THURSDAY January 17
Christians in Laodicea
The last church addressed by Jesus was in Laodicea, a wealthy city situated on a major trade road. It was famous for its woolen manufacturing industry; its banks (which held a vast quantity of gold); and a medical school, which produced eye salve. The prosperity of Laodicea filled its citizens with self-sufficiency. Around a.d. 60, when an earthquake destroyed the city, the citizens declined an offer of assistance from Rome, claiming to have all they needed to do the job. Because the city lacked water, it was supplied through an aqueduct that came from the hot springs at Hierapolis. The source was distant from Laodicea, so the water became lukewarm by the time it got there.
Read Revelation 3:14–17 along with Hosea 12:8.
3:14 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;
3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
3:17 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:
12:8 And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance: [in] all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that [were] sin.
How did the self-sufficient spirit of the city pervade the Laodicean Christians?
Jesus did not rebuke the Christians in Laodicea for a serious sin, such as heresy or apostasy. Rather, their problem was complacency leading to spiritual lethargy. Like the water that reached the city, they were neither refreshingly cold nor hot, but lukewarm. They claimed to be rich and in need of nothing; yet they were poor, naked, and blind to their spiritual condition.
The church in Laodicea symbolizes the spiritual condition of God’s church near the close of this earth’s history, as certain links with end-time portions of Revelation show. One such link, as given in Jesus’ parenthetical warning in Revelation 16:15, refers back to the “ ‘ “white garments” ’ ” of Christ’s righteousness needed by spiritually naked Laodicea (see Rev. 3:18, NKJV). The warning to keep one’s garments and not walk naked appears in the midst of a reference to the spiritual battle of Armageddon. The timing of Jesus’ warning may seem rather strange, at first, because it is no longer possible to receive these garments. After all, probation already will have closed for everyone. But the warning to keep one’s garments appears in connection with the sixth plague and Armageddon because Jesus wants to remind Laodicea to be ready now in advance of that terrible conflict—before it is forever too late. Thus, Revelation 16:15 warns Laodiceans that if they fail to heed Jesus’ counsel and instead choose to remain naked (Rev. 3:17, 18), they will be lost, and ashamed, at His coming (see 1 John 2:28–3:3).
If church members refuse to acknowledge the truth revealed here, they will remain deceived. The lesson tells us the Laodicean condition if not repented of and Christ received into the heart will mean the loss of eternal life. To be in the Laodicean condition is to be without salvation. But, it is not a hopeless case. Jesus not only reproves the Laodicean, but encourages the church and individuals that they may yet be converted and be saved. He gives the solution to the problem and the solution is to do something. What must the unrepentant sinner do in the church today in order to be saved, to be converted? He must buy of Jesus gold tried in the fire which is faith that comes by love, the love of Jesus.
Not all in the church are in a Laodicean condition, not all will remain in this condition. Those who know they are not right with God, are not Laodicean. They have had their eyes opened to their condition. It does not mean one is converted, but at least they are not lukewarm. Like the man in Romans seven, if they cannot obey, but know they must obey, then begin to seek a solution. The solution is just what Jesus told the Laodicean, Nicodemus, come to me all ye that labor and I will give you salvation. Learn of Jesus, behold Him uplifted on the cross. This is what we must do in orfer to be saved. We must fall in love with Jesus. We must see our constant need of His righteousness, of His presence in our hearts. When we love Jesus with the whole heart, then we have eternal life.
Jesus assures the Laodiceans that He loves them. He appeals for them to repent (Rev. 3:19). He concludes His appeal by picturing Himself as the lover in Song of Songs 5:2–6, standing at the door and knocking and pleading to be let in (Rev. 3:20). Everyone who opens the door and lets Him in is promised an intimate dinner with Him and, ultimately, to reign with Him on His throne (see Rev. 20:4).
Read Revelation 3:18–22.
3:18 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.
3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
3:20 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.
3:21 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.
3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
What counsel does Jesus give to the Laodiceans? What do gold, white garments, and eye salve symbolize (see 1 Pet. 1:7; Isa. 61:10; Eph. 1:17, 18)? What does this counsel say to us as Seventh-day Adventists, who recognize ourselves as the Laodicean church?
It reveals why it is that Jesus has not come. He cannot come until He prepares a people who can stand without a Mediator. We appreciate the author telling the church it is in a lost condition. But, it is not fair to leave the church in that position. To ask the Laodicean Church what the symbols are, is to leave them dependent upon themselves who have no spiritual discernment to come to a right knowledge of that which they do not understand, and do not have. In other words, the solution to their lost condition is given by Jesus in those three things to be bought. Why not tell the church what we must do in order to be saved?
I have already discussed gold tried in the fire. It is faith that works by love. Why? Because saving faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. We cannot have saving faith without trusting Jesus with the whole heart. How can we trust someone we do not know very well? We cannot. But, if we spend time with Jesus in His Word, we will learn of Him and see that He loves us. He loves us not when we are converted only, but He loved us while we were yet sinners. This is called grace, and it is grace that saves. It is the revelation of His love that transforms the character.
That brings us to "white raiment." This is His character, His righteousness. He wants us to have it. He not only wants us to be saved from past sins and unknown sins, but wants us to cease sinning. He gives us two kinds of white raiment. His righteousness stands in place of ours for our past sins and our unknown sins. More than this, He imbues us with His attributes. His character, His righteousness is imparted to all who love Him supremely. When the Holy Spirit takes possession of the heart, He brings with Him all of the fruits of the Spirit, not one is missing. The repentant sinner becomes a partaker of God's divine nature and will not be tempted beyond what he can bear (2 Peter 1:4, 1Cor 10:13) .
None will obtain holy flesh this side of the second coming. But, all who are truly converted will reveal the righteousness of Christ. Their hearts have been purified and their motives are pure and holy. This is what it means to have white raiment, to reflect the character of our Savior.
And, last "eyesalve." It sounds like a medicine for the eye. Is it possible that God wants to heal the blind? Yes, the Laodicean may be healed of his blind condition. Eyesalve is the Holy Spirit that opens the eyes to God's truth. Without the Holy Spirit we can not come to a right understanding of spiritual things, for spiritual things are spiritually discerned. Jesus promised He would send the Comforter and He would lead us into all truth. If a father wants to give good gifts to his children, how much more does our heavenly Father want to give us the Holy Spirit! Ask and ye shall receive eyesalve to open blind eyes. What a loving God we serve!
Thus the Laodicean message from Christ is not only a stern rebuke to our church, but it comes from a heart of love that also encourages us to turn from self and sin to Him who loves even the worst of humanity. He spells out what is that we must do in order to be saved and give honor and glory to our God. Let us choose to spend a thoughtful hour each day contemplating the life of Christ, for by beholding His glory (character) we are changed into His image (2 Cor. 3:18).