The Feast of Laodicea

This transcript was generated automatically. Its accuracy may vary

Short Summary
The discourse explains that the seven churches in Revelation symbolize seven successive stages of the Gospel age, with the Laodicean Church representing the final period characterized by unique spiritual blessings and challenges, notably complacency. Key doctrines of this period include the recognition of Jesus as the first creation of God rather than God Himself, the church’s participation in the sin offering through trials and character development, and the acknowledgment of Jesus’ invisible second presence, which brings a feast of restored spiritual truths for the faithful to embrace with zeal and vigilance.

Long Summary
Detailed Summary of “The Feast at Laodicea” Discourse

Context and Subject Overview
– The discourse focuses on the *Feast at Laodicea*, which relates to the *Laodicean message* found in Revelation chapters 2 and 3.
– The seven churches mentioned in Revelation represent seven consecutive stages or epochs of the Gospel Age, with Laodicea being the final period, corresponding to the present time.
– The Laodicean period is characterized by special spiritual blessings based on the *divine plan of the ages* and the harvest truths revealed progressively through history.

Seven Churches as Symbolic Epochs
– The seven historical churches of Asia Minor (Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea) symbolically represent seven distinct periods in the history of the true Christian church.
– This understanding was highlighted by Pastor Charles Taze Russell, emphasizing that Revelation’s messages are prophetic, applying beyond just the literal first-century congregations.
– The prophetic nature of Revelation 1:1, 19 indicates it covers past, present, and future church history.

Chronology of Church Periods
– Approximate dates assigned to each church period:
– Ephesus: 33–73 A.D.
– Smyrna: 73–325 A.D.
– Pergamos: 325–1160 A.D.
– Thyatira: 1160–1378 A.D.
– Sardis: 1378–1518 A.D.
– Philadelphia: 1518–1874 A.D.
– Laodicea: 1874 (or 1878) to the end of the Gospel Age.

The Seven Messengers (Angels)
– The Greek term *angelos* means messenger, referring to human leaders spiritually anointed and chosen to deliver messages to their respective church periods.
– Identified messengers:
– Ephesus: Apostle John
– Smyrna: Apostle Paul
– Pergamos: Arius
– Thyatira: Peter
– Sardis: John Wycliffe
– Philadelphia: Martin Luther
– Laodicea: Pastor Charles Taze Russell
– These men had distinct roles, often overlapping with apostolic or other offices but specifically served as dispensational messengers.
– Russell also fulfilled the role of the *faithful and wise steward* (Luke 12:42), overseeing and dispensing spiritual food in due season.

The Faithful and Wise Steward
– Two biblical terms were compared:
– *Doulos* (servant/slave) in Matthew 24:45
– *Oikonomos* (house steward/manager) in Luke 12:42, emphasizing management, oversight, and responsibility.
– Russell is identified as this steward during the Laodicean period, responsible for organizing, teaching, and spreading the divine plan.

Beginning of the Laodicean Period
– While the common date is 1874, the speaker prefers 1878, based on events such as Russell’s stand against N.H. Barber’s ransom teachings and his emerging leadership.
– The Laodicean period aligns with Jesus’ *Second Presence* or invisible return, distinct from the earlier Philadelphia period where Jesus promised to come quickly (Revelation 3:11).

Examination of Revelation 3:14–22 (Laodicean Message)
Verse 14: Jesus is described as
– *The Amen*: A universal word meaning “sure” or “faithful,” confirming God’s promises (2 Corinthians 1:19–20).
– *The Faithful and True Witness*: A repeated title emphasizing Jesus’ reliability and trustworthiness in revealing truth (also in Revelation 19:11, 21:5, 22:6).
– *The Beginning of the Creation of God*: A key Laodicean doctrine repudiating the Trinity; Jesus is God’s first creation, not Almighty God Himself.
– The Greek word *arche* (Strong’s 746) means “beginning” or “first,” not “ruler” (which would be *archon*, Strong’s 758).
– This doctrine clarifies Jesus’ identity and underpins the understanding of the ransom sacrifice.

Verses 15–16: Jesus reproves the Laodicean church for being *lukewarm*—neither hot (zealous) nor cold (rejected). Lukewarmness leads to rejection (“vomited out”).
– Emphasis on passionate consecration and hatred of sin, modeled by Jesus (Hebrews 1:9).
– Lukewarmness equates to complacency and spiritual lethargy in the face of great blessings.

Verse 17: The Laodiceans claim, “I am rich and have need of nothing,” but are actually “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.”
– *Rich*: Boasting in material or spiritual possessions without appreciation for their source.
– *Need of nothing*: Spiritual pride and refusal to grow or listen.
– *Wretched, miserable, poor, blind, naked*: Spiritual deficiencies due to neglect or misuse of truth.
– Nakedness implies being inadequately clothed with righteousness (Revelation 16:15).

Verse 18: Jesus counsels to *buy* from Him:
– *Gold refined by fire*: Symbolizing character refined through trials (1 Peter 1:7).
– *White garments*: Symbolizing righteousness and cleansing by the blood of Christ.
– *Eyesalve*: Spiritual insight or healing to see clearly.
– This relates to the *Church sharing in the sin offering*—participation in Christ’s sufferings and character development, though the merit remains with Jesus alone.

