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Advent Lessons

Lesson 5 · April 30, 1904

The Seven Churches. Philadelphia and Laodicea

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Questions.

  1. 1.What church of Asia is used to represent the very last stage of Christ's church on earth? . Note 1.
  2. 2.Through what experience must believers in the last generation pass? ; . . Note 2.
  3. 3.What is the promise to the overcomer in the message to Philadelphia? .
  4. 4.Against what tendencies must the latter-day believers guard? ; .
  5. 5.How is the speaker to the Laodiceans described? . Note 3.
  6. 6.What reproof is sadly given? .
  7. 7.What makes the condition more deplorable? , first part.—Satisfaction in a profession of the truth.
  8. 8.What condition does this high and correct profession cover? , last part.
  9. 9.What counsel is given? . What is the gold? ; . What the raiment? . What the anointing? .
  10. 10.How shall this experience come?—By the surrender to the love of Jesus as the needy, common sinners that we are. ; .
  11. 11.What encouragement is in the reproof itself? .
  12. 12.Must the sinner search far to find the Saviour? , first part.
  13. 13.What is the needy soul to do?—Only to hear, open the heart's door; no longer hold it shut. ; .

Notes

> "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."

  1. 14.What does Christ long to do? , last part. Note 4.
  2. 15.What is the final promise and exhortation? .

Notes

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?" .

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 , 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. ; .

4. He will take our sin and give His righteousness. . He longs to share our trials and share with us His triumphs.

Bible texts in this lesson

Revelation 3:14 · Revelation 3:10 · Revelation 3:11 · 2 Thessalonians 2:9 · 2 Thessalonians 2:10 · Revelation 12:17 · Revelation 3:12 · Matthew 24:12 · 2 Timothy 3:1-5 · Revelation 3:15 · Revelation 3:16 · Revelation 3:17 · Revelation 3:18 · James 2:5 · Ephesians 2:7 · Ephesians 2:8 · Isaiah 61:10 · Isaiah 61:1 · 1 Timothy 1:15 · 1 John 1:8 · 1 John 1:9 · Revelation 3:19 · Revelation 3:20 · John 14:23 · Revelation 3:21 · Revelation 3:22 · Isaiah 5:4 · Revelation 14:6-12 · Ephesians 5:27 · Revelation 14:5 · 2 Corinthians 5:21

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This lesson PDF Whole quarter PDF · 13 lessons