My dear readers,

Jesus Christ – The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the Creation of God

The church in Laodicea was the last of the seven churches that the Lord highlighted. This was the only church that had no commendation, but only condemnation. The Lord introduced Himself as “the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God” (Rev 3:14) to help the church that probably started off well but had become so derelict in her spiritual existence that there was not a single thing about the church that the Lord could commend. It was a church bankrupt of all spiritual blessing and light.

Yet the Lord appealed to her to repent and return to Him. Revelation 3:19: “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 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. 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. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” What could have caused such a spiritual destruction?

Laodicea was a wealthy city. She grew in wealth and prominence during the period of Roman supremacy. The Romans used the city as one of their sea ports for their extensive shipments. The city grew and became well-known for her military outpost as well as a trade centre. An example of the city’s wealth could be seen in the ability of the people to rebuild their city from their private funds, without help from Rome, after the earthquake of A.D.60. An additional source of wealth came from the wool of the black sheep. “In the environs were also the temples of the ancient deities, chiefly at Attuda where the shrine of Men-of-the-Carians was located. According to Josephus, Antiochus the Great (III) settled 2,000 Jewish families in Phrygia and Lydia after deporting them from Babylon (Jos. Antiq. XII. 147-149). No doubt the rising economic position and business endeavors of the region caused the Jews to thrive” [Zondervan, vol. 3, p. 877].

Laodicea was also guaranteed freedom of worship by the city magistrates. The wealth of the city coupled with her independence became the backdrop in which Rev 3:17ff was recorded. Laodicea was well-known as a banking centre. She even minted her own coins several centuries before the Christian era. These coins had ancient gods inscribed on them. The love of money is the root of all evil. Wealth, prestige, and power are the carnal ingredients that have insidiously devoured many fervent souls. 

The worst part was that these souls were not aware of their spiritual deadness. They sincerely believed that when the coffers of their church were filled with millions of dollars, the Lord was pleased. They probably thought such wealth must be blessings of the Lord’s heavenly approval! The Lord Jesus Christ who is the “Amen” says otherwise. As the Faithful and True Witness of God from the beginning of Creation, He declared their spiritual poverty and waywardness. Rev 3:15: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 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: 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.”

Clean, cool refreshing water is always a precious commodity, more so in the 1^st century than the 21^st century. The Laodicean church was called lukewarm by Christ. What is the meaning of this imagery of lukewarmness? “His metaphorical language is drawn from Laodicea’s water supply. Because it travelled several miles through an underground aqueduct before reaching the city, the water arrived foul, dirty, and tepid. It was not hot enough to relax and restore, like the hot springs at Hierapolis. Nor was it cold and refreshing, like the stream water at Colossae. Laodicea’s lukewarm water was in a useless condition.” [MacArthur, vol. 1, p. 136.] The rebuke was clearly very striking. It was common knowledge to the Laodiceans that their water was lukewarm and utterly useless. Every church of Jesus Christ must be useful for the glory of God. Every Christian has been saved for service. Every local church must impact the society for Christ in the spiritual sense, not carnal. What is the point of a church that is known for her big multi-million dollar building and ability to take in millions of dollars every weekend? It is worthless like Laodicea’s lukewarm water.

The Laodicean church took pride in her wealth and depended on it. They believed that they needed nothing, not even from Christ! They had everything they needed. If they wanted to rebuild the church, they had the funds for it. There was no need to pray. Existing as a church was all about the physical building rather than the building up of the spiritual lives of the people. They were void of spiritual truths and presented a carnal Christ to a world dying in sin. They did not have Christ though they boasted that they had His blessings as seen by their wealth. All who Christ who saved them to make them rich. Jesus Christ’s evaluation of them was that they were naked and blind.

The church is the people. If our safety and security are in our homes, bank accounts and all things physical, then we are the Laodicean church. The Lord rebukes us today. He desires us to repent and return to Him in brokenness of heart and spirit. He continues to knock on our heart’s door. Let Him in and let us renew our love for Christ and serve Him faithfully to the end. Amen.