Spiritual Sight and Healing
– Illustrated by John 9:6–7, where Jesus heals a blind man by making clay from spittle (symbolic of truth and human perspective) and instructing him to wash in the pool of Siloam (meaning “Sent” or *apostolo*).
– Washing and sanctification (Ephesians 5:26) require active cooperation.
– Spiritual blindness arises when believers neglect character development and cleansing.

Verse 19: “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.” Chastisement is corrective and a sign of God’s love (Hebrews 12:5–11).
– Laodiceans are urged to be zealous and repent to overcome complacency.

Verse 20: Jesus stands at the door and knocks—symbolizing His invisible presence and an invitation to fellowship.
– The *Second Presence* of Jesus offers a *feast* of spiritual food—truths restored and expanded during this period.
– This feast is enjoyed in the fellowship of the true church, led by the faithful steward (Russell).
– Luke 12:35–37 echoes this theme of vigilance and reward.

Verse 21: Promise to those who overcome: to sit with Jesus on His throne, sharing His kingship (cf. Romans 12:21; 1 John 5:4).

Verse 22: Final exhortation to listen carefully to the Spirit’s message.

Key Themes and Takeaways
1. We live in the *Laodicean* stage, the final epoch of the Gospel Age.
2. It is an age of *unprecedented spiritual blessings* and *truths* (the feast).
3. It is also a time of *fiery trials*, testing and refining character.
4. The chief sin is *complacency*—lukewarmness toward God’s truth.
5. Three special Laodicean doctrines:
– Jesus is *not Almighty God*, but the *first creation* of God.
– The church *shares in the sin offering*, undergoing refinement and cleansing.
– Jesus’ *invisible return* (Second Presence) is ongoing, bringing blessings and calling for vigilance.

Practical Application and Exhortation
– Self-examination is necessary to avoid complacency and to fervently partake of the spiritual feast.
– Cultivating zeal, applying truth to character, and embracing trials are essential to making one’s calling and election sure.
– The church must remain vigilant and active in the harvest work.
– Faithful endurance assures that “nothing shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35–39).

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Selected Bible Verses Cited in the Discourse:

– Revelation 1:1, 19
– Revelation 3:1–22
– 2 Corinthians 1:19–20
– Hebrews 1:9
– Proverbs (7 things Jehovah hates)
– 1 Peter 4:12–13; 1 Peter 1:7
– Revelation 16:15
– Ephesians 5:26
– John 9:6–7
– Hebrews 12:5–11
– Luke 12:35–44
– Romans 12:21
– 1 John 5:4
– Romans 8:35–39

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This summary encapsulates the main points and doctrinal teachings of the discourse on the Feast at Laodicea, emphasizing the Laodicean church’s position in prophetic history, the role of Brother Russell as the faithful steward, the critical need to overcome complacency, and the blessed spiritual feast available to those faithful in the last days.

Transcript

Our subject, the Feast at Laodicea, concerns the Laodicean message. The book of Revelation describes seven churches in the first three chapters. Now, most of us understand that these churches represent the seven consecutive stages of the Gospel age. We live in the last stage of the church, the one designated as the Laodicean Church. There are a large number of special blessings for us who live at the end of the Gospel age.

And these blessings are all founded on the harvest truths we collectively designate, the divine plan of the ages. So our lesson today is to do an overview of these blessings, these Laodicean blessings, and these truths that are especially given to us during this last period of the church. Now let’s review some fundamentals about the seven churches and the seven messengers. Those seven churches were actual ecclesias in Asia Minor at the end of the first and the beginning of the second century. But Brother Russell made a very interesting observation.

This is found in reprint 2827, and the pastor says this about these seven. There were seven churches in Asia Minor corresponding to those mentioned by name in this connection. But while this revelation may have been applicable to them in some manner or degree, it was evidently in but small measurements. Those seven churches of Asia Minor, we understand, were chosen of the Lord as symbols representing seven different epochs in the history of the true church of Christ from Pentecostal day until the gathering of the Lord of the last grain of wheat at the end of the Gospel harvest.

If we think about the pastor’s understanding, it does make sense. Remember what we are told in Revelation 11, right at the start of this wonderful prophecy, it reads there, the revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave him to show unto his servants, even the things which must shortly come to pass, he sent, and he signified it by his angel unto his servant John. Well, brethren, this is clearly prophetic language. In fact, a little bit later in that first chapter, in verse 19, John wrote, Write therefore, the things which thou sawest and the things which are, and the things which shall come to pass hereafter. So this book of Revelation, it’s a revelation itself, describes past, present and future, and it is clearly directed to the church during the entire Gospel age.

After all, why would a revelation of Jesus Christ, given by the heavenly Father himself, be directed to only seven churches in the first and second century? We might also add that a study of this prophetic book does in fact give us many accurate details of the history of the Gospel age. Now, we call it history from this standpoint in time, but in the first century there it was future. The accuracy of Those details verifies itself, doesn’t it? Now, there does seem to be general agreement within our brotherhood concerning the periods of the church represented by these seven churches.

