Message to the Church in 2020 (LAODICEA)

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 dine with him, and he with Me. Rev. 3:20

This verse has often been used as a text to call sinners to repentance. However, if we look closely, we will find this is directed to the CHURCH. There were many churches in Asia Minor, however the Lord had a message for John to deliver to seven specific churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadephia and Laodicea.

These were literal churches that each had characteristics that reflect seven periods of church history, if carefully laid out by revelation of the Spirit. We truly are living in a time that reflects the character of Laodicea. The church world is more in love with the world than she is with the Father. She is not hot (on fire for God) and she is not cold  (complete sin with no regard for God), but rather she is lukewarm (indifferent). In the previous post I shared, Heavenly Minded, we talked about the meaning of Laodicea (rights of the people).

HEAR THE VOICE OF THE LORD

In this verse, Revelation 3:20, we hear Jesus saying, "I stand at the door and knock if any man HEAR My voice..."  This is the first step in repentance - hearing His voice.

To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice; and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth for th his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him; for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. John 10:2-5  I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. I am the good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My Voice; and there shall be one fold, and one Shepherd. John 10:9,14,16

Those who are His will HEAR. Jesus, in quoting the prophet Isaiah said, concerning the people of His generation: Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. Matthew 13:13 The prophet Amos spoke of a time when there would be a famine for hearing the Word of the Lord: Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. Amos 8:11. The first line of the most important commandment is Hear, O Israel the LORD is our God, the LORD is One. Deut 6:4/Mark 12:29.

OPEN THE DOOR

Next, Jesus tells us that we must "open the door". I am reminded of the story from the Song of Solomon: I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night.” I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him. I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him: I called him, but he gave me no answer. SOS 5:2-6  Here, the lover is knocking on the door, but the bride delays in opening only to find when she opens the door, that the groom has withdrawn himself.  This is a great parable to God's relationship with the Bride of Christ.

I am reminded of a parable Jesus told concerning a friend who comes at midnight: Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, “Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?” And he from within shall answer and say, “Trouble me not; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.” I say unto you, “Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity (inconvenience) he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.” Luke 11:5-8  The Messiah is like that friend. He keeps knocking, giving us yet another opportunity, but we keep making excuses why we can't open the door.

But the reward for opening the door is beyond the greatest treasures this world can offer. If we, but open the door, He will come in and dine with us. This is fellowship with the Creator of the universe. It is a promise of divine communion.

In ancient oriental customs, a meal was eaten when two parties made an agreement/covenant or when their had been previous conflict, the meal was a sign of resolution/agreement being made and that from this time, protection was guaranteed (Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies).  Even to this day, when there has been rift or feud between families in the Middle East (especially among the Bedouins), when an agreement is reached, they share a meal.  Once that meal is shared together, there is a pact that should never be broken. It is a promise not to remember the former grievances.(For Biblical references to this in the Bible, see Genesis 21:27; 26:30; 31:54). If you are invited to eat in a Bedouin home, it is a promise of protection. You are as one of the family.

    In the lands of the East, when a host accepts a man to be his guest he thereby agrees at whatever the     cost to defend his guest from all possible enemies during the time of his entertainment. Dr. Cyrus            Hamlin, an American missionary in the East, was entertained by a governor. The host took a piece of     roast mutton and handed it to the missionary, saying as he did so, "Now do you know what I have           done?" In answering his own question he went on to say: "By that act I have pledged you every drop    of my blood, that while you are in my territory no evil shall come to you. For that space of time we        are brothers." Manners and Customs of Bible Lands by: Fred H. Wright 1953 Pg 78

How amazing it is that when Jesus sat at meat with His disciples, the one who was about to betray him, sat right next to Him. He knew what was about to transpire, and yet He gave him (Judas) a piece of the bread representing the life of His flesh. And in this act, Jesus instituted what we now call Communion or the Eucharist.  It is a meal signifying fellowship with Jesus and the body of believers.

What Jesus promised in Revelation 3:20, was not just a visit, but a promise to Abide with us. It was a promise for all time, as long as we uphold our end of the covenant. If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make Our abode with him. John 14:23

So my plea to you is, Hear His Voice and Open the Door.  Allow Him to come in and have fellowship with you.