(1) GEOGRAPHICALLY LAODIKEIA WAS BUILT ON SEVERAL HILLS AND SUFFERED THE SAME EARTHQUAKES THAT STRUCK PHILADELPHIA AND SARDIS. THE CITY WAS REBUILT BY ANTIOCHUS THE SYRIAN MONARCH, AND NAMED AFTER HIS WIFE, LAODICE. IT WAS VERY WEALTHY CITY, SO MUCH SO, THAT, ALTHOUGH OVERTHROWN BY AN EARTHQUAKE IN THE REIGN OF NERO, IT QUICKLY RECOVERED FROM THIS BLOW, AND FROM ITS OWN RICHES AND WEALTH THE CITY WAS REBUILT. ROME OFFERED ASSISTANCE BUT THE CITY REFUSED IT AND THE CITY WAS REBUILT FROM ITS OWN RESOURCES. LAODIKEIA WAS SO RICH A CITY THEY CLAIMED THEY NEEDED HELP NEITHER FROM YAHUAH OR MAN!
(2) ECONOMICALLY RICH BANKING INSTITUTIONS WERE HERE AND MUCH COMMERCE AND TRADE WAS CARRIED ON IN THE CITY AND FROM THE SURROUNDING CITIES, LAODIKEIA BEING A KIND OF METROPOLIS. PROMINENT CITIZENS BEQUEATHED ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF PROPERTY TO THE CITY, AS THEY WERE AFFECTED WITH 'GOLD FEVER' AND THE WORD OF YAHUSHA TO THE ASSEMBLY TO BUY OF HIM 'GOLD TRIED IN THE FIRE,' TAKES ON MUCH SIGNIFICANCE IN THE LIGHT OF THE CITY'S GOLD-BANKING INSTITUTIONS.
(3) INDUSTRIALLY THE CITY ALSO HAD GREAT CLOTHING INDUSTRIES, FROM WHICH CAME MUCH OF ITS WEALTH. CERTAIN BREEDS OF SHEEP WERE RAISED IN THAT AREA. LAODIKEIA HAD A WELL-ESTABLISHED WOOLEN INDUSTRY. THE CITY WAS ESPECIALLY NOTED FOR ITS LONGHAIRED BLACK SHEEP FROM WHICH WOOLEN OVER-COATS WERE MANUFACTURED. LAODIKEIAN FACTORIES EXPORTED THE FASHIONABLE CLOTHES AND GARMENTS TO ALL PARTS OF THE THEN-KNOWN WORLD. AS MENTIONED, THE CITY WAS FAMOUS FOR ITS PRODUCTION OF THIS SOFT, GLOSSY BLACK WOOL, FROM WHICH EXPENSIVE GARMENTS WERE MADE AND TRADED WITH IN OTHER COUNTIES, UNDOUBTEDLY, THIS 'BLACK WOOL’ IS INTERESTING CONTRAST TO THE 'WHITE GARMENTS' WHICH YAHUSHA OFFERED TO THE ASSEMBLY TO COVER ITS NAKEDNESS.
(D) MEDICALLY A CELEBRATED SCHOOL OF MEDICINE WAS ALSO IN LAODIKEIA - POINTING TO THE MANUFACTURE OF EYE-SALVE. BEING THE SEAT OF A MEDICAL SCHOOL, THERE WAS A SPECIAL OINTMENT, MADE INTO AN EYE-SALVE FROM PHRYGIAN EYE-POWDER, AND IT WAS USED TO HELP CURE SORE EYES AND SORE EARS. WEAK AND FAILING EYES, DISEASES OF THE EYES AND DEFECTS IN PHYSICAL SIGHT WERE ALL ATTENDED TO WITH THIS SPECIAL OINTMENT. THE WORD OF YAHUSHA TO THE ASSEMBLY TO 'BUY OF HIM EYE-SALVE' TAKES ON FULLER MEANING IN THE LIGHT OF THIS HEALING OINTMENT MANUFACTURED IN THE CITY.