Now, there may be some differences in dating, but here’s a basic breakdown. The church of Ephesus, the period runs from 3373 A.D. smyrna, 73 to 325 A.D. pergamos, 325 A.D. to 1160 A.D.

thyatira, 1160 to 1378, Sardis, 1178 to 1518, Philadelphia, 1518 to 1874 and Laodicea, 1874 to the end of the Gospel age. Now, the next important thing regarding these church periods are the angels of the churches. Now, the word there, Greek word there can be translated messenger. We call them the seven messengers. It’s quite appropriate, in fact, in Young’s Literal Translation, he translates it as messenger, not as angel.

Again, we understand that these angels or messengers are not spirit beings, but rather they are consecrated and spirit begotten men chosen for the role by Jehovah and Jesus. They delivered a dispensational message to the church periods in which they lived. Again, there’s general agreement. I say general. There are differences among the brotherhood on the identification of these men.

Let’s go through it again and see who the messengers or angels are. Ephesus, the Apostle John, Smyrna, or I’m sorry, the Apostle Paul, pardon me, Smyrna, the Apostle John, Pergamus, Arius, Thyatira, Peter, Waldo Sardis, John Wycliffe, Philadelphia, Martin Luther, and of course, Laodicea, Connecticut, Russell. By the way, for those of you that may writing down furiously at the end of the talk, I will post my entire discourse up here, and this is one of those discourses where I’ve written out more, more than just an outline. So don’t feel like you’re going to miss anything.

It’ll all be up after we complete our service this afternoon. Now, the selection of angel or messenger of the period of the Gospel age is a special role. It’s distinctive from other roles that some of these brethren had. Let me give you a for instance. Paul was an apostle as well as a messenger.

For the first stage of the Church. The two roles are distinct. As an apostle, Paul was sent to teach and shepherd the church. However, his role as messenger was a bit more specific to alert the Church about false apostles and false brethren that had already sprung up in the Church. It’s interesting that the Apostle Paul had one more role that we don’t think about very much.

If you have your Bible turn Your Bible to Acts, chapter 14, verse 14, Acts 14:14, and here’s what we have recorded there. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they rent their garments and sprang forth among the multitudes, crying out, did you know that Barnabas was an apostle? It says so now. Of course, he wasn’t an apostle of the Lamb, but he was an apostle of the church of Antioch, and that is directed by the Holy Spirit.

Remember, the word apostle means one sent forth. We are told in Acts chapter 13, right in the beginning of the chapter, that the church at Antioch fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them and sent them away, and thus ordained them as their apostles. So the apostle Paul was an apostle of the Lamb. He was an apostle of the church of Antioch along with Barnabas, and he was a messenger of the church. Three different roles.

There’s a lot of overlap in these roles, to be sure, but each of them were distinct similarly. It’s true of the apostle John had the role of apostle of the Lamb and was a messenger to the second church period, very much like the apostle Paul. As our interest today is in the Laodicean Church, we want to take note of the fact that there were two roles that Brother Russell fulfilled as well. He was, as we have already suggested, the seventh messenger of the Church. But he also had another function, I would say a more important role, and that is the role of the faithful and wise steward.

As with other angels or messengers to successive periods of the church, Brother Russell had a dispensational message to the Laodicean Church. To put it very simply, it was the preaching of the divine plan of the ages. It was his messenger role. But his role as faithful and wise steward was more of a management or oversight one for me. One of the more persuasive suggestions that has to do with Brother Russell being that faithful and wise servant has to do with a word that Luke uses to describe him.

Now, there are two accounts of this faithful and wise individual. Let’s take the Matthew account. First, Matthew 24:45. Who then is the faithful and wise servant whom the Lord hath set over his household to give them their food in due season? Now, Matthew uses the word doulos.

That’s the Greek word for servant or slave, and so it’s nicely translated here through faithful and wise servant. It just means a slave. There’s nothing general or specific or different about it. It’s a generalized slave, but it’s not the word that Luke uses.

He uses an entirely different word which I found profound. Now, the account in this case is in Luke 12:42, and the Lord said, who is the faithful and wise steward whom his Lord shall set over his household to give them their portion in due season? Now, notice here in the American standard version, it gives it. It doesn’t say servant, it says steward.

It reflects the difference in that word. Now, the Greek word in this case is oiki nomos. It’s strong’s 36 23. Oikos means house. Nomos means law.

So literally it’s house law. But here’s the Strong’s definition of oikonomos, house, distributor, manager, overseer. In other words, an employee in that capacity, a fiscal agent. Now, this definition is very clear. It refers to the one servant.

Again, I say one. There weren’t more than one of these stewards who’s in charge of the other servants and in charge of the household. In Vine’s Expository dictionary, we find further agreement here, and I quote, oiko nomos primarily demoted the manager of a household or estate, oikos, a house Nemo, to arrange a steward. Such were usually slaves or freedmen, and again, if you look at the Niv version of this Luka account we read, the Lord answered, who then is the faithful and wise manager?

The Nivite uses. Again, this is completely harmonious with the meaning of that word. So that’s the word to describe Brother Russell in the Laodicean period, and it very well matches the scope of his service to the brotherhood in his life. Incidentally, you can see another usage of this word in the parable of the Unjust Steward. Remember that unjust steward, he had control over his masters, everything, and he made a lot of changes when he was going to be fired.

