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Revelation 3:14-16

[14] And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the

Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

[15] I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

[16] So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out

of my mouth.

What exactly did God meant by cold and hot?

God is declaring that Gospel, which is His Word, is likened unto that which is hot and cold, and so is not to be made into something it is not--it should not be compromised. Here, lukewarm is a compromise between Hot and cold. God is illustrating that these of this Church had found some middle ground, conceded or compromised His Word, so that it was no longer His word, but their own watered down gospels. Therefore, the Word of God is no longer belonged in God’s mouth. He would thus vomit them out--as they were His mouth-pieces, the false messengers of His Word. Now what does hot and cold represents? They are the characteristic of the two opposite aspects of His Word. Salvation and Judgment. In other words, God's Word is hot as fire that will judge, and as cold as cool waters to a thirsty soul. God wants his servants to bring His Word exactly that way, Hot or Cold! Not a “mixture” designed to make the hearer feel more comfortable (lukewarm). Today, we are living in a time where every preacher is looking to be popular, beloved, or appeasing the sinners, rather than speak the Word "unadulterated" as the Lord has given it. We were given a power to testify Gospel as Christians, we are the prophets, sent by the mouth of God, and we are not to “compromise” His Hot and Cold Word into lukewarm. Ezekiel wrote against the rebellious house of Old Testament Israel as an example for us today: Ezekiel 2:4-10

● "For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say

unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD.

● And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious

house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.

● And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers

and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor

be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.

● And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they

will forbear: for they are most rebellious.

● But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that

rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee.

● And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein;

● And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written

therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe."

As in Revelation, God is talking to a rebellious house of the New Testament congregation (aka, Babylon the Great). Note in Revelation God calls them out for this lukewarmness because they "claim" they are rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing. And God says they are unaware that "in reality" they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked, spiritually speaking. The hard truth is these are synonyms for lacking salvation. And that is why they wrest God's word so that it is more palatable and comfortable to the hearer, so that the people will like them and speak well of them, and they can feel a sense of "their own" accomplishment. This is what we are seeing today.

How does Christian witness Hot or Old? Our "work" or labor as messengers of God is in witnessing the gospel. We are His prophets, His mouthpieces, His ambassadors who come with the testimony of Christ from His mouth to the world. Cold and Hot. Since God is not verbally thundering from the mountain top anymore, not speaking to us from a burning bush, nor in whirlwind. Rather, He speaks to the world through His Church. So that our word is God's Word (presumably) that must be witnessed exactly as God speaks it, which is hot and cold. Our witness must be based on Gospel. That's HIS DESIRE, that we speak His Word Hot and Cold. For that is a word showing both aspects of God's nature. A hot Word of the fires of His judgment to the rebellious, and of the Word of the cold refreshing of salvation. The word from God's mouth is "both," and that is how God wants his people to be witnesses of it. However, God used these of the Church of the Laodiceans as an example who came with neither, as the formulated their own mixture. Their labors were in their own formula of the gospel. This is what is in view when the Lord says He wishes they were hot or cold (because God's word is Hot or cold) but they were not coming that way. This is made perfectly clear in the fact that God declares that because they are not hot or cold, He will vomit them out of His mouth. Note carefully what God said, “out of His mouth.” Why? Because His word comes from His mouth and their work was in bringing a word that simply didn't belong in God's mouth. So as Messengers of that word, they are vomited out of God's mouth. Again, this another clear illustration that He is talking about the word at His mouth, which is the work the Church is to bring. He would (or wishes) that they were Hot and Cold, but they were not.

Why God does not like “lukewarm” Christians?

Judges 10:6-7

● "And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and

Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the

gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD,

and served not him.

● And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the

Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon."

The hot signifying God's judgment upon them "because" of their sins. The old testament congregation of Israel has compromised God’s Words with other gods to appease people. As a result, the Lord gave them up to these enemies as a judgment. Likewise with the new testament congregation of Israel, the Church, today! This is the witness that is missing in our Churches today. There is no longer the hot, the Lord's warning of judgment, or the cold, that salvation is only for the elect, only a lukewarm word wherein no one takes heed. For example, when have been prophesying a warning or judgment against apostate church today on subject about homosexualities, gay marriage, women in position, speaking in tongues, prosperity gospel, free will gospel, the word I prophesied is “hot” is now considered by professed Christians as unloving, harsh, judgmental, cruel, hypocritical, insensitive, etc., when in reality it is merely God's word spoken exactly the way it came from His mouth. Now the warning is if the work we do, the word we come with, is NOT His word (Hot or cold) of judgment or redemption, but our own personal blend (lukewarm) that allows people with clear conscience to live within their own personal "comfort level," or excuses their sins, then it doesn't belong in God's mouth as His word! Therefore will He vomit those bringing it out of "His mouth" because they are not keeping the faithful Testimony or Witnesses of His word! In other words, they do not love the Truth so they will believe their lie (the “compromised” gospel/doctrines “they” created) as a judgment! 2 Thessalonians 2:8-11 [8] And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: [9] Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, [10] And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. [11] And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: The difference between those of the Church He speaks to whose works are neither hot or cold, but lukewarm, and those whose works are hot or cold, is that one witnesses God's word at God's mouth, and the other puts his own words into God's mouth. Thus he shall be vomited out as messenger of God's Word. Hot or cold, judgment or Salvation, as opposed to lukewarm words of “Your Best Life Now,” “I declared”, “Ye shall have Peace,” or “Don't Worry you won't be judged,” or “God will forgive you for divorce, because He would want you to be happy,” etc. , etc. God's word is hot also, and all the true prophets always brought it that way.

