THE CITY OF LAODICEA
The city of Laodicea is located in the Lycus River Valley together with Hierapolis and Colossae. This valley is a natural route of travel from east to west. The city was founded by the Seleucid king Antiochus II and named for his wife Laodicea about 260 B.C. The city is physically located between Colossae and the city of Hierapolis. Colossae was known for it’s very cold mountainous springs, with clear, refreshing, sparkling, uplifting streams. Hierapolis was known for its hot springs, beneficial for health through the Roman baths built there.
Laodicea, on the other hand, did not have a good source of water at all; it was piped from some hot springs miles away through aqueducts. The water that was piped to Laodicea was rich with calcium, which over time would cause the pipes to clog. The engineers designed the aqueduct with vents covered with stones that could be removed periodically for cleaning. By the time the water reached Laodicea, it was lukewarm and bitter from the mineral content. Those who were not used to the temperature and taste would tend to gag when they drank it.
The gate of Hieropolis in Laodicea was dedicated to the emperor Domitian. Philip and his children were martyred here for refusing to worship the emperor. The temple to Apollo the sun-god was filled with fountains that were fed by aqueducts, implying that Apollo was the source of water, and that thankfulness for it was due to him. There was also a large hole in the ground here, where in modern times Plutonium was found. It was believed at the time that this hole was where the gates of hell were located, and that Pluto lived down there. The gases inside this cave would kill birds or animals, so the priests of Pluto would demonstrate their power over death by holding their breath for long periods of time, and taking a caged bird into the cave. They would then emerge with the dead bird, and themselves unharmed, impressing the people.
Laodicea was on the crossroads between important Ionian cities of that time. This helped the city to become wealthy from the commercial activity in the region. There was also a rich and influential Jewish community long before the Christian era. But, most of the locals were worshippers of Zeus. Its coins and inscriptions show evidence of the worship of Zeus, Æsculapius, Apollo, and the emperors.
Laodicea was particularly known to be a wealthy community, where the finest black wools in the world were manufactured. It thus became a center of the fashion industry of the time, and the people tended to wear the finest of clothes. Laodicea also had a thriving medical community, and was known widely for the efficacious eye salve that was manufactured there. It was used to clear up eyesight when eyes became infected or clouded.
THE LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT LAODICEA
Jesus represents himself as: the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God,” A better translation of this verse is the “Beginner of Creation”, and Laodicea is the source of one of the heresies that Jesus was created, and not the creator. Because this heresy was widespread in this community, the Lord confirmed his role as the creator, not one of the created.
Jesus then went on to begin immediately correcting the Laodiceans, with no compliments for them at all. He references the tepid water situation, and likens them to the choking water that they routinely drank: “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, I will spit you out of my mouth!” The Laodiceans cause our Lord to gag when he gets a taste of them. I continues with a scathing diatribe that attacks all of the areas of their pride and independence from God: “You say, `I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.18I advise you to buy gold from me--gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. And also buy white garments so you will not be shamed by your nakedness. And buy ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.” The Laodiceans see themselves as rich, Jesus sees them as wretched, miserable and poor. The Laodiceans see themselves as the height of fashion, wonderfully garbed, and Jesus sees them as naked, and advises them to come to him to get the currency, that is salvation, so that they will be clothed instead of naked. Further, they think they have the best eyesight in the kingdom because of their access to eye salve produced locally, but the Lord condemns them as blind. All that they have will be burned up when they stand before the Lord on judgment day.
Jesus then goes on to highlight a truth that we all need to see: “I am the one who corrects and disciplines everyone I love. Be diligent and turn from your indifference.” If we are not receiving chastisement from the Lord, then we are not one of his. We as Americans look for escape from tribulation, but Tribulation is the mark that identifies Jesus own, because the world hates us, and will never let us live in peace. The Laodiceans lived in peace with their neighbors, because they were not really a part of Jesus’ fold. Yet the Lord loves them, and makes one of his most poignant and well known promises – “Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends.”
Overcomers Promise: I will invite everyone who is victorious to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne. As the Bride of Christ, we are invited to share in his Kingdom privileges, even to the point of sharing his throne. His promises are true, but so wonderful they are beyond our imaginations.
God made several promises to many of these churches – that he would come quickly, remove lampstands, fight against them with the sword of his mouth . . . if this is a continuous historical section, then Jesus did not keep his word to the churches. These letters are for us now – all of them, and we need to take them to heart.
