to him because it lacked heart service. "Behold, in the day of your fast," he said to them, "ye find pleasure, and exact all your labors. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high." The Lord shows that there is something better for his people than mere outward worship. He demands of them a pure and undefiled religion. The gold he bids them buy of him is the gold of character. The eyesalve is obtained by earnest seeking of the Lord. We are to come to God confessing our sins and humbling our hearts before him. If ever there was a people who needed to pray most earnestly to God, if ever there was a people who needed to strip themselves of everything that is offensive to him, it is this people who profess to keep the commandments of God and to have the faith of Jesus… My brethren and sisters, I ask you, who among us is humbling the heart before God? Who is purifying the soul by obedience to the truth. Let us study this chapter on our bended knees, asking God to reveal to us our true character, and to impress our mind with what we should do lest we stand in the way of sinners and exert an influence that will be a hindrance to the work.” GCB, June 6, 1909
Humbling the heart and Obedience to the truth!
This concept of “humbling the heart” is something that many of us don’t seem to realize.
We love to preach about the 2520 and all its connections. Like I stated Wed. evening, it is all about breaking the pride of God’s people which is a humbling experience.
Lev. 26:40-42 If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob,…”
Even the prayer to be offered to reverse the 2520 curse is a prayer aimed at “humbling the heart.”
In fact, the ultimate purpose of these charts is to get us to “humble our hearts!”
Turn to
Hab. 2:1-4 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
Now there is a lot here in these verses, and we sometimes have the tendency, with our preconceived ideas, to just focus on certain parts of it or certain interpretations of it.
So here there is someone that is “reproving” God’s people – who is doing the reproving? God is!
“On one occasion, when meditating concerning the future, he (Habakkuk) said, "I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what He will say unto me." Graciously the Lord answered him: "Write the vision, …” PK 386.
God is giving a description of both the solution to the problem and the problem itself in the same texts and it has something to do with defining the difference between one who is “lifted up” (he is proud) and one who is living by faith (the opposite of proud would be humble!)
Notice that the vision that is made plain on the tables is to enable him to run. What does it mean to run?
Ps. 119:32 I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.
So to run is to be obedient to the law of God! Not only are we to be humble, but we are to obey!
What is on these charts anyway? Prophecy!
What is the purpose of prophecy?
2Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
So the main purpose of prophecy is to enable us to see what is coming, it is a revealing of the will and purposes of God down through the stream of time. It is like a light that shines in a dark place.
Think about this for a minute.
In Bible times the prophets were called “Seers”! Why?
Because they could “see” into the future!
You know, God has hidden the spiritual meaning of His Word all around us in the physical world.
If you want to understand the “spiritual” take a good look at how the “physical” works!
That is why Christ used parables of the physical world to illustrate His spiritual lessons!
Now think about the human body. We know that the church is the body of Christ – we are the body.
Just as the body is made of many different parts, so the church has many different parts.
We would also consider our five senses as gifts right? Everything we have is a gift from the Creator!
I mean, you don’t realize what a gift your hearing is until you lose it.
And it is the same thing with the gift of sight or “vision”!
Is prophecy a gift? Yes!
Rom 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
In the physical world, the gift of sight (the eyes) would be illustrating the gift of prophecy!
What is the gift of sight given for?
It is given for several things. Sight or “Vision” is for “seeing” light (Truth). It is given so that we can enjoy the wonderful things that God created around us. It is also given to guide the body, so that we can “see” where we are walking and “running”! In other words, Discernment!
Has anyone ever tried to walk or “run” anywhere with their eyes closed? It is much more difficult isn’t it? It is easier to walk with your eyes closed than it is to run that way – but it is really hard!
As Christians, in other words, in the spiritual sense – how are we to walk and run?
2Cor. 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight:
In other words, what sight or “vision” is to the physical body – “faith” is to the spiritual body, the church!
Are you beginning to “see” more significance to the prophecy in Habakkuk?
Notice that Habakkuk 2:4 says “the just shall live by his faith.”
Now there is a lot of meaning and lessons to be learned in that phrase!
What does it mean to “live”?
According to Webster’s dictionary one of its meanings is
“To subsist; to be maintained in life; to be supported.”
Scripture doesn’t say that the just will be living by hoarding their wealth, or by investing in the stock market, or by working 40 hours of overtime at a 9-5 job to pay their bills, or by depending on their 401k plan!
Scripture says that the just will be living on “faith!”