(E) AQUA-DUCTS LAODIKEIA WAS ALSO KNOWN FOR ITS TEPID WATERS. THERE WERE NO SPRINGS IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA AND THE WATER FROM THE LYCUS RIVER WAS NOT SAFE FOR DRINKING. CONSEQUENTLY THE RESOURCEFUL PEOPLE OF LAODIKEIA UTILIZED STONE AQUEDUCTS TO BRING THEIR WATER FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE, BUT IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF DENIZILI, TO THE SOUTH. IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF THE CITY, THERE WERE THERMAL SPRINGS, BOTH HOT AND COLD, BUT BY THE TIME THE WATERS REACHED THE CITY THROUGH THE VARIOUS AQUEDUCTS CREATED, THE WATER WAS LUKEWARM. IT MAY HAVE BEGUN EITHER HOT OR COLD, BUT IT ENDED UP AS LUKEWARM AND WAS PLEASING FOR THE FLESH IN BATHHOUSES, FOR BATHING PURPOSES, BUT BECAUSE OF THE NAUSEOUS TEMPERATURE, IT WAS ENTIRELY UNFIT TO DRINK.
LUKEWARM WATERS ARE TEPID WATERS, PARTLY HOT, PARTLY COLD BUT UNSUITABLE FOR DRINKING PURPOSE. IT CAUSED PEOPLE TO BE SICK! IT MADE PEOPLE VOMIT! HOW FITTING THEN IS YAHUAHA'S REBUKE TO THE ASSEMBLY, THAT IT IS 'NEITHER HOT NOR COLD, BUT ABOUT TO BE VOMITED OUT'. THE WICKED CONDITION OF THE CITY HAD CREPT INTO THE ASSEMBLY!
“And to the Messenger of the Assembly in Laodikeia write, ‘The Amein, the Trustworthy and True Witness, the Beginning and source of Yahuah’s Creation, says this: “I see your behaviour inside and out, and you’re not hot or cold (if only you were, for at least then you’d be standing for something!!) So, because you’re lukewarm and stagnant, and neither hot or cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
(A) AS THE `AMEIN' YAHUSHA'S WORD IS FINAL. ALL THE PROMISES YAHUAH GAVE ARE 'YES' AND `AMEIN' (TO THEIR FULFILMENT) THROUGH MESSIAH YAHUSHA. MESSIAH IS THE FINALITY OF YAHUAH'S REVELATION.
(B) AS THE `TRUSTWORTHY ONE' YAHUSHA IS THE STABLE RELIABLE ONE.
(C) AS THE `THE TRUE WITNESS' — YAHUSHA IS TOTALLY RELIABLE AS THE WITNESS OF THE FATHER IN ALL HE WAS, ALL HE SAID AND ALL HE DID, BECAUSE HE IS THE FATHER MADE FLESH.
(D) `THE BEGINNING OF THE CREATION OF YAHUAH?' THERE IS A TWOFOLD ASPECT TO YAHUSHA AS THE BEGINNING OF THE CREATION OF YAHUAH. AS DIVINITY YAHUSHA WAS 'IN THE BEGINNING WITH YAHUAH' - HE WAS YAHUAH AND HE IS ALSO THE ALEPH AND TAU - 'THE BEGINNING AND THE ENDING'. AND AS A HUMAN YAHUSHA MESSIAH IS THE BEGINNING OF THE CREATION OF YAHUAH. THAT IS, HE IS THE FIRSTBORN OF EVERY NEW RESURRECTED CREATURE, OR NEW FIRSTFRUIT CREATION - A NEW SPECIE.
IN THE PLAN OF REDEMPTION, HE TOOK UPON HIMSELF CREATED FORM IN THE BODY THAT WAS PREPARED FOR HIM IN THE VIRGIN MARY’S WOMB. THIS WAS DONE IN ORDER TO REDEEM MANKIND AND MAKE MAN A NEW CREATION IN MESSIAH YAHUSHA. MESSIAH AND HIS BRIDE, THE ASSEMBLY, IS `THE NEW CREATION' OF YAHUAH, COMPOSED OF JEW AND GENTILE IN ONE BODY.
