Listen To The Spirit - And Understand

“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.” [Revelation 3.22]

What is said to the "the churches" in Revelation 3.22 (as well as in Revelation 2.7, 2.11, 2.17, 2.29, 3.6, and 3.13) is said timelessly to the Church. The Church simply must listen to the Spirit and understand what He is saying to it. This demand is not optional.

It would seem that the individual descriptions of each of the seven churches of Revelation chapters 2 and 3, speak corporately of the conditions found in the Church at large. After all, the Church is one body and, if we are careful in our understanding of this fact, must conclude that corporately the Church possesses not only the strengths defined for each of the seven churches, but is also corporately infested with the defined weaknesses as well.

Throughout the context of the seven messages to the seven churches, we find wording alluding to idolatry if not openly mentioning it. Any mention of "turning back to" or "repenting" are specific "idol-speak"; one cannot turn to God except that he first turn away from idols - anything a person has turned away from God and therefore to, is an idol. Sexual sins and food offered to idols are both tied directly to idolatry and its practices.

Likewise, the LORD upholds His sovereign position every time He says, "I know..." which, by the way, He said to each of the seven churches signifying His "knowing all." Idols only know what they know (if anything) and it is usually specific and limited (god of war, god of sex, god of fertility, god of harvest, sun-god, moon-god, etc...).

It is also worth repeating that anyone with ears to hear is also idol-speak as elaborated in Ears To Hear.

The point is, to hear and understand what God is saying to the Church (the churches), one will see that idolatry will be heavily involved in the conversation. No amount of spiritualizing the text will remove this Biblical reality. 

In the beginning of His earthly ministry, Jesus specifically used repentance and turning to God as principal requirements:

From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” [Matthew 4.17]

And, it is only natural that Jesus, God Incarnate, would do so...! 

“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.2-7]

If we are to EVER listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches, it will be to understand that the sin of idolatry, beginning with idolatry to "self" ("Has God really said...?") and growing from there, is what separates man from God. Every form and version of sin can be traced back to idolatry - ultimately the idol of "self."

Having established what is said to this point, it is critical to see it further demonstrated as the "scene changes" in today's One Year Chronological Bible reading from Revelation chapter 3 to Revelation chapter 4. The scene shifts from the Church on earth to the audience in Heaven. What is taking place in heaven? Profound (unadulterated, un-idolatrous) worship of GOD ALONE:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.” [Revelation 4.8]

The record of this transition in the book of Revelation is no mistake! The opposite of adulterous idolatry as found in the Church is singular and profound worship of God alone in Heaven. As the seven letters to the seven churches reveal, no hold to idolatry in the Church is acceptable on earth because it does not exist in heaven.

We must train our ears to hear this message! But, we will not understand if we remain in gross ignorance of the Bible. Gross ignorance of the Bible is gross ignorance of God's 1st Commandment and consequently gross ignorance of the sinful idolatry decried therein (from beginning to end). Gross ignorance of the Bible is also gross ignorance of Jesus and His consistent demand (as "God with Us") for singular obedience:

“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.” [Revelation 3.22] 

Father, Your Word is so amazing! May we truly become students of Your Word - of Jesus - and find strength to turn away from our idols and turn to You. May our eyes be opened to the idols of our day - idols that must be turned away from - idols at the root of the gross sins we see all around us, so that we behold only Jesus as the fulfillment of Your every promise! So be it.