This makes me think of George Mueller. He was known for his faith in God.
I remember many stories of miracles that happened in his life, because he didn’t worry about where the food was going to come from or where the money was going to come from – he trusted God to provide for him and spent his time working for God.
Do we have that kind of faith?
Do we put our trust in God – or do we actually, in reality, put our trust in our jobs, our paychecks, our own ability to pay our bills and support ourselves, our own capability to handle the situation?
If something were to take away our self-sufficiency, our means of supporting ourselves – would we panic?
From what I have observed in other Seventh-day Adventists, and from what I have seen of myself – I don’t think that we as Seventh-day Adventists have any idea what it means to have “complete faith”!
We love to quote
Heb. 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
But do we truly practice it?
We are all really good at talking about faith, and preaching about faith, and promoting faith – but when the rubber meets the road, many of us don’t even understand “true faith”, much less exercise it!
“We are told that faith in the near Advent of Christ will be at a low ebb just before He returns. Many will cast away their confidence because of decreasing faith. During this time those who hold fast to the end must “live by faith,” and to them is promised a “great recompence of reward.” (Hebrews 10:35-39.) When Jesus returns He will find a people waiting for Him who have held fast to His Word and have kept the faith of Jesus. (Revelation 3:10, 11; 14:12.) This lost faith, which is due largely to the influence of skeptical modernistic preaching, must be restored in the remnant who are prepared to meet their returning Lord.” The Seven Epistles Of Christ p.236
Remember the Red Sea experience? Israel was placed in a position where they would have to practice faith.
“The great lesson here taught is for all time. Often the Christian life is beset by dangers, and duty seems hard to perform. The imagination pictures impending ruin before and bondage or death behind. Yet the voice of God speaks clearly, "Go forward." We should obey this command, even though our eyes cannot penetrate the darkness, and we feel the cold waves about our feet. The obstacles that hinder our progress will never disappear before a halting, doubting spirit. Those who defer obedience till every shadow of uncertainty disappears and there remains no risk of failure or defeat, will never obey at all. Unbelief whispers, "Let us wait till the obstructions are removed, and we can see our way clearly;" but faith courageously urges an advance, hoping all things, believing all things.” PP 290
Revelation 14:12 says,
“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”
What kind of faith did Jesus have? Did He stress out about what He was going to wear? Did He worry about where He was going to get money to buy food with? Was He at all concerned with how He was going to pay the taxes? How much thought did He invest in these “cares of this life?”
You know, I am preaching to myself here. Being a typical “doubting Thomas” myself, I have found it a hard lesson to learn – this faith business. I believe that God has been trying to teach me to “totally” trust Him, especially with all this situation with my son’s illness.
I’m the type of guy that firmly believes that “I will do it myself” “I’ll work for it, I’ll make the money, I’ll pay my own bills, I’ll take care of the problem myself, – I will be totally self-sufficient!
Let me just warn you, just when you think that you have everything under your control and taken care of – God is going to let you see that you don’t really have control of anything! He just might allow your son to get Leukemia – and if you want to experience a sense of total “helplessness, loss of control and self-sufficiency” I would highly recommend Leukemia!
A couple of weeks ago, I had a bill coming due in just a few days, and had no money to pay it. As you can imagine, I was pretty stressed out about it and was talking with God as I was driving down the road.
I was partly telling God about my needs but mostly just complaining and feeling sorry for myself and suddenly these verses flashed through my mind.
Matt. 6:31-34 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
I thought, “God, what are you trying to tell me?”
And the distinct thought ran through my mind – “What part of “take NO thought” do you not understand?!”
At that very moment, the cd that was playing in the cd player began playing Derrol Sawyer’s song about worrying. The words are from the Desire of Ages and they say “Worry is blind and cannot discern the future, Jesus sees the end from the beginning, in every difficulty He has His way prepared to bring relief. Our heavenly Father has a thousand ways to provide for us, of which we know nothing. Those who accept the one principle of making the service and honor of God supreme will find perplexities vanish, and a plain path before their feet." DA 330
Ever had God step on your toes?
It is a real humbling experience!
I told God Thank You and that I would just leave it up to Him.
And then I tried to do that, but it was really hard.
The due day got closer and closer, and I even began preparing my mind with the idea of having to pay late fees and penalties.
Less than 24 hours before the bill was due, I received an envelope in the mail with some money in it – the amount – just enough to pay the tithe and offering plus the total amount of the bill.
Isn’t God awesome!!