INSTEAD OF THE ASSEMBLY AFFECTING THE CITY, THE CITY'S WATER CONDITION BECAME SYMBOLIC OF THE SPIRITUAL CONDITION OF THE ASSEMBLY. HERE IS IMMEDIATE REPROOF FROM THE RISEN MESSIAH, THE ASSEMBLY WAS NEITHER HOT NOR COLD. IT WAS NEITHER ONE THING NOR THE OTHER. IT WAS LUKEWARM, WHICH IS PARTLY COLD, PARTLY HOT. IT WAS A STATE OF MIXTURE. DIVIDED BETWEEN YAHUSHA AND THE WORLD, WARNING OF HEAVEN, YET WANTING THE WORLD, MESSIAH IN ONE HAND AND THE MATERIALISTIC WORLD IN THE OTHER HAND, HAVING A FORM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT DENYING THE POWER AND THE REALITY — SUCH IS LUKE-WARMNESS IN AN ASSEMBLY!
EXTERNALISM, RITUALISM AND FORMALISM AND ALL THIS WITHOUT THE SPIRIT - MIXTURE IN THE ASSEMBLY. MESSIAH WISHES IT WERE EITHER HOT OR COLD, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, BUT NOT `MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD' KIND OF RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE.
AS NOTED EARLIER, LAODIKEIA KNEW OF THE THERMAL SPRINGS, THE TEPID WATERS, NOT TOO HOT, NOT TOO COLD, PLEASING TO THE FLESH, BUT CAUSING SICKNESS TO ANY WHO DRANK FROM IT, SO THIS ASSEMBLY WAS NEITHER ONE THING NOR THE OTHER, AND, THOUGH PLEASING TO THE FLESH, IT WAS SICKENING AND NAUSEOUS TO MESSIAH.
AT REV 3:16, JOHN USED THREE WORDS THAT USUALLY DESCRIBE LIQUIDS RATHER THAN PEOPLE: "LUKEWARM," “HOT" AND "COLD." DRINK THE WATER AT LAODIKEIA? IT WAS ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU VOMIT! I WILL SPIT YOU OUT OF MY MOUTH, THE MASTER SAYS THROUGH JOHN. THE HOT WATERS OF HIERAPOLIS HAD MEDICAL VALUES. THE PURE COLD WATER AVAILABLE AT COLOSSE WAS A DELIGHT. BUT LAODIKEIA? IT OFFERED LUKEWARM WATER, FIT ONLY TO BE SPAT OUT OF THE MOUTH UNCEREMONIOUSLY.
THERE IS A PLACE FOR HEAT, AND A PLACE FOR COLD. LUKEWARM WATER IS REPULSIVE - SPIT IT OUT! YAHUAH DOES NOT WANT US TO BE OBJECTIONABLE, LUKEWARM WATER. A HOT DRINK ON A COLD DAY IS GOOD, A COLD DRINK ON A HOT DAY IS GOOD. BUT A LUKEWARM DRINK ON EITHER IS NAUSEOUS. LUKE-WARMNESS MAY BE A GOOD POSITION IN ITS TRANSITION TO HOT AND HOTTER, BUT A TERRIBLE CONDITION, IF REMAINING THAT WAY DOWN TO COOLER, AND COLD. IT IS BEING, NOT TOO WORLDLY, BUT NOT TOO SPIRITUAL EITHER. LUKEWARMNESS IS THE COMPROMISE BETWEEN TWO WORLDS, BETWEEN TO REALMS; THE REALM OF CARNALITY (FLESH) AND THE REALM OF THE SPIRIT.
LUKE-WARMNESS IS BROUGHT ABOUT BY ALLOWING A HOT STATE TO TURN TO A COLDER STATE. IT IS IN-BETWEEN THE HOT AND THE COLD. REMEMBER IT IS YAHUSHA (POSSESSOR OF INFINITE PATIENCE AND LOVE) THAT SPEAKS THIS WARNING TO HIS ASSEMBLY - AND THE DANGER IS THAT LAODIKEIA IS MAKING OUR MAGNIFICENT MESSIAH SICK!
Look! You say, ‘I’m rich, I’m rich, I’ve got it made, I need nothing from anyone,’ and you're completely oblivious to the fact that you’re a wretched, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless.
(A) I AM RICH — THE CITY'S CONDITION WAS STAMPED ON HER. EARTHLY RICHES, FINANCIAL PROSPERITY, MATERIAL WEALTH, AND THE ASSEMBLY IN GOOD HEALTH FINANCIALLY. MATERIALLY RICH.
