What Does It Mean in Rev 3:16 Where the Lord Talks About Spewing Out of His Mouth?
1) Direct Answer
It means the Lord rejects the lukewarm church condition and removes it from being His mouthpiece. He will not speak through, endorse, or own that mixed, complacent state. He casts it out of His fellowship as a body, while still calling individuals to repent and overcome.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- “Because thou art lukewarm… I will spue thee out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:16). Lukewarm is neither hot (on fire of the Spirit) nor cold (openly unbelieving), but a safe, self-satisfied mixture.
- He describes them as saying, “I am rich… and have need of nothing,” yet He says they are “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17).
- He counsels, “buy of me gold tried in the fire… white raiment… and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve” (Revelation 3:18)—true faith, His righteousness, and spiritual sight.
- He stands outside, knocking: “If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in” (Revelation 3:20). The system is rejected, but individuals are invited.
- Overcomers are promised to sit with Him in His throne (Revelation 3:21).
The “mouth” in Scripture is the place of His Word and confession (Revelation 1:16; 2:16; Jeremiah 1:9; Romans 10:9-10). Being in His “mouth” pictures being the instrument He uses to speak and testify.
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- The church is to be His Body on earth; the “mouth” is the part that speaks His Word.
- When a church becomes lukewarm—mixing truth with worldliness, boasting in wealth and programs while lacking the fire of the Spirit—He cannot let that represent Him. Like lukewarm water, it is nauseating, so He spews it out—He separates from it.
- Yet He loves and rebukes: “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent” (Revelation 3:19). Those who hear His voice and open to Him personally will dine with Him now and reign with Him as overcomers.
4) Reinforcing Statement
Now notice, He rejects the lukewarm system, but He is calling out a people who will be hot with His life, clothed in His righteousness, and fit to speak His Word. Be zealous, repent, and let Him back inside.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
The Spoken Word is the original seed
62-0318 §50
Now, could you mix anything with that then? Now, in the book of Revelation the 22nd chapter and the 19th verse, I'd like to read this. Revelation the 22nd chapter and the 19th verse and see what this says. Let's begin with the 18th verse. For I testify unto every man ... [now remember from Genesis where He spoke the Word, see.] For I testify unto every man [that's priest, pope, bishop, state presbyter or whatever] ... that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God s...
Seals 3: The First Seal
63-0318 §182
But you see, when Christ come, a sword went forth from His mouth like a lightning flash. It went forth and consumed His enemies and cast away the devil. It cut away everything else. And come, His vesture dipped in blood and on His thigh was written "The Word of God." Amen. Here He comes with His army, coming from heaven.
Revelation, Chapter 5, part 2
61-0618 §24
Then we got carnal impersonations of it. Oh, my! It's just pitiful. Look, I want to... How many Pentecostals are in here? Raise up your hand. All right. Look, you Pentecostals, a few years ago God really fell upon you and you began to speak with tongues. That's right. But what did the devil do? He come around and gave a carnal impersonation of that. He made out something that wasn't right. Got the people down speaking in tongues, and making them say certain words, and things to make them speak in tongues, and so fo...
Influence
63-1130B §85
Do you really mean it? When He speaks to your heart, will you mean it? Speak, my Lord, oh, speak, my Lord. If He's speaking to you while they're singing it, "will quickly answer," will you raise up your hand, say, "Me, Lord. Me, Lord"? God bless you. My Lord, speak, my Lord, Speak, and I will answer ... "Let me be an influence, Lord, to others. I can't do it till You cleanse me. Send the angel now, Lord." Speak, my Lord; oh, speak, my Lord; Speak, and I will answer, answer Thee; Oh, speak, my Lord; speak, my Lord,...
Revelation, Chapter 5, part 2
61-0618 §7
And then she had two growths, polyps, hives, or whatever it is in the roof of the mouth, kind of blisters, or ever what it is, hanging in the roof of her mouth---big lumps, like. And she had not had any relief from them, and they was... She said, "They're about half the size of a hickory nut." And they had been in her mouth for quite a little while, days. And Brother Higginbotham... As I don't pronounce that German name too well, Brother Rupert, you forgive me for that. But anyhow (and I may have this wrong right h...