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(11) "Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Now, ask the
priests concerning the law, saying, (12) "If one carries holy meat in the
fold of his garment, and with the edge he touches bread or stew, wine or oil, or
any food, will it become holy?""" Then the priests answered and said, "No." (13)
And Haggai said, "If one who is unclean because of a dead body
touches any of these, will it be unclean?" So the priests answered and said, "It
shall be unclean." (14) Then Haggai answered and said, ""So is this people, and
so is this nation before Me," says the LORD, "and so is every work of their
hands; and what they offer there is unclean. New
King James Version Change your email Bible version
In like manner, preparedness for God's Kingdom cannot be transferred from
person to person, because in this lesson, it represents something internal—a
matter of the heart. It is an intangible spiritual thing that accrues as a
result of spending long periods of time learning, understanding, and honing
one's spiritual skills. It is too late when a skill is needed immediately, and
it is not there.
The same is true of character. It cannot be borrowed or lent. We cannot
borrow a relationship with God. It is non-transferable as holiness is
non-transferable. This teaches us that opportunity knocks, and then it
passes.
The foolish virgins of Matthew 25 failed to face the possibility that the
bridegroom might come later than expected. When they were awakened by the shout,
there was no time to do anything except to fill their lamps.
Nobody can deliver his brother. Each person within his relationship with God
determines his own destiny. The Laodicean's faith
has become perfunctory (Revelation 3:15-19). He attends church and is involved
socially with brethren, but in daily life and private times, he merely goes
through the motion in much the same manner as the Israelites in Amos' day (see,
for instance, Amos 5:1-27).
God shows that those unprepared are not admitted to His Kingdom, but this
should not be construed as a callous rejection of a person's perhaps lifelong
desire. For, unless the Laodicean
repents, he has rejected the Kingdom
of God on a daily basis—day after day declining to do God's will,
even though it is in his mind to desire the Kingdom. He is not taking care of
business, so God gives the Laodicean what he shows by his life what he really
wants.
This is the principle of reciprocity. It is similar to an unmarried person
who, despite surface appearances to the contrary, never makes preparations for
his or her coming marriage. Suppose a man meets a woman who could become his
future mate, but even though there may be admiration on his part, the
relationship never develops because the woman does little or nothing to show her
own admiration. A Laodicean is like this woman, rarely showing any affection for
God, too busy to deepen the relationship.
We have to seek God—that is our part. It cannot be casual. It has to be
zealous. Is that not what God says to the Laodicean? "Be zealous and repent"
(Revelation 3:19).
— John W. Ritenbaugh
To learn more, see:
Laodiceanism and Being There Next Year
Related Topics:
Holiness
Laodicean Attitude
Preparedness
Preparedness for God's Kingdom
Reciprocal Relationship
Reciprocation
Reciprocity
Reciprocity Principle
Relationship With God
Repentance
Seeking God
Spiritual Preparedness
Zeal
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