Articles
Poor, Blind and Naked: From the Garden of Eden to Laodicea Part 4
Barbara L. Klika, MSW, Undershepherd, Life Coach
May 2023
As we come to the conclusion of this updated examination of what it means to be poor, blind and naked through the Bible we are faced with a deep question for ourselves: Will we do the same?
As it was with Adam, Aaron, Eli, and Saul so it is said it will be for Laodicea. Note the progression from an individual to those in leadership and finally to an entire community. Remember that “Laodicea” means “Justice of the people.” Like so many gone before, they have taken authority into their own hands and do not believe that they have any need of guidance. They view themselves as entirely self-sufficient. Our heavenly Father wants us to acknowledge in humility that we have need of Him!
“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: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—
Revelation 3:14-17 NKJV
They were rich in material, temporal things and spiritually poor. As we consider where we are today we can see how developed nations have insulated themselves from the harshness seen in less established places. The poorest in America are still more affluent than poor people in other parts of the world. We have insurance and government programs established to protect us from the slings and arrows of life….at least we HAVE had protection like that. In view of all that is happening today it is clear that this situation is changing.
Many people fear end times because of the implications of the depth of struggles and lack of material comforts. This can lead to being willing to compromise on many things in order to keep whatever affluence they can….in THIS life, forgetting eternity.
It has been common for believers to interpret their wealth to mean being blessed. Clearly, we’d all prefer to have our needs met in comfortable ways but there is no guarantee anywhere in the Word that blessing always equates to material things. In fact, it specifically says otherwise. Paul certainly established that! Funny that so many people can easily quote that last line but have no awareness of what went before it.
Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Phil 4:11-13 NKJV
And there is this caution from a writer of Proverbs:
Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches— Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You,
And say, “Who is the Lord?” Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God.
Proverbs 30:8-9 NKJV
It even seems that all the things YHWH hates (Proverbs 6:16-19) have found expression at the end: haughtiness of eyes, lying tongue, hands that do evil, a heart that devises evil plans, feet that run swiftly to do evil, breathing out lies and deceit and finally spreading strife and division, as covered in Part 3.
Is there any wonder that Paul expressed His concern? He used the context of the picture of marriage relationship on earth to the coming marriage relationship between Messiah and His Bride, which will be made up of both men and women.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
Ephesians 5:25-27 NKJV
Did you know that the “spot” refers to a moral blemish (Strong’s G4696) and the “wrinkle” refers to “drawing to one’s self” as in “folding together” or in my words, self-sufficiency? (Strong’s G4512) “Holy’ is the usual translation of the Hebrew word, Kadosh and Greek word hagios which means to be “set apart for a special purpose.” (Strong’s H 6918 and G40) Depending on the context, that purpose can be a God honoring one or an unholy “little g god” one…we each have free will to choose who we want to be set apart to!
The assemblies can be viewed as representative of believers as individuals, as fellowships, as the churches through the ages, and as the churches of each of these cities. In a way, they parallel the experience of the first man and woman.
The assembly of Ephesus lost the first love in disobedience, perhaps a “proud look” of arrogance, and fell away. If they return to obedience, they will be granted the right to eat from the Tree of Life, just as some descendants of Adam and Eve/Chava will do one day.
The assembly of Smyrna faces death but in obedience can look for deliverance through trials, just as Adam and Eve/Chava were expelled from the garden yet covered to walk through physical life.
The assembly of Pergamum holds fast to His Name and stands in Faith yet tolerates idolatry just as our ancestors have done through the ages while walking in the world after the initial loss of the protected place.
The assembly of Thyatira has good works, love, faith, service and patience yet tolerates idolatry and sexual sin, again as our ancestors have done through the ages.
The assembly of Sardis had a name of being alive but was in fact, dead. Some were clothed without defilement but all will need to watch carefully so as to strengthen what remains that is good; a picture of the generations.
The assembly of Philadelphia have persevered even with little strength and in response to their obedience will be kept from trials; the experience of some believers during these generations of waiting. (We all like to think that we will be found here.)
The end times assembly of Laodicea has come again to the same place as Adam and Eve/Chava at the end of their time in the Garden; believing the word of the “world” and the evil one, that they are self-sufficient, that they have no need of YHWH.
When Adam and Eve/Chava lost their place, sight, and covering they knew it had happened.
These people of the last days are said to be poor, blind and naked, and do not even realize it.
-- I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.
Rev. 3:18 KJV
In assemblies over the generations, men and women have struggled for superiority or “rank” making the same mistake each time one thinks they have “overcome” the other. Blaming Eve/Chava for sin or being deceived, blaming Adam for failing to intervene; when in truth, both should have acted in their function as designed by our Creator so that both as the Bride of Messiah were like the moon reflecting the sun of Yeshua.
There is an “on the way” connection in Jeremiah.
How long will you gad about, O you backsliding daughter?
For the LORD has created a new thing in the earth—A woman shall encompass a man.”
Jeremiah 31:22 NKJV
It is sometimes translated as “a woman as strong as a man” that I believe is part of an encouragement to us all in these last days to be sensitive to our roles and how we can best come together and grow in Messiah in order to avoid the trap of being poor, blind and naked. Moving toward maturity, completion in Messiah can only happen as we allow the two to become one as originally designed, not only in marriage, but also in our communities and leadership, in preparation for the Marriage Feast of the Lamb. The Bride without spot or wrinkle, the blessed man of Psalm 1, the Proverbs 31 woman—men and women together-- prepared and ready for greater intimacy and relationship with Yeshua.
The Spirit says to the assemblies; let he who has an ear,
hear what the Spirit says.
We must walk in faith, not by the sight of our eyes.
And now, behold, the hand of the Lord [is] upon thee [Paul/Sha’ul], and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
Acts 13:11 KJV
Perhaps, in His omnipotence, omnipresence and omniscience, our YHWH knows that we cannot come to full awareness of our need for Him until He stops us in our tracks, and makes certain that through circumstances we see that our own self-made coverings will not work. We are run by rivers of internal pride in so many ways; believing we can see and know in ourselves apart from Him what is good and right. I understand this to be part of the ongoing “residue” or seed of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
May we realize that alone, we are poor, blind, and naked; uncovered in body and in spirit. This leads to unsound use of authority and ultimately to being more vulnerable to our enemies….the very last place we’d like to be as we are nearing the time of Messiah’s return…and the boldness of the evil one’s schemes! It is first a spiritual battle, behind our eyes and between our ears, before we walk it out in the world.
May we seek the covering like our Father provided for Adam and Eve/Chava in the shedding of blood of an innocent animal …the foreshadowing of Messiah’s shed blood as at Passover all through the generations; choosing to “take and eat” of Him alone, to come into His House, under the blood on the doorpost of our lives, accepting being set apart for His purposes, and willing to hear and obey—shema—so that we will not be deceived by the sight of our eyes, will have ears to hear, and will be made ready for the white garments of Sukkoth/Feast of Tabernacles/Marriage Feast of the Lamb, with our Bridegroom, Yeshua Messiah. Only then will we have assurance that we will be permitted to enter in.
It is not ours to prevail upon others to do what we know to do but we can be an example!
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
Rev. 22:11 KJV
When we follow Him, we will be able to return to the Garden! May it be so!
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Revelation 22:13-14 KJV
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