Laodicea is American Churches

[דוד חֵן (David)]

To the Church in Laodicea
“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” - Revelation 3:14-22


Many believers and theologies believe the Church of Laodicea is symbolic for a church age that we're currently in, while some believe it is some particular Christianity (denomination). I personally am led to believe through evidence of Scripture and understanding from the Holy Spirit that the Church of Laodicea is one of the seven end times churches. One thing to understand is a lot of things in Revelation are symbolic while some are literal. Let me explain to you some of the aspect of this letter.

Having eye slave is symbolic for not having any discernment, understanding and not able to understand things on the spiritual level. That's what the advice is, to put eye slave on their eyes so they can see. They say they are rich and have need of nothing. The people of Laodicea think they are good, plentiful and God blesses them. The thing to understand about Laodicea is they were a vibrant and prosperous city, the name Laodicea means "Justice for the people." It had a reputation for being a very just city, for being wealthy and prosperous. For being the representative of justice as a whole for the region. The Church of Laodicea, what the actual city represent is something we can easily see in America, Canada and other parts of the world. The people that think because they have money, status, position, and recognition that they don't need anything else. Neither hot nor cold. That also is symbolic. Believe it or not, hot water is soothing and cold water is refreshing. What that means is they have nothing desirable in them to God. The type of things God looks for in servant is not what they have, the money, position, believes, they have all the stuff. But they don't care either way about what God cares about in his servant. They are lukewarm water, therefore God spits them out of his mouth.

Look at the problems that Jesus have with the Church of Laodicea, "you do not realize that you are poor, miserable and naked." "I consult you to buy from me gold refined in the fire." What does that mean? Gold refined in the fire so that you could be made rich. They though they were rich, they are not. That is symbolic; the gold refined in the fire is the gospel. Not the gospel that generalized that Jesus died and rose again, but the gold refined in the fire is doctrines, teachings, and beliefs! It is important to be right; it is important to be correct. Gold refined in the fire is the truth of the Word of God. Eye slave, they don't have discernment, nor any understanding. They were naked, sinful. They didn't care, that is their sin, they didn't care. They didn't care about their false doctrines, about anything! They didn't care about what the truth was, they didn't care anything but themselves. What they practice is sinful, what they believe is wrong. They didn't understand anything and though they were good. They just don't care.

What did Jesus say? I will spit you out of my mouth. That means they will be rejected, not only killed, they will be thrown out of their place. They will not be saved; they will die and go to hell. In this world, they will not live. This is a message to America; this is a message to America's churches. Not to America as a whole, not the government, because those who are lost, there is no message for them. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit of the Lord says.

 

[bbbbbbb]

This understanding of church history has been popular since the nineteenth century. At that time many believed that Christ would come very soon and that the end of the age was upon them. They thought that their churches were lukewarm. In fact some were, many were hot, and some were as cold as ice. By the twentieth century theologians such as Lewis Sperry Chafer had modified the view in light of the radical Modernism that was sweeping through mainline Protestant denominations. At that time many view the nineteenth century as having been a golden age of Christianity and compared it with the church of Philadelphia.

Now that we are advancing into the twenty-first century and Jesus Christ has not yet returned, it is popular to view our age as being Laodicean in character. There are some difficulties with this view as follow:

1. In some areas of the world, such as China, the church is growing by leaps and bounds.
2. In other areas of the world, such as Europe, the church remains pretty much cold as ice with some exceptions.
3. In the United States, where Christians think they are the center of God's universe, there is very much a mixed bag. Most mainline denominations continue their slide into apostasy. Many denominations and independent churches are actively growing (which has been hotly debated) and many others are gliding along.

If Christ does come within the near future and this paradigm is accurate, then it applies to a segment of the church today and not to the entire church.

 

[VanillaSunflowers]

I think to be fair we'd have to know exactly how many churches there are in America. And then we'd have to surprise ourselves with seeking out their philosophy as pertains to their denominational, if that applies, theology.

There's the lukewarm and then there are the apostate.
But there are also the red hot for Christ one's. Which would typically be referring to the fundamentalist evangelical.

 

[דוד חֵן (David)]

Could someone give me insight into how they compare the 7 churches in revelation as church ages? Do so according to Scripture.

 

[bbbbbbb]

Could someone give me insight into how they compare the 7 churches in revelation as church ages? Do so according to Scripture.

Scripture itself does not even hint at this theological device. As I said in my post earlier this idea was developed in the ninteenth century. IMO it has no biblical basis to it.

 

[VanillaSunflowers]

I found this awhile ago. It may help your query or it may not. But I offer it with an open and sincere heart to give you at least this as one answer.

 

[דוד חֵן (David)]

Scripture itself does not even hint at this theological device. As I said in my post earlier this idea was developed in the ninteenth century. IMO it has no biblical basis to it.

