Hidden In Plain Sight: A Study of the Revelation to John. Uchenna Mezue

as we will see in chapter 21 is the new creation in Matter arising as a copy of Paradise for mature, redeemed human spirits after the judgment and destruction of the World.

      The individual will also receive the name of the Son of the Almighty, a new name or manifestation of Him that is still a secret. This is a sign of belonging to the King of Subsequent Creation and may be a reference to the sealing on the forehead in the name of Immanuel (Ch. 7). Finally, the admonition to remain alert for the Message is again given.

      Laodicea (Rev. 3:14-22)

      3¹⁴ “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. ¹⁵ I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷ You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.¹⁹ Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. ²⁰ Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. ²¹ To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. ²² Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

      The Lord manifests as the fulfillment (the Amen), the unwavering and true representative of God in Creation (Holy Spirit) and the sovereign of All Creation. Laodicea is a very poor community. The star of this church is almost without any glow. Laodicea is in an unenviable position. All human spirits, who cannot commit unequivocally to God, belong to this community. They are not sure they believe (agnostics?) or they believe, but are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold. However, this is an untenable position and the Lord rejects them. This is the state of those who fail to use the opportunity of the grace of the millennium. At the end, they are judged as strictly as those who rejected or refused to serve God.

      The Laodicea community of human spirits also includes all those who trust in their material achievements as much as on their perceived knowledge of the Will of God. Their pre-occupation with material pursuits and wealth account for their spiritual lukewarmness. Those of them who are religious believe that they know the mind of God, perhaps even that they have a thorough knowledge of the Bible or other Scripture. However, they are really hollow and this will be manifest at death and they will find themselves wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. This is the literal state of all who in pride and conceit refuse to listen to the guidance of their spirits and to the message of the Spirit of Truth; but follow the intellect they have placed above their spirits.

      The Lord wishes these people to become more spiritual and advises them to turn to the pure gold of the Truth, refined and tempered in the fire of experiences, which alone can confer the real riches. These people may still be saved, but it will be through the fire of harsh experiencing. This will purify them and cover their shameful emptiness and nakedness and will open their eyes to the Light. This admonition is not a punishment, but an act of Love from the Lord to those who have loved his name, and so merit his love. The situation is critical and requires earnest and total commitment.

      This is the last help to professing Christians and human spirits who believe in the Light. As with the Philadelphians, these people stand in the Judgment, in the time of the Spirit of Truth on earth and must take a final decision. The Lord stands at the door and is now knocking, demanding a response. The Laodicean stands on the edge of the abyss beyond which there is no return. He/she has a choice of allowing the Lord in through the door of the spirit for enlightenment and to fellowship with him/her. This is again personal and rests on individual decision, not a communal one. He who overcomes will be allowed to reign with the Lord.

      Again, as with the admonition to the other churches, this ends with the admonition to open our spirits to the words of the Spirit of Truth to the Churches.