Revelation 3:11 – In verse 11 there is promise and warning combined. Jesus tells them that he is coming quickly.
The immanent coming of Messiah is used in the New Covenant as a warning to the neglectful. In Matthew 24:48-51, a parable is used to teach of the importance to conduct ourselves in such a way so that we will not be surprised by our Masters sudden return and so avoid judgment. Paul also warns the Thessalonians about the destiny of the disobedient and the unbelieving when the Lord Jesus returns and judges His enemies 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9. The coming of the Lord is also to comfort the oppressed as in James 5:8. We are called to be patient for the Lord is coming soon in Hebrews 10:37.
Still another warning is to hold on to what they have, that they may not lose their crown. It is not a question of someone stealing their crown but of God taking it from them and giving it to someone else, because they were not worthy to wear it.
-Esau lost his place to Jacob (Genesis 25:34; 27:36).
-Reuben lost his place to Judah (Genesis 49:4, 8).
-Saul lost his place to David (1 Samuel 16:1, 13).
-Joab and Abiathar lost their places to Benaiah and Zadok (1 Kings 2:25).
-Judas lost his place to Matthias (Acts 1:25, 26).
-The Jewish people lost their place to the Gentiles (Romans 11:11).
God has a task for each of us, but if we fail to walk in the works that God has prepared for us the task will be given to another. We can repent and return but only if we come to the grace of Jesus. Those who persevere to the end prove the genuineness of their salvation (Matthew 10:22; 24:13).
Paul writes in Colossians 1:22-23 that ” He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard. According to 1 John 2:19, those who abandon their faith reveal that they were never truly saved to begin with.
Revelation 2:10 defines this crown as the “crown of life, ” or as the Greek text literally reads, “the crown which is life. “The crown, or reward, for those who faithfully endure to the end is eternal life with all its rewards (2 John 8). Second Timothy 4:8 describes it as a crown of righteousness, and 1 Peter 5:4 as one of glory. In our glorified state, we will be perfectly righteous, and able to reflect God’s glory.
Revelation 3:12-13 – concludes with five wonderful promises to those who overcome.
1) They will be made a pillar in the temple of God. This means that they will become a permanent part of God’s house. The pillar is a symbol of strength, support, and permanence (1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 2:20-22).
2) They will receive a security that they could relate to; they will never again have to go in or out of the city in order to be safe. They will be free from this sinful and corruptible world, free to live in heaven with God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. And they shall be perfected forever and ever.
3) They will receive God’s name. They will belong to God His Name will be written upon them and they will be marked forever as belonging to God. (Isaiah 56:5;62:2; 65:15).
4) They will become the citizens of the new Jerusalem, the capital of the new heavens and earth (Galatians 4:26; Hebrews 12:22; 2 Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 21:1-5).
5) They will receive the Lord’s new name. What will this new name be? No one knows but God Himself, and He has not yet revealed it.
Revelation 3:14 – Laodicea – Laodicea was located on an important crossroads which allowed the to city prosper in banking, commerce, and the manufacturing of clothing. It had a medical school and was noted for its production of a salve used to cure eye diseases (Revelation 3:18). Like the rest of the Churches of Revelation The church at Laodicea, was probably also established during Paul’s ministry at Ephesus (Acts 19:10), perhaps through the work of Epaphras (Colossians 4:12-13).
Israel’s sin of unbelief and rebellion is similar to the history of the church. There are many people in congregations who may be sincere, zealous, and outwardly religious, but they reject the truth of the gospel. They likely have been taught well from the Scriptures but fail to believe or obey.
As a result, they are face the same consequences that unbelieving Israel faced. The church at Laodicea is an archetype of such Believers and is the one most rebuked by the Lord. It seems that there were no true Believers at Laodicea and was a Church that Yeshua had no positive word of commendation. The seriousness for Laodicea to respond to this letter cannot be overemphasized but like Israel and her response to the prophets they would have the same response.
Laodicea was one of the wealthiest cities in the world. In A.D. 61 it was devastated by an earthquake; but because the city was so rich and independent they refused help from the Roman government and rebuilt their city. No wonder that Laodicea could boast that it was rich and had amassed wealth and had need of nothing. It was so wealthy that it did not even need God.
