Day 79

Summary of Laodicea: This last church was a wealthy city situated on a major trade road. It was famous for its woollen manufacturing industry; its wealthy banks; and a medical school, which produced eye salve. The prosperity of Laodicea filled its citizens with self-sufficiency. Because the city lacked water, it was supplied through an aqueduct that came from the hot springs at Hierapolis. Because of the distance, the water became lukewarm by the time it got there. This self-sufficient spirit pervaded the Laodicean Christians. (CF Hosea 12:8)

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. The warning to keep one’s garments and not walk naked appears in the midst of a reference to the 6^th plague & the spiritual battle of Armageddon. This is 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).

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. 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).