The Seven Churches in Revelation are seven end times churches. Revelation 1:20 The secret meaning of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lamp stands is this: the seven stars are the messengers of the seven churches, and the seven lamp stands are the seven churches.”

 

[bbbbbbb]

I found this awhile ago. It may help your query or it may not. But I offer it with an open and sincere heart to give you at least this as one answer.

Whoa! I would definitely not recommend that webpage. If you read it, it does not go into any detail about the various ages, but it does emphatically identify its author, William Branham, as being the seventh angel of Revelation. If there is one thing that it absolutely true, it is that William Branham cannot be the seventh angel of Revelation.

 

[bbbbbbb]

The Seven Churches in Revelation are seven end times churches. Revelation 1:20 The secret meaning of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lamp stands is this: the seven stars are the messengers of the seven churches, and the seven lamp stands are the seven churches.”

There is absolutely no statement in Revelation 1:20 about the seven churches representing seven ages of the church. You can read this into the verse if you wish, but it simply is not there unless you read it in,

 

[דוד חֵן (David)]

There is absolutely no statement in Revelation 1:20 about the seven churches representing seven ages of the church. You can read this into the verse if you wish, but it simply is not there unless you read it in,

Read Zechariah.

 

[bbbbbbb]

Read Zechariah.

Yes, I have done that. Where in Zechariah does it tell us that the seven churches of Revelation represent seven ages of the church?

 

[דוד חֵן (David)]

Yes, I have done that. Where in Zechariah does it tell us that the seven churches of Revelation represent seven ages of the church?

Nowhere. I said the seven churches of Revelation represent seven end times churches.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Scripture itself does not even hint at this theological device. As I said in my post earlier this idea was developed in the ninteenth century. IMO it has no biblical basis to it.

haha.... you are so right about william b.
yet
there are some sound messages that used to be available about the " 7 churches " in several ways , from the history of ecclesia, to the individual life or lives of believers (stages they could go through or be found in; in all 7 or any of the 7 letters to the churches)
and even today stages different churches around the world or close locally could be found in
without violating nor causing any violence to YHWH'S WORD -- i.e. in total HARMONY in Y'SHUA and YHWH'S WORD.

HIS WORD is ..... so rich and full of meaning as HE BREATHED HIS WORD to be, and as HE reveals as HE PLEASES.

 

[דוד חֵן (David)]

I think to be fair we'd have to know exactly how many churches there are in America. And then we'd have to surprise ourselves with seeking out their philosophy as pertains to their denominational, if that applies, theology.

There's the lukewarm and then there are the apostate.
But there are also the red hot for Christ one's. Which would typically be referring to the fundamentalist evangelical.

The problem with all American churches as a whole is, they lack the understanding of Scripture. They are biblically illiterate.

 

[דוד חֵן (David)]

haha.... you are so right about william b.
yet
there are some sound messages that used to be available about the " 7 churches " in several ways , from the history of ecclesia, to the individual life or lives of believers (stages they could go through or be found in; in all 7 or any of the 7 letters to the churches)
and even today stages different churches around the world or close locally could be found in
without violating nor causing any violence to YHWH'S WORD -- i.e. in total HARMONY in Y'SHUA and YHWH'S WORD.

HIS WORD is ..... so rich and full of meaning as HE BREATHED HIS WORD to be, and as HE reveals as HE PLEASES.

100% Right on that guy. Yes, His Words are clear. But does your beliefs match up with what He reveals?

 

[bbbbbbb]

Nowhere. I said the seven churches of Revelation represent seven end times churches.

And I said that nowhere in the Bible does it say such a thing. Then you challenged me to read Zechariah. Why did you want me to read Zechariah if it does not tell us that the seven churches of Revelation represent seven end times churches?

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

100% Right on that guy. Yes, His Words are clear. But does your beliefs match up with what He reveals?

I have no idea (specifically) what that guy said nor what he reveals and don't care to know, thank you !

 

[דוד חֵן (David)]

And I said that nowhere in the Bible does it say such a thing. Then you challenged me to read Zechariah. Why did you want me to read Zechariah if it does not tell us that the seven churches of Revelation represent seven end times churches?

I want you to understand what the seven lamp stand represents.

 

[דוד חֵן (David)]

I want you to understand what the seven lamp stand represents.

Zechariah reveals the meaning, Revelation shows the prophetic times. The two books are heavily symbolic and they are both linked.

 

[bbbbbbb]

Zechariah reveals the meaning, Revelation shows the prophetic times. The two books are heavily symbolic and they are both linked.

I think most Christians agree that the two books are heavily symbolic. That is where the agreement generally ends. Various people have interpreted the symbolism in a wide variety of ways. For example, the Roman Catholics see the woman in Revelation 12 as being clearly symbolic of Mary whereas others, including myself, see her as symbolic of Israel.