Category Archives: Revelation

The letter to Laodicea: Tough love

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lettersJesus has no words of praise for the church in Laodicea. It would have been easy for them to think that he no longer loved them. In fact, the very opposite was true. The fact that he cared enough to discipline them showed his love. As I wrote in Letters From The Lamb:

It’s common in our modern world for parents to feel that the best way to show love for their children is to give them free rein and not correct them in anything. Yet the Bible says the exact opposite. If we truly love, we will discipline. The letter to the Hebrews says it well: “And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.” (Hebrews 12:5-8) Failure to discipline is not love; it’s either a lack of love or it is cowardice. True love disciplines, challenges, corrects. If Jesus did not love the church in Laodicea, he would not waste his time writing to a church that had lost its passion. The very fact that he cares enough to point out their faults shows that he loves them.

(Letters From The Lamb, pp. 153-54)

True love is willing to face the discomfort that comes from discipline. We also have to be willing to be corrected by God, even if that discipline is less than pleasant.

The letter to Laodicea: What makes Jesus vomit

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lettersOne of the most famous images from the letter to Laodicea is that of the “lukewarm” Christian that Jesus will spew from his mouth (the original word means to vomit). Knowing a bit of the geography of the area helps us understand a bit more the meaning this reference would have had for them:

The great vulnerability of the city of Laodicea was its water supply. Water had to be piped in from far away, leaving the city vulnerable to attacks in times of war. (This fact forced the politicians in Laodicea to become skilled in the art of diplomacy!) In fact, the most outstanding ruins where Laodicea once stood are the remains of an aqueduct system which once helped bring water to the city; the pipes had cleaning grates at regular intervals to allow the mineral deposits to be scraped out due to the high mineral content in the area’s water. The nearby town of Hierapolis is famous for its hot springs; the water flowing from them formed large white terraces, in a place now called Pamukkale (“cotton castle”). It’s a popular resort in Turkey, with people traveling miles to bathe in the hot springs. Though soothing to soak in, the water has a foul odor and is sickening to drink. If the water were transported to Laodicea, it would merely be a tepid, brackish drink, capable only of inducing vomiting. In the other direction lies Denizli, a town whose name means “place with a large body of water.” The name probably comes from the existence of underground springs in the area. This water, refreshingly cool when it appears at the source, is excellent for drinking. However, by the time it was piped several miles to Laodicea, this water would also arrive in a lukewarm state.

(Letters From The Lamb, p. 150)

The Christians at Laodicea would have understood in a vivid way what Jesus was talking about when he referred to them being neither hot nor cold. They would understand why Jesus was ready to reject them.

As always, God communicated his message in a relevant way for those who first heard it.

The letter to Laodicea: If you think you’re rich…

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lettersThe letter to the church in Laodicea is the last of the seven letters in Revelation 2 and 3. The church was confident that it was healthy and prosperous, but Jesus thinks otherwise. He sees them as a needy church, maybe the neediest of the seven.

Why were the Laodiceans so self-assured? Maybe it was because their city was living a special time:

Under the Romans, the city flourished, situated as it was at the juncture of three important trade routes. The richest city in the area, Laodicea refused all aid offered by the Romans after the earthquake of A.D. 60, even though all of the surrounding cities gladly accepted the government funds and tax exemptions. Laodicea was a banking center; Roman statesman Cicero was able to cash his letters of credit when visiting the city in 50 B.C. It was an industrial center, home to important textile manufacturing. The water around Laodicea was rich in minerals and was especially suited for the dyeing of wool; Laodicea became known for a high-grade black wool, known for its sheen and softness. At least four types of garments were made from this wool and marketed around the world. Guilds and trade unions were influential and numerous in Laodicea, one of them called “The Most August Guild of the Wool Washers.” The other source of fame was that, like Pergamum, Laodicea had an outstanding medical school. This school was known for the Tephra Phrygia, a salve for the eyes which was sold in tablet form and exported throughout the Roman empire. Prepared from poppies which grew around Laodicea, the powder was shaped into little rolls called kollurion, a Greek word which appears in Revelation 3:18.