But again, one individual. Let’s go back to our focus of the Laodicean Church. We’re actually going to do a verse by verse of the Laodicean Message from chapter 3, verse 14 to the end of the chapter, verse 27. The Laodicean Church is, as we have said, the final period of the Gospel age, the final stage of the Gospel age. As such, it corresponds very nicely with with the presence of our Lord.

So as we read the message to the seventh Church, we naturally look for historical and doctrinal applications to that period of time, to the period that we are still living in. Let me say one short, just a few words about the Laodicean period. Most brethren place the beginning of the Laodicean period at the return of 1874. That works fine. But I would tell you personally, I lean more to 1878 as the beginning of that period.

Now, there are several reasons in my thinking, I don’t have time to go into them all. But we remember that in Revelation 3:1, in the message to the Philadelphia stage of the church, Jesus says, I come quickly, hold fast to what thou hast, and let no man take thy crown. Note at this point the Philadelphia stage of the church, when the angel of the Church period gives his message, Jesus has not yet returned, but says he’s coming quickly in that period. I think. So.

This is important when we look at the Laodicean message, and by the way, what that Philadelphia staged in the church period then is exactly 360 years from 1518 to 1878, and by the way, all of us as Bible students, we know just how important the date 1878 is. Brother Allen, in his talk this morning, used the expression the selection of the faithful and wise servant, and I think that selection was verified in 1878, when Brother Russell as a young man took a very strong position against the ideas promulgated by N.H.

barber regarding the ransom, and I think it was that strong stand that really made him stand out and began his function as the faithful and wise steward from that time forward. Again, most brethren, look at it, 1874. You can see that this is a minor thing. Just giving you a few of the ideas that appeal to me.

Well, now let’s go to the Laodicean message. Turn your Bibles to Revelation chapter three. We’re going to go through it. You recall that the title of our talk was the Feast at Laodicea. Brethren, we have a wonderful feast.

And as we look at the words of this message, it makes reference to that feast of spiritual food which has so richly provided to us since Brother Russell began his ministry. Revelation 3:14, and to the angel of the church of Laodicea. These things, saith they, Amen. The faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.

The message starts with a very interesting three feature description of Jesus. The Amen, the faithful and true witness, and the beginning of the creation of God. Let’s look at each of these in order. The Amen. I found this quote from a commentator in the 19th century by the name of Henry Melville.

For you Bible students, you may recognize his initials. Hmm. He is quoted frequently, but here’s what he said about this word Quote. The word Amen is a most remarkable word. It was transliterated directly from Hebrew into Greek in the New Testament and then into Latin and into English and into many languages, so that it is practically a universal word.

It has been called the best known word in human speech. The word is directly related, in fact almost identical to the Hebrew word for believe, amam, or faithful, and it came to mean sure, truly an expression of absolute trust and confidence. Interesting that Paul uses this word to Describe Jesus in 2 Corinthians 1:19 20 and he writes there, for the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not yea and nay, but in him is yea, for as many soever be the promises of God, in him is the yea. Wherefore also through him is the amen unto the glory of God through us.

So for the consecrated in the Laodicean period, 1900 plus years after Jesus earthly ministry, the assurance that God’s promises are still valid and real is faith strengthening. All of those promises are still amen. He is also called Number two, the faithful and true witness. This is very similar to the meaning of the word amen, and it’s a further verification of the character and ministry of Jesus.

It is interesting that the phrase faithful and true occurs four times in Revelation. Each time it appears to be spoken to the church of the Laodicean period. It would seem only in the Laodicean period that we can fully appreciate the truth and faithfulness of the real Gospel. So in addition to this instance in chapter three, we have three more. Revelation 19:11 and I saw the heaven opened, and behold a white horse.

And he that sat thereon was called faithful and true, and in righteousness doth he make war. So this is a title for Jesus, faithful and true. Revelation 21:5, another instance, and he that sitteth on the throne said, behold, I make all things new.

And he saith right, for these words are faithful and true. Now we have a reference to the words from the throne being faithful and true, and lastly in Revelation 22:6 and he said unto me, these words are faithful and true, and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angels to show his servants the things that must shortly come to pass. So all of the messages to the church, especially here in the last Church, are clearly brought to light.

All the promises are clearly brought to light in this final period of the Church. It’s an encouragement for all of us during the trials of this era. Lastly, we have a designation of Jesus as the beginning of the creation of God. Here we have the first significant doctrine of the Laodicean period, a bombshell declaration of special import and blessing to the Laodicean Church. What is it Jesus is not God.

He is the creation of God. In fact, he is the first creation of God. This is one of the most important repudiations of the false doctrine of the Trinity. Now, the doctrine error which confused the enedini of Jesus is a particular part of the light shining here at the end of the Gospel age. Now, there have been brethren all through the age, going all the way back to Arius, that saw through these obscurities of who Jesus was, introduced by Satan through his minions.

But it’s especially true here, at the end of the Gospel age in the Laodicean period, that these errors are swept away, and consider for a moment the doctrine of a ransom for all, which I consider the most important doctrine of the divine plan of the ages. It could not be understood if one sees Jesus as a part of the eternal God. After all, how can God die? Now, there has been pushback.

There’s been an attempt on the part of Trinitarian thinking to obscure the meaning here by translating this word beginning as ruler or chief or originator, depending upon what translation you choose. This is simply wrong. The Greek word here is Strong’s 746. Arche. Arche means first in John 1.

