Tag Archives: Sardis

The letter to Sardis: The Book of Life

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lettersJesus talks to the Christians of Sardis about the Book of Life. That’s a concept that may sound a little strange to us, but it’s pretty common in the Bible. In Letters to the Lamb, I note:

These victors will never have their names blotted out of the Book of Life. Ancient cities kept a book of names, names of the inhabitants of the city. If someone’s name was not found in the book, they were not considered to be citizens of that city. If someone committed a serious crime or a treasonous act against the city, their names were removed from the book. In Exodus 32, Moses refers to God’s book, asking to be blotted out of the book if the rest of Israel was not forgiven of their rebellion. In the book of Psalms, the Psalmist says of his enemies: “May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous.” (Psalms 69:28) The prophet Daniel spoke of a book of names, when he wrote: “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.” (Daniel 12:1) In the New Testament, Paul refers to the Book of Life in Philippians when he writes: “Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.” (Philippians 4:3) This is the first reference in Revelation to God’s book, but it is mentioned several other times in this prophecy. Those who are in God’s book are citizens of his holy city, destined for eternal life. The fact that he can still blot the names of Christians out of his book should be a sobering one. The possibility of losing our citizenship through a lack of vigilance is a very real one, one that should motivate us to pay careful attention to what is said to the church in Sardis.

(Letters From The Lamb, pp. 120-21)

I want to be known as a citizen of God’s city. I want my name to be found in the Book of Life, not a blotted-out smudge where my name once was. Like the people of Sardis, I need to be alert spiritually rather than sleeping in complacency. “When the roll is called up yonder,” I want my name to be found.

The Letter to Sardis: Wake up!

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lettersI find the history of Sardis absolutely fascinating. It’s quite possibly my favorite story of the seven churches of Revelation. The city was one with a glorious past and a mediocre present.

I didn’t grow up hearing the expression “rich as Croesus,” but his story particularly intrigues me. Croesus was rich and powerful and decided to attack the Persians, governed by King Cyrus. Legend says that he consulted the oracle at Delphi before attacking. As oracles often did, the oracle gave an ambiguous answer: If you take your armies across the Halys River, you will destroy a great nation. Croesus, of course, thought this meant he would destroy the Persians. He learned otherwise.

In Letters From The Lamb, I wrote:

Croesus had attacked Cyrus’ army, then had withdrawn to his mountain fortress when things did not go well. Cyrus, frustrated at his army’s inability to penetrate the citadel, offered a reward to any soldier who could discover an entry route. One of the Persian soldiers observed a Lydian that accidentally dropped his helmet, yet was able to quickly descend and retrieve it. The Persians waited until nightfall, then scaled the cliff at that very point. Thinking their position unassailable, Croesus had no guards posted on the battlements! The Persians quickly overran the city and the battle was won, not by military might but by carelessness on the part of the inhabitants of Sardis. To Sardis’ great shame, the city was taken the same way by the Athenians a short time later, then again three hundred years later when Antiochus III conquered the unguarded city.

(Letters From The Lamb, p. 116)

When Jesus addresses the church in Sardis, he tells them to wake up. Surely those words must have made them blush as they thought of their history. He then tells them, “But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.” Another reference to their inglorious history.

Jesus’ words apply not only to the people of Sardis, of course. We all need to be alert and watching. We don’t know when our Lord will return. We shouldn’t be caught unawares.