May 3: THE FAITHFUL AND TRUE WITNESS OF THE CREATOR

“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, The Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God’” Revelation 3:14

The Amen (Hebrew aman) means faithful, trustworthy, and verified. His witness in the world was true in order to show people what His Father is like. The spiritual goal is for our witness to have the same effect, as the Holy Spirit does His work through you and me. Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:34 KJV) As for God, His way is perfect. The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. (2 Samuel 22:31) Dear student of God’s word, do you find Him trustworthy in all respects? His word…is proven, that is: verified.

When Jesus identifies Himself as the Beginning of the creation of God, He is identifying Himself as the Creator (see also John 1:3 and Colossians 1:16). The Greek word translated beginning is arche, which can refer to a starting point in time. However, here it has another, much larger scope of meaning which encompasses origin and source. He is the Originator of creation. He is the Source of all life.

This final letter to the churches parallels the day in which we now live: the time of the end (Daniel 12:9). The word Laodicea means justice of the people or judgment of the people. God’s judgment is perfectly characterized by justice, and all of His creation will agree on this point. “As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue confess to God.” (Romans 14:11)

His identity as Creator came under heavy attack in the very year that the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary began: 1844 (Daniel 8:14). In that same year, Charles Darwin began circulating the first draft of his Origin of the Species among colleagues. It circulated for fifteen years before being published in 1859, having undergone numerous revisions. Today, the mainstream Protestant seminaries have, in varying degrees, mixed in the precepts of evolution with the precepts of the Bible. But they have absolutely nothing in common. This attempted amalgamation should be a waving “red flag” to the followers of Christ.

The introductory words that Jesus chose for Himself prepare us to hear what comes next. The letter to the Laodiceans exposes the sad condition of the church today. The True Witness of Jesus is pointing us to the issue upon which the last battle for truth upon the earth will hinge: the Creatorship of the Savior. The devil, who lied about death, also works to undermine our Lord’s identity as the Creator. What, or whom, we believe in these areas directly affects our worship. Paul warned about being corrupted from in the simplicity that is in Christ and accepting a different gospel which means the worship of another Jesus, a false christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3-4; Galatians 1:6, Matthew 24:24). Whom to you worship?

“Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” Revelation 14:7