Eternal Trading

Each of us has bought or sold something at some point. Some try to transition to complete self-sufficiency to avoid depending on the world and engaging in any trade. Such a lifestyle is possible, but only in rural areas where the land will feed those who work on it. Being a city dweller, I am tied to grocery stores, and I must always have the means to buy food and other household items. And I will have to conduct such trade until the end of my earthly years. And this approach does not frighten me.

From Biblical prophecies, I know that in the last time, the enemy of the soul will use earthly authorities to prohibit all those with God's seal from buying and selling. Such laws will condemn many of God's children to certain starvation.

But God, for His part, warned us that famines, pestilences, and earthquakes will in places take thousands of lives, and God's judgments will destroy everything earthly, mercilessly pouring out on Earth in the form of seven last plagues. But at the same time, the Bible teaches that bread and water will not fail God's people.

God had sufficient resources to feed millions of people who came out of Egyptian slavery and do this for forty years.

The prospect of having to buy or grow food on my plot for my entire life does not frighten me. I understand that this is extremely necessary for my health and the prolongation of earthly life. But what am I to do with God, who advises me to buy something from Him?

When I understand that someone wants to sell me something, I begin to cautiously inquire about what is being offered. I look into Revelation 3:18 and see an assortment of only three goods. I begin to think about what these are, why I need them, whether it is worth giving the set payment? I am accustomed to living without such things, and here I am required to give all of myself to acquire all of God's.

Those among us who are bolder decide on such a purchase, and we see their joyful excited faces and hear stories about the great and inaccessible treasure they have found. Deciding to become a participant in this trade, I understand that I am being offered the greatest Heavenly blessing imaginable. I make the purchase and joyfully run away. My heart sings. I found gold that enriched me, acquired white clothing that covered the shame of my nakedness, and the eye salve made me wise and seeing. And I ran away in joy into the world to tell others what I have. The world is full of its own cares, and, trying to survive in it, I lose all the Laodicean qualities of life. I understand that I again need these treasures. But I already bought them once! Why do I need to keep coming to the Heavenly shop and paying such a high price? Why can't they sell me everything once and for all, like a house, so that after buying it, I could use it for the rest of my life and not worry about having such goods?

But, studying the message to Laodicea, I come to a clear conclusion that the offered goods cannot be bought once and then used for life. I am offered Heavenly food, air, and warmth. They give me strength for a short time, and then I begin to need them again. And I clearly understand that Jesus wants to make me alive, happy, but at the same time dependent on Himself. He sells me vitally important treasures of Heaven, which have the peculiarity of satisfying my body and mind and ending before the next purchase.

I gathered the courage to come and look into this store and understand a little what is being offered to me. And I consider my slight interest in this as a great favor to God. But it turns out that they want to put me on eternal trade and give me no chance to abstain from buying!

My problem is that I am blind and do not see my true lukewarm, half-dead state. And the unseeing will never appreciate Eternal values that are comprehended by the eyes of faith and Heavenly wisdom. If I do not understand what the goods for Laodicea represent and why I need them so much, I will have no interest in acquiring them. And if I consider myself rich, having become rich, and needing nothing, then all of Heaven with its treasures will seem insignificant to me compared to the benefits I possess.

The Faithful Witness very clearly declares to me my true condition and advises using the exit that is relevant for the last time. But the Lord also provided that I would not be able to retain this Heavenly water of life in my leaky vessels of the soul, and therefore offers me Eternal trade. Jesus expects that I will come daily to His shop with goods and then immerse myself completely in these transactions, drawing other friends into such relationships.

Offering Himself and all of Heaven, the Lord desires to give this eternally so that we constantly depend on Him and know Him. And throughout all Eternity, there will never be a moment when I will say: "Enough, I already have and know everything." But there will always be a need for a new breath of the air of life, for knowing the beauty of God's character, for developing the best qualities of my soul, and for all this, I will need to pay with all my Eternal time and give myself completely, immersing myself headlong into the heart of God.

God-knowledge is an Eternal science that gives Eternal life, and the fruits of the tree of life will make this knowledge amazingly tasty and joyful.

But the world in which God seeks us is very attractive with its projects. It desires to have all our resources under its control, attaching our hearts to the earthly. The Lord offers Himself and makes it clear that He is not a one-time Product but an Object of Eternal trade. Do you hear this, reader? Do you understand what Heaven expects and offers?

Simply entering to buy something or try it, and then running away forever — this is not what God needs. You are necessary to Him forever, and Heavenly trade will continue eternally, and it must begin right now on this Earth to have its continuation in God's Kingdom.

The Lord accepts us in our ignorance and forgives us for not knowing about the Laodicean goods. However, what is He to do with those who entered, tasted, bought, and left forever, considering themselves now very rich and knowledgeable?

Are you not tired of breathing, eating the bread of life, and dwelling in the warmth of God's love? Do you think this world will warm and feed us better? Are you scared by the constancy of God's trade? What do I lose in this?

My earthly losses are better evaluated not in the light of earthly acquisitions but in comparison with the magnitude of Heavenly treasures. Delving into the meaning and composition of Laodicean goods, I discover a cosmos of endless perspectives and discoveries, understanding that God desires to offer something very important and significant. But how modestly He advises to buy it. Such a small verse 3:18, and what depth and fullness of infinite discoveries and revelations are in it!

My understanding of the value of the offered goods will encourage me to constantly come to this store to continuously fill my vessels with Heavenly oil. And now it will not be the Lord who will beg me, but I myself will desire it.

Questions for Reflection on this Chapter

1. Please read John 17:3; Philippians 1:6; 4:4; Isaiah 66:22-23; Daniel 12:3; Revelation 3:18; John 5:39; 6:40,47,54; 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18; 1 Peter 1:22; 3:15; Exodus 25:30; 29:38-43; Romans 2:6-8; 6:22-23; 12:11-12; Ephesians 6:18; Colossians 4:2; 1 Timothy 4:12-16; Proverbs 15:15; Matthew 28:18-20; Hebrews 7:24-25; Jude 1:21 in light of this chapter.

2. What did you understand from this chapter?

3. Are there indications in the Bible that advise us to do something constantly and always?

4. Does the word "Eternity" tell you that we will eternally be doing something good there?

5. Is it important to understand what the Faithful Witness offers, advising us to buy Heavenly goods?

6. If I buy from Jesus what He advises Laodicea, will I have what I acquire?

7. Are you glad that trading with Jesus is an Eternal enterprise that will never end?

8. Are you tuning in to the fact that you will have to eternally breathe, taste the fruits of the tree of life, eternally abide in God's love and learn at His feet? Are you not scared by such constancy?

9. Will it be pleasant for God to see you always walking in white clothing, eternally rich with Heavenly gold and constantly seeing even in the darkest time of history?

10. Is oil for the lamp a one-time filling of the vessel or constant gathering of God's revelations and experiences for spiritual growth?

11. Are you not annoyed by the constancy of learning in this School? Have you learned something new and useful in it?

12. Loving your neighbor — is this something constant, or is it enough to say it once and that's it?

13. Can one continuously receive something special from God by rarely addressing Him about it?

14. Are you willing to be an eternal buyer in God's store?

15. Why does God sell and not simply give away His goods?