Revelation

Laodicea

The city of Laodicea dates back to 250_BC where the city was founded by Antiochus of Syria who named it after his wife, Laodice.  There were several cities by the same name, so this was called Laodicea on the Lycus.  It was the areas second largest city, second only to Ephesus.  It's importance was based solely on the road it was on.  It was built on the main highway between Ephesus and Syria.  It was originally a city fortress but it had a serious handicap.  The water supply had to come by an underground aqueduct from springs 6 miles or more away.  This wasn't a good situation if the city was ever under siege, their water supply could be cut off. 

Commerce

When the city was no longer a fortress associated with war, peace came at the hands of Rome and with it wealth and prosperity.

• The city had a great banking and financial center.  This brought so much wealth, that when the city was destroyed in 60_AD the city declined the financial assistance of Rome to help to rebuild the city.  They were wealthy enough to rebuild it with their own money. 
• Laodicea was also a major manufacturer of clothing.  The sheep there were famous for their black wool which made Laodicea famous for the black wool garments.  These were inexpensive tunics mass produced.     
• The city was also a medical center with a couple famous doctors at the medical school there.  The school was particularly noted for the ointment for the ear and ointment for the eyes. 

Religion

The city of Laodicea minted coins and these inscriptions reveal the worship of pagan deities including Zeus and the emperors.  The streets were lined with temples to many of the same gods and goddesses seen in the other cities at the time.  There was a very large Jewish population in Laodicea.  There were so many that when they paid their temple tax to Jerusalem there was a noticeable drain on currency in the city.  A ban was put in place to keep the Jews from exporting their currency to Jerusalem.    The church came to the city and grew rapidly.  Laodicea was considered a major hub of Christianity.

The church of Laodicea held the distinction of being the only one to which Christ had nothing good to say. 

Revelation 3:14

In Paul's letter to the Colossians, he said:

¹⁶ Now when this epistle is read among you, see that it is read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea. ¹⁷ And say to Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it." (Colossians 4:17)

Some believe Archippus was the pastor at Laodicea and that Paul saw the beginning of their lukewarm Christianity and was warning against it.

The church of Laodicea, Jesus presented Himself as:

• The Amen – it's the Hebrew word meaning 'so be it'.  As applied to Jesus, He is the ultimate statement of affirmation to God's children.  He is the embodiment of the promise of God.

For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. (1 Corinthians 1:20)

• The Faith and True Witness -  The word used for 'witness' is a word meaning martyr.  His faithfulness and is displayed by His death on a cross.  This is witness to the love of God and the work of God for His creation.  It testifies that Jesus is who He says He is, He did what He said He'd do and all His promises are just as sure.
• The Beginning of the Creation of God – The idea is that Jesus was the ruler or authority over creation. This relates closely to the opening words of John's epistle:

 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. (John 1:1)

From the beginning we see the true, stable and unchanging nature of Jesus.  He is the standard for the church, the foundation of the church, it's head and High Priest.  This refutes the lukewarm nature of this church from the start.  Their nature was in contrast to the nature of Christ and they needed to understand that.  This church was radically disconnected from Jesus.

Revelation 3:15-16

To the Amen, Faithful and True Creator, their works were known as lukewarm.  Not hot, not cold, kind of squishy lukewarm.  This displays a clear indifference for the things of God.  Had they been hot with zeal, it would easy to congratulate them and encourage them.  Had they been cold, it would easy to show them what needed corrected.  They could be chastised and called to repentance.  But they were neither and so the Lord said He would spew them out.  The indifference of the church of Laodicea made the Lord want to puke. 

The city of Laodicea had no drinkable water of its own.  Archeologists say that the little water available was loaded with a mineral that induced vomiting.  Nearby Hierapolis had natural hot springs that were incredibly soothing and inviting.  In the other direction, Colossae had cold water springs, cool and refreshing.  Laodicea brough water into the city by a 6-mile aqueduct.  When it arrived it was no longer hot, but lukewarm, neither refreshing or soothing.  In fact, tepid water tends to induce nausea.  Jesus pointed to this cultural problem and compared it to the church.

Imagine being part of that church and hearing this.  Would they have been shocked?  Did they have no inkling that things weren't right?  This lukewarm church is one that says the name of Jesus but doesn't live it.  Calls themselves Christian but present no evidence of such.  It's a church that calls itself a church but has no doctrine and aren't all that concerned about it, maybe even feeling it unnecessary.  You don't have to look far today to find a very similar story.  It's a lukewarm church that claims and holds the promises of God until their wellbeing or wealth are at risk.  Jesus is a religious word and not the personal savior they've grown close to.  They simply wanted enough Jesus to avoid hell and feel spiritually good, but not enough to where it cost them anything.

