In this week’s study, I finish up in Chapter 3, with the Church of Laodicea
I start off this morning discussing a major event that took place app. 363/364 AD. That event was the Council of Laodicea. Why was this event so important? Let me ask you something, what are the lost books of the Bible? They were texts and letters suppressed by early "Church Fathers". There was an important historical event, back in the 4th century. It is called the Council of Laodicea. It changed history two significant ways. At this council they determined what would and would not be considered canon. They decided what would and would not be included in the Bible or read at church. (Canon #60.)
CANON LX.
THESE are all the books of Old Testament appointed to be read: 1, Genesis of the world; 2, The Exodus from Egypt; 3, Leviticus; 4, Numbers; 5, Deuteronomy; 6, Joshua, the son of Nun; 7, Judges, Ruth; 8, Esther; 9, Of the Kings, First and Second; 10, Of the Kings, Third and Fourth; 11, Chronicles, First and Second; 12, Esdras, First and Second; 13, The Book of Psalms; 14, The Proverbs of Solomon; 15, Ecclesiastes; 16, The Song of Songs;17, Job; 18, The Twelve Prophets; 19, Isaiah; 20, Jeremiah, and Baruch, the Lamentations, and the Epistle; 21, Ezekiel; 22, Daniel.
And these are the books of the New Testament: Four Gospels, according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; The Acts of the Apostles; Seven Catholic Epistles, to wit, one of James, two of Peter, three of John, one of Jude; Fourteen Epistles of Paul, one to the Romans, two to the Corinthians, one to the Galatians, one to the Ephesians, one to the Philippians, one to the Colossians, two to the Thessalonians, one to the Hebrews, two to Timothy, one to Titus, and one to Philemon. NOTE NO BOOK OF REVELATION!
20 Behold = “I-do” calling attention to
stand = literally have taken my station
at = “epi” it implies the downward pressure on that upon which a thing rests; active motion being suggested. Therefore it is any extended motion downward from heaven to earth.
My voice = He appeals to the sinner not only with His hand (His providences) knocking, but also with His voice
Yahshua Messiah stands = waits long, at the door of the sinner’s heart; he knocks - uses judgments, mercies, reproofs, exhortations, etc., to induce sinners to repent and turn to him; he lifts up his voice - calls loudly by his word, ministers, and Spirit.
If any man hear = for man is not compelled by irresistible force: The Messiah knocks, but does not break open the door,
With him and he with Me = I will bring him at last to dwell with me in everlasting glory. This reminds me of those verses in the Gospel of John Chapter 14:1-11, 17:17-26
Notice that we have something we must do. Hear His voice and open the door. The Holy Spirit will not shout at us or order us around. He will not break the door to our hearts down. We must listen and respond by letting Him in. We can keep Him locked out of our lives, even as Christians, by not listening to His call, His rebuke. We can leave the door shut to the Holy Spirit who wants to work in our new nature, instead responding to the sin nature. We need to be earnest and repent.
Don’t end up like those in Hosea 4:6 ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God (Elohim), I will also forget thy children.’
But, be like those in 2Timothy 2:15 ‘Study to shew thyself approved unto God (Yahweh), a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.’
Join me as we go Chapter by Chapter, Verse by Verse, Unraveling the Words of Yahweh!
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