Christ's Greatness in the Epistle to Laodicea (continued)

by A E Bouter

A voice sheep do not know

'But they will not follow a stranger, but will flee from him, because they know not the voice of strangers' (John 10:5). In contrast to the Lord's voice, the Father's and the Spirit's, witnessed by the prophet's voice (John the Baptist), this unknown voice is mentioned in John's ministry. Was this not the cause of the problems in Laodicea, that they had started to listen to a stranger's voice? In John 10, Christ's love, care, power, attractiveness and faithfulness are demonstrated, over against the 'qualities' of thieves, robbers, wolves, strangers and hirelings.

Perhaps one of the most dangerous attributes of 'strangers' is, that they present themselves under the guise of the good shepherd, whereas they represent in reality the prince of this world and the god of this ('new') age (which is not so new after all). Most of the epistles in the New Testament and part of John's Gospel, have been written to give adequate answers to the claims of the strangers and to unmask them (compare Paul's warnings in Acts 20:28-32).

In John 10:5 the Lord does not mean to say that the sheep should not know anything about these strangers. Obviously, the New Testament writers were well familiar with the subtle attacks of the enemy. However, they did not 'know' the voice of strangers: there was no inward conscious knowledge of this voice, no link with these doctrines in their minds, no response in their souls. The only response that New Testament writers could give was in relation to the voice of the Good Shepherd. They showed, with a single eye and an undivided heart, that they knew His voice and were following Him. Despite an immense army of old and new forms of 'strangers' in sheep's clothing or as 'would-be shepherds' around us today, we may rejoice in the voice of our Shepherd. A good remedy to be kept from the wiles of the stranger's voice, is to be appreciatively occupied with the things our Shepherd has given us. 'I am come that they might have life, and might have it abundantly' (John 10:10). What wonderful resources we have here to enjoy! All the blessings of the heavenly land, of the Father's house, are made available to Christians, in order to make them overcomers. Instead, we often are dissatisfied, unthankful, murmuring, like the people of Israel of old. This is a golden opportunity for the 'stranger's voice'. Let us not give him a chance.

The Lord's voice from heaven

How much can we learn from a passage like Acts 9:4-6 (with more details in Acts 22 and 26, as well as Gal. 1:15ff; 1 Cor. 15:8;
and 1 Tim. 1). There are three questions, one from the Lord in the glory and two from Saul; each question implies important truths and lessons for the believer, even in Laodicea.

(1) The first question shows that what is of the flesh always persecutes what is of the Spirit. It also brings out the marvellous truth of the unity of the body of Christ: union between the glorified Lord in heaven, who is the Head of the body, and the members on this earth, implying the unity and interrelationship between the members as well. Did Laodicea-do we-realize and enjoy this truth?

(2) The shocked and convicted Saul answers his own question 'Who art Thou, Lord?' In a sense the question cannot really be answered: the greatness of the Person of the Lord surpasses all definitions and descriptions. However, in a sense it is answered, namely in Paul's recognition of and submission to Christ's Lordship. Could it be that this attitude was lacking in Laodicea? Were they, are we, no longer impressed by His greatness and authority?

(3) 'What shall I do Lord?' The Lord has a plan for our lives, and also for the believers who are in Laodicea. In the many and minute details of our daily lives, the Lord would like to see more displayed of Himself. Are we ready for this, ready for Him? Or are we still unwilling to bow to Him, kicking against the pricks, even as believers?

The truth of union between Christians on earth with the exalted Christ in heaven, is what characterizes Paul's ministry. Also we need John's writings if we are to be kept in a living and real way in the enjoyment of this relationship. Paul presents Christ in heaven as the Object for the believer, not without referring to His life on earth as a perfect Model to follow. John shows that Christ is the true God and the eternal life (1 John 5:20) and that He dwells in us who are still on earth. Peter puts these things together in the context of the Kingdom of God: as the King was rejected so are His subjects. Peter, who also was instructed by a voice from heaven (Acts 10:13,15), provides needed help for this situation as it involves sufferings. James and Jude present different lines of truth, but are in harmony with the apostles. A renewed appreciation of these wonderful ministries, or in other words a real desire to hear the voice of the Lord through them, is what Laodicea needs.

The voice of the Bridegroom

'He that has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices in heart because of the voice of the bridegroom' (John 3:29). This brings us back to our studies on Revelation 3:20. In John's Gospel the personal glories of the Son of the Father, always in the bosom of the Father, are unfolded before our wondering eyes. The Eternal Son, made known to us in manhood, the Creator and Upholder of the universe, the Word become flesh, God and Man in one Person, is presented to us in His greatness and attractiveness.

Notice that John the Baptist speaks about the bridegroom. Is it possible to have a personal relation with this wonderful Person, a relationship of love with Him? In this passage we see how the One who is above all (John 3:13, 30-35), into whose hand the Father has given all things, is called the Bridegroom. What a thrill for John's heart to hear Him, what a joy for him as a friend to be in His presence! What can we learn from this? Although John did not belong to the bride, he showed great admiration for the Bridegroom.

