Revelation

Laodicea

Imagine a church becoming so confident and self-sufficient that it believed it no longer needed Jesus.  It’s as though they said, “Thanks for getting us started, but we’ll take it from here.”  Jesus is then thrust out the door as they say, “We have all we need!”.

The city of Laodicea dates back to 250 BC, when 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 area's second-largest city, second only to Ephesus.  Its 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 from an underground aqueduct from springs six 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

Laodicea's transformation from a fortress associated with war to a center of wealth and prosperity was a result of Rome's peace. With the end of the conflict, the city's strategic location on the main highway between Ephesus and Syria became a boon for trade, leading to a surge in wealth and prosperity.

• Laodicea's financial prowess was legendary. Its banking and financial center brought such wealth that when it was destroyed in 60AD, the city's response was a testament to its independence and strength. Declining Rome's financial assistance, they chose to rebuild it with their own resources, a clear demonstration of their self-sufficiency and resilience. 
• Laodicea stood out as a major clothing manufacturer thanks to its renowned black wool. The sheep in the region were known for their unique black wool, which was used to produce inexpensive, mass-produced tunics, making Laodicea a fashion hub of its time.    
• The city was also a medical center with a couple of 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 was likely established as a result of Paul’s third missionary journey when he established the church of Colosse.  The church came to the city and grew rapidly.  Laodicea was considered a major hub of Christianity.  This church of Laodicea held the distinction of being the only one of the seven churches addressed in Revelation that Christ had nothing good to say.

Revelation 3:14

To the church of Laodicea, Jesus presented Himself as:

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

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 is displayed by His death on the cross. This is a witness to God's love and work 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 Jesus's true, stable, and unchanging nature. He is the standard for the church, its foundation, its head, and its 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.

There were two sister cities very near Laodicea: Collosae and Hieropolis.  These three cities were about 11 miles apart in a triangle.  In Paul’s letter to the Colossians, he said:

 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.  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.

Revelation 3:15-16

I know your works

The works of the Laodicean church were known to Jesus 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 cool, disengaged, apathetic, or passive in their faith, it would have been easy to show them what needed to be 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 surprising part of this is that they were still a lampstand in the presence of the Lord.  They may be included among the seven to represent those churches that were on the verge of having their lampstand removed from the Lord’s presence.  They were at a critical place where they would be a church in name only.

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 brought water into the city by a 6-mile aqueduct.  When it arrived, the hot water was no longer hot but lukewarm.  The cold water was no longer cool and refreshing when it arrived.  Jesus pointed to this cultural problem and compared it to the church.  Their tepid Christianity induced nausea and vomiting.

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 isn’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.  The lukewarm church knows nothing of the walk of a disciple, of suffering, sanctification, ministry, service, sacrifice, and love.  To the lukewarm church, Jesus is a religious word and not the personal savior.  The primary principle of a Laodicean church is to have enough Jesus to avoid hell and feel spiritually good, but not so much as to cost them anything.

In the 2020 presidential election, Joe Biden, a lifelong Catholic who called himself a Christian, quoted “the Palmist” in a speech about healing and unity.  If you don’t know it’s the book of Psalms, is it fair to question the veracity of his claim of faith?  We can’t judge another’s heart, but when the fruit stinks, we can certainly draw some conclusions.

• This Laodicean church was initially a lampstand formed to hold up the light of Jesus Christ. What happened that brought them to this place? 
• Was their faith offensive to some?  Did they adopt silence and absence as the loving response?
• Had the identification of sin and the call to repentance caused discomfort to some?  Did they adopt a policy of just speaking of positive things? 
• Did the scriptures seem irrelevant?  Was the idea of hell a little heavy for them?  Did it cause some folks to feel bad?  Was their response to set aside God’s word and warnings as well as His loving remedy?

There is no systematic doctrine when compromise reigns.  Instead, you believe 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.

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,

And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” (1 Cor 1:18-19)

There are so many who call themselves Christian because they grew up in a church or performed some rite within a church setting.  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 without a resulting change in their life?  If the ability to sin goes on unchecked, there can’t be a knowledge of human depravity contrasted to God’s loving grace.  Yet, they call themselves Christian, pray when in trouble, and expect heaven when they die.

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

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

Works done in the name of Jesus outside the will of the Father is disobedience and a religious façade that Jesus called lawlessness.