In the beginning, an arche ein ho logos. In the beginning was the word. It just means exactly that. We have several examples of this Greek word. By the way, in our English language, you use the term archive.

What’s an archive? It’s the storage of that which is the oldest or first arch enemy, the enemy first on the list, patriarch, first father, archduke, the first or highest duke. In every case, you see, it refers to the beginning or to the start. Now let’s take up the idea that maybe John intended to use the word ruler here, where you have arche. Now, that’s the argument of the Trinitarians.

Does that hold up? The answer is no. If John had intended to use the word ruler here instead of beginning, there’s another word for ruler, a perfect word for ruler. It’s not arche, but It’s Archon. It’s strong.

758. In fact, Jesus uses, or John uses this word in chapter one, and he means ruler there, Revelation 1:5, and from Jesus Christ, who was the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, the ruler, archon of the kings of the earth. You can see how beautifully that fits. So to take the audacity of translating arche as archon is simply bowing down to preconceived notions.

So in this first verse of the message of Laodicea, it establishes Jesus as the created Son of God and the most important person in Jehovah’s divine plan. The fact this is part of the Laodicean message prophetically suggests that the identity of Jesus is made clear and unambiguous during this last stage of the church. Let’s go on to verses 15 and 16 again. We’re still in Revelation 3, the message to the church of Laodicea, and he writes there, I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot.

I would that thou wert cold or hot, because thou art lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth. The message here is for us, the need for us to spend deep and abiding time and produce a passionate consecration. Would you describe your consecration as passionate? Well, if you do, then you’re hot. That’s good.

Now, brethren, we live in a time of great distractions. Brother Allen mentioned that distractions in this world come from every direction. But we must keep our eyes on the prize which will come from a daily rendering up of our all as we promised to do. Jesus is a prime example. In Hebrews 1:9, we read, Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity.

Therefore God thy God anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Jesus loved righteousness. Hot. He hated iniquity. Cold.

You heard the term cold shoulder. You turn a cold shoulder, you get away from. You push something out. Well, that’s how Jesus hated iniquity. By the way, just as a little footnote here, I have heard it said from some avenues in Christendom that Christians shouldn’t hate.

We should only love. Well, that’s plumb wrong, right? Here we have an example. Jesus loved me. Love, righteousness.

He also hated he hated iniquity. Even in the Book of Proverbs we have there seven things that Jehovah hates. Hatred is not a bad emotion for a Christian to have when it is directed toward things contrary to God. We ought to hate evil. We ought to hate iniquity.

So this idea that Christians should only love really doesn’t stand up under a good scriptural examination. God is pleased to use us in his service, as imperfect and prone to mistakes as we are. But we must constantly cultivate in our hearts that desire to serve. This is the hot and in harmony with that, we should always be looking for opportunities to serve the purposes of God. The real sin of the church during the Laodicean period, at least of certain church members, is lukewarmness.

That laissez faire attitude of laxness and hands off la di da. It reflects a lack of appreciation for the greatest offer in all eternity to be part of the divine family, and unless that attitude is changed, God will remove such a one from his service. Like spitting out a bad taste from one’s mouth. That Greek word for spew here is actually stronger than this translation.

Here’s the Weymouth translation according because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, before long I will vomit you out of my mouth. Really, the Greek term there does have this idea of vomiting. Getting rid of a bad taste in your mouth is one thing, but vomiting out of your stomach is much worse, and this is the word selected to invoke that kind of physical and emotional reaction. It is evident from this that one of the trials of the Laodicean church is complacency, and this is suggested even more pointedly in the next verse.

Lets read verse 17 because thou sayest, I am rich and I have gotten riches and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art the Wretched One, and miserable and poor and blind and naked. What’s implied by each of these phrases? I am rich. Some are over rejoicing in what they have instead of what we’re becoming. I am increased with goods or become wealthy.

As one translation put it sounds like a boast over what others have or do not have. Again, we have to be very careful about this attitude of boasting over what we have. Brethren, we have the truth. We’ve got the divine plan of the ages. We have to be careful.

When we look at Babylon, we might scoff at Babylon and say, well, they don’t have this at all. Well, they don’t. That’s one reason why God is throwing them off. But rather than rejoicing in what we have, we should be rejoicing in the fact that the Heavenly Father has condescended to us through Jesus to give us these things. I have need of nothing.

Well brethren, this is an attitude we display when we refuse to listen to reason, when we think that no one has anything to offer us, when we think we understand everything there is to know and to understand at the end of the age. It also worse yet, shows an attitude that says, I’ve made it. I’m there. While we might not say such a thing in so many words, we can say it by acting out a weekly routine of thinking we’re just fine because we know the truth and attend studies. Remember, this is a message to the Laodicean period of the Church to Spirit begotten and there Are those that have fallen into this going on a little bit further?

They’re described as wretched. Because we think we’re rich, we can’t see that we are wretched. This is strong as 5005. Enduring famine or craving. Very sad situation.

Miserable. Again, strong. 1652. Pitiable. This is surely as God or even mature Christians look at us, if we have not learned to value the truth above possessing it.

Possessing it is great. But do you have the truth? Or is the truth in you? If you just are rejoicing at possessing it and not learning to value it, you’re miserable and pitiable. Poor.

