The message that Jesus sends to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans" (Rev. 3:14-21)

The message that Jesus sends to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans" (Rev. 3:14-21) is the last of seven messages to His church in seven great eras of time since the time of the apostles. We know this is true because the "seven seals" and the "seven trumpets" are also seven time-series that trace history during the past 2000 years up to the second coming of Christ.

Two of the "seven churches" get only praise from Him, no rebuke; but the last one is the most severe rebuke of all the seven of history: "You say, 'I am rich and I have been enriched and have need of nothing, when in fact of all the seven you are the one outstandingly wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked" (literal translation).

Why can't Jesus say something nice about this church? And is anyone listening to Him? The severity of the rebuke tempts some dear people to conclude that Jesus has forsaken this "church" or will soon do so; but that would be an admission on His part of the failure of His plan of redemption. Laodicea is the "final exam" that will test if Jesus is indeed "the Savior of the world" whose gospel is "the power of God unto salvation" (John 4:42; Rom. 1:16).

Will Jesus be embarrassed for all eternity by the failure of His gospel message to bring repentance from His people? Or, to ask an even more serious question: when He returns at His second coming, will He fail to have a church that is ready beyond a few scattered people who do not constitute a church? He said that He would build His church, and "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:18), but will "the gates of hell" win out in the end? Is it possible that there has been a delay in Christ's second coming precisely because this message to "Laodicea" has not been successful as yet? And look at the promise made to "the angel of Laodicea" if and when he does repent: "To him that overcometh I will grant to sit with Me in my throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with My Father in His throne"! (vs. 21).

Surely that will be more than an idle honor! Could it be that His church will have a significant role in the final triumph of the great controversy between Christ and Satan? Don't try to evade the conflict and say, "Oh, I don't want such an honor! All I want is to squeak by somehow and get myself into the Holy City!" That would be selfish! Jesus needs a people to honor Him in the final crisis!