TheologyNow

The letter to Laodecia - Revelation 3

My last article, I touched on the first of seven letters to specific churches in Asia Minor, this one I want to explore the last letter. As I mentioned before the general format for these 7 letters are; destination, commendation, rebuke, exhortation and promise. Two letters out of the seven veered away from this format, the letter Philadelphia and the letter to Laodicea.

Many theologian's have question why only seven letters and why to these specific churches. While these were actual churches during John's time, Some believe that they also reflect the Christian church through-out history. If that's true, then this last letter depicts an apostate church which does fit in with the prophesies in the subsequent chapters of Revelation. Additionally, these seven churches I believe provide a cross cut example of all churches then and now. That is there are a number of churches can easily fit in the example of Philadelphia, Ephesus, Sardis, etc. now in current modern times and also back when these letters were penned. I believe these letters served a dual purpose, to warn all churches and exhort them to remember why we are here and paint a backdrop of how the Christian Church in general will go through different phases. Finally since churches are made of people, the warnings, exhortations need to be taken personally as well. After all if a church is apostate, that means its members are apostate as well.

 

Revelation 3:14-22
14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
"The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God's creation says: 15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, 'I'm rich; I have become wealthy, and need nothing,' and you don't know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked, 18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, and white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be committed and repent. 20 Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me. 21 The victor: I will give him the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also won the victory and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22 "Anyone who has an ear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches."
(HCSB)

The Destination:

The wealthy city of Laodicea was located on the road to Colosse about 40 miles southeast of Philadelphia. About 35 years before this letter was written, Laodicea was destroyed by an earthquake, but it had the wealth and ability to rebuild. Its main industry was wool cloth. There is no record that Paul ever visited this city, but he was concerned about it (Colossians 2:1-2; 4:16).
(from Bible Knowledge Commentary)

The Bible Knowledge commentary describes the city of Laodicea pretty accurately, a wealthy city that had within its own wherewithal the ability to rebuild itself after a devastating earthquake. The citizens were very rich indeed.

The Commendation:
NONE, the Laodicean letter offers no commendation. The creator of the universe, could not find one thing to praise the Laodicean church for. What an indictment and given that Jesus himself dictated this letter, it should have been a wakeup call to the church.

The Rebuke:
Jesus comes out swinging on this, the Christians within the city of Laodicea thought themselves rich and in need of nothing, but instead Jesus tells them they are pitiful, poor, blind and naked. He accuses them of being lukewarm. This figure of speech was particularly meaningful to the Laodiceans because their main water supply produced water that was lukewarm and I think everyone knows how refreshing lukewarm water is (or rather isn't) He even goes as far as saying he wants to spit them out.

The Exhortation:
Because of their worldly ways and being materialistic Jesus uses gold, and fine clothing to exhort them back into obedience. That is, ignore the temporary worldly riches and embrace the eternal riches being offered.

The Promise:
Jesus is at the door knocking, he will not enter the door of our heart but rather wait till he's invited. The promise is if we let him into our lives, repent of our sins we will have fellowship and eternal life with the creator but only if we invite Jesus into our lives. He will respect our wishes even if those wishes are rejecting his love and forgiveness.

I find that that Laodicean church to have more then a passing likeness to many churches in the US and its citizens as well. We in the US have long been accused of materialism, focusing more on making money then anything else. Only now as unemployment skyrockets and the stock market plunges are we hearing things that say spending, and the pursuit of possessions is wrong. I believe there were and are too many churches in America that are comfy, they have money, no needs, and feel they made it. Yet as with the letter to the Laodicean church they're not rich but wretchedly poor. When we trade our eternal blessings for the pursuit of money we transform what our lives from glorifying God to glorifying ourselves. Is it any wonder then that Jesus has some harsh words.

I think people forget that Christians will be judged, not for their sins, thanks to Jesus' payment on the cross of our transgressions but how we used his blessings, that is did we use our time, talents and treasures to further his kingdom, glorify him and build up the brethren or were they used to build bigger houses and fill them up with stuff.

