photo #3064622

THE APOSTATE CHURCH Laodicea was in apostasy, as the Revelation text reveals (Rev. 3:14-22). Of seven possibilities, it cannot be accidental that Laodicea’s spiritual condition matches the spiritual condition that the Bible predicts for the church of the last days. The Lord could not have spoken of Philadelphia or Ephesus last and had such a match, but Laodicea’s condition matches perfectly. Notice what other Scriptures say about the last days: “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.” (II Ths. 2:3) Does that not match the spiritual condition of the church at Laodicea? “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” (II Tim. 3:1-5)Notice the first description of people in the last days: “lovers of their own selves.” Is that not a perfect match for Laodicea’s “people’s rights”? God said people would be self-centered, not Christ-centered, and that fits Laodicea perfectly. “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (II Tim. 4:1-4) The church of the last days will not embrace sound doctrine. Sound familiar? The Laodicean church said that she had need of nothing. Sound doctrine would be included. “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” (II Pet. 3:3-4) He said people would be walking after their own lusts, like Laodicea, who thought only of herself and was not focused on Christ and His return. Holding to the uniformitarian worldview, such people are also ignorant of sound doctrine regarding the judgment and clear evidence of Noah’s flood.Clearly, it is Laodicea who matches the Biblical description of the last day church. The next thing to follow is not a national revival or a "third great awakening," as some clowns are predicting. The next big thing for the church is the trumpet-sounding voice of Revelation 4:1 that says, "Come up hither."