We will see a little more about “true faith” in a minute.
Now looking back at Rev. 3:18, we are counseled to buy of Christ “gold” tried in the fire, white raiment, and eyesalve.
Gold is a very interesting metal. Why would God chose to use gold? Why not something more valuable, like platinum or rhodium?
Remember, to understand the spiritual you should learn about the physical. As I tell you about some of Gold’s characteristics – keep in mind of how they could apply spiritually.
Gold is the only metal that does not form an oxide layer on its surface in air at normal temperatures. In other words, under normal conditions Gold doesn’t tarnish or rust.
Gold is both malleable and ductile.
In other words, gold can be pressed out into a flat sheet or pulled out into a wire. In fact, gold is only 2.5 on the hardness scale - about the same as a fingernail. Pure gold is so soft and malleable that a strong man can squeeze it and shape it.
- one gram of gold (smaller than the size of a pea) can be hammered out into a thin sheet of gold that is over 9 square feet in area, and just 230 atoms or so thick. This is called Gold Leaf.
That same gram of gold can also be drawn into a thin wire that is over 500’ long.
Gold is the only yellow metal, in its pure form it has a metallic luster and is sun yellow.
Gold leaf is translucent and the transmitted light is greenish blue (gold metal reflects yellow and red, leaving the greenish blue colour).
X-ray data suggest electrons from filled d bands near the electron energy surface of the s-p conduction band are excited by near ultraviolet and blue energies, giving rise to the characteristic gold colour of the metal. In other words, the blue light spectrum shining on the metal, excites the electrons and produces the gold color of the metal.
Now there are so many spiritual lessons with gold that it would be impossible to cover all of them.
What does gold represent spiritually? According to the Bible, it represents several things.
Psalm 19:7-10 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Do you see Laodicea’s 3-fold cure?
Romans 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
1Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
So in order for us to be spiritually rich – we must have the law of God, the love of God, and the faith of God! And there is a lot of things that fall into those categories!
"The gold that Jesus would have us buy of Him is gold tried in the fire; it is the gold of faith and love, that has no defiling substance mingled with it. The white raiment is the righteousness of Christ, the wedding garment which Christ alone can give. The eyesalve is the true spiritual discernment that is so wanting among us, for spiritual things must be spiritually discerned.” RH April 1, 1890
“The Lord knocks at the door of your heart, desiring to enter, that He may impart spiritual riches to your soul. He would anoint the blind eyes, that they may discover the holy character of God in His law, and understand the love of Christ, which is indeed gold tried in the fire” RH Feb. 25, 1890
So who is it that is not understanding the love of Christ? Who is it that has not discovered the holy character of God in His law? Is it the Catholics? Is it the other Protestants?
According to Sister White here – it is US – the Seventh-day Adventists/Laodiceans!
What about the “white raiment” – why white, and what does it represent?
When I think of the color “white” I automatically think of that dream that Sister White had about the path on which they started their journey in wagons.
You’ll remember that they began their journey with wagons, with structures, and that these “structures” were being pulled by horses. Horses in the Bible represent several things but one of the main meanings is that they represent men. The path got so narrow, that they finally had to leave the structures in order to continue – but they still put their trust – their faith – in the horses and carried a lot of their possessions on them.
Remember that there was a “white wall” on one side.
What does the Wall represent?
Lam. 2:18 Their heart cried unto the Lord, O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night: give thyself no rest; let not the apple of thine eye cease.
Pro. 7:2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.
“Where shall we find laws more noble, pure, and just, than are exhibited on the statute books wherein is recorded the instruction given to Moses for the children of Israel? Through all time these laws are to be perpetuated, that the character of God's people may be formed after the divine similitude. The law is a wall of protection to those who are obedient to God's precepts.” FE 393
So the white wall represents the Law of God, His pure and righteous character.
We always picture the path and the chasm and white wall as all stationary objects, but look at this lesson from a different perspective or dimension.
Picture the path and the chasm as stationary, and the wall as a sliding object that, as you progress up the path, slides or pushes you closer to the chasm (sort of like a hydraulic press). Its purpose is to gradually push anything and everyone who is not in line with it, into the chasm.
Since we have all sinned – none of us are “in line” with the wall, we are all destined to be pushed into the chasm.
But remember, that after they finally leave their structures, their possessions and worldly cares, and their horses – they had to cease from trusting in, and putting their faith in, organizations and men – Once they did this, small cords are let down from the top of the wall. In other words, there is someone (who they can’t see) who is on top of, in other words, “in line” with the wall, that lowers cords for those who are not in line with the wall to use for support.