In the 2020 presidential election, Joe Biden, a lifelong catholic who called himself a Christian quoted 'the Palmist" in a speech speaking of healing and unity.  If you don't know it's the book of Psalms is it fair to question the authenticity?  We can't judge another's heart, but when the fruit stinks we can certainly draw some conclusions. 

This church was initially a lampstand, formed to draw attention to the light of Jesus Christ.  But that may have offended some folks in their community so they stopped mentioning Jesus.  They may have felt it was the loving and compromising thing to do.  They may have offended some folks when they spoke of sin so they discussed it amongst themselves and decided just to speak of more upbeat and positive things; things that make people feel good about themselves instead of discovering their wretchedness and need for a savior.  When they read the scriptures and the letters circulating among the churches, they may have found the thought of some people going to hell to be a little heavy.  It probably made some people feel bad.  It's likely they decided to not talk about hell.  The effect of these compromises was a system of beliefs that believes in nothing but feeling good about yourself.  Someone referred to this as theological squishitude.  Your belief system is as solid as nailing Jello to the wall.  Because of this, Jesus said, I will vomit you out of my mouth.

There are so many who call themselves Christian because they grew up in a church or performed some rite within a church or camp.  Many carry this as a 'get out of hell free' card with no evidence they truly encountered Jesus.  Those who understand the depth of human depravity and discover the relief by the grace through Christ's work on the cross would seek to know Him more.  Who is the God who saved me?  How can I serve Him and know Him?  Could anyone claim to know Jesus but it resulted in no change in their life?  Their ability to sin goes on unchecked?  Yet, they would call themselves Christian, pray when in trouble and expect heaven when they die.

The lukewarm of Laodicea is a similar to the inoculation of Christianity in America.  Christianity is so cheap and so easy; it cost nothing and is thrown around.  So many have been exposed to the dead and lifeless Christianity, they are able to resist the real thing when it comes around. 

Revelation 3:17

Have you ever seen the cartoons that show the middle age man looking in the mirror?  The reality was saggy shoulders, flabby waste line, wimpy bird legs and no biceps.  In the mirror, he sees himself as buff; ripped chest and legs, six pack abs and bulging biceps.  We humans have the ability to see our own reality, which is no reality at all. 

It was the same for the church in Laodicea.  As the city was wealthy and had no need of anything, so was the church.  They had been lulled to sleep by their affluence.  They were well off and convinced they needed nothing.  Their riches had deceived them into thinking all was well.  They thought they were spiritually well off also.  This is the value system of the world.  Life in Christ isn't measured by dollars.  In the eyes of their Lord, they were wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. 

• Wretched– This is the natural condition of man, the effects of sin on life.  Paul said, "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? ²⁵ I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:24)  This is the only other place this word is used. 
• Miserable – This is pitiable, pathetic, without hope.  This word is also only found in one other place.  Again it was Paul, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable." (1 Corinthians 15:19)  Those in the church ought not be miserable if they are in Christ.
• Poor – This is the picture of a pauper.  They saw themselves as wealthy, Jesus said they were poor.  They were using different measures.  We ought to be using the same measure as Jesus.  Paul said in Ephesians 3:8 that he was to "preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ."  These are the riches we ought to gather.
• Blind – The church was blind to their spiritual state.  At Paul's conversion He was blinded; experiencing the darkness that was in him.  Then, "there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized." (Acts 9:18)  They manufactured eye salve in Laodicea, but it wouldn't help with this blindness.
• Naked – The Laodicean church was naked before the Lord.  They manufactured clothes to cover the nakedness of man.  Yet, they were spiritually exposed before the Lord.  It appears many were in their sin and not clothed in Christ's righteousness.  "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts." (Romans 13:14)

This is quite a contrast to how they saw themselves.  In Paul's letter to the Colossians, he also greeted the Laodicean church (2:1) which was nearby.  He encouraged both churches to avoid deception by to walking in Christ, being steadfast, rooted and built up in Him.  

Revelation 3:18

Jesus offered the remedy to this lukewarmness.  To the wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— He offered His counsel.  They had a famous banking industry; known for their wealth.  Their wealth was of the world and would burn up someday.  Jesus offered spiritual riches, pictured as Gold having survived the fires of judgment.  Sin was judged in Jesus on the cross.  He overcame sin and death and can now freely offer his righteousness, which is more precious than Gold.  The Laodicean church could be rich in a way the world would never know.

