Sat.’s Devo - Philadelphia and Laodicea

Read: Amos 7:1-9:15; Revelation 3:7-22; Psalm 131:1-3; Proverbs 29:33 God showed Amos two different scenarios; one of locusts who ate up the crops and the other of a great fire that destroyed everything. Amos cried out to the Lord not to do either because Israel would never survive them. So God came up with a third one: a plumb line. He would use his plumb line to test his people because he could not ignore their sins any longer. God wanted to bring King Jeroboam’s dynasty to an end. Amaziah, a priest in Bethel, sent a message to Jeoboam telling him of Amos’ plot against him, as if it was Amos’ plot! Amaziah had Amos thrown out of Bethel and sent back to the land of Judah where he was from. Amos turned and prophesied that Amaziah’s wife would become a prostitute in that city and his children would die but he would be carried off to another land captive. God gave Amos a vision of a basket of ripe fruit which represented Israel. They were ripe for judgment. Amos listed their sins. They oppressed the poor, were dishonest in business as well as worshipping idols and not Him. God was sending a famine of hearing what he said. God was going to punish his people and bring destruction, and famine. There would be no where they could go to escape God’s punishment. Then, God would restore it and bring the people back to their land. In Revelation we read the messages to the last two churche: Philadelphia and Laodicea. Philadelphia was the age of the Missionary Church. It is the only church that did not get a rebuke. Philadelphia means “brotherly love”. During this time in history, 1750-1900, God sent men to begin a new world in America. He also started sending missionaries like Adaniram Judson, David Livingstone, Jonathan Goforth and thousands of others to Africa, China, Japan, Korea, India, South America and the islands of the sea. This was the time of the “Great Awakening” with the Wesley brothers, George Whitfield, Jonathan Edwards, David Brainard, and many others. God raised up men of faith as America’s Founding Fathers like Patrick Henry, John Hay, Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, James Madison and John Witherspoon. While in the Old World there was much persecution and unrest, God was starting a new work in America and raising it up to be a beacon of hope and light to the nations. The last church was Laodicea the Apostate Church or the People’s Church. Laodicea was a wealthy church steeped in Greek culture which was rich in information and industry. The Catholic church was growing and the Pope, Leo IX blamed the Protestant Reformation off all the trouble going on in the churches. Liberal theology became popular and salvation by works replaced Jesus’ blood on the cross. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels rose to power and were anti-God and anti-Christ. It became a federal offense to teach religion in Russia. They persecuted and killed Christians. Many Christians were killed in the wars. This age will last until the Tribulation. God told this church that they were lukewarm and that he would spew them out of his mouth. They thought they were rich and had everything but they were poor in their soul. God called them to turn from their indifference and take the door he was putting before them. Inside this door was fellowship with God. Lord, may we choose to walk in humility and enjoy the fellowship of your presence.