Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries
Loser believers whose glory is in their shame, Part 8. The mystery behind the seven churches.
Thursday, February 1, 2001
Point 4. The Warnings of the Lord to the Lukewarm Believer Concerning Shame.
Laodicea the church that had become so lukewarm in its deceptive self-reliance and self-sufficiency.
The seven churches of Asia Minor portray seven historical periods the church would go through
In REV 2:2 the church in Ephesus had to deal with those who called themselves apostles, and were not.
Apostolic Period – the period of Pentecost around AD 100. The Faith Defined.
Roman Persecution Period – AD 100-313. The Faith Defended.
Constantine – “taken place” of the Christ – one of the definitions of Anti-Christ.
Anti = oppose to or against, “in place of,” or “a substitute for.”
Constantine took the title Vicar of Christ = “in place of Christ.”
“Pontific Maximus” = the highest one in the catholic or universal church.
Old Catholic Period AD 313-590. The Faith Disputed.
The ascendancy of Roman Catholicism.
Roman Catholic Period – AD 590-1517. The time of the Faith Defiled.
Reformation. Protestant Period – AD 1517-1795. The Faith Discovered.
Missionary and New Testament Assemblies Period – AD 1795-1870. The time of Faith Discerned.
Modernist and Ecumenical Period AD 1870 – Rapture. The Faith Denied.
The Sower and the seed; (MAT 13:1-23) can illustrate the church of Ephesus, the Apostolic Period.
The wheat and tares false doctrine introduced (24-30;36-43) can illustrate the church of Smyrna.
Mustard seed, unnatural growth or worldliness (31-32) can represent the church of Pergamum, the Old Catholic Period when Faith was Disputed.
The parable of leaven, departure from the truth (33-35) illustrates the church of Thyatira, the time of the ascendancy of Roman Catholicism.
The parable of the hidden treasure (44) can represent the church of Sardis, the time when the church woke up – Reformation.
Pearl of great price, the Lords Name and Word acknowledged (45-46) can represent the Church of Philadelphia.
The dragnet separating the true from the false (47-50): Laodicea, The Faith Denied.
Turn to REV 3:14
Laodicea the chief city of Phrygia in the Lycos valley, strategically located where three highways converged.
In 60 A.D. Laodicea was destroyed by an earthquake.
It demonstrated a self-sufficient attitude that would have detrimental spiritual results if carried over into their relationship with the Lord.
It was a manufacturing center for woolen garments and medicinal eye salve, powders and tabloids and drugs for healing, REV 3:17-18.