January 15 - Revelation. Laodicea (pt. 1)

January 15 – Revelation. Laodicea (pt. 1)
Revelation 3:14-22

The greatest lesson we can take from the letters to the seven churches is that Jesus Christ knows everything about these churches and is closely watching them. That is quite apparent as we look at Laodicea. This poor church receives absolutely no note of commendation. Jesus can’t come up with anything good to say about them.

He begins His identification as the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. (Rev. 3:14) He’s about to rock their world.

There were actually six cities named Laodicea. The actual name of our little burg was ‘Laodicea on the Lycus’ (the Lycus River). It was founded in 250 bc by Antiochus of Syria and named after his wife, Laodice. The greatest thing about this city was its location. It was found at the crossroads of two major highways and was a city filled with commerce.

Laodicea was a center of banking and finance. They were so wealthy that in 61 AD when an earthquake destroyed the city, they had no need of assistance from Rome and rebuilt the city on their own. Money got them anything they needed.

In Rev. 3:17, Jesus says, “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”

He goes on to tell them that they should ‘buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich…” (Rev. 3:18)

1 Peter 1:6-7 says, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

It is hard to accept that suffering for our faith can be as purifying as gold having the dross removed by fire. These people did very little suffering and Jesus was fully aware of that bit of information.

The next two portions of Rev. 3:18 go on to say, “… and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes so you can see.”

The clothes that were made in Laodicea were different from any others in the surrounding area. These items brought in huge amounts of cash. The sheep raised here were famous for their soft, violet-black, glossy wool. Laodicea had an industry that mass-produced cheap clothing which was sold throughout Asia Minor. Jesus contrasted the beautiful soft, cheap black clothing with white clothes which represented purity.

Laodicea was host to a great medical school. Asklepios, the god of healing was a developed (Hellenized) form of the local god named Men Karou. The medical school was well known for its compound medicines that they created. One of the more popular was a table tthat treated ailments of the eyes and ears. Jesus told them that He could offer them a salve which would open their eyes.

Jesus knew His churches. Let me re-state that. Jesus knows His churches. What do you think He would say to yours and mine?