(B) I AM WEALTHY - (INCREASED WITH GOODS) POSSESSIONS, PROPERTY OWNERSHIP AND ALL THE WEALTH AND GOODS OF MATERIALISTICALLY-MINDED ASSEMBLIES (THEN AND NOW).
(C) I HAVE NEED OF NOTHING — SELF-DECEIVED, SELF-SUFFICIENT, WORLDLY FULNESS.
LAODIKEIA HAS LOST ALL SENSE OF NEED AND DEPENDENCE ON YAHUSHA. AS LAODIKEIA WAS A NOTABLE AND WEALTHY CITY, NOTED FOR BANKING INSTITUTIONS, SO THIS 'GOLD FEVER' AND THE DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES AND MATERIALISM HAVE CREPT INTO THE ASSEMBLY HERE. IT PRODUCED SELF-SUFFICIENCY, SELF-DECEPTION, SELF-DEPENDENCE, SELF-CONFIDENCE AND PRIDE.
LAODIKEIA IS TYPICAL OF THE CONDITION OF THE ASSEMBLY IN GENERAL IN THE LAST DAYS. NUMEROUS ARE THE ASSEMBLIES INVOLVED IN BANKS, MONEY-LENDERS, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND WORLD BUSINESS AND FINANCE THAT SUCH HAVE BECOME INDEPENDENT OF THE MASTER YAHUSHA MESSIAH. THE EVIL FRUIT OF THIS 'PROSPERITY' HAS BLINDED NUMEROUS ASSEMBLIES AS TO THEIR NEED OF YAHUSHA. IN THE GOSPELS, THERE ARE MANY, MANY WARNINGS AGAINST MONEY, THE LOVE OF MONEY, AND THE DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES, RICHES HEAPED TOGETHER FOR THE LAST DAYS.
So this is what you need to do. Go and buy the true gold from Me, refined in the fire, so that you become rich . . . and white garments, so that you become really dressed (IN DIVINE GARMENTS OF ESTEEM), so that the shame of your nakedness might not be shown. Then anoint your eyes with ointment, so that you can really see.
BUY FROM ME — ANY ONE MAY 'BUY' FROM HIM WITHOUT MONEY AND WITHOUT PRICE. THE PRICE IS SURRENDER TO HIS COUNSEL AND WILL. THIS IS THE 'COST' INVOLVED (ISA 55, PROV 23, MATT 13 & 25). THIS IS HIS 'PRICE'.
(A) BUY GOLD REFINED IN THE FIRE — THAT YOU MAY BE RICH — FOR THEIR POVERTY AND FALSE RICHES, THEY MAY RECEIVE THE TRUE GOLD, GOLD TRIED AND PURIFIED IN THE FIRE. THE WORD OF YAHUAH IS THE TRUE GOLD AND IS TRUE SPIRITUAL WEALTH AND RICHES. A RICH CITY, BUT A POOR ASSEMBLY. FOR SPIRITUAL POVERTY, YAHUSHA HAS THE TRUE, THE SPIRITUAL, ETERNAL AND THEREFORE INCORRUPTIBLE RICHES.
NO ONE CAN PURCHASE THE SPIRITUAL WITH THE MATERIAL. YAHUSHA'S GOLD IS SYMBOLIC OF OUR DELIVERANCE AND THE FAVOUR HE BESTOWS UPON US THAT IS ESSENTIALLY FREE. IT CAN ONLY BE BOUGHT AT THE PRICE PAID FOR BY OUR DELIVERER COUPLED WITH THE BURNING UP OF OUR LIVES A A LIVING SACRIFICE OF SUBMISSION, ALLEGIANCE AND OBEDIENCE TO HIM.
THE SCRIPTURE SHOWS US THAT FIRE CAN BE USED FOR EITHER TWO THINGS: DESTRUCTION OR PURIFICATION. OUR DEPENDENCE UPON THE MATERIAL GOLD SMELTED BY FIRE INTO MONEY WILL LEAD TO DESTRUCTION, BUT OUR DEPENDENCE UPON YAHUAH'S SPIRITUAL GOLD REFINED BY SET-APART FIRE WILL LEAD TO OUR PURIFICATION.
