14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Rev 3:14-22 (KJV)
In 190 BC Laodicea came under the rule of Pergamum, then after 133 BC it was controlled by Rome and made a free city. About the end of the first century BC it was one of the principal cities of Asia Minor, famous for fabrics, sandals and medicine. Laodicea (full name: "Laodicea ad Lyceum," "Laodicea on the Lycus") was also a major banking center where, in 51 BC, the Roman statesman and philosopher Cicero cashed drafts en route to his native Cilicia (St. Paul's home province).
In the 1st century AD Laodicea was inhabited by its indigenous population of Greek-speaking Syrians, Greeks, Romans and Romanized natives along with an important Jewish colony. These Jews regularly sent a contribution of gold to Jerusalem Temple. According to Cicero, in 62 BC the Roman governor Flaccus confiscated 20 pounds of gold.
Christianity came early to the city. Paul implies a close relationship between the churches in Laodicea and Colossae. The church in Laodicea was probably founded by Epaphras from Colossae and the faithful of Laodicea met in the home of Nympha (Colossians 4:15). Additionally Paul sent greetings to Archippus, who may have been from Laodicea (Colossians 4:17).
To The Church At Laodicea Revelation 3:14-22
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot:
Laodicea is the last of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation and the only church about which John had nothing good to say. He called them "wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked." The Christians of Laodicea were lackluster and undistinguished, living in an affluent, self-satisfied society. They had lost their vitality and fervor.
As churches go this could very well describe many churches in America today. We also live in an affluent, self-satisfied society. Many also have lost their vitality and fevor, giving in to the worlds ideas and practices. No longer does the ideas of the world follow the church as they once did. Who would have ever believed that churches in America today would be debating such things as homosexual marriage and abortion., and calling The Word of God into question?
Laodicea was famous for three things: its large banking interests, its textile industry and its production of a special eye-salve. John alludes to all three:
In 60 AD, some thirty-five years before John authored Revelation, Laodicea was destroyed by an earthquake. 2nd century AD Roman historian Tacitus stated, "One of the famous cities of Asia, Laodicea, was ... overthrown by an earthquake, and, without any relief from us, recovered itself by its own resources." The city's reconstruction was undoubtedly financed by its wealthy banking firms. Thus the Laodicians were able to decline the monetary aid offered by the Roman senate. Such self-sufficiancy spurred John's pointed remark: "You say, 'I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing;"
Local sheep produced black, glossy wool, ideal for making trimata, warm, water-proof garments, hence John's reference "and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear;."
Yet another of the city's noted trade goods inspired this pointed remark: "and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see." A medical school produced an eye salve (collyrium) referred to as "Phrygian powder" made from a local stone. It was thought to cure weak eyesight. Only Jesus could heal their spiritual blindness.
The Christians of Laodicea recognized the source of another of John's harshly critical remarks. He likened their lukewarm attitude, their lack of zeal, to the city's mineral-laden water supply, which came from springs near modern Denezli. The water was carried partly by an aqueduct, partly through stone pipes. By the time it arrived in the city it was tepid, neither refreshing, like the cold running water at nearby Colossae, nor piping hot, like the famous mineral hot springs of neighboring Hierapolis. The lukewarm attitude of Laodicea's Christian community made John sick to his stomach prompting his scathing comment: "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.").
"White clothes" and are used here, and throughout Revelation, as a symbol of righteousness, a right relationship with God.
A key phrase in this otherwise negative letter is "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.." Jesus, speaking through John, did not reject the Christian community. He wanted to eat with them — an image of intimacy and hospitality. Jesus stands at the door knocking. The Laodicians have only to open the door and welcome him back into their lives to share in his kingdom.
America stands at this same threshold. God is not expecting any government to correct the problems in America, simply because they cannot do it. God is looking to His people to open the door once again and welcome God back to America where He belongs.
