10. How shall this experience come?—By the surrender to the love of Jesus as the needy, common sinners that we are. 1 Tim. 1:15; 1 John 1:8, 9.
11. What encouragement is in the reproof itself? Rev. 3:19.
12. Must the sinner search far to find the Saviour? Verse 20, first part.
13. What is the needy soul to do?—Only to hear, open the heart's door; no longer hold it shut. Verse 20; John 14:23.
"Yes, I'll open this proud heart's door;
Yes, I'll let Him in.
Gladly I'll welcome Him evermore;
O, yes, I'll let Him in.
Blessed Saviour, abide with me,
Cares and trials will lighter be;
I am safe if I'm only with Thee;
O blessed Lord, come in."
14. What does Christ long to do? Rev. 3:20, last part. Note 4.
15. What is the final promise and exhortation? Verses 21, 22.
Note that all the promises and warnings and lessons of the messages to the seven churches come to those in the last days, with the solemn call to hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Truly last-day professors and unbelievers are left without excuse. "What could have been done more to My vineyard, that I have not done in it?" Isa. 5:4.
NOTES.
1. Laodicea signifies a "judging of the people." From 1844 to the close of probation is the hour of God's judgment. After this work of judging the people, the Lord will come. The message to the world in this judgment hour is the threefold message of Rev. 14:6-12, the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus, which has brought out this Seventh-day Adventist people.
2. It is evident that the last two periods of the church—Philadelphia and Laodicea—cover one and the same generation. The rise of the Advent movement and the special message of preparation for the end was a signal that the opening years of the closing generation had been reached, to whom was due God's final warning. Believers who came in during the Philadelphian experience, such as live to the coming of the Lord, pass through the Laodicean period. The final trials and experiences of the last-day church are therefore described in the message to Philadelphia, while the special perils to the waiting church in the last generation are pointed out in the Laodicean message. The time of the Laodicean message is one of drowsiness and peril, and the burden of the message is to escape from the Laodicean condition.
3. The title "Amen" suggests the final word to the churches, the faithful witness that can not spare; for now the church must be made clean and pure to meet the Lord. It must return to the first love and first works, to the primitive purity of the first stage of Ephesus, and maintain constantly to the end that blessed experience enjoyed in the brief stage of the Philadelphia church, in which believers, joined in fellowship, waited for the appearing of the Saviour. Eph. 5:27; Rev. 14:5.
4. He will take our sin and give His righteousness. 2 Cor. 5:21. He longs to share our trials and share with us His triumphs.
