Fall 2001
The Voice Of The Lord
Wade E Taylor

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice
and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and
he with Me.” Rev 3:20 NKJV.

This verse immediately follows the message to the Laodicean church, which is the seventh and last church that is addressed by the Lord. These seven churches span the entire church age. Thus, when we come to the Laodicean church, we are approaching the end of the church age. That we are living in the time of the Laodicean church is evident through the word of correction that is given to this church,

“Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need
of nothing; and know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor,
and blind, and naked”

“I counsel you to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich;
and white raiment, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your
nakedness do not appear; and anoint your eyes with eyesalve, that you
may see.” Rev 3:17-18.

We live in a time of unprecedented prosperity – “rich and increased with goods.” For years, I have been saying that this is the reason why the Lord is outside, knocking. Rather, the Lord is within this church, perfecting a people for His end-time purposes. The present day abundance of material goods provides us with ample opportunities to overcome.

The Lord is outside knocking on a “closed” door, because we are at the end of the church age. There is nothing further in relation to the church. Beginning with Ephesus, each of these churches leads to the following church. But there is no church that follows the Laodicean church.

The response of John to this knocking confirms this.

“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven:
and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet
talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show
you things which must be hereafter.”

“And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne
was set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.” Rev 4:1-2.

The end of the Laodicean church age is the time during which the Lord will begin the process of His return. Thus, He is saying, “If you hear my voice and respond, I will come and make Myself known to you.” (Rev 3:20).

There is a progression of revelation concerning the manifestation of the presence of the Lord, that begins in Genesis.

“And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden
in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from
the presence of the LORD God … ” Gen 3:8.

Voices do not walk, but this voice did, because there is a two-fold message in this. The fact that they “heard the voice ” tells us that the Lord desires to speak to those He is in fellowship with. The fact that His voice is “walking” tells us that there is a progression in what He speaks. Thus, there is a “present word” that did not apply to any past generation or time.

From the time of Adam, the Lord walked through history for a thousand years, and the flood cleansed the earth. He then walked another thousand years and Abraham was called out to become the father of faith, and the friend of God. He walked another thousand years and Solomon dedicated the temple in manifest glory. As the Lord walked through another thousand years, John the Baptist was called apart to be prepared to introduce Jesus. Then He walked through the two thousand years of the church age.

“On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him,
Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill
You. And He said to them, Go, tell that fox, 'Behold, I
cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow,
and the third day I shall be perfected.” Luke 13:31-32 NKJV.

“Today and Tomorrow” refers to the two thousand years of the Church age. Jesus being “perfected” in the third day speaks of His taking His place as the head of the Body. He is presently standing at the door of the “third day” knocking - seeking out a corporate “John the Baptist,” who will make Him known as the present, active head of His body.

“If anyone hears” tells us that He is presently “walking” within the range of our hearing, and is seeking for those who will respond to His call. There are many today who are spiritually hungry and are searching for something further. If these will become quiet and intently listen, they will hear this “present knock” of His desire to make Himself known, beyond that which was available to any past generation.

When Jesus appeared the first time, He came as a “lamb” and submitted Himself to the cross in our behalf. But in His return, He will come in a very different way. We have a description of how He will look in Rev 1:14-15.

“His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and His eyes
were as a flame of fire; And His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in
a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters.”

We are the “feet” which will move the Lord through this time of transition into the Kingdom. His feet being like “fine brass as if they burned in a furnace” speaks of the “baptism of fire,” in which those who are responding to His voice are being prepared for the outworking of His purposes in the earth in our day. His voice being as “the sound of many waters” tells us that the Lord is preparing a corporate body who will all say the same thing, having been lifted into “apostolic” enabling power.

“After this I looked, and behold a door was opened in heaven.” (Rev 4:1a). The Lord has walked as far as He can go in the earth realm. Now the call is for us to come higher, into the Kingdom.

“And the first voice which I heard was, as it were, of a trumpet talking with me.” This is a call to spiritual warfare, in order to bring us above all that hinders. Here, He will show us “things which must be hereafter.” That is, the Lord will reveal to us the process of the closing out of the church age and the birthing of the Kingdom age, and the outworking of our part in this process.

“And immediately I was in the spirit; and, behold a throne.” This is a time of transition from the Church into the Kingdom, during which we are being called to a higher realm.

It is of vital importance that we so arrange our lives in this present time of intense busy-ness that we will, as an over-comer, hear the present “knock” of the Lord upon the door of our hearts.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Rev 3:21 NKJV.