Laodicea
Jesus' description of Himself:
The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God
(Rev 3:14).
Jesus' final description of Himself is one who is the sure and faithful testimony of the reality of God the
Father and who was present at the beginning of Creation.
Background: Forty five miles southwest of Philadelphia was Laodicea. Located on the major trade route from Ephesus, the
wealthy city was a financial banking center. Significant to the background of Laodicea was the existence of a six mile long aqueduct
that brought water, which, as a consequence of transit, was always warm - neither hot nor cold upon arrival, and the presence of a
renown medical school that produced a special ointment that cured certain eye problems.
Rebuke (praise is absent!):
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are
lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have
need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me
gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your
nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline;
therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in
to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. (Rev 3:15-20)
Observation:
Ignorant of their spiritual poverty and need for the Savior, the church of Laodicea was criticized for their
compromising faith life (or lack of). The pursuit of wealth supplanted their pursuit of holiness, which Jesus Christ encouraged
the church to correct. Speaking in their terms, Jesus Christ exhorts the church or Laodicea to repent and invest in Him ("buy
from Me gold") and buy His ointment ("eye salve to anoint your eyes") and build heir lives upon the foundation of Christ
(1 Cor 3:11-15). The church of Laodicea apparently had many members who thought were
Believers but were in fact not.
Promise to Believers:
He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down
with My Father on His throne (Rev 3:21).