Revelation 3:17

The Diagnosis

Have you ever seen the cartoons that show the middle-aged man looking in the mirror? His reality was saggy shoulders, flabby waistline, wimpy bird legs, and no biceps. In the mirror, he sees himself as buff, with a 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 to be miserable if they are in Christ.
• Poor—This is the picture of a pauper. They saw themselves as wealthy, but Jesus said they were poor.  They were using a different standard of wealth.  We ought to be using the same standard 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 its 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). The Laodiceans manufactured eye salve, 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 men.  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 nearby Laodicean church (2:1). He encouraged both churches to avoid deception by walking in Christ, being steadfast, rooted, and built up in Him. 

For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, ² that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, ³ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 2:1)

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, ⁷ rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. (Colossians 2:6)

Revelation 3:18

The Prescription

Jesus offered the remedy to the lukewarm diagnosis.  To the wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— He offered His counsel:

• Buy gold from Jesus so that they might be rich.
  • Laodicea had a famous banking industry and was known for its wealth. However, this wealth was worldly and blinded them spiritually. 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.
• Purchase white garments from Jesus so that they might be clothed to cover the shame of their nakedness.
  • 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, a spiritual covering, that the shame of their sin would be covered by Christ.  He wants the church to be clothed in His righteousness.

For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked.

(2 Corinthians 5:3)

• Anoint their eyes with eye salve that they may see.
  • Jesus then used another of their industries to attempt to break through the hardness of their hearts.  They had a school of medicine that manufactured eye salve.  Even with all their eye medicine, Jesus still called them blind.  He counseled them to anoint their spiritual eyes. 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 eyesalve.  Even with her riches, the Laodicean church could not purchase these with money.  They could only be procured in the Spirit by yielding their lives 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 and bring conviction.  Chastening is the discipline brought to correct sin.

For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is a light; reproofs of instruction are the way of life. (Proverbs 6:23)

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 around, agree 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.

To be zealous, by definition, is to be marked by active interest, passion, and enthusiasm for the cause of faith.

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 requesting entrance.  They had become so self-sufficient, that they had locked Jesus outside the church.  The knock is a request for them to repent, open the door and allow Jesus entrance so they might have fellowship and be invited to the messianic banquest.  There will be mutual fellowship around the table of a great feast.  They would dine together. 

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.  The relationship will be, and can be, restored. 

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

Who is this overcomer?  It is the person that remains faithful in a church and culture that has grown lukewarm.  They hold fast to Christ and His sufficiency while all those around them find sufficiency in the riches of the world and self.  The overcomer is the faithful, born-again believer, who remains steadfast and obedient in their walk regardless of what happens in the culture of the church.  If all the church is lukewarm, they are hot with zeal for the Lord.

Sitting with Christ on His throne is an unfathomable thought.  First of all, we can’t begin to imagine how kind of an offer this is.  This is the throne of the Almighty, the creator or all the heavens and earth.  This offer might seem logical if it were made to the life-long saint of God.  But, to make it to those lukewarm souls of Laodicea, that strikes us as odd.  However, if they could overcome the indifference, compromise and self-reliance on the things of the world, then is there not hope for everyone?  After all, none of us are worthy.  There is hope for the least of the least.  There is a way for them to be exalted to the highest place of honor!!

To the faithful saint of God who overcomes, Jesus promised:   

• I will give them 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 them 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 them authority over the nations.
• They will be dressed in white.   They will be acknowledged to the Father and their 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 3:22

This message is for all to hear, across the ages. Although it was originally written to the Laodicean church, the principals apply to the lukewarm church that is alive and well today. These churches are on the verge of having their status changed. If they didn’t repent, they would be a church in name only, for they were failing to shine the light of Christ in the world. They no longer prayed, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done.”

We seem to be living at the end of the church age. In general, the church seems very lukewarm and unarguably has a Laodicean attitude. 

All these churches existed when John penned the words of Jesus.  All these churches exist today.  While the lukewarm Laodicean church seems prominent, we know there is also a loveless, persecuted church, compromising, corrupt, dead, and faithful church in existence today.  We can’t control what happens with those other churches, but we have the ability to be a faithful church.  It happens when all the people within the body of believers are faithful.  When they answer the knock and invite the Lord into their life and long for that day of messianic banquet.

³⁵ “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; ³⁶ and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. ³⁷ Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. ³⁸ And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. ³⁹ But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. ⁴⁰ Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Luke 12:35-40)

©2021 Doug Ford; revised and updated 2024