(Letters From The Lamb, pp. 149-50)

When Jesus wrote to the church, he told them that they weren’t rich at all, that they were wretched, pitiful and poor. To this rich city, Jesus tells them they need to buy pure gold from him. To this textile center, he tells them that they are naked and need to buy clothes from him. To this center famous for eye salve, he tells them they are blind and need to buy eye medicine from him.

The two richest churches of the group receive no praise from Jesus. What the world counts as riches mean nothing to Jesus. Our treasure is not measured with dollar signs. Having stuff tends to create more of a barrier between us and God. In the parable of the sower, Jesus talked about the deceitfulness of riches that could choke out the faith of the Christian. The church in Laodicea seems to be a living example of that trap.

The Letter to Philadelphia: God’s people vs. the earth dwellers

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lettersIn the book of Revelation, a contrast is made between God’s people and “those who live on earth.” In Letters From The Lamb I wrote:

Since the Philadelphians have been faithful, Jesus says that he is going to protect them from a time of trial that is coming on those that live on the earth. While at first glance we might think that all of us “live on the earth,” a survey of Revelation will show us that a distinction is made between those that dwell on the earth and those that dwell in heaven. The first term refers to the worldly people, those that reject God and follow the rebellious worship of the emperor. Those who dwell in heaven, on the other hand, are the citizens of heaven, even those that are still living their lives on this planet. They are in the world, but not of the world. Their passports and driver’s licenses may state an address here, but their actual citizenship is in heaven. So when Jesus brings punishment on those that live on the earth, his people are not included in that punishment.

(Letters From The Lamb, p. 138)

We are part of a kingdom that isn’t of this earth. Our loyalties lie elsewhere. We seek a heavenly city, not the country that we were born in. Living as aliens on this earth is an important part of our identity as Christians.

The letter to Philadelphia: What key does Jesus have?

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lettersIn this sixth of the seven letters to the seven churches, Jesus says that he is the holy one and the true one. He also mentions something that he is holding:

Jesus also identifies himself as the one who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. Again, those familiar with the Old Testament would recognize these words, this time a quote from the book of Isaiah: “In that day I will summon my servant, Eliakim son of Hilkiah. I will clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash around him and hand your authority over to him. He will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.” (Isaiah 22:20-22) In the case of Eliakim, the key to the house of David would have been a large wooden key which would have been worn like a sash. It denoted authority, like carrying the signet ring of the king. The key would have been used to bar and unbar the palace doors, controlling who had access to the king and who could enter or leave the palace grounds.6 In the case of Jesus, we need to remember that each of the letters refers to chapter 1 of Revelation. In the vision that John had of Jesus, Jesus had keys in his hand, the keys to death and Hades. It seems likely that Jesus is referring to the same keys here; the reference to the key of David is made to emphasize the permanence of Jesus’ actions regarding death and Hades. Now that he has opened that door, no one can shut it again, until Jesus himself decides to do so. Christians can face death without fear, for their Lord holds the key to let them out of the realm of death. Their stay in Hades will be but a temporary one, for they know the One who holds the key. When he opens the door, no one can shut it again. When Christ spoke with Peter about having the keys of the kingdom, he also spoke about the gates of Hades, saying that they would never be able to prevail against his church. Jesus opens the door to the place where the dead are, and once he has opened it, no one can shut it.

(Letters From The Lamb, pp. 135-36)

Jesus was calling his followers to be willing to be sacrificed. He reassures them that he has the key that will free them from death and grant them access to God. It’s a promise that was made to the whole church, that the gates of Hades would not prevail against it. Jesus holds the key. Any door that he opens will remain open. And he has thrown open the door to the realm of death. It cannot hold those that Jesus sets free. (And that’s great news!)