“It is our privilege to pray with the sick, to help them to grasp the cord of faith.” GW 213
“That green cord represented faith.” 2SG 20
Those cords are our faith!
Remember that as they had to put more and more of their weight on the cord, in other words, they exercised their faith more and more, that it would grow larger. And finally, they reached the point where the white wall (law) reached the edge of the chasm – in other words, they came to a point where they no longer had a path to put their trust in and they had to put their whole weight – their whole dependence and trust – in that cord of faith!
This is showing that as the truth becomes narrower, more pointed, and as the law convicts us more and more of our own unworthiness – our faith is to be growing stronger!
And when we reach the point that we are totally trusting in our faith in God – then we are safe to save!
OK, back to the “white raiment.”
Dan. 12:10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
Rev. 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
So “white” represents “purity” and “cleanness”, and the raiment would represent the “righteousness of saints.”
But we are told that all our righteousness is as “filthy rags.” So this “righteousness of saints” is the righteousness that they have put on – in other words, it is not theirs, it is Christ’s righteousness that He has given them to wear.
“Black garments were almost universally worn by the Laodiceans, and of them they were very proud. Christ advised the Christians of the city to buy of Him “white raiment,” which represented the beautiful robe of His own righteousness. The people of Laodicea were familiar with the white toga worn by Roman citizens and officials. To be privileged to wear this white garment was esteemed a high honor. To the Romans it was symbolic of victory, and to the Christians it represented purity of character through the imputed and imparted righteousness of Christ.” The Seven Epistles Of Christ p.210
It is really fascinating to study out the material “linen” as well, for there are many applications to Laodicea.
Linen has numerous health benefits, some of which are that it is antibacterial, helps cardio-vascular, nervous and muscular systems, helps protect body from harmful radiation, and helps protect body from viruses. Etc.
What about the eyesalve?
The eyes are for discernment. They are also connected to the brain.
“The eyes are actually another lobe of the brain.” Charcoal by Agatha Thrash p.71
The eye is the sensitive conscience, the inner light, of the mind. Upon its correct view of things the spiritual healthfulness of the whole soul and being depends…Self-sufficiency is the fatal danger of a lukewarm state. The Laodiceans boasted of a deep knowledge of Bible truth, a deep insight into the Scriptures. They were not entirely blind, else the eyesalve would have done nothing to restore their sight, and enable them to discern the true attributes of Christ. Says Christ, By renouncing your own self-sufficiency, giving up all things, however dear to you, you may buy the gold, the raiment, and the eyesalve that you may see” RH Nov. 23, 1897
So if the Laodiceans were not entirely blind, then that means that they could see some truth, but they just couldn’t “see” all the truth clearly!
Back when I wore glasses, the eye doctor told me that I was considered “legally blind.” I could see forms and movement but nothing would come into focus until it was 2 or 3 inches from my face.
In other words, I could get along in life, I could pretend to be fine, to be Laodicean, but I had no clear “vision” when it came to “seeing” what was “far off”!
Now what fixed my eyes was lasik surgery, but for the purpose of this illustration let’s pretend that I used eyesalve. After that treatment, my “vision” went from seeing blurry forms and movement to “seeing” clear and distinct details at great distances.
There are many lessons we can learn from this, but one is that as Laodicea we claim to have deep prophetic knowledge, but yet what we have in reality is a surface knowledge of prophecy that is not extremely clear – it is blurry – and it can only see what is up close.
It is significant that when a person is “asleep” – their eyes are closed – they do not have vision!
This is one of the purposes for God to bring us revival, to wake us up, to restore our “vision” (our understanding of prophecy) so we can clearly see “far off.”
“The word of the Lord, spoken through His servants, is received by many with questionings and fears. And many will defer their obedience to the warning and reproofs given, waiting till every shadow of uncertainty is removed from their minds. The unbelief that demands perfect knowledge will never yield to the evidence that God is pleased to give. He requires of His people faith that rests upon the weight of evidence, not upon perfect knowledge. Those followers of Christ who accept the light that God sends them must obey the voice of God speaking to them when there are many other voices crying out against it. It requires discernment to distinguish the voice of God. Those who will not act when the Lord calls upon them, but who wait for more certain evidence and more favorable opportunities, will walk in darkness, for the light will be withdrawn. The evidence given one day, if rejected, may never be repeated.” 3T 258
Are we seeing this played out today? A revival taking place with many voices crying out against it?