Jeremiah 5:14

● [14] Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I

will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

The Prophet spoke a Word that was a Word of Judgment. There is the definition of the Prophet (mouthpiece) of God, doing his work bringing God's word hot, because He comes speaking God's word of judgment. It does not mean that the prophets will literally spew fire upon people. It is a spiritual picture that the Lord is judging these people through the prophets. God also talked about his witnesses during the New Testament period where Elects can prophesy judgment upon those who tried to harm them: Revelation 11:3-5 [3] And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. [4] These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. [5] And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. Symbolically speaking, as fire is to wood, so is the Word of God to the wicked because it is the declaration of their fiery destruction which cannot return void. Bear with me for a moment and listen to this…God is not speaking literally here. Some of us who have studied Eschatology, why would we listen to those theologians who claim that these are physically two people (ie. Moses and Elijah), also claim that they are literally fire breathing people who roast the wicked with flames out of their mouths?! This inconsistency is the hallmark of error! Think about it, if they were two literal people, then their mouths are literal, and the fire from it literal. The mouth is another clue that this fire is “symbolizing” the Word of God. The mouth is where Words of fire come from, not literal flames. The faithful Church speak that is like a fire to burn the enemies of God. That is the WORD OF GOD! The Church comes in mourning because they recognize the seriousness of sin, and they know that the world is going to hell in a hand basket. Their Word of testimony to repent and be saved is as COOL WATERS to those who by Grace of God “receive” it, but their testimony of sure judgment and God’s vengeance upon the unrepentant is “AS FIRE” to those who do not want to hear it, do not love the truth, or try to kill God’s witnesses (by hating or silencing God’s people’s truthful testimony). That is the judgment upon their heads as fire! These unrepentant are those devoured by the fire from the WITNESS of the Church. Likewise, when we come with the cool waters of salvation, it is our work of bringing His Word cold.

Matthew 10:41-42

[41] He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and

he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's

reward.

[42] And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in

the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

The word cold here is [psuchros], the same as in Revelation. Both referring to the word of refreshing of the gospel that we bring. God's word from His mouth "we" extend to the people. For example, it is a warning not to put words in God's mouth that are not His. Which we are seeing so many Christians doing today in Churches! They don't like the Hot or cold Word, they want to make the gospel more comfortable and palatable to the masses. You don't have to do any work, you shall still have peace, you can violate God's law because God is love, you have Grace, so don't be hard on people who are born gay, and on and on. Lukewarm doesn't belong as coming from His mouth, so He will spew (vomit) it out as a testimony against those professing Christians. Which is WHY we need to make our calling and election sure! Ezekiel 22:28

[28] And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining

lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken.

That's what those professed Christians whose works are not Hot or cold bring. A word that is not the Lord's. A lukewarm word so that people may be comfortable in the sin and their "alleged" salvation. They come with a convoluted word that is not a word from God's mouth.

Babylon the Great, a lukewarm church? The reason that there are so many professing Christians who come with works that are made comfortable for the people (being neither hot nor cold), is because of the unfaithfulness of pastors and leaders of the Church today. For example, Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyers, Todd Bentley, Steven Furtick, etc. There is a great apostasy that has come over the Churches and it started because the people's works were neither hot nor cold. Have you notice Christians today seldom make an absolute statement anymore? I've never seen so many Christians so unsure of anything as I do today. It's always, I believe this, but it could be just the opposite, or I believe God created the world, but evolution seems to fit in too, or I believe in Amillennialism, but Premillennialism has some good points too, I believe in marriage until death do us apart, but I think there are circumstances where it is OK for divorce, Free will, Roman Catholicism, Homosexuality, Salvation for non Christians, nothing has an "actual" answer anymore. There's always a compromise in everything, and with every passing generation it gets worse, with the new leaders being a lot more compromising than the last. My point being, it all starts with a small crack, a little leak in the dike that is never repaired, and allowed to grow until the flow is unstoppable. That's how compromise works. That is how Satan works through false prophets and Christs in the churches today. Once it starts, its end is inevitable. God warned about Jersualem before she fell to Babylon:

Jeremiah 5:27-31

[27] As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become

great, and waxen rich.

[28] They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not

the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not

judge.

[29] Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a

nation as this?

[30] A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;

[31] The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people

love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?

Jerusalem fell to Babylon in the Old Testament as an example for our understanding in Revelation.

This time, God is warning that His Church, too, shall become Spiritual Babylon the Great BECAUSE

of the rise of false prophets and Christs coming with the spirit of Antichrist (birds) armed with

“lukewarm” gospels that deceives many, but the Elects who has come out of her:

Revelation 18:2-4

[2] And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is

become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean

and hateful bird.

[3] For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the

earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through

the abundance of her delicacies.

[4] And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not

partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

[End]