1 Corinthians 3:12-15
If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13 each one's work will become obvious, for the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one's work. 14 If anyone's work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work is burned up, it will be lost, but he will be saved; yet it will be like an escape through fire.
(HCSB)

How sad that many American Christians (and I include myself) will have their life work go up in smoke when judged. While our salvation is secure, they will have little to nothing to offer to Jesus. The health and wealth gospel has deluded so many people here, thinking that it is our right to have money and possessions yet we conveniently ignore Christians in other lands that are either actively being persecuted or are so poor that they barely have enough to eat.

The letter to Ephesus - Revelation 2

The Book of Revelation has often confused many readers, Christian and non-Christian alike, but in the book before the prophesies of the end times, Jesus told John to write down 7 letters to churches in Asia Minor. The format of the letters for all but two were destination, commendation, rebuke, exhortation and promise.

Revelation 2:1-7
2 "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
"The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand and who walks among the seven gold lampstands says: 2 I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate evil. You have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and you have found them to be liars. 3 You also possess endurance and have tolerated many things because of My name, and have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you: you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember then how far you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent. 6 Yet you do have this: you hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 "Anyone who has an ear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. I will give the victor the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. (HCSB)

The Destination:
The first letter was to the city of Ephesus, its location and seaport made it an affluent city. So much so, they had one of the 7 wonders of the world, the temple of Artemis. The Apostle Paul visited the church about 43 years before this writing of the letter and stirred the city up with his message.

The Commendation:
Jesus Praises the Ephesians for the intolerance of evil especially given the city they were living in Their was a heavy influence of pagan religions, and yet this church was worked hard, and endured, they tested the teachers and preachers that would stop by the city and rejected anything that was not inline with Christ's teaching.

The Rebuke:
All was not well with the Ephesian church, While the people were hard working, they forgot why they were doing what they were doing. They forgot the their first love. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians spoke of works without love.

1 Corinthians 13:1-7
3 If I speak the languages of men and of angels, but do not have love,
I am a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
2 If I have the gift of prophecy,
and understand all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have all faith, so that I can move mountains,
but do not have love, I am nothing.
3 And if I donate all my goods to feed the poor,
and if I give my body to be burned,
but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient; love is kind. Love does not envy;
is not boastful; is not conceited;
5 does not act improperly; is not selfish;
is not provoked; does not keep a record of wrongs;
6 finds no joy in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth;
7 bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.
(HCSB)

Yet the Ephesians seem to be guilty of this.

Exhortation:
The exhortation is simple, for this particular fault

Revelation 2:5 Remember then how far you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent.

Remember how far they had fallen and repent. The consequence is the lampstand which some believe to be the church will be removed.

Finally the promise, if they repent, and remember their first love. Eternal life. Jesus again uses the promise to remind the Ephesians that their first love and repentance was for eternal life and if we repent we will be with him forever.

The Letter to Ephesians seems to strike a note to current day churches and individual people. All too often in this day and age we can fall into the problem of focusing on defending God's honor, purity and rules at the detriment of loving one another. When I say loving one another, I don't mean just the people sitting next to us in the pews but to our neighbors, our co-workers and yes as Jesus instructed us, to our enemies. It's a lot easier to condemn someone and their lifestyle then it is to love but we saw love in action with Jesus so we know its possible. He was the embodiment of Love. In Jesus' time there was a group of people who were zealous for God's law and the purity of the people: The Pharisees. If Jesus was harsh to anyone, it was these leaders of Israel, they were so quick to condemn "sinners" and force everyone to follow rules and regulations in the name of purity. Jesus chose to show love, and compassion by accepting people and exhorting them to repent and sin no more. So too we much love and accept people regardless of their failings and like Jesus, encourage those to repent their sins. We like Jesus must show our love, in words and actions.

Like the Ephesian brothers, who have long since passed away, we must remember our first love and our focus must be on him. Our sin had separated, severed and prevents any sort of relationship with the our creator, God Almighty and yet while we behaved in ways that he hated, he laid down his life in place for us. Let us remember that he loved us and we need to love others. While ensuring false teaching, and evil does not creep into our lives, Love and glorifying God must be the motivation.