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
“You may manifest great zeal in missionary effort, and yet because it is corrupted with selfishness, and tastes strongly of self, it is nought in the sight of God; for it is a tainted, corrupted offering. Unless the door of the heart is open to Jesus, unless He occupies the soul temple, unless the heart is imbued with His divine attributes, human actions when weighed in the heavenly balances, will be pronounced "Wanting." The love of Christ would make you rich; but many do not realize the value of His love. Many do not realize that the spirit which they cherish is destitute of the meekness and lowliness of Christ, destitute of the love that would constitute them channels of light (MS 33, 1894)." 7BC 961
In other words, you can do wonderful things for God, and travel all over the world as a missionary spreading the truth – but if your heart isn’t right, if you are self-sufficient and proud – all your efforts are tainted with selfishness and amount to nothing in the sight of God!
That is very serious!
The Laodicean message is a rather disturbing message. But there is still hope for us!
“Yet the case of those who are rebuked is not a hopeless one; it is not beyond the power of the great Mediator. He says: "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." Though the professed followers of Christ are in a deplorable condition, they are not yet in so desperate a strait as were the foolish virgins whose lamps were going out, and there was no time in which to replenish their vessels with oil. When the bridegroom came, those that were ready went in with him to the wedding; but when the foolish virgins came, the door was shut, and they were too late to obtain an entrance. But the counsel of the true Witness does not represent those who are lukewarm as in a hopeless case. There is yet a chance to remedy their state, and the Laodicean message is full of encouragement; for the backslidden church may yet buy the gold of faith and love, may yet have the white robe of the righteousness of Christ, that the shame of their nakedness need not appear. Purity of heart, purity of motive, may yet characterize those who are halfhearted and who are striving to serve God and mammon.” RH Aug. 28, 1894
Rev 3:20 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.
"The condition of many of those who claim to be the children of God is exactly represented by the message to the Laodicean church...The Bible is the storehouse of the unsearchable riches of God. But those who have a knowledge of the truth do not understand it as fully as they might. They do not bring the love of Christ into the heart and life. The student of the Word finds himself bending over a fountain of living water. The church needs to drink deeply of the spirituality of the Word. Their service to God needs to be very different from the tame, lifeless, emotionless religious experience that makes many believers but little different from those who believe not, very similar in spirit to the unconverted (MS 117, 1902)." 7BC 964
Says the true Witness, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock." Every warning, reproof, and entreaty in the Word of God, or through His delegated messengers, is a knock at the door of the heart; it is the voice of Jesus, asking for entrance. With every knock unheeded, your determination to open becomes weaker and weaker. If the voice of Jesus is not heeded at once, it becomes confused in the mind with a multitude of other voices, the world's care and business engross the attention, and conviction dies away. The heart becomes less impressible, and lapses into a perilous unconsciousness of the shortness of time, and of the great eternity beyond… (RH Nov. 2, 1886)?” 7BC 966
Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
This promise is not for everyone, it is only to those who overcome. And while God has made provision for everyone to overcome – many will not accept that provision.
“The true Witness presents encouragements to all who are seeking to walk in the path of humble obedience, through faith in His name... Victory is assured through faith and obedience. Let us make an application of the words of Christ to our own individual cases. Are we poor, and blind, and wretched, and miserable? Then let us seek the gold and white raiment that He offers. The work of overcoming is not restricted to the age of the martyrs. The conflict is for us, in these days of subtle temptation to worldliness, to self-security, to indulgence of pride, covetousness, false doctrines, and immorality of life” RH July 24, 1888
You know, sometimes we like to get the mental picture that just because we have the charts and the 2520 and the knowledge of all these prophecies, that we have somehow become “overcomers”.
We like to think that because we followed the Lamb when He left the throne in the holy place and went with Him to the Most Holy, that we are somehow in a sort of safety zone and we can’t fall – but this is just an Adventist form of the false “once saved always saved” doctrine!
Let me share something with you that I found totally by accident that blew my mind.
Everyone is probably familiar with Sister White’s dream of the 2 groups that were before the throne.
Remember, one followed Christ to the Most Holy, and the other stayed behind and worshipped Satan at the empty throne. And you are probably familiar with what this dream signifies, or at least, the surface meaning.
This dream is published in 4 different places in the writings of Sister White.
