revelation – Here I Am, Lord –

Naked Before the Lord

”Because you say, I am rich, and increased in goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17).

Our introductory verse is from the Book of Revelation and was addressed to the church at Laodicea. The Lord had John write this strong rebuke to a church of the Apostle John’s day. The Lord had John write seven letters to seven churches that existed at that time. These churches represent seven different periods in the church age. The letter to the church at Laodicea was the last of the seven and represents the church of our day – the last days before Christ’s return.

This church was lifted up due to its wealth and did not realize its true condition. The church in America as a whole is in the same condition. Because we are the church of the last days, this letter the Lord gave to Laodicea two thousand years ago is extremely relevant today.

I want to qualify what I am about to present. As we have seen, the seven churches represent periods in the church age, but all of these seven churches can be found today. As is obvious, true believers who love the Lord and serve Him with all their hearts can be found throughout church history and are present today. Hopefully, those reading this article, or listening to the podcast, are in this group of true believers.

However, there is a great falling away from the Lord that can be seen in the major denominations, the seeker-sensitive church, the Word of Faith churches, and many independent churches throughout our nation. If the Gospel has not changed our lives then our Salvation is in question. The Lord said the following strong words to the Church of Laodicea:

“So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth” (Revelation 3:16).

As a nation, we have been blessed materially by the Lord beyond all the nations of the world. He has blessed our country and, as a whole, the church has responded to these blessings by taking our eyes off the Lord. We have enjoyed the blessings he has provided without seeking the Blesser. This is the church of our day.

The Emperor, in the Hans Christian Anderson folktale, thought he was clothed, but he was not. The swindlers had convinced him that the clothes were magnificent when they were not. There were no clothes to cover the Emperor, but no one, including the Emperor, would admit it. The world system headed by Satan offers the same covering, which is no covering at all. Those that buy into it, and ignore the covering the Lord graciously offers are standing “naked” before the Lord and are in great danger of eternal judgment.

As we know, unbelievers, who have rejected the Lord, live under the covering of this fallen world system and will be judged by the Lord if they do not repent and come the Lord’s Way. But the church has the Bible, knows the way to the Lord, and all the spiritual blessings He has promised. We know the great Sacrifice he made at Calvary, in that, we can be forgiven and be with Him for eternity. We have no excuse. The time is short and the church, as a whole, must realize its true condition and come back to the Lord.

He calls out to His church today as he did to the church of Laodicea at the time. They were “lukewarm” to the things of God which in God’s eyes is equal to a rejection of His Way. We are to follow after the Lord with all our hearts. He loved those at Laodicea and He loves those today who have a half-hearted approach to serving the Lord. He calls out to whosoever will hear and come back to Him with all their heart. The Lord calls out to us today with the following invitation through His message to the church at Laodicea:

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

For anyone who has left their first love which is Christ and Him crucified and has lost their way; He calls out to them to come back to Him. We can know we have our faith right if we make Christ and Him crucified the object of our faith daily. We will be protected from the false doctrine that is so prevalent today. We are to clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ without which the Lord has said we are “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” before Him. He is calling His church back to faith in His finished work at Calvary. Time is short. This was the seventh and last letter written to the church. We must harken to the warning and His call to repentance that the Lord has graciously provided to His last day’s church. He calls out with the following declaration of His love:

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore and repent” (Revelation 3:19).

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2024

Revelation Chapter 1:1-8

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to show unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent it by His Angel unto His servant John” (Revelation 1:1).

The Apostle John was imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos due to his preaching of the Gospel. The Lord Jesus gave John this “Revelation” showing John the beginning of happenings starting with John’s time, through, and past, the Church Age. The Book of Revelation was given by the Lord to his servants so that believers, at that time, and down through the Church Age, would know what would happen in the years to come.

“Blessed is he who reads, and they who hear the words of this Prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand” (verse 2).

All who read and keep the words of this prophecy are promised a blessing. “The time is at hand” is speaking of the beginning of events that will ultimately result in the Second Coming of the Lord, the Millennial Kingdom, and the Perfect Age. Chapters 2 and 3 are the messages, or letters, addressed to seven churches of that time in Asia and also represent the successive periods down through the Church Age. The following verse is a reference to these letters that the Lord will give to the churches in chapters 2 and 3:

“John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and Peace from Him which is, and which was, and which is to come….”(verse 4a).

Again, these letters were given to John for these churches by the Lord Jesus Christ. All of these churches, except the church of Philadelphia, had issues the Lord would address in their letters. This reference to Grace and Peace was pointing these churches, and us, to the only answer for all we face. Grace comes solely through what Christ accomplished on the Cross and comes by faith alone. When our faith is in His finished work our walk will be pleasing to the Lord and we will have Peace with God (Salvation) and the Peace of God (sanctifying peace.) Notice the reference to “Him which is, and which was, and which is to come.” This speaks of His certain coming at the end of the age for His church and to save Israel at the end of the Great Tribulation.

“And from Jesus Christ, Who is the Faithful Witness, and the first begotten from the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the Earth. Unto Him Who loved us, and washed us from our sins with His Own Blood, and made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be Glory and Dominion forever and ever. Amen” (verse 5,6).

The Lord was a “faithful Witness” in His obedience to the Will of the Father during his earthly life. He was the first to be resurrected from the dead. We as believers will be resurrected from the dead, or, if alive at the time, will be Raptured by the Lord when He comes for his church. This event could happen at any time. No prophecy must be fulfilled before the Rapture can take place. The reference to “Prince of the kings of the Earth” is proclaiming He is the head, or ruler, over the world which will happen in its fullest expression in the Millennial Kingdom. We, as believers, are kings and priests under Christ which is all due to Calvary.

Behold, He comes with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also who pierced Him: and all kindred of the Earth shall wail because of Him. Even so. Amen. (Verse 7).

The Lord will come in the Second Coming accompanied by all the saints that have ever lived as referenced by the mention of “clouds.” This will be quite a sight and something we as believers have to look forward to as we will be part of that number. Everyone on Earth will see this spectacular event including Isreal who will finally come to the Lord in repentance and faith. Those on the Earth at the time will “wail” because the Lord, who came as Savior the first time, now comes as Judge. All unbelievers will be judged for their sins.

I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty” (verse 8).

The Lord is the one true, and only, God. He is Almighty guaranteeing all that He says will happen, will happen.

In summary, the Apostle John was on the Isle of Patmos as a prisoner for preaching the Gospel. He was “in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day” and the Lord Jesus gave him a “Revelation” to be delivered to the seven churches in Asia all receiving messages, or letters, from the Lord. These letters were not only for those living at the time but represented periods in the Church Age down to the time we now currently live in.

There is a blessing for those who read and keep all that Christ gave us in the Book of Revelation. The Lord was the first to be resurrected assuring the promise from Him that we will be resurrected, or Raptured, before His Second coming to judge this rebellious world. He is the “Alpha and Omega” the one and only God and he is Almighty guaranteeing that all He has revealed in the Book of Revelation will happen.

We serve a wonderful God who loves us and wants us to know the future. We need not be uninformed, or confused, about what is coming on this world or what we currently see happening as we look around at our world today. The Book of Revelation, the last book in the canon of Scripture, closes with the following words:

“He which testifies these things says, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” (Revelation 22:20,21).

Tag: revelation

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