Every Christian, even in Laodicea, belongs to the bride of Christ and thus to the Bridegroom. Therefore we ought to have more admiration and love for our Bridegroom, an even greater appreciation than John had. In the world in which we live, everything is directed to make our love to the Lord cool down. Let us therefore pay attention to His voice and cultivate an intimate relationship with the greatest Person of the universe! Let us rejoice in the voice of the bridegroom! Even when He has to correct or chastise (as we have seen in an earlier chapter), His voice confirms His love toward us who live in a scene where He is rejected.

Who can resist when He speaks? Again His greatness is set before us. Sometimes His voice may come to us in apparent weakness: this is because the Lord adapts Himself to our condition and situation, not because He lacks power! Compare 'a soft gentle voice' in connection with Elijah's failure (1 Kings 19:12). Thus the Lord adopted a condition of seeming weakness, because of our lost condition, but it was to overcome the enemy's power (cf. 2 Cor. 13:3ff). Let us be alert to discern and obey His gentle voice (Matt. 11:29ff), even when it takes much courage, as in the case of

separation from idolatry1 (Rev. 18:4; 2 Cor. 6:14-18).Finally, I would like to link the voice of the Bridegroom with Paul's ministry, in which His wondrous Person is presented ('the preaching of Jesus Christ,' Rom. 16:25). Christ is the sum-total of all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3; cf. Heb. 2:9).

'And open the door'

How different this is compared with the door of the ark that was shut and the door that was securely closed to the five foolish virgins (cf. Gen. 7, and Matt. 25)! It is proof of the day of grace in which we live that the Lord not only stands at the door but also makes this appeal. To us today the question is posed: is there such a response? Spiritual vitality will respond, if only attention is paid to His rebuke and His voice is heard. This will be the case, for individual believers ('any one') I suggest, as a result of John's ministry (see above).

Now, at the end of the history of the Church and just before the day of judgment, the supreme Judge speaks. His extraordinary voice was heard by John in Revelation 1:10ff. Should we not identify with John's response and fall down before Him? He is examining the Christian profession and is going to judge the whole world. He makes an appeal to those who are ready to hear His voice.

Already in the first of His seven letters He shows how He feels it when first love is forsaken. Thus He feels it keenly if a similar tendency is found in our lives, in our fellowship, when the influences of Satan's world are allowed to penetrate more and more and when only a formal profession of His rights is left, but no real recognition of His Lordship, or realization of His Headship. What of an assembly, which He would be outside of? We might think this could never happen in our lives or assembly but let us not be mistaken. It is the final result of what started as a seemingly minor deviation at the beginning of the history of the Church. Eventually the Lord has to withdraw Himself, because of pride, self-complacency and selfishness. What is the remedy? 'If any one2 hear my voice ...' What is the solution in a day of ruin when there are all kinds of evil around? It is listening to and obeying His voice, and responding by opening the door! What a marvellous attraction there is in this voice; what precious secrets it shares with the overcomer; what wonderful blessings it communicates to those who open the door to Him!

I would like to contrast this verse with the open door in Philadelphia. There it is God's work in sovereign grace and providence, as an answer to collective faithfulness, to provide an opened door3 that no one would be able to shut. In Laodicea it is the individual believer that responds to the Lord's call, in repentance, in renewed zeal for Him, and opens the door for Him. Here it is a matter of restoration to first love. We should compare this with two more passages where we read about Christ entering in order to dwell with the believer:

(A) In Luke 19:1-10 the striking story of Zacchaeus displays the grace of God and God's salvation enters the house of a true son of Abraham. This passage shows the tremendous resources of God's grace that are available for salvation in the day of grace in which we live. This is where a start takes place in first love for Christ. Is He not the Door, always ready and open to a repentant sinner?

(B) In Paul's second prayer in Ephesians (3:14-21), he refers to the Father's desire that Christ may dwell through faith (a continual exercise, cf. John 20:31) in our hearts. The One who is the Father's delight, who is the expression of God's wisdom (Eph. 1-3; Col. 2:2ff; Heb. 1:2ff), is the One whom the Father desires to dwell in our hearts so that He may be at home in them, and may lead, control and abide in men. It is not difficult to see the connection with Laodicea (and with the epistle to the Colossians), because it is always God's purpose to restore and to bring believers back to what He has in mind, as expressed in Paul's prayer.

A. E. Bouter

1 After the mighty voice of judgment speaks (Rev. 18:2) another voice of warning calls God's people to leave great Babylon; notice the voices of cultural, commercial and social activities in it, in contrast to what is heard in heaven (Rev. 19:1 ff).

2 This is up to the individual believer at the close of the dispensation; the Lord does not expect the entire Christian profession to turn back to Him. Revelation shows how God's judgments in His providence came upon the professing church in the past and how in the near future God will definitely judge her (after the rapture of the true Church).