Revelation 3:22 - Printer Friendly

ESV: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

NIV: Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'

NASB: The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’?'

CSB: "Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches."

NLT: 'Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.'

KJV: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

NKJV: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’ ”

Verse 22 extends Jesus' final challenge to the seven churches of Asia Minor. The challenge extends to us, too. We should heed Jesus' messages to the seven churches.

We can learn from His message to the church at Ephesus to keep our love for the Lord fresh and fervent. We can learn from His message to the church at Smyrna to be faithful unto death. From His message to the church at Pergamum we can learn to reject sexual immorality and the rule of others over the church. From what Jesus said to the church at Thyatira we can learn to hold fast to the faith until Jesus comes. From Jesus' message to the church at Sardis we can learn to remember the truth and stay alert. Jesus' words to the church at Philadelphia teach us to endure with patience the race that is set before us. And from the message to the Laodicean church we can learn to avoid smug complacency and to keep the door open for Jesus to enter every area of our life.

Revelation 3:14–22 is Jesus' final and most strident message, addressed to the church at Laodicea. We learn from this assessment that the Laodicean church was lukewarm, smug, and self-satisfied. It boasted about its wealth and need of nothing. But the church deceived itself. In terms of its spiritual condition, it was wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Jesus urged the church to turn to Him, as He was positioned outside the church, inviting whoever heard His voice to open the door and welcome Him. Laodicea is the only church of seven which receives only criticism, and no positive remarks.

These final letters symbolize Church history from AD 1500 to the Rapture, the event that transports the Church from earth to be with Jesus. Sardis had a good reputation, but it was actually spiritually dead. Philadelphia had a good opportunity to spread the gospel, and it had kept Jesus' word and had remained loyal to Him. As such, Jesus promises to reward this church's conquerors. Laodicea was proud of its wealth, but was spiritually lukewarm, a characteristic that Jesus detests. He promises to fellowship with anyone in the church who would heed His voice and welcome Him. Laodicea is the only church given no praise by Christ.

This chapter concludes the letters Jesus instructed the apostle John to write to seven churches in Asia Minor. Those messages began in chapter 2. This passage ends the section of Revelation that describes the things that are (Revelation 1:19), meaning the things which existed in John's lifetime. Chapter 1 describes what John had seen (Revelation 1:19), and chapter 4 begins John's account of what was to take place in the future (Revelation 1:19).

The word ''revelation'' means ''an unveiling or disclosure.'' This writing unveils future events such as the rapture, three series of judgments that will fall on the earth during the tribulation, the emergence of the Antichrist, the persecution of Israel and her amazing revival, as well as Jesus' second coming with His saints to the earth, the judgment of Satan and his followers, and finally, the eternal state. This content, combined with the original Greek term apokalypsis, is why we now refer to an end-of-the-world scenario as ''an apocalypse.''

Accessed 5/5/2024 9:22:05 AM