If any of us had been to Heaven and seen the purity and holiness that form the foundation of Heavenly life, I think our world would look very dim after that, and all our earthly happiness would seem like a parody. But we don't worry about this at all and seek everything that can make us happy, even if only for a short time. The absence of peace with God makes all those living on Earth extremely miserable, and all kinds of artificial fears and intimidations through the media exacerbate this situation.
The enemy of the soul does everything possible to keep the entire planet in fear and unbelief, offering his solution to problems, and these deceptions are so great and strong that even God's people have fallen under this influence. When the wine of Babylon is brought into God's church and sin is offered as science, then there can be no question of any happiness. It is not in God's plans to multiply happy sinners.
Communicating with different people, I often hear the question about whether I have a vacation and how I spend it. And I gladly share that for the last 15 years I have been resting exclusively at camp meetings and on Saturdays, and the rest of the time I work with my own hands. Not everyone understands me. For some, a trip to the sea is the peak of bliss, and no means are spared for this. I try to explain that my stay where the outpouring of the Holy Spirit occurs makes me happy, both at the meeting itself and after it. "And what do you do there?" We attend useful seminars, meet new people, make friends, sing and listen to beautiful songs, pray for each other and for the well-being of our world, and experience many other things that bring holy joy to our lives. Sometimes in such a description of my leisure, I look like a resident of another planet. Few people are interested, asking: "Can I go with you next time?" And few of my loved ones share my company on these trips. But such meetings change a lot in life and switch thinking to the right mode, giving God the opportunity to bless me on all my other paths.
A little earlier, in previous lessons, we studied the laws of happiness. Now we are immersing ourselves in the depth of other Divine revelations, where the Lord gives us to know Him and reveals something great and inaccessible that we did not know. There is good news! Our Heavenly Father has in store among the Heavenly treasures a lot of great and inaccessible things that we will not learn immediately, but by making personal efforts and investing our time. So the discoveries do not end.
With all my visible happiness, the Faithful Witness declares to me that I don't even know how miserable I am. At first, I did not agree with such a statement, but He opened to us the laws and foundations of happiness and showed what should be corrected and changed in life. Giving me light and a way out of this state, Jesus does not convince me that I will become happy, although He hints that I will be rich, clothed, and sighted. The acquisition of Heavenly goods will lead me out of a miserable state, but happiness is not promised to me, although it is tacitly implied that I will experience a similar state of spirit and soul due to union with God. The decision to be happy is in my hands and ultimately depends only on me. Even being in Heaven will not deprive me of the right to sadness and sorrow for lost friends and loved ones.
But the misery of which the True and Faithful Witness speaks has the following pattern. I will never become truly blessed if I do not follow the advice that the Lord gives me further.
The book of Revelation tells of seven blessings that people who study this Scripture and observe what is written in it will receive. The message to Laodicea is also an integral part of the book of Revelation and that very small door through which I enter into a special trading relationship with Christ. And they help me correctly understand and apply all subsequent messages and revelations. If I try to bypass this door or jump over it, I will be able to understand the further narrative with my mind, but my heart risks remaining without fruit and the oil of the Holy Spirit.
It is not I, but God who decides how best to behave in the last time, and what I need to be a winner.
All previous rebukes and instructions given to the six churches will not be able to help me gain victory in the Laodicean period if I reject the advice of the Faithful Witness. The Lord offers me the biggest and most expensive thing He has in Heaven, exchanging it for the most valuable and expensive thing I have. And only such a trade will open to me something very great and inaccessible that I did not know before. Reading these lines, it is impossible to understand what the trade of Laodicea is. It's like trying to explain to young people all the delights of marriage from the inside. They listen with their ears and understand familiar words, but do not imagine what is happening inside the union, and what feelings and experiences this endeavor brings. But by saying to God: "Yes. Yes," they are declared husband and wife and enter into a trading relationship with each other, exchanging themselves and receiving as a reward a deep knowledge of each other at the level of feelings, emotions, and personal revelations. And if sin and selfishness are not brought into these relationships, they will eternally develop and discover unknown depths of the heart treasures of each.
What do you think, is there something in Jesus' heart that He doesn't know about Himself until I make this discovery in our relationship? Don't rush to answer. We are dealing with an amazing God who gets incredible pleasure from close communication with each of us. And surely He has left some surprises for Himself, which I will be able to discover in Him. This is where happiness will be.
The message to Laodicea seems to tell me that I will never understand with my mind the meaning of marriage with the Lamb until I enter into this relationship.
As the life of newlyweds changes after their wedding, so will my life change after I give consent to Christ to enter into a marital union with Him through the images of Laodicean trade relations.
By declaring to me that I am miserable, the Lord makes me understand that without Him I will never understand the essence of true happiness. In my own way, I can be happy, and I even dwell in this state of mind, choosing happiness even in the most critical conditions. But happiness in Jesus differs from happiness outside of Him. As long as I am surrounded by the world, and sin reigns everywhere, I will never be able to understand what the bliss that the Lord has in mind means. No matter how comfortable I may be on the "Titanic", whose fate is already known to me, I will never find in it the bliss that would be full-fledged in all respects. This world is already condemned to destruction, and my days are also numbered. When they bring me to the end of my earthly history, all this knowledge about earthly happiness will turn out to be limited. But Jesus offers me a way out in Himself. And there is no other name under Heaven by which we should be saved and find the fullness of bliss.
Love is an indicator that my heart is with God, that I am in union with Jesus, that my life is in reliable God's hands, and my heart belongs to the One who shed His blood for its acquisition. And I don't just love, but I buy this quality of the soul.
Questions for reflection on this chapter
1. Please read Rev. 1:3; 3:17-18; Matt. 12:30-31; Prov. 1:23-33; 12:15; 19:20; 21:30; Micah 4:12; Deut. 28:1-2,15; Jer. 33:3; Job 3:25-26; 5:16-20; Ps. 22:6; 69:1-2; 88:14-15; Prov. 12:7; 15:15; 17:17; Eccl. 7:14; 1 Cor. 2:10-16; 15:19,58; Ezek. 28:5-8 in light of this chapter.
2. What did you understand from this chapter?
3. Are you a miserable person? If yes, why?
4. Do you know that in Jesus' eyes we are miserable?
5. Does the Lord desire to make us happy? Does He have something to accomplish this plan?
6. Why is Rev. 3:18 written? Does the Lord want us to notice it, pay attention to it, and think about the content of what is said?
7. What is the difference between Rev. 3:18 and all other verses in the Bible?
8. What is trading with God? Is it something bad or good?
9. Is it a sin to be happy? If not, then why are we miserable?
10. Are you joyful to immerse yourself in the depths of God's heart and discover new mysteries for yourself?
11. Are you surprised by the greatness of the verse from Rev. 3:18 and how modestly it is offered to me?
12. Why does the Lord so quietly and inconspicuously offer me all of Heaven and all of Himself and modestly wait for my decision and answer, not condemning me for delay or refusal?
13. Has our School done anything for your happiness? Has something great and inaccessible that you didn't know been revealed to you in our lessons? If yes, then share what useful things you have learned?
14. Do you think the Message to Laodicea will produce a sifting among God's people?
15. Is the Lord waiting for my positive response to His advice? Or is it not important to Him how I react?
16. Can the rejection of the Faithful Witness's advice be regarded as blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?