The Day-Star, March 14, 1846
Portland, Broadside1, April 6, 1846
Experience and Views p. 43 (1851)
Early Writings p.56 (1882)
Now the interesting thing about this dream is that the ones printed in red contain some details that have been left out of the ones that are in black.
I won’t try to cover all the differences, but what I would like to show you is the last sentence. Remember, what is in black is the last sentence in Early Writings that most of us are familiar with, and what is in red is what has been left out of the more modern readings.
“Satan would then breathe upon them an unholy influence; in it there was light and much power, but no sweet love, joy and peace. Satan's object was to keep them deceived, and to draw back and deceive God's children. I saw one after another leave the company who were praying to Jesus in the Holiest, and go and join those before the throne, and they at once received the unholy influence of Satan.”
In other words, Sister White is saying that just because someone followed Christ from the Holy Place to the Most Holy Place, doesn’t guarantee that they are going to be an overcomer – there are some who are falling away from the truth even at this advanced stage!
It is also very significant that those who are praying to the empty throne receive light and power just like those who are praying to Christ. But what is missing?
Light and Power = Revival
Sweet Love, Joy, and Peace = Reformation
So in this dream is pictured those who have both the revival and reformation, and those who only have the revival. And there are some who begin to have the reformation, but they “don’t follow through” with it and they join those who only have the revival.
Incidently, how is one of the ways that we obtain that “love, joy, and peace?”
Psa 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
Psa 119:174 I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.
This concept that even those who followed Christ into the Most Holy still can fall away, also agrees with her dream of the narrow path cast up high above the world. She says,
“They fell all the way along the path one after another, until we heard the voice of God like many waters, which gave us the day and hour of Jesus' coming.” A Word to the Little Flock p.14
In other words, don’t let yourself become satisfied with your spiritual condition, don’t let your guard down! Satan is not interested in the nominal Seventh-day Adventists (he’s already got them deceived) – he is focused on anyone who is waking up, and trying to change their lives to be in harmony with God’s will!
Now, even at this late hour, we should be even more careful and more watchful. We should be more focused on the scripture, and be spending ALL our time with God, learning what He wants us to know!
That’s right, I said ALL our time! It is too late in the day for us to be focusing our attention on the “cares of this life!”
I’m not saying there is something wrong with working. Working is ordained by God for our benefit. But is the work you’re doing, working for the salvation of souls, spending time yourself with God, and providing money for furthering the work of God;
or is it working for your earthly benefit, to support you, pay your bills, buy your toys, and provide for your fun, entertainment, and luxury?
Rev 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
"The Laodicean message has been sounding. Take this message in all its phases and sound it forth to the people wherever Providence opens the way. Justification by faith and the righteousness of Christ are the themes to be presented to a perishing world (Letter 24, 1892)." 7BC 964
"This is the testimony borne concerning the church at Laodicea. This church had been faithfully instructed... Much excellent labor was bestowed upon the Laodicean church. To them was given the exhortation, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." But the church did not follow up the work begun by God's messengers. They heard, but they failed to appropriate the truth to themselves, and to carry out the instruction given them. The result that followed is the result always sure to follow the rejection of the Lord's warnings and entreaties (MS 128, 1903)." 7BC 964
"I saw that this call to the Laodicean church will affect souls. A becoming zeal is called for by God on our part. We must repent, throw away our whole feelings, feel our destitution, buy gold that we may be rich, eyesalve that we may see, white raiment that we may be clothed (Letter 2, 1851)." 7BC 966
"There is hope for our churches if they will heed the message given to the Laodiceans (MS 139, 1903)." 7BC 966
"We have no discouraging message for the church. Although reproofs and cautions and corrections have been made, yet the church has stood as God's instrumentality to diffuse light. The commandment-keeping people of God have sounded forth a warning to the world, to all languages, tongues, and kindreds. The church of God is a living witness, a continual testimony, to convince men if accepted, to condemn them if resisted and rejected (MS 96, 1893)." 7BC 967
Friends, time is about over! We are living in the last seconds of earth’s history! The call to Laodicea is the Last Call to planet earth!
Don’t let the devil deceive us into only accepting half the message, half the work.
We desperately need the true Reformation that goes with this true revival!
We need to realize that we have only scratched the surface of truth and there is much more that we need to learn, so much more that we need to change!
Don’t rest satisfied with what we have learned so far – we have only taken a few steps up that path toward the Holy City. We need to keep moving forward!
Let us step fast, to keep abreast of truth!