Poor in application in spirituality. Again, not what we have in the way of information, but how are we applying it? Blind. Not blind. Necessary to the Laodicean truths, but blind to our own shortcomings.

What is more blind than a wealthy man who doesn’t know what to do with his wealth? The answer is a Christian who doesn’t know what to do with the truth. Naked. Now, this word doesn’t necessarily mean without clothes. It means not clothes adequately.

While it might be true in an accommodated sense, when you think of nakedness, it generally means that we are not covered in the way and in the amount that we should be. There is a similar text in Revelation 16:15. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame. Here those mentioned have garments, but they are admonished to keep them, to take care of them, to keep from tears and soiling and wrinkling, lest they walk about not naked, but inadequately covered, inadequately covering their shame.

Those who do not overcome, unfortunately, sadly, will become members of the great company. They will be forced at the very end to make their garments appropriate, when they should have been doing it every day. The lesson in Revelation 3:17 is that if we exult in the riches of the truth without using it to better our characters, we are relying upon our minds, our understanding, to justify ourselves. A justification which is just as filthy rags. When we apply the truth with Jesus help to our characters and trust him to make up the deficiencies, then we are keeping our robes of righteousness appropriately so.

This is the problem here outlined in verse 17. What’s the antidote? He gives us the antidote in the very next verse. I counsel thee to buy of me gold refined in the fire, that thou mayest become rich and white garments, that thou mayest clothe thyself, and that the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest, and eyesalve to anoint thy eyes that thou mayest see brethren. This brings us to the second significant doctrine of the Laodicean period, the Church’s share in the sin offering.

This is a difficult concept for some because they think it means that there is some merit in the sacrifice of the Church. Let us say, as you brethren have said and others many times, there is no legal merit in the Church. All of the merit, of course, lies with Jesus. But the participation of body members with their head in the future removal of sin is what sharing in the sin offering is all about. The Church is told to buy three gold tried in the fire, white garments and eyesalve.

Again, this is a special admonition to those that are falling short. The key expression here is gold tried in the fire. This is what brings our minds to the sharing in the sin offering or the doctrine of the sin offering. In order to become kings and priests with Jesus, we must be tried and developed. We must undergo the same training process as our head.

And that means fiery trials to help develop the character of Christ. In 1 Peter 4, 12, 13 we read, Beloved, think not it strange concerning the fiery trial among you which cometh upon you to prove you as though a strange thing were happening unto you. But insomuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings, rejoice that at the revelation of his glory ye may rejoice with exceeding joy. Incidentally, fire trials can be either corrective or proving two very different outcomes. In the first case, these are directed by God for the purpose of chastising us correctively.

Now we’ll talk a little bit more about chastisements in a little bit. But the outcome of these trials is they make us better. They make us more like Jesus. But Peter here says they prove us. This is quite different.

This trial is not to affect change, but rather to collect evidence. Jesus was proved by his fiery trials, but never corrected. This is all the more reason for us to rejoice in this type of fire trial because it’s a golden opportunity for us to show our love and loyalty to the heavenly Father. Peter writes in 1st Peter 1:7 very similarly. He says there that the proof of your faith.

Remember we’re talking about proving the proof of your faith being more precious than gold. Here’s that reference to gold again. That perish though it is proved by fire, may be found unto the praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Really during the Laodicean period, isn’t it? This is Jehovah’s definition of true wealth.

Gold Tried in the fire. The crystallization of a godly character. It goes on. It says that they should buy white garments. How do we buy white garments?

Buying is a purchase transaction, isn’t it? There’s a cost, and then one acquires the product. The white garments bring to mind the justification we have in Christ. White is a symbol of purity, cleanness. In this case, we add the idea of righteousness, getting free from sin.

The group addressed here had in some way allowed their garments to become dirty, sin soiled to some degree. But there is still time to clean them in the blood of the Lamb. Brethren, we must do that daily if we are going to make our calling and election. Sure. If we don’t do it daily, we will be forced to do it at the end of our walk and we will have lost our membership in the divine family.

The last element here in the antidote is Aesop. The spiritual sight of these Laodiceans had become dim. They were unable to see the blessings of that period. They needed medicine to heal their spiritual sight. What is Aesop?

Anything that enables you to see spiritually more clearly. Now, there are categories of spiritual medicines, but two of them that we’ll look at a little bit very quickly are experiences number one and active exercise of godly traits. Let’s talk about experiences for a moment. Have you ever heard anyone that has gone through a bad experience saying, I’m never going to try that again? Experience has enlarged their insight.

They’ve learned to make better choices. Now, we can learn much from reading and hearing, but experience drives at home. It’s for no reason that they say experience is the best teacher. I like this observation by Job. Near the end of the book Job 42:5, he writes there, I had heard of thee by hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee.

What brought about this clarity of sight on Job’s part? It was that awful experience that he went through and what he learned from it. Brethren, until we adopt the divine perspective in all things, we risk having spiritual eyesight. You know, we have a dramatic example of this in Jesus making an eyesore in John 9, 6, 7. Let me read this.

