PREPARATION FOR THE THIRD SEASON FEASTS: THE CONGREGATION OF LAODICEA (Revelation 3:17-18)

Elul 22 (4 September 2026)

The KING is in the FIELD! AWAKEN the BELIEVERS!

CONGREGATION SEVEN: LAODICEA (Revelation 3:17-18)

The Congregation of Laodicea,

MESSIAH YESHUA WARNS THE CONGREGATION OF LAODICEA:

As discussed yesterday:

1. He knows what they are DOING – they are neither cold nor hot. How He wishes that they were either one or the other. So, because they are LUKEWARM, neither cold nor hot, He will vomit them out of His mouth! 

2. For they KEEP SAYING, ‘I am rich, I have gotten rich, I don’t need a thing!’ They don’t know that they are the ones who are wretched (shameful), pitiable, poor, blind and naked! 

His advice to them is to buy from HIM: 

1). GOLD REFINED BY FIRE, so that they may be rich;

• • The believers in Laodicea deceived themselves into thinking they were rich because they were living in a wealthy trading city and did not lack money and earthly possessions, but in God’s eyes they were spiritually wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. This is the direct opposite of the believers in Smyrna who suffered poverty (lacking money and earthly possessions), but were spiritually rich in YHVH their God. The believers in Laodicea’s gold was full of dross. They needed to invest their time in developing a RELATIONSHIP with YHVH and be REFINED by HIM.

• • This is also a warning for us as believers today, to take note of the disconnect between worldly riches and spiritual well-being. It is so easy to become complacent (self-satisfied) when we are enjoying financial security and we feel self-sufficient, only going through the motions of religion without truly seeking a deeper connection with YHVH our God. And ending up spiritually wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. We live in a time where people have material wealth, success and comfort, but are empty inside.

• • In our daily making a living, we can sometimes lose track of our temporariness. Messiah Yeshua told the following parable as an illustration of guarding against the desire for riches because our lives do not consist in what we own. We read in Luke 12:16b-21 “There was a man whose land was very productive. He debated with himself, ‘What should I do? I haven’t enough room for all my crops.’ Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and I’ll store all my wheat and other goods there. Then I’ll say to myself, ‘You’re a lucky man! You have a big supply of goods laid up that will last many years. Start taking it easy! Eat! Drink! Enjoy yourself! But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night you will die! And the things you prepared – whose will they be? That’s how it is with anyone who stores up wealth for himself without being rich toward God (the Father).”

He also said in Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not store up for yourselves wealth here on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and burglars break in and steal. Instead, store up for yourselves wealth in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and burglars do not break in or steal. For where your wealth is, there your heart will be also.”

Messiah Yeshua therefore warns us of the dangers of prioritizing material success over spiritual growth.

The call to BUY GOLD from Messiah Yeshua refined by fire points to TRUE SPIRITUAL WEALTH that comes from enduring trials. It challenges believers to seek a deeper, more meaningful RELATIONSHIP with YHVH our God that transcends material possessions.

• • Peter explained in 1 Peter 1:7-8 to the believers: “Even GOLD is TESTED for GENUINESS BY FIRE. The PURPOSE of these TRIALS is so that your TRUST’s (FAITH’s) GENUINESS, which is far more VALUABLE than perishable gold, will be JUDGED worthy of praise, glory and honor at the REVEALING of YEHSUA MESSIAH. Without having seen Him, you LOVE HIM. Without seeing Him now, but TRUSTING (FAITH) in HIM, you continue to be FULL of JOY that is glorious beyond words. And you are RECEIVING what your TRUST (FAITH) is aiming at, namely, your DELIVERANCE. ”

2). And WHITE CLOTHING, so that they may be dressed and not have to be ashamed of their nakedness.

• • Again Laodicea was known for their Textile Industry, but Messiah Yeshua told them, notwithstanding the fabric produced by them they were spiritually naked and required WHITE CLOTHES of SALVATION.

• • The WHITE CLOTHES we saw also in the letter to the CONGREGATION of SARDIS was given to those who have not soiled their clothes; and they will WALK with Him, CLOTHED in WHITE, and those who wins the victory, like them, will be dressed by Him in WHITE CLOTHING; and HE will not blot out their names out of the BOOK of LIFE, in fact He will acknowledge them individually before His Father and before His angels (Revelation 3:4-5).