(B) BUY WHITE GARMENTS — THAT YOU MAY BE CLOTHED AND THE SHAME OF YOUR NAKEDNESS MAY NOT BE REVEALED — FOR THEIR NAKEDNESS, YAHUSHA HAS RAIMENT. THE WHITE RAIMENT IS IN STARK CONTRAST TO THE 'SOFT BLACK WOOLEN GARMENTS' OF THE CITY'S GARMENT INDUSTRIES, THE WHITE RAIMENT SPEAKS OF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF YAHUSHA, IMPUTED AND OUTWORKED. HIS GARMENTS ARE WHITE, SPEAKING OF PURITY, SET-APARTNESS AND LIGHT. HE PROVIDES THE WEDDING GARMENT FOR THE MARRIAGE OF HIS BRIDE. WHITE IS ALSO THE GARMENT OF THE PRIESTS IN SERVICE. FOR SPIRITUAL NAKEDNESS, YAHUSHA HAS DIVINE COVERING AND CLOTHING
SINCE THE FALL, WHEN ADAM AND HIS BRIDE DISCOVERED THEIR NAKEDNESS, YAHUAH HAS PROVIDED CLOTHING SUITABLE TO HIM FOR THOSE WHO WERE WILLING TO ACCEPT IT. YAHUAH COVERS THE NAKEDNESS OF MAN BROUGHT ABOUT BECAUSE OF SIN. THE ASSEMBLY MUST BE CLOTHED IN THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF YAHUSHA TO BE ACCEPTED OF HIM, SO AS TO "KEEP THE SHAME OF YOUR NUDITY FROM BEING SEEN"
(C) ANOINT YOUR EYES WITH EYE-SALVE — THAT YOU MAY SEE — FOR THEIR BLINDNESS, MESSIAH HAS THE DIVINE EYE-SALVE THAT THEIR EYES MAY BE HEALED. THIS EYE-SALVE SPEAKS OF THE ANOINTING OF THE SET-APART SPIRIT, WHO BRINGS ABOUT SPIRITUAL ILLUMINATION, UNDERSTANDING, PERCEPTION AND INSIGHT INTO ONE'S CONDITION BEFORE YAHUSHA. THE SET-APART SPIRIT IS THE DIVINE ANOINTING, THE DIVINE OINTMENT FOR BLINDED EYES (PSA 119, JOHN 2, 14 & 16).
AS LAODIKEIA EXPORTED EYE-SALVE SUITABLE FOR EYE DISEASES AND EAR DISEASES, SO YAHUSHA HAD THAT TRUE, DIVINE AND SPIRITUAL EYE-SALVE FOR A BLIND ASSEMBLY, SUFFERING WITH DISEASED EYES, AND THE NEED TO HAVE AN EAR TO WHAT THE SPIRIT WOULD SAY TO THEM. YAHUSHA WAS ANOINTED BY THE FATHER "TO OPEN THE EYES OF THE BLIND, AND GIVE RECOVERY OF SIGHT”. FOR THOSE WHO LACK VISION, HE STILL OPENS BLIND EYES. MESSIAH, AND WHO CAME BACK SEEING, IS AN APPROPRIATE PICTURE OF THE LAODIKEIAN ASSEMBLY. YAHUSHA IS WILLING TO ANOINT THEIR EYES WITH THE EYE-SALVE THEY 'BUY' OF HIM, AND AS THEY WASH, ALL MAY COME SEEING!
FOR THEIR WRETCHED POVERTY - HE OFFERS RICHES - GOLD! THE DIVINE WEALTH OF HIS WORD! FOR THEIR NAKEDNESS - HE OFFERS CLOTHING - WHITE RAIMENT! THE DIVINE RIGHTEOUSNESS! FOR THEIR BLINDNESS - HE OFFERS SIGHT - EYE-SALVE - THE DIVINE ANOINTING OF THE SPIRIT!
I flog and discipline everyone I love, so pick yourselves back up, repent and keep going! Look here, I’m standing at the door knocking. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I’ll come into them and dine with them, and they with Me.
