Harvest 1874
Well-Known Member
You state: … you will see Russel's grave stone that reads "The Laodicean Messenger"?
When you read Rev 3:14-19, you find the Laodicean church was wretched, miserable, naked, lukewarm, and God was going to spew this church out of his mouth, as he called it to repent?
Why would any Christian want to put "The Laodicean Messenger" on his grave stone?
In Reply, because many bible students believe that he was the Laodicean Messenger, the messenger to the seventh and final stage of the church, the “faithful and wise servant” (Matt 24:45) who was found faithfully dispensing to the Lord’s household (the household of faith), “meat in due season”, present truth, upon the Lord’s arrival.
It should be noted that the word Laodicean means: Justice for the People.
Being chosen as the Lord’s messenger to anyone of the seven stages of the church is a great honor, it implies the Lord’s faith and trust in the individual to relay his message to the church at that time faithfully and without prejudice not holding back either criticism or praise. You appear to under the impression that because this stage of the church is lukewarm and has been spewed from the mouth of God, i.e. Babylon has fallen, that the messenger is likewise fallen in this you err. In each stage of the church the message is to be given to both the true element (the faithful) as well as the false (the nominally professing element).
The problem here is that you mistakenly assumes that the messages contained in the letters were specifically addressed to the angels themselves, they were not. The letter (or the spirit of understanding specifically what the Lord wished addressed) was sent (by means of the Holy Spirit) to the individual angel (messenger), who in turn was to relay it to the church in order that they might overcome. The seven chosen angels were chosen because of their faithfulness, not because they themselves were having problems in the areas addressed.
It is important to bear in mind that these letters to the seven stages of the church were not literal written letters (sent through the mail or what have you), but rather they were spiritual letters (messages, lessons), sent by the Lord through the agency of the Holy Spirit. (This does not imply that there may or may not have been actual letters sent to the actual churches listed, but if there were it is highly unlikely that they would have comprehended correctly what the messages truly signified seeing as their true intent was for the church as a whole as it progressed through history.)
Since each message is written to the angel and not directly to the church, it is implied that the messenger will be sufficiently well known and /or well published so that the faithful of the period will be able to get the message from him. He will stand out in ecclesiastical history. He will not be obscure in the religious world.
When you read Rev 3:14-19, you find the Laodicean church was wretched, miserable, naked, lukewarm, and God was going to spew this church out of his mouth, as he called it to repent?
Why would any Christian want to put "The Laodicean Messenger" on his grave stone?
In Reply, because many bible students believe that he was the Laodicean Messenger, the messenger to the seventh and final stage of the church, the “faithful and wise servant” (Matt 24:45) who was found faithfully dispensing to the Lord’s household (the household of faith), “meat in due season”, present truth, upon the Lord’s arrival.
It should be noted that the word Laodicean means: Justice for the People.
Being chosen as the Lord’s messenger to anyone of the seven stages of the church is a great honor, it implies the Lord’s faith and trust in the individual to relay his message to the church at that time faithfully and without prejudice not holding back either criticism or praise. You appear to under the impression that because this stage of the church is lukewarm and has been spewed from the mouth of God, i.e. Babylon has fallen, that the messenger is likewise fallen in this you err. In each stage of the church the message is to be given to both the true element (the faithful) as well as the false (the nominally professing element).
The problem here is that you mistakenly assumes that the messages contained in the letters were specifically addressed to the angels themselves, they were not. The letter (or the spirit of understanding specifically what the Lord wished addressed) was sent (by means of the Holy Spirit) to the individual angel (messenger), who in turn was to relay it to the church in order that they might overcome. The seven chosen angels were chosen because of their faithfulness, not because they themselves were having problems in the areas addressed.
It is important to bear in mind that these letters to the seven stages of the church were not literal written letters (sent through the mail or what have you), but rather they were spiritual letters (messages, lessons), sent by the Lord through the agency of the Holy Spirit. (This does not imply that there may or may not have been actual letters sent to the actual churches listed, but if there were it is highly unlikely that they would have comprehended correctly what the messages truly signified seeing as their true intent was for the church as a whole as it progressed through history.)
Since each message is written to the angel and not directly to the church, it is implied that the messenger will be sufficiently well known and /or well published so that the faithful of the period will be able to get the message from him. He will stand out in ecclesiastical history. He will not be obscure in the religious world.