You probably remember this miracle. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground again. He’s talking to this blind man here and made a clay of the spittle, and anointed his eyes with the clay, and said unto him, go wash in the pool of siloam, which is by interpretation, sent. He went away, therefore, and washed and came seeing. There’s three parts in this miracle of removing a blindness.

Jesus spittle the clay that he made from his spittle in the dust and the washing in the pool of siloam. Let’s put this together. We cannot help but associate the spittle from Jesus mouth as to his words of truth, his teachings. Spittle is mostly water, and water is another symbol for the truth. The account says he spat to the ground and combined his spittle with the dust of the ground to make a clay.

That’s exactly what the Greek word means, clay. Paul used the same word in Romans 9:21, where he talks about the potter having right to form the clay in any way that he wants. Jehovah God made man from the dust of the ground. So this idea of clay seems to convey something about the humanity and the human perspective. In reprint 3520, Brother Russell observes, the secretions of our Lord’s mouth might well represent his grace and truth, while the earth used may well represent poor earthly talents of us and his disciples.

Let’s go on to the next element. There’s the spittle. There’s the clay placed on his eyes. Then he says, go wash in the pool of siloam. The concoction that Jesus made and put on his eyes was not sufficient to remove blindness.

It was the first step. But it required one more step on the part of the blind man. The washing with water. Now remember, we are speaking of those in the church of Laodicea who had become blind. They not only needed to listen to the words of Jesus better and to get away from their limited human perspectives that was blinding them, they also needed to wash.

They had become unclean. In Ephesians 5:26, Paul writes for it that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water. With the word the truth washes us. It cleans us up, at least for as much as we take advantage of it. But the apostle Paul in this verse also notes the necessity of being sanctified.

Notice that he might sanctify it and wash it. This is interesting because it relates back to the pool of Siloam. Let me read an important part of verse seven. John, chapter nine, verse seven. Again, go wash in the pool of siloam.

Now notice this parenthetical statement, which by interpretation or is by interpretation sent. We’re given an interpretation here. Siloam means sent. The Greek word is strong. 649.

I’m going to say what the word is. I’m going to say the word, and as soon as I say it, you’re going to make some connections, some Dots are going to get connected. That Greek word is apostolo. Remember earlier we said that the word apostle means one sent forth. That’s what this is, the word apostolo.

It means sent. Let’s read from the Strong’s definition, and I’m going to relate it back again to sanctification from just a second here. Apostate strong 649 means set apart. Think about that. That is by implication, to send out properly on a mission, literally or figuratively.

Put in send away forth out to set at liberty. It starts out with this basic meaning, sent apart, and brethren, isn’t that the basic meaning of sanctification? I’m sure 99 out of 100 of you would give the answer. If you said, well, what does sanctification mean?

You’d say, well, it means to set apart. That’s exactly the idea here. So these poor blind Laodiceans are in need of washing and sanctification, and this required proactive movement on their part. Remember Jesus directive, wash now. He also said, buy on me gold refined to the fire.

Buy white garments by Also there is an active part that these poor Laodiceans had to do. They had to do these things. You know the Apostle Paul in Apostle Peter. Excuse me, in two Peter chapter one, after advising the Church to add a series of qualities. Remember diligence, faith, virtue, knowledge, self control, patience, godliness, brotherly love, brotherly kindness, and love.

After he gives this list, he writes this. This is in verse 8 and 9, 2nd Peter 1. For if these things are yours and abound, they make that you will not be idle nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he that lacketh these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins. Brethren, how beautifully this applies to the Laodicean period, to those that were falling into that trap.

It’s the same lesson. If we don’t strive to acquire that beautiful list of character traits and get them, we will be blinded and need renewed cleansing. The reference that Peter makes to old sins means the old limited human perspective is dominating and the robes have gotten spotted. Let’s go to Revelation 3:19, the next sentence here in the Laodicean as many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous, therefore, and repent.

Our development in the character of Christ involves many things, but it definitely includes chastisements. We made mention a little bit earlier of the distinction between chastisements for correction and chastisements for carrying evidence or proof. Now we’re Talking about correction here, let me read a series of verses in Hebrews 12, 5, 11. This is all about chastisement, and I can’t put it better than the way the apostle Paul did, and ye have forgotten the exhortation which reasoneth with you as with sons.

My son, Regard not lightly the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art reproved of him. For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. It is for chastening that ye endure. God dealeth with you as sons. For what son is there whom his Father chasteneth not?

But if ye are without chastening, whereof all have been partakers, then ye are bastards and not sons. Furthermore, we have had the fathers of our flesh chasten us, and and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed good to them, and he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness. All chastening seemed for the present not to be joyous, but grievous.

Yet afterward it yielded peaceable fruit unto them that have been exercised thereby even the fruit of righteousness. The purpose of these chastisements is correction. All of us need correction from time to time. But these Laodiceans needed it abundantly, and they needed to repent. Let’s go on to the next verse, verse 20, Revelation 3:20 behold, I stand at the door and knock.

And if any man hear my voice and open unto me, I will come into him and will sup with him, and he with me. Brethren, here’s the third important doctrine of the Laodicean period, the doctrine of Jesus invisible return and Second Presence. The nominal church is completely unaware of the presence of the Lord. Now, a full treatment of the Presence is outside the scope of our lesson today. But our lesson is about the special blessings of truth that accompany Jesus.