IT IS THE FLOGGING OF LOVE, THE CHASTENING OF LOVE. MANY BELIEVERS, UNDOUBTEDLY THEN AND CERTAINLY TODAY, BELIEVE IF SOMEONE REBUKES THEM, THEY DO NOT LOVE THEM! THIS IS A FALSE CONCEPT OF TRUE LOVE - FOR LOVE AND REBUKE GO TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY IN YAHUSHA. REBUKING AND CHASTENING ARE EVIDENCE OF MESSIAH'S LOVE EVEN FOR LAODIKEIA. NO DISCIPLINING SEEMS PLEASANT AT ANY TIME, BUT IF ONE CAN RECEIVE IT, THEN IT WILL PRODUCE THE FRUITS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND SET-APARTNESS.
Everyone who overcomes will sit with Me on My throne, just as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His Throne. So if you’ve got ears, then listen to what the Spirit says to the Assemblies.”
THE OVERCOMER IS GIVEN THE GREATEST OF ALL THE 'OVERCOMER PROMISES'. IT IS THE HIGHEST PROMISE. WHAT COULD BE HIGHER THAN SITTING IN THE THRONE WITH MESSIAH EVEN AS HE IS SEATED IN THE FATHER'S THRONE?
YAHUSHA OVERCAME ALL THE TEMPTATIONS AND EVIL OF THIS WORLD SYSTEM. HE WAS REWARDED BY ASCENDING TO SHAMAYIM AND SITTING IN THE FATHER'S THRONE. THE OVERCOMER MAY ALSO OVERCOME THE TEMPTATIONS AND EVILS OF THIS WORLD AND SIT WITH YAHUSHA IN HIS THRONE. WHAT A PROMISE! IT IS REIGNING AS A KING WITH YAHUSHA IN HIS THRONE. IT IS THE THRONE-SEATED MESSIAH. IT IS THE FATHER'S THRONE AND YAHUSHA IS THE FATHER MADE FLESH AND ASCENDED - AND WE ARE JOINT-HEIRS WITH HIM (REV.22:1-3). YAHUSHA IS THE STANDARD FOR OVERCOMING AND JUST AS HE OVERCAME, SO MUST WE (1 JOHN 4).
THE OVERCOMER LIVES WITHIN THE OVERCOMERS - MESSIAH IN YOU, THE HOPE OF ESTEEM. THE NEXT VISION JOHN IS ABOUT TO SEE IS THAT WHICH PERTAINS TO THE THRONE ROOM (REV.4:1-4). IN THE TIME APPOINTED, THE BELIEVERS SIT ON THRONES WITH MESSIAH (REV.20:4-6). LUCIFER, SON OF THE MORNING, WAS ONCE THE ANOINTED CHERUB AND GUARDIAN OF THE THRONE OF YAHUAH. HE FELL FROM THAT POSITION THROUGH YAHUSHA. IT SPEAKS OF RULING AND REIGNING AS KINGS IN THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF YAHUSHA.
BEHOLD, I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK - HERE STANDS THE EXCLUDED MESSIAH! UNBELIEVABLE! INCREDIBLE, BUT TRUE! YAHUSHA, THE HEAD OF THE ASSEMBLY IS HERE KNOCKING AT THE DOOR OF HIS OWN ASSEMBLY, KNOCKING TO ENTER IN. THE ASSEMBLY MUST BE CARRYING ON SOME FORM OF ‘RELIGIOUS RITUAL’ WITHOUT HIM THERE ON THE INSIDE, AND THEY DON'T EVEN REALISE. IT IS A MESSIAH-LESS ASSEMBLY. AN ASSEMBLY WHICH BEARS HIS NAME, SINGS HIS PRAISE AND SONGS, YET HE IS ON THE OUTSIDE, ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE DOOR.
THEY DIDN’T SEEM TO MISS HIS PRESENCE AMONG THEM AND THEY DIDN’T EVEN KNOW HE WAS GONE - THEY WERE TOO BUSY PERFORMING OLD SHADOW RITUALS. UNDOUBTEDLY THEY WERE SINGING THEIR "PSALMS, HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS", PREACHING, PRAYING, AND CARRYING ON THEIR RITUALISTIC PROGRAM OF WORSHIP, WHILE YAHUSHA IS ON THE OUTSIDE! THEY CARRIED ON THE TRADITION INSIDE WHILE HE KNOCKED OUTSIDE. MESSIAH WAS SHUT OUT OF THEIR 'ASSEMBLY LIFE' PROGRAMS!
