As noted in Parts 1
and 2 of this series, The Book of Psalms, especially Psalm 119, frequently
references this whole heart concept,
testifying of God’s desire for us to engage with Him, and with our world on His
behalf, with an enthusiastic heart full of love, praise, worship,
adoration and service. Other references note the harsh/undesirable consequences
of half-heartedness or lukewarmness toward The Lord God Almighty.
Jesus Christ was God’s effective bloody seed, planted (died) in Earth to produce an eternal fruit called ‘church’ -- a holy [separated/set-aside] remnant of humanity with a distinct purpose. Some Bible scholars believe this church, worldwide, would transit 7 rather distinct phases or ages, culminating in the final Church of the Laodiceans, or the Laodicean Church Age that would precede the predicted return of Jesus to rapture His church.1 While this point is debatable, in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, Paul reveals a key precursor of the end of this age, namely a great falling away of previously faithful Christ followers. In His letter to the Church at Laodicea, dictated to Apostle John on the Isle of Patmos circa 95 AD, Jesus promises to ‘vomit out of His mouth’ fake, inauthentic, lukewarm believers. While this may have occurred all throughout the church age, it seems reasonable that satan ‘knows his time is short’, and thus he would increasingly ramp-up efforts to deceive and tempt believers who remain weak and easy prey.
Of particular note
is Christ’s letter to the the Church at Laodicea. It is a cutting, stern
warning about its intolerable
lukewarmness, fed by its material wealth and riches, and the resulting sense of self-sufficiency. Together, these reflect no real need
for God, or ability to display His power to an on-looking society and world.2
‘But
Jeshurun grew fat!’
Unfortunately, this
pre-death, predictive warning from Moses to the people of Israel became true, both
spiritually and, so some extent, physically. This warning may well reflect much
of Church America today, not only spiritually,
but also physically, in light of
America’s obesity epidemic. In his warning, Moses posits strong correlations
between the physical and spiritual health of a person or a people. This correlation was later echoed by John, The Apostle, in his words, ‘Beloved, I
pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul
prospers.’ (3 John 2) In light of
this, let's consider correlations between the much-touted impacts of excess body
fat to what Moses likely meant in his warning, and what John infers in his
prayer.
Excess body fat
surrounds and puts pressure on (squeezes) a person’s internal organs,
especially the lungs and heart, and excretes unhealthy chemicals that
negatively impact many core body functions. This triggers a host of dis-eases that are now prevalent across
our nation and world. Imagine what this could be symptomatic and indicative
of in our personal and collective spiritual life.
When ‘Jeshurun grew fat’ (became financially
and economically prosperous/satisfied), God was slowly squeezed out of the nation’s spiritual
heart. Material prosperity reduced the need and capacity for earnest,
fervent prayer, represented by the
life-sustaining function of a person’s lungs.
Life became mostly about markets and money, the oil of markets. This progressed to the point that God’s vast
supply of patient Grace was exhausted, ushering in His Judgment and its ensuing
Righteousness, if only temporarily. According to Jeremiah 9:24, God is in the Earth exercising (1) loving kindness/Grace, (2) judgment, and (3) righteousness. Bible
and world history unveils these always occur in the noted order. (See: What’s
Really Going On (…Inside)
From Jeshurun’s history
and Jeremiah 9:24, God infers:
#1 Grace is always
protracted, with a generous supply of warnings
#2 Judgment always
follows Grace, especially when there is no repentance
#3 Judgment is intended to always
usher in a Righteousness remnant
#4 Righteousness flourishes
for a while as the spiritual eyes of that remnant are opened, and they ‘straighten up and fly right’ (if but for a
season)
Judgment remnants are those
who
remain to
remember and to relay
their Judgment experiences on
to their descendants
Apply this insight
to the Laodicean Church, and by extension to Church America, given its
prominent role toward the perceived end of the Church Age. In many respects, we are similar to the Laodicean church, predicted in
Revelation 3:14-22, walking in our own sinful hypo-crisies and contradictions. Could The Lord now be seeing in our hearts similar lukewarmness He upbraided the Laodicean Church about? The
entire earth realm is a huge planting
field God designed to draw out (extract) and plant that which is rooted/hidden in
people’s hearts, whether good, bad or ugly. This is why Proverbs 4:23 warns us
to:
Keep/guard your heart/spirit
with all diligence,
for out of it spring the issues of life.
for out of it spring the issues of life.
Does reading about the Laodicean
church make you consider what The Lord might be revealing/exposing in our hearts. My own reflections on the points, noted in
Parts 1 and 2, prompted me to repent, and as a Psalmist, to sing this prayer. If
this resonates with your spirit as well, please join me in this prayer:
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1 The 7 Church Ages are:
The
Loveless Church (@Ephesus)
The
Persecuted Church (@Smyrna)
The
Compromising Church (@Pergamos)
The
Corrupt Church (@Thyatira)
The
Dead Church (@Sardis)
The
Faithful Church (@Philadelphia,
ancient city)
The
Lukewarm Church (@Laodicea)
Rapture: The global event that will signal the start
of the predicted 7-year tribulation period of God’s wrath poured out on the
Christ-rejecting world.
2 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,
“These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of
the creation of God: ‘I know your works, that you are neither cold nor
hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm,
and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because
you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ --
and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked
-- I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be
rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of
your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that
you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous
and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My
voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with
Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I
also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an
ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”” (Revelation 3:14-22)