Second Presence, when someone comes knocking at your door, you don’t say, somebody’s coming. No, we say, somebody’s here. We have heard Jesus knocking through the manifold signs of his presence. He says there, if any man hear my voice, and open Jesus presence is discerned by faith in the statements of God’s Word. We all heard it declared by his people, the disciples of Jesus who are in the church.

We hear Jesus voice and the voice of his followers, and when we hear it, we preach it too, that we might open the door for others to believe as well, and it is a blessing that we will do that. But he goes on, once you open to him, you recognize his presence. What does he say?

He said, I will sup with him. The church at the end of the Gospel age, during the Laodicean period, will have a great feast of spiritual food. Truths lost since the first century will be recovered, expanded and shared throughout the fellowship of the true church. Brethren, there is nowhere else on earth other than being in the fellowship of the Lord’s people where such a feast can be enjoyed, and what a feast it is.

We have been privileged to understand the divine plan of the ages and all of its beautiful features and sublime detail. You know, Jesus himself testified to his intention to serve and feed us, and this brings us back to Luke chapter 12, where we looked at the operation of the faithful and wise steward at that time in Luke 12:35,37 let your loins be girded about and your lamps burning, and be ye yourselves like men looking for their Lord, when he shall return from the marriage feast feast, that when he cometh and knocketh, they may straightway open unto him. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching. Verily, I say unto you, he shall gird himself and get this, make them to sit down to meat and shall come and serve them.

Jesus delights in serving us the spiritual food of truth. Now, we take notes of several items here. The servants are watching. They are vigilant. Now, brethren, are we vigilant now?

Somebody might say, well, Brother David, they were watching us return, his return. Now, does that mean we shouldn’t be vigilant anymore? No. They open. Jesus opens the door to our understanding at his return.

So we need to be vigilant to watch what he is saying, what he is doing, how things in the world are changing, how. How the truth is becoming more and more pure and accurate and detailed, and our response to this is to eat it, to have a great feast here of Laodicean. This is meat served by Jesus. How can you not want to enjoy it and to be blessed by it again, one more time to observe the primary conduit for this truth.

Because a little bit later in the book of Luke, chapter 12, just a few verses later, in verses 42 and 44, the Lord said, who is that faithful and wise steward whom His Lord shall set over his household to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing of a truth. I say, he will set him over all that he hath and brethren, we look at the history of the Bible student movement and we see how instrumental, how pivotal, how important was the messenger to the Church of Laodicea in organizing, not simply teaching and preaching, but organizing the brethren to share this truth with others, to do a harvest work. This was very important to Brother Russell. It should be important to us today, too.

Is the harvest winding down? Absolutely. Is it done? Absolutely not. There are many opportunities for us to serve.

I think it’s sad to observe a little bit that the opportunities here in the Western hemisphere have been not what they used to be, but the hemisphere elsewhere in the earth, in India, in Africa and other places. The harvest truth goes grandly on and it is finding great fruition every day. So, dearly beloved, dear brethren, how zealous are we in appropriating to ourselves the feast that Jesus has prepared? Is Jesus seeing our love of his truth in our activities and behaviors every day? Or are we falling to one degree or another into complacency, the great sin of the Laodicean period?

What a lack of appreciation we would show to our Heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus if we do not with great passion avail ourselves of the privilege of partaking of this boundless spiritual food that has been served to us. We identify ourselves as Bible students for a reason. It is our chief activity in the consecration of God, and it is absolutely necessary to make our calling and election. Sure. Let’s get down to the end of this message.

Verse 21. He that overcometh, I will give him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame and sat down with my Father in his throne. Brethren, overcoming is a. It’s necessary for us to make our calling. Election.

Sure. Without overcoming, we will not be given the highest reward of kingship. We’re running low on time, so I’m not going to read these scriptures. I’m just going to give them to you. When you look at my notes later on, they’re here.

Romans 12:21, 1 John 2:13, 2 Peter 2:20 and 1 John 5:4. All about overcoming, and brethren, we need to overcome the entanglements of the world. The last verse in Revelation 3 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. Simply stated.

Listen, God is speaking to you. In conclusion, let’s look at a few takeaways from our lesson today. Number one, we live in the seventh stage of the church, the Laodicean period of the Gospel age, the final epoch of the church. Number two, it is an age of unprecedented abundance of spiritual food and spiritual blessings. It is also an age of tremendous trials.

Number four the chief trouble in the Laodicean church is complacency. Number 5 Jesus the three special Laodicean doctrines of truth 1. Jesus is not God, but the beginning of God’s creation 2. The church is sharing the sin offering gold tried in the fire and 3 the second presence of Jesus I stand at the door and knock. So dear brethren, let’s take heed of ourselves.

Are we basking in the presence of Jesus and the feast he is serving us? Or are we too beset by distractions and comforts of the world? Are we striving to make our calling and election sure with fear and trembling? Or are we coasting along in self centered contentment, thinking we have everything that we need? Each of us needs to do a self examination every day to make sure that we are staying on the course that God has set for us.

If we do this, then we can say with the Apostle Paul In Romans, chapter 8, verses 3539 who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution, or famine, or nakedness or peril or sword? Even as it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Brethren, rejoice in the feast of Laodicea. May the Lord bless this to.

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