IT WAS LIKE JOSEPH AND MIRIAM, WHO WENT SEVERAL DAYS JOURNEY FROM YERUSHALIM, AND THEY "SUPPOSED THAT YAHUSHA WAS WITH THEM". THEY HAD NOT MISSED HIS PRESENCE FOR SOME DAYS AND THEN HAD TO SEEK HIM IN SORROWFUL ATTITUDE AND SPIRIT.
IT WAS LIKE SAMSON, ASLEEP IN THE LAP OF DELILAH, HE KNEW NOT "THAT THE SPIRIT OF THE MASTER HAD DEPARTED FROM HIM", UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE, HE WOKE UP TO BE ENSLAVED TO THE PHILISTINES WITH BLINDED EYES.
IT WAS LIKE THE BRIDE IN THE SONG OF SOLOMON, WHO COULD NOT ARISE FROM HER BED OF COMFORT TO OPEN THE DOOR TO HER BELOVED UNTIL HE HAD WITHDRAWN HIMSELF AND HAD GONE.
IF ANY MAN HEAR MY VOICE AND OPEN THE DOOR - THIS VERSE IS NOT TO THE WORLD BUT TO THE BRIDE, TO THE ASSEMBLY, THE PEOPLE OF YAHUSHA. IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT:
(A) YAHUSHA IS THE DOOR TO THE SINNER, FOR THEM TO ENTER IN (JOHN 10).
(B) YAHUSHA KNOCKS AT THE DOOR OF A BELIEVER'S HEART TO OPEN TO THEM SO HE CAN ENTER IN (LKE 11)
(C) YAHUSHA HERE KNOCKS AT THE DOOR OF THE ASSEMBLY, OR THE INDIVIDUAL BELIEVER, AND WE OPEN UP THE DOOR OF OUR HEART TO HIM, SO HE CAN ENTER IN THROUGH THE PORTAL DOOR.
THOUGH THE LETTER IS TO THE ASSEMBLY, TO THE CONGREGATION OF LAODIKEIA, THE CALL HERE IS TO THE INDIVIDUAL. IF ANY ONE HEAR MY VOICE, AND OPEN THE DOOR, I WILL COME IN TO HIM. THE BELIEVER WILL KNOW THIS WHEN NO OTHER KNOWS OR UNDERSTANDS IT (JOHN 14:20-24).
THE BELIEVER HAS TO OPEN THE DOOR OF HIS HEART TO YAHUSHA, FOR HE WAITS FOR THE ONE INSIDE TO OPEN TO HIM AS HE WILL NOT FORCE AN ENTRANCE! HEARING, THEN OPENING IS THE ORDER FOR HIM TO ENTER IN, I WILL COME IN TO HIM, EAT WITH HIM AND HE WITH ME — IT POINTS ULTIMATELY TO THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB.
SO THE OVERCOMER MUST OVERCOME THE LUKEWARM CONDITION AS IN THIS ASSEMBLY. SELF-DECEPTION, SELF-SMUGGNESS, SELF-CONFIDENCE, SELF-SUFFICIENCY, SELF-DEPENDANCE ARE THE GREAT EVILS THAT MUST BE OVERCOME. EITHER THE END-TIME BELIEVER OVERCOMES THESE EVIL ATTITUDES OR THEY OVERCOME HIM. THIS IS THE WORST AND THE MOST SUBTLE CONDITION OF ALL THE ASSEMBLIES MATERIALISM IS A GREATER EVIL TO OVERCOME THAN PHYSICAL PERSECUTION. MATERIALISM ABOUNDS ON EVERY HAND, SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUNDS. THESE HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF MAKING A ASSEMBLY COMPROMISE ON THE TRUTHS OF YAHUAH'S WORD IN AN AGE OF MIXTURE.
IT IS THE AGE WHERE ONE CAN BE NEITHER HOT NOR COLD, BUT JUST PLAIN LUKEWARM, CAUSING MESSIAH TO BE SICK OF SUCH BEHAVIOUR.