The shiny black wool garments produced by the Laodiceans were famous across the world at that time.  The black garments, however, were a picture of their spiritual condition.  Jesus counseled them to buy white garments.  That the shame of their sin would be covered by Christ.  When he said this, He is speaking of a spiritual covering.  It's being covered by the righteousness of Jesus that their shame and nakedness; their sin would be covered.

For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, ³ if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. (2 Corinthians 5:3)

Jesus then used their 3rd industry to attempt to break through the hardness of their hearts.  That 3rd largest industry was medicine, specifically eye salve.  Jesus counseled them to anoint their eyes. Even with all their eye medicine Jesus still called them blind.  They suffered from spiritual blindness and only Jesus had the salve to cure that.  And Jesus freely invited them to buy this salve from Him, anoint their eyes that they might see.

Jesus asked them to buy gold, white garments and anointing for their eyes, but Laodicea, in all her riches would find these things could not be purchased with money.  They could only be procured in the Spirit, by yielding their life to Christ.  It was a great trade; giving the rule of their life and all the earthly values and pursuit of wealth while receiving true life, eternal life, forgiveness of sins and eyes to see.

Note: this is the only use of the word translated to salve.

Revelation 3:19

Even with all this said, Jesus still loves them.  He still considers this lukewarm church His church.  He hasn't given up on them.  Like a loving Father, He chastens His children to correct them.  To be rebuked is to be shown guilty, bring conviction.  Chastening is the discipline brought to correct the sin.

Jesus asked them to turn away from the things they are trusting in.  As a church they were to trust in Him.  A church can only do that when each person does that.  When the individuals do that the church becomes a body of people who live their lives as directed by the Holy Spirit.  This call to repent is a call to turn 180 degrees and turn away from this other stuff and turn to Jesus.  The call to be zealous is a call be to be HOT!  No more lukewarm religion but to be on fire for the things of the Lord.

Revelation 3:20

This is the final, and quite possibly the worst, indication of the poor state of this lukewarm church.  Jesus was outside the door.  He was knocking and he wanted in.  Only the people who set Him out of the church could bring Him in.  To those who hear His voice, He commands to open the door.  Invite him in and He will come in and dine with them and they with He.  The relationship will be, and can be, restored.  This is a picture of the personal invitation to the messianic banquet.  There will be mutual fellowship around the table of a great feast.  They would dine together. 

For those that hear the knock and don't answer you have to ask, how long will he continue to knock?  How long will the longsuffering continue?  Jesus expects a response from each individual that results in a collective response of this lukewarm church.

Revelation 3:21

This amazing offer in truly unfathomable.  First of all, we can't begin to imagine how kind of an offer this would be.  This is the throne of the Almighty, the creator or all the heavens and earth.  To make this invitation to the most religious, we would seem to understand.  But to make it to the worst of the seven churches was beyond comprehension.  If they could overcome the indifference, compromise and self-reliance on the things of the world, these over-comers would be granted to sit with Jesus on His throne.  The least of the least can be exalted to the highest place of honor!!

In each letter, Jesus makes an offer to the one who overcomes the obstacles they face and endures in faith by following Christ all the way to the end, no matter what.

To him who overcomes. 

• I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
• They will not be hurt at all by the second death.
• I will give some of the hidden manna, I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.  
• I will give authority over the nations.
• They will be dressed in white. He will be acknowledged to the Father and his name will never be blotted out of the book of life.
• I will make a pillar in the temple of my God
• I will give the right to sit with me on my throne.

Revelation 3:21

This message is for all to hear, across the ages.  Although it was written to the Laodicean church the lukewarm church is alive and well today.

In these letters to the seven churches some see a timeline of the church.  The first letter being the age of the beginning of the church and each subsequent letter a new age. 

• So we'd start with the loveless church....(Ephesus)
• Then the persecuted church......(Smyrna)
• The compromising church...... (Pergamos)
• The corrupt church ..........(Thyatira)
• The dead church ........(Sardis)
• The faithful church ........(Philadelphia)
• The Lukewarm church........(of Laodicea)

At the end of the church age we'd find the church to look like the lukewarm church of Laodicea.  I don't believe anyone would argue, the church could be characterized as a Laodicean attitude.  The idea of the seven churches being a timeline is fascinating and there may be something to it, but we might miss the point if we dwell on it.  All these churches existed when John penned the words of Jesus to them.  All these churches exist today. 

©2021 Doug Ford