• • The WHITE COTHES therefore represents PURITY and the RIGHTEOUSNESS we receive when we accept MESSIAH YESHUA as our SAVIOUR through FAITH by GRACE as a GIFT of ABBA FATHER, read Ephesians 2:8-9. And then we are expected to keep our WHITE CLOTHES unsoiled (spotless), just like the believers in Sardis, through daily repentance and walking in OBEDIENCE in accordance of the example of our MESSIAH YESHUA with the help and guidance of the HOLY SPIRIT.
• • We also read in Revelation 16:15 “Look! I am COMING like a thief! HOW BLESSED are those WHO STAY ALERT and KEEP THEIR CLOTHES CLEAN, so that they won’t be walking naked and be publically put to shame!”
• • Paul explained in 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 “We know that when the tent (a reference to our temporary earthly bodies) which houses us here on earth is tore down, we have a permanent building from God (the Father), a building not made by hands, to house us in heaven (referring to our glorified resurrected bodies believers will receive during the Second Coming of Messiah Yeshua, also read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) For in this tent, our earthly body, we groan with desire to have around us the home from heaven that will be ours. With this around us (the glorified, resurrected body) we will not be found naked. Yes, while we are in this (earthly temporary) body, we groan with the sense of being oppressed; it is not so much that we want to take something off, but rather to put something on over it; so that what must die may be swallowed up by the (capital letter) LIFE. Moreover it is God (the Father) who has prepared us for this very thing, and as a pledge He has given us HIS SPIRIT. So we are always confident – we know that so long as we are at home in the (earthly) body, we are away from our home with the Master (Yeshua); for we live by TRUST (FAITH), not by what we see. We are confident, then, and would much prefer to leave our home in the (earthly) body and come to our home with the Master (Yeshua). Therefore, whether at home or far away from home, we try our utmost to please HIM; for we must ALL appear before MESSIAH’s COURT of JUDGEMENT, where everyone WILL RECEIVE the GOOD and BAD consequences of what he did while he was in the (earthly) body.”

• • And in Colossians 2:1-3 Paul specifically talked about Laodicea saying: “For I want you to know how hard I work for you, for those in LAODICEA, and for the rest of those who have not met me personally. My PURPOSE is that they may be encouraged, that they may be joined together IN LOVE, and that they may have ALL THE RICHE DERIVED from being ASSURED of UNDERSTANDING and FULLY KNOWING GOD’s the Father’s) SECRET TRUTH, which is – THE MESSIAH! It is IN HIM that ALL treasures of WISDOM and KNOWLEDGE are hidden!” Paul then says in verse 5-7 he rejoice in their DISCIPLINE and RESOLUTE (unwavering) FIRMNESS (steadfastness) of their TRUST (FAITH) in the MESSIAH. “Therefore, just as you RECEIVED the MESSIAH YESHUA as MASTER, keep living your life UNITED WITH HIM. Remain DEEPLY ROOTED IN HIM; continue being BUILT UP IN HIM and CONFIRMED in your TRUST (FAITH), the way you were taught, so that you OVERFLOW in THANKSGIVING

3). And EYESALVE to rub on their eyes, so that they may see.

• • Ironically an effective eye salve was produced by the Medical Centre in Laodicea but they were spiritually blind. They needed the “EYESALVE” that only Messiah Yeshua can give in order for them to “see” the TRUTH of the Word of YHVH. He declared in Luke 4:18c that He was anointed by God the Father to give: “renewed sight to the blind.” And in Luke 24:44-47 after His resurrection and shortly before His ascension He said to His disciples: This is what I meant when I was still with you and told you that EVERYTHIGN WRITTEN about ME in the Torah of Moses (Genesis to Deuteronomy), the Prophets and the Psalms had to be fulfilled. Then HE OPENED THEIR MINDS, so that they could UNDERSTND the Tanakh (the Old Testament), telling them. ‘Here is what it says: the MESIAH is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day; and in HIS NAME REPENTANCE leading to FORGIVENESS OF SINS is to be proclaimed to people from ALL NATIOSN, starting with Jerusalem. “

SOUL SEARCHING

1. Am I investing ALL or most of my time in fleeting pursuits of this world instead of seeking the lasting treasure of a vibrant, living relationship with my Savoir?

2. Am I truly satisfied with temporary riches that fade away or am I seeking the eternal riches that come from knowing and following Messiah Yeshua?

3. Am I aware of the temporariness of my life on earth and investing time in my RELATIONSHIP with YHVH my GOD?

4. Do I VALUE the timeless treasures of spiritual growth, purity and insight in the WORD of YHVH and a living RELATIONSHIP with Him?

REPENTANCE, RESTORATION AND ENCOURAGEMENT

• We are to repent from self-reliance and not settle for temporary comfort and early riches but instead strive to experience the spiritual riches and abundant life that only Messiah Yeshua can offer us.

• We must recognize our SPIRITUAL POVERTY in spite of earthly riches and then humbly come before God our Father, through Messiah Yeshua admitting our shortcomings and weaknesses and open our hearts to the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

• SPIRITUAL RICHESS includes inner qualities such as wisdom, peace, joy, strength and love developed in our WALK with YHVH our GOD, through prayer, studying and meditating on His Word and implementing our CALLINGS and GIFTS within the BODY of MESSIAH (the Congregation).

• So let us shift our focus away from temporary things that hold no true value, to drawing closer to YHVH our God and nurturing our spirits with His WORD in preparing for spending eternity in His presence.